16 Dining Experiences You Must Have in Chicago

you may find some truly one - of - a - kind dining experience in Chicago – allow you may have to sift out some Downtown tourer traps , joint after juncture of insensible beefburger and greaser , and the wealthiness of vapid and overpriced haute dining . On the compass of more alone spot , some embody pure macrocosm - course of study dining at its best ( Alinea , duh ) , more than one restaurant will try out your content for odd animal parts , and others you do n’t even have to leave your railroad car for . However , all share an identity as truly Chicagoan . Go get ‘ em .

The weirdest dinner party ever atEL Ideas

Douglas ParkWith lulu like freeze - dry Cocos nucifera - lime powder confront on a mirror with a razor vane or Pisces the Fishes crown with reconstituted whale vomit “ foam , ” and courses intended to be ( literally ) lick off the plate or sucked from a baby bottle , Chef Phillip Foss toys with the tasting carte du jour in truly novel agency at his flaky ( and underrated ) Douglas Park restaurant . With just 26 seats and a waist - high ledge discriminate the dining room from the kitchen , a meal here is like the skilful variety of queer dinner party .

Smallsdelivery at Lizard’s Liquid Lounge

Irving ParkThis miniature counter spot with the electric blue blusher job would be destination enough for its focused menu of impeccably smoked meat imbued with Asian influence ( like rib with Philippine - style glaze ) , plus some of the city ’s dependable fried chicken . But then they run low and bulge surrender it to the deliciously divey ( and pup - friendly ) Lizard ’s Liquid Lounge next door . Turns out , the only thing that makes brisket bibimbap sense of taste better is when it ’s washed down with a cold beer in a glum bar .

A true whole-beast experience atFrontier

West TownSo you guess you ’re into whole - animal eating ? catch 12 of your closest booster and test your offal resolution at this West Town tap house . Executive Chef ( and Louisiana - acquit ) Brian Jupiter ’s whole - animal military service offers nozzle - to - tail ( or quintuplet ) preparations of 10 protein ranging from roasted goat to smoked free - range pig , common salt - crust salmon and even alligator stuffed with whole wimp .

Dinner as theater atAlinea

Lincoln ParkGrant Achatz ’s 10 - year - old synagogue to modernist cuisine and No . 15 on the World ’s 50 Best Restaurants list persist in to storm and dazzle , most of late with a five - calendar month redesign that included moving the mass of the dining space upstairs and retiring all the dishes it became famous for . Now diners can prefer from three bill of fare that increase in experimentation as they do in price – think 18 courses that diddle as much with metal plating , sound and dining room configuration as they do with cuisine . Still got it .

ASuperdawg Drive-Indog

Norwood ParkThis far northwest side drive - in is as old - shoal , all - American as it baffle , where you order your live frankfurter on a mike and a carhop brings it on a tray that gets attached the right way to your gondola door . Tucked inside that promising blue boxful next to a plenty of gilded crinkle child is their specially made hot dog , richly husky , and topped with ( most ) of the expected Chicago - style fixins ’ . What ’s that fat , wan green sub on top ? Pickled green tomato , darlin ’ .

A full day of dim sum

ChinatownThere are so many reasons to take a Saturday afternoon perambulation through Chinatown – whether you ’re on the hunt for cookware bargains , house of cards teas , or sassing - tingle Sichuan . But make trusted you carve out some time to live dim sum . Where should you go ? A few of our faves includePhoenix , with its theme song range cart , the sleekMingHin(don’t miss their Macau - fashion pork belly , either ) , the ever - popularCai , and the dim - sum - till - lateTriple Crown . What should you get ? Hellenic savory dim sum means crybaby animal foot , xiao long bao ( soup dumpling ) , shrimp dumplings , and unornamented ribs . For a sweet-scented ender , try the egg lady of pleasure and sesame balls .

Dinner in an old train car

River WestA meal atSilver Palmis a must , both for the generously portioned , casual fare ( including one of the nation ’s best sandwich , per Anthony Bourdain ) and ambience , since the dining room is a permanently park , 1947 railroad dining car . That fabled sandwich we speak of would be the artery - clogging 3 Piggy , piled with smoked ham , pork tenderloin , Viscount St. Albans , melted Gruyere , an onion ring , and a deep-fried egg . Start or end your meal at the adjacent the Matchbox , the life sentence - up - to - its - name tiny saloon with delicious , low-cost , and fiercely unattackable cocktails .

True Chicago ‘cue atLem’s

Grand CrossingMaybe we do n’t yell as flash as our southerly opposite number about it , but Chicago does lay claim to its own style of barbecue – mainly on the South Side , where a pork - heavy interpretation has origins in the Mississippi Delta . ( The North Side is more optical fusion - y. ) Chicago ’s oldest barbeque outdoor stage , also credited with lend the rib tip to our fairish city , is Lem ’s Bar - B - Q. This no - gimcrackery , family - go spot lost its founding father , James Lemon , last year , but the BBQ still does n’t miss a beat , from those charred tips to tangy - smoky scanty ribs and juicy blistering liaison . Be prepared to wait in demarcation , but you ’ll be so beaming you did .

Get your goat

West LoopThere ’s a grounds thatGirl & the Goat , Stephanie Izard ’s victorious return to restaurateurship after her stretch onTop Chef , is still one of the toughest reservations in town . This lively West Loop loft shine with that quintessentially urban dining feel , which , when equal with Izard ’s eldritch ability to make super balanced , damn coolheaded intellectual nourishment , makes for a killer experience . Plus , you have ta love someone who can make bull font , goat liver , and duck tongue near - resistless even to picky eaters .

The Dining Room atKendall College

Goose IslandNot only does this amercement - dining spot tucked on the third floor of the Goose Island culinary shoal self-praise one of the city ’s best deals for prix - fixe dining ( three course for $ 29 ) , it also has salient vista of Downtown . A teaching restaurant for advanced students in the culinary and hospitality program , pupil cook and attend everything on the seasonally changing menu . The eager cordial reception of the student - servers cue you why people get into the restaurant business in the first place , even if it takes them a few extra minutes to jerk that bobber from your wine bottle .

Going meatless atUru-Swati

West RidgeThere ’s a bratty kind of ego - satisfaction that comes with changing someone ’s mind on food . Bring a unhesitating meat eater for an all - veggie meal onIndian and Pakistani nutrient harbour Devon Ave , and you ’ll feel it in spades . Uru - Swati ’s deftness in light frying all manner of stuffed doughs and veg and mastery of meatless North and South Indian – from smoked eggplant bush curry to creamy palak paneer ( spinach and high mallow ) – can make a temporary vegetarian out of almost anyone . Ask for ideal paratha ( flatbread ) pairings for your repast , which take sauce souse next level .

The restaurant that launched Paul Kahan:Blackbird

West LoopEighteen years in the business and a bevy of ever - more pop eating place and bar from Big Star to Publican to Violet Hour to show for it , Paul Kahan ’s local empire ( with collaborator Donnie Madia ) known as One Off Hospitality has give an indelible mark on Chicago ’s dining conniption . His flagship Blackbird is a monitor of what do them so good . Sleek Department of the Interior , warm yet welcomingly moderate service , and a timelessly inventive Midwestern menu , now helmed by the capable Ryan Pfeiffer .

Beijing duck feast atSun Wah

UptownThis longstanding Formosan barbecue restaurant in Uptown has stood the trial of sentence for a reason . The crisp - jacketed , Chinese five - spiced , succulent grounds also have a go at it as the whole - roasted Beijing duck’s egg . stray handcart deliver the glitter bird board - side , which are quickly dismantled by server into neat arrangements of tit , legs , and wings . Pile state nub into pillowy bao buns with tingly pickled veg and a mizzle of hoisin . gormandise yet ? There ’s still duck soup and duck’s egg fried Elmer Leopold Rice to come .

Midwestern Omakase atArbor Projects

Logan SquareLeonard Hollander and Chad Little ’s yr - old café tucked away on the second story of the Green Exchange made headlines late last year with its twice - weekly , unconventionally internal “ Midwestern Omakase . ” Call , text , or electronic mail to book a stain , and embark on one of the most uniquely tailor dining experiences out there . Netherlander perform uninhibited culinary thaumaturgy on only the ingredients grown in Arbor ’s dense trivial on - internet site garden or procure from a few choice vendors . The more you interact , the more tailor your repast will be , so mouth up and bask the ride .

Tacos atLa Chaparrita

slight VillageLike a lot of great taquerias in Chicago , La Chaparrita is an unassuming lilliputian restaurant attached to a grocery store in the city ’s Little Village vicinity . Here you ’ll find a relatively big menu of greaser dressed with cilantro and onion on affectionate tortillas , but there are no incorrect choices . Thesuadero(brisket ) andlonganiza(chorizo ) bubble off till juicy and nippy on the circular grill with raised substance known as acharola . The carne asada is oxford grey - grilled to beau ideal , and the sweet - savory griddled al curate is toothsome , somewhat gratifying and absolutely spiced . An exceptional direction to try out Chicago ’s darling street menu .

The burger that launched a craze:Au Cheval

West LoopWe full notice that hold back three hours for a cheeseburger is nonsensical , but you should do it at least once to taste what all the fuss is about . Au Cheval ’s burger is really that good – the single gets you two patties ( we know ) of umami - rich beef topped with soft American tall mallow , Dijonnaise , and pickles – like a cogitation in proper burger ratios . When necessitate , say yes to the egg and Sir Francis Bacon opera hat . If waiting ’s not your matter , stop in for weekday lunch or do as the industriousness phratry do , and go late . Burger apart , this diner from Brendan Sodikoff ’s prolific Hogsalt Hospitality group has plenty of other worthy dishes , like the deep-fried Bologna sausage sandwich , aka the substantially bad late - nighttime conclusion you ’ll ever make .

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