80 Best Restaurants in Chicago, Illinois

A menu packed with burgers, fries, and chopped liver might sound like a classic dive, but Au Cheval is no greasy spoon—exposed brick, dim lighting, and antique-inspired fixtures give a sultry feel, and rich takes on classic American diner dishes satisfy cravings. There’s a perennial wait, but sneak in on weekends from 3 pm to 5 pm or Monday–Saturday from midnight to 1 am for a limited menu consisting of the crowd-favorite cheeseburger and fries.

The second the sun peeks out each spring, locals make a beeline for the 250-seat patio at Big Star because the tacos and margaritas are some of the best in the city. Most of this honky-tonk taqueria's star power comes from executive chef/partner Paul Kahan and chef de cuisine Chris Miller, who serve a small menu of tasty Mexican classics—if it's a taco emergency, skip the wait for a table and head to the take-out window or try the larger Wrigleyville location.

Huge flavors come roaring out of the tiny kitchen at Giant, where chef Jason Vincent takes crowd-pleasers like pasta, vegetarian dishes, and American classics and cranks the umami up to an 11. Beverage director Josh Perlman seeks to pair diners with interesting wines from small producers without an unwanted chaser of snootiness. No matter the evening, a festive air seems to prevail.

Be prepared to stand in line for the mouthwatering apple cinnamon pancakes, a massive disk loaded with apples, or the German pancake, a puffy oven-baked circle topped with powdered sugar. There are several branches, but the original Wilmette restaurant is where scenes from the 1980 movie Ordinary People were shot.

The oldest coffeehouse in the Gold Coast pleases just about everyone with breakfast all day, a nightly dinner specials. They stay open until 9 pm seven nights a week.

This Scandinavian minichain, open since 1945, is a Chicago institution for good reason: the aroma of fresh, gooey cinnamon rolls put this place on the map. It still draws a mob—at this location and at the handful of other spots on the city's North Side—where hungry diners line up along the block for weekend breakfasts as well as Scandinavian specialties and standard café sandwiches and salads at lunch.

If you thought sausage gravy was as creative as biscuit toppings get, you obviously haven’t been to Bang Bang. The buttery, fluffy specimens here serve as a base for an assortment of tasty accompaniments, like herbed ricotta with roasted seasonal veggies. Cap it off with a slice of pie from the rotating selection. On fine days the large, tree-fringed yard is the place to be.

Bright yellow walls and a soundtrack of classic house music make for a convivial atmosphere at this daytime spot, a favorite with students from nearby DePaul University for its menu of carb-y breakfast dishes hearty enough to fuel diners till dinner.

The chef at this Pan-Asian restaurant is a stickler for using natural ingredients, and the menu of Thai and Chinese dishes has many options for those seeking gluten-free or vegetarian options.

Behind and a level down from the Wrigley Building is the inspiration for Saturday Night Live's classic "cheezborger, cheezborger, cheezborger, cheeps, no fries, no Pepsi, Coke" skit. Grab a greasy burger at this no-frills grill, or just have a beer and absorb the comic undertones.

The late comedian John Belushi immortalized the Goat's short-order cooks on Saturday Night Live, barking their signature, "No Pepsi, Coke!" and "No fries, cheeps!" at customers, and you can still hear the shtick at this subterranean spot. The diner food is cheap and tasty, the staff is super friendly, and people-watching is a favorite sport—pop by during a break in sight-seeing or head by late-night to check out the bar.

Things can get weird on the flavor front at this cheerful Ukrainian Village scoop shop---goat cheese, moscato, and even basil have been known to make appearances. Suspend disbelief and give it a go; flavors rotate throughout the year, but you’d be hard pressed to find a dud in the mix.

Under the El at Superior and Franklin, Brett's Kitchen is an excellent spot for a quick pastry, sandwich, or omelet. It's super casual: order at the counter and grab a seat.

The name is so cute, you might not think the food is a selling point—but you'd be wrong: expat Spaniards swear this is one of the best Spanish restaurants in town, and the colorful Mediterranean-style interiors encourage the Spanish feel. There’s a large assortment of cold and warm tapas, as well as four varieties of paella.

A Spanish expat from Galicia runs this tapas restaurant beloved by visiting Spaniards, local families, dating couples, and bargain chowhounds for the selection of shareable classic and creative small plates, most for under $10 and featuring a range of meat, seafood, and veggie options. This is a loud and boisterous spot, so be prepared for conviviality—but sometimes on weekends waits can stretch to hours.

At this local chain of Cuban coffee houses, you can get the eponymous espresso drink or a café con leche, as well as a variety of pressed sandwiches including what might be the city's best Cubano. The South Loop location, attached to a hostel popular with young international travelers, makes for a lively atmosphere.

For breakfast, lunch, or a quick snack, this is a great find. Try a "Jojo," the bistro's signature sandwich—it's a filone (an Italian baguette) stuffed with prosciutto, mozzarella, artichoke hearts, basil, and plum tomatoes.

Northwestern students and suits line up here for burgers (ground in-house), nine kinds of french fries (try the ones with truffle salt and Parmesan), and spicy Mexican-chocolate shakes.

This all-day counter service spot crosses Lebanese and Mexican flavors with some kooky notions (halloumi tacos, baklava blended into a milk shake), to fun and tasty results. It’s situated in cheerful digs a stone’s throw from Lincoln Park Zoo--a good place to walk off overindulgence guilt.

Lines form early and stay throughout the day. The popcorn is so popular that there are several other Chicago outlets plus branches in Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Tasty sandwiches and salads that please vegans and carnivores alike are served at Goddess and Grocer.