Chicago’s Newest Restaurant Openings, Now on Resy
Want to know the latest — and greatest — restaurant openings in Chicago? You’re in luck.
From an exciting Mexican seafood destination to a bistro highlighting vegetable-forward French cuisine, we have you covered with this continuously updated list of hot new debuts.
And if you’re seeking out some beloved Chicago spots that are now bookable on Resy, we’ve got you covered here.
Petit Pomeroy River North, Gold Coast
Newly added!
Pomeroy in Winnetka is a smash success, so why wouldn’t its parent company, Ballyhoo Hospitality (DeNuccis, Coda di Volpe, etc.), bring the same Parisian spirit and some of the original’s most popular dishes (like onion soup gratinée and a short rib beef Bourguignon) to this animated bistro in River North?
Amano Bistro North Center
Newly added!
You’ll find tastes from Italy, the Balkans, and Greece throughout this menu, thanks to the owners’ backgrounds and travels. That could mean grilled octopus with cherry tomatoes, fettuccine with gorgonzola cream sauce, or seafood-filled risotto. Cocktails are a delight.
Pour Destino Hinsdale
Newly added!
Hidden away down an alley at Hinsdale’s go-to Mexican/Latin American place Calle Cantina, this seductive brick-walled speakeasy specializes in whiskey, wine, and tequila; dispenses intricate cocktails; and balances the libations with an assortment of irresistible tapas.
Mariscos San Pedro Pilsen
This exuberant Mexican-inspired seafood spot at Thalia Hall in Pilsen is writing its own rules with specialties like soft shell crab tacos with Thai flavors, smoked king salmon tostadas, and a Sonoran-style octopus hot dog that redefines the species.
Bar Parisette Palmer Square
At this charming jewel-toned bistro, chef Madalyn Durrant offers vegetable-forward French cuisine (many dishes are vegetarian and vegan), though you’ll still find favorites like steamed mussels and steak frites. Wines are affordable and the cocktails are creative, as are the spirit-free options. Pro tip: Visit for happy hour (5-6:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and all night Monday) for $8 French wines and $2 oysters.
Tacombi – Wicker Park Wicker Park
Chicago (or New York, D.C., and Miami) can’t get enough of the tacos, quesadillas, cervezas, aguas frescas, and overall beach-bar vibe at this multi-city chain. It’s come a long way from the original, repurposed Volkswagen bus slinging tacos in Playa del Carmen, but the heart and soul remain.
Un Amor Noble Square
If you believe brunch is a state of mind and not a weekend happening, you’ve found your place. Little twists on staples make all the difference, like fried chicken and waffles served with brown sugar butter and drizzled with chile gastrique, or chilaquiles with soul-affirming mole. Palomas or mimosas by the pitcher should grace your table.
Mei’s Restaurant South Loop
Head to Mei’s in the South Loop for those times you’re craving Taiwanese and Chinese staples like wonton noodle soup, soup dumplings, or sticky rice (with Japanese karaage thrown in for good measure). The space is pretty and inviting for a quick daytime bite, or longer nights with friends and too many dishes ordered.
Avaspi Anatolian Tapas Lakeview
Head to this shiny and sleek Lakewood spot for very shareable mezze and dishes based on recipes from the owner’s Turkish upbringing (Avaspi is named for a river in his hometown). Think things like kutilk (or Kurdish meat dumplings), dolma, and ezme — a delicious sort of tabbouleh but made with walnuts instead of bulgur.
Charlie Martin’s River North
It’s giving Hollywood supper club vibes in the heart of River North. Wedge salads, shellfish towers, icy martinis, jazzy soundtracks — it’s all here. From grilled steaks (and steak burgers!) to seafood, the food is as classic as the white-tableclothed room.
Ella’s Italian Pub – Western Springs Western Springs
You could go to Ella’s just for the pizza — the Roman-style pies boast a light and fluffy but still-crisp crust and really good toppings — but that would mean missing out on fun bar snacks, salads, and pastas that shouldn’t be missed either. Bonus: It’s always lively and friendly.
Maxwells Trading West Loop
Because everything here is impeccably thought out, from chef Erling Wu-Bower’s attentive menus to the rooftop garden and apiary, the playlist, and retail pop-ups in the first-floor space. Wu-Bower plucks flavors and inspiration from everywhere, blending them in unique ways, like grilled eggplant and tomato confit with warm flatbread, and claypot rice with pork belly.
Omakase Shoji & Izakaya West Town / Near West Loop
Pristine sushi created by masters in a beautifully understated yet stylish room — there’s nothing like it. Here, chef Takahashi Shoji, who helmed Matsuya for years, brings it all to his 10-seat counter.
Gemini Grill River North/Gold Coast
Spun off from the acclaimed Gemini in Lincoln Park, this lively, modern American grill from Ballyhoo Hospitality (DeNuccis, Coda di Volpe, etc.) is more casual than its parent but every bit as good, serving just the kind of food you want to eat (including some holdovers from the original, like the wild mushroom tempura with black garlic aioli, a must-order).
Bonyeon West Loop Gate
If you’re used to omakase experiences — and there are many around town these days — you’ll be hard-pressed to find something like this slick 12-seater from Korean chef Sangtae Park. He and partner Kate Park turn the Chicago steakhouse idea on its head, offering multi-course tasting menus centered around beef. Just like at their Michelin-starred Omakase Yume, expect to be wowed by every course.
The Pearl Club Fulton River District
The dark teal interior, stunning design, and art deco panache give this lounge a speakeasy vibe, but it’s all in full view. Before you order your go-to martini, try something like the Trambler made with smoked gouda-washed Tequila and Campari (it works, we swear!). Food runs the gamut from nuggets to caviar and steak tartare.
Lola’s Restaurant & Bar West Loop
This comfortable West Loop spot has all the American classics: shrimp cocktail, chopped salads, great burgers, and roast chicken. There are as many zero-proof cocktails as martinis, so everyone can have a good time.
Guinness Open Gate Brewery West Loop
Here’s something to celebrate: the second U.S. outpost opened by Ireland’s most iconic beer brand, offering traditional food like fish and chips and Guinness-infused brown bread and beef stew, along with only-in-America brews like Rice Lager and Mango Chile Ale — plus, of course, the classic brewed-in-Dublin offerings.
Kashmir West Loop
An onyx bar, hardwood barstools, plush velvet banquettes, colorful neo-expressionist paintings, ambient lighting — and of course, gorgeous cocktails and a high-end bottle list … This opulent West Loop watering hole from the group behind Bambola and Coquette (just across the street) is decadent luxury personified.
Ella’s Italian Pub – Elmhurst Elmhurst
There might be more beautiful words in a food-lover’s vocabulary than “Roman-style pizza pub,” but there probably aren’t a lot of them. Capitalizing on the success of the Geneva original, this Elmhurst offshoot of Ella’s focuses on hand-crafted pan pizzas, along with other Italian dishes — and of course that pub essential: Buffalo wings.
Saltwater Rosemont
Surrounded by coastal blue and white colors, plus hanging wicker light fixtures that feel more Baja than Rosemont, Saltwater is the perfect setting for everything seafood. Leaning hard on Mediterranean influences, there’s everything from seafood towers brimming with chilled shellfish to pan-roasted lobster and an entire sushi and sashimi menu.
Bocaditos Chicago West Loop
Add this stop on your oyster crawl in the West Loop. East and west coast, grilled, chilled — they’re all represented. Once you get through the briny bivalves, think about crisp Caesar, a couple of octopus tacos, and maybe a surf and turf burrito if you’re feeling it. A martini, whether with gin, vodka, or mezcal, goes with everything.
Discover More
The Chicago Restaurants We Loved in September
Everything You Need to Know About Bar Parisette, Logan Square’s Nouveau Bistro
How to Get Into Maxwells Trading, Chicago’s Boundary-Breaking Standout
Stephen Satterfield's Corner Table
