Fall in Chicago always signals change, most notably the weather. With a dining scene that rivals any major city in the world, there’s bound to be transformation when it comes to restaurants, too. For now, the city seems to be taking a break from newfangled
bakeries — though the reopening of Ravenswood’s Del Sur is sure to get laminated pastry fans in a tizzy. Meanwhile, taverns are continuing to proliferate across the city. From a second Chicago location from a beloved steakhouse and a sports bar that wants to redefine the genre to the rebirth of a restaurant from a Michelin Young Chef Award winner, the next few months will be packed with opportunities galore to eat out. Below, check out 15 of the most anticipated openings coming to Chicago this fall.
Molino Los Hermanos
Address: 4666-68 N Broadway Avenue
Key Players: Norman Fenton
ETA: Mid-December
Since opening Uptown’s Cariño in late 2023, chef Norman Fenton has put tortilla-making front and center at his Michelin-decorated restaurant, starting with heirloom corn varietals sourced from Mexico and nixtamalized in-house. With the opening of neighboring Molino Los Hermanos, he expands on his tortilla obsession. Half all-day restaurant and half wholesale tortilleria, the 2,800-square-foot space will feature a large molino where customers can watch the milling process from a nearby counter. The restaurant will offer dishes like foie gras enmoladas, suadero tacos, ceviches and aquachiles, and Mexican-style shellfish platters. The beverage program will feature cocktails, cervezas, and frozen margarita slushies. Molino’s interior also embraces corn, with materials that reflect its various colors and agricultural roots.
Cha Chin
Address: 535 N Wells Street
Key Players: Daniel Briceño, José Luis Chávez, Adolfo Gosálvez, and Gilberto Mendez
ETA: Early-December
Chicago-based Exodo Hospitality Group has been busy these last few years building three restaurants and one cocktail lounge — Kayao, Ayayay, Matilda, Clandestino, and Akiro — that explore the crossroads of Peruvian cuisine with that of Mexico and Japan. Next up is the 60-seat River North restaurant Cha Chin, which celebrates chifa, the cuisine style that blends traditional Cantonese cooking with Peruvian ingredients and flavors.
Logan Inn
Address: 2001 N California Avenue
Key Players: Kiva Wenig, Jonathan Rodriguez, and Taylor Lauder
ETA: Friday, September 11
Why be one thing when you can be three is the concept behind Logan Inn. Part cafe, cocktail bar, and boutique hotel, this Logan Square trifecta features 28 rooms upstairs. The downstairs cafe will serve coffee roasted by San Francisco institution Graffeo Coffee and pastries from Good Ambler’s Meg Galus in the morning. Later on, the menu expands to include sandwiches — think pistachio mortadella, pesto, burrata, and a sweet-and-tangy radicchio salad on crisp focaccia — and a seasonally rotating panzanella salad. At night, it will transition to a classic cocktail bar with creative riffs on martinis a focus. Between them, the trio behind Logan Inn has a ton of hospitality experience, including at Lettuce Entertain You, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Easy Does It, Double Fun, Lazy Bird, and Moneygun.
Compa
Address: 1424 W Chicago Avenue
Key Players: Adrian Gaytan, Horacio Fonseca, and Markus Chwajol
ETA: Early-October
West Town’s Compa will focus on regional Mexican cuisine that weaves together traditional family recipes with modern culinary techniques. The restaurant, from Chicago-based restaurant group Six Point Hospitality (Cobblestone Cafe & Bistro) and restaurateur Markus Chwajol (former owner of Bohemian House), will offer shared plates and a la carte selections by chef Horacia Fonseca, such as chile en nogada with lobster, whole grilled octopus with chorizo crisps, whole al pastor branzino, and lamb mole served with hand-pressed tortillas. On the beverage side, under the direction of Chwajol, there will be agave-forward cocktails along with a selection of Latin American spirits. Wines will focus on producers and regions throughout Mexico and Latin America. Light woods accented with colorful details will dominate the interior design. The restaurant’s name is Mexican slang for “close friend” and reflects the relationship of Gaytan and Fonseca, who met while working together at DMK Restaurant Group.
Hooligan
Address: 2528 N California Avenue
Key Players: Christian Hunter and Tyrone Redic Jr.
ETA: Fall
When Time Out Market abruptly closedin January 2026, it took with it one of the city’s most anticipated restaurants, Hooligan, from 2023 Michelin Young Chef Award winner and former Atelier chef Christian Hunter. But that story has a happy ending: Hunter is now opening a standalone location of the restaurant in Logan Square. Built on French technique and shaped by the foodways of the Great Lakes region, this neo-Midwestern bistro is dubbing its reenergized concept as “Third Coast Contemporary.” The a la carte menu will include dishes like Great Lakes perch served with gribiche, pike quenelle-filled petite ravioli with a traditional Nantua sauce, and cornbread served with pimento cheese and chicken liver parfait. Caviar service takes the high-low approach further, pairing crispy potato dip with paddlefish caviar sourced from a producer near Hunter’s Kentucky hometown. A dinner-for-two multi-course option is also in the works. Joining Hunter is partner and general manager Tyrone Redic Jr., whose resume includes Charlie Trotter’s, Grace, and Celeste.
Gibsons Tavern
Address: 925 W Fulton Market Street
Key Players: Gibsons Restaurant Group
ETA: November
As one of Chicago’s most iconic steakhouses dating back to 1989, Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse on Rush Street has attracted a who’s-who of celebrities, politicians, and high-profile athletes for years. Its martinis served in oversized glasses are almost as famous as the steaks, which have their own USDA certification. The newest player in its roster of Chicago restaurants that includes Gibsons Italia, Luxbar, and Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House, among others, will be housed in a 14,000-square-foot, turn-of-the-century-inspired space with cathedral-vaulted ceilings. Gibsons Tavern will offer an updated take on classic American cuisine. Like its older Gold Coast sibling, there will be steaks, seafood, and decadent desserts.
Pizzeria Gabbo
Address: 834 W Fulton Market Street, Suite 200
Key Players: Marc Jacobs and Andrew Ashmore
ETA: Fall
Chicago’s prolific hospitality group Lettuce Entertain You adds to its extensive variety of restaurants with a neighborhood pizzeria and bar. While it’s not LEY’s first foray into pizza, the company is dipping its toes here in uber-trendy tavern-style alongside a riff on New York-style with a crispier finish. The menu will also feature a variety of Italian classics, including antipasti, salads, pastas, and soft-serve gelato. Ingredients will include imported organic flour, tomatoes, and aged Parmigiano Reggiano, along with products from local farms and purveyors. Artisanal, family-owned Italian wineries will dominate the wine menu with more than 20 by-the-glass pours. Cocktails will feature Italian-inspired offerings along with low-ABV and zero-proof drinks. The intimate pizzeria will have 60 seats in the dining room and eight at its bar.
The Conservatory
Address: 100 E. Ontario Street
Key Players: Glenn Tullman, Levy Restaurants, and Rockwell Group
ETA: Fall
As if there wasn’t enough going on at the world’s largest magic venue set inside a stately 1895 Renaissance Revival building, the Hand & the Eye is adding a rooftop space. Dubbed the Conservatory, the space is inspired by Victorian greenhouses and features rich blues and golds throughout the interior, including in its Quartzite bar top. The indoor-outdoor room provides views of Michigan Avenue. Designer David Rockwell’s constellation flush-mounted light chandeliers mimic a starry night sky. Entry to the Hand & the Eye (evening experiences start at $239 with a food and beverage credit of $75) includes the Conservatory.
Victory & Vice
Address: 318 N Carpenter Street
Key Players: Brian Galati, Chireal Jordan, and Josh Howe
ETA: Open as of Wednesday, September 9
Sports bars are a way of life in Chicago, but the folks behind this just-opened West Loop bar (also behind Dearly Beloved, Machine Cocktail Bar, and Headquarters Beercade) aren’t afraid to shake up the traditional model. Victory & Vice promises 30 screens throughout the venue, including a custom 17-foot-by-10-foot viewing wall. An expansive island bar will anchor the space surrounded by high-top tables and booths. On the 1,000-square-foot patio multiple viewing screens will mean you won’t miss a minute of the game. Technology will play a big role here giving sports-lovers the opportunity to control how they experience the game at hand via its mobile app. Inventive cocktails will include a margarita soft serve and a chocolate strawberry Old Fashioned. Or gather some friends for the group espresso martini and dirty martini. services. Mini beer kegs will be available for tableside service too. On the food side, look for riffs on international dishes like bulgogi cheesesteak and the Victory pizza puff as well tavern-style pizza.
Del Sur
Address: 4639 N. Damen Avenue
Key Players: Justin Tiu Lerias
ETA: Fall
Owner Justin Tiu Lerias has had his eye on a space next door to Ravenswood’s smash hit Del Sur since opening in 2025. Tiu Lerias imagined a larger footprint where he could expand production and fulfill his vision of becoming a community-focused bakery and cafe. Those plans are now being put into action. The Eater award-winning Filipino American patisserie temporarily closed on Sunday, June 14, to accommodate the construction. The plan calls for a living room-esque seating area and an expanded coffee menu featuring pour-overs using locally roasted beans; Tiu Lerias will serve the drinks in his own handmade ceramic mugs. A separate lamination room will mean more pastries. New menu items could include granola-fruit parfaits and seasonal salads. Tiu Lerias may also add an additional day to the weekly opening schedule.
The Carlyle Club
Address: 316 N Clark Street
Key players: Steve Gogolab, Jakob Peterson, Jordan Mendez, and Omar Douglas
ETA: Mid-September
The team behind Dēliz Italian Steakhouse has something in the works at the riverfront Reid Murdoch Building. The Carlyle Club will be a refined all-day restaurant, drawing inspiration from the neighboring Chicago River, historic gathering halls, and the city’s iconic architecture by embracing the character of the 1914 building it calls home. The design highlights original architectural details, including existing Chicago brick and concrete columns. The food will focus on classic American cuisine reimagined with global influences, and will include steaks, sushi, and a thoughtful cocktail program. An expansive patio will provide up-close waterfront views.
Esquire
Address: 58 E Oak Street
Key players: M Street Collective
ETA: Late-Fall
Oak Street continues to live up to its hype as Chicago’s fanciest street beyond the designer boutiques it already features with the opening of this multi-level luxury culinary destination. Taking its name from its home in a historic theater, Japanese-influenced steakhouse Esquire will feature a wagyu program, along with sushi, caviar, and seafood that incorporates fish-aging techniques. The multi-storied 5,000-bottle wine tower remains from its previous tenant, Esquire by Cooper’s Hawk. Rare and reserve whiskies will be offered along with an extensive sake list. The design of the 265-seat restaurant will embrace Hollywood’s Golden Age with elegant custom lighting and sculptural elements. A retractable glass window will overlook Oak Street. Adding to the luxe vibe is ŌakSho, a private club with a 12-seat omakase.
Sanders BBQ Prime
Address: 5311 S. Lake Park Avenue
Key Player: James Sanders
ETA: Late-Fall
Located beneath shuttered bi-level music venue, the Promontory, Sanders BBQ Prime will build on the legacy of the original Beverly barbecue restaurant, Sanders BBQ Supply Co., one of the New York Times’ 50 best restaurants in the U.S. in 2025. Owner and chef James Sanders and operations manager and pitmaster Nick Kleutsch will helm the Hyde Park barbecue joint-meets-steakhouse, serving modern takes on barbecue classics, such as beef tallow smoked popcorn, steaks, and other smoke-kissed dishes.
Black Briar
Address: 201 N. Morgan Street
Key players: Jimmy Papadopoulos and Tim Anderson
ETA: Saturday, September 26
Chef Jimmy Papadopoulos first gained attention while at Bohemian House and later Boka Restaurant Group’s Bellemore. Now he’s returning to Chicago’s culinary scene with the opening of Black Briar in Fulton Market’s former Bar Takito. Joining Papadopoulos is fellow Bellemore alum Tim Anderson. This is their first solo project together. The menu pays homage to classic tavern food while pushing it forward through modern techniques. Coal roasting will play an important role here, whether ingredients are slowly smoked for days or buried directly in glowing embers. Expect everything from truffled cavatelli to fat-washed martinis. The former Bar Takito will be transformed into an American tavern.
Piccadilly Market
Address: 444 W Fullerton Parkway
Key Players: Aaron Zacharias
ETA: Mid-September
Like its older sibling in Lincoln Square, Piccadilly Market in Lincoln Park will be more than a supermarket. Beyond the local and imported artisanal products it will stock, the new, larger location incorporates a full-service coffee shop, an all-day sandwich cafe, a sommelier-curated wine shop, and a dedicated bar featuring wine, spritzes, beer, and cider. An expansive outdoor space will also be part of the larger location at the corner of Fullerton Avenue and Clark Street. A yet-to-be-named well-known Chicago chef will be in charge of the foodservice outlets.
