From the Michelin Guide to the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, there are plenty of “best of” restaurant lists to consult for dining recommendations. While these rankings tend to skew toward high-end spots, a new roundup of the Top 100 US Restaurants recently released by Yelp highlights a lesser-known, family-run operation in Lincoln Square.
To compile the favorite places to eat “for every taste, style, and budget,” the popular crowd-sourced reviews site gathered input from its community of users and ranked the data by total number of submissions, ratings and other factors. While Chicago has a reputation as a world-class city for food, only one local eatery made the cut—XOchimilco Mexican Restaurant, which currently sits at five stars and 255 reviews on Yelp.
“It’s the customizable enchiladas that Yelpers love the most. Three enchiladas come with a side of white beans, black beans, and a salad. Diners choose their own stuffing and sauce. Would you like chicken with mole? “Out-of-this-world good” carne asada with roasted tomatillo sauce? Or vegetarian with ranchero sauce? You can’t go wrong,” Yelp explained.
Though XOchimilco was the lone Chicago entrant, the list also recognized a place in the western suburbs. Balmoral Restaurant out in Campton Hills received high praise for being a “magical Scottish retreat … fit for special occasions, with show-stopping dishes like medium-rare beef Wellington wrapped with seasoned sherry-soaked mushrooms in a shiny golden puff pastry, which arrives at a table set for royalty.”
Claiming the No. 1 spot was Broken Mouth, a Hawaiian-Korean concept in Los Angeles. All in all, California was home to more than 25 honorees—the most of any state. Last year, Chicago had two restaurants land on the rankings with Oriole and 016 Restaurant & Sandwich Shop. You can check out the full 2023 list here.