Top Restaurants In Chicago: 10 Best Places To Eat In 2023
Let’s explore the 10 best and Top Restaurants In Chicago. Embark on a delectable voyage through the vibrant culinary landscape of Chicago, a city renowned for its diverse and thriving restaurant scene. From iconic eateries like Superdawg Drive-In and Pat’s Pizza and Ristorante to innovative culinary hotspots such as Superkhana International and Mi Tocaya Antojería, Chicago proudly hosts a plethora of dining establishments that have earned their place among the city’s top 10 restaurants. Join us as we delve into the culinary excellence and unique flavors offered by these esteemed dining destinations, each contributing its own distinct flair to Chicago’s rich gastronomic tapestry.
10 Top Restaurants In Chicago
| # | Restaurant Name |
| 1 | Superdawg Drive-In |
| 2 | Luella’s Southern Kitchen |
| 3 | Community Tavern |
| 4 | Smoque BBQ |
| 5 | Superkhana International |
| 6 | Pat’s Pizza and Ristorante |
| 7 | Mi Tocaya Antojería |
| 8 | Lula Cafe |
| 9 | Taqueria Chingon |
| 10 | Redhot Ranch |
1. Superdawg Drive-In
Big statues of Maurie and Flaurie Berman guard a special drive-in called Superdawg in Chicago. You can see these huge hot dog statues from far away. At Superdawg, you park your car and talk through speakers to order food. Carhops bring your food to your car on trays. Instead of a regular Chicago-style hot dog, Superdawg serves a thick, special all-beef sausage with mustard, pickled green tomato, and chopped onions. They also give you crinkle fries in a box. There’s another Superdawg location in Wheeling, a suburb.
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2. Luella’s Southern Kitchen
Chef Darnell Reed worked in downtown Chicago hotels and dreamed of honoring his great-grandmother Luella, who came to Chicago from Mississippi in 1943. Now, his small restaurant in Lincoln Square serves amazing Southern food like shrimp and grits, chicken gumbo, and a big plate of fried chicken and waffles. This restaurant, owned by a Black person, is well-liked for brunch on the North Side. It’s a relaxed place where you order at the counter, but the menu is seriously good with tasty and filling options for everyone.
3. Community Tavern
Joey and Brenna Beato changed things up at Community Tavern in Portage Park. It’s not just a steakhouse anymore but still feels like a neighborhood spot. They have a strong bar menu, and kids under 12 eat free on specific days. The menu is a mix of different styles: they serve Asian-style dumplings, like one filled with mushroom butter. Their white prawn carbonara mixes Thai and Italian flavors, and they also offer bibimbap that can come with skirt steak, keeping a hint of the old steakhouse vibe.
4. Smoque BBQ
In Irving Park’s Northwest Side, there’s a place that makes tasty barbecue with different styles like Kansas City and Memphis. They use two smokers to cook St. Louis-style and baby back ribs, brisket, and apple-and-oak-smoked pulled pork. When the pandemic happened, the owner, Barry Sorkin, made more options for takeout and outdoor dining, even adding a patio where the parking lot used to be.
5. Superkhana International
The Superkhana International serves surprising food: while it’s known for Indian cooking, it’s not your typical Indian restaurant. They have tasty burgers and pizzas with super fresh veggies. Their Indian dishes have familiar spices but with unique twists, like their amazing pork vindaloo. Their brunch is fantastic, with Indian griddle cakes called appam loaded with fresh veggies like spring peas.
Even though it’s a veggie option, you can add bacon for meat lovers. They also make excellent Hakka noodles, a popular Indian Chinese dish. Superkhana’s chefs are experimenting and creating new tasty dishes like butter chicken calzones, but the restaurant offers much more than just surprising food—it shows that Indian cuisine is about more than just spicy flavors.
6. Pat’s Pizza and Ristorante
Chicago’s thin-crust pizza is getting attention, showing it’s not just about deep-dish here (but hey, deep-dish is still great!). Pat’s Pizza in Lakeview is known for its tavern-style pizzas with a long history. This family-owned spot makes super crispy and thin pizzas. They use their special sausage mix, making their pizzas stand out. You can get their pizzas for takeout, delivery, or eat on their patio or inside the restaurant.
7. Mi Tocaya Antojería
Diana Dávila, a talented chef in Logan Square, serves amazing small Mexican dishes. She’s not afraid to take risks and doesn’t cater to typical American dining expectations. This isn’t a place for just chips, salsa, and margaritas—she left her old job because they wanted that. But still, the guacamole, steak burrito, and fried oyster tacos are excellent. Customers should try unique dishes like peanut butter lengua and tlacoyo de nopalitos, showing Dávila’s love for pre-Hispanic Mexico.
8. Lula Cafe
Chef Jason Hammel owns Lula Cafe, a place loved in Logan Square since 1999. It’s a friendly spot focusing on new American food. They serve fresh pastries all day and have a fantastic breakfast burrito. In the evening, they offer a wide wine selection to go with dishes like roast chicken, beet bruschetta, and summer squash with Santa Rosa plums, Tropea onions, and basil. You can sit at the bar and enjoy oysters and snacks like chicken liver mousse. Additionally, Hammel recently released a cookbook.
9. Taqueria Chingon
In Logan Square, Taqueria Chingon stands out among many taquerias in Chicago. Run by three Mexican chefs with experience from famous French restaurants, they serve excellent tacos. The pork and veggie pastors from the rotating spit are especially good with amazing textures. It’s a good spot to try organ meats if you haven’t before. Their weekly specials are really tasty, and the chefs always surprise with new dishes.
10. Redhot Ranch
In the world of Chicago hot dog stands, Redhot Ranch stands out. They use sausage with natural casings, giving their hot dogs a unique snap. They also serve Depression dogs, which have fries in the bun. Their griddle burgers are delicious, especially for late-night cravings. Redhot Ranch has spots in Lakeview and Bucktown, and 35th Street Red Hots in Bridgeport has the same menu and owners.