Moonflower opened on Milwaukee Avenue in Portage Park — not exactly a neighborhood that gets the press its food and bar scene deserves — and it arrived with more credibility than most new bars can claim.

cocktailsdinnersmall plates

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9.6

Based on 364 reviews

Website Menu Rate

Bar•Chicago•moderate

Bar Sotto

Bar Sotto is doing something Chicago's bar scene is genuinely bad at: building a room for the second glass of wine and the long conversation, not the content drop and the early exit.

cocktailsdinnersmall plates

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American•Chicago•moderate

Kitchen + Kocktails By Kevin Kelley - Chicago

Kitchen + Kocktails By Kevin Kelley - Chicago keeps showing up in the right conversations when people want a reliable american plan.

cocktailsdinnersmall plates

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9.4

Based on 16932 reviews

Reserve Menu Rate

Bar•Chicago•moderate

Dearly Beloved

Dearly Beloved opened in 2024 in the River North space that used to house Kiki's Bistro — a classic French bistro that ran for over 30 years — and it couldn't be more deliberately different.

Cocktails and foodcocktailsdate night

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No Vacancy

No Vacancy isn't hiding behind its concept — it owns it.

Cocktails and foodcocktailsdate night

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Three Dots and a Dash

Three Dots and a Dash is the kind of bar room you reach for when the evening is meant to matter a little more.

Cocktails and foodcocktailsdate night

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9.2

Based on 8492 reviews

Reserve Menu Rate

Bar•Chicago•moderate

Arbella Cocktail Bar

Let me tell you what Arbella actually is, because the word "cocktail bar" undersells it in one direction and oversells it in another.

Cocktails and foodcocktailsdate night

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9.2

Based on 1289 reviews

Website Menu Rate

Editorial restaurant image stand-in for Storyville Chicago

Google

Bar•Chicago•moderate

Storyville Chicago

Storyville Chicago suits a night out when you want bar that feels grown-up without getting stiff.

Cocktails and foodcocktailsdate night

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9.0

Based on 1923 reviews

Website Menu Rate

Editorial restaurant image stand-in for LH Rooftop

Google

Bar•Chicago•moderate

LH Rooftop

LH Rooftop is the kind of bar room you reach for when the evening is meant to matter a little more.

Cocktails and foodcocktailsdate night

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8.4

Based on 3670 reviews

Reserve Menu Rate

Common questions about small plate in Chicago

What are the best restaurants for small plate in Chicago?

The top restaurants for small plate in Chicago include Gus' Sip & Dip, Bar La Rue, Moonflower. TastyPals curates these picks based on occasion tags, Google ratings, and editorial judgment.

What is the best small plate restaurant in Chicago?

Gus' Sip & Dip is among the top-rated options for small plate in Chicago, with a 9.8 Google rating and 2,931 reviews.

TastyPals curates picks based on Google ratings, community reviews, and editorial judgment. Learn how we choose →

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