Restaurants

Chicago is a restaurant town, but before it was a so, Chicago was a steak town. It still is in many ways, but the protein- and iron-heavy genre has diversified, so we give you the classic steakhouses and others with a touch of the new Chicago school of chefs that are bending the genre to their liking.

In Chicago, it's about the deep, deep dish pizza, sauce on top, but a new crop of pizza-teurs are blurring the lines when it comes to what dough will fly in the competitive Chicago pizza market. Here are some of the city's favorite deep dish spots, mixed in with the emerging thin crust scene. Yes, we take our pizzas that seriously.

Chicago is a multi-ethnic city with 77 distinct communities offering an array of dining choices. With such a rich variety, odds are you will find it here. These neighborhoods are a good place to get started.

Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, where new racial identities are formed while the Old World identities are passed down, often through the universal cultural identifier that is food-in this case, Italian cuisine.

Let's face it: it's not easy to make a bad hamburger, but the grill-tenders in Chicago seem to have the creation of a really great burger down to a time- and competition-tested professional skill. And while we love the idea of a foie gras burger, sometimes you just need a bun and a beef patty, and all is right with the world, so below we bounce back and forth between bargain and high-end Chicago burger spots.

Bordered by the greatest of the Great Lakes, Chicago is a city that's used to large expanses of water, but it's only with the advent of 24-hour-round-the-world shipping that sushi has grown into its own here. On the other hand, serious seafood restaurants have been operating alongside their steakhouse brethren for years.

Navy Pier is almost a hundred years old, but don't let its age fool you. Today's Pier is just as modern as Chicago itself, offering enough entertainment to keep all branches of the family tree busy. When visiting the ultimate tourist destination of the Midwest, be prepared for an action-packed day, as this year-round carnival cranks out fun regardless of the season.

Navy Pier Family Video

Chicago bars are no slouches when it comes to the output of their kitchen: burgers and nachos share space here with more specialized options like shepherd's pie or mussels in a sublime broth.

A first-hand account of the history of Chicago-style pizza takes a look at the origins of putting the tomato sauce on top and serving it up hot and deep.

From February 22-29, 35 of the city’s best restaurants will feature a three-course prix-fie lunch for $21.95 and a three-course dinner for $31.95.

From rib tips to pulled pork to baby backs to brisket - when it comes to delicious barbeque, Chicago does it all and does it right.

Get Your Blog Here!

We've put together a list of our favorite Chicago-area food- and wine-related blogs. Check them out and then head back here, to ConciergePreferred.com, for all the info you need...or to actually book your reservation through the Open Table link in every one of our restaurant listings.