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
- New on Resy: The summer might be winding down, but the restaurant roster is ramping up on Resy, from French-inspired steakhouses to ramen shops to all-day cafes. Visit The Alston, helmed by Jenner Tomaska, for wagyu steak tartare or seafood platters in one of the city’s most stunning dining rooms. Or bask in upscale steakhouse vibes at Bucktown’s Deliz Italian, which opened last year with wood-fired steaks and squash agnolotti. And it’s all about all-day dining at Logan Square’s Txa Txa Club, opened by two Lula Cafe alums and featuring a seasonal menu of corn cakes with orange espresso whip, cold noodle salads, and BBQ pork curry. There’s plenty more where that came from: check out all the rest of the latest openings on Resy here.
- Get out of Town: If your summer was too busy for a proper road trip, now is the time to make it happen. Our latest road trip guide is full of destinations less than four hours by car, from new openings to old standbys. Head to Door County for the cozy La Sirena (and make a weekend out of it), or keep it closer to home at The Graceful Ordinary in St. Charles, Ill., where you can dine along the Fox River (we have other water-adjacent recs too). Or if a tasting menu makes a long drive more worth your while, head to our top picks in Madison, Milwaukee, or Detroit. If you’re looking to venture out a little further for a great meal this fall, check out our list of 40 restaurants around the country worth the journey (from Holbox in L.A. to Somaek in Boston). Need even more travel inspo? Get lost in our travel hub to discover all the best tables worth booking a ticket for.
- Make it a Date Night: September in Chicago is that ideal month where it’s still beautiful out, the kids are back in school, and the holidays haven’t quite taken hold. Celebrate with a much-needed date night. Our newly updated guide’s got you covered whether you want the neighborhood Italian vibes of Dimmi Dimmi, a fun omakase at Kai Zen, the dark and cozy Cerdito Muerto in Pilsen, or more. There are also plenty of romantic spots to be found in our cocktail guide (we’re looking at you, Maxwells Trading and Bar Sótano), so check out the full list here for your next nightcap. Alternately, book a seat on one of the best patios in town (this might be your last chance to enjoy them for the year), or if you’re ready to be inside for the season, check out our guide to the coziest dining rooms, too.
- We’re Here For All the Autumn Events: Transition smoothly into fall via a whole slew of autumnal events. Head to Le Sud for a fall wine tasting, City Winery to welcome the fall equinox with a four-course tasting menu and wine pairings, or The Duck Inn for a Martini Expo hosted by author and cocktail writer Robert Simonson and Ford’s Gin founder Simon Ford. There’s also a fun and nostalgic five-course dinner to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Route 66 at Maplewood Brewery & Distillery at The Ashburn. Or celebrate Chuseok, the Korean harvest festival, at Maxwells Trading. Korean chefs and bartenders will gather for the event, with proceeds benefitting the HANA Center to support immigrant communities. Check out our calendar of all the fall-friendly events here.
New to the Hit List (September 2026)
Esmero, Galit, Mazor, Provaré.
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 June, 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. Esmero Lincoln Park
The former Charlie Trotter’s space on Armitage is home to this residency helmed by chef Adair Canacasco of The Alinea Group. The Mexico City-born chef has led the kitchens of Roister, FIRE, and the group’s Big Sky, Montana residency since 2017, and is now telling his own story and tapping into his family history inside one of Chicago’s most storied kitchens. The 12-course menu features seasonal (and extremely beautiful) modern Mexican dishes for $195 per person, with a kitchen table experience for $215, and drink pairing options. Translating to “craft with care and dedication,” Esmero is open for a limited run, so book your experience before it’s gone.
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. There are cozy booths, exposed brick, and communal tables inside, but the first-come-first-served 60-seat patio is where you’ll find the best seats in the house for lunch or dinner weather permitting.
8. Maxwells Trading West Loop
Last we checked, it’s still tough to snag a table at this nearly three-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 honoree 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 variety 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. Galit Lincoln Park
Start your evening at this seven-year-old modern Middle Eastern tasting menu restaurant at the bar, where cocktails include medjool dates, arak, and Persian amaro. Andrés Clavero and Beard award-winning chef Zachary Engel (a Shaya alum), along with bar director Scott Stroemer and pastry chef Mary-Eder McClure, are the dream team behind the Michelin-starred, $115, four-course choose-your-own adventure that changes with the seasons. Choose from a selection of hummuses (go with Bubbe’s brisket-topped), salatim (from labneh to a global pickle tour), mezze (crispy phyllo stuffed with melted leeks and fresh chèvre), and coal-fired dishes like the butter-poached grilled lobster with Jimmy Nardello peppers and Israeli couscous. End the night with honey-roasted apricot pavlova.
17. Provaré Noble Square
This four-year-old Italian-Creole restaurant from chef-owner Jourdan Higgs outgrew its original location after two years and moved up the street for more space, a larger menu, and a downstairs speakeasy called Privé (enter through the door hidden in the bookshelves). The vibe is fun and friendly with small welcome shots, ’90s throwback R&B and hip hop, and a decadent-but-delicious menu with items like salmon egg rolls, waffle fries topped with crab and pepperjack cheese, lamb chops, and a highly sharable New Orleans-inspired seafood and andouille pasta. The drinks are named after Chicago streets (e.g. The Randolph, with vodka, amaretto, passion fruit, lemon juice, orange bitters, and a red wine float), and even though you’ll be full at the end of it all, save room for butter cake with vanilla ice cream.
18. Mazor Fulton Market
Cristian Orozco is the chef-owner of this low-key Mexican-Guatemalan spot near Fulton Market. Almost everything is made in house, from the salsas to the chips and tortillas, which are hand-pressed from fresh yellow and blue corn masa. Try the tetelas stuffed with chorizo and cheese, the tuna tostada, burritos, and the lovely hibiscus flan with toasted white chocolate for dessert. The menu is a la carte and it’s counter-service, but Orozco tries out new dishes and showcases rotating seasonal ingredients on Wednesday evenings for a weekly four-course tasting menu at the counter.
No reservations; more info here.
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. 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.
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.
