Tasting menus, Michelin stars and the chefs redefining Chicago.
Tasting menus, Michelin stars, and the kitchens redefining what fine dining means in Chicago.
Alinea in Chicago is Grant Achatz's three-Michelin-star Lincoln Park dining room, the original American modernist tasting menu since 2005 at 1723 N Halsted.
Book60 days ahead
TipSalon is the shortest flow and the easiest to book; Kitchen Table is the deepest dive into the menu.
Smyth in Chicago is the two-Michelin-star West Loop tasting menu from John and Karen Shields, paired with The Loyalist downstairs and produce from their own.
Book30 days ahead
TipAsk for the wine-pairing 'reserve' option if you have a long evening; the cellar lists a deep run of Burgundy.
Oriole in Chicago is Noah Sandoval's two-Michelin-star tasting menu room at 661 W Walnut Street, a 28-seat West Loop room with strong caviar service.
Book30 days ahead
TipThe wine pairings lean Germanic and Austrian. Ask by region, not by tier; the value is on the long-pour bottles.
Ever in Chicago is Curtis Duffy's two-Michelin-star Fulton Market tasting menu, opened in 2020 after he left Grace, with rigorous service and quiet plating.
Book30 days ahead
TipSit at the chef's counter if it is offered at booking; the view of the pass is the room's best seat.
Kasama in Chicago is Tim Flores and Genie Kwon's Michelin-starred Filipino tasting menu at 1001 N Winchester in Ukrainian Village, doubling as a daytime.
Book60 days ahead
TipDay-room bakery and evening tasting menu run separate book-and-pay flows. Plan to come for both, on different days.
Topolobampo in Chicago is Rick Bayless's Michelin-starred Mexican fine-dining room at 445 N Clark Street, with menus that rotate every six weeks by region.
Book60 days ahead
TipFriday slots open 60 days out and disappear inside an hour. Set a 09:00 alarm for the exact 60-day mark.
Boka in Chicago is Lee Wolen's Michelin-starred dining room beside Alinea on Halsted, with a quiet garden courtyard and a brined whole-roast chicken for two.
Book21 days ahead
TipBook the garden room in summer. It is one of the prettiest outdoor dining rooms in the city.
Elske in Chicago is David and Anna Posey's Michelin-starred Randolph Street dining room with Danish influences, restrained plating, and a small front-yard.
Book14 days ahead
TipThe Aquavit pairings are the room's secret weapon. Ask Anna for the by-the-glass walk.
Next in Chicago is the Achatz-Kokonas Fulton Market tasting menu that changes theme every season, from Childhood to Sicily to Vegan to Trio.
Book60 days ahead
TipTickets, not reservations: you buy by season on Tock, and they sell out the morning they drop.
Mako in Chicago is B.K. Park's Michelin-starred 22-seat omakase counter at 731 W Lake Street in the West Loop, with fish flown twice weekly from Toyosu.
Book21 days ahead
TipSit at the wood corner of the counter, closest to the rice cooker; the timing of the nigiri is sharpest there.
Esmé in Chicago is Jenner Tomaska's Michelin-starred Lincoln Park tasting menu, themed seasonally around a guest artist whose work runs on the plates.
Book30 days ahead
TipSit at the chef's counter for the longer between-course explanations of the current theme.
Galit in Chicago is James Beard winner Zachary Engel's Michelin-starred Middle Eastern dining room on Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park, with a choose-your-own.
Book30 days ahead
TipOrder the laffa straight off the hearth as your opening course; the warm bread is the anchor for every spread on the meze list.
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Editor picks in Chicago include Alinea, Smyth, Oriole, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.