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A Chicago Food Crawl: Your Local Dining Guide

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by The OpenTable team
Updated March 10, 2019

You’re in Chicago for 48 hours, and you’re hungry. What’s the plan? We’ve rounded up the best spots to hit on your first trip to town: the breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and everything-in-between that will give you a definitive sampling of what the city has to offer. Let’s get to it.

Parachute
4.6 (1714)
$31 to $50
Korean
Avondale
Parachute is one of Chicago’s most-talked-about restaurants, and it’s not hard to see why. Chefs Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark’s take on Korean-American food is singular and unique, with takes on classic dishes like bibimbap, mandu, and dukbukki that at once thoughtful, exciting, and new.
Top review
Anne
Dined on Mar 22, 2024
We LOVED everything we ate at Parachute. We shared the Korean fried chicken, haemul pajeon, 30 day dry aged bulgogi, yukgaejang, and s'mores patbingsu. The vibe ws really fun and our service was great. When they open again, I'm certain they will bring the same care and expertise to another excellent experience.
Parachute is one of Chicago’s most-talked-about restaurants, and it’s not hard to see why. Chefs Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark’s take on Korean-American food is singular and unique, with takes on classic dishes like bibimbap, mandu, and dukbukki that at once thoughtful, exciting, and new.
Top review
Anne
Dined on Mar 22, 2024
We LOVED everything we ate at Parachute. We shared the Korean fried chicken, haemul pajeon, 30 day dry aged bulgogi, yukgaejang, and s'mores patbingsu. The vibe ws really fun and our service was great. When they open again, I'm certain they will bring the same care and expertise to another excellent experience.
Girl & the Goat
4.8 (15097)
$30 and under
Contemporary American
West Loop
Chef Stephanie Izard isn’t just the first female Top Chef winner—she’s also the lady behind one of Chicago’s most celebrated restaurants. Cuisine-wise, Girl and the Goat is probably best described as “global”—but labels don’t matter here. This is delicious, exciting food, the kind of stuff you’ll be thinking about the rest of the weekend.
Top review
OpenTable Diner
Dined 2 days ago
Amazing food, service, and cocktails. 4 stars for the little crammed in table for 2.
Chef Stephanie Izard isn’t just the first female Top Chef winner—she’s also the lady behind one of Chicago’s most celebrated restaurants. Cuisine-wise, Girl and the Goat is probably best described as “global”—but labels don’t matter here. This is delicious, exciting food, the kind of stuff you’ll be thinking about the rest of the weekend.
Top review
OpenTable Diner
Dined 2 days ago
Amazing food, service, and cocktails. 4 stars for the little crammed in table for 2.
avec West Loop
4.8 (932)
$30 and under
Mediterranean
West Loop
Chef Paul Kahan has some of the best restaurants in Chicago, and Avec is a shining example. You’re here for the chorizo-stuffed dates, the cheese-stuffed “deluxe” focaccia, and anything coming out of the wood-fired oven.
Top review
KevinVIP
Dined 1 day ago
Very enjoyable. Great food and great service. The steak and prawns were amazing. .
Chef Paul Kahan has some of the best restaurants in Chicago, and Avec is a shining example. You’re here for the chorizo-stuffed dates, the cheese-stuffed “deluxe” focaccia, and anything coming out of the wood-fired oven.
Top review
KevinVIP
Dined 1 day ago
Very enjoyable. Great food and great service. The steak and prawns were amazing. .
Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse - Chicago
4.8 (9125)
$31 to $50
Steakhouse
Gold Coast / Streeterville
We’re in the Midwest, after all—and if you’re eating steak in this town, you want to be eating it at Gibson’s. They even have a USDA grade named for them: USDA Gibsons Prime Angus. This is a steakhouse in every sense of the word, and it’s glorious.
Top review
Tristan
Dined 5 days ago
Great atmosphere and our server was super attentive and friendly
We’re in the Midwest, after all—and if you’re eating steak in this town, you want to be eating it at Gibson’s. They even have a USDA grade named for them: USDA Gibsons Prime Angus. This is a steakhouse in every sense of the word, and it’s glorious.
Top review
Tristan
Dined 5 days ago
Great atmosphere and our server was super attentive and friendly
The Publican
4.7 (5937)
$31 to $50
American
West Loop
Since it opened in 2009, The Publican has been one of the most fun, boisterous spots in the city to eat pig, drink beer, and be merry. The food, to this day, is deliciously craveable, and the plentiful beer selection will ensure you’re drinking happily all night long.
Top review
KathyVIP
Dined on Mar 11, 2025
The Publican never disappoints - a lovely dinner filled with fresh and hearty ingredients!
Since it opened in 2009, The Publican has been one of the most fun, boisterous spots in the city to eat pig, drink beer, and be merry. The food, to this day, is deliciously craveable, and the plentiful beer selection will ensure you’re drinking happily all night long.
Top review
KathyVIP
Dined on Mar 11, 2025
The Publican never disappoints - a lovely dinner filled with fresh and hearty ingredients!
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