Best Hidden Gems Restaurants in Loop (60606)
10 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Gibsons Italia
Italian steakhouse where serious pastas meet river and skyline views.
Notable Picks
8.7
Gibsons Italia is a riverfront Italian steakhouse pairing gold-extruded pastas, Prime beef and seafood with skyline views from multi-level dining rooms. Downtown diners use it for client dinners, occasion meals and polished date nights where service and execution are tightly controlled.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spicy Rigatoni, Cacio e Pepe, Roasted Mediterranean Branzino
What makes it special: Italian steakhouse where serious pastas meet river and skyline views.
8.5
Vibes:
Business Lunch Power Players
Group Dining Gatherings
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Trendy Table Hotspots
Porter Kitchen & Deck pairs New American classics and a deep whiskey list with some of the Loop’s best river views from both dining room and deck. It’s a go-to for client lunches, post-work cocktails, and group dinners that feel like an occasion without leaving the office corridor.
Must-Try Dishes:
Filet Sliders, Lobster Roll, Fried Chicken Sandwich
What makes it special: Riverfront New American cooking with a whiskey-forward bar and a true deck overlooking the skyline.
#3
Bar Mar
8.4
Vibes:
Trendy Table Hotspots
Happy Hour Hotspots
Girls Night Out Approved
Business Lunch Power Players
Bar Mar is José Andrés’ seafood-centric restaurant on the ground floor of the Bank of America Tower, built around oysters, ceviches, and luxed-up classics like lobster rolls. Office crowds and destination diners use it for lively dinners, cocktails, and pre-theater seafood in a bright, nautical room.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster Roll, Hamachi Cones, Sea Scallops
What makes it special: High-energy José Andrés seafood bar with modern takes on classics.
8.4
Bazaar Meat is José Andrés’ high-concept steakhouse in the Bank of America Tower, built around tasting menus, dry-aged vaca vieja ribeye and theatrical small plates. Diners lean on it for special-occasion splurges and pre-theatre nights when they want wagyu, caviar cones and a room that feels more like a stage set than a clubby chop house. Strong critical attention and a World's Best Steak Restaurants nod keep it on the short list for destination steak in the Loop.
Must-Try Dishes:
Vaca Vieja Ribeye, Foie Gras PB&J, Caviar Cone
What makes it special: A theatrical, tasting-driven steakhouse where Spanish-inflected dishes, dry-aged beef and dramatic design turn dinner into a choreographed experience.
8.3
A rooftop Mediterranean room where fries aren’t an afterthought—they’re a happy-hour anchor built for dipping into roasted garlic aioli and pairing with cocktails. The best order is fries plus one or two small plates, then let the table graduate into pinsa or seafood once the room fills in.
Must-Try Dishes:
French fries with roasted garlic aioli, Papas brava, Pinsa
What makes it special: Rooftop fries designed for aioli-dipping and happy-hour pacing.
8.2
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Business Lunch Power Players
Trendy Table Hotspots
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Tortazo is Rick Bayless’s fast-casual Mexican spot inside Willis Tower, focusing on Mexico City-style tortas, chilaquiles, and salads with a full bar in a colorful, design-forward room. Office workers and visitors use it for higher-upgrade tortas, salads, and margaritas that still move quickly at lunch.
Must-Try Dishes:
Crispy Chicken Milanesa Torta, Chipotle Roasted Chicken Chilaquiles, El Tortazo salad
What makes it special: Chef-driven Mexico City tortas and chilaquiles served in a lively Willis Tower fast-casual space.
Vibes:
Business Lunch Power Players
Quick Bites Champions
Group Dining Gatherings
Hidden Gems Heaven
An Italian-leaning eatery/market in the BMO Tower corridor where fries show up as the reliable side move for sandwiches and burgers—simple, salty, and built for dipping into house aioli. It works best as a flexible lunch basecamp: grab a sandwich, keep fries hot, and add a slice or small plate if you’re lingering.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fries, Canal Burger, Rigatoni
What makes it special: Office-corridor eatery where fries and sandwiches stay dependable.
8.1
A compact river-corridor coffee bar that’s quietly serious about espresso and milk texture, with a pastry case built for quick wins before the office crush. It’s best as a grab-and-go stop, but the barista-led pacing makes it feel calmer than the street outside.
Must-Try Dishes:
Espresso (single or double), Cappuccino, Seasonal pastry (ask what’s fresh)
What makes it special: Dialed-in espresso drinks in a low-key Loop pocket.
Worthy Picks
7.8
A reliable counter-service seafood stop that keeps things clean and craveable—salmon, shrimp, and bowls that feel lighter than most Loop lunches. It’s strongest when you choose one protein-forward plate and keep the sauces controlled for a crisp, fresh finish.
Must-Try Dishes:
Grilled salmon plate, Shrimp bowl, Lobster bisque (when offered)
What makes it special: Fast seafood that reads fresh, not fried-heavy.
#10
Depot 226
7.7
A hotel-lobby all-day spot that functions as a coffee bar, cocktail counter, and light-bites kitchen without feeling like an afterthought. The best move is to treat it as a flexible reset—morning caffeine, late-afternoon snack, then a simple drink before heading out.
Must-Try Dishes:
Breakfast sandwich, Pastry + coffee combo, House cocktail (ask what’s featured)
What makes it special: A lobby bar-cafe that’s genuinely useful all day.