1
Peruvian•Wicker Park•value
Amaru
Amaru is making a case that Wicker Park still has range.
Wicker Parkcasual nightdate night
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9.6
Based on 870 reviews
Best creative Restaurants in Chicago: 19 Picks for 2026
The best restaurants for creative in Chicago, curated by TastyPals editors.
19 restaurantsAvg rating 9.1Updated July 2026
Google
Top picks for creative in Chicago
Fast answers for diners searching for creative restaurants in Chicago. These first picks make the occasion easier to compare.
2
Contemporary•Avondale•value
void
Void opened in August 2024 on Milwaukee Ave in Avondale with a premise that sounds like it shouldn't work but apparently does: Italian-American comfort food filtered through the instincts of people who came up at places like Violet Hour,…
Avondaledinnercreative
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9.6
Based on 206 reviews
3
Google
Pizza•Wicker Park•value
Paradise Park | Pizza & Patio
Paradise Park | Pizza & Patio is the kind of pizza room in Wicker Park you reach for when the evening is meant to matter a little more.
Wicker Parkcasual nightdate night
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9.4
Based on 3622 reviews
4
Turkish•Wicker Park•value
Elia Chicago
Elia Chicago suits a night out in Wicker Park when you want turkish that feels grown-up without getting stiff.
Wicker Parkcasual nightdate night
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9.4
Based on 1321 reviews
5
Contemporary•Avondale•value
La Nonna
La Nonna is doing something Avondale badly needed and most Chicago neighborhoods still can't claim: an Argentine-inflected all-day spot that treats a choripan with the same institutional seriousness a River North bistro gives a thirty-do…
Avondaledinnercreative
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9.4
Based on 995 reviews
6
American•Avondale•value
Eden
Eden isn't trying to out-trend the West Loop or prove anything to the Michelin circuit.
Avondaledinnercreative
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9.4
Based on 812 reviews
7
Burgers•Avondale•value
The Wolfhound Bar and Kitchen
The Wolfhound Bar and Kitchen opened in 2021 in a 130-year-old Avondale building — founded by a Chicago firefighter, which tells you something about the room before you even look at the menu.
Avondaledinnercreative
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9.4
Based on 330 reviews
8
Google
Vegetarian•Wicker Park•value
Handlebar
Handlebar is a vegetarian pick in Wicker Park in Chicago when you want dinner to feel a little more planned.
Wicker Parkcasual nightdate night
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9.2
Based on 2589 reviews
9
American•Wicker Park•value
Port union
Port union is a american pick in Wicker Park in Chicago when you want dinner to feel a little more planned.
Wicker Parkcasual nightdate night
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9.2
Based on 781 reviews
10
Brunch•Avondale•value
The Avondale Tap
Avondale has been doing the slow-burn cool thing for years, and the Avondale Tap — open since 2017 and part of the Hammock Hospitality group behind West Town's Aberdeen Tap — fits the neighborhood's frequency exactly.
Avondaledinnercreative
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9.2
Based on 627 reviews
11
Google
Contemporary•Avondale•value
Kuma's Corner
Kuma's Corner in Avondale operates on a single, loudly stated premise: the hamburger is a serious thing, and anyone who disagrees can leave.
Avondaledinnercreative
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9.0
Based on 4348 reviews
12
Google
American•Avondale•value
Honey Butter Fried Chicken
Honey Butter Fried Chicken in Avondale operates on a philosophy that's deceptively simple and genuinely hard to execute: make one thing with real conviction, price it like you want people back on a Tuesday, and don't perform ambiance at…
Avondaledinnercreative
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9.0
Based on 4149 reviews
13
Brunch•Wicker Park•value
The Perch Kitchen and Tap
The Perch Kitchen and Tap is the kind of contemporary room in Wicker Park you reach for when the evening is meant to matter a little more.
Wicker Parkcasual nightdate night
Read restaurant page
9.0
Based on 722 reviews
14
Google
Mexican•Wicker Park•value
Big Star
Big Star is a mexican pick in Wicker Park in Chicago when you want dinner to feel a little more planned.
Wicker Parkcasual nightdate night
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8.8
Based on 4391 reviews
15
Google
Mediterranean•Wicker Park•value
Beatnik West Town
Beatnik West Town is a mediterranean pick in Wicker Park in Chicago when you want dinner to feel a little more planned.
Wicker Parkcasual nightdate night
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8.8
Based on 1974 reviews
16
Contemporary•Avondale•value
Picnic Digital Food Court - Avondale
Picnic Digital Food Court - Avondale is a contemporary restaurant in Avondale in Chicago that is worth opening when you want a clearer read on the menu and the room.
Avondaledinnercreative
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8.8
Based on 512 reviews
17
Barbecue•Avondale•value
Soul & Smoke - Avondale at Rockwell on the River
Soul & Smoke at Rockwell on the River isn't chasing prestige-barbecue status, and the Avondale crowd that keeps coming back on Tuesday nights seems to appreciate the honesty.
Avondaledinnercreative
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8.8
Based on 427 reviews
18
Greek•Wicker Park•value
Taxim
Taxim is a greek pick in Wicker Park in Chicago when you want dinner to feel a little more planned.
Wicker Parkcasual nightdate night
Read restaurant page
8.6
Based on 653 reviews
19
Seafood•Wicker Park•value
Ina Mae
Ina Mae is a seafood pick in Wicker Park in Chicago when you want dinner to feel a little more planned.
Wicker Parkcasual nightdate night
Read restaurant page
8.4
Based on 1389 reviews
Common questions about creative in Chicago
What are the best restaurants for creative in Chicago?
The top restaurants for creative in Chicago include Amaru, void, Paradise Park | Pizza & Patio. TastyPals curates these picks based on occasion tags, Google ratings, and editorial judgment.
What is the best creative restaurant in Chicago?
Amaru is among the top-rated options for creative in Chicago, with a 9.6 Google rating and 870 reviews.
TastyPals curates picks based on Google ratings, community reviews, and editorial judgment. Learn how we choose →
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