The Chicago Diner, Lakeview

★★★★☆ 4.2 (2350) • $$

"I've loved this restaurant ever since I first ate here almost a decade ago. There are a few other locations. The ice cream shakes are AMAZING. I would come here just for them. My mom said her taco salad was just okay & she wouldn't get it again. Normally I really adore the Cajun black bean burger but for some reason this time it wasn't as good as I remember it. I think they just had an off night bc normally the food is killer good. The Lavender Gimlet tasted like gin and lavender, haha, so if that's EXACTLY what you want - then get it. I'm really sensitive to the taste of alcohol so I wished it was sweetened or more sweet. I ended up pouring it into my strawberry milkshake, hahaha, which did the job...ALSO. They played Cigarettes After Sex ('Sweet'), Mazzy Star ('Fade Into You'), & LANA. DEL. REY. ('Let the Light In' ft. Father John Misty). Hearing ur favourite music in a public place is insaaaaane. Would highly recommend to everybody, even non-vegans! Thanks Chicago Diner :)"

The Chicago Diner, Logan Square

★★★★☆ 4.3 (1064) • $$

"Their Thai chili wings are a MUST!! Soo flavorful and filling. The portion sizes are also huge- perfect for sharing. We ended up getting full after two apps but we'll def be back for some more!"

Folklore Argentine Grill

★★★★☆ 3.9 (817) • $$

"Walked into Folklore Argentine Grill because we wanted to try something new. The atmosphere is nice with unique lighting and flamenco music. There are two dining rooms. The first is smaller and has a more casual vibe. The second, main room is livelier but has a more romantic feel. Sat at the bar for a few minutes while they found us a table. Tried the pauloma (that's how they spell it) and it was excellent. Strong and tasty. Tried the caipirinha as well and that was just as good. We were seated in the main room and our waiter was very friendly and patient as we took some time to order. He brought out complimentary French bread which was delicious and is definitely made in house. We started with the tortilla de espinaca which was fresh and lighter, and serves 3-4. Next we had the chicken and spinach & cheese empanadas. Both were very good and I'm sure the crust is made in-house as well. Neither of them were greasy. Last we had the berenjena which was flavorful but pretty rich.This Argentine restaurant stands out as authentic with freshly made dishes in a nice area of Wicker Park."

Blue Door Kitchen & Garden

★★★★☆ 4 (745) • $$

"The front window is covered with Michelin awards and the interior is super cute, so I had high expectations walking in.Came here for a work lunch and ordered the $24 Chicken and Waffles, which is front and center on the menu. Service was attentive, friendly and perfect.Chicken and waffles came out and the fried chicken was good. Maybe could use more seasoning. The waffle was a little underwhelming -- I'm sure it was fluffy coming out, but a deflated experience while eating.Waffles. Maybe it's because the chicken was served on top of the waffle?On a positive note, it is a good amount of food. I only finished half!"

Kitchen 17

★★★★☆ 4.1 (590) • $$

"K17 has some of the best French fries I've ever had in my life. The vegan cheese and chili are also pretty amazing. The decor and atmosphere are a lot of fun, and the employees were all kind and helpful. I'll be back!"

Kitsch'n On Roscoe

★★★★☆ 3.6 (614) • $$

"Kitsch'n is one of my most favorite brunch places. It's not even near where I live but I'll drive out of my way to go. Kindest staff, bottomless coffee (and they're always offering and on top of refills) and the food is ‍ *chefs kiss* haha. Their rosemary hash browns are fresh, crunchy, hot and seem to be made fresh vs a frozen clump you might get from somewhere else. My favorites are the Two Deuces and a Jack and the Mac and Cheese. True diner vibes done right! They also have a patio in the back and front! Front patio is dog friendly!"

The Lucky Platter

★★★★☆ 3.6 (587) • $$

"Stopped by for lunch with a colleague on Friday and had a fantastic experience. Once we walked in, we were immediately greeted and seated. The restaurant was crowded, and everyone seemed excited about so many different items on the menu. I decided to try to "adulting" four cheese grilled cheese with tomato soup. It was the perfect combination on a snowy winter day. The creamy cheeses and tomato soup was like a lunch pizza without the pizza part! The soup was a bit cold but the flavors were so incredible! Once we received the check, we have to go over to the shop to pay. The staff were friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu. The only hiccup is parking. The street parking is a bit of a hassle esp when it's cold, but the food and experience is totally worth it! :)"

Kitchen + Kocktails Chicago

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (720) • $$$

"Let me tell you. I just a had next level dining experience here and had to come review this gem immediately. After a long morning walk, at 11:30am party of 3 walk in without a ressie, and you seat us within 5 minutes. Love it!!Seated on the side near the big windows and swing, we were greeted by a delightful waitress. We all ordered the fried Catfish and grits. This dish delivered transported our taste buds to the next level taste it was so good. The portions are more than generous and I'm grateful to leave knowing I'm going to eat me some more later. Would've ordered the huge buttery slice of cornbread but that's what I call be greedy knowing good and well I couldn't stuff it in. So next time, I'm starting with cornbread."

Kuma's Corner - West Loop

★★★★☆ 3.9 (441) • $$

"I had been to the original Kuma's Corner on Belmont previously, but recently on a rainy Sunday afternoon we wound up at the Kuma's Corner in the West Loop on Fulton Market. We originally were headed to a nearby establishment but were stunned to find it closed that day. Our Plan B turned out to be a big thumbs up for our rain-soaked party of five. We were seated right away, and the service throughout our mealtime was on the mark for us with a pitcher of ice water, and an efficiency of ordering and serving of food and drink. My love and I selected brews from Forbidden Root and Three Floyds to go along with the heavy metal decor and tunes. The burgers are served on pretzel buns and include a side of fries. The three young men of our group each ordered the Famous Kuma, and why not? This burger has bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and of course the fried egg. I do believe the young men all liked the Famous Kuma. My love and I split the Mastodon, which was topped with bacon, cheddar, fried onion and BBQ sauce. Based on our appetites that afternoon, the savory Mastodon and generous side of fries hit the spot perfectly for the two of us."

Min's Noodle House 渔家重庆小面

★★★★☆ 4.2 (357) • $$

"I came here after a Sox game for takeout to bring back to my place. I ordered both the Spicy Pig Ears and Original Spicy Chunking Noodles and they were both DELICIOUS. Portion size was good and normal for the price point and I devoured my food. I probably should have just eaten there so it was 100% fresh out of the kitchen, but either way it tasted great even 25 minutes later when I arrived home. This place is a sleeper gem for sure - if you are craving more of Chongqing-style of food, come here!"

Ssyal

★★★★☆ 4.3 (319) • $$

"5 stars all across the board! Didn't even matter that service was kind of slow because the food was as authentic as authentic Korean gets !Being a last minute decision driving by, we saw a couple people walking out and decided to try it since I had heard all good things. It was wonderful!The best rice cakes we have found in a while. Their bimbop hot stone pot was delicious with extra crunchy rice at the bottom. Flavors were on 10 and enjoyed every single delicious bite !"

The Budlong Southern Chicken

★★★★☆ 3.8 (398) • $$

"I think 2 Stars IS MORE THAN GENEROUS!I ordered via delivery and was EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED ON SOOOO MANY LEVELS!While the delivery box and items were presented as a "delicious" assortment-the opposite was true!The Mac and Cheese tasted like "pure butter" no cheese!The Chicken Sandwich was NOT TENDER and after two bites it hit the garbage can.The Cole Slaw looked "healthy" but was unflavorful...For me, sad that I spent the money as I had been wanting to try their Chicken Sandwich and sides for over a year! BUMMER!"

Jibarito's on Harlem

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (442) • $

"Excellent foods. My favorites are jibaritos de pollo (chicken) or bistec (steak) or camarrones (shrimp)/pulpo (octopus) mixto, maduros (sweet plantains), relleno de papa (meat stuffed potatoes), arroz con gandules (rice n peas). When I originally started coming here they didn't sale alcohol now they do with great options. The caprinina is excellent. There was also a small seating area now its larger. Parking is street and can be challenging but people are always circulating in and out. The fish filet is also very good it's not dry and again everything fresh and hot. The service is decent they give you your space to eat and dine so you may have to wave them down if they are busy. I suggest trying everything you like you wont be disappointed."

Bacchanalia Ristorante

★★★★☆ 4.1 (257) • $$

"There needs to be more restaurants like Bacchanalia in Chicago. A classic, family run, hidden gem! The food here is so delicious, and such generous portions. Great for sharing! My favorites are the baked clams, sausage and peppers, rigatoni vodka, and chicken vesuvio!"

Bagel Miller

★★★★☆ 3.6 (326) • $$

"Well I'll start off by saying the bagel was delicious. Happy with that. But for 2 bagels and a black coffee, $25 seems a little steep for me. Not crazy, but a little expensive. Only issue with the bagel, called classic egg, however it was scrambled and mixed with milk. My wife was not able to eat hers because of the lactose. I would expect a fried egg, disappointed in that."

Joey G's Mac & Cheese

★★★★☆ 4.1 (223) • $

"My partner and I went to Joey G's on a Saturday afternoon and stepped into cheesy mac heaven. Here is what we ordered:Classic Mac & Cheese (small)Cheeseburger Mac & Cheese (small)Cheesy Fries (large)Italian Beef w GiardinieraScoop of ice cream (chocolate chip cookie dough)Free Italian butter cookie with a $5 purchase We felt like little kids, giddy and delighted. It is fast casual; order at the counter and seat yourself. The cashier did bring our food out to us, and our food came out freshly made to order in tin foil containers, which were then placed in bright yellow baskets. I love Joey G's diner feel. Taking all the leftovers from our meal was super easy, all we had to do was ask for lids.My partner, mid-bite of a forkful of cheesy pasta, said "this is the best mac n cheese I've ever had." We've been wanting to come here for about a year, and finally trekked to Ukrainian Village. The restaurant is right at the corner of Western and Augusta. We found free parking easily along Western.We wanted to try a specialty mac and the classic mac so we could compare against a control. The cheese was creamy and nothing that I could ever recreate on my own. I can't wait to try the jalapeño mac and the Buffalo Chicken mac, and the chicken bacon ranch mac. They use the corkscrew rotini/fusilli noodles and it just catches and holds all the cheese. Their mac n cheeses was drool-worthy and the smalls came with two pieces of garlic bread.Another note about their Italian Beef. I mean, WOW. Move over Portillo's, maybe I've been living under a rock but their Italian beef here I would dare say was actually my favorite. We ordered it wet with giardiniera and I am still thinking about it. Their Monday special is an Italian Beef sandwich (limit two!) for ONLY $5.95. I am trying to clear my Mondays just for this deal.Joey G's is all the rage, get your Mac (fusilli) & cheese fix, plus your Italian Beef fix, and just get here stat! You can choose an Italian butter cookie from the counter with an order of $5. And coming back to the feeling of nostalgia and being a kid, my partner and I ended our meal by sharing an ice cream cone and nibbling on cookies. It does not get better than this :)"

ETA Restaurant + Bar

★★★★☆ 3.7 (70) • $$

"This was our breakfast spot. Cozy midsize Resturant and bar located in the Loews hotel. No wait time during the week or Saturday. Avocado toast without kale or egg. I was glad I was able to order it to my liking. One morning it was served with everything but the bagel seasoning. Steak top with chimichurri, potatoes and eggs with side toast. Coffee cup was never empty. Edwin was very attentive on our first day. Young lady with peace on her name tag was also attentive."

Chicago Food on the Run

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (39)

"I recently came up with a "I Can't Stop Talking About How Good They Are" list. Food On The Run is now on the list. In my usual fashion, I arrived at the restaurant just as they were opening. Ordered lemon pepper salmon with sides of collards, candied yams, and macaroni and cheese.I have gone to enough Northern soul food restaurants to not have high expectations. Food On the Run blew my mind. The salmon was tasty and juicy without being undercooked. The collards actually had flavor; Lord knows that a lot of restaurants get that wrong. The macaroni and cheese was of the variety that you bring to family dinner with bragging rights. And the candied yams only needed crust. For takeaway, I had a slice of sweet potato pie that was real deal goody-goody.Because I got to the restaurant as early as I did, the dining area wasn't quite ready to receive seatings. However, they made a quick adjustment and I was able to enjoy everything right from the kitchen.I don't know what magic ball they have. They kept telling me I'll be back. They weren't lying."

The Budlong Southern Chicken

★★★★☆ 3.6 (9)

"A new food "hall" and it has a Budlong Hot Chicken? YES! A great little location serving up their delicious food from a friendly staff.They have a small menu, but everything sounds great. I went with The Southern (as I'm a sucker for Pimento Cheese!), served in Nashville Hot sauce, a side of fries, and a root beer. The chicken was fantastic! The flavor was pretty spicy but it was absolutely perfect for me. And the portion size is pretty decent. Sure, prices are higher than I'd like but this is not a run-of-the-mill spot so I can stomach the upcharge.Most importantly, they chicken was ready FAST. It was literally just a few minutes from standing in line to eating, and that's great during a weekday lunch time. And on top of that I got to pick breast or thigh meat - bonus!While I usually don't stray this far east for lunch very often I will certainly remember that this place. If you've never had it, give it a try!"

Grand Rising Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.7 (3)

"Family and Friends Restuarant with your favorite meals, conversation and relaxed atmosphere, great polite and fast servers, feels like home.... without the work Laughing Out Loud!! Come On By and Enjoy a Meal Favorite!"