Smyth is the best luxury restaurant in Chicago in 2026, and the only one holding three Michelin stars. The list below ranks ten Chicago restaurants by Michelin stars first and then by the level of luxury, tasting-menu ambition and price. Five of the original 2014 picks have since closed, so the line-up has changed a lot.
| Rank | Restaurant | Michelin stars | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smyth | 3 | West Loop |
| 2 | Alinea | 2 | Lincoln Park |
| 3 | Oriole | 2 | West Loop |
| 4 | Ever | 2 | West Loop |
| 5 | Kasama | 2 | West Town |
| 6 | Next | 1 | West Loop |
| 7 | Schwa | 1 | West Town |
| 8 | Topolobampo | 1 | River North |
| 9 | Mako | 1 | West Loop |
| 10 | Sepia | 1 | West Loop |
How we ranked Chicago’s luxury restaurants
The star counts come from the latest Michelin selection for Chicago (the 2025 edition, which covers 20 starred restaurants: one with three stars, four with two and 15 with one). Within the same star level, we ordered by how much of a special-occasion splurge the restaurant is. Tasting-menu prices change by seating and season and are mostly sold as tickets, so the figures below are approximate. Check the booking page before you plan.
10. Sepia
Sepia is a West Loop American restaurant that has kept its Michelin star in every selection from 2011 to 2025. It suits a dinner that is formal without being a full-day event.
9. Mako
Mako is a West Loop Japanese restaurant. It earned its Michelin star in the 2020 selection and has kept it since. Expect a chef’s tasting format built around seafood.
8. Topolobampo
Topolobampo serves Mexican fine dining in River North and has held one Michelin star in the recent selections. It is the most relaxed room on the list, and a good fit if you want luxury without a four-hour menu.
7. Schwa
Schwa was number 10 in our original ranking and has done what few Chicago restaurants of its era have done: it is still open and still starred. The restaurant is run by chef Michael Carlson in a tiny, 26-seat room on Ashland Avenue in Wicker Park, with no support staff and chefs who talk to guests directly. The quail egg ravioli is its best known dish. The unusual booking process remains part of the legend.
6. Next
Next was our number one in 2014 and still has a Michelin star. Its idea is to change the whole menu every few months, with a different time period, place or theme, and to sell it as a ticket, like a theater show. It sits in Fulton Market with two bars, including The Aviary. Ticket prices change with each menu.
5. Kasama
Kasama went from one to two Michelin stars in the 2025 selection. Chefs and owners Tim Flores and Genie Kwon opened it in July 2020 as a Filipino cafe and bakery, then moved to a 13-course dinner tasting menu. It has appeared in the TV series The Bear. Dinner prices have risen sharply since 2022, so book early and check the current menu.
4. Ever
Ever is the restaurant of chef Curtis Duffy and general manager Michael Muser, the team behind Grace, which was our number nine in 2014 and closed in December 2017 after holding three Michelin stars. Ever opened in July 2020 and has held two stars in every selection from 2021 to 2025. A fictionalized version of the restaurant appeared in The Bear.
3. Oriole
Oriole is a West Loop New American tasting menu restaurant with two Michelin stars. Chef Noah Sandoval won Best Chef: Great Lakes at the 2025 James Beard Awards. The room has no dress code, and the tasting menu is reportedly priced in the low-to-mid $300s per person, before drinks.
2. Alinea
Alinea opened on 4 May 2005 and was the city’s most famous restaurant for two decades. It held three Michelin stars from 2011 to 2024 and was moved to two in the November 2025 selection. It is owned by chef Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas, and it offers three experiences: the Kitchen Table, The Gallery and The Salon. Prices run from roughly $250 to just under $500 per person depending on the experience, all before wine pairings. The old $210 menu we quoted in 2014 is long gone.
1. Smyth
Smyth is the only Chicago restaurant with three Michelin stars and has held them since 2023. It is run by John and Karen Urie Shields and sits above their bar, The Loyalist. In 2026 it was listed as the number one restaurant in North America on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. A tasting menu is reportedly in the $400s per person before drinks.
What happened to the 2014 list?
Several restaurants in our original ranking are gone. Grace closed in December 2017. Everest, on the 40th floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange building, closed at the end of 2020. L2O, Blackbird, Goosefoot and Spiaggia all appear as closed in later Michelin selections. We could not confirm the current status of Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab, so we removed it from the ranking.
Keep reading
- Best restaurants in New York City: the other big fine-dining city
- Best restaurants in Los Angeles: West Coast fine dining
- Best restaurants in Las Vegas: celebrity chefs and tasting menus
- Best restaurants in Miami Beach: where Joe’s Stone Crab started
FAQ
What is the best luxury restaurant in Chicago in 2026?
Smyth, the only Chicago restaurant with three Michelin stars, run by John and Karen Urie Shields.
How many Michelin stars does Alinea have?
Two. Alinea held three stars from 2011 to 2024 and moved to two in the November 2025 selection.
How many Michelin-starred restaurants are in Chicago?
The 2025 selection included 20: one with three stars, four with two stars and 15 with one star.
How much does a luxury tasting menu cost in Chicago?
Roughly $230 to $500 per person before drinks at the top restaurants, depending on the restaurant and seating. Check each booking page for current prices.
Is Next still open?
Yes. Next changes its menu every few months and still holds a Michelin star.
Which of the original top restaurants have closed?
Grace and Everest have closed, and L2O, Blackbird, Goosefoot and Spiaggia appear as closed in later Michelin selections.
Last updated: October 2026.
