Classic restaurant suggestions for first visit
"Wells St. location; Chicago dog"
"Breakfast or lunch - triple d, looks amazing. Biscuits! "
"longanisa breakfast sandwich, $285 13-course dinner, mushroom adobo with mussel emulsion"
"10-seat sushi omakase, $169 for 18 courses, blowtorched wagyu"
"unbelievable masa, tacos, tlacoyos, closes at 7:30 pm, best Mexican food in Chicago"
"$325-$495 tasting menus, 10-15 courses, fog machines, molecular gastronomy"
"spicy hibiscus-and-beet-cured scallop aguachile, Sonoran dog with octopus"
"$98 tasting menu, smoky cinnamon-braised brisket hummus, falafel with mango"
"charred and razor-thin pizzas, tangy sauce, crackly tavern-style crust"
"$55 five-course prix fixe, dishes from over 10 Indian regions, Keralite crab milagu fry"
"best momos in Chicago, steamed, jhol, crispy tandoori momos on skewer"
"$198 13-course tasting menu, 14-seat chef's counter, spicy ceviche, scotch egg lamb"
"Twin Lobster Sticky Rice poster child, fried salt and pepper soft-shell crab"
"best po'boys in Chicago, fried chicken, seafood gumbo, boozy batch cocktails"
"trippy flower-like lamps, tiny trout roe tarts, lokshyna, housemade vodka infusions"
"ropa vieja sandwich, fried catfish with Ecuadorian salsa criolla, steak jibarito"
"pan-style deep dish with caramelized crust, focaccia-like dough, best deep dish in Chicago"
"Get the Duck dinner on broadway north of Argyle. Less than $100 and feeds 2+ people. Also has great egg drop soup and chicken & mushroom dish"
"One year old and they already have a Michelin star. Absolutely amazing food"
"Rotisserie duck special and all of their other main courses are top notch every time"
"Excellent, BYOB which helps keep the cost down. Steaks are amazing and prices are unbeatable"
"ALWAYS amazing. Get the Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Shrimp and Grits, Baked Mac and Cheese, Beignets. Would want this as final meal"
"After almost 20 years, still my favorite restaurant in the city. I have never, ever, ever been disappointed. Get the Pasta Yiayia"
"Technically Old Town but close enough. Ideally have a cocktail at Sparrow then walk over"
"Bring a joint"
"It's not under $100 and getting a seat on the weekend is tough"
"For over $100"
"For under $100"
"I have tried a whole lot and all the overpriced American do not come close to the flavor here"
"housemade pastas like cacio e pepe, ragu alla Napoletana with pork shank"
"Amazing Oaxacan Mexican food. Highly recommend it"
"Get the short rib or Chong Quing fish. The ribs are a personal portion for about $20, and the fish is a 2 person portion for like $40. It's also BYOB. Grab an ice cream from Mango-Mango to cool down your tongue. Walk to Skylark (about 15 min) and get like 3 more beers and an order of tots n dips at Skylark. All of that would be under $100 per person EASILY for Michelin Bib listed Chinese, a funky dessert, and one of the best corner dives in the city"
"One of the best corner dives in the city. Get beers and tots n dips"
"Ice cream to cool down your tongue"
"Upscale Italian"
"10/10 pizza, easily under $100"
"Decadent burger, a must in Chicago. Under $20/Person"
"I've recommended more times than I can count"
"My recommendation for an Italian spot, and I have never had anyone ever tell me it wasn't worth it. I've experienced this with other places, Ignotz always surpasses hype. Get their gnocchi and their eggplant parm"
"The best pizza. It's so far out of the way"
"Chickpea fritters and Sea Bass were stellar.. The rest? Okay. All very $$$$. Mains are tinyyyyyyy!! "
"Not the best steak house in the city"
"Brunch: skirt steak skillet. I replace gorgonzola cheese with chihuahua. I take all my guests there and everybody agrees it's insane"
"Get the Meatballs, house bread, Caesar salad, rigatoni and chicken parm. Perfection every single time. The ricotta gnocchi are to die for"
"Get the Beef Stroganoff"
"Also go to their speakeasy for a cocktail before or after dinner"
"The correct answer right here"
"Get the skirt steak"
"$10 margaritas celebrating their 30th anniversary. The carne asada is so good. Bayless can do no wrong"
"Would def be in my top spots"
"Great dinner vibe in River North. You can eat well there for under $100. They've got a good selection of wines, good cocktails and amaro. Not far from Gold Coast. Even if you're from NYC, it's good Italian"
"Fast-casual spicy Indian street food restaurant and there's only one in the city. It's not for novice consumers. Even their mild is spicy af. I like their egg or chicken sandos. They have an assortment of curries"
"Only restaurant I've given a 10/10. 100% the best meal I've eaten in Chicago. You can easily have a phenomenal meal there for $100. The crème bruleed Japanese sweet potato with curry is flat out one of the best dishes I've ever eaten. Pound for pound best meal for its price point"
"The Korean tacos are amazing. The chicken wings might be the best I've had and the bulgogi is insanely good"
"No question"
"Get the best dog in Chicago. You can even ask the nice folks for a milkshake to boot"
"Get an Italian beef for a cheap genuine Chicago meal. Unlike anything elsewhere"
"Has what I think is the best cheese burger in Chicago in terms of taste and quality. Solid ambience, great music. Bang for your buck. Its sister restaurant is Michelin Star rated"
"Get any of the Vodka sauce pastas"
"No price limit Michelin tasting menu? Schwa hands down"
"Non Michelin in Gold Coast that is always a great meal and experience. Get their "I don't give a !@#$" menu option"
"highest-rated restaurant, $325 tasting menu, truffle pasta, foie gras course"
"In Fulton Market. Wonderful staff amazing food. You choose the dishes you want to order they recommend 4-6 dishes to share. Great cocktails and have a NA cocktail selection. Top notch staff, chef, and atmosphere. Bill is usually 150$ (tip included no alcohol)"
"In Andersonville/Uptown right off Lawrence and Clark. The perfect combination of good food, portion size, vibe and price. Usually less than $75 for my partner and i. Get the buffalo chicken/tofu wrap or try all the things on the menu. Nothing on that menu disappoints"
"On Montrose in Uptown/Ravenswood (it's like on the border). Bring a bottle of wine and eat as much as physically possible on the menu. My favorite place in the city and pretty reasonably priced for how much food they give you. If the weather is good they have a lovely patio"
"foie gras tacos at bar, escargot, foie-co, 10-day dry-aged duck breast"
"Italian"
"American"
"Vietnamese"
"Burgers, BBQ, American"
"American, amazing drinks"
"For Gold Coast, would be great for a fun group of ladies"
"On Clark St. Would be great for a fun group of ladies"
"Irish food/pub on Clark St."
"Little further south in River North and like Italian. Their food is across-the-board terrific, but it's worth going just for their awesome gelato"
"Best wings in the city"
"Anything on the menu. Tallow fries and deep fried pickles are solid bar food options. Wedge salad comes with two BIG cuts of pork belly"
"The Ratatouille ones are 🤤"
"Can't go wrong at RL (but not for $100)"
"For breakfast or lunch, I honestly think the best place in Chicago is Esencia"
"Fabulous Italian, hard to get a reservation though"
"hard to snag ressies but got em!!"
"Offers live jazz shows at 6 p.m., 8:15 p.m., and 10:30 p.m. Reservations are required and there is an admission fee. Capacity is about 144 people."
"An artisanal cocktail bar about a 10-minute walk from Pendry Chicago, known for its "Dealer's Choice" menu."
" speakeasy-style cocktail bar in Wicker Park, known for craft cocktails."
Create & share your own lists
Download Spotlist today