Best Business Lunch Restaurants in Near North Side
20 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse
Classic Chicago steakhouse institution where oversized prime steaks meet big-night energy.
Notable Picks
8.9
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Business Lunch Power Players
Group Dining Gatherings
Trendy Table Hotspots
Gibsons is the archetypal Gold Coast steakhouse, where hulking USDA Prime cuts, stiff cocktails, and a perpetual buzz draw locals, tourists, and celebrities into the wood-paneled dining room. Portions are oversized, the energy leans party-like, and decades of repeat business have turned it into a default choice for both celebrations and business dinners.
Must-Try Dishes:
W.R.'s Chicago Cut bone-in ribeye, Chicago-style bone-in filet mignon, Carrot cake slice
What Makes it Special: Classic Chicago steakhouse institution where oversized prime steaks meet big-night energy.
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.
#3
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.
8.6
Vibes:
Business Lunch Power Players
Quick Bites Champions
Group Dining Gatherings
Brunch Bliss Spots
A high-throughput Prudential Plaza brunch-and-lunch anchor that doubles as a dependable midday meeting spot when you need fast pacing and big-portion comfort. The move is to treat it like a structured lunch: one signature plate, one coffee, and you’re out before the queue becomes the event.
Must-Try Dishes:
Berry Bliss Pancakes, Avocado Toast, Skillet (potatoes + eggs + add-ins)
What Makes it Special: Massive, proven-demand breakfast-to-lunch operation that stays efficient downtown.
8.6
Vibes:
Brunch Bliss Spots
Quick Bites Champions
Business Lunch Power Players
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Beatrix - Streeterville is an all-day neighborhood restaurant and coffeehouse where bakery cases, vegetable-leaning plates, and comfort classics draw hospital staff, hotel guests, and locals from early breakfast through late dinner. The menu leans on recognizable American dishes with health-conscious twists, plus standout desserts and a serious coffee program. It has become a default choice in Streeterville for reliable, slightly polished everyday dining.
Must-Try Dishes:
Hot Honey Fried Chicken Sandwich, Prime Cheeseburger, Mushroom & Quinoa Burger
What Makes it Special: An all-day cafe fusing comfort food, lighter plates, and serious coffee.
A Streeterville institution since the late 1970s, Carson’s builds its reputation on char-broiled baby back ribs, smoky sauces, and generous combo platters served in a clubby, dimly lit dining room. It’s the move when you want ribs to be the centerpiece but still want steakhouse comforts and a full bar.
Must-Try Dishes:
Full Slab BBQ Baby Back Ribs, BBQ Marriage (half slab ribs and half chicken), Charcrusted Bone-In Pork Chop
What Makes it Special: Long-running Chicago rib house where baby backs and combo platters dominate.
8.5
Osteria del Pastaio brings a more polished, wine-driven take on Italian cooking to a side street just off the Magnificent Mile. Fresh pastas, truffle-forward specials, and a serious wine list make it a frequent choice for Gold Coast date nights and lingering dinners.
Must-Try Dishes:
Housemade Tagliatelle, Pappardelle Bolognese, Pecorino al Tartufo Nero
What Makes it Special: Gold Coast osteria focused on fresh pasta, truffle dishes, and wine.
8.4
Opened in 2024, Nora Restaurant & Bar brings a modern coastal Mediterranean menu with Sardinian influences to a polished Streeterville dining room. Cocktails, seafood, and pastas draw both hotel guests and locals looking for a newer, design-forward spot a short walk off Michigan Avenue.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tuna Tartare, Pulpo a la Gallega, Prime Hanger Steak
What Makes it Special: A newer Streeterville dining room pairing coastal Mediterranean cooking with a cocktail-first bar program.
#9
the Albert
8.4
Located inside Hotel EMC2, the Albert is a design-forward restaurant where globally inflected New American plates, a strong cocktail list, and an open kitchen bring a more ambitious option to Streeterville hotel dining. Menus lean into seasonal vegetables, precise seafood dishes, and richly sauced mains rather than oversized portions. It’s used for dates, low-key celebrations, and pre-theater dinners that still feel creative.
Must-Try Dishes:
Charred Octopus, Tempura Maitake Mushrooms, Olive Oil Cake
What Makes it Special: An art-and-science themed dining room serving inventive, seasonal American plates.
#10
Poke Poké
8.3
A fast Loop counter for build-your-own poke where the best bowls stay disciplined: one base, one protein lane, and a clean sauce choice so the fish reads bright instead of buried. It’s strongest at lunch rush when ingredients turn over quickly and the bowls land cold-crisp and balanced.
Must-Try Dishes:
Build-your-own poke bowl, Spicy tuna bowl, Salmon bowl with simple soy-sesame sauce
What Makes it Special: Fast, customizable poke built for downtown lunch efficiency.
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Business Lunch Power Players
Group Dining Gatherings
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Dao Thai Restaurant and Noodle Palace is a long-running Streeterville staple where platform seating, noodle bowls, and classic curries offer a sit-down Thai option a block off the Magnificent Mile. Portions are generous and pricing remains relatively gentle for the neighborhood, making it a practical choice for lunch, casual dinners, and group orders.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pad Thai, Massaman Curry, Tom Yum Soup
What Makes it Special: One of Streeterville’s few dedicated Thai dining rooms with big portions and broad menu depth.
8.2
Part of the Francesca’s group, this Chestnut Street location has served rustic trattoria fare to the Gold Coast since 2009. The menu centers on pastas, roast chicken, and hearty antipasti that work as well for neighborhood regulars as for hotel guests and pre-shopping dinners.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pollo Arrosto Romana, Pollo Milanese, Rigatoni alla Vodka
What Makes it Special: Gold Coast trattoria pairing rustic pastas and roasts with steady service.
8.2
Vibes:
Happy Hour Hotspots
Trendy Table Hotspots
Business Lunch Power Players
Group Dining Gatherings
On the Gold Coast side of 900 North Michigan, Doc B’s runs a polished American restaurant and bar where oven-roasted wings share space with salads, burgers, and cocktails. Happy hour draws a mix of shoppers, hotel guests, and office groups who pair drinks with chimichurri-dressed wings at the bar.
Must-Try Dishes:
Oven Roasted Chicken Wings, Oven Roasted Teriyaki Chicken Wings, Housemade Guacamole with Sweet Potato Chips
What Makes it Special: A busy Gold Coast restaurant-bar where crisp, high-heat roasted wings fit alongside cocktails and composed plates.
#14
Blackwood BBQ
8.1
A polished, counter-service Loop smokehouse that’s built for weekday lunch pacing: order at the line, pick your meats, then dial in sauce and sides. The ribs land best when you pair them with one bright side (elotes or slaw) and one comfort side (mac) so the plate stays balanced instead of heavy.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dry-rubbed ribs, Beef brisket, Elotes corn
What Makes it Special: A downtown, counter-serve BBQ lineup that keeps smoked meats fast and office-friendly.
#15
Labriola
8
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Group Dining Gatherings
Business Lunch Power Players
Pet Friendly Paradise
Award-winning deep dish and thin-crust pizzas anchor this spacious Magnificent Mile Italian eatery, blending European tradition with American passion. Dog-friendly patio and versatile menu make it a neighborhood anchor.
Must-Try Dishes:
Award-Winning Deep Dish, Margherita Thin Crust, Pan Pizza
What Makes it Special: Award-winning pizza in a vast space right off the Magnificent Mile
Worthy Picks
#16
Lao Sze Chuan
7.8
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Comfort Food Classics
Business Lunch Power Players
Hidden Gems Heaven
This Michigan Avenue branch of Chef Tony Hu’s Lao Sze Chuan group brings a long Szechuan menu and Peking duck service into a mall-adjacent dining room above the Mag Mile. High volume and a deep list of classics make it a convenient option for groups seeking spicy dishes steps from shopping and hotels.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dry Chili Chicken, Mapo Tofu, Peking Duck
What Makes it Special: A central Mag Mile Szechuan stop with a huge menu and duck service.
7.7
Vibes:
Business Lunch Power Players
Group Dining Gatherings
Comfort Food Classics
Trendy Table Hotspots
On the fourth floor of the Omni Chicago Hotel, 676 Restaurant & Bar offers Midwestern-leaning American fare, from farm-fresh egg breakfasts to short rib pastas, with views over Michigan Avenue. Its focus on local grains, proteins, and seasonal specials makes it a solid pick when you want a sit-down meal that still reflects regional sourcing.
Must-Try Dishes:
Prosciutto Benedict, Avocado Toast, Short Rib Pappardelle
What Makes it Special: Hotel restaurant on Michigan Avenue pairing comfort-forward Midwestern dishes with locally sourced ingredients.
7.7
Set inside the InterContinental on the Magnificent Mile, Michael Jordan's Steak House leans into its namesake with sports-adjacent memorabilia and a menu of prime steaks and comfort sides. It’s less refined than the top-tier steakhouses but works well for hotel guests and fans who want a branded experience steps from Michigan Avenue shopping.
Must-Try Dishes:
Prime Delmonico ribeye, Garlic bread with parmesan fondue, Truffle mac and cheese
What Makes it Special: Celebrity-branded steakhouse marrying prime beef with a basketball-legend narrative.
7.6
Located in the Sheraton Grand Chicago in Streeterville, Shula's is a football-themed steakhouse built around Black Angus cuts and conventional sides. While the cooking can be uneven compared with the city’s top rooms, it remains a practical choice for convention-goers and hotel guests who want a straightforward steak dinner without leaving the property.
Must-Try Dishes:
48 oz porterhouse, 8 oz filet mignon, BBQ shrimp wrapped in bacon
What Makes it Special: Hotel steakhouse pairing big-format cuts with a 1972 Dolphins tribute theme.
7.6
Indian Garden sits on the second floor above Ontario Street, offering a more decorative dining room and a well-known buffet within walking distance of the Mag Mile. The menu runs through North Indian standards, catering, and working-lunch platters, making it a convenient option for downtown groups who want sit-down curry without leaving Streeterville.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lamb Rogan Josh, Murgh Tikka Masala, Saag Paneer
What Makes it Special: An upstairs dining room and daily buffet bring classic North Indian dishes to a Mag Mile–adjacent address.