Illinois · best-of list
The 9 Best Restaurants in Illinois
All 9 restaurants our route editors picked in Illinois, across 3 destinations, gathered in one list. 9 come with an insider tip.
Our curated picks
9 restaurants in Illinois, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Chicago 4 picks
Au Cheval
Chicago · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route
West Loop diner known for its stacked double cheeseburger.
Tip: Put your name in and wait at a nearby Randolph Street bar.
Photo: Au Cheval · Google
Pequod's Pizza
Chicago · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route
Pan pizza with a caramelized cheese crust; a local favorite over tourist deep-dish spots.
Tip: Expect waits at dinner; order ahead or come at lunch.
Photo: Pequod's Pizza · GoogleThe Berghoff
Chicago · On our Chicago & Milwaukee route
German restaurant on West Adams Street since 1898, with schnitzel, sauerbraten and its own root beer and lager.
Tip: The bar holds Chicago's first liquor license issued after Prohibition.
The Walnut Room at Macy's
Chicago · On our Chicago & Milwaukee route
Marshall Field's 1907 dining room on State Street, where a Great Tree rises through the room each Christmas.
Tip: Reservations go fast for December; the State Street holiday windows are on the way in.
Photo: Ken Lund · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Loop & Chicago River 3 picks
Chicago Cut Steakhouse
The Loop & Chicago River · On our Chicago New Year's Eve route
Steakhouse on the river at LaSalle Street, with window tables looking across the water to the Loop towers.
Tip: Ask for a window table; it is a short walk to the Wacker Drive viewing area after dinner.
Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse
The Loop & Chicago River · On our Chicago New Year's Eve route
Gold Coast steakhouse open since 1989, known for huge cuts, martinis and a packed bar on big nights.
Tip: NYE tables go fast; the bar does not take reservations if you are willing to wait.
Shaw's Crab House
The Loop & Chicago River · On our Chicago New Year's Eve route
River North seafood house since 1984, with an oyster bar and a formal dining room for crab legs and lobster.
Tip: The oyster bar side is easier to get into the night before NYE.
Lincoln Park 2 picks
Alinea
Lincoln Park · On our Chicago New Year's Eve route
Grant Achatz's tasting-menu restaurant on Halsted Street, open since 2005 and a once-a-year kind of NYE dinner.
Tip: Tickets are sold in advance online; NYE seatings are released months ahead.
R.J. Grunts
Lincoln Park · On our Chicago New Year's Eve route
Burger-and-brunch spot across from the zoo, open since 1971 as the first Lettuce Entertain You restaurant.
Tip: Check holiday hours; it is a natural first stop before the zoo.
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the restaurants in Illinois?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 9 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Illinois has the most restaurants on this list?
Chicago has the most (4 of 9), followed by The Loop & Chicago River (3) and Lincoln Park (2).
More lists for Illinois
Best restaurants nearby
Destinations on this list
- Chicago 4 on this list
- The Loop & Chicago River 3 on this list
- Lincoln Park 2 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.