Tag: Chicago Restaurant Week

Women and Minority-Owned Restaurants: Chicago Restaurant Week
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You haven’t gotten a real taste of Chicago’s dynamic restaurant scene until you’ve explored the city’s many diverse-owned eateries, from cozy neighborhood favorites to high-end dining experiences.

There’s no better time to try some of these beloved spots than Chicago Restaurant Week, happening from Jan. 23 through Feb. 8, 2026.

This year, you’ll find a record-breaking 500+ participating restaurants — including more than 160 women- and minority-owned establishments. Explore some of this year’s minority-owned spots throughout the city and make your reservations today.

Explore more: Looking for dinner and a show? Chicago Theatre Week starts on Feb. 5 with discounted tickets to shows throughout Chicago.

Check out minority-owned local restaurants during Chicago Restaurant Week

American Contemporary, Food & Beverage

eden

It’s all about fresh, seasonal ingredients at Eden in the Avondale area. Enjoy vegetable-forward dishes like wood-roasted cauliflower and lentils, roasted mushroom lasagna, and a green salad with a sunflower-basil vinaigrette.

Food & Beverage, Mexican

Tacotlán

The Chicago Restaurant Week dinner menu at this Hispanic-owned hotspot features its viral quesabirria. Other options include burrito bowls, skirt steak, and mole enchiladas.
Food & Beverage, Wine Bar

Bronzeville Winery

This hip space in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood is a local favorite. During Chicago Restaurant Week, try eclectic dishes like African short ribs with coconut grits, truffle mushroom shawarma, ube bread pudding, and more.

$30 Brunch

$45 Dinner

$60 Dinner
American Contemporary, Food & Beverage

Alpana

This chic woman-owned restaurant in River North is offering a globally inspired Chicago Restaurant Week menu, with whipped feta toast, butter chicken meatballs, short rib bucatini, and more.

Cajun/Creole, Food & Beverage

Norman’s Bistro

This Black-owned Bronzeville institution has been serving the neighborhood for 15 years. The Chicago Restaurant Week options include seafood gumbo or lamb chops, plus bread pudding for dessert.

Food & Beverage, Southern

Dawn

In Hyde Park, Dawn pays homage to Southern comfort food. For Chicago Restaurant Week, try staples like fried green tomatoes, seafood gumbo, and Cajun lamb chops with jalapeno cheddar grits.
Food & Beverage, Southern

Big Jones

In Andersonville, Big Jones is a go-to spot for brunch. During Chicago Restaurant Week, enjoy your choice of fried chicken, roasted mushrooms with creamy grits, or crawfish and andouille quiche.

$30 Brunch

$30 Lunch

$45 Dinner
Asian Fusion, Food & Beverage

Bixi Brewery

This Asian-inspired restaurant and brewery in Logan Square is serving a Chicago Restaurant Week menu filled with playful dishes like Thai scotch egg, yuzu kosho caesar salad, and Korean doughnuts with a matcha glaze.

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Food & Beverage, Mexican

Diego

In West Town, this lively Baja-inspired eatery is serving a three-course Chicago Restaurant Week menu with an optional beverage pairing. Start with fresh ceviche, then enjoy your pick of tacos, enchiladas, and more.

American, Food & Beverage

Taste 222

This elegant spot in the West Loop serves American favorites with a Southern twist. The lunch menu includes options like barbecue chicken breast, ancho-glazed salmon, and blackened catfish with collard greens.

Asian Fusion, Food & Beverage

Konbini & Kanpai Wrigleyville

Inspired by Japanese convenience store culture, Konbini & Kanpai offers an array of sakes and packaged good alongside a menu of Japanese cuisine. Try kimchi pancakes, Japanese fried chicken, katsu curry, tofu bibimbap, and more.

Food & Beverage, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Fiya

Get cozy at Fiya, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in the Andersonville neighborhood. The five-course dinner menu starts with hummus and moves on to roasted chicken with preserved lemon yogurt, lamb loin with harissa, and more warming dishes.

Food & Beverage, Indian

Kama

In Wicker Park, Kama offers a modern twist on Indian classics. The Chicago Restaurant Week menu includes the can’t-miss paneer ravioli, along with mussels in coconut broth, lamb chop masala, ghee-roasted cauliflower, and more.
Bars/Pubs/Taverns, Food & Beverage

Monarch & Lion

This richly decorated Asian-owned spot offers elevated British pub fare in Streeterville. The three-course dinner menu includes classics like fish and chips, chicken tikka masala, and shepherd’s pie.

$30 Brunch

$30 Lunch

$45 Dinner
American Contemporary, Food & Beverage

The Duplex

This Black-owned restaurant in Logan Square is known for its lively brunch. During Chicago Restaurant Week, choose from avocado toast, shrimp and grits, French toast, and more.

$30 Brunch

$45 Dinner

$60 Dinner
Food & Beverage, Steakhouse

Chemistry Chicago

This modern Hyde Park steakhouse will be serving a decadent dinner menu for Chicago Restaurant Week. Choose from Wagyu sliders, mango jerk salmon, stuffed chicken breast, bananas foster, and more.

Looking for more Chicago Restaurant Week? Explore all 500+ participating restaurants.

Thank you to our Chicago Restaurant Week 2026 sponsors
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December 10, 2025
New Restaurants to Try During Chicago Restaurant Week 2026
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There’s no better time to experience the city’s acclaimed restaurant scene than Chicago Restaurant Week.

The 19th annual edition of the annual foodie fest, which takes place Jan. 23 – Feb. 8, 2026, is the perfect opportunity to explore the newest and buzziest additions to the city’s dining scene — more than 75 local restaurants are making their Chicago Restaurant Week debut in 2026.

This year’s newcomers and first-time Chicago Restaurant Week participants include exciting hotspots like:
- Nadu, a region-spanning Indian restaurant from a Michelin-starred chef
- Cafe Yaya, a buzzy all-day cafe and new addition to the hot Lincoln Park dining scene
- Mariscos San Pedro, a bustling Mexican seafood spot inside historic Thalia Hall
- Il Carciofo, the rustic Roman-inspired eatery from celebrity chef Joe Flamm
To help you get started, we’ve highlighted 16 new Chicago restaurants to check out this year.

Try new and notable spots during Chicago Restaurant Week 2026

Food & Beverage, Korean

Mister Tiger

In the hip West Town area, Mister Tiger specializes in homestyle Korean cooking in a modern atmosphere. Opened by two siblings as an homage to their mother and grandmother, this new neighborhood spot will be serving dishes like uni rice, Korean fried chicken, bibimbap, and more during Chicago Restaurant Week.

American, Food & Beverage

Ox Bar & Hearth

This new spot at the bustling Lincoln Park area focuses on seasonal Midwestern food. For its first Chicago Restaurant Week, Ox Bar is serving lamb meatballs, crispy smoked pork belly, potato pierogi, brown butter cake, and more.
Bakery/Café/Deli/Diner, Food & Beverage

Cafe Yaya

One of the most talked-about openings of the year, Cafe Yaya is an all-day bakery and bistro from the team behind Michelin-starred Galit. During Chicago Restaurant Week, choose from brunch, lunch, or dinner menus showcasing an array of Middle Eastern flavors.

$30 Brunch

$30 Lunch

$60 Dinner
Food & Beverage, Greek

Ithaki Estiatorio

In Chicago’s historic Greektown neighborhood, Ithaki is bringing a contemporary atmosphere without sacrificing authentic cuisine. The centerpiece is the wood-burning grill in the open kitchen, which will turn out classic dishes like souvlaki, roast chicken, sea bass, and more

Bars/Pubs/Taverns, Food & Beverage

The Staley

This South Loop sports bar from former Chicago Bear Israel Idonije is already a favorite spot for Bears fans. The Chicago Restaurant Week offerings include spinach artichoke dip, birria nachos, fish and chips, smoked brisket mac and cheese, and more.

Food & Beverage, Indian

Nadu

From the lauded chef behind Michelin-starred Indienne, Nadu focuses on contemporary, regional Indian cuisine. Newly opened in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, Nadu has already caught Michelin’s attention, earning a Bib Gourmand designation. Sample dishes that represent cooking traditions from across India.

Food & Beverage, Mexican

La Lunita

This vibey new spot in Logan Square is the second location of the popular La Luna in Pilsen. The three-course menu highlights the restaurant’s modern Mexican cuisine, with dishes like Yucatan-style short rib, octopus with salsa verde, and mango tres leches.

Food & Beverage, Mexican

Mariscos San Pedro

Located inside the historic Thalia Hall music venue, Mariscos San Pedro is a new addition to the Pilsen neighborhood’s vibrant dining scene. During Chicago Restaurant Week, choose from options like tuna tostada, whole dorade with red and green adobo, and chile relleno with Oaxaca cheese.

Explore more: Looking for dinner and a show? Chicago Theatre Week starts on Feb. 5 with discounted tickets to shows throughout Chicago.

Food & Beverage, Japanese/Sushi

Omakase Box

This buzzed-about spot in Logan Square fuses an elevated sushi experience with approachable vibes. The Chicago Restaurant Week experience includes a four-piece flight of fresh nigiri, plus your choice from a selection of classic starters, handrolls, and desserts.

Food & Beverage, Italian

il Carciofo

This new West Loop restaurant specializes in rustic Roman cuisine, led by celebrity chef Joe Flamm. The Chicago Restaurant Week menu includes the signature fried artichokes, along with handmade pastas and other authentic specialties.

Food & Beverage, Japanese/Sushi

Akiro Handroll Bar

Choose your own adventure this Chicago Restaurant Week at Akiro Handroll Bar, a newcomer in the River North neighborhood. Their menu lets you select from an array of nigiri and handroll options, all showcasing a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian flavors.
Food & Beverage, French

Bandol Brasserie

In the heart of the downtown Loop, this new French brasserie is celebrating its first Chicago Restaurant Week. Indulge in classics like escargots, trout almondine, steak frites, creme brulee, and more in an elegant setting.

$30 Brunch

$30 Lunch

$45 Dinner
American Contemporary, Food & Beverage

Solette

This new modern American restaurant is bringing a fresh experience to the city’s downtown financial district. Choose from bites like calamari, rigatoni bolognese, seared salmon with roasted eggplant, and a smash burger with truffle aioli.

Food & Beverage, Pizza

The Little Lark

The team behind Meadowlawk, the clandestine cocktail bar in Logan Square, brings you the more casual Little Lark. Located inside Avondale’s Guild Row, Little Lark specializes in wood-fired pizza and wine.

Looking for more Chicago Restaurant Week? Explore all 500+ participating restaurants.

Thank you to our Chicago Restaurant Week 2026 sponsors
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December 10, 2025
Top Chicago Restaurant Week Deals: Offers & More
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Want to get a taste of Chicago’s top dining experiences without breaking the bank? Chicago Restaurant Week is the perfect excuse to start checking off your foodie bucket list. Enjoy special menus for a set price of just $30 for brunch/lunch and $45 or $60 for dinner.

This year’s Chicago Restaurant Week, which runs from Jan. 23 – Feb. 8, 2026, features a record-breaking 500+ restaurants — including some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the city.

This year’s line-up includes a number of previous James Beard Award winners and nominees. These prestigious awards, which take place in Chicago each spring, honor the best and the brightest of the culinary world.

These celebrated spots are sure to book up fast, so make your reservations now and get ready to sample some of the city’s best dishes during Chicago Restaurant Week.

Experience acclaimed restaurants during Chicago Restaurant Week 2026

American Contemporary, Food & Beverage

Giant

What this buzzy restaurant lacks in space, it makes up for in flavor. In Logan Square, chef Jason Vincent (a James Beard Award nominee for Outstanding Chef) serves familiar dishes with a creative twist. During Chicago Restaurant Week, enjoy a four-course menu of vegetable dumplings, prawns with fermented rice, beef cheeks, and soy sauce ice cream.

Food & Beverage, Vietnamese

HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen

The kitchen at this modern Vietnamese restaurant is run by Thai Dang, a former James Beard nominee for Best Chef. During Chicago Restaurant Week, feast on traditional dishes like chopped clams, braised pork cheeks, and poached prawns. Or opt for the vegetarian menu featuring papaya salad, grilled eggplant, and more.

American, Food & Beverage

Lula Cafe

A recent winner of the James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality, Lula Cafe is a neighborhood restaurant that draws diners from every corner of the city. The Chicago Restaurant Week menu features an array of cozy winter dishes, including squash soup with black truffle, pappardelle with mushroom-walnut bolognese, cider-braised pork shoulder with miso butter, and toasted rice pudding with local cherries.

Food & Beverage, Southern

Virtue Restaurant & Bar

Experience the heartwarming cuisine of the American South at Virtue Restaurant & Bar, which has received back-to-back James Beard Awards wins for its lauded chefs Erick Williams and Damarr Brown. This Chicago Restaurant Week, choose from dishes like shrimp and grits, jambalaya with confit duck leg, and banana pudding.

American Contemporary, Food & Beverage

Maxwells Trading

Chef Erling Wu-Bower, a four-time James Beard Award finalist, brings his unique flavor combinations to his newest venture in the West Loop. Maxwell Trading will showcase many of its most popular dishes on this year’s Chicago Restaurant Week menu, including the whipped ricotta with local honey and griddle bread and the viral Japanese sweet potato with red curry.

Food & Beverage, Mediterranean

Apolonia Chicago

A recent Jean Banchet nominee for Chef of the Year, Stephen Gillanders continues to wow diners at his South Loop restaurant. Apolonia’s minimalist space creates the perfect blank canvas for the contemporary menu, with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients and thoughtful wine pairings.

Food & Beverage, Steakhouse

Asador Bastian

Recently ranked among the top steakhouses in the world and a Jean Banchet nominee for Best Hospitality, Asador Bastain is inspired by the grill houses in the south region of Spain. Expect top-quality ingredients, elevated Basque flavors, and a luxurious experience from start to finish.

Food & Beverage, Middle Eastern

SIFR

Indulge in a modern Middle Eastern feast for Chicago Restaurant Week at Sifr, a Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient. Choose from dishes like grilled maitake mushrooms, lamb kabobs, branzino, and more.

Cocktail Bar, Food & Beverage

After

Experience the chic elegance of After, the sibling of two Michelin-starred Ever, during Chicago Restaurant Week. Delight in a prix fixe menu featuring dishes like hamachi crudo, grilled pork belly, braised Wagyu, and more.

Food & Beverage, Middle Eastern

Galit

The interior of Michelin-starred Galit is centered around the restaurant’s roaring hearth, making it the perfect spot for a cozy winter meal. Chicago Restaurant Week diners can choose from an array of Middle Eastern-inspired dishes, including hummus with slow-cooked tomatoes, falafel with mango and labneh, smoked turkey pastrami, and crispy phyllo pie with miso caramel.

American, Food & Beverage

BOKA Restaurant

This Michelin-starred spot, a long-time establishment in Lincoln Park, focuses on contemporary American cuisine in a sophisticated yet approachable setting. For Chicago Restaurant Week, enjoy a four-course dinner menu with dishes like dry-aged beef tartare, sunchoke soup, duck leg tortelli, slow-cooked Icelandic cod, and roasted chicken.

American Contemporary, Food & Beverage

Esmé

Located on a charming corner of the Lincoln Park neighborhood, Michelin-starred Esmé is known for its creative dishes and artistic platings. This Chicago Restaurant Week, diners can enjoy a menu featuring endive salad, celery root soup, sturgeon, and Wagyu with beet mole, plus optional desserts.

Explore more: Looking for dinner and a show? Chicago Theatre Week starts on Feb. 5 with discounted tickets to shows throughout Chicago.

American Contemporary, Food & Beverage

Moody Tongue Brewing Company

The world’s only Michelin-starred brewery, Moody Tongue Brewing Company is a chef-driven brewery and dual-restaurant concept in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood. The Bar at Moody Tongue is an elegant space with a casual menu that pairs perfectly with the brewery’s exceptional lineup of seasonal beers.

Food & Beverage, Mexican

Topolobampo

Topolobampo, winner of the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant, is the flagship restaurant of iconic Chicago chef Rick Bayless. The River North restaurant is known for its authentic Mexican flavors, showcased in dishes like Baja mussels, wood-grilled prawns, and a wood-grilled ribeye with the famous 32-ingredient mole negro.
Food & Beverage, Mediterranean

Avec West Loop

A local culinary cornerstone and James Beard Award winner, Avec has been a must-visit along Restaurant Row for more than 20 years. The five-course Chicago Restaurant Week menu includes trout crudo, kale salad with satsuma orange, wood oven roasted paella with confit chicken, and the restaurant’s famous bacon-wrapped dates.

$30 Brunch

$30 Lunch

$60 Dinner
Food & Beverage, Italian

Monteverde

This long-time favorite in the West Loop neighborhood is known best for its from-scratch pastas and modern Italian dishes, crafted by Top Chef finalist and James Beard winner Sarah Gruenberg. Grab a spot at the bar to watch each pasta meticulously made by hand, or enjoy the buzz of the dining room as you dig into an array of hearty shared plates.

American, Food & Beverage

Girl & the Goat

The signature restaurant from acclaimed chef Stephanie Izard (winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes) is an annual favorite for Chicago Restaurant Week diners. Enjoy dishes like wood-fired chicken skewers, pork belly fried curry, and miso butterscotch budino — just make sure to get your reservations early.

Looking for more Chicago Restaurant Week? Explore all 500+ participating restaurants.

Start planning your trip

Voted the Best Big City 9 years in a row, Chicago is the best place to visit all year round. Make the most out of your experience.

Get the guide

Thank you to our Chicago Restaurant Week 2026 sponsors
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December 10, 2025