Best Family Friendly Favorites Restaurants in Near South Side

A Chicago legacy cone shop best known for its stacked “Rainbow Cone” slices—built for bold, old-school sweetness and fast dessert runs off Michigan Avenue. This Millennium Park outpost is most rewarding when you commit to the signature cone (or a shake built around it) and keep the rest of the order simple so the flavors stay clean and distinct.

A loud, high-energy South Loop tavern where thin-crust pizza is the default and Polish comfort dishes make it easy to feed a mixed-age table. It works best when you keep the order tight: one pizza for the table plus one shared plate, then decide if anyone still needs a chicken parm or entrée.

La Cantina Grill is a South Loop Mexican staple near McCormick Place, combining a full bar, broad menu, and a sizable vegan offering. It’s where locals, convention-goers, and families converge for fajitas, enchiladas, and margaritas before events or casual dinners.

This South Loop outpost of the Chicago-based Pizano's group serves deep-dish and thin-crust pies, pastas, and salads a short walk from McCormick Place and Wintrust Arena. It’s a go-to for groups and travelers who want recognizable Chicago-style pizza with full bar service near the convention center.