The best restaurants Chicago

Timetable

A large number of restaurants stay open all day without interruption, in Chicago as well as in all the major cities in the region. They usually close around 10pm, and later on Friday and Saturday nights. You'll have no trouble finding a place to eat, whatever the time of day. Once the sun goes down, you can satisfy your munchies (or hunger pangs) at diners serving tacos or hot dogs, such as The Wiener Circle(www.wienercircle.net), which is open until 4am. On the other hand, gourmet establishments tend to close between lunch and dinner, or only open for dinner.

Budget & Tips

Food isn't exactly cheap in Chicago. In a typical restaurant, you can hardly get by for less than US$30 per person for a starter and a main course. However, there are still plenty of options for those on a budget: pizzas, hot dogs, Asian restaurants and neighborhood cafés... Salad bars, of which there are many, especially in the central neighborhoods, are still the healthiest and cheapest option.
What's more, even with expensive dishes, you'll rarely be disappointed by the quantity. And here, asking for a doggy bag is part of the culture. In a country where lunchtime is fairly short compared with Europe, you won't begrudge it. What's more, you can even find local restaurants that, in the interests of efficiency, serve smaller portions for lunch than they do in the evening.

Finally, when it's time to pay, it's very rare for someone to bring you a terminal. So don't be offended if the waiter leaves with your card: he'll debit it without your help! Before, of course, returning it to you with the bill, not without interest...

What costs extra

A thorny subject if ever there was one, tipping deserves a few explanations! To begin with, in the United States, service is never included in a restaurant (with rare exceptions, in which case the words " gratuity included " are displayed on the menu). If you don't want to pay a double tip, before you reach for your wallet, make sure the bill doesn't say "Auto Gratuity"! This is more likely to be the case in bars and cocktail bars, where it often amounts to 20% of the bill, which is a basic tip in their culture.

Whatever the quality of service, it's advisable to leave the equivalent of 15-20% of the bill as a tip. All "suggested tips" start at 20%: 20%, 21%, 22% suggested in reasonable places, 20%, 25%, 30% for the more daring or optimistic...

To simplify the calculation, multiply the local tax on your bill by 2. Even simpler, if you're not already using Tricount to split the cost of your trip between several people: use the Tip N Split mobile app, which will calculate the tip for you. In any case, the reputation of the French is so well established that, once someone has guessed your country of origin, you may find the "Tip" box already filled in at the customary rate! Even if you pay by credit card (we see you coming...), you can't escape the tip. In this case, don't forget to write the amount of the tip in the "Tip" box of the receipt you'll be given, and the total amount of the bill, otherwise you'll be in for a nasty surprise later on.

Finally, you should be aware that restaurant prices are quoted without tax. In addition to the tip, local tax (10.75% in Chicago) is added to the total amount. Suffice it to say that, after all this, the final bill has little to do with the menu prices.

The local way

A large glass of water filled with ice cubes is served in all restaurants, from diners to Michelin-starred establishments. Europeans are often surprised by this, but it's part of basic service in the USA! The other thing that may come as a surprise is the service: American waiters are particularly friendly, so don't be shocked if they ask if you're all right and give you their first name - it's like that in almost every restaurant! As tips are not usually included, service is very diligent, if a little overzealous.

Kids

Children are welcome in most Chicago restaurants, with the exception of some fine dining establishments which are not suitable for younger diners anyway. In almost all other places, you'll have no trouble asking for a high chair to seat your child. Some establishments are more kid-friendly than others: just take a look inside to see whether a restaurant is family-friendly or not! On the other hand, as downtown Chicago is quite gentrified, there are paradoxically more openly dog-friendly places!

Smokers

Smoking is prohibited in enclosed public areas, including restaurants. If you're eating on a terrace, don't light a cigarette either: even if there's no explicit ban, it's highly frowned upon and so unusual that your table-mates are likely to roll their eyes at you. If you wish to smoke before the end of the meal, leave the restaurant and move a few metres away so as not to inconvenience the customers on the terrace.

Tourist traps

American restaurant chains in tourist areas often charge too much for the quality of the food they serve. The Cheesecake Factory and California Pizza Kitchen are good examples. Prefer a small, well-stocked neighborhood restaurant or an authentic deep-dish pizza at one of the restaurants in our selection.