Best Restaurants, Must Try Places in Wicker Park

"Alinea is Chicago’s only three-star Michelin restaurant, but sister restaurants Next and Roister each have a star of their own (and offer takeout); the Alinea Group is the most decorated restaurant group in the city. Founded in 2005 by Chef Grant Achatz and Tock creator Nick Kokonas, Alinea is more of an immersive flavor experience than a conventional restaurant. Which makes it all the more impressive that they have translated their food-art into a take out format."

"Chicago's lone three-Michelin-starred restaurant, helmed by the great chef Grant Achatz. Why we love it: Arguably Chicago's finest fine dining restaurant, Alinea is as focused on the experience of having a meal as it is about what you consume. Settle in for an evening of deconstructed dishes, billowing dry ice and edible balloons filled with helium."

"This is one of the most famous restaurants in the world, and its tasting menus can cost anywhere between $200 and $400 per person. So you definitely need to plan ahead if you want to come here. Your meal won’t just be expensive - it’s also guaranteed to be pretty dramatic (expect lots of theatrics, like edible balloons and fog machines)."

"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."

"This is some of the best barbecue in the city, if not the midwest. The twinkling lights and long tables make it feel like a home meal in your own backyard."

"Chief O’Neill’s puts the “garden” in “beer garden” with its vibrant flowers and verdant lawn. But this Irish pub is no slouch in the beer department, either. Enjoy Guinness and Harp (plus several local brews) on tap, along with dozens of bottles and cans to choose from."

"Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Mark Miller used under CC BY 3.0. Photo is only for illustrative purposes. Offering a delicious Gaelic touch, Chief O'Neill’s Pub and Restaurant’s All-You-Care-To-Eat weekend buffet is a must try."

"Children of the 80s may still be reeling from the loss of Wendy’s Superbar, but Dave Thomas never had a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar like the Chief does on Sundays."

"Ace Hotel Chicago was once home to an Italian-American cheesemaking company, and now this industrial brick building in Chicago's West Loop features 159 minimalist, Bauhaus-inspired rooms, decorated with local artwork. Rooms come with flat-screen TVs, and some of them are even equipped with a turntable with a selection of vinyl records. The hotel also has a rooftop terrace and lounge, Waydown, for stunning city views, and a top-notch restaurant, City Mouse."

"Ace Hotel is located in Chicago’s West Loop, Fulton Market in an industrial building that was once home to an Italian-American cheesemaking company. Grab a drink at waydown, the rooftop watering hole, or at Lovage, an all-day cafe. Book any room at Ace Hotel Chicago this Valentine’s Day weekend (Feb 11—14) and they’ll throw in a bottle of bubbles, six house-made truffles from Chef Felicia, and add a luxurious late checkout."

"For a casual dining experience and some of the best American food you can get in Chicago, head to City Mouse in the West Loop at Ace Hotel Chicago. They feature a seasonal menu ins..."

"Da Coach himself often shows up for wedge salads, Angus rib eyes, and banana cream pies at the manliest spot in the Gold Coast.L & D daily."

"A Costa Rican restaurant in Bucktown with a beautiful patio that's perfect for gatherings with friends or a low-key date. Why we love it: There's something for everyone on the menu at Irazú, whether you're looking for a vegetarian burrito and some empanadas or are ready to dig into the signature chifrijo (fried pork layered with black beans, white rice and pico de gallo) and a pepito stacked with steak, grilled onions and spicy Lizano sauce. Just make sure to save room for an oatmeal milkshake."

"This Costa Ricanstaple starts with a layer of black bean soup, a scoop of rice, and an extra scoop of black beans. Then pork belly is cooked with garlic, deep fried and scooped over the black beans with a house made pico de gallo. The chifrijo is finished with slices of avocado and a drizzle of Lizano salsa."

"Irazu is a laid back restaurant in Bucktown serving up authentic Costa Rican food. Come for the $7 Pepito sandwich (ribeye steak, cheese, sautéed onions, and special sauce), but stay for the oatmeal milkshakes, which have a cult following."

"Strollers are aplenty along Southport Avenue so it's no surprise that Crosby's Kitchen is a haven for tikes in this Lakeview neighborhood brimming with young families. The best part is that it's not just friendly for the young ones, it's also great for older kids and adults dining sans kids, complete with a wine menu. Order yourself a Bloody Mary and the table some monkey bread to start and choose from a kid's menu or the regular menu for brunch, lunch or dinner."

"Restaurants American Lake View. This ultra kid-friendly restaurant in the Southport Corridor caters to parents in every way possible with wide doors that fit your stroller, a stroller valet and step stools in the bathroom. Your little ones will undoubtedly want the ice cream-topped skillet cookie for dessert—so be a sport and help them indulge."

"This kid- and pup-friendly patio is an ideal spot for people-watching and sipping lemonade with rotating flavors like hibiscus and mango. Popular plates at this Southport spot include lobster deviled eggs, iron-skillet cornbread, and avocado toast studded with lump crab. (And speaking of kid-friendliness, here’s a hot tip: children eat for free from 4 to 6 p.m.)"

"Founded in 2012, Aspect/Ratio is a contemporary gallery that showcases work by an international cast of contemporary artists, including local visual artist Nick Albertson, New York-based videographer Casilda Sánchez and Cuban conceptual artist Alejandro Figueredo Díaz-Perera. Their represented artists have been exhibited internationally at many major institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Featured image: Aspect / Ratio, the View of Solid Echoes by Jean Alexander Frater, Nick Albertson exhibition, via Artsland."

"With a passion for video art that only grew when he moved to Chicago in the 2000s, Miami-born Jefferson Godard – a part-time professor of interior architecture at Columbia College Chicago – founded Aspect/Ratio Projects in 2012. Since then, this West Town gallery has become the number one destination for contemporary video art and performance art in the city, hosting a range of well-received exhibitions. It represents internationally recognized artists, including Sharon Louden, Casilda Sánchez and Guy Ben-Ner."

"So come here for the pancakes, but stay for the Gallagher flashbacks. Plus the friendly staff is awesome, and will instantly make you feel like a regular. View this post on Instagram"

"A post shared by elly’s (@ellysbrunchcafe) on Nov 18, 2019 at 5:02pm PST. Do not come here if you don’t plan on ordering the oven-baked pancakes. That’s not to say there’s no other reason to visit—it’s to say you’d have regrets for daaays."