Ten restaurants with one shared instinct: in Chicago the meal is the whole plan for the night, not a pause between errands. The geography holds tight — River North, Fulton Market, the Loop, West Loop and West Town — and so does the format: plates arrive in the middle of the table, everybody reaches, and the volume is deliberate. STK Steakhouse puts a DJ behind the beef, Girl & The Goat sends out bold global plates for the whole table to split, and Quartino Ristorante keeps pouring wine by the little carafe well after the rest of the center has folded.
What separates them is the errand you hand the evening. Aba lifts you to a third-floor terrace with a spread of dips and warm pita; River Roast wheels a carving trolley up to a table by the water; The Purple Pig Restaurant seats you shoulder to shoulder over cheese, salumi and Greek wine near Tribune Tower. Duck Duck Goat turns hand-pulled noodles into a team sport, and The Dearborn holds a deep booth and Midwestern comfort food in the Loop. Pick by the job the night has to do.
At a glance
| # | Place | Score | Reviews | Stands out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | STK Steakhouse | ⭐ 9.5 | 17 188 | Editors' pick |
| 2 | Quartino Ristorante | ⭐ 9.5 | 16 121 | — |
| 3 | Aba | ⭐ 9.7 | 10 305 | People's favorite |
| 4 | The Dearborn | ⭐ 9.5 | 9 565 | — |
| 5 | Girl & The Goat | ⭐ 9.5 | 7 880 | — |
| 6 | The Purple Pig Restaurant | ⭐ 9.3 | 7 408 | — |
| 7 | River Roast | ⭐ 9.3 | 5 658 | — |
| 8 | Provare Chicago | ⭐ 9.7 | 5 582 | — |
| 9 | Duck Duck Goat | ⭐ 9.5 | 5 467 | — |
| 10 | Alla Vita | ⭐ 9.7 | 5 186 | — |
Highlights
-
Editors' pick:
STK Steakhouse -
People's favorite:
Aba
Opening hours
Every place in this selection stays open late.
Check the hours before you set out — they shift on holidays and out of season.
Full ranking
1. STK Steakhouse · ⭐ 9.5
(17188 reviews)
+9 photos
9 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
Cuisine: Steak & grill
A trendy Chicago steakhouse (4.7 over 17,000+ reviews): premium steaks paired with music and a club atmosphere. Steaks of various sizes, seafood, signature cocktails.
«I had a wonderful time… it was my second time here, and it didn't disappoint… In July…»
2. Quartino Ristorante · ⭐ 9.5
(16121 reviews)
+9 photos
626 N State St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
Cuisine: Italian
A popular Chicago Italian address (4.7 over 16,000+ reviews): authentic small-plate dishes for the table, house salumi and a large wine list. Antipasti, house pasta, thin pizza, salumi, Italian wines.
«Many places were fully booked for Valentine's Day, but Quartino's had plenty of open seats…»
3. Aba · ⭐ 9.7
(10305 reviews)
+9 photos
302 N Green St 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
Cuisine: Mediterranean
A stylish restaurant (4.8) with Mediterranean-Middle Eastern cuisine and a lovely patio in trendy Fulton Market. Mezze, hummus, grilled dishes, cocktails — best on the patio.
«I've visited this place three times: once for brunch and twice for dinner. The food has al…»
4. The Dearborn · ⭐ 9.5
(9565 reviews)
+9 photos
145 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60602, United States
Cuisine: American
A lively downtown Chicago tavern (4.7): seasonal American food, a strong bar and an elegant atmosphere right in the Loop. The burger, seasonal dishes, seafood, cocktails. Lunch downtown, groups and pre-theatre dinner.
«06/01/26: Tony is a wonderful server. I hope he serves me next time too. The Brussels spro…»
5. Girl & The Goat · ⭐ 9.5
(7880 reviews)
+9 photos
809 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
Cuisine: American
One of Chicago's best-known restaurants (4.7) from star chef Stephanie Izard: bold shared plates, signature goat dishes and a lively open kitchen. Goat dishes, roasted cauliflower, pan bread, creative specials.
«My group and I had an incredible experience visiting Girl & The Goat in Chicago. From the…»
6. The Purple Pig Restaurant · ⭐ 9.3
(7408 reviews)
+9 photos
444 N Michigan Ave Upper Level, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
Cuisine: Mediterranean
A Chicago favourite (4.6) with a "cheese, swine & wine" concept: Mediterranean shared plates, charcuterie and a large wine list by the Magnificent Mile. Pork specials, cheese, mezze, natural wines.
«A wonderful experience. My boyfriend highly recommended this place to me, because he was l…»
7. River Roast · ⭐ 9.3
(5658 reviews)
+9 photos
315 N LaSalle St, Chicago, IL 60654, United States
Cuisine: American
A restaurant overlooking the Chicago River (4.6): signature roasted dishes, Sunday roasts and a lovely waterside patio. The signature shared roast chicken, meat roasts, seafood.
«Went to River Roast to celebrate me and my partners anniversary. It truly was a wonderful…»
8. Provare Chicago · ⭐ 9.7
(5582 reviews)
+9 photos
1523 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60642, United States
Cuisine: Italian
A stylish Chicago Italian restaurant (4.8): wood-fired pizza, house pasta and a warm atmosphere. Neapolitan pizza, house pasta, Italian starters.
«My husband took me somewhere, and it was much better than I imagined! The seafood was so t…»
9. Duck Duck Goat · ⭐ 9.5
(5467 reviews)
+9 photos
857 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607, United States
Cuisine: Asian
A lively West Loop restaurant (4.7) from Stephanie Izard: "cheeky" Chinese-American food, house noodles and a bold decor. Peking duck, house noodles, dumplings, shared plates.
«Had a wonderful time at Duck Duck Goat, which offers an inventive take on Chinese-American…»
10. Alla Vita · ⭐ 9.7
(5186 reviews)
+9 photos
564 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661, United States
Cuisine: Italian
A stylish Italian restaurant (4.8) from the Boka group: house pasta, a wood oven and an elegant atmosphere. House pasta, wood-oven dishes, Italian wines. Dinner with friends and lovers of quality Italian.
«Alla Vita was the first restaurant we visited after arriving home from Rome last spring… a…»
Questions & answers
Which place tops the ranking? STK Steakhouse — score 9.5/10 (Editors' pick).
How many places are in the list and how were they chosen? The selection includes 10 places chosen by our editors based on rating and reviews.
What is the average rating in the top? 9.5/10 — average score of 10 places in the list.
Which place has the most reviews? STK Steakhouse — 17188 visitor reviews.
For a big group the easy calls are Quartino Ristorante, with shareable plates and a private dining space, River Roast, whose roast lands in the middle of a table where three ages must agree, and Alla Vita, which absorbs a party of eight. With kids, aim at daytime: The Dearborn and Duck Duck Goat take families in stride. Music is built in: jazz at The Dearborn’s Sunday brunch, blues at River Roast on weekends, DJs in the lower lounge at Provare Chicago. All ten are open on Sundays and serve late into the evening; the terrace is Aba.
Be honest about the gaps. This ten stays in the center and the blocks just west of it; none of it reaches farther out. Italian, Mediterranean and American plates take most of the seats, and no Japanese, French or Mexican table got in. None of the ten unlocks its doors in the morning or runs around the clock, so breakfast belongs elsewhere. These are noisy halls by design: if you want hush and ceremony, Girl & The Goat and STK Steakhouse will talk over you.
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