Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Chicago area by diners

Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all 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 and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, 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 chefs' 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, 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 the Chicago area 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 June 25, 2025.

Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!

You may also like: The most expensive neighborhoods in Chicago

1 / 29

#29. Alla Vita

- Rating: 4.4/5 (713 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 564 West Randolph St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 29

#28. Kumiko

- Rating: 4.4/5 (246 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 630 West Lake St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Japanese, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 29

#27. Alinea

- Rating: 4.4/5 (2714 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1723 North Halsted St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American, Modern European
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 29

#26. Ocean Prime

- Rating: 4.4/5 (406 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 87 East Wacker Drive Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 29

#25. Sapori Trattoria

- Rating: 4.4/5 (2992 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2701 North Halsted St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Desserts, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

6 / 29

#24. Girl & The Goat

- Rating: 4.4/5 (10467 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 809 West Randolph Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American, Bars, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 29

#23. La Grande Boucherie

- Rating: 4.4/5 (509 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 431 North Dearborn St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Steakhouses, French, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 29

#22. Wagyu House by The X Pot

- Rating: 4.4/5 (731 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1147 South Delano Court East Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Hot Pot, Japanese, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 29

#21. Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab

- Rating: 4.4/5 (3147 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 60 East Grand Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 29

#20. Indienne

- Rating: 4.4/5 (255 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 217 West Huron St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Indian, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Best public high schools in the Chicago metro area

11 / 29

#19. Aba

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1825 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 302 North Green St. Floor 3 Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Mediterranean, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 29

#18. Monteverde

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1415 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1020 West Madison St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian, Desserts, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 29

#17. Eden

- Rating: 4.5/5 (406 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2734 West Roscoe St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American, Breakfast & Brunch, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 29

#16. Butcher and the Bear

- Rating: 4.5/5 (120 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2721 North Halsted St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 29

#15. Kasama

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1168 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1001 North Winchester Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Filipino, Bakeries, New American
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Highest-paying management jobs for people in Chicago

16 / 29

#14. EVER

- Rating: 4.5/5 (161 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1340 West Fulton St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 29

#13. EL Ideas

- Rating: 4.5/5 (395 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 2419 West 14th St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 29

#12. Trivoli Tavern

- Rating: 4.5/5 (794 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 114 North Green St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 29

#11. Bavette's Bar & Boeuf

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3366 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 218 West Kinzie Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 29

#10. Gretel

- Rating: 4.5/5 (402 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2833 West Armitage Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American, Speakeasies
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Lowest-paying jobs in Chicago

21 / 29

#9. The Evie

- Rating: 4.6/5 (261 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 537 North Michigan Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: American, Sushi Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 29

#8. Dear Margaret

- Rating: 4.6/5 (163 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 2965 North Lincoln Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: French, Comfort Food, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 29

#7. jeong

- Rating: 4.6/5 (213 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 1460 West Chicago Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Korean, New American
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 29

#6. Goosefoot

- Rating: 4.6/5 (343 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 4520 North Lincoln Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 29

#5. Ciccio Mio

- Rating: 4.7/5 (564 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 226 West Kinzie Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Chicago 7-day weather forecast

26 / 29

#4. Amaru

- Rating: 4.7/5 (449 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1904 West North Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Latin American, Caribbean, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 29

#3. Teatro ZinZanni

- Rating: 4.7/5 (152 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 32 West Randolph St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Dinner Theater, Music Venues, Comedy Clubs
- Read more on Yelp

28 / 29

#2. Oriole

- Rating: 4.7/5 (424 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 661 West Walnut St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 29

#1. Penumbra

- Rating: 4.8/5 (987 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 Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.