New American Restaurants near Oak Park, IL

“Food is amazing. Small space inside which is quite loud when it is full which is often. We had a reservation, but when we arrived all the tables were full, so we had to wait. They have sidewalk seating, which is a cute little area with some shade, but along busy Lake street. I returned here several times over the past few months, particularly for the food. “

“I loved this place! The Cinnamon Roll Waffles and the Ham and Cheese Omelette were absolutely amazing! The staff was great as well. I will definitely go back when I'm in town again.“

“Blueberry Wine is awesome!!“

“My family and I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the food and the service.“

“1st time here, It was a very nice experience, our server was great and the musicians were great too! The food was yummy! And the cocktails! I will recommend to my friends!“

“my best friend and I just had the BEST experience at the whale! Our waitress taylor was incredible and the manager (so sorry but we never got his name because he was just being so nice to us) was incredible as well. We will definitely return with friends and recommend anyone to try it out! classy, but not snobby, cool decor, warm kind and accommodating staff, and great food and cocktails are just the cherry on top! try the carrot cake after your meal :) Thank you again to taylor and the manager again <3“

“I'm from Iowa, took a little weekend trip to Chicago. A friend told us we HAD to try Lula's. SO thankful we did. I will be traveling back to Chicago just to take my mom here. Outstanding service from every single employee, incredible food, and just overall 10/10. Absolutely recommend.“

“This place is impeccable. The food is amazing and the service is wonderful. Dessert blew my mind. So inventive and fun! Highly recommend.“

“Fantastic from start to finish.“

“soy de puerto rico es la primera vez que los visito y fue la mejor experiencia gastronómica de todo mi viaje en este espectacular restaurante, El gerente MIGUEL excelenteeeee el mejorrrrrr gerente, servicio de excelencia 100%, el trato fue increible ademas de Luis que fue sin duda alguna mas que excelente tambien. En fin todos muy amables y la comida omg ! divina !!!!!!!“

“We’re huge fans of The Bear, which steered us here on our Chicago trip - so glad we found this place! We loved the mushroom adobo and longnanisa breakfast sandwich! The mango tarts were amazing, as were our lattes. We left with an apple hand pie to eat the following morning, which was still had perfectly crispy pastry. Definitely worth the hour wait to get in.“

“Amazing, a perfect evening.“

“This place has a cool, hip vibe and it’s fun to eat at the communal tables. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Great variety of beer and creative craft cocktails. Food is beautifully plated and delicious - make sure to try the potatoes, baby gem salad and hanger steak.“

“Had dinner here. Amazing food, highly recommend the speghetti lemone and the artichoke appetizer. Highlight of the dinner was our server, Ozzy. We are at the bar and he was friendly, knowledgeable, and overall just fantastic. Will definitely come again, next time in Chicago.“

“A shout out for Ever in the latest season of The Bear prompted me to come back and write this review. My partner and I came here a year ago from the UK whilst in Chicago for a friend's wedding, which also coincided with my partner's 30th birthday.

It was unbelievably special. From the moment we walked in there it was an experience. It started with eating a deep fried lychee off the ceiling, and ended with being taken through a coat cupboard and into a secret passageway ending up in After, the sister bar. The food was, as expected, outstanding. I had an asparagus dish so good it has ruined all other asparagus for me for life. Each course was creative, unique, and like nothing I've had before. We were amazingly looked after - when we spoke to our waiter about how far we'd come, she arranged for a kitchen tour. A signed personalised menu was given to us with a happy birthday message on it, and a take on a chocolate cake was brought out with a candle (in addition to the 2 other desert courses!). Of course it does not come cheap, but the sense of occasion made it all worth it - they know this is something their guests to do not do regularly, and they make sure every tiny detail is one to remember.

We still talk about this dinner all the time.“

“Absolutely delicious!! Can't wait to come back“

“What a fantastic experience. Maxwell's Trading may have just become our new favorite date night spot in Chicago.

From the moment we walked in, the room had an effortlessly cool vibe—warm, energetic, and stylish without ever feeling loud or pretentious. The tables are thoughtfully spaced, so you can actually enjoy a conversation, which made for a perfect date night.

The staff was exceptional. Everyone we interacted with was genuinely warm, welcoming, knowledgeable, and eager to make the evening special. Their enthusiasm for the food and hospitality really shines through.

The food? Outstanding. Every dish was incredibly flavorful, creative, comforting, and beautifully executed. You can tell there's a lot of thought behind each plate, but nothing feels overdone—it simply tastes amazing.

And then there's the soundtrack. The chill music spinning on a turntable brought back that effortlessly cool '80s vibe and tied the whole experience together.

If you're looking for innovative food, outstanding hospitality, and an atmosphere where you can relax and actually connect with the people you're with, Maxwell's Trading is a home run. We can't wait to come back. Highly recommended.“

“Great for private events! Very accommodating, kind and attentive staff, delicious brunch buffet option! Recommend strongly. We hosted my sister’s bridal shower here, and it was perfect!“

“The food was very good. But this is definitely a place where you are paying for excellent and it was not quite that. Appetizers and desert were great, wine list as well. But the salmon I had for my main was underwhelming—the marinade was far too heavy on the fish sauce.“

“Chicago is home to many great restaurants. We are blessed to live here. But Schwa is not only great, it is unlike any other restaurant we've experienced. The uniqueness factor is without rival. Chef Caleb and his talented team are best described as culinary geniuses and artistic prodigies. Their tasting menu is sublime. Prepare yourself for a cacophony of flavors, textures, and combinations. It's gastronomic creativity and imagination at a whole new level. The service is great, the atmosphere is fun, the food is superb, and the experience is one of a kind. Plus it's BYOB, which is icing on the cake. Schwa is a true Chicago treasure, to be cherished and relished, again and again. We're eager to return.“

“Everything I had was absolutely delicious. I ordered the leap of faith $90 each surprise menu for two. I got hamachi crudo, hot oysters, cheesy bread with fig jam and cream, heirloom tomato salad, wagyu steak, red snapper, soft serve, and lychee guava sorbet. 10/10 the steak was perfect and melted in your mouth.“

“So awesome! Great burgers great service“

“10/10 experience with Eddie! Had a birthday event for some friends and he was super helpful and accommodating! Definitely would recommend this place! Can’t wait to come back!“

“LOVE Gemini. Their bottomless has a great variety, and my food has been amazing every time!“

“What an amazing experience, will be back.“

“Great variety and unique flavors. Great vibe.“

“Great happy hour daily 5-6pm The burgers are so good !! Always fun“

“The food is 10/10 I would not come here for drinks I would say it's not very congruent w the menu and then the flavors don't really match w the menu. The whipped paneer was so good as were the hush puppies. I also got the mushroom curry which was top notch.“

“Great food, family friendly!“

“A very creative kitchen serves up surprising dishes in every course, even dessert, where many restaurants just go through the motions. They also serve up cocktails that you are not likely to see anywhere else. What comes as no surprise, is that they are a Michelin starred restaurant.“

“Nice place, wonderful burger and good bar selection. Totally disagree with the credit card surcharge, though - no restaurant with $20 burgers should charge guests the comission!“

“This 20 seat, plated in the round, fine dining restaurant is very fruit and veg forward this time of year. Chef Jacob and staff creatively highlight these flavors in novel ways that are really exciting. Some of the best asparagus and peas we’ve ever had ! EVERYTHING successfully contributed to the unique vision of this Chef in sourcing, preparing and serving what the Earth is giving us in this exact moment, day to day.

Courses are often composed of 3 or more plates carrying various iterations of the featured ingredient. Everyone is served all at once and you are watching the almost assembly line production as it’s happening. To drink with these dishes, there are a couple featured cocktails (Strawberry Manhattan and Seafood Martini on our night), a couple of wine pairing menus, wine by the glass, non /low alcohol selections as well. No matter how experienced an imbiber you are, there will be something you haven’t had before and it will be a thoughtful and excellent pairing.

After the first few courses (which were light on proteins yet still provided a substantial meal), there were a few seated dessert courses (as well as a study of one cheese across 3 days cheese course) before heading out to the back patio fire pit for DIY s’mores!

Team service was friendly, enthusiastic, attentive and anticipatory of our needs (the thoughtfully provided SHOUT! stain remover wipes were needed more than once !). Throughout the evening, our celebratory occasion was acknowledged and our take home menu personalized to further commemorate our evening.

2 Accessible single restrooms were bright, warm, with ample hooks and surfaces for your stuff, the aforementioned Shout! wipes handy, very nice toilet paper.

It was a fun evening, food was outstanding, no detail was overlooked — we are going back soon and you should too! Reservations around 2 1/2 months out at this time.

Dinner: A Bathrooms: A Overall: A“

“We rolled in as some sleeveless thirsty travelers late night on a Thursday. We were bathed in nonchalant hospitality. The quality of a bar can stand on the legs of a Strong menu but it’s only excellent when you have exceptional staff. The Scofflaw has the sauce“

“Amazing food. Great atmosphere. What more can be said?“

“I had one of the best dinner experiences ever, the food was outstanding but the service was extra special. We will be back! Congratulations“

“Had our holiday celebration and had an extraordinary experience - great food and excellent service.“

“We had a delicious breakfast and the service was Excellent. Looking forward to coming back for lunch and mock tails.“

“Great spot for a quick bite and a few cocktails.“

“Met for a brainstorming session…their coffee is a catalyst for sure! Great selection of healthy options with just enough sinful options to keep it balanced!“

“This place has great food. Went for Retirement Party. Food delicious and drinks made to perfection. Make sure you try catfish….yummy😊“

“By far, one of my new favorite restaurants in the city. The food was creative yet simple, the cocktails were craft, and the ambiance was just perfect for the mood. I enjoyed my whole experience so much, I wish I could come here regularly, but unfortunately I do not have that kind of budget. Nettare stole my heart for sure.

And a huge shoutout to the staff, they really made the place so special.“

“We had the best time here for an early dinner before heading downtown for a show. Highlights of the meal are the French Onion Toast and Ricotta Gnocci. They also have a mocktail menu which had some delicious drinks on it. Will definitely be back soon!“

“My wife and I visited Chief O’Neil’s last night for a late drink during a quick trip to Chicago. We were personally greeted and served by proprietor Anluan McKinney who took great care of us and told us about the pub’s history. The food and drinks were wonderful and the pub was clean, comfortable, and authentic. It may be my favorite Irish pub in the US.“

“Chicken is very delicious“

“The dinner was fabulous. Our server was wonderful! The desserts are amazing! The decor is beautiful!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Had a great experience here twice while in Chicago for the National Restaurant Show. Once for brunch and once for dinner !! Let's start with brunch.. It was out of this world, staff was friendly and attentive, the hazy ipa was crisp and ice cold, then the tour of the menu kicked off and I was In foodie heaven! I warned the bar tenders I would need some Boxes as I was about to do a dining tour through the menu.. the anchovy toast was #insanegood, the pimento cheese eclair was out of this world, the oysters were fresh, the Benedict was crazy with boudin noir blood sausage crab hollandaise sauce on eclair style muffin! The French omelet with caviar was crazy good it was floating in an amazing sauce and the eggs were perfectly cooked and the caviar was the perfect garnish , the asparagus with poached egg with the sauces it was hanging out in were top notch .. The loyalist burger was fire and I am hard to please on burgers.. the details on everything were impressive all in a casual spot downstairs from the Michelin level concept the chef has !! To finish off the meal one of the best things I have ever had was the pistachio eclair !! WOW WAS AN UNDERSTATEMENT!! Came Back a few days later for dinner service and did the same thing started out ordering a stack of boxes so I could work my way thru the dinner menu !! The Spence farm egg with caviar app was amazing !! The French onion eclair was another genius chef creation with an eclair, the cod quenelles, the beef Tartare, and endive salad were on point in all the ways .. then came the mains .. ordered the ocean trout and the gnocchi dish as a side kick .. both of those were some of the best dishes I have had .. the skin was so crispy on the trout but not burnt like how did you get this so perfect .. secretes of the kitchen is how .. the preparation and plate up with the trout was nothing short of a perfect pairing and the gnocchi made another side kick but could have been an amazing entree .. then to finish it off the orange 🍊 glazed brioche dessert that was flambéd table side was the perfect ending to a 5 Stars all around memorable Dining experience !! When in Chicago this chef and team is a must try! I will for sure visit their Michelin level experience as this was Michelin level In A causal environment!!“

“Great Food and Friendly Service“

“Friendly and helpful staff“

“Im embarrassed it took us a couple of years to finally dine here but I'm SO grateful we FINALLY arrived and assure you we will be back again soon. Fun cocktail menu, great wine list and an impeccably delivered menu and great service! Thank you for the perfect date night!“

“Simply amazing! Every bite had a story. There’s an art to what they do here.“