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Barley rice, gochujang sauce, seasoned vegetables, chicken, and soft egg at Hanbun

The 38 Essential Chicago Restaurants, Fall 2017

by Daniel Gerzina and Eater Staff Updated Oct 3, 2017, 10:30am CDT

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Barley rice, gochujang sauce, seasoned vegetables, chicken, and soft egg at Hanbun

| Barry Brecheisen

by Daniel Gerzina and Eater Staff Updated Oct 3, 2017, 10:30am CDT

It's time to update the Eater 38, the answer to any question that begins, "Can you recommend a restaurant?" This highly elite group covers the entire city, spans myriad cuisines and collectively satisfies all restaurant needs. Every few months, pertinent restaurants that were omitted, have newly become eligible (restaurants must be open at least six months) or have stepped up their game will be added. This list is presented in geographical order from north to south.

For the fall 2017 edition, Chicago's suburban Korean destination run by an Eater Young Gun (Hanbun), Logan Square's groundbreaking Mexican restaurant Mi Tocaya Antojeria, and Wicker Park's legacy New Haven-style pizzeria and brewery (Piece) come aboard the 38. Meanwhile, La Sirena Clandestina, El Ideas, and Demera Ethiopian Restaurant come off to make room after all three enjoyed very long stints on the 38.

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Big Jones

Chicago's most acclaimed Southern restaurant culls dishes that revive and update centuries-old recipes with unique ingredients and documentation on the menu, making the food not only a star but also a learning experience to boot. The Andersonville restaurant is serene at dinner, serves a booming brunch and a lunch staple. Most popular dishes include the crawfish etoufee circa 1930, the unique pickle platter, and what many believe is the best fried chicken in town.

5347 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640

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Spacca Napoli

The trendier Neapolitan pizza gets, the more Chicagoans are reminded who many believe does it best. Come for Jonathan Goldsmith's perfectly charred pies from his custom-built oven in this cozy Ravenswood table-service pizzeria, which is low-key with a tight wine list, a picturesque sidewalk patio in the warm months, and a clear reminder that Chicago pizza is much more than deep dish and crispy thin-crust.

1769 W Sunnyside Ave, Chicago, IL 60640

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Band of Bohemia

What is quite possibly the first Michelin-starred brewpub lies on the North Side of Chicago. Five-star dishes emerge from the kitchen during tasting menus, while brunch services and the bar menu provide a taste to diners on a tight budget. Creative beer selections are brewed on-site, which combined with a beautiful Victorian-inspired space, make Band of Bohemia a one-of-a-kind operation for the entire country.

4710 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago, IL 60640

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A spacious dining room with well-lit orange walls and red upholstered chairs. Tables and the floor are made of dark wood.

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Smoque BBQ

With two smokers to prep meaty St. Louis-style ribs, tender brisket, apple-and-oak-smoked pulled pork and more, this 'cue joint in the Northwest Side neighborhood of Irving Park stands up to any within a thousand miles. Outside of Carolina or Texas, it's hard to find better barbecue than Smoque.

3800 N Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60641

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Parachute

Beverly Kim and John Clark's Korean-American restaurant in Avondale is one of the most critically-acclaimed, original, hardest to get into, and best restaurants in America in some time. If diners can snag one of the highly-sought tables in the funky mom-and-pop restaurant from a former "Top Chef," the bing bread that's like a Korean take on baked potato with sour cream bread or the pork belly and mung bean pancake are staples.

3500 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

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A long blue table in a narrow dining room with an exposed brick wall on the left.

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Honey Butter Fried Chicken

It may not serve your momma's fried chicken—with bones, skin, et al—but Honey Butter Fried Chicken has been making swaths of Chicagoans feel like kids again when they dip their birds in that addictive honey butter. Since expanding from supper club to Avondale brick-and-mortar in fall 2013, lines form during peak lunch and dinner hours but move quickly at the cozy-and-jammed counter-service space. Don't forget the house-made iced teas, alcoholic drinks, and specials sometimes created by noteworthy guest chefs.

3361 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

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Honey Butter Fried Chicken is family favorite in Avondale

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Fat Rice

The team behind a former underground supper club reached big-time renown with this creative take on underrepresented Macau cuisine, generally described as Chinese-Portuguese fusion. Brave long lines and one of the toughest reservations in Chicago to sit at communal tables or a diner-esque counter and try the namesake large-format celebratory "Fat Rice," the Chicago/Macanese pork chop sandwich, and the piri piri chicken while old-school hip hop music plays. Also check out the brand-new attached bakery, cocktail lounge, and tasting menus at what's becoming its own little complex on the Logan Square/Avondale border.

2957 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

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A grey extension threshold juts out from the corner of a brick building. A sign on the door reads “Fat Rice.”

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Owen & Engine

This cult favorite British-inspired gastropub on the edge of Logan Square has fish and chips that are nearly as good as across the pond, and the burger is easily one of the best in Chicago. Sit at the bar or grab a table any time in the evening at the casual-yet-sophisticated TV-less space for the feel of a British pub but with better American food and cocktails too.

2700 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

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Mi Tocaya Antojería

Chicago boasts the second-largest Mexican population in America, so Mexican restaurants are far from a rarity in the Windy City. However, few chefs share the talent and drive that Diana Dávila exhibits while showcasing a dazzling display of small dishes in Logan Square. Dávila isn’t shy about risks; she isn’t pandering to the typical American diner. Sure, there’s a delectable steak burrito on the menu for those in the mood, but the albondigas and dishes like peanut butter and tongue push boundaries. Sundays bring specials that aren’t normally offered.

2800 W Logan Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647

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Lula Café

Before Logan Square had a multitude of acclaimed creative restaurants and farm-to-table was a buzz-phrase, there was Lula Café. More than a decade on, it's easy to see why people flock for its creative, delicious, locally-sourced menu, line-inducing Sunday brunch and Monday night farm dinners. Dishes change seasonally and sometimes daily with stars that include standout local produce and meats prepared in unexpected ways. What diners can expect is a wait at brunch and dinner, but weekday breakfasts are quiet and cozy.

2537 N Kedzie Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647

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A storefront inside a brick building from the street. White curtains are visible through a large window and a sign overhead reads “Lula Cafe.”

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Pequod's Pizza

No visitor to the Windy City should leave without experiencing Chicago-style thick-crust pizza, and while Pequod's isn't exactly the deep dish that tourists expect, it has a local following that's arguably greater and more respected than any traditional deep-dish spot. Pequod's pies are technically of the pan variety, a deep doughy pizza that includes an addictive and lauded crispy caramelized crust made from baking cheese on the outside to give it a look that may appear burnt, yet is a textural addition with magnificent crunch that sets it apart from many competitors. Its menu also offers Chicago-style thin-crust pizza at both the full-service city location in Lincoln Park and the suburban spot in Morton Grove. You can also get it delivered.

2207 N Clybourn Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

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A thick slice of deep-dish pizza as its lifted away from the pie.

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Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits

One of the spots responsible for kickstarting Chicago's pie boom, Bang Bang is about much more than pies these days. Yes, the pies are the stars — such as the signature key lime or any of the other daily varieties at either location (there's one in Ravenswood too now) — but the relaxed counter-service spot also serves standout biscuits, other delicious savory dishes and an underrated weekend brunch. Take an Instagram-perfect slice, coffee, or anything on the menu to the adorable swing set-adorned outdoor space in the warmer months.

2051 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

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Giant

After years away from a professional kitchen, Jason Vincent, one of Chicago's most beloved chefs, returned with his first restaurant that's tiny in size but massive in flavor. Vincent and team eschew trends and precious self-important cooking, focusing only on delicious recognizable food that's sneakily complicated, great service and drinks, and a relaxed come-as-you-are atmosphere. The pastas, crab and waffle fries, and fried uni shooter are staples; and make reservations well in advance — the small restaurant is jammed on a nightly basis.

3209 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

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Mindy's Hot Chocolate

While the savory food and the drinks are very good, the sweets and the hot chocolates are predictably not to be missed from an owner with a James Beard award for best pastry chef (Mindy Segal). Crowds flock to this Chicago icon for brunch and peak-hour dinner services, so lunch service is a great bet for minimal waits at the Bucktown superstar.

1747 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

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Boka

Now a decade old, the Boka Group's (Girl & The Goat, GT Fish & Oyster, Momotaro) flagship restaurant in Lincoln Park is better than ever following a reboot that added acclaimed chef Lee Wolen (Eleven Madison Park) and a stunning remodel. Known for variations of his standout roast chicken (here with broccoli, almond, and foie gras), Wolen's food can be experienced in a variety of ways and price points: pick and choose via a la carte, a worldly tasting menu, or casually at the bar.

1729 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

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Alinea

Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas' three-Michelin-starred avant garde fine dining institution is quite simply one of the world's best restaurants. Food obsessives make pilgrimages from around the globe to the 10-year-old Lincoln Park restaurant to experience Achatz's emotional, interactive and expensive tasting menus, which play out in a recently-renovated backdrop that now features three distinct dining options. It clocked in at No. 15 on the most recent World's 50 Best List and is among Eater National's best restaurants in America. Dishes predictably change often on the tasting menus, but the edible balloon and tabletop dessert are among those that put it on the world stage.

1723 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

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Piece Brewery and Pizzeria

Piece is a pioneer in a variety of ways. There weren’t too many restaurants around Wicker Park in 2001 when the pizzeria opened. Piece also challenged a city that savors hometown pizza by introducing many Midwesterners to New Haven, Connecticut-style thin crust. Piece also serves as a brewery with numerous awards that came before Chicago turned into a hotbed for craft beer. Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen is a co-owner making Piece a cherished spot for families and friends to surrender to good times. Look for a variety of chef-created special pizzas, including Hot Doug's Doug Sohn's pizza made with his atomic sausage, which is now on the menu permanently.

1927 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

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Piece Pizza

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Schwa

It’s been more than a decade since Michael Carlson took Chicago by storm but his eccentric restaurant on the eastern edge of Wicker Park remains a one-of-a-kind experience. It’s fine dining minus the pretense as five-star courses are delivered in an intimate and rambunctious environment. From the BYOB policy (bring something for the kitchen too) to the booming hip hop soundtrack, anything goes. Those lucky enough to land a reservation—among the toughest in town—can look forward to decadent bites like the signature quail egg ravioli and possibly even throwing back shots with the staff.

1466 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

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Mott Street

Head to the second restaurant from the people behind the acclaimed Ruxbin for creative, eclectic, delicious takes on Asian street food, cocktails, and a lively patio on the edge of Wicker Park. Don't miss the everything wings, General Tso's lamb sweetbreads, and the Korean-style stuffed cabbage.

1401 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

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Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse

Chicago's steakhouse tradition can be best experienced at Gibson's, the swanky Gold Coast institution that Eater readers voted the best steakhouse in America's meatiest city. Celebrity sightings are frequent in the dining room and on the photos on the walls, while white-jacketed servers provide exquisite meat displays at a quintessential Chicago restaurant experience.

1028 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611

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Boeufhaus

One of the best — and most unassuming — restaurant openings of 2015, Boeufhaus is sort of the anti-steakhouse, serving steak with less pretense as well as standout composed dishes including short rib beignets, a terrific wine list and a deli and meat counter during the day, all in a hip space in an unexpected neighborhoody location on the Ukrainian Village/Humboldt Village border.

1012 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

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Piccolo Sogno

Even if diners can't sit on perhaps the city's best patio all year, the pizzas, house-made pastas and grilled meats make a trip to what may be Chicago's best Italian restaurant worth it even in the dead of winter. It's a modernized but still cozy version of a traditional Italian restaurant in River West with a vibe and decor that work for nearly everyone, from family dinners to romantic dates.

464 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60622

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Portillo's

Whether looking for classic Chicago hot dogs or Italian beef, very few places offer up that kind of greasy iconic Chicago-style street food better than the classic food hall-esque Portillo's on Ontario Street. The place is bustling any time of the day or night, and don't miss the chocolate cake shake.

100 W Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60654

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The Purple Pig

The father-and-son Bannos (Heaven on Seven) duo's restaurant is a torch bearer for Mediterranean small plates and charcuterie, and perhaps the best restaurant on the touristy Magnificent Mile. Its most popular dishes include pig's ear with crispy kale, pickled cherry peppers and fried egg; and chamomile tea-smoked pork leg steak for two with charred cabbage, Sherry Membrillo and pork marrow custard. Be prepared for a wait no matter the time, but it's worth it.

500 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

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Frontera Grill and Topolobampo

Rick Bayless' Mexican haven in River North, including Xoco on the corner, is a Chicago institution spawning spinoffs around the globe of south of the border fare from street food to high end. At Frontera Grill, his original restaurant, folks flock from around the globe to wait in line (there's only limited reservations) for casual, festive, groundbreaking regional Mexican fare. At Topolobampo, connected through a side doorway, Bayless' team serves gorgeous, mind-blowing Michelin-starred tasting menus.

445 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654

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The exterior of a restaurant from the street with large windows. An awning overhead reads “Frontera Grill.”

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The Publican

The template for one of the country's top chefs and restaurant groups (Paul Kahan's One Off Hospitality), their temple to pork, fish, charcuterie and beer is stronger than ever, as evidenced by spinoffs across the street, at O'Hare International Airport, a new bar-driven addition in Wicker Park, and a spot on Eater National's best restaurants in America list. Don't mistake the boisterous atmosphere with long beer hall-esque communal tables for pedestrian food or no waits, as it remains one of Chicago's toughest tables, even for the standout brunch.

837 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607

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A clean, simple space with tall windows, hanging round lamps, and tall, angular wooden furniture.

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Oriole

2016 saw a slew of great restaurant openings but Noah Sandoval’s West Loop stunner perhaps shined the brightest. He, along with his wife Cara and pastry chef Genie Kwon, are leading the way for a new generation of fine dining that’s coupling refined, upscale dishes on its tasting menu, from its caviar starter staple to a Japanese A5 Wagyu, all in a laid-back experience. Critics and diners alike have been impressed, with the Michelin Guide awarding the restaurant two stars in its first year.

661 W. Walnut St., Chicago, IL 60661

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Grace

Note: Grace closed in DecemberWhile Alinea was Chicago's unquestioned leader in modern fine dining for many years, chef Curtis Duffy's Grace has reached the same awe-inspiring level of food, service, wine, experience, and celebrity since opening in late 2012, adding its third Michelin star in 2014, and a James Beard Award in 2016. Duffy and his kitchen's tasting menus (diners can choose either the flora or fauna) change constantly and exude nearly unparalleled precision and refinement, while partner Michael Muser's wine and service are equally destination-worthy. It all adds up to an experience every dining aficionado should have at least once, as it's also Chicago's most expensive restaurant.

652 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661

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Au Cheval

What many decried as a "hipster diner" when this West Loop spot first opened has been lauded many times over, most notably for serving perhaps the best burger in the country. Add in other deliciousness including an addictive bologna sandwich, great cocktails and what can seem like a never-ending line in the evening, makes a destination for eaters from around the globe.

800 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

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Monteverde

The first restaurant from former "Top Chef" and Spiaggia chef Sarah Grueneberg has quickly cemented itself as one of Chicago's top Italian destinations and its tough-to-get reservations are a prime example. The pastas are the stars at the West Loop hotspot, such as cannelloni saltimbocca with merguez lamb sausage, manchego cheese, peas, harissa, and balsamico, many of which are made on a small demonstration stage of sorts behind the bar. Also try non-pasta dishes such as the skate wing schnitzel and 'nduja arancini, as well as a standout wine list.

1020 West Madison Street, Chicago, IL 60607

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A simple, sleek bar with backed stools and a rack for pasta.

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Revival Food Hall

When Revival Food Hall opened, the folks from 16” on Center (Dusek’s, Longman & Eagle) wanted to create a collection of Chicago restaurants from across the city, a single place in the Loop where downtown office workers wouldn’t normally be able to try during the work week. It’s a formidable lineup that includes Smoque BBQ, Antique Taco, The Budlong, and desserts and baked goods from Hot Chocolate’s Mindy Segal. These mini versions may not offer all the menu items of the originals, but nowhere else in Chicago boasts such a mighty group of restaurants under one roof.

125 S Clark St, Chicago, IL 60603

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