The best restaurants in Chicago come in all shapes and sizes, from pizza joints and Michelin-starred heavyweights to some of the best cheap eats Chicago has to offer. The cuisines are just as varied, with every corner of the globe represented through Korean, Mexican, Italian, sushi and much more. Whether you're a lifelong resident or simply visiting for the weekend, stuffing your face at one of these restaurants is easily among the best things to do in Chicago. This belt-busting food scene shows no signs of slowing down, so we cut to the chase and ranked our essentials—the absolute best restaurants in town.
Our editors scour the city for great dishes, excellent value and insider info. We hope to provide an authentic snapshot of Chicago's ever-evolving dining experiences by updating this list constantly with the best new restaurants in the city as well as decades-old stalwarts that keep us coming back for more. It could be a mega-hyped destination restaurant or a remarkable hole in the wall: If it’s on the list, we think it’s terrific, and we bet you will, too.
Best Chicago restaurants at a glance:
- 🎉 For group dining: Maxwells Trading – Diverse shareable plates in a trendy setting (West Loop)
- 🇵🇭 For authentic Filipino flavors: Kasama – Viral bakery by day, elevated tasting menu by night (East Ukrainian Village)
- 🍽️ For a fine-dining splurge: Oriole – Two Michelin-starred tasting menu from legendary chef Noah Sandoval (West Loop)
- 🇮🇳 For modern Indian cuisine: Indienne – Approachable, inventive tasting menus for various dietary restrictions (River North)
Updated May 2026: In a city packed with a wealth of top-of-the-line restaurants, it can be difficult to decide where to dine. Italian or Indian? West Loop or Uptown? Splurge or save?
This updated list of the best restaurants in Chicago has the answers to all of those questions and more. From tiny pizza joints and a grab-and-go sandwich spot to five-star omakase counters and Michelin-recognized tasting menus, this is your ultimate guide to the must-hit hotspots that are actually worth a visit.
Time Out has also implemented a sitewide change to its review policies. Our food and drink venues included in guides now have star ratings, with five stars corresponding to “amazing,” four to “great” and three to “good,” and we’ve also standardized how most listings are structured. For more on our new policies, feel free to check out How we review at Time Out.
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