Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Chicago by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Chicago using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#29. Gibsons Italia
- Rating: 4.3/5 (926 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 233 North Canal St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Steakhouses, Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Boeufhaus
- Rating: 4.3/5 (446 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1012 North Western Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Brasseries, Cocktail Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Avec - Chicago
- Rating: 4.3/5 (2517 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 615 West Randolph St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Acanto
- Rating: 4.3/5 (573 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 18 South Michigan Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Wagyu House by The X Pot
- Rating: 4.3/5 (557 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1147 South Delano Court East Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Japanese, Steakhouses, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Boka
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1790 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1729 North Halsted St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Ema
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1738 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 74 West Illinois St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Mediterranean, Tapas/Small Plates, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#22. La Grande Boucherie
- Rating: 4.4/5 (296 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 431 North Dearborn St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Steakhouses, French, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Olio e Più
- Rating: 4.4/5 (375 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 445 North Dearborn St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Rose Mary
- Rating: 4.4/5 (684 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 932 West Fulton Market Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Modern European, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Apolonia
- Rating: 4.4/5 (268 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2201 South Michigan Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Modern European, Bars, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Ascione Bistro
- Rating: 4.4/5 (316 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1500 East 55th St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Indienne
- Rating: 4.4/5 (211 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 217 West Huron St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Indian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Alinea
- Rating: 4.4/5 (2645 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1723 North Halsted St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American, Modern European
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
- Rating: 4.4/5 (3029 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 60 East Grand Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Aba
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1691 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 302 North Green St. Floor 3 Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Mediterranean, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Monteverde
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1297 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1020 West Madison St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Desserts, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#12. EVER
- Rating: 4.5/5 (144 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1340 West Fulton St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#11. EL Ideas
- Rating: 4.5/5 (387 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2419 West 14th St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Bavette's Bar & Boeuf
- Rating: 4.5/5 (3226 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 218 West Kinzie St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#9. S.K.Y.
- Rating: 4.5/5 (730 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1239 West 18th St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#8. The Evie
- Rating: 4.6/5 (181 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 537 North Michigan Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: American, Sushi Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#7. jeong
- Rating: 4.6/5 (197 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1460 West Chicago Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Korean, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#6. No Vacancy
- Rating: 4.6/5 (111 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 509 North Wells St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American, Wine Bars, Beer, Wine & Spirits
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Ciccio Mio
- Rating: 4.7/5 (488 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 226 West Kinzie St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Regalia
- Rating: 4.7/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 5959 North Broadway Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Amaru
- Rating: 4.7/5 (432 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1904 West North Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Latin American, Caribbean, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Oriole
- Rating: 4.8/5 (407 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 661 West Walnut St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Penumbra
- Rating: 4.8/5 (937 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3309 West Fullerton Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Wine Bars, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
