The Resy Hit List: Where In Chicago You’ll Want to Eat Right Now

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, like lentil dumplings in sweet and sour yogurt and chutneys from Delhi 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 $55 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.

The owners of this seven-year-old Modern Israeli and Middle Eastern tasting menu restaurant retained their Michelin star this year, and for good reason. Andrés Clavero and James Beard-honored chef Zachary Engel, along with bar director Scott Stroemer and pastry chef Mary-Eder McClure, are the dream team behind a $105 four-course choose-your-own adventure that changes with the seasons. Choose from a selection of hummus (go with Bubbe’s brisket-topped), salatim (from labneh to a global pickle tour), mezze (order the schmaltzy potatoes with charred leeks just to say the word “schmaltzy”), and coal-fired dishes like classic lamb kebab el babor (off-skewer lamb kebabs with a melty mix of leeks, potatoes, bordelaise and miso-pickled garlic under charred pita), or a vegan/gluten-free kubbeh selek (an Iraqi-Persian soup traditionally made with meat dumplings). End the lovely and delicious parade of flavors with crispy phyllo pie for dessert.

The best seat in the house at this intimate and lively ramen shop is at the bar facing the Noodle Lab at the end of the open kitchen. Even more specifically, try to score a seat (reservations open two weeks in advance) on a Wednesday, which is fresh noodle production day for owner/self-proclaimed soup enthusiast Katie Dong and her team. Unlike other ramen joints in town, you won’t find pork broth, but a house shoyu with chicken, and a hard-to-find beef gyukotsu ramen made from bones that are pressure-cooked to umami perfection in an onsite 800-pound high-pressure kettle. Expect fresh noodles (along with jammy marinated eggs, nori, tare and all the savory fixins’) in all of the ramen selections and for the full experience, splurge on the $33 Monster Ramen, teaming with wagyu rib roast, wagyu chashu, and beef jam.

Chef/owner Pepe Barajas opened his family-owned Mexican restaurant (named after his late aunt Josephine) in 2017, and it’s still holding its own on Randolph Street’s Restaurant Row. The long space is dark (but not too scene-y), with a warm glow coming from the wall of seemingly endless small batch and family-owned agave distillates stacked up behind the main back-lit bar. Refer to the aptly named “agave bible” for the full list, and choose one for your mezcal or Tequila cocktail (we loved the Trompibueno with al pastor fat-washed tequila, pineapple verdita, chiles, and lime). Barajas features recipes from his home state of Jalisco, including a soul-warming carne en se jugo, a decadent mac y queso (hello, roasted poblano crema!), and chapuzón, a mix of seafood and rice only served in winter (it swaps to camarones a la diabla in the warmer months). Don’t miss the rooftop bar in summer and dulce de leche toast on challah bread for weekend brunch.

Chicago bar and restaurant alums Pat Ray, Dani Kaplan, and Tyler Hudec (Boka, Lula Cafe, Analogue, Sepia and Lost Lake, collectively) joined forces for this newish Italian-American concept that took over the former Moe’s Tavern. The dim and homey space is decorated with a mish-mash of estate sale and flea market finds, and lit with a mix of vintage lamps. It’s the perfect old-school setting to settle in for housemade focaccia with fermented garlic honey butter, shrimp scampi toast, and the now-famous “Spaghetti Uh-O’s,” made from scratch with meatballs and vodka sauce and served right out of a can. The Italian wine selection doesn’t disappoint, but we suggest choosing a cocktail from the list split into the relatively familiar (think Black Manhattan and the rarely seen Trinidad Sour) and the unfamiliar, like the clear Mirror Image, with gin, rhum, grapefruit, star anise and acid-adjusted aloe. Want something NA? Here’s your chance to try a shot of the housemade “no-lort”—an alcohol-free version of the polarizing wormwood-based spirit.

Self-taught chef Albert Song debuted his “Korean-ish” pastries at the Division Street Farmer’s market before scoring a brick and mortar in a former beauty salon. Lines form early on weekends for the former software engineer’s sweet and savory focaccias, like a vegan bulgogi mushroom and blueberry-yuzu, and a tteokbokki croissant, which is topped with the springy Korean rice cakes. (The coconut sesame croissant is also delicious.) The smoked brisket roll, a collaboration with Green Street Smoked Meats, sells out fast and features jalapeño raspberry gochu jam (trust us, it works). Drinks, curated mostly by his baristas, include fizzy espresso tonics, matcha and black sesame syrup lattes, and classic coffee and tea options. Look for more seasonal specials and the sporadic appearance of his famous farmer’s market dill pickle focaccia.

No reservations, more info here. 

One of the latest in Ballyhoo Hospitality’s growing empire, this gastropub and tavern brings big pub energy to the suburbs. But the Midwestern influence is real, with dishes like Wisconsin cheese curds with buttermilk ranch, pigs in a blanket, and Sheboygan brat and beer specials on Mondays. U.K. pub-inspired classics abound, from a delicious fish and chips available nightly to roast beef sliders and a British beef roast with Yorkshire pudding on Sundays. You’ll also find homey, global influences, from tandoori chicken skewers to duck confit tacos and chicken nuggets for the kids. The spacious, 90-seat bar area serves up five different styles of Guinness and a custom beer created with Middlebrow, along with a nice selection of wines by the glass. Snag a seat in the spacious, convivial dining room or for something more intimate, reserve the 10-person chef’s table hidden above the kitchen.

Opened last spring by friends Nuttawut Waljorhar and Jack Ekkaphanh, this Irving Park newcomer is one of the only Laotian restaurants in the city, with full sit-down service to boot. Take on cold-weather days with Lao chicken noodle soup with handmade noodles, chicken meatballs, and poached chicken (up the heat ante with chile oil), or just warm up with spicy papaya salad with anchovy and crab paste. Other standouts include wings with tamarind and fish sauce and not-to-be missed beef jerky. Prices are reasonable and they don’t take reservations, so prepare for a bit of wait during peak dining times, but it’s worth it for a comforting meal to help get you through the winter.

No reservations; more info here.

From the pops of neon on the vibrant walls to one colorful dish after the next coming from the small kitchen, Superkhana has been a neighborhood standby for chef/owners Zeeshan Shah and Yoshi Yamada’s “Indian-ish” offerings since 2019. The Bombay Breakdown alums recently snagged a Bib Gourmand and continue to garner national recognition for dishes like their seasonal pizzas topped with lamb kebab and beef keema with gruyère, and famous calzones stuffed with butter chicken and a mozzarella/amul cheese blend (get mini version of the palak paneer calzone their Wed.-Sat. happy hour). The chaat selection includes eggplant bao and Manchurian potatoes, and we recommend ending with chai leches cake or saffron cardamom and Parle-G biscuit ice cream sandwiches. The weekend brunch menu offers the ideal mix of sweet and savory, with Kerala egg curry or achari-pulled pork, and silver dollar pancakes with whipped jaggery butter.

We’ve been blessed with an abundance of omakases in the city lately and love the collaborative spirit and understated elegance of this Chicago Avenue newcomer. Japanese-born Shoji Takahashi has teamed up with his mentor Takashi Iida to offer both a formal 20-course seasonal omakase experience in a minimalist and elegant 10-seat dining room in the back, and a more casual izakaya-style bar in the front. Expect fish imported from Japan multiple times a week (don’t forget to peep the raw beauties on display before they are sliced), more than 40 varieties of ginjo and daiginjo sakes, house yuzu-lime cocktails with butterfly pea flower-infused rum, and a seasonal sake flight.

Since it replaced Elizabeth in 2022, Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant Atelier has evolved, not only in size with a bigger location just up the street from the original, but also with the addition of a six-seat bar and à la carte menu. What owner Tim Lacey and chef Bradyn Kawcak haven’t changed is their seasonal, seed-to-plate food mentality, stunning presentations, gorgeous blue velvet seats (they just have more of them), and the $210 tasting menu option ($185 during the week). A la carte standouts have included a jerk rabbit leg with saffron rice and foie-topped pizza bagel bites, while the ever-evolving tasting menu features local bison with fermented sunchokes and cherry jus. Take advantage of happy hour in the lounge from 5 to 6 p.m. Tues-Thurs.

For nine years, chef/owner Diana Dávila has been serving authentic Mexican dishes that tell her story at this bright and colorful Logan Square favorite. Tocaya means “namesake” and Dávila infuses her personal narrative thought the menu, from including a brief history of carnitas and pozole (her version is simmered for 18 hours with pork neck, large-kerneled white heirloom Mexican corn, and fermented seaweed), to the story behind the signature steak burrito inspired by her parent’s taqueria (head in on a Wednesday to try it as a special with a layer of Alpenhorn Swiss cheese and salsa ranchera). You’ll also find half-price bottles of wine on Tuesdays, hand-pressed corn tortillas, and DIY fish tacos featuring fried skate wing “ribs” tossed in salsa Nayarit.

Chef/owners Genie Kwon and Tim Flores’ nearly six-year-old fine-dining Filipino-inspired tasting menu restaurant was just bestowed two Michelin stars, an accolade the couple is adding to their much-deserved James Beard win in 2023. It’s a cafe/bakery by day, and expect a line for pastry options and a savory menu that includes a Filipino breakfast and pork belly adobo on weekends. For dinner Thursday-Sunday, a 13-course menu features the chef’s creative and fine dining take on Filipino dishes, which emerge in the most beautiful vessels. Think lumpia, sinigang, kare kare, halo halo, and the now-famous black truffle-topped croissant.

The cozy front bar area of the 16-year-old Longman & Eagle is still one of our favorite places to tuck in on a frigid night. Settle in for the fantastic whiskey cocktails like the Longman Manhattan with Wild Turkey, Punt e Mes, and aromatic bitters or peruse the extensive list of rare, reserve, and single-barrel whiskey selections. Pair something with Executive Chef Alex Swieton’s seasonal Midwestern menu of duck meatballs l’orange, roasted bone marrow with strawberry balsamic beef bacon marmalade, wild boar sloppy joes, or the beloved double beef smash burgers (one of the city’s best). Other recent favorites include the sharable apple and Cheddar pork sausage or Slagel Farms dry-aged strip steak. Finish the decadence with peanut butter pie.

This cozy French bistro is still going strong after almost 25 years in its homey Lincoln Avenue location. Founded by the late chef Michael Altenberg, the seasonal, locally focused neighborhood spot has always focused on the farm-to-table movement and treats every guest like a regular. It boasts one of the most prime patios in the city, but we love the dimly lit dining room all year round, which is particularly conducive to a visit before or after a show at Old Town School of Folk. Tuck in for signature dishes like brandade croquettes, escargot, cassoulet, croque madame, and dark chocolate pot de crème with Chantilly cream. The wine selection is strong, but don’t sleep on cocktails like the Old Farm, an old fashioned made with raspberry black tea-infused rye, black walnut liqueur, red wine syrup, and bitters. Head in on a Tuesday night for bottomless mussels specials.

A year and a half after opening, this lively South Side craft BBQ joint was named one of the New York Times Top 50 restaurants in America. But the word was already out, as owner James Sanders and pitmaster Nick Kleutsch are drawing crowds (hours are 11am until sold out) for sliced-to-order meats, peach tea-smoked wings, oxtail gumbo, 7-hour smoked beef ribs, turkey legs (on Sundays only), and Berkshire rib tips. Head out to one of two patios open in the warmer months, or just bask in the smokey glow from live wood fires and rotisserie smokers inside. A second location is slated to open this year in the former Promontory space in Hyde Park. Expect an expanded menu with steaks and plated dinners, along with complimentary beef tallow-smoked popcorn.

No reservations, more info here.