Chicago’s fine-dining flex just got international receipts. La Liste, the influential French guide that crunches reviews, guidebooks and online ratings from more than 1,100 sources into a single global ranking, has released its 2026 top 1000 restaurants list—and five Chicago spots made the cut.
Leading the local pack is Ever in Fulton Market, scoring a lofty 96 out of 100. Curtis Duffy and Michael Muser’s tasting-menu temple is already a two-Michelin-star destination, but La Liste’s nod just confirms what anyone who’s stared down one of Duffy’s plates already knows: this is the ultimate “special occasion” spot.
Right behind it is West Loop favorite Smyth, coming in at 95. Here, John and Karen Urie Shields lean into hyper-seasonal cooking, driven by a 20-acre farm south of the city, turning a lengthy, 2.5-hour tasting into something both comfortable and luxurious. One course might feature salted licorice-soaked egg yolk and another pristine yet simple seafood or vegetables. (Plus, the room feels more like a stylish friend’s home than a white-tablecloth temple.)
Lincoln Park’s boundary-pushing Alinea lands a score of 93.5, tying with West Loop heavyweight Oriole. At Alinea, Grant Achatz’s famed helium balloons, tableside theatrics and multi-course mind-benders still make for one of the city’s most immersive nights out. Meanwhile, Oriole takes a quieter route to the same level of wow: guests slip in through a back alley, ride a freight elevator and then settle into a minimalist room where Noah Sandoval’s tasting menu might move from capellini and caviar to Hokkaido uni and Maine lobster, all backed by one of the city’s most innovative pairing programs.
Rounding out the Chicago five is Lincoln Park stalwart Boka, clocking a 78. At Boka, the room, with its lush greenery wall, portraits of rock stars as generals and buzzy bar, sets the tone, but the food has kept this spot relevant for two decades, thanks to meticulously roasted chicken and seasonal pastas.
La Liste’s algorithm sifts through tens of thousands of restaurants worldwide to find just 1,000 worth shouting about. With Ever, Smyth, Alinea, Oriole and Boka all making the grade, Chicago’s still very much dining in rare company.