IL · Harry Score ranking
The 10 Best Restaurants in Chicago.
Ranked by Harry Score — the same formula Harry applies everywhere, run across the whole city, not just the centre. Anything above seventy is worth leaving the house for. Above eighty-five is the reason to make a plan.
Chicago's best restaurants are not spread across the city; they are stacked inside a few blocks of Fulton Market and the West Loop, unusual for a city this size. Smyth, Ever, and Next all sit within walking distance of each other, and all three built their name on the tasting menu, not a signature dish. That is the real pattern: Chicago's top tier is a format bet, not a cuisine. Everyday Chicago and best-of Chicago barely overlap — deep dish is not on this list, and it shouldn't be.
Harry's ten — Chicago
Ranked by Harry Score.- 01Oriole
american · modern-european — 661 W Walnut St, Chicago
4.8 across 654 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; named by Michelin Guide and World's 50 Best.
Occasion WorthyHarry
98
Worth It
80
- 02Waffle Vibes
breakfast · acai-shop — 315 W North Ave Ste 1, Chicago
5.0 across 176 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; punches well above its price point.
Great ValueHarry
96
Worth It
85
- 03Omakase by Kanemaru
japanese · sushi — 40 W Hubbard St, Chicago
5.0 across 149 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; fairly priced for what it is.
Smart SpendHarry
95
Worth It
82
- 04Ever Restaurant
1340 W Fulton St, Chicago
4.8 across 483 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; named by Michelin Guide and World's 50 Best.
Occasion WorthyHarry
95
Worth It
78
- 05Alinea
american · modern-european — 1723 N Halsted St, Chicago
4.6 across 3.0k Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; named by Michelin Guide and World's 50 Best.
Occasion WorthyHarry
94
Worth It
78
- 06Boka
american · modern-european — 1729 N Halsted St, Chicago
4.7 across 2.1k Google reviews; named by Michelin Guide and World's 50 Best.
Occasion WorthyHarry
93
Worth It
77
- 07EL ideas
american — 2419 W 14th St, Chicago
4.8 across 416 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; named by Michelin Guide and James Beard Foundation.
Occasion WorthyHarry
93
Worth It
77
- 08Curry Kitchen
indian — 5304 W Devon Ave, Chicago
4.9 across 442 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; priced about right for what you get.
Smart SpendHarry
92
Worth It
81
- 09Jeong
1460 W Chicago Ave, Chicago
4.8 across 398 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; named by Michelin Guide and Time Out.
Smart SpendHarry
92
Worth It
81
- 10La Cocina de Irma
4224 W 31st St, Chicago
4.9 across 538 Google reviews, and Yelp lands in the same place; a sensible spend, nothing wasted here.
Smart SpendHarry
92
Worth It
81
How this list is built Every restaurant Harry has scored across Chicago with a Harry Score of 70 or more. Cafés, bakeries, bars, shops and tours are left out, and so is anything Harry rates a tourist tax, a false economy or paying for the scene. Chains with several branches get one entry. Ranked by Harry Score. No restaurant pays to appear. Scores last recomputed .
Questions Harry gets about Chicago
- How does Harry rank the best restaurants in Chicago?
- Harry runs every restaurant through a scoring formula that cross-references Google, Yelp, and Tripadvisor ratings and critic coverage, then adjusts for tourist skew, rating anomalies, and value-for-money. The Harry Score runs from 0 to 100. Any restaurant above 70 is worth the evening. Above 85, it's the reason to make a plan. This list is ranked by Harry Score, highest first.
- Are these Chicago restaurant recommendations paid placements?
- No. Harry Hungry operates with no paid placements and no affiliate links. Every restaurant on this page earned its position through the scoring formula — a restaurant cannot pay to appear here.
- What is the highest-scored restaurant in Chicago?
- Oriole, with a Harry Score of 98/100. It tops the list above.
Explore by cuisine — Chicago
Harry's best in other cities
Elsewhere: Harry's best (all cities) · All cities · The standing.