The Chicago Restaurants For a Celebration Dinner

Maxwell’s Trading is the newest hit in the Kinzie Corridor of the far West Loop, where Japanese and Chinese flavors mingle with local ingredients. How local? A rooftop herb and vegetable garden fills the kitchen with seasonal produce, keeping the menu exciting and ever-changing. The dining room features soaring industrial ceilings, yet the ambiance remains warm and inviting thanks to rich wood accents and elegant design touches. Notable dishes include Japanese sweet potatoes served with Thai green curry, and the half-chicken a la brasa with collard greens and ginger-scallion salsa verde. For drinks, the cocktail menu offers earthy takes on classics—like a white Negroni with celery root, a mezcal margarita with smoked sunchoke, and a sugar snap pea-infused last word.

Brought to you by the HogSalt team (Ciccio Mio, Armitage Alehouse, etc.) Trivoli Tavern is nestled into a charming cobblestone alley, giving off intimate speakeasy vibes perfect for cozy date nights or lively group gatherings. Kick off your evening with a strong cocktail and a round of oysters before diving into their hand-rolled pasta offerings. (Do try the bucatini coated in black truffle oil and melted pecorino.) And don’t leave without the sticky toffee date cake—a celebratory dessert if there ever was, topped with brown butter ice cream and a toffee crumble.

Here, expect family-style classics where your crew can share a Caesar salad, a plate of fried calamari, and a basket of fresh bread served with unapologetically pre-packaged butter on the side. Club Lucky, nestled in a Bucktown corner since 1990, embraces the nostalgia of a 1940s Italian supper club, complete with dim lighting and cozy leather booths, and an atmosphere that’s bustling yet intimate. The martinis are stiff, and the red sauce flows freely over your choice of house-made ravioli, lasagna bolognese, or rich penne arrabiata. It’s the kind of place where you can comfortably unlatch your belt to make room for a tiramisu and amaro at the end of the night, too.

Chef Miguel Ortiz draws on the bold, earthy flavors of Sonoran cooking for his New American-Mexican creations at Old Pueblo Cantina, where mesquite-fired grills and house-made flour tortillas reign. From Ballyhoo Hospitality (the team behind Gemini and Coda di Volpe), this cantina serves up shareable skewers like adobo chicken with vibrant salsa verde, flat iron steak with smoky salsa macha, and chili-lime shrimp paired with pineapple chimichurri. Be sure to try the Sonoran-style cheese crisps—a Chicago twist on quesadillas, heaped with carne seca, green chile, or spicy chorizo. The small-batch tequilas and mezcal, along with bottomless brunch drinks, makes this a lively Lincoln Park go-to.

At this perennially packed Italian favorite, sharing is encouraged and chef Sarah Grueneberg’s handmade pastas take center stage. Highlights include the pesto gnocchetti with pillowy gnocchi tossed in basil pesto, housemade ricotta, and a sprinkle of Sardinian pecorino; the braised beef and peperoncini ravioli, delivering a bold Italian punch with Nichols Farm celery and charred Calabrian peppers; and the cacio whey pepe, a bowl of bucatini swirled in rich pecorino medoro, bright lemon ricotta, and spiced with a four-peppercorn blend. The ambiance strikes a perfect balance between elegance and warmth, complemented by a stellar wine list.

Superkhana’s menu offers a contemporary spin on Indian dishes, shaking up classic recipes without sacrificing traditional flavors. The beef keema, for example, is served atop a mozzarella pizza with fresno chili; while their take on the classic bolognese is spiced with achar masala. The decor is sophisticated, but also quirky and vibrant, featuring floral cushions on sleek wooden benches and colorful lighting on white brick walls. It’s absolutely necessary to save room for their saffron cardamom and Parle-G Biscuit ice cream sandwich topped with candied pistachio.

Opened by brother duo Oliver and Nicolas Poilevey, River North’s Obélix serves all the French classics like onion soup and escargot. But don’t let the white tablecloths and French wine list fool you. The menu also boasts some surprising fusions, including a “foie-co,” (a foie gras taco with salsa macha and grape jam) and a steak tartare with banh mi pickles, beer bread, shio kombu, and herbs. For those craving traditional French dishes, the 16-ounce côte de boeuf ladled in au poivre sauce is a must, and you might as well share a hearty serving of ratatouille. The open dining room makes for a lively dining experience, perfect for catching up with old company.

Round up the friend pack and settle into a cushy leather booth at the very alluring Cherry Circle Room, whose interior design won a James Beard Award. No matter where you sit, you’ll get a stellar view of the encircled bar with back shelves displaying items like antique globes and portrait busts, as well as an array of spirits — the high-shelf collection accessible via a rolling ladder. The menu is just as enticing as the space, offering starters like a chile and salsa verde  beef tartare, togarashi-seasoned popcorn chicken, and Thai-style mussels with lemongrass shallots and green curry. Whether you dress up the table with a dry-aged bone-in ribeye or a two-tier seafood platter, the Cherry Circle Room is the ideal setting for gossiping with friends, cocktail in hand.

Whether it’s a midday catch-up over coffee and a breakfast dough boat (their take on a Georgian khachapuri), or a beer-in-hand gathering over tavern-style pizzas, Bungalow by Middlebrow has got you covered. The Logan Square gem serves lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, and their farm-to-table menu offers dishes teeming with local and fresh ingredients. Case in point: a tropea onion and mustard greens pizza with yuzu kosho, ground cherries, and pepper cheese, or an apple cider-glazed pork and squash pizza with pumpkin chermoula and fontina. The taproom’s interior has a rustic charm, with distressed wood furniture and round antique mirrors, and the food is served on mismatched plates, adding a country diner charm. In addition to their beers, which includes a sour with plum blueberries and cinnamon, and a toasty caramel lager, they also serve their very own natural wine using grapes from Michigan. 

The aesthetic at Beatnik On The River is eclectic, fusing Moroccan, French, and Italian influences to create a retro Bohemian paradise ideal for both dinner and brunch. Indoor greenery dots the space, as do vibrant colors and patterns splashed across rugs, pillows, and tiling. The outdoor patio sits right on the river’s edge, where you can watch boats pass while you dine. Chef Marcos Campos oversees a menu filled with shareable plates like baba ganoush with tahini labneh, pomegranate, and pita for dipping, and a crispy and lemony artichoke dish drizzled with spiced olive oil, or a lamb shoulder feast which comes with dill tzatziki, cucumber salad, tahini hummus, grilled pitta and sesame za’tar. The cocktails are just as bold as the food, like the coconut-washed-whiskey cocktail “Coco Toronto” with fernet branca and pandan.

Bavette’s is a dimly lit, chic-yet-unpretentious steakhouse with a penchant for French cuisine, making it a dreamy destination for a romantic night out with a date or friends. The speakeasy atmosphere comes together with glowing chandeliers and burgundy leather booths along the walls. Opt for a 16-ounce, 42-day dry-aged, bone-in New York Strip drenched in béarnaise and sprinkled with steak salt, or roasted bone marrow served with caramelized red onion jam and parsley salad. The juicy double wagyu cheeseburger is also a solid choice, topped with pickles, onions, Dijon, and a side of pomme frites, naturally. Note that this is best suited for smaller gatherings: they cap their reservations at six and book up quickly, so plan accordingly.

Chef John Manion is the pit master at this near-suburban barbecue joint next door to the lively hodgepodge music venue Fitzgerald’s, which boasts an extensive whiskey list. Pork belly, baby back ribs, brisket, and barbecue spiced cauliflower dominate the grill, while sides like pimento mac ‘n’ cheese, char-grilled oysters, and kale salad with Creole Caesar dressing round out the menu. If you’re not into sharing, you can always order a po’ boy, finished with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and a side of Zapp’s chips.

Cindy’s Rooftop is the jewel atop the iconic Chicago Athletic Association hotel, stocked with incredible views of downtown and Lake Michigan. What’s more, Top Chef contestant Kaleena Bliss has cultivated a shareable menu full of local and seasonal produce and fresh seafood. For brunch, take advantage of the DIY mimosas, which pair well with the maple-glazed croissant stuffed with cream cheese, seasonal berries, cashew mascarpone mousse and a brown butter crumble. For dinner, the kurobuta pork collar served with braised beans, tasso ham, mustard greens, and a sweet pepper relish is a no-brainer—as is the half-roasted chicken, paired with corn, tomato, zucchini, pickled cipollini onions, and a kick of piri piri sauce.

Another hit from chef Stephanie Izard, Duck Duck Goat is a contemporary spin on the standard dim sum house, where traditional recipes collide with fresh ideas. Snag a large round table and make your way through a roster of semi-familiar favorites like sweet and sour crab rangoon, beef short rib and bone marrow potstickers, and shiitake slaw scallion pancakes. For mains, the red braised pork belly with Mandarin pancakes and assorted pickles shouldn’t be missed, nor should the Sichuan spicy tofu. Local brews from Dovetail and Solemn Oath grace the drinks list, and for dessert, it’s all about the Crispy Banana Dumplings which has caramel swirl ice cream, pineapple, miso whip, and candied rice crispies.