A guide to dining in Chicago

I always get so many questions on IG about what to do in Chicago. #1 thing to do here is EAT (my favorite thing to do)! Lol. There are so many amazing restaurants around that are unique to Chicago you have to try when you’re in town! Or if you’re local and looking for a new place to try, here are some of my favorite recommendations (**updated regularly**)

Breakfast

Cute coffee shops:

Edie's Cafe Bar 675 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654

Goddess and the Baker 225 N LaSalle St, Chicago, IL 60601 (multiple locations)

Dollop Coffee Co. 345 E Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60611

Foxtrot 1562 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610 (multiple locations)

Starbucks Reserve Roastery 646 Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

Caffe Umbria 346 N Clark St UNIT 4709, Chicago, IL 60654

Top tier breakfasts:

Stax Cafe 522 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60642

Yolk (multiple locations)

Beatrix 519 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654 (multiple locations)

D.S. Tequila

Highline Bar + Lounge

Brunch

Highline Bar + Lounge (bottomless mimosas) 169 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654

Fremont (bottomless mimosas) 15 W Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60654

D.S Tequila Company (bottomless mimosas) 3352 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657

Recess (bottomless mimosas) 838 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60642

Benchmark 1510 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

Utopian Tailgate 1608 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

Siena Tavern 51 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654

IO Godfrey

Lunch / Dinner

Grab & Go: yummy places for a quick bite to eat

Crisp 2940 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60657

Cheesie’s Pub & Grub 958 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60657

LYFE Kitchen 270 E Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60611

Hampton Social

Delicious Dinners: some of my favorite Bar/Grill/American Resturants

The Franklin Room 675 N Franklin St, Chicago, IL 60654

IO Godfrey 127 W Huron St, Chicago, IL 60654

Hub 51 51 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654

Hampton Social multiple locations

Wilde Bar & Restaurant 3130 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60657

Three Arts Club Cafe 1300 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60610

True Food Kitchen 1 W Erie St, Chicago, IL 60654

Sweetwater Tavern & Grille 225 Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60601

The Dawson 730 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60654

Beatrix 519 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654 (multiple locations)

Time Out Market 916 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607 (this place is super cool, has a ton of different restaurant options in one place— definitely look up the menu before you go!)

Chalet 228 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60654

The Smith 400 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654 (the salmon tartare is phenomenal)

Three Arts Club Cafe

Steakhouses: pricier, but sooo worth it

RPM Steak 66 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654

Tavern on Rush 1031 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611

Mastro’s Restaurants 520 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60654

Maple & Ash 8 W Maple St, Chicago, IL 60610

Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse 1028 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611

Kinzie Chophouse 400 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654

BLVD 817 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607

BLVD

Mexican/Spanish: some of my favorites in the city

Cesar’s Killer Margaritas 2924 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60657 (favorite, best margs)

Barrio 65 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654 (amazing drinks)

Velvet Taco 1110 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610

D.S Tequila Company 3352 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657

La Vaca Margarita Bar 1160 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608 (Pilsen)

Bar Sótano 443 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654 (in the alley behind Frontera Grill)

Tallboy Taco 676 N St Clair St, Chicago, IL 60611

Jaleo 500 N Clark St #465, Chicago, IL 60654

Lil' Ba-Ba-Reeba! 441 N Clark St #1, Chicago, IL 60654

Italian: pasta, pasta, & more pasta

Siena Tavern 51 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654 (absolute favorite)

Nonnina 340 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654

Etta River North 700 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654

Eataly Chicago 43 E Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60611

Nico Osteria 1015 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611

RPM Italian 52 W Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60654

Bar Siena 832 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

Quartino Ristorante 626 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654

Formento’s 925 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

Pizza: for when you’re tired of Gino’s East and Lou’s

Pequod’s Pizza 2207 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60614 (favorite pizza)

The Art of Pizza 3033 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60657 (favorite pizza)

Homeslice Wheel House 938 W Webster Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

Dimo’s Pizza 3463 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657

Parlor Pizza 405 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60654 (multiple locations)

Burgers: fast food has never tasted so good

Au Cheval 800 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

Small Cheval 1345 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610 (multiple locations)

Smyth + The Loyalist 177 N Ada St, Chicago, IL 60607

Portillos (multiple locations)

Gordon Ramsay Burger 2 E Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60611

Seafood/Chinese food/Bubble Tea: yummy favs

SUNDA 110 W Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60654

Hub 51 51 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654

Nobu Chicago 854 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

Lao Sze Chuan 520 N Michigan Ave #420, Chicago, IL 60611 (multiple locations)

RPM Seafood 317 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654

B.I. Tea and Dim Sum 131 N Clinton St, Chicago, IL 60661

KURIMU 1159 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL 60607 & 1632 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622

Mediterranean:

Ema 74 W Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60654

Aba 302 N Green St 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60607

Indian:

India House Restaurant 59 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60654

Dessert

JoJo’s Shake Bar 23 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654

Jeni’s Ice Cream (multiple locations)

Molly’s Cupcakes (multiple locations)

Stan’s Donuts (multiple locations)

Drinks/Happy Hours

Printers Row Wine Bar and Shop 719 S Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60605

Chalet 228 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60654

Arbella 112 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60654

RAISED An Urban Rooftop Bar 1 W Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601

Starbucks Reserve Roastery 646 Michigan Ave, 4th floor, Chicago, IL 60611 (espresso martini flights)

LH Rooftop 85 E Wacker Dr 22nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60601

IO Godfrey 127 W Huron St, Chicago, IL 60654

The Dawson 730 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60654

Bandit 841 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

PB&J 205 N Peoria St, Chicago, IL 60607

Streeters Tavern 50 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

SPIN 344 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654

Haymarket Pub & Brewery 737 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661

Punch Bowl Social 310 N Green St, Chicago, IL 60607

Federales 180 N Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60607

Gilt Bar 230 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654

Hubbard Inn 110 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654

Flight Club 111 W Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601

Joy District 112 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654

Howl at the Moon Chicago 26 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654

Bub City 435 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654

Benchmark 1510 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

Burton Place 1447 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

80 Proof 1500 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

The Fireplace Inn 1448 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

The VIG 1527 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

Starbucks Reserve Roastery 646 Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611 (great views, and espresso martini flights!)

Starbucks Reserve Roastery