Finally, a West Loop hotspot that doesn’t break the bank. Chef Paul Virant’s thoughtful take on okonomiyaki is complexly flavored and wholly satisfying.
Latest Chicago restaurant reviews
Which Chicago restaurant should you dine at tonight? Read through our most recent Chicago restaurant reviews.
Carlos Gáytan’s ambitious comeback restaurant channels his roots in Huitzuco, Mexico, with bold, heartfelt and unfailingly delicious results.
This pan-Mediterranean tapas spot in Logan Square aims to please with an array of dishes from land and sea—and it mostly succeeds.
Serving mouth-watering pastries and wholesome, scratch-made sandwiches, Butterdough is the neighborhood bakery that every community deserves.
This modern Korean-American barbecue in River West bridges Korean home cooking and chef-driven Midwestern fare.
Chefs Johnny Clark and Beverly Kim effortlessly tackle every chef’s dream and nightmare: a new four-course tasting menu every night.
Flora Fauna’s jet-setting menu misses its connection due to poor execution.
Alinea Group’s take on the classic supper club is charming and enticingly casual.
Paul Kahan’s love letter to the Breton village of Cancale is an elegant, shellfish-focused bistro with staying power.
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For a long time, we Midwestern Great Lakers kept many of our choicest food secrets in our grocery stores, delis and unassuming corner taverns. I’m talking about chunky smoked whitefish dip; oily giardiniera heaped on Italian beef; tangy beer cheese; crisp-edged hash; and charred, meaty burnt ends. What a time to see these ingredients reimagined with fine-dining ingenuity and breathless seasonality at places like Giant, Daisies and now five-month-old Nettare. Nettare—meaning “nectar,” in reference to the restorative nature of good hospitality—is the debut restaurant of longtime bartender-turned restaurateur Conner O’Byrne (Publican, La Josie), with food helmed by executive chef John Dahlstrom (BLVD, Table, Donkey and Stick). This all-day cafe with a retail shop has the hipster, something-for-everyone vibe that’s pervaded openings since the pandemic. Despite the airy, plant-filled environs, Nettare’s food—punchy, rich and brackish on a recent April evening—recalls the embrace of a neighborhood joint with knotty-wood walls in, say, Petoskey, Michigan, or a timeworn Chicago beef stand. But friendly Midwestern comfort is merely a jumping-off point in the capable hands of Dahlstrom and company. The elongated, brick-walled space unfurls as a regionally focused market and bottle shop up front, past a hallway chef’s counter to the 45-seat dining room in back. Sliding into a banquette as evening waned, I felt soothed by the climbing, leafy plants and dim natural light pouring in from
We've rounded up the best chefs in the city to join us at Time Out Market Chicago, a culinary and cultural destination in the heart of Fulton Market. The 50,000-square-foot space houses 18 kitchens, three bars and one drop-dead gorgeous rooftop terrace—all spread across three floors. Our mission is simple: Bring the pages of Time Out Chicago to life with the help of our favorite chefs, the ones who wow us again and again. You'll find delicious barbecue from chef D’Andre Carter at Soul & Smoke, creative burgers at Big Kids, fried chicken from Luella’s Southern Kitchen and extravagant milkshakes from JoJo's shakeBAR. If you're thirsty, sit down at one of the Market's bars to enjoy a menu of local beer, a robust wine list or a cocktail created in collaboration with Chicago mixologists. And keep an eye out for events, concerts and artwork within the Market throughout the summer—we're keeping our calendar packed with things to do.
In a city full of sweeping views, everyone wants to be on top. But this tri-level venue is the tippy top of all rooftop bars. Located on the 21st floor of LondonHouse Chicago, LH Rooftop affords guests stunning vistas of the architecture along the Chicago River and Michigan Avenue. The only downsides: You'll have to arrive early if you want to find a seat, and the drinks aren't cheap. We recommend staying for a glass of bubbly, enjoying the view and moving on.
It's not going to win any awards for most welcoming decor, but look past the Big Buck Hunter arcade game and the handful of tables that could use some busing, and you'll find some of the freshest tacos in town. Meats are grilled on the spot (our favorite is the perfectly spiced carne asada), then sprinkled with fresh cilantro and onion and served up with a fiery, take-no-prisoners salsa verde. Wash it down with a cooling horchata and a side of creamy, made-to-order guac—served with a mound of fresh-from-the-fryer chips—that rivals the fancy tableside preparations you'll find at upscale Mexican spots around town.
The rooftop restaurant and bar at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel offers some of the best views of the city, with an expansive look at Millennium Park and the Lake. The drinks, from Nandini Khaund, are mostly balanced, and very pretty, while the American food is also mostly well-executed and comes in massive portions and is designed for sharing.
Chef Rodolfo Cuadros refers to himself as a “nomad” after a decade spent working alongside Latin American cooks in Miami, London and France. When he opened Wicker Park restaurant Amaru in 2019, Cuadros set out to serve pan-Latin cuisine and share parts of the various cultures that inspire his recipes. Lil Amaru is a continuation of Cuadro’s mission to explore the soul of Latin American cooking, focusing on delicious dishes that are commonly sold by street vendors in countries like Mexico, Cuba and Colombia. MENU: StartersGuacamole serranoFresh avocado, red onions, cilantro, serrano toreados, limePulpo a la planchaCharred octopus, poblano sriracha Sandwiches All sandwiches are served with fries, substitute sweet plantains or crispy yuca for $1 moreCriollo chickenGrilled Amish chicken, sweet plantains, mojo criollo, arugula, tomatoes ChoripanBeef chorizo, burnt garlic aioli, chimichurri, arugula Cuban sandoCuban bread, braised pork shoulder, smoked ham, house-made pickles, dijonaise, swiss cheese Tacos Al pastor tacoPork shoulder al pastor, pickled pineapple escabeche, cilantroAsada tacoSkirt steak, salsa macha, onions, cilantroPacific rockfish tacoAncho Chile battered rockfish, vigoron, smoked chili aioli, cilantro Fries Sweet plantainsMojo friesCrispy yucaPapas bravasBeveragesMexican hot chocolateJamaica agua frescaHorchata
It’s both silly and totally understandable that we human beings require tidy descriptors to sum up what kind of food a restaurant serves. Southeast Asian. Midwestern. Northern Italian. But how should one categorize the bold, veg-heavy, anything-goes dishes at handsome newcomer Maxwells Trading? In many ways, this singular menu synopsizes what it’s like to live and eat through major American cities right now—where cuisines, heritages and identities cram together and intermingle. Indeed, Maxwells Trading self-describes as “a Chicago restaurant by children of the city”—the children being Underscore Hospitality partners Erling Wu-Bower (Pacific Standard Time, Nico Osteria) and Josh Tilden (Pacific Standard Time) and executive chef Chris Jung (Momotaro). Yet even this descriptor feels a little self-serious for what’s in store once you take your seat in the sprawling, urban-chic dining room. Here Chinese soup dumplings collide with pasta traditions of Bologna, Italy; Thai chili sauce dances with bitter greens and rare steak; and edible kelp whisks beurre blanc to the foamy seashore. Maxwells Trading is fresh, fiery and downright fun; I was unsurprised to learn that Tilden and Wu-Bower were inspired to create the kind of place where they’d want to hang out, where upbeat, free jazz spins on the turntable and martinis get their own menu subsection. After all, who said likable means unimaginative? As this 80-seater is seemingly booked into oblivion*, my date and I walked in moments a
Upon entering this breathtaking riverfront oasis, you might catch yourself wondering if you've been transported to a faraway destination. An offshoot of the popular West Town dining destination by the same name, Beatnik On the River draws inspiration from the ’50s and ’60s, offering dishes and drinks from around the globe. The best tables in the house are on the 80-seat patio, which sits along the Chicago River and is outfitted with colorful tile, Indonesian daybeds and fringe-lined umbrellas. Order a glass of bubbly and stay awhile.
A tasty homage to the streetside eateries of Mexico City, Taqueria Chingón brings pozole, ceviche and tortilla-wrapped meats to Bucktown. The venture is a partnership between Sotero Gallegos (La Sardine), Oliver Poilevey (Le Bouchon) and Marcos Ascencio (Bar Lupo)—three men with a shared passion for the classics. The tacos al pastor are a must, with tender bits of pork finding their match in creamy avocado salsa, sweet pineapple and flecks of cilantro. Vegetarians aren't left out of the fun: There's a veg-based version of the dish that subs in portobello mushrooms and celery root to create a spot-on rendition that's anything but boring. A bowl of chile-laced pozole warms the belly in the winter months, while the zesty octopus and shrimp ceviche is the perfect refresher come summer.
By neighborhood
Once strictly an industrial area, the West Loop has been transformed into Chicago's hottest dining hood
Dig into a gigantic Cuban sandwich or grab a scoop of ice cream at some of the best restaurants in Humboldt Park
As one of Chicago’s most diverse neighborhoods, Bridgeport is home to a wide-ranging variety of great restaurants.
Most of Evanston's best restaurants are located right off CTA stops, so you won't have to go out of your way to eat well
There's both cheap eats for the college kids and a three-star Michelin dining destination
Andersonville is best known for its Swedish roots, but the neighborhood's culinary scene is incredibly diverse
Here's where to eat near the museum campus, McCormick Place and Soldier Field.
It's not all Chinese food—you can also find a ramen spot making its own noodles in the basement
There's no shortage of great restaurants in Logan Square, and the openings just keep coming
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