Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Chicago / Illinois

OpenTable

Updated 05 May 2025

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Chicago / Illinois? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Dove's Luncheonette

4.9

4.9 (23)

$30 and under

Tex-Mex

Bucktown / Wicker Park

About the restaurant

Drawing inspiration from bygone diners, Dove’s Luncheonette is your local neighborhood diner featuring southern-inspired Mexican cuisine, alongside a tequila and mezcal-focused bar program, and vinyl records.

Top review

Francisco

Dined on 24 Apr 2025

Service was great and food was delicious. Can’t ask for anything better.

Forbidden Root Restaurant and Brewery

4.9

4.9 (58)

$30 and under

American

West Town

About the restaurant

At Forbidden Root Restaurant and Brewery, Chicago's first botanic brewery, we brew craft beer inspired by nature. We love barley, water, hops, and yeast, and use those as a base to explore a rich world of wild ingredients.
More than just a brewpub, our restaurant and brewery offers seasonal dishes to highlight our craft beers and elevate your over all experience. Voted #1 Brewpub in America in 2022 and nominated again in 2024!

Top review

ColleenVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Had the braised short ribs with polenta and it was amazing… especially the little peppers

Roscoe's Tavern

4.9

4.9 (217)

$30 and under

American

Roscoe Village

About the restaurant

Welcome to Roscoe’s Tavern, Chicago’s leader in nightlife and entertainment. Guests must be 21+ and present valid ID for entry.

Top review

Ramone

Dined 2 days ago

Love this place and will continue to go every Friday.

The Alderman

4.9

4.9 (233)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Pilsen

About the restaurant

Winner of the 2022 Jean Banchet Award for Best Bar, THE ALDERMAN is an intimate, 16-seat cocktail bar tucked away, behind closed doors, within Pilsen Yards. The cocktail list rotates some of its original cocktail features, while the twists on American classics are staples of the cocktail list.

With a plush velvet banquette and a 4-seat counter, it’s the perfect room for a night cap, a date, or a casual evening of one to several astonishingly good cocktails.

Top review

AveriletteVIP

Dined on 4 May 2025

We had such a great experience! It’s absolutely a treat - we went there mid afternoon and literally got lost in time 💜. Roger was absolutely the best. He knew exactly what to make us without asking - who does that???!! Roger does! Im into speakeasy’s and this is hands down my favorite.

Jonny Cab's

4.9

4.9 (281)

$50 and over

American

Burr Ridge

About the restaurant

Jonny Cab’s is a VIP dinner experience in a premiere, modern setting. With live entertainment 5 nights a week, we strive to provide an environment where guests can unwind & enjoy the moment.

We were recently featured by Peter Wren for Hinsdale Magazine who wrote, "I think it's the sum of all these parts - the wine, the food, the friendly service, and all that great sound pouring forth from the stage - that's bound to win people over. As my wife said, 'I don't think there's any place like this in Chicago.' She's right, but thanks to this plucky group of wine-lovers and entertainers, there's now one sitting right in the heart of Burr Ridge."

Our delicious menu by Executive Chef Jeff Stahulak is a modern take on the traditional American supper club. As one diner recently put it, "we expected good music in a vegas-like atmosphere, but the food is your secret weapon."

Come see what all the buzz is about & join the party!

Top review

KimVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Outstanding service, live entertainment and great food all in one restaurant and bar

Discover more

Experience

Premium Seating – Best View in the House

Nancy's Pizza - West Loop

4.9

4.9 (92)

$30 and under

Pizza Bar

West Loop

About the restaurant

Nancy's Pizza, the iconic Chicago brand that invented the stuffed pizza, has finally arrived in the heart of Chicago's restaurant district at 1000 West Washington in the West Loop. We have a story to tell, and we're telling it in a swanky spot that pays homage to its 1971 roots. While the menu is dominated by the brand's famous stuffed pizza, Nancy's offers a variety of pizza styles, including thin crust and "rustic" pizza, along with chef-created salads, pastas, sandwiches, appetizers and desserts. Most importantly, every item on the menu is made with only the freshest ingredients, and the comfortable bar features a selection of craft, imported and domestic beer (rotated seasonally) on draft and in bottles, signature cocktails and a nice selection of wine. The restaurant's design evokes the 1970s in tasteful surroundings with winks at retro design including lots of wood veneer, wallpaper that varies from flocked and geometrically patterned to an homage to Andy Warhol in the men's roo

Top review

Juan CarlosVIP

Dined on 27 Apr 2025

Roccos party is the Best pizza in town and the service was outstanding!!! Great place to visit!!!

AO Hawaiian Hideout

4.9

4.9 (19)

$30 and under

Hawaiian

South Loop

About the restaurant

Aloha - please note, we require a NON-REFUNDABLE RESERVATION FEE of $5/adult, this will NOT be deducted to your final bill. We welcome all walk-ins or you can simply call us directly to rsvp. AO Hawaiian Hideout (est.2013) is a husband and wife team, serving ono grinds & boozy libations. We invite you to join us on a journey through the tropics...our little hidden gem, serving home-style comfort foods that will have you coming back for more. Sit back, relax and enjoy our home away from home. Come one or come all, as we are a short walk from Chicago's main attractions. We offer dine-in, carry-out, delivery, catering and buffets for large party celebrations.

Top review

Melinda

Dined on 14 Apr 2025

Our last dinner while visiting Chicago. Very yummy and excellent service. The Pork Belly Basil Rice was fantastic!

La Cantina Grill

4.8

4.8 (11)

$30 and under

Mexican

South Loop

About the restaurant

La Cantina Grill is one of Chicago's Favorite Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar. We have received numerious Best in Chicago Awards For 2010, 103.5 KISSFM Listners...Best Tequila & Margarita Bars.

Our Los Famosos Culinary Team, from Mexico, only prepares top quality dishes using only the freshest (delivered daily) ingredients for our guests. Our bar is always stocked with over 150 tequilas from Mexico and around the world to serve up our famous margaritas, sangrias & mojitos. We welcome you and all of our guests from Chicago & around the world to dine with us, at La Cantina Grill.We are La Cantina Grill, an authentic Mexican restaurant in Chicago’s South Loop. We are located near Soldier Field and McCormick Place at 1911 S. Michigan Avenue. We have a full-service restaurant, bar, outdoor patio, and offer carryout, delivery, and catering.

Top review

Ygern

Dined on 30 Apr 2025

Good margaritas & great food! Nice Vibe, but noise level can get out of hand!

Theory Chicago

4.8

4.8 (364)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Near North

About the restaurant

Our goal is to make Theory your home away from home. Theory is a cozy, upscale sports lounge with an emphasis on comfort, good food, and great service. We can accommodate groups from 2 to 350 for dining and corporate events. Our menu features american cuisine with southern and Mexican touches. We hope to see you here soon.

Top review

Phil

Dined 5 days ago

Went there to watch Leafs-Panthers Game 2 and surprisingly ended up being a lot of Leafs fans there which created a great atmosphere. Incredible place to watch a game with tons of TVs (and fans) to create atmosphere. Food was decently priced for downtown. Waitress was nice but came by our table 100+ times asking if we were good and almost felt like we were expected to keep ordering food and drinks as the game went on. Not a huge fan of that. Otherwise good experience.

Zin Gastropub

4.8

4.8 (389)

$31 to $50

Gastro Pub

Lake Zurich

About the restaurant

A chef driven, farm to table restaurant, using products from local organic farms.

Top review

LYNNEVIP

Dined 2 days ago

We were greeted promptly by Ken and seated. The bartender Lynne was very attentive. Food was excellent. Highly recommend.