The gist: After building his culinary career at the likes of Pump Room, Napa’s Bouchon, and Bangkok’s Gaggan, chef Zubair Mohajir returned to Chicago for Wazwan, a culinary ode to Southeast Asia. Two different dining experiences exist: More casual street fare at Wazwan or a multi-course tasting menu at The Coach House, situated within one of the only coach houses to withstand the Chicago Fire.
The food: At the Coach House, choose between a five-course vegetarian menu (Thursdays) or an eight-course meat-friendly menu (Fridays and Saturdays), all of which change seasonally alongside the kitchen’s parting gift (right now that’s a small jar of Garam Masala, toasted and blended in-house). At Wazwan, opt for the house signature Tandoori Honey Chicken Sando. After marinating Halal chicken thighs in tandoori spices overnight, the team batters and fries them before stuffing them into a toasted brioche bun with gochujang aioli, house-made Achaari, and spicy honey butter. Pair it all with a bottle of your choosing (for a $5 per person corkage fee), as the spot is BYOB for now.
How to book: Reserve via Tock.

The gist: Chef and philanthropist José Andrés, ThinkFoodGroup, and Gibsons Restaurant Group joined forces for these two eagerly anticipated restaurants within the Bank of America Tower. They are the latest debuts from the team, following Café By The River (Andrés’s take on sandwiches, sweets, and coffee), Jaleo (Andrés’s original Spanish outpost), and Pigtail (Jaleo’s subterranean cocktail lounge).
The food: After working at Bazaar Meat in Las Vegas, chef Alex Pitts came to Chicago to oversee the menu at both Bazaar Meat and Bar Mar. Meat is the focus at the former (obviously), with special offerings like Vaca Vieja Ribeye, whole Iberian Suckling Pig, and an impressive Japanese Wagyu program. Share plates provide diners ample opportunities to sample an array of clever compositions (not short of Cotton Candy Foie Gras or Chilled Beet Shots), as do multiple tasting menu experiences inclusive of snacks, carpaccios, and tartares. At Bar Mar, expect just as many surprises: The fish-shaped Everything Bagel Airbread (filled with cream cheese espuma and topped with smoked salmon) or the Not So Po Boy José (a fried oyster with Platinum Malassol caviar in a steamed brioche bun). Snag a bar seat for a bespoke cocktail or post up at the raw bar for oysters or sashimi aplenty.
How to book: Reserve via SevenRooms.

The gist: After debuting at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, this upmarket hot pot concept has descended on the Chicago dining scene with a stylish lounge, full sushi bar, VIP space, and epic 5D experience room. While the restaurant draws upon age-old Asian traditions, expect to encounter ultramodern technology throughout, from animated light projections and thematic soundscapes to—that’s right—robot servers.
The food: The team hopes to offer its own, fusion-forward take on American Chinese cuisine with a hands-on experience—plus lots of high-caliber ingredients (think purebred A5 Wagyu beef flown in daily from Japan). Those aforementioned robot servers wait on guests for the entirety of their meal, delivering premium cuts destined for the hot pot pinnacle. If that wasn’t entertainment enough, pop into the 5D Room, where interactive animations are projected onto each guest’s plate in tandem with a 12-course meal.
How to book: Reserve via SevenRooms.

The gist: Expect to be charmed at this Lakeview newcomer, thanks to warm, welcoming décor and comforting French-Canadian fare from chef Ryan Brosseau. He draws on his Ontario upbringing to inform a menu that is equally rooted in Midwestern sensibilities, made capable through the kitchen team’s close relations with local farmers and purveyors. It goes a long way in the hands of Brosseau, whose previous Chicago posts range from Perennial Virant to Table, Donkey, and Stick.
The food: Prepare for bold, earthy flavors beginning with apps like the Salt-Roasted Beet Salad (with celery root purée, caraway, and smoked trout roe) or Bone Marrow (with pickled smoked beef tongue, sweet farm onion, and toast) and moving onto mains like the Stuffed Saddle of Lamb (with prunes and pommes purée) or the Aged Duck Breast (with radicchio and smoked tea-honey glaze).
How to book: Reserve via Tock.

The gist: Cured meats are central at Lardon, where chef Chris Thompson’s charcuterie program calls upon local farms and a nose-to-tail approach. Housed within a 110-year-old building, the interiors reflect the same patience and dedication modeled everyday here in the kitchen: A two-year buildout reveals exposed brick walls, original wood joists, and antique honeycomb tiled floors in an inviting, sun-washed space.
The food: The spectacle here is the charcuterie cave, a curing room celebrating the likes of Spicy Coppa, Bresaola, Saucisson Sec, Genoa Salame, and ‘Nduja. Guests can build a board of charcuterie or cheese cut to order, then ask the team for drink pairings that would prove apropos (think Aperitivi or Amari).
How to book: Reserve via Toast.

The gist: After an electrical fire shut down this restaurant in the summer of 2019 (a challenge made trickier by some pandemic-related delays), the team is finally reopening its doors to a refreshed space and menu.
The food: The agave-focused cocktail program handily complements a roster of regionally-inspired Mexican plates. Don’t miss favorites like Flank Steak Tacos or the Enchiladas with Mole Coloradito, washed down with a playful Cucurrucucu Paloma (Bahnez mezcal, toronja-vanilla shrub, grapefruit, Squirt).
How to book: Reserve via Resy or order take-out via Toast.