✦ City Guide · Southern

Best Southern Restaurants in Chicago

The best Southern restaurants in Chicago — 6 ranked picks across the city, with ratings, dishes and live availability.

6 picks

The 6 best Southern restaurants in Chicago, ranked. Daisy's Po' Boy and Tavern takes the top spot at 4.6 stars, and Daisy's Po' Boy and Tavern is the one the most people have weighed in on — 2,997 reviews. If you only order one thing, make it the po'boys at Daisy's Po' Boy and Tavern. They are spread across 4 neighborhoods, so there is probably one near you. Most of this list stays under $40 a head. None of these take online reservations — they are walk-in or phone-only, so go early.

Chicago has 6 Southern restaurants on our list, spread across 4 neighborhoods.

Daisy's Po' Boy and Tavern Watch

Daisy's Po' Boy and Tavern

Southern  ·  Hyde Park  ·  $$

★★★★½ 4.6

Southern in Hyde Park — 4.6 across 2,997 diner reviews

Must-try: Po'Boys, Fried Chicken, Seafood Gumbo

📍 5215 S Harper Ave, Chicago, IL 60615

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Roux Diner Watch

Roux Diner

Southern  ·  Hyde Park  ·  $$

★★★★½ 4.6

Southern in Hyde Park — 4.6 across 2,769 diner reviews

Must-try: Sausage Biscuit, Southern Breakfast

📍 1055 E 55th St, Chicago, IL 60615

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Etc. Watch

Etc.

Southern  ·  The Loop  ·  $$

★★★★½ 4.5

Southern in The Loop — 4.5 across 1,124 diner reviews

Must-try: Oxtail with Purple Grits, Lamb Chops, Fried Green Tomatoes

📍 404 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607

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Cleo's Southern Cuisine Watch

Cleo's Southern Cuisine

Southern  ·  Bronzeville  ·  $$

★★★★☆ 4.4

Southern in Bronzeville — 4.4 across 394 diner reviews

Must-try: Catfish, Chicken and Waffles, Gold Corn Muffin

📍 4248 S Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago, IL 60653

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Virtue Watch

Virtue

Southern  ·  Hyde Park  ·  $$

★★★★☆ 4.3

Southern in Hyde Park — 4.3 across 2,478 diner reviews

Must-try: Fried Green Tomatoes, Short Rib, Mac and Cheese

📍 1462 E 53rd St

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Big Jones Watch

Big Jones

Southern  ·  Andersonville  ·  $$

★★★★☆ 4.1

Southern in Andersonville — 4.1 across 1,048 diner reviews

Must-try: Buttermilk Biscuit Egg Sandwich, Beignets

📍 5347 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Southern restaurant in Chicago?

Daisy's Po' Boy and Tavern — 4.6 stars across 2,997 reviews, the highest on this list. Southern in Hyde Park — 4.6 across 2,997 diner reviews.

Do these restaurants take reservations?

None of the 6 on this page take online bookings — they are walk-in or phone-only. Going early, or on a weeknight, is the reliable move.

Which neighborhood has the most Southern restaurants in Chicago?

Hyde Park, with 3 on this list, followed by The Loop with 1. In total these 6 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 — 6 of the 6 here have a TikTok attached to their card. Every entry is checked as open before it ships.

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📍 Southern Hyde Park