Mentioned by OpenTable
Best Contemporary American Restaurants in Chicago / Illinois
"Executive Pastry Chef Erika Chan has a thing for ice cream sandwiches. These “Chan-wiches” are works of art, with rotating flavors of ice cream sandwiched between housemade cinnamon, chocolate spice, or chocolate nib cookies. Black walnut, Irish cream, and lemon gingersnap sandwiches have all been hits, but blueberry cheesecake is Chan’s personal favorite."
"The Publican has become a part of the fabric of Fulton Market highlighting farm-to-table fare long before it was a culinary catch-phrase. Among the first to open in the uncharted meatpacking district in 2008, its star has not dimmed and The Publican is now serving lunch, Monday - Friday from 11:30 a.m."
"Arami is the rare Japanese restaurant that offers a wide ranging menu, yet somehow, expertly maintains the quality of their food. There are sushi, ramen and even robata (charcoal) grilled items on the menu to choose from. Thanks to having two executive chefs, Arami is able to focus both sushi and hot food from the kitchen."
"After recouping from a recent fire, Arami is back in business serving fine sashimi, nigiri, and maki, as well as tasty ramen, and other large and small plates. Presentation is not an afterthought here; each dish is beautifully plated. They recently received a Michelin Bib Gourmand nomination for the fifth year in a row."
"Always a contender for the top sushi spot in the city, Arami consistently presents what's surely among the best sushi in Chicago. Chef Nelson Vinansaca has garnered acclaim for his..."
"South DeeringThis humble Far South Side fish shack has been marinating and smoking their prime seafood over specially selected oak logs onsite since 1948 and, unlike pretty much everything else in this crazy world, precious little about their award-winning process has changed. The menu runs deep, of course, but the shrimp, tender and bursting with briny, meaty succulence, remains an absolute no-brainer.How to book: Stop by for counter service."
"Chicago’s quintessential cash-only seafood smokehouse, located just north of the Indiana border. Why we love it: Remember the bridge-jumping scene in Blues Brothers?. It happened right next to Calumet Fisheries."
"Located within sister steakhouse Swift & Sons, Cold Storage aims its harpoon at seafood and its efforts result in towers of shellfish with oysters, scallop ceviche, clams, mussels, shrimp, and lobster. The space feels a bit like one of the old ice storage rooms that populated the Fulton Market neighborhood up to just a few decades ago. Chef Chris Pandel steers this light-filled ship that offers a compact yet nonetheless alluring menu."
"Cold Storage is a unique Chicago seafood and raw bar brought to Chicagoans by BOKA Restaurant Group. Located on the ground floor of the Fulton Market Cold Storage Facility, the res..."
"Then a visit to Cold Storage Seafood at West Fulton Market is on the agenda. Oysters on the half shell, chowder and mussels are crowd favorites. With its industrial d..."
"A healthy seafood meal is on offer when you visit Catch 35, with only the finest, freshest ingredients going into making your meal perfect, tasty and within a balanced diet. This restaurant is a fine dining experience - the Chilean Sea Bass comes highly recommended even by those who aren’t fans of seafood. With starters such as coconut shrimp and a chocolate cake so good it has to be tasted to be believed, this is a dining experience that will stay with you for all the right reasons."
"Catch 35 masters seasonal dishes such as Alaskan halibut and Block Island swordfish. Seared yellow fin tuna and szechwan scallops are also favorites, complemented by steak options as well as stir-fry. Guests can enjoy live jazz while savoring crab legs and oysters on the half shell."
"Humboldt ParkWhat you’re getting: Shrimp JibaritoThis Humboldt Park joint is on our list of the top 10 shrimp shacks in Chi, and might also be an excellent late-night fried-food contender since you can dine until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. While you should definitely try the massive fried shrimp po-boy, the off-menu Shrimp Jibarito is a sandwich you won’t want to pass up. Crisp, fried plantains with a sauteed shrimp filling are made to order for an impressively balanced jibarito."
"Steak 48 on North Wabash Ave in River North, is a restaurant from Jeffrey and Mike Mastro of the Mastro’s Ocean Club restaurants. They are no strangers to great restaurants and thi..."
"Lowcountry Lakeview is an affordably priced restaurant that specializes in southern-style seafood boils in a nicely themed nautical environment. They serve a variety of seafood dishes which are all highly rated on the menu, as well as cocktails and beer. This is a comfortable seafood restaurant that doesn’t require reservations in advance unless you want to make them."
"A post shared by 🦀Lowcountry Lakeview🦀 (@lowcountrychi) on Oct 18, 2018 at 12:42pm PDT. Fairly often, people will use the word “uncomplicated” to refer to a restaurant, as a euphemism for “basic” or “cheap”. When we use the term to refer to Lowcountry Lakeview, we mean “uncomplicated” in all the best ways."
"For those who can resist the temptation of seven-layer rainbow cake, the rest of the menu items at this counter-service Chicago cafe chain are pretty safe for those counting calories. From chopped chicken salad to the magic mushroom sandwich, a satisfying lunch is only an order away."
"Restaurants Andersonville. This Andersonville bakery and café pays homage to the neighborhood's Scandinavian roots in the most delicious way. Chef and owner Bobby Schaffer—whose star-studded resume includes Grace and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York—is the culinary mastermind behind a drool-worthy pastry program that encompasses cardamom-scented chocolate croissants, lingonberry almond cakes and calamansi meringue tarts."
"Lost Larson stepped into a void when it debuted in Andersonville, home of Chicago’s Scandinavian enclave. The beloved Swedish Bakery had just closed, and there were bound to be comparisons. Chef and owner Bobby Schaffer has shattered all expectations, keeping true to his fine dining roots at Grace and others."
"Lost Larson's owner, Bobby Schaffer, who won the Readers' Choice Award for Best Walk-Up Window, stands at the front door of his business on April 9, 2021. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune). “The idea behind our walk-up window was to be European inspired,” says Bobby Schaffer, chef and owner of Lost Larson."
"When the doughnut craze hit the city, there was one ring to rule them all: Do-Rite Donut’s Buttermilk Old Fashioned Donut. This treat is the one thing folks always leave our Gateway to the West Loop Food Tour raving about. Crunchy on the outside, pillowy on the inside, and coated in a vanilla-bean glaze, this doughnut reaches perfection when dunked in coffee."
"Diversity is important to any food scene and that includes food trucks that serve breakfast. Beavers Coffee and Donuts stands ready to deliver those early morning jolts of sugar and caffeine. A half-awake Windy City workforce lines up for their choice of donuts in four different serving sizes (from four on up to 35 minis)."
"For nearly half a century, Buritt Bulloch, or Mr. B as he is known by customers, has been Chicago’s king of donuts. While times have changed, and social media sites like Instagram trend more-eye catching treats with all the pizzazz and razzle dazzle, Mr. B keeps things simple, deep-fried, and delicious, with glazed doughnuts, apple fritters, doughnut balls, long johns, and giant Texas doughnuts."
"The creative Firecakes Donuts has two locations and one food truck roaming the city that serve up La Colombe coffee alongside their donuts or donut ice cream sandwiches (yes, this exists). Firecakes uses quality ingredients, including chocolate from France and fruits from local farmers for its jellies, and often invents new flavors for different seasons or holidays. Try the Peanut Butter Cup or the beautiful Tahitian Vanilla Iced donut."
"Chicagoans really can’t be kept apart from their sandwiches. Trust us, ice cream was meant to be served in the middle of a doughnut. #SpoonTip: Firecakes will close if they run out of doughnuts, so make sure you don’t try to go too late."