The summer’s most talked about restaurants: Chicago
Welcome back to our series on most talked about eateries! We’re closing out the summer with a mini-series on the most popular restaurants in major U.S. cities, as measured by how many people post online reviews about them. You can read our quick primer about the series here. As a recap:
- Consumers overwhelmingly use online reviews to decide which restaurants they’ll patronize
- They mostly care about recent reviews
- Restaurants with lots of reviews tend to have positive ratings and attract more customers
We analyzed millions of online reviews during June and July to make our list. The top restaurants are the ones that were talked about the most on Yelp, Google, TripAdvisor, and other business review sites during the first two months of summer. (So, “recent reviews” means in June and July of this year.)
The top 10 list for Chicago is dominated by deep dish pizza, naturally. Read the whole list below.
1. Giordano’s
Giordano’s is a Chicago icon with restaurants in eight states.
- Fare: Pizza
- Recent reviews: 927 (five Chicago-area locations)
- Yelp score: 4.2 stars
- 1 dish to try: Chicken sausage deluxe deep dish pizza
- Extra credit: You can have a pizza shipped to you anywhere in the U.S.!
2. Pequod’s Pizza
With its famous caramelized crust, Pequod’s Pizza was named one of the nation’s top five pizza joints by Food Network in 2015.
- Fare: Pizza
- Recent reviews: 350
- Yelp score: 4 stars
- 1 dish to try: Add hot giardiniera to your pie
- Extra credit: Check out the $4.95 lunch special — 7″ cheese pan pizza and a fountain soda
3. The Berghoff
The Berghoff is a slice of Chicago history, opening in 1898 and securing the city’s first liquor license post-Prohibition.
- Fare: German
- Recent reviews: 178
- Yelp score: 3.5 stars
- 1 dish to try: Sausage trio — bratwurst, knockwurst, smoke Thuringer
- Extra credit: Shop for Berghoff swag
4. Ditka’s
Patrons will often see Mike Ditka, the former NFL star and legendary Chicago Bears coach, spending his evenings in the restaurant.
- Fare: Steakhouse
- Recent reviews: 176
- Yelp score: 4 stars
- 1 dish to try: Seared day boat scallops
- Extra credit: Join the Hall of Fame Club to get updates from Ditka’s
5. Big Star
In their own words: “Big Star is a bourbon and beer-focused, taco-slinging, late-night honky-tonk in the heart of Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood.
- Fare: Mexican
- Recent reviews: 166
- Yelp score: 3.5 stars
- 1 dish to try: The Walking Taco
- Extra credit: See Big Star’s Instagram tribute to the late Glen Campbell
6. 90 Miles Cuban Cafe
90 Miles Cuban Cafe has been serving up its unique spin on Cuban cuisine since 2008.
- Fare: Cuban
- Recent reviews: 164
- Yelp score: 4 stars
- 1 dish to try: Tuna ceviche
- Extra credit: Read about how the founders migrated to the U.S. on 15-hour ride aboard a shrimp boat!
7. Velvet Taco
Velvet Taco pushes the street taco concept beyond the boundaries of tex-mex.
- Fare: American, Mexican
- Recent reviews: 160
- Yelp score: 4 stars
- 1 dish to try: Spicy tikka chicken
- Extra credit: Ask about their “WTF” weekly taco feature
8. Seven Lions
Seven Lions is a contemporary clubhouse restaurant, attracting patrons for beer, burgers, and power lunches.
- Fare: American
- Recent reviews: 129
- Yelp score: 3.5 stars
- 1 dish to try: Gauguin cheeseburger
- Extra credit: Get to know master sommelier Alpana Singh
9. The Chicago Diner
A vegan destination, The Chicago Diner prides itself on being “meat free since ’83.”
- Fare: Vegan, vegetarian
- Recent reviews: 126
- Yelp score: 4 stars
- 1 dish to try: Truffle mushroom lentil loaf
- Extra credit: Check out their latest cookbook
10. Park & Field
Park & Field puts an artistic spin on the sport club with a gymnasium-themed bar and dining area and a 6,000-square-foot patio area complete with bocce ball courts.
- Fare: American, bar, tapas
- Recent reviews: 122
- Yelp score: 3.5 stars
- 1 dish to try: Farmer’s hash
- Extra credit: Take a gander at their super cool outdoor space
You could be on this list!
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