Chicago Restaurant Week 2026: Five Menus Worth the Splurge

The smell of roasted garlic and simmering roux wafts from Lior’s Cafe on the South Side, where chef-owner Lior Joseph puts the finishing touches on a chicken and shrimp gumbo that represents everything Chicago Restaurant Week should be: ambitious, accessible, and uniquely Chicago.

This year marks the 19th edition of the city’s most anticipated annual Food & Dining event, running January 23 through February 8, with more than 500 restaurants participating. Among them, 75 newcomers are making their debut, offering prix fixe lunch menus at $30 and dinner options at $45 or $60—before beverages, tax, and gratuity.

While reservations at marquee spots like Alinea and Girl & the Goat disappeared faster than deep-dish pizza at a tailgate, plenty of gems remain available for diners willing to venture beyond the usual suspects.

Lior’s Cafe: Haitian Fine Dining Comes to the South Side

Lior’s Cafe stands alone as the South Side’s only Haitian fine dining restaurant, and Joseph’s Restaurant Week menu reads like a love letter to both his heritage and adopted city. The dinner offering features that standout chicken and shrimp gumbo, which Joseph describes as “Haiti meets Louisiana with a Chicago attitude.”

The three-course menu also includes griot—traditional Haitian fried pork—served alongside pickled vegetables and rice with black mushrooms. For dessert, Joseph offers bread pudding with a Caribbean twist, incorporating coconut and rum flavors that transport diners straight to Port-au-Prince.

“Chicago has always been a city of immigrants bringing their food traditions,” Joseph said. “Restaurant Week gives us a chance to show people that Haitian cuisine belongs in that conversation.”

Kitsune: Japanese Precision Meets Midwestern Comfort

In Logan Square, Kitsune continues to build its reputation as one of the city’s most thoughtful Japanese restaurants. Chef Sarah Kim’s Restaurant Week menu showcases the technical precision that earned the restaurant a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation.

The dinner menu opens with house-made tofu served warm with grated ginger and soy, followed by miso-glazed black cod that practically melts off the chopsticks. The finale—a matcha cheesecake with black sesame crust—strikes the perfect balance between familiar comfort and elegant restraint.

Kim sources her fish from the same suppliers as the city’s top sushi bars, but her prices remain refreshingly approachable. “Restaurant Week lets us put our best foot forward without intimidating people,” Kim explained.

Virtue: Redefining Southern Food on the South Side

Chef Erick Williams continues to elevate Southern cuisine at Virtue in Hyde Park, and his Restaurant Week menu demonstrates why the restaurant consistently earns national acclaim. The dinner selection features wood-fired Gulf shrimp with Anson Mills grits, followed by coffee-rubbed short ribs that spend hours in the restaurant’s custom smoker.

Williams’ approach to Southern food emphasizes historical accuracy and premium ingredients. His cornbread arrives at the table still steaming, made from heirloom corn varieties that predate industrial agriculture. The meal concludes with bourbon peach cobbler served with vanilla bean ice cream made in-house daily.

“We’re not trying to reinvent Southern food,” Williams said. “We’re trying to show people what it actually is when you use the best ingredients and proper techniques.”

Temporis: Tasting Menu Excellence at Restaurant Week Prices

In West Town, Temporis offers perhaps the best value in this year’s Restaurant Week lineup. The restaurant typically serves only tasting menus starting at $125, but during Restaurant Week, diners can experience chef Johnny Clark’s innovative approach for $60.

The three-course menu changes daily based on market availability, but recent offerings have included roasted duck breast with fermented turnip, and Clark’s signature dessert featuring chocolate, coffee, and malted barley. Each dish arrives as a carefully composed plate that photographs beautifully but tastes even better.

Clark’s background includes stints at Next and Schwa, and his Restaurant Week menu maintains the creativity of those high-end establishments while remaining approachable for casual diners.

Gibsons Italia: Classic Italian Meets Steakhouse Swagger

Gibsons Italia in River North brings Italian refinement to the Gibsons Restaurant Group’s steakhouse empire. The Restaurant Week menu showcases house-made pasta alongside dry-aged beef that rivals anything in the city.

The dinner menu features bucatini all’amatriciana made with guanciale imported from Italy, followed by a choice of either branzino or a six-ounce filet mignon with roasted vegetables. The tiramisu finale uses espresso from local roaster Intelligentsia, adding a Chicago touch to the Italian classic.

Making the Most of Restaurant Week

Reservations for popular spots continue to fill quickly, but many restaurants hold back tables for walk-ins, especially for lunch service. The full list of participating restaurants and their complete menus remains available at choosechicago.com/chicago-restaurant-week.

Several neighborhoods offer multiple participating restaurants within walking distance, making it easy to plan progressive dinners or compare different approaches to the same cuisine. The West Loop alone features more than 40 participating restaurants, while neighborhoods like Lincoln Park and Wicker Park each offer dozens of options.

For first-time participants, restaurant industry veterans recommend calling restaurants directly rather than relying solely on online reservation systems, as many establishments can accommodate special requests or dietary restrictions with advance notice.

Chicago Restaurant Week continues through February 8, offering both longtime residents and visitors an opportunity to explore the city’s diverse culinary landscape at accessible prices. With 75 newcomers joining the roster, this year’s event promises discoveries that extend far beyond the final meal.