Mentioned by Fodor’s Travel
Top Restaurants in Chicago
"Le Bouchon has served great tasting dishes and customer service since 1993. This classic French bistro transports their diners to Paris. It is also recognized as one of the best French restaurants in the country."
"Restaurants French Rush & Division. You didn't think this upscale French restaurant in the Gold Coast would skimp on desserts, did you?. At Margeaux Brasserie, the last course is a show, with options like a giant chocolate macaron stuffed with fresh raspberries and milk chocolate crémeux or the banana tarte tatin with warm citrus caramel that's poured tableside."
"Celebrity chef Michael Mina made his Chicago debut over the summer inside the Waldorf Astoria. His sultry brasserie combines 1920s glam with traditional fare for lavish dining experience. Nibble on duck wings à l'orange and escargots à la bordelaise or indulge in a pristine shellfish tower."
"The extra-light macarons served at Pierrot Gourmet can only be described as very moreish. The European-style bakery and cafe found on East Superior Street inside the Peninsula Hotel, which also boasts a terrace eatery, just like theseother great bars and restaurants with rooftops in Chicago. Pierrot Gourmet is home to a range of fabulous baked goods, including macarons, which are said to pair perfectly with a specialty coffee or a glass of wine."
"Fancy and intricate French dishes are always a pleasure but sometimes all you need is a cup of coffee, a croissant, and prime views. This all-day café inside the Peninsula offers a casual setting that’s ripe for people-watching in the heart of downtown. Though the menu includes items like tarte flambée, boeuf bourguignon, and duck cassoulet, the restaurant’s bakery is its biggest standout."
"It’s part of the Chicago Peninsula hotel and offers authentic Parisian vibes. They have both indoor seating as well as an outdoor patio, adorned with flowers, located in a prime people watching spot in the city. It is incredibly charming."
"Hidden in a cobblestone alley, RM Champagne Salon is a West Loop gem exemplifying a Euro-inspired ambiance with contemporary flair. Warming and most definitely romantic, this hideaway haven is a French bistro, giving up impeccable eats such as their Lobster Mac & Cheese or Steak Frites. Chandeliers decorate the ceiling, and their marble fireplace takes the limelight."
"With excellent food and a European tone, RM Champagne Salon is simultaneously dainty and unpretentious. Enjoy the abundant champagne and mini-dessert selections, and if you’re in a hungrier mood, peruse their various entrees that range from lobster mac and cheese to salmon tartare. If the weather is nice, grab a table on the brick patio draped with string lights."
"Photo courtesy of RM Champagne Salon on rmchampagnesalon.com. A quaint, European inspired place. The salon is made even more cozy with the installation of marble fireplaces and a roomy patio."
"Cafe Marie-Jeanne does double duty, serving as a candle-lit setting for first Tinder dates and 10th-anniversary dinners by night, and opening up to locals in search of excellent coffee and French pastries by day. Chef Michael Simmons' zero-fuss approach to fine dining works in both occasions—but for brunch, you can't go wrong with smoked and cured fish or (if it's available) the Chicago-style lobster roll, a cheeky take on the city's hot dog. After stuffing a brioche bun with wood-smoked lobster coated with a paprika-and-coriander spiced aioli, Simmons "drags it through the garden," adding his take on the iconic toppings: shishito peppers, yellow mustard, diced onion, pickled cucumber spears."
"Source: Photo by Flickr user Haydn Blackey used under CC BY-SA 2.0. Named after the chain’s iconic flagship store in New York, this department store brand is famed for its high-quality designer clothes, accessories and footwear so you’ll have ample chance to pick up something special for you or your loved ones. There are also a range of home goods available, too, should anything catch the eye."
"With ‘his’ and ‘hers’ Saks stores located on opposite sides of North Michigan Avenue, the two specialty stores cater for both men and women. Offering shoppers a hoard of designer labels, Saks Fifth Avenue Chicago lives up to its prestigious reputation."
"Now open This unique museum, dedicated to work by self-taught artists, has reopened to the public. Intuit has taken several new precautions, including directional signage, reduced touch points, and enhanced sanitation. They’ve even re-installed their exhibition Outsider Art: The Collection of Victor F. Keen to increase spacing and allow more distancing."
"This is a term coined by its founders to describe art created by self-taught artists or those without any formal training. The focus here is on artists who for any number of reasons exist outside of mainstream art. The permanent collection features artists including Minnie Evans, Miles Carpenter, and William Hawkins."
"Restaurants American Lincoln Park. No matter what the forecast looks like outside, this Lincoln Park restaurant from Lettuce Entertain You transports diners to sunny California through a bright and spacious dining room that's dotted with greenery. Choose from avocado toast loaded with tomatoes and scallion mascarpone, chicken tinga tacos with guac, or the charred summer corn elotes that's imbued with jalapeños and queso fresco."
"Normally this place will make you feel like you’re in California, but now they are only offering breakfast delivery options near you on the weekends. You can get drink kits to make Bloody Marys and also their silver dollar pancake party, which is basically a charcuterie board for pancakes."
"Located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, Summer House is the perfect place to escape the city to feel like soaking up the sunny vibes of the West Coast. The setting features..."
"I have been going here for as long as I can remember; it may be my original first favorite restaurant in Chicago. Fun fact, I posted that first picture to my feed back when I started my account back in 2014!. Eataly can only be described as an Italian food mecca… With several different restaurants, markets, wine bars, even a nutella bar, this place is a true destination and SO much fun."
"Description: Nutella® and Eataly are iconic Italian brands that share a common belief in amazing food. The Nutella Bar at Eataly Chicago is unreal. Be sure to try their all-natural gelato served in a crunchy waffle cup."
"Well, Eataly’s takeout pies are purposefully under baked so that, once you throw one in the oven for a couple of minutes, it’ll taste just like you’re at the restaurant. You can order Eataly today off Caviar."
"We are monitoring all local, state and federal regulations to provide customers with contactless ordering options. While some restaurants may have dining rooms open, others are serving customers through the Drive Thru, with Mobile Order & Pay on the McDonald's App, and with McDelivery®..."
"The Loop is stuffed to the breaking point with quick-service Mediterranean joints, the kind where you can get falafel or shawarma served with just enough vegetables to make you feel semi-good about lunch. Most are perfectly passable, if not altogether exciting. Naf Naf is the exception."
"Choose a pita or bowl; add meats, salads, and garnishes; and finish it off with sauces. What separates it from the competition is the quality — the fluffy bread is baked on site, juicy chicken shawarma comes straight off the spit, and the falafel bear a perfectly crisp exterior."