The Resy Hit List: Where In Chicago You’ll Want to Eat Right Now
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There’s no question we hear more often: Where should I go eat? And while we at Resy know it’s an honor to be the friend who everyone asks for restaurant advice, we also know it’s a complicated task. That’s where the Resy Hit List comes in.
Consider it your essential resource for dining in Chicago: a monthly-updated guide to the restaurants that you won’t want to miss — tonight or any night.
Four Things In Chicago Not to Miss This Month
- So Long Summer Fridays: We hate to say it, but the Summer Friday countdown is officially on. Before your early work-departure privileges fade away into the fall, dive into our Summer Friday guide of where to go after you slam the laptop shut for the weekend. From spritzes to housemade rosemary tigelle for lunch at the West Loop’s white-hot Monteverde to happy hour in the Loop over bistro sliders and sazeracs at Bistro Monadnock and wine with a side of stunning riverwalk views at City Winery over golden hour, we’ve got your day (and evening) covered. If you’d rather hit the road, check our road trip guide, for easy trips less than four hours away for tasting menus, tried-and-true standbys, and restaurants right on the water. And for more inspiration, check out our full list of guides here.
- You Say Tomato, We Say Yes, Please: Since mid-July, we’ve seen restaurants blowing up their socials with colorful photos of fresh tomatoes, and captions bursting with excitement over the arrival of the juiciest gems of summer. Longman & Eagle is featuring a tomato trifecta with an heirloom tomato salad dressed in tomato water koji and tomato ponzu; while Cafe Yaya is also adding a new tomato salad, and slathering their heirloom tomato jam on everything from the lamb bacon BLT to the breakfast boreka. At City Winery’s Fruits of Summer Chef and Winemaker Dinner on August 28 you’ll find chilled tomato gazpacho and salmon with tomato jam as part of their seasonal four-course meal (there’s also plenty of corn, peaches, melon and wines to match). If you’d rather have tomatoes in sauce form, and preferably as a hearty layer in a storied slice of deep dish, find out how the famous pizza comes together at the legendary Pequod’s, and dig into one yourself.
- New on Resy: There are a slew of new restaurants for you to check out this month, and the most colorful might be Ezankaya Bann Suan’s new location in Lincoln Park, where cherry blossoms hang from the ceiling and Thai street food like fresh papaya salads and grilled beef skewers abound. At the homey and rustic Oak & Honey in Lakeview East, it’s all about the breads, pastries, pies, and full lunch and dinner menus. Not far is the cozy and community-focused Uvae Kitchen and Wine Bar with charcuterie, cheese, and seasonal dishes like scallops and BBQ jollof lamb chops, and an impressive wine list. Want a different vibe, scene, and perspective? Perched 29 floors atop the Chicago Hotel Collection is the Midnight Noir Lounge and Skydeck, the tallest outdoor sky deck in the city, with DJ sets on weekends, espresso martini flights, and fashion shows playing on outdoor screens. Check out all the new openings here.
- Make the Most of August: Even though the warm temps usually stretch into fall, we still recommend making the most of August. Keep the kids busy before school ramps up at DixiePura Kitchen on August 4th for a hands-on cooking class and lunch in Bronzeville. For more adult-focused fun, City Winery Chicago’s patio in the West Loop is celebrating the wind down of summer with a free (but reservations are recommended) Rosé All Day party on August 15. It’s also the perfect month to switch up your sundae game at Longman & Eagle, where every Monday at 5 p.m. features a weekly guest chef-created sundae as part of the Osbeach menu (start with dessert and end with dinner in the dining room). The vibe reaches all-out tropics level on August 27th at The Duck Inn for their monthly BBQ pig roast on the Tiki-torch lit patio, with live music and surprisingly good Spam-inspired cocktails. Check out more events here.
New to the Hit List (August 2026)
Cariño, Txa Txa Club, Cerdito Muerto, Smyth
1. NADU Lincoln Park
Chef Sujan Sarkar of the Michelin-starred Indienne and head chef Sanchit Sahu have created a modern ode to their Indian roots at this Lincoln Park newcomer. The name translates to “homeland” and as such, each dish is labeled with its region of origin — from Delhi-style lentil dumplings in sweet and sour yogurt to curries from Kerala and biryani from Hyderabad. If you’re with a group go for the crab milagu fry, which features a whole Dungeness crab (they need 48 hours notice), or take advantage of the $60 tasting menu, which might be one of the best deals in town. Not-to-miss house cocktails include the floral Phool with gin, marigold, apple, and cream soda, and the smoky Kapi with rum, coffee, caramel yogurt and cardamom bitters. Rich greens and yellows add vibrancy throughout the space, and a giant mural by Delhi-based artist Abhay Sehgal was inspired by Indian and Chicago history and culture.
2. Middle Brow Brewery and Winery Logan Square
There’s never a bad time to visit this rustic and homey pizzeria, brewery, bakery, and winery, where fermentation is king and the patio comes alive in the warmer months. There are pastries during the week, bagels on weekends, and wood-fired pizzas, salads, and bread courses for dinner. For pizza, you can’t go wrong with classic margarita or seasonal varieties like short rib and asparagus, or house breads paired with white anchovies or jalapeño oil. Enjoy natural wines made with Michigan-grown grapes and housemade beers that range from Belgian-style witbiers to dry-hopped blended saisons (their hops are sourced locally, too). Stop in on a Tuesday for tavern-style pizza night, when the thin, square-cut pie gets the spotlight.
3. Feld Ukrainian Village
This hyper-local and seasonal tasting menu restaurant opened two years ago, and chef-owner Jake Potashnick has picked up both a Michelin star and, as of last month, a Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes. His “relationship-to-table” menu is all about celebrating and highlighting local producers, farmers, ranchers, and purveyors, and the $225-prix fixe changes almost daily depending on what’s in season). With only 20 seats, it’s a truly intimate and fun experience where guests face inwards, giving everyone prime views of the kitchen, where a small team has the plating and flow down pat. The prix fixe includes more than 20 courses, but they’re well-paced, arriving with stories and notes about each dish as the night unfolds.
4. Port Union Wicker Park
We’re still mourning the loss of the bright and airy Bloom Plant Based Kitchen, but chef-owner Rodolfo Cuadros is breathing new life into the space with Port Union. The American menu was inspired by “immigrant cooking” from around the world, including milk bread with garlic preserves and ricotta, turnip causa, elote lasagnetta, and crispy duck rice with sofrito. There are still plenty of vegan and vegetarian dishes like the roasted beet and coconut salad and oyster mushroom with romesco, but meat lovers can rejoice in a double patty house burger stacked with melty chihuahua cheese, house pickles, and pickled and charred red onions. The cocktails skew classic and are only $11 during happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. Tues.-Fri.
5. Bonyeon West Loop
In a sea of new steakhouses, Bonyeon is one of the best luxury, beef-centric experiences to have opened as of late, and we encourage you to try to snag a blue velvet seat for this intimate 10-course Korean omakase from chef Sangtae Park and his partner in life and business Kate. Expect the perfect balance of interactive (prepare to marvel at the ruby red marbled cuts of beef on display in wooden boxes before they’re cooked in front of you) and intimate, with a parade of dishes, like oxtail mandu and morels, Jeju Island abalone with risotto and kimchi, and New York strip with seasonal banchan, all served on beautiful vessels as part of the $165 tasting menu. Check out Park’s sister restaurants, sushi-centric Omakase Yume and izakaya TenGoku Aburiya, for the full trifecta.
6. Au Cheval – Chicago Fulton Market District
Since opening in 2012, this intimate diner-style bar and restaurant has had lines and long wait times as guests vie for a spot on a black leather bar stool or inside a cozy booth—until now. While it was previously walk-in only, Au Cheval is finally taking limited reservations for parties of four. It’s good news for fans of the legendary cheeseburger, where a double-decker stack of beef patties, Dijonaise, melty Cheddar, and optional egg or thick slabs of bacon arrive with a knife plunged down the center. Sunny-side up eggs also show up on mornay-sauce topped French fries, potato hash, and chilaquiles, and cocktails from the “strong drinks” list include a bourbon espresso martini and pink vodka lemonade with Lillet Rosé and aperol.
7. Dimmi Dimmi Lincoln Park
A year after taking over the former Tarantino’s space, this Italian-American restaurant helmed by chef Matt Eckfeld has more than settled into the neighborhood. Reservations are hard to come by, but it’s worth the wait for focaccia with ricotta and honey, pastas like cavatelli bolognese and gnudi pomodoro, and tavern-style pizzas (we loved the vodka with ‘nduja) that have the ultimate crunch-to-chew ratio. The “Italian Beef” carpaccio is a deliciously deconstructed take on the iconic sandwich (get it hot or sweet) and the chicken Parm is not only big as your head, but comes with rigatoni pesto on the side. You’ll find cozy booths, exposed brick, and communal tables inside, but the newly opened, first-come-first-served 60-seat patio is where you’ll find the best seats in the house for lunch or dinner all summer long.
8. Maxwells Trading West Loop
Last we checked, it’s still tough to snag a table at this two-and-half-year old Fulton Market District favorite, but it’s worth the wait (and we have some tips), since executive chef Chris Jung and chef/partner Erling Wu-Bower continue to put out fantastic food that tells the stories of their upbringings. The seasonal menu is divided into beginnings, griddle bread and dunks, starch, substance, and desserts, and you’ll want to order something from every category (don’t miss the caramelized Japanese sweet potato with curries that change out, half-chicken a la brasa, and the Basque buttercake). Choose a glass or bottle from the well-curated wine list, or take advantage of the $12 spirit-free menu for NA Old Fashioneds, Negronis, and spritzes. Want a closer look at the bar and open-kitchen action? Bar reservations are available Tuesday through Thursday until 6:30PM.
9. DeNucci’s Hinsdale Hinsdale
We welcome Ballyhoo’s third location of their classic Italian red sauce joint with open arms. With locations already established in Lincoln Park and Highland Park, Hinsdale is the next neighborhood where locals can enjoy the same menu of white and red pizzas (head in on a Monday for tavern-style), fresh, handmade pastas (find out CEO Jon Farrer’s go to order), garlic knots, and eggplant Parm. Located in a historic building from 1923, the two-story restaurant features warm woods, elevated midcentury booths, and a vaulted ceiling; come summer we predict prime seating on the outdoor patio. Arrive early to have a glass of wine, limoncello spritz, or amaro Manhattan at the towering bar.
10. Mi Tocaya Antojería Logan Square
Recently recognized by The New York Times as one of the best restaurants in Chicago, Mi Tocaya has been serving authentic Mexican dishes in Logan Square for almost 10 years. Tocaya means “namesake” and chef/owner Diana Dávila infuses her personal narrative thought the menu, from a brief history of carnitas and pozole, to the story behind the signature steak burrito, which was inspired by her parent’s taqueria (and is only available on Wednesdays). You’ll also find half-priced bottles of wine on Tuesdays, hand-pressed corn tortillas, and smoked cauliflower queso fundido with two-year aged Hook’s Cheddar, poblanos, kale, and salsa ranchera. If it’s a nice night, head to the patio along with a Tepache Colada or a sangria with Mexican rum and pink peppercorn-infused agave nectar in hand.
11. The Little Lark Avondale, Chicago
This Guild Row-located newcomer is kicking off its first full summer season with its 35-seat dog-friendly patio (and 16-seat outdoor bar) now fully open. Expect more fantastic wood-fired neo-Neopolitan pizzas, like n’duja with hot honey and crispy potato with mozzarella and pistachio pesto, plus small plates like boquerones, mortadella toast, and pepperoni salad. A concept from Meadowlark Hospitality (also of Lardon, The Meadowlark, and Union), it’s no surprise the cocktails are all standouts—from the smoky peach spritz to a clear pizza Negroni made with all white spirits, basil, and a cherry tomato garnish (there’s also a pizza pils and Middlebrow pizza wine). Lunch is available on weekends, and once the patio is fully open, you can snag a free margherita pizza with a bottle of wine on Mondays and $10 cocktails on Tuesdays.
12. All Well West Loop
As fine dining stalwart Oriole celebrates ten years in business, executive chef-owner Noah Sandoval and chef de cuisine Larry Feldmeier are also branching out with a second venture in the same neighborhood. All Well opened mid-April and offers two concepts in one: a five-course prix fixe for $120 in the 50-seat dining room, and a 30-seat bar area for a la carte dishes like raclette potatoes and a “ham Sandoval” with mortadella and serrano peppers. For the tasting menu, expect American dishes with Japanese and French influences like truffle-stuffed quail and sablefish with savoy cabbage. Maxx Kleiner, also of Oriole, heads up the beverage program with fantastic drinks, like a house Old Fashioned with oolong, coconut, and black cardamom.
13. Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio West Loop
After 11 years, Top Chef alum and James Beard Award winner Sarah Grueneberg and JBF finalist and executive chef Bailey Sullivan are still pushing the needle of Italian food forward at this white-hot West Loop restaurant. The menu features everything from wok-fried arrabbiata with ground shrimp and puttanesca breadcrumbs to tagliatelle alla primavera with artichokes, ramps, spinach and lemon. It’s still a tough table to score (we’ve got some tips), but the bar offers seating for walk-ins as well as the best views of the pasta-making in action. On nice days, try to get a seat on the patio for weekly lunch, dinner, or apertivo, where spritzes and snacks like mozzarella skewers and Wagyu beef skewers are served 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Tues-Sat.
14. Zenzi Den Glenview
This long-awaited modern izakaya and sushi restaurant from Ballyhoo Hospitality just opened in downtown Glenview with Nobu alum Marvin Lopez as executive chef and Omakase Yume alum Choongki Kim as executive sous chef. You’ll find something for everyone, including togarashi sea scallops and miso black cod cooked on the robata grill over binchotan charcoal, crazy crab yakisoba, golden scallop motoyaki, and specialty sashimi like hamachi with chili crisp. Sharable smaller dishes including karaage chicken, broccolini goma-ae, and hoisin dumplings. Expect plenty of sake and fun concoctions like the matcha colada with rum, kaffir lime, cacao, caramelized pineapple and coconut. For a semi-private kaisaki experience, book Tatami Room just off the sushi bar.
15. Kyoten Logan Square
Austin transplant Otto Phan brought this sushi omakase to an intimate eight-seat counter in 2018, and it’s still one of the most exclusive (and priciest) tastings in town. But it makes sense considering he’s sourcing fish mostly from Japan and using inochi no ichi rice, a rare Japanese varietal known for its large, puffy grains and perfect for soaking up the addition of aged red vinegar. Each dish is balanced and artful, Phan shows off a variety of aging, curing, cutting, and marinating methods in each delicately crafted course. The three-hour experience will cost around $500 per person, but Phan’s more casual omakase option, Kyoten Next Door, offers a more approachable (but just as creative!) 15 courses for $160.
16. Cariño Uptown
Executive chef-owner Norman Fenton opened his Latin tasting menu restaurant in December 2023 as a love letter to wife Karina and her family’s immigrant journey from Mexico to the U.S. Fenton, who cooked at Schwa, Brass Heart, and Alinea, spent nine months cooking throughout Mexico before returning to Chicago to open the restaurant, which has garnered a Michelin star and James Beard recognition. With only 20 seats, it fills up fast (keep your eye on their Instagram for reservation releases) but is worth the wait for the 14-course seasonal tasting that includes huitlacoche, sweet corn, and truffle ravioli and king salmon aguachile. The more casual eight-course, $125 taco omakase is just as popular, even if it starts at 10 p.m. Coming this fall is masa-driven tortillera Molino Los Hermanos, where tortillas will be nixtamalized in-house and an all-day menu will feature ceviches, aguachiles, and Mexican shellfish platters right next door.
17. TXA TXA Club Logan Square
Lula Cafe alums (and partners in business and life) Liz Bendure and Daniel Parker opened this funky all-day cafe in March after testing their Southeast Asian and Mediterranean-inspired seasonal menus at pop-ups and events dating back to 2020. The menu is a mix of sweet and savory pastries (think corn cakes with orange espresso whipped cream and jasmine pavlova), a breakfast sandwich with umeboshi aioli, and dinner-friendly dishes like BBQ pork in yellow curry and a cold noodle salad with XO sauce. You’ll find “fancy” lattes made with corn milk and excellent cocktails like the Saltwater Cowgirl with gin, Green Key, lychee, coconut vinegar, and clam juice. It’s a full service cafe as much as it’s a community space for monthly guest chefs, rotating artists, and other off and onsite collaborations and supper club events.
18. Cerdito Muerto Pilsen
This year-old restaurant and cocktail bar is hidden on South Halsted Street in a circa-1853 building, which predates the Chicago Fire. Owner Emidio Oceguera is a first-generation Mexican-American who was born and raised upstairs, while downstairs served as a billiards hall owned by his father. Today you’ll find an intimate, candlelit lounge with cozy booths, family photos, and a Jalisco-rooted menu that includes Oceguera’s family recipes like birria tacos and duck carnitas nachos. Don’t miss the double-patty smashburger with chorizo and Chihuahua cheese, aguachiles, or New York strip steak on weekends. Cocktails range from espresso martinis with Tequila to Palomas spiked with housemade Squirt on draft, along with Mexican wines, spirits, and from-scratch cordials. With only 30 seats, it fills up, but they leave room for walk-ins from open to close.
19. Smyth West Loop
This 10-year-old, three Michelin-starred fine dining tasting menu restaurant just hit another major milestone by landing the top spot on North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list for 2026. Chefs-owners (and husband and wife duo) John Shields and Karen Urie-Shields take guests on a journey over 14 to16 seasonal courses (and around three hours), starting with fun bites like enoki cannolis and moving on to braised abalone and black bolete mushrooms served in stunning vessels that look to be pulled straight from the sea. It’s fun to watch all the action happening in the studio-like open kitchen and pass, and the servers and vibe keep things flowing and informal. For a splurge, add the wine pairing, led by wine director Louis Fabbrini, who shares the Shields’ ingredient- and small producer-focused philosophy.
20. Brûlée South Loop
Private chef Emani Roberts opened this all-day Southern café last fall, offering all things brunch in sweet and savory form (and combinations of the two) in the South Loop. Think lobster and sweet potato waffles, jerk oxtail with Gouda grits, classic fried chicken and waffles, and strawberry shortcake French toast, along with a handful of lunch-friendly items like smoked brisket grilled cheese and seasonal seafood and chicken gumbo. There’s an afternoon happy hour during the week and live jazz on Sundays, so snag your spring holiday brunch reservations before they’re gone and in the meantime, read more about Roberts’ journey to restaurant ownership here.
Liz Grossman has been a Chicago-based writer, editor and storyteller for 25 years. She’s the former editor-in-chief of Plate magazine and co-founder of the nonprofit storytelling series, Between Bites. Her writing has appeared in Newsweek, Chicago, Robb Report, Flavor & the Menu, and more. Follow her @elizabites_Chi, and follow @Resy while you’re at it.
