Unearth The Voyage
Chicago has earned its reputation as one of America’s greatest food cities, and travelers from around the world come here specifically to eat. From Michelin-starred tasting menus to beloved deep-dish pizza joints, the city offers dining experiences that turn meals into memories. These twelve restaurants have consistently topped traveler reviews, earned prestigious awards, and created the kind of buzz that makes visitors plan entire trips around a single reservation.
1. Smyth (West Loop)
Standing alone as Chicago’s only three-star Michelin restaurant in 2025, Smyth represents the absolute pinnacle of American fine dining. Chef John Shields and his wife Karen Urie Shields have created something so special that food lovers literally build vacations around securing one of these coveted seats.
The tasting menu changes with the seasons, showcasing ingredients from the couple’s own farm and highlighting a deeply personal cooking style. Every course tells a story, blending technique with genuine warmth.
Reservations open exactly 30 days in advance and disappear almost instantly, so set your alarm and be ready to click.
2. Alinea (Lincoln Park)
Few restaurants anywhere on Earth generate the kind of global recognition that Alinea commands. Chef Grant Achatz transformed this Lincoln Park destination into a culinary landmark, and even after two decades, it remains a bucket-list experience for serious food travelers.
The restaurant currently holds two Michelin stars and continues to push boundaries with edible balloons, tabletop desserts painted by chefs, and courses that challenge everything you thought you knew about dining. Each visit feels like attending an avant-garde theater performance where you get to eat the props.
Book months ahead and prepare for an evening you’ll talk about for years.
3. Ever (Fulton Market)
Ever captured the imagination of television audiences when its dining room appeared on The Bear, but the restaurant’s two Michelin stars and 2025 Service Award prove it’s far more than a TV backdrop. Chef Curtis Duffy has created a temple to hospitality where every detail matters.
The tasting menu balances innovation with accessibility, and the service team anticipates needs before you even realize you have them. Special occasions demand special settings, and travelers consistently choose Ever when celebrating anniversaries, proposals, and milestone birthdays.
The space itself is stunning, with soaring ceilings and a calm, modern aesthetic that lets the food shine.
4. Oriole (West Loop)
When chef Noah Sandoval won the 2025 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes, it simply confirmed what out-of-town diners already knew. Oriole delivers one of the most refined and personal tasting experiences in the entire country, with two Michelin stars to prove it.
The intimate space seats just 28 guests, creating an almost private-dinner-party atmosphere where Sandoval and his team can interact directly with diners. Each course arrives as a small work of art, blending Japanese precision with French technique and Midwestern ingredients.
Travelers hunting Chicago’s absolute best cooking consistently land here, and reservations require serious planning and quick fingers.
5. Kasama (Ukrainian Village)
Kasama just jumped to two Michelin stars in 2025, and suddenly one of Chicago’s hardest reservations became nearly impossible to snag. This Filipino restaurant operates as a casual bakery by day and transforms into a sophisticated tasting-menu destination at night.
Chef Timothy Flores and his wife Genie Kwon have created something genuinely unique, weaving Filipino flavors and techniques into a multi-course experience that feels both comforting and revelatory. The ube pandesal from the morning bakery has its own cult following, and many travelers plan double visits to experience both sides of Kasama.
Expect bright, bold flavors and a genuine warmth that makes you feel like family.
6. Boka (Lincoln Park)
Boka has held its Michelin star for years, earning a reputation as the kind of polished, reliable fine dining that locals confidently recommend to visiting friends. The seasonal American menu changes frequently, always highlighting the best ingredients available.
Chef Lee Wolen runs a kitchen that balances creativity with approachability, creating dishes that surprise without intimidating. The dining room strikes that perfect balance between special-occasion fancy and genuinely comfortable, making it ideal for everything from business dinners to romantic dates.
Reservations are significantly easier to secure than at some of the city’s flashier spots, but the quality never wavers. Travelers appreciate knowing they can count on an excellent meal here.
7. Galit (Lincoln Park)
Walking into Galit feels like being welcomed into someone’s home, if that someone happened to be an extraordinarily talented Middle Eastern chef with a Michelin star. The warmth here is genuine, and travelers consistently rave about feeling cared for from the moment they arrive.
Chef Zach Engel’s menu celebrates the bright, bold flavors of the Middle East, with house-made pita that alone justifies the visit. Mezze plates arrive bursting with color, and larger dishes showcase creative spins on regional classics.
The restaurant is named after Engel’s grandmother, and that family connection shows in every thoughtful detail. Perfect for groups who want to share and taste everything together.
8. Monteverde (West Loop)
If you ask Chicagoans where to send pasta-loving visitors, Monteverde tops almost every list. Chef Sarah Grueneberg hand-rolls pasta daily, creating ribbons and shapes that capture sauce in ways dried pasta simply cannot match.
The cacio whey pepe has achieved near-legendary status, but honestly, every pasta on the menu deserves attention. Grueneberg’s Italian cooking respects tradition while adding her own creative touches, and the West Loop location stays packed with both travelers and locals who know they’re getting one of the city’s best Italian meals.
The space buzzes with energy, servers know the menu inside and out, and you’ll leave planning your return visit before you’ve even paid the check.
9. Girl & the Goat (West Loop)
Since opening in 2010, Girl & the Goat has maintained its position as one of Chicago’s most reliable traveler magnets. Chef Stephanie Izard won Top Chef, then proved she could translate TV fame into a restaurant that actually delivers night after night.
The menu encourages sharing, with bold flavors that draw from global influences and a willingness to experiment that keeps regulars coming back. Across thousands of TripAdvisor reviews, the restaurant holds a 4.6 out of 5, which is remarkable consistency for a place this popular.
Yes, it’s busy and loud, but that energy is part of the appeal. Reservations are essential, though the bar takes walk-ins if you’re feeling lucky.
10. Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (River North)
Sometimes travelers want the classic American steakhouse experience, and Joe’s delivers exactly that with polish and consistency. The restaurant earned Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice status in 2025 and maintains a 4.6 rating across more than 4,500 reviews.
Stone crabs flown in from Florida, perfectly aged steaks, and sides big enough to share create the kind of meal that feels both indulgent and comforting. The River North location makes it convenient for downtown hotel guests, and the staff handles tourist questions with patience and genuine friendliness.
This is where you go when you want zero surprises, just excellent seafood and steak prepared exactly how you like it, in a setting that feels appropriately special.
11. Pequod’s Pizza (Lincoln Park)
Forget everything you think you know about Chicago deep dish until you’ve tried Pequod’s caramelized crust. The cheese extends all the way to the edge of the pan, where it meets the heat and transforms into a crispy, golden, almost lacy rim that’s completely addictive.
Both tourists and locals queue up for tables at this Lincoln Park institution, which has earned Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice recognition and massive fan buzz. The pizza takes time to bake properly, so order an appetizer and settle in.
The atmosphere is casual and unpretentious, exactly what you want from a neighborhood pizza joint. Cash is easier, though they do take cards now.
12. Daisies (Logan Square)
Daisies earned both a Michelin Green Star for sustainability and a Bib Gourmand designation, making it perfect for travelers who care where their food comes from. Chef Joe Frillman obsesses over peak-season Midwestern ingredients, turning local produce into pastas and dishes that taste like the best version of the season itself.
The Logan Square location draws a neighborhood crowd, but out-of-towners increasingly seek it out for cooking that’s both virtuous and genuinely delicious. Nothing here feels preachy or overly worthy; it’s just smart, seasonal food done really, really well.
The wine list champions natural producers, and the whole experience feels like supporting the kind of restaurant you wish existed everywhere.
