Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Chicago
50 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Smyth
Three-Michelin-star tasting menu built around Midwestern farm relationships.
Essential Picks
#1
Smyth
9.2
Smyth is a three-Michelin-star tasting menu restaurant in the West Loop where John Shields and Karen Urie Shields build seasonally driven courses around Midwestern farms. The intimate dining room and highly choreographed service make it one of Chicago’s most serious destination dinners.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dungeness crab with kani miso and foie gras, Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with kelp marmite, Frozen tomato mousse dessert course
What Makes it Special: Three-Michelin-star tasting menu built around Midwestern farm relationships.
#2
Alinea
9.1
Alinea is a Michelin-starred modernist dining room where Grant Achatz’s multi-course tasting menu turns dinner into an immersive, theatrical experience. Since 2005 it’s been Chicago’s most famous special-occasion restaurant, drawing couples for intricate courses like hot potato–cold potato and a choreographed, tableside dessert finale.
Must-Try Dishes:
Hot Potato–Cold Potato, Black Truffle, Parmesan, Black Truffle Explosion Ravioli, Tabletop Dessert Finale
What Makes it Special: Two-Michelin-star modernist temple where dinner plays out like theater.
#3
EL Ideas
9.1
A reservation-only tasting-menu room that leans playful and experimental, with a Michelin-star pedigree and a tightly paced, chef-driven flow. The experience is built around surprise and technique, with enough warmth and humor to keep it from feeling precious. Best for diners who want a full evening rather than an à la carte meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
EL Boxcar (bone-in beef rib with signature BBQ sauce), Half Chicken (smoked, BBQ-basted), Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese
What Makes it Special: A Michelin-starred, reservation-only tasting experience built around playful, experimental cooking.
#4
Galit
9.1
Galit is a Michelin-starred Middle Eastern restaurant from chef Zachary Engel that turns hummus, salatim, and wood-fired meats into a structured tasting menu. Locals use it for special-occasion dinners where bold flavors, precise cooking, and a deep wine list justify the spend.
Must-Try Dishes:
Hummus Masabacha, Labneh with za'atar and olive oil, Bubbe's Brisket
What Makes it Special: A James Beard–driven, Michelin-starred Middle Eastern tasting menu built around obsessive hummus and salatim.
#5
Indienne
9.1
Indienne is Chef Sujan Sarkar’s progressive Indian fine-dining room in River North, running multicourse tasting menus that reframe regional flavors with modern technique. Michelin recognition, highly rated multi-platform feedback, and a 2022 opening keep it in the conversation as one of Chicago’s destination restaurants for contemporary Indian cuisine.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seared scallops in coastal-style curry, Signature lamb course, Butter-poached lobster supplement
What Makes it Special: Michelin-recognized tasting menus that modernize Indian flavors in a polished room.
#6
Mako
9.1
A 22-seat, reservation-driven omakase built around pristine fish, tightly paced courses, and cooked interludes that keep the meal from becoming a pure nigiri parade. This is destination sushi for when you want chef-led progression, quiet focus, and a night that feels deliberately composed from first bite to dessert.
Must-Try Dishes:
Omakase tasting, Chawanmushi (seasonal savory custard), Braised abalone (cooked course)
What Makes it Special: A chef-driven omakase with a serious cooked-course bench.
#7
Oriole
9.1
A tasting-menu New American room that’s built around precision technique, luxe ingredients, and calm, tightly paced service. The meal lands best when you lean into the chef’s signature richness—foie gras, wagyu, caviar—then let the kitchen’s sequencing do the storytelling.
Must-Try Dishes:
Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Japanese A5 Wagyu, Alaskan King Crab
What Makes it Special: A chef-driven tasting menu focused on precision and luxury ingredients.
#8
RPM Seafood
9.1
RPM Seafood is a riverfront showpiece from Lettuce Entertain You, built around seafood towers, charcoal-grilled whole fish, and polished service overlooking the Chicago River. It runs like a special-occasion machine, with a lively, dressed-up crowd, sharp wine program, and one of River North’s most dramatic patios.
Must-Try Dishes:
Grand Seafood Tower, Charcoal-grilled black bass, Wild Alaska halibut with brown butter
What Makes it Special: Multi-level riverfront seafood house where towers, whole fish, and skyline views all land at once.
#9
Topolobampo
9.1
Rick Bayless’s fine-dining flagship runs refined, mole-driven tasting menus that lean into regional Mexican storytelling. Locals and destination diners alike use it for special-occasion dinners where complex sauces, agave pairings, and polished service justify the splurge.
Must-Try Dishes:
Feast of the Seven Moles tasting menu, Callo de Hacha scallop course, Mole negro with wagyu
What Makes it Special: Michelin-starred tasting menus that showcase Mexico’s sauces, regions, and seasons.
#10
Ever
9
Ever is Curtis Duffy’s two-Michelin-star fine-dining room in Fulton Market, serving an 8–10 course contemporary tasting menu in a hushed, design-forward space. Diners come for precise luxury ingredients like caviar, Alaskan king crab, and wagyu woven into highly composed plates.
Must-Try Dishes:
Alaskan king crab with cucumber and seasonal garnishes, Icelandic yogurt semifreddo with ossetra caviar, Halibut curry with aromatic broth and vegetables
What Makes it Special: Curtis Duffy’s meticulously choreographed tasting menu in a minimalist, gallery-like room.
#11
Giant
9
A compact Logan Square dining room where a Michelin-starred kitchen turns out intensely seasoned New American small plates and handmade pastas from an open line. It’s a destination for diners who want serious cooking, tight pacing, and a lively, unpretentious room instead of white-tablecloth formality.
Must-Try Dishes:
Trout Roe Tempura with Sour Cream, Shrimp & Pork Fried Rice with Maple and Salted Black Bean, Slow Cooked Lamb Ribs with Anchovy Aioli
What Makes it Special: An intimate, Michelin-starred New American kitchen known for bold, deeply flavored plates.
9
An intimate 10-seat counter in River North where Chef Shinichiro Kanemaru serves a tightly paced, 16-course omakase built around premium fish flown in from Japan. The room leans serene and minimalist, making the focus the progression of nigiri, sake pairings, and quiet interaction with the chef.
Must-Try Dishes:
Kanemaru's 16-course omakase, Fatty tuna nigiri, Hokkaido uni
What Makes it Special: Serious, chef-led omakase with meticulous seasonal fish and pacing.
#13
Shanghai Terrace
9
Inside The Peninsula Chicago, Shanghai Terrace serves polished Cantonese and Shanghainese dishes, from Beijing duck to delicate dim sum, in a 1930s supper-club dining room and on a skyline-facing terrace. It’s the area’s most formal Chinese option, pairing hotel-level service and cocktails with carefully executed plates built for celebrations and business entertaining.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beijing Duck tableside service, BBQ Pork Buns, Kung Pao Chicken
What Makes it Special: Hotel-level Cantonese with dim sum and duck in a terrace-backed, 1930s-inspired room.
Notable Picks
8.9
A Michelin-starred Lincoln Square tasting-menu room that cooks in a modern American lane with tight technique and a calm, course-by-course rhythm. It’s best when you commit to the full experience—letting the kitchen’s seasonal through-line and pairings do the work rather than hunting for a single “best” plate.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seasonal tasting menu, Bacon-blue cheese canelés, Buttermilk and Brassica
What Makes it Special: A Michelin-starred American tasting menu in an intimate Lincoln Square room.
#15
Cariño
8.9
An Uptown chef’s-counter tasting menu that treats Mexican and Latin flavors like fine-dining material—masa work, smoke, and acid all dialed in. The room stays intimate but high-energy, with courses that land playful without losing precision.
Must-Try Dishes:
Huitlacoche ravioli, Michelada oyster, Taco omakase
What Makes it Special: A Michelin-starred, masa-forward tasting menu with bold Mexican technique.
#16
Class Act
8.9
This Bucktown tasting-menu restaurant seats guests at a single communal table for a three-hour progression that moves through multiple rooms and ends in the attached speakeasy, Nightcap. Chef Nicolai Mlodinow’s menu changes by theme—currently an “Evolution” journey through food history—pairing avant-garde technique with a dinner-party atmosphere.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bouquet (zucchini flower with parmesan mousse and honey), Blackened Seafood Course from the chef’s childhood-inspired menu, Dim Sum–Inspired Bite from the “Growing Up” or “Evolution” progression
What Makes it Special: A scripted, theme-driven tasting menu that feels like an interactive dinner party with a speakeasy finale.
#17
RPM Steak
8.9
RPM Steak delivers a polished, modern steakhouse experience with a deep list of prime and dry-aged cuts, raw-bar platters, and a serious wine program. It’s a go-to for celebratory dinners and business meals where service, presentation, and pacing need to stay tight.
Must-Try Dishes:
Coal-roasted king crab, 45-day dry-aged ribeye, Millionaire's potato
What Makes it Special: Modern, high-volume steakhouse pairing deep beef selection with polished service.
#18
Schwa
8.9
Schwa is a tiny, chef-driven tasting room where Michael Carlson’s boundary-pushing, Michelin-starred menu plays out in a loud, dim Wicker Park space. Couples book it for blowout dinners that feel more like an underground dinner party than formal fine dining, with intricate plates, bold flavors, and a bring-your-own-bottle policy.
Must-Try Dishes:
Quail egg ravioli with brown butter and sage, Seasonal multi-course tasting menu, Chestnut soup and other rotating signatures
What Makes it Special: BYOB tasting menu where Michelin-level cooking meets punk rock energy.
#19
Atsumeru
8.8
Atsumeru is a Nordic–Japanese tasting menu in the former Temporis space, built around 10–12 seafood-focused courses. Guests start in a casual basement lounge before moving upstairs, with dishes that pair precise technique and clean flavors to highlight fish, fermented elements, and seasonal produce. It feels modern and focused without losing warmth.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sturgeon with puffed rice, ginger-scallion paste, and tom kha broth, Gjetost-stuffed pastry opening bite, Milk ice cream in pine oil and kombucha broth
What Makes it Special: Bi-level Nordic–Japanese tasting that starts in a lounge and ends in a sleek dining room.
#20
Boka
8.8
Opened in 2003, Boka is a Michelin-starred, candlelit dining room where Chef Lee Wolen’s seasonal American cooking and a polished service team anchor one of Lincoln Park’s most reliable date-night experiences. Couples come for the combination of refined plates, deep wine list, and a room that feels celebratory without being stiff.
Must-Try Dishes:
Whole Roasted Dry Aged Duck, Dry Aged Beef Tartare, Duck Leg Ravioli
What Makes it Special: Michelin-starred neighborhood stalwart pairing seasonal tasting-style plates with warm polish.
#21
Bonyeon
8.8
A reservation-first Korean tasting menu built around a beef-omakase arc, where each course treats a specific cut as the headline. The experience lands best when you commit to the progression and let the kitchen drive the pacing—this is West Loop special-occasion dining with a tight, chef-led point of view.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beef omakase tasting menu, Kagoshima wagyu course, Nose-to-tail beef course progression
What Makes it Special: A beef-focused Korean tasting menu built as an omakase-style progression.
#22
Brindille
8.8
Brindille is Carrie Nahabedian’s intimate River North dining room focused on classic French fine dining with detailed plating and polished service. Multi-course dinners lean rich and celebratory, with foie gras, seasonal soups, and precise meat cookery in a room designed for lingering conversation.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Rich French Onion Soup Gratinée, Prime Entrecôte Steak au Poivre
What Makes it Special: Refined, old-school French fine dining anchored by an acclaimed chef.
#23
Herb
8.8
A reservation-leaning Thai dining room where Chef Patty Neumson’s cooking runs refined, herb-forward, and plated with intention rather than portion-bomb bravado. The move is to treat it like a paced experience—start with a bright, texture-driven opener, then build into a curry or prix-fixe flow that highlights the kitchen’s balance and control.
Must-Try Dishes:
Betel leaves, Chive dumplings, Coconut curry with chicken
What Makes it Special: Chef-driven Thai with tasting-menu pacing and high-attention plating.
#24
jeong
8.8
A Korean-inspired tasting-menu counterpoint to the neighborhood’s casual dining, built around precise technique and Korean flavor logic. The room is sleek and intimate, and the cooking shines when the menu leans into seafood courses and its Korean-accented takes on classics.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seasonal tasting menu, Seared scallop with beurre blanc and trout roe, Kkanpungi-style octopus (sweet & sour)
What Makes it Special: A Korean-inspired tasting menu that turns familiar flavors into fine-dining precision.
Vibes:
Luxury Dining Elite
Business Lunch Power Players
Group Dining Gatherings
Birthday & Celebration Central
Joe's brings the Miami-born stone crab legacy to River North, pairing a deep seafood program with a serious lineup of prime steaks. Diners mix bone-in filets and ribeyes with chilled shellfish towers in a clubby, white-tablecloth room that runs packed with business diners, special-occasion groups, and out-of-towners chasing a classic Chicago meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
16 oz bone-in filet mignon, Florida stone crab claws, Hash brown potatoes
What Makes it Special: A stone-crab-focused steakhouse where shellfish towers rival the prime beef.
#26
Kyōten
8.8
Kyōten is Chef Otto Phan’s ultra-small omakase counter, serving meticulously sourced, largely wild Japanese fish in a tightly choreographed tasting that runs well past two hours. The experience leans more like a high-end performance than a casual sushi night, with precise nigiri, thoughtful sake pairings, and pricing that firmly marks it as a special-occasion destination.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chef’s Omakase Nigiri, Wagyu Nigiri, Lobster Tempura
What Makes it Special: An eight-seat omakase counter where world-class fish is treated with obsessive, Edomae-level care.
8.8
La Storia Ristorante is a Gold Coast townhouse restaurant pairing handmade regional Italian pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and an extensive wine list with white-tablecloth polish. Diners come for rich seafood pastas, long-form dinners, and a room that feels suited to anniversaries and special nights out more than quick plates of red sauce.
Must-Try Dishes:
Squid Ink Seafood Pasta, Cioppino with Mixed Shellfish, Arugula Pizza
What Makes it Special: Townhouse Italian dining with handmade pastas, deep cellar, and polished service.
#28
LÝRA
8.8
LÝRA is a modern Greek flagship in Fulton Market, pairing live-fire cooking and island-inspired dishes with a high-energy, design-forward space opened in 2022. Locals use it for big nights out where charcoal-grilled lamb, pastitsio, and cocktails turn dinner into an event.
Must-Try Dishes:
Charcoal Grilled Lamb Chops, Deconstructed Pastitsio, Cast Iron Moussaka
What Makes it Special: Modern Greek showpiece blending Mykonos-inspired cooking with a high-design Fulton Market space.
#29
Maple & Ash
8.8
A high-energy Gold Coast steakhouse where wood-fired cooking, tableside theatrics, and a deep wine program drive the experience as much as the beef. It’s built for celebratory nights and big-ticket ordering, with the kitchen strongest when you lean into its fire-roasted steaks and seafood-forward showpieces.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fire Roasted Filet Mignon, Fire Roasted Seafood Tower, I Don't Give A F*@K
What Makes it Special: Wood-fired steakhouse theater paired with a serious wine program.
#30
Midōsuji
8.8
An eight-seat omakase tucked inside the Chicago Athletic Association, built around a chef’s-counter progression that blends Japanese ingredients with French technique. Expect a tightly paced, reservation-driven experience where composed hot and cold courses (plus rotating hand rolls) matter more than à la carte variety.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chickpea chawanmushi, Rock shrimp tempura, Rotating hand rolls
What Makes it Special: An intimate 8-seat omakase where Japanese ingredients meet French technique at a chef’s counter.
#31
Momotaro
8.8
Momotaro is a multi-level West Loop Japanese restaurant where precise sushi, robata, and composed plates anchor a high-energy dining room. Locals treat it as a go-to for special-occasion sushi and cocktails, backed by years of strong reviews and Michelin recognition.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spaghetti (beef curry pasta), Momomaki roll, Chahan beef fried rice
What Makes it Special: Large-format West Loop Japanese restaurant blending serious sushi with a multi-level, design-forward space and Michelin-level recognition.
#32
Next
8.8
Next operates on a ticketed, theme-changing format, switching menus every season to explore different eras, regions, and ideas. Guests sit for long, choreographed tasting menus that pair storytelling with technical cooking in a polished Fulton Market room.
Must-Try Dishes:
Panzanella salad with tomato water, Cherry prosciutto tortellini in pho broth, Five Ages of Wisconsin Cheddar
What Makes it Special: Theme-shifting Michelin-starred tasting menus that completely reinvent every season.
8.8
Penumbra is a Latin-influenced steak and seafood restaurant engineered almost entirely around romance, with curtain-draped booths, low lighting, and surf-and-turf plates built for celebrations. Steaks, jalapeño shrimp, and a deep wine list keep it in steady rotation for anniversaries and milestone dates in Logan Square.
Must-Try Dishes:
Flat Iron Steak & Lobster combo, Shadow Shrimp, Penumbra Ice Cream
What Makes it Special: A Latin-influenced steakhouse designed specifically for romantic, curtain-draped dinners.
8.8
Vibes:
Luxury Dining Elite
Date Night Magic
Business Lunch Power Players
Birthday & Celebration Central
A modern Japanese steakhouse and sushi spot centered on a dramatic robata grill, Roka Akor pairs A5 wagyu and grilled seafood with composed sushi in a sleek River North room. High review volume over many years indicates it functions as a reliable destination for business dinners and date nights alike.
Must-Try Dishes:
Wagyu beef and kimchi dumplings, Robata grilled pork belly, Robata grilled Chilean sea bass
What Makes it Special: Japanese-inspired steakhouse marrying robata-grilled meats with polished sushi.
An all-you-can-eat Japanese yakiniku-and-shabu experience built around A5 wagyu and a deep bench of grill cuts, with an immersive dining-room presentation. It’s best approached as a paced, high-heat BBQ session—order premium cuts in waves and balance with sushi/appetizers to keep the table moving.
Must-Try Dishes:
A5 wagyu ribeye cap, Beef tongue (gyutan), Seared salmon nigiri
What Makes it Special: Tiered AYCE Japanese BBQ with A5 wagyu in an immersive room.
#36
Anelya
8.7
Anelya is an intimate Avondale dining room where a Ukrainian tasting-menu format, zakusky cart, and Eastern European wine list turn dinner into a slow, lingering date. Candlelit lighting, detailed plating, and a tight reservation-only schedule keep the room feeling special rather than rushed.
Must-Try Dishes:
Borsch, Varenyky dumplings, Kyiv cake
What Makes it Special: Ukrainian tasting-menu spot with a roaming zakusky cart and serious wine list.
8.7
A speakeasy-leaning room where the romance is built into the low light, hushed energy, and cocktail-forward rhythm. Treat it as a night that moves in chapters: one round of cocktails, then a focused food lane so the vibe stays elevated.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chef's Table Tasting Menu, Caviar Service, Seasonal Crudo
What Makes it Special: A hidden, speakeasy-style setting that turns cocktails and a tasting lane into a full night out.
8.7
Vibes:
Business Lunch Power Players
Luxury Dining Elite
Group Dining Gatherings
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Chicago Cut is a riverfront power steakhouse known for in-house dry-aged USDA Prime beef, big portions, and skyline views from the patio and windows. It runs from business lunches to late steak-and-wine nights, leaning more boisterous than hushed.
Must-Try Dishes:
USDA Prime bone-in ribeye, Lobster Mac 'n Cheese, Truffled scalloped potatoes
What Makes it Special: High-energy riverfront steakhouse with in-house dry-aging and city views.
#39
Elske
8.7
Elske layers Danish and Midwestern influences into a focused tasting menu served in a clean-lined dining room and plant-framed courtyard off Randolph. Plates lean subtle and balanced rather than showy, with thoughtful pairings and a calm, intimate pace.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lamb tartare on toasted rye, Duck liver tart with salted ramp, Sunflower seed parfait with sour honey and licorice
What Makes it Special: Scandinavian-influenced tasting menus in a minimalist room with courtyard.
#40
Gibsons Italia
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.
#41
Khmai
8.7
A reservation-forward Cambodian dining room where skewers, curries, and noodle builds land with polish and real intensity. For a special occasion, order across textures—crispy starters, grilled meats, and a bright, tart soup—so the meal reads like a full arc, not a single lane.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beef skewers, Tamarind short rib soup, Curry noodle bowl
What Makes it Special: Cambodian fine dining pacing with standout skewers and bright, layered soups.
#42
Kumiko
8.7
A cocktail bar that reads like a date-night blueprint—low light, precise hospitality, and drinks that feel curated instead of loud. It’s ideal when you want romance through atmosphere and craft, not a heavy, sprawling dinner.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tasting menu, Japanese-influenced cocktails, Highball service
What Makes it Special: A Michelin-recognized bar where the mood is the main course.
#43
Le Colonial
8.7
Vibes:
Luxury Dining Elite
Date Night Magic
Birthday & Celebration Central
Business Lunch Power Players
Since 1996, Le Colonial has served refined French-Vietnamese cooking in an elegant Gold Coast row house overlooking Oak Street. Guests pair shaking beef, oxtail pho, and chicken curry with attentive service in a palm-filled, white-tablecloth dining room used for date nights, client dinners, and special occasions.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bo Luc Lac (shaking beef), Pho Bo with oxtail broth, Chicken curry (Cari Ga)
What Makes it Special: A long-running Gold Coast institution marrying white-tablecloth service with polished French-Vietnamese classics and a transportive 1920s colonial-style room.
#44
Miru
8.7
A St. Regis rooftop Japanese dining room that leans into polished nigiri, shareable hot plates, and a view-forward, celebration-ready pace. It works best as a structured progression: a few signature nigiri pieces, one crispy rice or raw plate, then a single warm centerpiece to finish.
Must-Try Dishes:
A5 Wagyu Nigiri, Chutoro Gunkan, Wild Mushroom Sizzling Rice
What Makes it Special: Signature nigiri and shareable plates in a skyline-view rooftop setting.
8.7
Moody Tongue runs a Michelin-starred beer-paired tasting menu in a sleek brewery setting just south of McCormick Place. Guests book the Dining Room for lengthy, tightly executed courses matched to house beers, while the broader space still feels like a working brewery rather than a hushed temple of fine dining.
Must-Try Dishes:
American Wagyu Filet with Beer Pairing, Seasonal Soft-Shell Crab Course, 12-Layer German Chocolate Cake
What Makes it Special: Michelin-recognized tasting menu built entirely around in-house beer pairings.
#46
North Pond
8.7
Set inside a 1912 arts-and-crafts building overlooking the lagoon, North Pond is a Michelin-starred restaurant where farm-driven tasting menus meet one of Chicago’s most romantic views. Since 1998 it has been the move for couples who want polished Midwestern cooking framed by park, pond, and skyline.
Must-Try Dishes:
Venison Loin Tartare “Taco”, Mackinac Whitefish en Papillote, Chestnut Mont Blanc Dessert
What Makes it Special: A park-embedded, pondside dining room where tasting menus meet skyline views.
#47
Omakase Yume
8.7
An intimate omakase counter that leans into precision, calm pacing, and thoughtful cooked accents alongside dressed nigiri. Best approached as a full chef-led progression—arrive hungry, stay present, and let the sequence build rather than trying to “optimize” with add-ons.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chef’s omakase, Dressed nigiri progression (seasonal), Miso-marinated black cod (cooked course)
What Makes it Special: A small, reservation-first omakase built for focused, chef-led dining.
8.7
A Ravenswood omakase-minded room where the focus is clean cuts, careful seasoning, and a tasting-menu flow that’s designed to feel indulgent without being stiff. It shines when you commit—go omakase, add one premium nigiri upgrade if offered, and let the pacing do its job.
Must-Try Dishes:
Omakase tasting menu, Otoro (fatty tuna) nigiri, Uni (sea urchin) nigiri
What Makes it Special: Omakase-led sushi with premium fish and a polished, modern room.
#49
RL Restaurant
8.7
Vibes:
Luxury Dining Elite
Date Night Magic
Business Lunch Power Players
Birthday & Celebration Central
RL Restaurant, attached to the Ralph Lauren flagship on the Mag Mile, delivers classic American club fare—steaks, lobster rolls, and composed salads—in a wood-paneled dining room that feels timelessly tailored. It functions as both a power-lunch address and a special-occasion destination, with service calibrated for lingering meals rather than quick turns. Pricing is steep, but the experience leans heavily into atmosphere and ritual.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster Roll, RL Burger, Chopped Vegetable Salad
What Makes it Special: Clubby Ralph Lauren decor pairs with polished, old-school American cooking.
#50
Sol de Mexico
8.7
A destination-level Mexican kitchen that leans into deep, layered sauces and composed plates rather than quick taqueria hits. The moles are the move—built for slow, intentional dining with cocktails and a full meal arc.
Must-Try Dishes:
Borrego En Mole Negro, Uchepos Gratinados, Sopa Azteca
What Makes it Special: Mole-driven, sauce-forward cooking built for a full sit-down experience.