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A restaurant dining room with parquet floors, round tables, a bar in the background, and lots of greenery and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
Alpana, the latest restaurant from sommelier and former Check, Please! host Alpana Singh, opened in the Gold Coast earlier this year.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Where to Eat and Drink in the Gold Coast

High-end restaurants and luxurious bars and cafes abound in Chicago’s most glittering neighborhood

by aimee.levitt and Eater Staff Updated
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Alpana, the latest restaurant from sommelier and former Check, Please! host Alpana Singh, opened in the Gold Coast earlier this year.
| Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
by aimee.levitt and Eater Staff Updated

As one would expect from its name, the Gold Coast is a ritzy neighborhood filled with high-end shopping, beautiful old mansions on quiet tree-lined streets, and, of course, lots of white tablecloth restaurants. But while, yes, there’s a lot of high-end dining here suitable for special occasions — classic Chicago steakhouses, elegant French and Italian joints, farm to table spots where the menus change seasonally, and an Edenic oasis from a celebrated sommelier — there’s also pizza, Guinness, and a pair of the city’s loveliest cafes perfect for perching with a laptop all day long.

For updated information on coronavirus cases, please visit the city of Chicago’s COVID-19 dashboard. Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

3 Arts Club Cafe

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This restaurant is tucked in on the first floor of a former city club-turned-Restoration Hardware, featuring a large fountain in the middle flanked by couches and tables (RH, of course). The menu is small, but the crisp grilled cheese, salmon board, and chocolate chip cookie are the stars. Or, just grab a glass of wine and sit back and relax and let your worries melt away.

1300 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 475-9116
(312) 475-9116

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Sushi Boutique

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This sister spot to Sushi Suite in Lincoln Park was designed to appeal especially to women who are tired of sushi bro culture. In practical terms, this means “feminine” cocktails, more affordable maki and rolls, and a $75 Sunday omakase special.

1244 N Dearborn Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 818-1156
(312) 818-1156

Sparrow

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The main focus at this old-fashioned hotel bar is “sugar cane spirits,” rum from all over the world. Sip them neat or mixed into classics like a Hotel Nacional and El Presidente. But the bar also stocks just about any other liquor you can think of.

12 W Elm St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 725-0732
(312) 725-0732

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Blue Door Kitchen & Garden

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The restaurant that occupies the old Table 52 space holds a few of the old restaurant’s charms with a more accessible feel. Fried chicken and seasonal cocktails are highlights, but chef Art Smith (who previously cooked for Oprah Winfrey) regularly creates new dishes to match the season.

52 W Elm St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 573-4000
(312) 573-4000

Gold Coast - Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

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Lou Malnati’s is a Chicago classic and while there are locations all over the city, this is a fine choice for those who are dining with children or who just can’t tolerate another steak or seasonal tasting menu. Be sure to order the butter crust.

1120 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 725-7777
(312) 725-7777

Somerset

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Located in the Viceroy Hotel, built on the site of the historic (and now demolished) Cedar, the Somerset, led by chef Stephen Gillanders (S.K.Y.), serves a seasonal American menu, with salads, steak, and sustainable seafood. Multicourse tasting menus are also available for lunch and dinner.

1112 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 586-2150
(312) 586-2150

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Maple & Ash

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Steakhouses are abundant in the Gold Coast, but Maple & Ash has a bit of an edge. The first floor boasts Eight Bar, a more casual atmosphere with burgers and martinis. Upstairs, fancy steaks abound, plus a $200 tasting menu aptly named “I Don’t Give a F*@k.”

8 W Maple St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 944-8888
(312) 944-8888

Also featured in:

Dublin's Bar & Grill

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This Irish pub with a classic wooden bar has been serving Guinness to the Gold Coast for more than 30 years and is currently open all day, every day, serving breakfast (including, improbably, bagels and lox), salads, sandwiches, pasta, stir fries, and the traditional corned beef and cabbage and fish and chips.

1050 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 266-6340
(312) 266-6340

Also featured in:

Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse

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Though it only opened in 1989, Gibsons is a portal back to the mid-20th century, the era of martinis, cigars, and giant slabs of meat. Though the restaurant serves oysters, soups, salads, sandwiches, and a surprisingly good and affordable burger, if you want a classic — and indulgent — Chicago experience, order a steak and then finish off the meal with one of the enormous slices of cake.

1028 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 266-8999
(312) 266-8999

Also featured in:

Nico Osteria

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This sleek spot inside the Thompson Hotel is open all day, every day, with a constantly changing menu that ranges from breakfast pastries to pasta, salads, steaks, and fish at dinner. The bar area, dubbed Salone Nico, is also a great place to unwind with a stiff drink and light bite. The wine list is full of Italian vintages.

1015 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 994-7100
(312) 994-7100

Also featured in:

Adalina

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Glitzy and glamorous, Adalina is built to impress. The lively newcomer has plenty of eye candy: crystal chandeliers, vintage mirrors, and plush velvet seats. Servers dressed in tuxedos echo the stylish setting, while the modern Italian menu from former Band of Bohemia chef Soo Ahn features refined staples such as cacio e pepe arancini, veal chop parm, and a truffled Caesar salad that’s prepared tableside. The handmade pastas shine too, as do the desserts by Jean Banchet Award-winning pastry maestro Nicole Guini. Also check out the speakeasy-style bar Rose Lounge downstairs.

912 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 820-9000
(312) 820-9000

Also featured in:

Adorn Bar & Restaurant

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Though its located on the seventh floor of the Four Seasons Hotel, Adorn’s chefs, James Beard-winner Jonathon Sawyer and Juan Gutierrez, try to maintain a down-to-earth Midwestern sensibility by using local meat and produce. The menu changes seasonally to take advantage of the freshest offerings.

120 E Delaware Pl, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 280-8800
(312) 280-8800

Also featured in:

Cafe des Architectes

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This French restaurant at the Sofitel hotel offers traditional French food for every meal — think traditional but modern dishes like a duck breast and seared diver scallops. There are tasting menus available as well, along with cheese and charcuterie plates to start the meal off on the right note.

20 E Chestnut St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 324-4063
(312) 324-4063

Also featured in:

Café Sophie

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This new European-style cafe from the owners of Maple & Ash features a wood-burning oven that turns out roast chicken and meatballs plus more casual sandwiches and pastries. It’s also open all day so the laptop crowd can move smoothly from coffee to cocktails as soon as happy hour hits. A small market sells wine and gourmet snacks.

847 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 262-7610
(312) 262-7610

Bistronomic

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Chef Martial Noguier serves up the French classics — pate en croute, coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon — in a modern dining room or on a dog-friendly patio. There’s also a regular lineup of special wine dinners hosted by guest sommeliers and Noguier and his crew prepare meals for all the major American and Jewish holidays.

840 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 944-8400
(312) 944-8400

Also featured in:

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Alpana

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This new restaurant is a reflection of its owner, sommelier and former Check, Please! host Alpana Singh, down to the name. Singh stocked the wine cellar and designed the menu herself — with the help of chef Juan Chavez — so that the flavors would pop when paired with wine. The beautiful, lush dining room also reflects her sensibility: an Eden that Eve never left and where only one man, Keanu Reeves, is worthy of a photo on the wall.

831 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 624-8055
(312) 624-8055

Also featured in:

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3 Arts Club Cafe

1300 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60610

This restaurant is tucked in on the first floor of a former city club-turned-Restoration Hardware, featuring a large fountain in the middle flanked by couches and tables (RH, of course). The menu is small, but the crisp grilled cheese, salmon board, and chocolate chip cookie are the stars. Or, just grab a glass of wine and sit back and relax and let your worries melt away.

1300 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 475-9116
(312) 475-9116

Sushi Boutique

1244 N Dearborn Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60610

This sister spot to Sushi Suite in Lincoln Park was designed to appeal especially to women who are tired of sushi bro culture. In practical terms, this means “feminine” cocktails, more affordable maki and rolls, and a $75 Sunday omakase special.

1244 N Dearborn Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 818-1156
(312) 818-1156

Sparrow

12 W Elm St, Chicago, IL 60610

The main focus at this old-fashioned hotel bar is “sugar cane spirits,” rum from all over the world. Sip them neat or mixed into classics like a Hotel Nacional and El Presidente. But the bar also stocks just about any other liquor you can think of.

12 W Elm St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 725-0732
(312) 725-0732

Blue Door Kitchen & Garden

52 W Elm St, Chicago, IL 60610

The restaurant that occupies the old Table 52 space holds a few of the old restaurant’s charms with a more accessible feel. Fried chicken and seasonal cocktails are highlights, but chef Art Smith (who previously cooked for Oprah Winfrey) regularly creates new dishes to match the season.

52 W Elm St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 573-4000
(312) 573-4000

Gold Coast - Lou Malnati's Pizzeria

1120 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610

Lou Malnati’s is a Chicago classic and while there are locations all over the city, this is a fine choice for those who are dining with children or who just can’t tolerate another steak or seasonal tasting menu. Be sure to order the butter crust.

1120 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 725-7777
(312) 725-7777

Somerset

1112 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610

Located in the Viceroy Hotel, built on the site of the historic (and now demolished) Cedar, the Somerset, led by chef Stephen Gillanders (S.K.Y.), serves a seasonal American menu, with salads, steak, and sustainable seafood. Multicourse tasting menus are also available for lunch and dinner.

1112 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 586-2150
(312) 586-2150

Maple & Ash

8 W Maple St, Chicago, IL 60610

Steakhouses are abundant in the Gold Coast, but Maple & Ash has a bit of an edge. The first floor boasts Eight Bar, a more casual atmosphere with burgers and martinis. Upstairs, fancy steaks abound, plus a $200 tasting menu aptly named “I Don’t Give a F*@k.”

8 W Maple St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 944-8888
(312) 944-8888

Dublin's Bar & Grill

1050 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610

This Irish pub with a classic wooden bar has been serving Guinness to the Gold Coast for more than 30 years and is currently open all day, every day, serving breakfast (including, improbably, bagels and lox), salads, sandwiches, pasta, stir fries, and the traditional corned beef and cabbage and fish and chips.

1050 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 266-6340
(312) 266-6340

Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse

1028 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611

Though it only opened in 1989, Gibsons is a portal back to the mid-20th century, the era of martinis, cigars, and giant slabs of meat. Though the restaurant serves oysters, soups, salads, sandwiches, and a surprisingly good and affordable burger, if you want a classic — and indulgent — Chicago experience, order a steak and then finish off the meal with one of the enormous slices of cake.

1028 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 266-8999
(312) 266-8999

Nico Osteria

1015 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611

This sleek spot inside the Thompson Hotel is open all day, every day, with a constantly changing menu that ranges from breakfast pastries to pasta, salads, steaks, and fish at dinner. The bar area, dubbed Salone Nico, is also a great place to unwind with a stiff drink and light bite. The wine list is full of Italian vintages.

1015 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 994-7100
(312) 994-7100

Adalina

912 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610

Glitzy and glamorous, Adalina is built to impress. The lively newcomer has plenty of eye candy: crystal chandeliers, vintage mirrors, and plush velvet seats. Servers dressed in tuxedos echo the stylish setting, while the modern Italian menu from former Band of Bohemia chef Soo Ahn features refined staples such as cacio e pepe arancini, veal chop parm, and a truffled Caesar salad that’s prepared tableside. The handmade pastas shine too, as do the desserts by Jean Banchet Award-winning pastry maestro Nicole Guini. Also check out the speakeasy-style bar Rose Lounge downstairs.

912 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 820-9000
(312) 820-9000

Adorn Bar & Restaurant

120 E Delaware Pl, Chicago, IL 60611

Though its located on the seventh floor of the Four Seasons Hotel, Adorn’s chefs, James Beard-winner Jonathon Sawyer and Juan Gutierrez, try to maintain a down-to-earth Midwestern sensibility by using local meat and produce. The menu changes seasonally to take advantage of the freshest offerings.

120 E Delaware Pl, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 280-8800
(312) 280-8800

Cafe des Architectes

20 E Chestnut St, Chicago, IL 60611

This French restaurant at the Sofitel hotel offers traditional French food for every meal — think traditional but modern dishes like a duck breast and seared diver scallops. There are tasting menus available as well, along with cheese and charcuterie plates to start the meal off on the right note.

20 E Chestnut St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 324-4063
(312) 324-4063

Café Sophie

847 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610

This new European-style cafe from the owners of Maple & Ash features a wood-burning oven that turns out roast chicken and meatballs plus more casual sandwiches and pastries. It’s also open all day so the laptop crowd can move smoothly from coffee to cocktails as soon as happy hour hits. A small market sells wine and gourmet snacks.

847 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 262-7610
(312) 262-7610

Bistronomic

840 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

Chef Martial Noguier serves up the French classics — pate en croute, coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon — in a modern dining room or on a dog-friendly patio. There’s also a regular lineup of special wine dinners hosted by guest sommeliers and Noguier and his crew prepare meals for all the major American and Jewish holidays.

840 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 944-8400
(312) 944-8400

Related Maps

Alpana

831 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610

This new restaurant is a reflection of its owner, sommelier and former Check, Please! host Alpana Singh, down to the name. Singh stocked the wine cellar and designed the menu herself — with the help of chef Juan Chavez — so that the flavors would pop when paired with wine. The beautiful, lush dining room also reflects her sensibility: an Eden that Eve never left and where only one man, Keanu Reeves, is worthy of a photo on the wall.

831 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 624-8055
(312) 624-8055

Related Maps