10 Best Places to Eat in Chicago

Oriole is a sophisticated contemporary American restaurant in Chicago's West Loop. Chef Noah Sandoval leads the kitchen, creating an elaborate, ever-changing tasting menu that evolves with the seasons.

Since opening in 2016, Oriole has become one of Chicago's most acclaimed fine-dining destinations and has earned three Michelin stars, making it one of the city's standout culinary experiences. If you're looking for one of the more memorable places to eat in Chicago, this one deserves a spot on the list.

At 218 W. Kinzie Street in the heart of Chicago, Bavette's Bar & Boeuf brings French-inspired steakhouse dining to the table. The menu covers everything from prime steaks and seafood to salads and indulgent sides you'd expect from a top-notch steakhouse. Dinner service starts at 4 p.m.

Monday through Thursday and at 3 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Reservations open 21 days in advance at 9 a.m., so serious steak fans may want to set a reminder. Walk-ins are also welcome at the bar, where the full menu is served.

Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio has a fabulous spot at 1020 West Madison Street in Chicago's West Loop, where chef and owner Sarah Grueneberg brings Italian cooking together with flavors inspired by her travels and family heritage.

The restaurant is especially famous for its handmade pasta, produced throughout the day in its on-site pastificio. You can actually watch the pasta-making process, which is almost as satisfying as eating it. The menu balances traditional Italian dishes with creative combinations and global influences, giving classic pasta a modern twist.

Rose Mary has a prime spot in Chicago's historic Fulton Market district, where chef Joe Flamm combines his Italian heritage with the bold flavors of Croatian cuisine. The seasonal menu features handmade pasta, market vegetables, grilled fish, and Croatian specialties such as cevapi.

The restaurant describes its style as "Adriatic drinking food," which is basically a very good excuse to order another plate for the table. Pasta lovers can choose from handmade shapes, while seafood and seasonal dishes round out the menu. Flamm, who won Top Chef Season 15, opened Rose Mary in 2021.

Up on the second floor of The St. Regis Chicago at 401 E. Wacker Drive, you'll find Tre Dita, a Tuscan restaurant from chef Evan Funke. The name translates to "three fingers," a reference to the traditional way of measuring the thickness of bistecca Fiorentina.

The menu focuses on Tuscan favorites, including antipasti, handmade pasta, and dry-aged steaks cooked over an open-hearth wood fire. Add panoramic views of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, and you've got a pretty convincing reason to dress up for dinner.

Maple & Ash in Chicago's Gold Coast is a modern steakhouse built around one very simple philosophy: food tastes better when cooked over fire. The restaurant specializes in wood-fired steaks, seafood, and other dishes prepared over an open hearth.

One of its signature dishes is the fire-roasted seafood tower, which can include Maine lobster, Alaskan king crab, Gulf shrimp, Manila clams, oysters, and scallops, finished with garlic butter and chili oil. It's essentially a seafood tower that decided to turn up the heat.

Aba is a Mediterranean restaurant in Chicago's Fulton Market district, located at 302 N. Green Street. The menu draws inspiration from Mediterranean cooking, with dishes ranging from hummus and spreads to mezze, seafood, kebabs, and grilled meats.

Signature favorites include smoky garlic hummus, whipped feta, seafood dishes, and shawarma-spiced skirt steak. The restaurant also offers brunch and has an attractive rooftop space, making it a good choice whether you're planning a proper meal or simply want to linger over drinks and small plates.

Indienne is located at 217 W. Huron Street in Chicago's River North neighborhood. Chef Sujan Sarkar combines Indian flavors with French culinary techniques, creating a seasonal tasting menu with options for vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and non-vegetarian diners.

The restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 2023 and retained it in 2024 and 2025. The setting is equally interesting: Indienne occupies a renovated 19th-century printing warehouse, giving the elegant dining experience plenty of historic character.

Armitage Alehouse sits on West Armitage Avenue in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood and is designed to feel like an old-fashioned English pub. Inside, the atmosphere channels London circa 1926, while the menu combines hearty British pub fare with Indian-inspired dishes.

You'll also find a selection of ales, cocktails, and other drinks to pair with your meal. It's the sort of place where ordering "just one drink" can mysteriously turn into dinner.

Smoque BBQ at 3800 N. Pulaski Road in Old Irving Park is a go-to destination for serious barbecue lovers. The restaurant specializes in smoked meats and makes its sauces and sides in-house.

The menu includes ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken, classic barbecue sides, and desserts such as peach cobbler and pecan bread pudding. Smoque has been serving barbecue since 2006 and currently operates Tuesday through Sunday, with hours varying by day. Catering is also available.

In a nutshell, these Chicago food spots cover a delicious mix of cuisines, neighborhoods, and dining styles. From Indian tasting menus at Indienne and handmade pasta at Monteverde to British pub fare at Armitage Alehouse and smoky barbecue at Smoque, there's something here for practically every appetite—and every level of hunger.

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