Where’s the best Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, or Indian food in town? Where’s the best steak, the best pizza, the best plate of oysters? We’ve pulled data from thousands of restaurants to find the top spots among Chicago’s most expert, seasoned diners, broken down by each type of cuisine.
| Restaurants: | Nico Osteria, Swift & Sons, SUSHI-SAN… |
|---|---|
| Price Range: | $$$ - $$$$ |
| Cuisines: | Italian, Steakhouse, Japanese… |
| Neighborhoods: | Gold Coast / Streeterville, West Loop, Chicago… |
ITALIAN: With its elegant decor, friendly staff, and open kitchen, Nico Osteria is a truly lovely place to spend a meal—and the menu, which features seafood-forward Italian cuisine, rises to the occas...
STEAKHOUSE: We’re in the Midwest, after all, and there are few places in Chicago to get a steak as good as the ones at Swift & Sons. Chef Chris Pandel knows how to cook a piece of beef, and his seafoo...
JAPANESE: Sushi San might be wacky and irreverent—they have a section of their menu labeled “nigiri bombs”—but the food is consistently some of the best Japanese in town. You’ll find excellent specime...
SEAFOOD: You’re at GT Fish and Oyster for, well, fish and oysters: this is the best seafood spot in town. Ask your server for the best raw stuff they have that day, and then order a bunch of seafood-c...
FRENCH: Walking into Margeaux Brasserie, a French restaurant helmed by world-renowned chef Michael Mina, feels like walking into the Paris of another era: the booths are handsome and deep; the cast-zi...
CHINESE: What happens when Chicago icon Stephanie Izard opens an homage to American Chinatown restaurants? She nails it. Everything at Duck Duck Goat, from the wood-paneled decor to the lazy Susans to...
MEDITERRANEAN: Walking into Ema, the Mediterranean restaurant on the ground floor of the Hyatt Place Hotel, feels like a breath of fresh air: the tables and counters sparkle, the ceiling is hung with ...
INTERNATIONAL: Duck dumplings, or baby-potato carbonara? Burrata with sourdough, or Indonesian pork curry? These are the choices you’ll face at Proxi, a restaurant in the West Loop devoted to internat...
KOREAN: Parachute is one of Chicago’s most-talked-about restaurants, and it’s not hard to see why. Chefs Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark’s take on Korean-American food is singular and unique, with takes ...