50 Best American Restaurants near River Forest

“We arrived for lunch about a half hour before closing and were greeted by a very friendly staff member who seated us promptly. Our servers were also very friendly. My wife had a half sandwich on gluten-free bread with a half salad, which were both very flavorful and filling. I had a sandwich and the tomato soup, which were also delicious.“

“Absolute dominance from a restaurant that is less than a month old. You thought you've had it all, that Chicago couldn't possibly have yet ANOTHER banger in Wicker Park, but i'll be damned, here we are. The cracklin' shrimp is so well done, I would eat a bowl of it. Lemony, spicy, deep fried deliciousness. The half chicken was among the best I've ever had (whatever that green sauce was, was KILLING IT) not to mention my wife's elote lasagna?!?! I can't wait to go back. THE MANAGER EVEN SMELLED GREAT. Victory!“

“The food sounded fancy and tasted SO good! Our server, Andrew, came up with the most delicious drinks! Superb service! We’ll be back!!“

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

“We went last night for the first time… Great menu options, food was delicious, portions were perfect, staff was really nice. I had the Grilled Salmon, he had the Braised Pork Shoulder…definitely recommend both.“

“We stopped in today on a tip and what a delicious treat! Highly recommend!“

“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“

“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.“

“Went there today for the first, but definitely not last time. The food was extraordinary.“

“Good food, good variety. R&B classics playing in the background. What more could you ask?“

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

“Excellent customer service. Food was delicious and the prices weren’t bad at all. Highly recommend!“

“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.“

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

“The customer service is amazing the young lady that took the order was very helpful and patient . They have many many tasty options food , desserts, And drinks , Yes drinks ! They have variety of can flavors , bottle ( glass and plastic ) !! You have to come take a look and try it out !!“

“Excellent food and ambiance, The brick chicken is my favorite. Our friends who have lived throughout the country said the pork chop is the best they ever had“

“Great variety and unique flavors. Great vibe.“

“This is a neighborhood staple! Good food great people!“

“We dined at Topaz in August 2024 and had a wonderful experience. The atmosphere was cozy and welcoming. We were seated in a comfortable booth. A special mention goes to our server, Sasa, who was incredibly attentive and provided great suggestions. He even surprised us with complimentary limoncellos, which were absolutely delicious. For appetizers, we had the grilled octopus and hummus—both prepared to perfection and bursting with flavor. For the main course, we chose the Dover sole and Amish chicken. These dishes were exceptional and stood out as some of the best we've ever had. The potatoes served with the sole were also a delightful surprise. Portions were generous, and the prices were quite reasonable considering the quality and quantity of the food. We highly recommend Topaz and will definitely be returning!“

“The sweet sixteen is a must have!!!!!“

“The Chew was an amazing restaurant! Not only was the food amazing but the owners, Linda and Landy, and the staff were spectacular! We miss it so much! Truly an icon in our community!“

“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.“

“I had heard Monti's was the best place to get a Philly in Chicago, and since I've been craving one lately, I had to give it a try. I can honestly say it's the best Philly I've had in Chicago and the surrounding areas. It definitely did not disappoint.
I ordered mine with extra mayo and white American cheese, and it was absolutely delicious. The staff was friendly, the service was great, and the whole experience lived up to the hype. I highly recommend giving Monti's a try if you're looking for an authentic Philly cheesesteak!“

“Decided to stop in after seeing how long their line was at Taste of Chicago. Just a rock solid Burger place. Had the Merktz cheese burger, and I quite enjoyed it. I don't have too much much more to say about this place. Its worth the stop“

“Great service and even better food! 10 out of 10 all around! When you go ask for Josh!“

“Great food, shakes and beer selection! Fast and friendly service. Wish the fries were thicker but that’s my personal preference. We also enjoyed the music selection.“

“Never had a bad meal! One of our staples. Love the Red Velvet pancakes, deconstructed lobster eggs Benedict and white chocolate pretzel pancakes!!!“

“there is a fantastic rock and roll brunch menu. the service is excellent. and I can highly recommend the Long Island Iced Teas.“

“We recently got married at The Elm this past weekend (10/13/2024) and can't express in words how satisfied we were with their service. Starting from the first day that we went to see The Elm we were treated with the upmost respect and professionalism. We had our ceremony in the Kensington room, and our reception in the Madison room. The atmosphere and vibe of both rooms was everything that we could hope for. The staff was incredible, the food/drinks were AMAZING, and our guests had nothing but positive feedback. WE HIGHLY RECOMMED THIS PLACE FOR A WEDDING AND/OR ANY OTHER EVENT.“

“I loved it. Have been passing by this place since over a decade ago and never had the time. By coincidence I checked it out a few days ago and I ordered a double cheeseburger with onion rings and it was delicious! I also had a chilli which I recommend if you’re into dips! Very good service. Modest prices.“

“Grabbed dinner at Four Moon Tavern and it hit just right. Went with the pimento burger and a side of those beer battered onion rings. Burger was juicy with that cheesy kick, rings came out crispy and not greasy at all. Place has that classic pub feel, jukebox going, couple folks playing pool in the back, patio was open so we sat outside for a bit. Bartender was chill and kept the beers coming without any wait. Solid neighborhood spot when you just want good bar food and a laid back vibe.“

“Johns is a friendly, always reliable, brunch, lunch or dinner with good food, amazing desserts….(try the skillet cookie), and great service!“

“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“

“Great customer service and food“

“Great selection of American & Mediterranean. Falafel plate & Kefta kabobs were fantastic & prepared fresh. Unexpected array of dessert options, as well. Win!“

“Nina's was an excellent value, and tasty - a place I will return to or order from in the future for Indian food. I've been enjoying indian food since I was a child in the 70's, and recently my elder greek aunt mentioned she knew about Nina's and wanted to try it. She's in her early 90's and I knew she had concern for flavors and overly hot spices, so I was initially anxious - yet the menu had many clear options and while I can tolerate medium heat in dishes, I was able to discern helpfully which dishes were significantly spiced and also find out if the spice was hot, or simply aromatic in descriptions - she tried the Goat Biryani and requested it not over-spiced. Portions were excellent, both for her dish and the Chicken Tikka Masala which my wife and I requested, which we stated we liked spice for. They accomplished our dishes well all around and accompanied with delicious crisp veg samosas filled with the usual lovely and tender filling - dipping sauces, garlic naan, and complimentry basmati rice with our tikka dishes. The little gulab jamuun donut balls in sweet sauce was a perfect desert at the end.

My aunt's goat biryani was very pleasantly spiced, not hot but still a nice medley of spice that accompanied the large and tasty pieces of goat - which really pleased my greek aunt and though she ate as much as she could, she still sent half of it home with me and my wife AND took some of it home with herself as left overs! As a standby, we orderded normal chai with cream and sugar and it was excellent, but they have a full bar and selections of indian beers and other beverages, as well as western sodas.

The ambiance as some have mentioned may need a little work, but it was nice tables inside, many two tops, but also enough to handle medium parties as well without rearrangement. Quiet inside, we could hear ourself talk and enjoy the gathering - and though some might feel an indian restaruant needs something like lowly played pleasant music -by and large Nina's cooking did the speaking and it would call us back.“

“Buen ambiente y buen servicio.“

“Such great service (Alex) and food! Fantastic time and we were a large group.“

“Great food! Great people! Forget Raising Canes, Chubbies is better in every way. Location is great on a beautiful “Main Street” America type setting. Amazing chicken sandwiches and tenders with generous portions and great prices“

“30 yr customer, will never see me again, ordered soup of the day chicken with a large pasta noodle, did not care for it at all, 75% broth in large container, expressed my disappointment to Kathy, did not offer apology or to make it right,“

“Pizza was ok, nothing to write home about. I got a slice of sausage, slice of pepperoni, some wings and a cream soda. Wings were also ok. I wouldn’t choose salad dressing as a dipping sauce but hey what are you gonna do. Good crunch on the crust. I bet if I ordered a whole pie and asked for extra sauce well done I would like it more.“

“Wow, this place is AMAZING? Great service, hopping atmosphere, and every single one of our dishes were delicious. We will be making this establishment a regular breakfast place during our Chicago visits! Food ordered was: Breakfast burrito Croissant Sandwich Buttermilk pancakes with a side of crispy bacon!“

“The food came out in generous portions. MI vs. MN game and White Sox streaming with drink specials ($5 Modelos and Mimosas) to go along.

The server, delightful middle-aged guy in rainbow tie-dye treated us well!

The patio looked awesome (tho’ we chose a high top).

2:00 and their brunch and lunch menus were being served. Their croissant breakfast sammie and their BLAAT on sourdough were served with fresh arugula. The American fries and French fries were really good!“

“Great space, food and staffing. Intentional and reward project worthy of your patronage.“

“Absolutely love Vistro! Amazing staff, delicious food, wonderful atmosphere, and superb customer service. It never disappoints!“

“My Granddaughter 16th Birthday, 12/ 20/2025 The Food Was Absolutely The Best💥💥💥 We Had: Burgers, Salmon, Mashed Potatoes Jerk Chicken, Chicken Alfredo, barbeque Wings. Mmm So Very Delicious 😋 The Staff, PHENOMENAL“

“Food is unique and tasteful.“

“Not a bad item on their entire menu! By far one of the best places in the Sauganash/Edgebrook neighborhood.“

“I had a great time wine tasting here! We sat out on their patio, which was secluded and quiet. The perfect armosphere for a catch up with friends or a date night. The food is delicious too. My favorite was the shrimp ceviche. On Wednesdays, they do happy hour specials on tasting flights! I really enjoyed the Mediterranean white flight. Their broader wine list is also incredibly diverse, representing many regions and flavors. I’ll definitely be back!“

“The wait staff and cooks are fast and friendly...the owners are outstanding! Can't wait to come back!“