Chicago is perhaps one of the best foodie cities in the USA – its food scene is diverse, exciting and really good fun. I recently spent a week eating my way round the city, from breakfast through to late-night dinners. So here are the 11 Chicago restaurants I’d go back to.
Note that this isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s where I personally ate and would recommend. Restaurants are listed in no particular order.
Gibsons
Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse was my first restaurant of the trip: a true classic American steakhouse serving up some very good cuts of beef. It was so good, I went back a second time. It’s on Rush Street in the Gold Coast, just north of downtown, with plenty of bars nearby for a drink before or after.
Things kick off with a complimentary side salad and a choice of three dressings (Thousand Island, blue cheese and French vinaigrette).
Their steak menu has practically every cut you could imagine. Across my two visits I tasted the Chicago ribeye special, the porterhouse and their large filet mignon. All three were superb, with a perfect cuisson, seasoning and crust. The beef isn’t heavily aged, but every cut was tender and full of flavour.
For sides we had their house French fries, which are excellent: crispy and very well seasoned. One plate can easily serve three people. Their creamed spinach is superb too, well seasoned, creamy and nice and cheesy.
A very solid option for steak in Chicago. It’s not the cheapest, but if you like steak, this is worth a visit.
What to know before you visit
- Open daily from 11am until midnight
- Reservations recommended, especially at weekends
- Dress code is smart casual
- It’s on the pricier side, so share the sides (they’re huge)
Address: 1028 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611
Tel: (312) 266-8999
Website: https://gibsonssteakhouse.com
La Chaparrita Taqueria
About a 20-minute drive from downtown, in the Little Village neighbourhood on the city’s Southwest Side, is one of the best taquerias in the country. It’s local, authentic and, as some say, it feels like you’re in Mexico.
La Chaparrita Taqueria is a real institution, set at the front of a small corner grocery store, and known for serving some of the best tacos in Chicago. It’s a bit of a trip from downtown, but for me it was worth the detour.
The menu is pretty big, with plenty of classics on offer plus lots of offal (tripa, tongue and more). The tacos are on the smaller side, so I’d recommend four or five per person, or up to eight if you’re really hungry.
Kicking off with the carne asada, this was delicious, with the thinly sliced steak bringing tons of flavour. The house salsa verde is also very good.
One of my favourites was the al pastor ($3.75 per taco). Interestingly, the meat is chopped up finely and, I imagine, given a final crisp on the griddle before serving. These were awesome: crispy yet juicy meat, perfectly seasoned.
I also had the suadero ($3.75 – a thin, fatty cut of beef from between the belly and leg, cooked low and slow in fat) and the campechano ($4.50 – mixed beef and pork), which were both excellent. Tender beef and very crispy, well-seasoned pork. Finish them off with their salsas and you’ll be very happy.
Worth the trip out of downtown. This is the most authentic meal I had in Chicago.
What to know before you visit
- It’s about 20 minutes by car or rideshare from downtown
- Cash only, so bring enough
- The suadero and crispy tripa are what it’s most famous for
- It’s a counter inside a grocery store, so seating is small and casual
Address: 2500 S Whipple St, Chicago, IL 60623
Tel: (773) 254-0975
Au Cheval
Au Cheval is known for serving up one of the best burgers in the country. Worth the hype? Absolutely. It’s probably the best burger I’ve ever had. Yep, a big claim, but let’s dive in.
Firstly, it’s a very cool, modern diner with an open kitchen behind the bar. They’re famous for their burgers, but the menu goes well beyond that, with diner classics and richer plates like chopped chicken liver on toast, roasted bone marrow with beef cheek marmalade, matzo ball soup and plenty of egg dishes.
We kicked off with their six-piece fried chicken with a sweet soy glaze. It’s all dark meat, which is good to see. The cook was spot on, but it definitely needed a kick of salt (or a brine), as the glaze was only added at the end.
The star of the show here is the burger, and it’s quite frankly incredible. Interestingly, their single burger contains two patties and their double has three.
Go for the fried egg (which was perfectly cooked) and the bacon: thick-cut and glazed in maple syrup. Perfection.
They manage to get an amazing crust (think smash burger) while still hitting a medium-rare cook on the patties. That kind of precision is impressive and it’s easily the best burger I’ve tried to date.
What to know before you visit
- Mostly walk-in, with a limited number of reservations on Resy for groups of up to 4
- If you reserve, you have to pay $2.50 just to reserve (this is not a deposit)
- Expect to queue for 1–2h during peak times
- Once you’ve put your name down, they text you when your table’s ready, so you can grab a drink nearby
- Go late morning on a weekday for the shortest wait
Address: 800 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607
Tel: (312) 929-4580
Website: https://auchevaldiner.com/chicago
Lou Malnati’s
Lou Malnati’s is one of the best-known places in Chicago to try the city’s famous deep-dish pizza. They have dozens of locations across the city and suburbs, so be warned that it’s more of a chain than an independent restaurant.
I’d heard there are better spots to try the local pizza, but I genuinely think their pies are very good.
There are four sizes of deep dish on offer and you can pretty much choose whatever toppings you want. There are also five signature pizzas, with deep or thin crust options. Deep-dish sizes go from personal ($15) up to large ($37). We shared two smalls between three people, which was easily enough: one vegetarian, and one meat with Italian sausage, pepperoni and giardiniera (Chicago’s spicy pickled vegetable relish).
The crust had a lovely chew and the tomato sauce was rich. Naturally there’s a lot of cheese on top. It’s filling but not heavy. I really liked these. They’re not refined, but they’re really tasty.
What to know before you visit
- There are multiple locations, but River North is the most central for visitors
- Deep dish takes 30 to 45 minutes to bake, so order as soon as you sit down
- A small pizza easily serves two to three people, so don’t over-order
- Good value: expect roughly $15 to $37 per pizza depending on size
Address: 439 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654
Tel: (312) 828-9800
Website: https://www.loumalnatis.com
The Original Pancake House
On the northern edge of downtown, in the Gold Coast, is a classic, old-school American diner and a great spot for breakfast or brunch. It’s part of a national chain, so not an independent café, although it does have that feel. It’s old-school without being kitsch or retro. It’s a classic for a reason and feels like it hasn’t changed in decades.
Get in early if you want to avoid queues, even on weekdays. Once you’re in, the friendly servers are quick to attend and coffee is on the table minutes later.
The menu is extensive and covers plenty of sweet and savoury pancakes as well as the usual breakfast classics. I went for their buttermilk pancakes with bacon and maple syrup, which were solid. Their blueberry pancakes were also very good and extremely generous.
Nothing fancy, but a reliable, very generous breakfast before a day of exploring.
What to know before you visit
- Breakfast and lunch only, from 7am until mid-afternoon
- They don’t take reservations
- Expect to queue at weekends (and often on weekdays too)
- Portions are very generous, so one stack is plenty
Address: 22 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611
Tel: (312) 642-7917
Website: https://www.ophchicagoland.com
Mr. Beef
Mr. Beef is a fantastic sandwich spot in Chicago and the real-life inspiration for the restaurant in The Bear. It’s an old-school, no-frills spot with attitude, serving up classic Italian beef sandwiches.
It’s hard to miss on Orleans Street in River North, with its giant sign and a long queue stretching way out of the door.
The queue moves quickly and I waited 20 minutes, max, before I was eating.
I went for their Italian beef sandwich with hot and sweet peppers. Is it worth the hype? Yes, it’s very good. It’s stuffed with thinly sliced, melt-in-the-mouth beef, dipped in jus, and topped with hot giardiniera and sweet peppers.
I should also mention that their fresh French fries are superb. Really crisp and perfectly seasoned.
For me, it was definitely worth the queue and honestly, it’s a cheap lunch by Chicago standards.
What to know before you visit
- Open Monday to Saturday, roughly 10am to 4pm, and closed on Sundays
- Traditionally cash only (cards are now accepted but they had a processing few of a few $)
- Order it “dipped” if you want the whole sandwich dunked in jus
- Seating is limited in the back room
Address: 666 N Orleans St, Chicago, IL 60654
Tel: (312) 337-8500
Website: https://www.theoriginalmrbeef.com
Green Street Smoked Meats
One of the real highlights for me was Green Street Smoked Meats, in the Fulton Market district of the West Loop, one of the city’s best areas for food. The warehouse setting is very cool. It’s almost canteen style, where you order drinks and food separately. Drinks come from the giant central bar, which has a great beer selection on tap. Food is ordered at a separate counter, where it’s prepared on the spot.
I visited late on a Friday night and unfortunately a lot of options had sold out, including the sliced brisket. Fortunately there was still chopped brisket ($18.99 per ½ lb), which I was told is the same cut as the sliced brisket, and it was incredible. They certainly didn’t use the lean end here: it was soft, juicy, melty and had a lovely amount of fat.
I got a side of elote-style corn. It’s grilled, taken off the cob and creamed with plenty of cotija cheese. I also got a side of pickles, which were lovely but really for three or four people to share rather than one (unless you really love pickles!). All sides are $6.99 each.
It’s very highly rated on Google for a reason. They serve some seriously good BBQ here, probably the best in the city.
What to know before you visit
- They don’t take reservations
- The entrance is down the alley off Green Street, so don’t worry when you can’t find a front door
- Meat is served until it sells out, so go early if you want the sliced brisket
- It’s 21+ only after 8pm
Address: 112 N Green St, Chicago, IL 60607
Tel: (312) 754-0431
Website: https://www.greenstreetmeats.com
Doma
Doma is a fantastic little Croatian-run café in River North, just north of downtown. It’s a great independent coffee and brunch spot, perfect for breakfast before exploring the city on foot.
I came here following recommendations for brunch and I was not disappointed. The café has a small interior with a covered terrace at the rear.
I went for their signature breakfast muffin ($10) with bacon, egg, American cheese and their house hot sauce. This was great: the eggs were still nice and soft and the bacon lovely and crisp. The side of hash brown ($4) was excellent, crispy outside and fluffy inside, and comes with honey mustard and ketchup.
Their coffee is great too. Light-roasted beans from a speciality roaster made for a very nice latte.
A small, friendly spot and one of my favourite breakfasts of the trip.
What to know before you visit
- Breakfast and lunch only, from 8am until 3pm (4pm on Saturdays)
- They don’t take reservations, it’s counter service
- It’s a short walk from Mr. Beef, so you could do breakfast here and an Italian beef for lunch
Address: 946 N Orleans St, Chicago, IL 60610
Tel: (312) 643-0527
Website: https://www.domachicago.com
Asador Bastian
Asador Bastian is rated as one of the best steakhouses in the country, and it’s got some stiff competition, especially in Chicago alone. So is this Basque-style steakhouse worth the hype? In short, yes. The beef is incredible, but it comes with a hefty price tag, and it’s very difficult to get a table.
I tried to reserve in advance but there was nothing available for weeks. I tried my luck by arriving at 4pm sharp on a Saturday and managed to snag a walk-in spot at the bar.
Set in a 19th-century townhouse, the dimly lit bar room is a lovely place to eat. It’s moody, sexy and has a real speakeasy feel. Service is friendly, smart and very smooth.
So, back to the food. I kicked off with a lobster and foie gras pintxo ($18). Served cold, this was more of a snack or amuse-bouche than a real pintxo, but it was delicious nonetheless.
In terms of steaks, the main offering is bone-in, thick-cut ribeye priced by the pound. They have a range of breeds, all dry-aged, from different farms across the US. Steaks are cooked over charcoal and, oh boy, you can taste it.
I wanted the San Miguel steak (a solo-diner size, under 1lb), but my server told me after I’d ordered that it had run out. I opted instead for their Holstein, 120-day aged, 1.25lb ribeye cooked rare ($120). It came out exactly as requested and was clearly very well rested. The crust was killer and the steak perfectly seasoned. The beef itself? Very tender, with the aged flavour (think blue cheese) running all the way through.
I also ordered their beef tallow potatoes, which are confited, pressed and fried. These were good, but the pimentón seasoning was slightly overpowering.
A great steakhouse, and best enjoyed in a group so you can share a few steaks. Book as far in advance as you can.
What to know before you visit
- Reservations go weeks in advance, so book as early as you can
- For a walk-in, arrive right at opening (4pm) and ask for the bar
- It’s expensive: the large steaks run well over $100
- Most ribeyes are sized for sharing, and the smaller cuts sell out early
Address: 214 W Erie St, Chicago, IL 60654
Tel: (312) 800-8935
Website: https://asadorbastian.com
Zarella Pizzeria & Taverna
One spot that was recommended to me over and over for Chicago tavern-style pizza was Zarella, from the Boka Restaurant Group. Luckily I managed to snag a very late table on a Saturday night.
It’s dark and moody in the evening, with a slight sports bar feel thanks to the TVs at the bar. Service was friendly and very quick.
I’d heard their appetisers are extremely good (apparently the mozzarella sticks are a must), but I didn’t have space!
I went all in on their signature tavern-style soppressata and mortadella pizza, dressed with Calabrian chilli honey and rocket. This pie is honestly very good. The crust has a nice crunch and the squares are pliable enough to pick up. The flavour was really good too, with a nice amount of heat from the spicy honey.
Reserve in advance, go with a group and share a few pies and appetisers. It’s really that good.
What to know before you visit
- Reservations recommended, especially at weekends
- Dinner only Monday to Thursday (from 4pm), and open from 11am Friday to Sunday
- Tavern-style pizza is thin and crisp, cut into squares rather than slices, so it’s much lighter than deep dish
Address: 531 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654
Tel: (312) 470-0250
Website: https://www.zarellachicago.com
Gilt Bar
Gilt Bar is another highly rated American restaurant in Chicago that was recommended to me, and it holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Located in River North, it’s a really atmospheric, moody restaurant, perfect for a date or a special occasion.
Firstly, it’s hard to get a table here, as it’s booked up weeks in advance. I managed to get a walk-in table by arriving just before they open at 4pm, for an early dinner.
Inside, the décor is vintage speakeasy with low, moody lighting. The service was really friendly and gave me plenty of time to relax before ordering.
I went for their fried chicken sliders ($17.99), which were very good: moist chunks of chicken breast, a kick of mustard in the mayo and a soft brioche bun.
Then came the dish I’d been recommended: their vodka rigatoni ($22.99). This was delicious. A rich, tangy tomato sauce coated the al dente rigatoni, which was finished with a generous shower of parmesan.
Gilt Bar is cosy, atmospheric and honestly pretty good value for the quality.
What to know before you visit
- Open daily from 4pm (dinner only)
- Book weeks in advance, or arrive right at opening for a walk-in
- Perfect for a date night or special occasion
Address: 230 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654
Tel: (312) 464-9544
Website: https://www.giltbarchicago.com
