Best Hidden Gems Restaurants in River North (60654)
4 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Mazala Pizza by Moti
High-volume Indian-fusion pizza and street-food counter with serious delivery demand.
Notable Picks
8.5
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Hidden Gems Heaven
Family Friendly Favorites
Mazala Pizza by Moti operates as a fast-casual Indian street-food and fusion pizza spot at 70 W Huron, backed by 3000+ Uber Eats ratings and over 1,700 aggregated reviews at around 4.4/5. Guests come for masala pizzas, bowls, tacos, and momos that remix familiar takeout formats with assertive Indian seasoning, all at counter-service speed.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken Tikka Pizza, Vada Pav, Tikka Masala Momos
What makes it special: High-volume Indian-fusion pizza and street-food counter with serious delivery demand.
#2
Coco Pazzo
8.5
Vibes:
Luxury Dining Elite
Date Night Magic
Business Lunch Power Players
Birthday & Celebration Central
Coco Pazzo is a longtime Tuscan restaurant in a lofted River North space, known for wood-fired pastas, whole fish, and an all-Italian wine list. Since the early 1990s, locals have used it for quieter celebrations and business dinners just off the main Hubbard bar strip.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pappardelle ai cinghiale, Melanzane Parmigiana, Risotto del giorno
What makes it special: Long-running Tuscan restaurant combining loft-like space with classic trattoria cooking.
8.1
Torchio Pasta Bar is a compact, pasta-first restaurant where the focus is on extruded shapes and rich sauces rather than a sprawling menu. With fewer seats and a small, frequently praised menu, it serves as a more intimate alternative to the big-box River North Italians.
Must-Try Dishes:
Rigatoni alla vodka, Spaghetti carbonara, Rigatoni with chicken and pesto cream
What makes it special: Small, pasta-centric dining room where most of the menu centers on housemade shapes.
#4
Crying Tiger
8.0
Crying Tiger turns the former Hub 51 space into a dark-green, high-design room for modern Southeast Asian cooking and a cocktail program built for nights out. The menu runs from sugarcane beef and crab fried rice to big-format curries, with a dramatic signature dessert that shows up all over social feeds.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster Pad Thai in Clay Pot, Khao Soi with Roti, Prawn Toast
What makes it special: A 2025-opened, design-forward Southeast Asian spot from chef Thai Dang with lobster pad Thai and khao soi leading the menu.