✦ City Guide · New American

Best New American Restaurants in Chicago

The best New American restaurants in Chicago — 14 ranked picks across the city, with ratings, dishes and live availability.

14 picks

The 14 best New American restaurants in Chicago, ranked. Alinea takes the top spot at 4.9 stars, and S.K.Y. is the one the most people have weighed in on — 3,106 reviews. If you only order one thing, make it the edible balloon at Alinea. They are spread across 4 neighborhoods, so there is probably one near you. This is a higher-spend list — plan accordingly. 2 of the 14 take online reservations, and the live availability badge on each card shows what is actually open tonight.

Chicago has 14 New American restaurants on our list, spread across 4 neighborhoods.

Alinea

New American  ·  Lincoln Park  ·  $$$$

★★★★½ 4.9

New American in Lincoln Park — 4.9 across 1,376 diner reviews

Must-try: Edible Balloon, Tasting Menu

📍 1723 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

Elske

New American  ·  West Loop  ·  $$$$

★★★★½ 4.7

New American in West Loop — 4.7 across 2,107 diner reviews

Must-try: Tasting Menu, Smoked Fruits and Vegetables

📍 1350 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

Esme

New American  ·  Lincoln Park  ·  $$$$

★★★★½ 4.7

New American in Lincoln Park — 4.7 across 1,758 diner reviews

Must-try: Charred Ribs with Banana Caramel, Sweet Potato Ice Cream with Caviar

📍 2200 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614

Valhalla

New American  ·  Wicker Park  ·  $$$$

★★★★½ 4.7

New American in Wicker Park — 4.7 across 1,413 diner reviews

Must-try: Scotch Egg-Inspired Lamb, Arrachera, Spicy Ceviche

📍 2020 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622

Boka

New American  ·  Lincoln Park  ·  $$$$

★★★★½ 4.7

New American in Lincoln Park — 4.7 across 1,368 diner reviews

Must-try: Grilled and Glazed Beets, Tasting Menu

📍 1729 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

Schwa

Schwa

New American  ·  Wicker Park  ·  $$$$

★★★★½ 4.7

New American in Wicker Park — 4.7 across 1,019 diner reviews

Must-try: Foie Gras Pancakes In Raisin-Miso Broth

📍 1466 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Maxwells Trading

New American  ·  West Loop  ·  $$$$

★★★★½ 4.5

New American in West Loop — 4.5 across 3,101 diner reviews

Must-try: Clay Pot Rice, French Onion Dip, Scallion Pancakes

📍 1516 W Carroll Ave, Chicago, IL 60607

Txa Txa Club

New American  ·  Logan Square  ·  $$$$

★★★★½ 4.5

New American in Logan Square — 4.5 across 1,476 diner reviews

Must-try: Condensed Milk Yogurt Plate, Gai Lan with Cured Egg Yolk

📍 3268 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

North Pond

New American  ·  Lincoln Park  ·  $$$$

★★★★½ 4.5

New American in Lincoln Park — 4.5 across 568 diner reviews

Must-try: Seasonal Tasting Menu, Pond Views

📍 2610 N Cannon Dr, Chicago, IL 60614

John's Food And Wine

New American  ·  Lincoln Park  ·  $$$$

★★★★☆ 4.1

New American in Lincoln Park — 4.1 across 2,014 diner reviews

Must-try: Lumache with Shaved Truffles, Fried Branzino, Butterscotch Pudding

📍 2114 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

Smyth

New American  ·  West Loop  ·  $$$$

★★★★☆ 4.1

New American in West Loop — 4.1 across 789 diner reviews

Must-try: Beef Tongue with Brioche Doughnuts, Cured-Egg Yolk Meringue

📍 177 N Ada St, Chicago, IL 60607

S.K.Y.

New American  ·  Lincoln Park  ·  $$$$

★★★½☆ 3.9

New American in Lincoln Park — 3.9 across 3,106 diner reviews

Must-try: Lobster Dumplings, Fried Chicken with Habanero Butter, Lamb Tikka Meatballs

📍 2300 N Lincoln Park W, Chicago, IL 60614

All Well

New American  ·  West Loop  ·  $$$$

★★★½☆ 3.9

New American in West Loop — 3.9 across 2,754 diner reviews

Must-try: Raclette Baked Potatoes, Tempura Maitake with Pipian Mole

📍 111 N Carpenter St, Chicago, IL 60607

Sepia

New American  ·  West Loop  ·  $$$$

★★★½☆ 3.9

New American in West Loop — 3.9 across 1,428 diner reviews

Must-try: Sablefish with Uni, Roasted Duck, Scallop Chawanmushi

📍 123 N Jefferson St, Chicago, IL 60661

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best New American restaurant in Chicago?

Alinea — 4.9 stars across 1,376 reviews, the highest on this list. New American in Lincoln Park — 4.9 across 1,376 diner reviews.

Do these restaurants take reservations?

2 of the 14 book online — Maxwells Trading and Txa Txa Club. The rest are walk-in or phone-only. Each card here shows live availability for tonight where the restaurant publishes it.

Which neighborhood has the most New American restaurants in Chicago?

Lincoln Park, with 6 on this list, followed by West Loop with 5. In total these 14 picks span 4 neighborhoods.

How were these picked?

Ratings and review volume decide the order, but the list itself is drawn from restaurants people actually post about — 13 of the 14 here have a TikTok attached to their card. Every entry is checked as open before it ships.