Best Restaurants in Chicago (2025)

Chicago’s three-star standard-bearer pairs Midwestern terroir with audacious tasting menus from John and Karen Urie Shields. Consistently lauded by the Michelin Guide and national critics, Smyth feels intimate, personal, and relentlessly inventive without losing warmth.

By day, a beloved bakery-café; by night, a refined Filipino tasting menu that earned a Michelin star. Tim Flores and Genie Kwon’s Ukrainian Village destination has drawn raves from the Michelin Guide, the Chicago Tribune, and The New York Times.

Zachary Engel’s modern Middle Eastern spot blends wood-fired pita, salatim, and a choose-your-own prix fixe in a lively room. A Michelin-starred essential that also turns up on Eater Chicago shortlists for its generous hospitality and soulful flavors.

Sujan Sarkar’s sleek River North restaurant reframes Indian flavors through elegant tasting menus, earning a Michelin star and frequent national press. Multiple menu paths—vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and omnivore—make the experience both polished and welcoming.

In Hyde Park, Erick Williams’s Southern cooking—gumbo, biscuits, and thoughtful seasonal plates—anchors a restaurant rooted in mentorship and community. Recognized by the James Beard Awards and praised by Food & Wine, it’s soulful dining with purpose.

With the flick of a switch, Logan Square’s beloved pasta restaurant has found a new home just down Milwaukee Avenue. The move is a serious upgrade into a space nearly four times its original footprint. Flooded with sunlight, fitted with a comfortable bar and sporting a private dining room, the restaurant has no shortage of space. And much to everyone’s delight, house-made pastas like pappardelle with mushroom ragu or rigatoni with pork ragu and fermented tomato remain prime attractions. Onion dip with house-made ruffles is still on the menu and still a must-order. A bakery in the back gives this team even more room to play with sweets, and diners can choose between a dazzling selection of pastries, ice creams and sorbet at the meal’s end. - Michelin Inspector

A vivacious French bistro where pâté en croûte, seafood towers, and foie gras splendor meet sunny brunches and late-night energy. Featured in the Michelin Guide and embraced by local critics, it channels classic technique with Chicago swagger.

Anna and David Posey’s Danish-tinged dining room balances tasting-menu finesse with à la carte freedom. A Michelin-starred favorite with a courtyard hearth, it’s known for delicate, seasonal plates and the signature sunflower seed parfait.

Joe Flamm’s spirited blend of Croatian and Italian cooking—grilled meats, hand-rolled pastas, seafood—captures the West Loop’s energy. Frequently cited by the Chicago Tribune, Eater Chicago, and national publications, it remains one of the city’s hardest tables.

Named for his grandmother, Chefs Johnny Clark and Beverly Kim bring the flavors of Eastern Europe to Avondale. Throw back a shot of horseradish-infused vodka or sip a glass of Balkan wine in the bar before moving to the cozy dining room.The menu takes a product-focused approach to traditional specialties. An array of hors d'ouevres is displayed on the zakusky cart loaded with the likes of sunflower seed hummus, tart roe tarts, and carrot salad. Green borsch is enhanced with dill and nettles, stocked with boiled egg and slices of fingerling potato, while the freshly baked, butter-glazed, challah-like pampushky bread is a perfect pairing with the soup. Stuffed cabbage, or holubtsi, features finely ground locally raised beef. - Michelin Inspector