29 Best Restaurants in River North, Chicago

Devotees of chef Rick Bayless queue up for the bold flavors of his distinct fare at this casual restaurant brightly trimmed in Mexican folk art, where the menu changes monthly. Bayless visits Mexico frequently, updating his already extensive knowledge of regional food and cooking techniques, and he frequently takes his staff with him, ensuring that even the servers have an encyclopedic knowledge about the food. Bar Sótano, in the Frontera Grill basement, serves mezcal and agave, alongside modern Mexican bar food including Oaxacan drinking snacks.

Chef-owner Rick Bayless wrote the book on regional Mexican cuisine—several books, actually—and here he takes his faithfully prepared regional food upscale. Next door to the more casual Frontera Grill, Topolobampo shares Frontera's address, phone, and dedication to quality, though it’s a higher-end room, with a more subdued mood and a menu of tasting options. 

If you’re finding it difficult to accommodate everyone’s cravings, Beatrix is the ultimate crowd pleaser. The restaurant offers comfort food with a healthy twist for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch; options include salads and burgers as well as larger entrées. Open early until late, the bakery churns out fresh pastries and specialty coffees in the morning before the bar crowd swings in around happy hour to sip on fresh-squeezed-juice cocktails, wines, and craft beers.

The late comedian John Belushi immortalized the Goat's short-order cooks on Saturday Night Live, barking their signature, "No Pepsi, Coke!" and "No fries, chips!" at customers, and you can still hear the shtick at this subterranean spot. The diner food is cheap and tasty, the staff is super friendly, and people-watching is a favorite sport—pop by during a break in sight-seeing or head by late-night to check out the bar.

Brett's Kitchen is an excellent spot for a quick pastry, sandwich, or omelet. It's super casual: order at the counter and grab a seat.

A Spanish expat from Galicia runs this tapas restaurant beloved by visiting Spaniards, local families, dating couples, and bargain chowhounds for the selection of shareable classic and creative small plates, most for under $10 and featuring a range of meat, seafood, and veggie options. This is a loud and boisterous spot, so be prepared for conviviality—but sometimes on weekends waits can stretch to hours.

There are a lot of good things to come when you enter this Tuscan-inspired restaurant, namely richly flavored pastas, an antipasto table, impeccable seafood, and meats from the wood-fired oven. The discreet, professional service softens the rustic, open-loft setting of exposed-brick walls and wood floors, while the seasonal menus keep customers coming back again and again.

Gaucho-clad servers parade through the dining room brandishing carved-to-order fire-roasted meats at this Brazilian churrascaria. Start at the lavish Market Table with an array of seasonal salads, antipasti, and charcuterie; then, using a plate-side disc, signal green for "go" to bring on the selection of meats.

Famed Cubs announcer Harry Caray died in 1998, but his legend lives on as fans continue to pour into the namesake restaurant—where Harry frequently held court—for Italian-American specialties, prime steaks and chops, and ice-cold martinis. If you're looking for a classic Chicago spot to catch a game, the generally thronged bar serves items off the restaurant menu. You can also follow the summer crowds to Navy Pier and the Harry Caray's outpost there.

Chef Sujan Sarkar offers Chicago's only Indian tasting menu, blending French cooking techniques with the bold, beautiful flavors of India. Expect a fresh menu of playful, flavor-packed interpretations every few months challenging the way people think about Indian cuisine in America. Welcoming all appetites, the prix fixe is available in non-vegetarian, vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian menus. The sophisticated setting features pink velvet banquette and colorful artwork, while pours from around the world showcase how Indian food can be perfectly paired with a variety of wines.

A Chicago institution long before it inspired The Bear, Mr. Beef's two-fisted Italian beef sandwiches piled with green peppers and provolone cheese are iconic. It garners citywide fans from area hard hats to restaurateurs and TV personalities. Service and setting—two indoor picnic tables and a dining rail—are fast-food no-nonsense, and the fare is inexpensive; it's a workingman's favorite, though located near River North's art galleries.

It's easy, crowd-pleasing Italian here, with an array of classic pasta, salads, meat, and seafood dishes. The results are tasty, but Osteria shines brightest at making you feel comfortable. If you opt for the $49.95 prix-fixe, you pick an entrée and servers do the rest, working the room with several rounds of communal platters of antipasti followed by your entrée and dessert.

Serving inch-thick pizzas in a comfortable, well-worn dining room, Pizzeria Due is where everyone goes when they've found out that Uno, the original home of Chicago's deep-dish pizza up the street, has an hour-plus wait. Both restaurants serve deep-dish, but Due also offers thin-crust pizzas.

Chicago deep-dish pizza got its start here in 1943, and both local and out-of-town fans continue to pack this Victorian brownstone for the filling pies, while the dim, paneled rooms with reproduction light fixtures make the setting a slice of Old Chicago. Plan on two thick, cheesy slices or less as a full meal; this is no quick-to-your-table pie so also order salads and be prepared to entertain the kids during the inevitable wait.

Started in 1963 as a hot dog stand called "The Dog House" in the Chicago suburbs, this River North restaurant is a favorite among locals and tourists alike (usually with a drive-thru line to prove it). A "Chicago Style" hot dog (mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes, pickle, celery salt, and peppers) is the obvious quick bite, but what about an Italian beef sandwich—yum!

Named for the Sunda Shelf, an ancient Southeast Asian landmass, this trendy spot scours Asia for riotously flavorful fare, including dim sum, rice and noodle dishes, and signature sushi offerings, while well-executed cocktails and Asian beer selections complement the sweet, sour, and spicy dishes. The buzzing and expansive space cobbles together communal and traditional tables and lounge seating alongside Asian antiques.

World-renowned Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio makes his foray into the Chicago dining scene with this sleek homage to the cuisine of his homeland. Small-format dishes make it easy to try everything, and the pisco-based cocktails are unmatched; just be wary of your wallet, as prices tend to add up quickly.

The luxurious Langham Hotel doesn’t disappoint with this elegant American restaurant located on the second floor, where cushy, white-leather seats pamper guests gaping at the glittering city lights through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The menu offers an array of shareable snacks along with entrées and salads; the dishes have global touches that keep them interesting while still remaining approachable.

Vermilion's focus on creative, high-end Latin–Indian fusion fare sets it apart on a busy stretch in River North, and lots of small-plate options, including takes on classic Indian street food for both brunch and dinner, encourage sampling. Despite cool fashion photography on the walls and techno music in the air, the vibe is warm and welcoming.

The Wildfire kitchen's wood-burning oven is visible from the dining room at this cozy supper club-style steak house that plays a soundtrack of vintage jazz. No culinary innovations here, just exceptional cuts of meat and top-quality seafood.

By opening a third restaurant next door to perennial favorites Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, celeb chef Rick Bayless has taken control of this River North block. With Xoco, he's given the city the ultimate place for tortas (Mexican sandwiches) served at breakfast, lunch, and dinner; caldos, generous bowls of pozole, and other Latin-inspired soups; and hot chocolate made from cacao beans that are roasted and ground on the premises. There's also a killer Saturday brunch menu and a happy hour with cheap drinks and bar snacks.