For years, our team at ChicagoApartmentBuildings.com has helped people from out of town find a place to live in Chicago. We walk them through neighborhoods, compare buildings and answer a lot of questions about the L.
But once the lease is sorted, the question that comes up more than any other has nothing to do with apartments:
"Okay, so where should I eat?"
Sometimes it's "Where do I get a real Italian beef?" Sometimes it's "Is deep dish actually what people eat here?" Most often it's just "What's good near my new place?"
We always had answers. We'd send a text with a few favorites, or scribble a list on the back of a floor plan. After enough of those lists, we figured we should write them down properly, in one place, for everyone. That's Eat Drink Chicago.
What makes this guide different
There's no shortage of "best restaurants in Chicago" lists. Most are built for visitors who have one weekend, or for food lovers who already know the scene. We wanted something for the person who just moved here and has a whole year to figure it out.
So we built it around a few rules.
We organize by food, not by cuisine. You don't go looking for "Italian." You go looking for an Italian beef, a tavern-style pizza or a jibarito. Every category on the site is a specific thing to eat or drink.
We keep the lists short. Each category has a handful of places, usually five to ten. It's a shortlist, not a phone book. If a place is on it, we think it's worth your time.
We tell you what to order. Every listing names the dish or drink to get when you walk in, so your first visit is a good one.
We pick places critics and locals agree on. We lean on well-regarded food writers and on the spots Chicagoans actually argue about. That's why you'll find the famous names next to the neighborhood counters most visitors never hear about.
We tell you where it is. Every place is tagged by neighborhood, because when you're new, "close to home" matters as much as "best in the city."
No one pays to be here. There are no ads and no sponsored listings. Every place is here because we'd send a friend there.
We keep it current. We re-check every listing each quarter and pull places that have closed. We also leave out things that change often, like hours and menu prices, so always check a restaurant's own site before you go.
Where to start
If you just arrived, start with New to Chicago? 20 Foods to Eat in Your First Year. It's a checklist of the dishes that make Chicago Chicago, with one reliable place to try each one.
Already know which neighborhood you're moving to? Our neighborhood guides cover the best food and drink in Lincoln Park, the West Loop, Logan Square, Lakeview, the South Side and more.
Want to go deep on one food? Our food and drink guides explain how to order an Italian beef, settle the deep dish vs. tavern-style debate, and cover everything from barbecue to bagels.
Or just browse the categories and see what you're hungry for.
Tell us what we missed
Chicago is a big food city, and no list is ever finished. If you think we've left out a great spot, or a place on the list has slipped, we want to hear about it. This guide started as answers to our clients' questions, and we'd like to keep it that way.
Welcome to Chicago. Go eat something.
Still looking for a place to live? ChicagoApartmentBuildings.com is our guide to apartment buildings across the city, from the same people who make this site.