Best Restaurants, Must Try Places in Bucktown

"Chicago’s only three Michelin star restaurant, Alinea has been around almost 15 years and still books up months in advance. The brainchild of acclaimed chef Grant Achatz who became one of the best chefs in the world despite battling tongue cancer, that’s just one of their impressive feats. It was the first restaurant to pioneer the concept of prepaid ticketed reservations, pricing meals on a sliding scale based on date and time (Friday at 7 p.m. would be more expensive than Tuesday at 5 p.m.) in order to show that dining is an experience akin to the theatre."

"The cuisine is a lesson in mastery, but also a blend of modern science and practical magic. Air-filled balloons are edible, senses of taste, touch, smell are tested, mental and emotional boundaries are pushed. The menu, an ever-shifting chameleon, is a reflection of the wizards in the kitchen, led by chef Grant Achatz himself—no two meals are ever alike."

"Chicago's only three-star restaurant continues to reign supreme in the city. It's easier to compare Chef Grant Achatz's dishes to art than it is to describe them simply as food. Alinea is open for reservations as well as take-home meals."

"West LoopThis long-revered Mediterranean-influenced fixture from One Off Hospitality has held it down as one of the area’s go-to date night spots since opening its minimalist doors back in 2003, well before many of us could even define romance. And not much has changed -- the wine list is still spectacular, the chorizo-stuffed medjool dates are still iconic, and a reservation for the intimate front patio is still highly coveted."

"One Off is also responsible for The Publican and Pacific Standard Time. These are all good date restaurants in Chicago. Plan the perfect outfit for your date in Chicago."

"Grab a seat at the West Loop or Andersonville location of Tanoshii, otherwise known as Sushi Mike’s. Chef Mike Ham prides himself on crafting sushi based on each customer’s taste preferences. Many opt for his omakase menu, as well as the fish and chips tuna tartare starter."

"Japanese , Sushi"

"This new kid on the South Side block has officially stepped into recently-departed neighborhood institution Monnie Burke’s shoes as Pilsen’s latest Latin-inspired charmer. The patio is even more welcoming this time, a mass of exposed brick, soft lighting, and rustic exposed beams setting the tone while the poured cement floor radiates heat beneath diners’ feet. Food-wise, you’re looking at equally warm and cozy options like concha toast jazzed up with tres leches cream and strawberry-mezcal compote, nachos laced with cheddar and mango-braised beef, and steak and eggs topped with snappy chimichurri.How to order: Head to OpenTable for patio and indoor dining reservations or grab pick-up via Toast."

"Restaurants Mexican Lower West Side. Named after a bygone lumberyard in the area, Pilsen Yards replaces Monnie Burke's with a casual, music-fueled concept that specializes in tacos and other Mexican eats plus a long list of cocktails and beer. For brunch, go sweet with the tres leches concha toast or savory with the chilaquiles drenched in salsa roja."

"Unveiling a restaurant that’s seen as a destination is a tall order during a pandemic, but that’s what Pilsen Yards is thanks to a patio that has safety and comfort in mind. It’s not how ownership, the same that have run Pizza Capri for decades, envisioned it would debut the new restaurant. Pilsen Yards is a reboot of Monnie Burke’s featuring street tacos and cocktails."

"Eden Chicago is a delightful offering on Chicago's West Loop dining scene, opened in 2016 by restaurateur Jodi Fife and her husband, executive chef Devon Quinn. The charming Mediterranean-style eatery serves up excellent brunch and dinner fare from the week, pulling from a variety of regional culinary traditions, including Israeli, Lebanese, and Spanish cuisines. Diners can enjoy delicious selections like baked shrimp paccheri, curried lentil brik, cumin-grilled lamb with couscous and merguez, and mushroom matzo ball soup with miso corn broth."

"At Eden, fresh, local, and sustainable fare is the focus, an approach that chef Devon Quinn accomplishes with the help of an onsite greenhouse, which stocks everything from arugula and oregano to fennel and figs. See them employed in a range of daytime dishes, such as breakfast bowls with Spanish fried eggs and jasmine rice, smoked ham crepes with gruyere and caramelized onions, and a Philly cheesesteak torta with peppers and provolone."

"Another restaurant with an appealing exterior facade, Eden goes for a more nature-filled ambiance to help you forget for a minute that you’re actually surrounded by skyscrapers, not trees."

"After Art Smith lost the lbs., he turned his attention to a casual chain serving food that fit his new, healthy lifestyle. That meant the fried chicken had to go, and was replaced with an un-fried version served alongside roasted Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and cashew cream sauce that maxes-out at 566 calories."

"While not an exclusively vegetarian restaurant, Lyfe Kitchen's locations promote a healthy lifestyle by placing vegetables above all else in their menu. Try their vegan beet poke or Beyond Burger to see what we mean."