All the New Restaurant Openings to Know in Chicago

At the turn of the season, Chicago was struck with a flurry of highly-anticipated bar and restaurant openings. In one of the food capitals of the country, it can get overwhelming trying to plan your next reservation. Each month, Eater contributors scour

the city to compile of list of notable bars, restaurants, and cafes in the openings roundup. For Eater’s guide to the best new restaurants in the city, check out the Chicago heatmap, and for the Eater’s best restaurant guide, look to the Eater 38.

Chicago’s restaurant openings roundup is your resource to find out what’s on its way in. The list is by no means comprehensive. Have information on another opening? Send a tip to [e-mail].

Hooligan

2528 North California Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60647, United States

Hooligan, a new 50-seat neo-Midwestern bistro, opened in Logan Square on Friday, October 2. The menu pairs French cooking techniques with ingredients and dishes rooted in the Great Lakes region, including perch with gribiche, petite ravioli filled with pike quenelle in Nantua sauce, and hot water cornbread with pimento cheese and chicken liver parfait. Per a release, their signature caviar service takes a Midwestern approach, pairing crispy potatoes and house dip with paddlefish caviar sourced from a producer near Kentucky. The restaurant will serve an entirely a la carte dinner menu, along with a dinner-for-two option that includes oysters, a shared small plate and large plate, and dessert. Every table will also receive a nightly treat, such as cookies and milk.

The Logan Inn

2003 North California Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60647, United States

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The Logan Inn, a new cafe, cocktail bar, and 28-room inn, had its grand opening on Friday, September 11, near Armitage and California avenues, according to a release. The inn will serve as a neighborhood cafe during the day — serving Graffeo coffee beans, pastries from pastry chef Meg Galus, sandwiches, and a seasonal panzanella salad — and a cocktail bar at night. The drinks menu will focus on classic cocktails, with an emphasis on martinis, including the Not Your Mom’s Dirty Martini, made with London Dry gin, dry vermouth, olive brine, and MSG. The 28-room inn will occupy the floors above the cafe and bar.

Taan

2759 West Augusta Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60622, United States

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Taan, a new Thai restaurant and wine bar, opened in Humboldt Park on Tuesday, September 1. The restaurant has a rotating menu based on the season and available produce. Current fan favorites include the bone marrow fried rice, makwaen fish sauce caramel wings, and green curry mussels. In lieu of traditional noodle dishes, Taan focuses on fish, meat, and vegetables cooked in traditional Thai sauces. The small wine list, which includes bottles from Logan Square’s Middle Brow, rotates alongside the food and includes reds, whites, and sparkling wines.

Carlyle Club

316 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60654, United States

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Carlyle Club, a new all-day dining restaurant, opened Friday, October 2, on the Chicago River with a menu that blends classic American steakhouse fare with Japanese techniques and global flavors. The menu moves from raw bar selections and sushi to handmade pastas, dry-aged steaks, seafood, and shareable dishes. Highlights include binchotan-grilled wagyu, ricotta pillows, lobster pie, and the Carlyle Burger. A dedicated sushi counter offers a more intimate experience, while hand rolls created specifically for the bar bring the sushi program to the rest of the restaurant.

Black Briar

201 North Morgan Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States

Black Briar is a new 110-seat gastropub serving American fare with global influences in the former Bar Takito space. The menu ranges from raw oysters and hamachi crudo to handmade cavatelli, pork short rib, and venison tartare. Standout dishes include snail toast with a savory bordelaise-style jus, sourdough cavatelli with black pepper and pecorino, and a pork short rib that’s brined, smoked, sous-vide, and finished over the grill. The restaurant also has a 20-seat U-shaped bar, an open kitchen, and a drink menu built around American spirits, seasonal ingredients, and an 80-bottle wine list.

Susu

652 West Randolph Street, Chicago, Illinois 60661, United States

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Susu, a steakhouse blending Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Asian influences, is adding a weekend bakery to its offerings. Per a release, the bakery will open Saturday, October 17, serving breakfast sandwiches and pastries available for pre-order and pickup through Susu’s back entrance. The star of the menu is a wagyu sujuk breakfast sandwich made with house wagyu beef sujuk sausage, French scrambled eggs, American cheese, red shatta aioli, and green chermoula on hand-rolled sourdough pita. The opening pastry menu includes croissants, Tea Tea Cheesecake made with chai, shakshuka danish, tahini chocolate chip cookies, and tahini canele. An occasional mystery item will give the bakery room to introduce something unexpected.

Martini Lounge

1520 South Wabash Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60605, United States

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Martini Lounge, a new low-lit, intimate martini bar in the South Loop, opened its doors in early September, per a release. The menu centers on martinis and classic cocktails, including daiquiris and porn stars, and is divided into classic and “disco” martinis. The latter includes drinks like lemon drops, espresso martinis, and cosmopolitans. There’s no kitchen, but guests can snack on chips and dip, olives, and nuts alongside their drinks.

Berenjak

113-125 North Green Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States

This popular U.K. restaurant opened its doors at Chicago’s Soho House on Friday, October 2. Expect cherished staples of Persian cuisine like black chickpea hummus and kababs alongside charcoal-grilled prawns and fish stew. Berenjak Chicago diners will also have access to a unique beverage program with an extended wine list and cocktails previously available only at locations in the U.K.

Sendero

7700 Madison Street, Forest Park, Illinois 60305, United States

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This Mexican cantina from the teams behind former brewery Casa Humilde and Istmo debuted Wednesday, September 9. The restaurant brews its own house beer, with the option of ordering it in a caguama — Mexico’s iconic 32-ounce bottle. There’s also Oaxacan tlayudas with asiento and a selection of tacos each paired with a special salsa.

Café Jon and Galleria

2002 West 18th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60608, United States

Cafe Jon and Galleria is a coffeeshop and event space from Jon Basil Tequila converted from a classic Pilsen auto repair shop. After an extended soft opening over the summer, the large communal space celebrated its grand opening on Sunday, September 6. The daily happy hour starts at 4 p.m.

Victory & Vice

318 North Carpenter Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States

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Sports bars are a way of life in Chicago, but since opening on Wednesday, September 9, Victory & Vice hasn’t been afraid to shake up the traditional model. If the 1,000-square-foot patio, 30 screens, and a custom 17-foot-by-10-foot viewing wall aren’t enticing enough for a game day watch party, the bulgogi cheesesteak and house pizza puff should seal the deal.