Number of Restaurants Covered in Guide: 1,147

Number of Surveyors: 7,634

Most Popular
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Alinea | American (1) Gibsons | Steak (4) Frontera Grill | Mexican (2) Girl & The Goat | American (3) Topolobampo* | Mexican (7) Avec | Mediterranean (12) Lou Malnatis | Pizza (8) Blackbird | American (10) Joes Sea/Steak | Seafood/Steak (6) Tru* | French (11)

Best Buys (Top-rated restaurants $25 and under)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Over Easy Caf | American Kumas Corner | Burgers Spacca Napoli Pizzeria | Pizza Hot Dougs | Hot Dogs Xoco | Mexican Sweet Maple Caf | American Smoque BBQ | BBQ Edzos Burger Shop | Burgers Big Star | Mexican Tweet | American

Top Food
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Katsu Japanese | Japanese (2) Vie | American (-) Next | Eclectic (3) Alinea | American (1) Ruxbin | Eclectic (15) Schwa | American (10) EL Ideas | American (-) Les Nomades | French (5) Riccardo Trattoria | Italian (4) Topolobampo | Mexican (11)

Top Decor
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Shanghai Terrace (1) Alinea (2) L2O (5) Courtrights (4) Sixteen* (3) Tru (8) North Pond (7) NoMI Kitchen (10) Aviary (13) Everest (6)

Top Service
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next (1) Alinea (2) Vie (3) Les Nomades (4) Tru (5) Courtrights (6) Tallgrass (7) L2O (15) Moto (10) Everest (11)

* - Indicates a tie with restaurant above. (#) - Indicates its rank in the last survey.

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Key Newcomers
BIG NAMES/BIG TICKETS
Boarding House Brindille e+o Food & Drink Elizabeth Grace Little Goat Diner Masaki Sushi Senza Siena Tavern Tre Soldi

ASIAN SPICE
Belly Q Embeya Jellysh Juno Kabocha Japanese Brasserie Lao 18 Mott Street Oon Sumi Robata Bar

DECADENT EATS
Bavettes County Barbeque Del Friscos Leadbelly Sweet Baby Rays Tortoise Club

NEIGHBORHOOD STARS
Fat Rice Found Himmels Table, Donkey & Stick Tesori

SCENES
American Junkie Centro La Sirena Clandestina Parsons Restaurant Beatrix Trenchermen

Top Restaurants by Cuisine

AMERICAN (NEW) AMERICAN (TRAD.) BARBECUE BURGERS CHINESE DINERS ECLECTIC FRENCH GASTROPUB GREEK HOT DOGS INDIAN ITALIAN

Vie Table Fifty-two Smoque BBQ Kumas Shanghai Terrace Glenns Diner Next Les Nomades Longman & Eagle Taxim Hot Dougs Cumin Riccardo Trattoria

JAPANESE MEDITERRANEAN MEXICAN MIDDLE EASTERN PIZZA SANDWICHES SEAFOOD SMALL PLATES SPANISH/TAPAS STEAKHOUSES THAI VEGETARIAN

Katsu Avec Topolobampo Turquoise Spacca Napoli Fontanos Subs Acadia Avec Mercat a la Planxa Joes Sea/Steak Aruns Green Zebra

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How many times do you typically eat out in restaurants per week for. . . ? Lunch Dinner Total Chicago Average 2.4 2.3 4.7 National Average 2.1 2.3 4.4

How much do you spend on average per person when eating out at a restaurant for dinner? Average Chicago $38.99 National $40.53

If a service charge is not included, what % do you usually tip? Average Chicago 19.1% National 19.0%

How do you typically split the bill when dining in a group? Evenly among the group Ask for separate checks By what each individual orders Chicago 74% 17% 9% National 72% 19% 9%

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How many lunches and dinners per week do you typically . . .? Cook at home/Prepare at home Eat out/take out Eat out in restaurants Take out Skip Total meals eaten per week: % total meals eat out/take out: What irritates you most about dining out? Noise level Service Prices Crowds Food Parking Trac Children/babies (write-in) Other irritants Chicago 30% 22% 15% 12% 8% 7% 3% 1% 2% National 27% 24% 15% 11% 10% 7% 3% 1% 2% Chicago 6.5 6.7 4.7 2.0 0.8 13.2 51% National 6.9 6.2 4.4 1.8 0.9 13.1 47%

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What's your biggest service pet peeve? Inattentive sta Slow service Waiting with a reservation Rude sta Rushed service Inadequately trained sta (about the food and/or restaurant policies) Plates being cleared before entire party has nished the course or meal Poor handling of service problems Pushy sta trying to upsell (i.e. get you to order more items or more expensive items) Frequent interruptions by sta Order mix-ups Overly friendly sta Poor handling of special requests Mistakes on your bill Other service pet peeve I don't have any service pet peeves Chicago 22% 17% 12% 9% 9% 7% National 23% 17% 7% 9% 6% 9%

7% 3% 3% 3% 2% 1% 1% -% 1% 3%

9% 3% 3% 2% 3% 2% 2% 1% 1% 3%

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How do you typically make restaurant reservations? Via Internet Via the Internet on your desktop/laptop Via the Internet on your mobile phone Via the Internet on your tablet/ipad Phone restaurant directly In person Don't reserve Chicago 62% 34% 20% 8% 33% 1% 4% National 52% 27% 16% 9% 41% 1% 6%

How long are you willing to wait for a table at places that don't take reservations? No more than 15 minutes No more than 30 minutes No more than 45 minutes No more than one hour As long as it takes It doesn't matter as long as there is a bar I avoid places that don't take reservations Chicago 25% 51% 9% 4% 1% 4% 6% National 29% 48% 8% 3% 1% 5% 6%

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What cuisine would you love to see more of in your local area? Seafood French Chinese Thai Italian German Greek Spanish Vegetarian Indian Mexican South American Vietnamese Japanese American Korean Steakhouses British Other cuisine Chicago 16% 12% 7% 6% 5% 5% 4% 4% 4% 4% 4% 4% 4% 4% 3% 3% 2% 1% 8% National 14% 12% 5% 5% 6% 4% 6% 5% 5% 4% 4% 4% 4% 3% 4% 3% 4% 1% 7%

What is your favorite cuisine? Italian French American Seafood Steakhouses Mexican Japanese Thai Chinese Indian Greek Korean Spanish Vegetarian Vietnamese German South American British Other cuisine www.zagat.com Chicago 25% 15% 13% 9% 7% 6% 5% 4% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% -% 6% National 25% 12% 13% 11% 6% 5% 7% 4% 3% 3% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% -% -% -% 6%

How often do you go out for brunch? Nearly every weekend - I love it! Sometimes - if the mood strikes Rarely - just for special occasions I never go - it's just an excuse to overcharge for eggs Chicago 7% 35% 46% 12% National 7% 31% 49% 13%

While dining in a restaurant, how do you feel about diners who take pictures of their food, companions, etc.? It's rude and inappropriate Ok in moderation Perfectly acceptable No opinion Chicago 15% 54% 26% 5% National 12% 56% 26% 6%

While dining in a restaurant, how do you feel about diners who text, e-mail, tweet or talk on their mobile phone? It's rude and inappropriate Ok in moderation Perfectly acceptable No opinion Chicago 57% 37% 4% 2% National 57% 37% 4% 2%

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While dining in a restaurant, how do you feel about children using tablets/ipads/mobile phones at the table? It's rude and inappropriate Ok in moderation Perfectly acceptable No opinion Chicago 30% 44% 21% 5% National 29% 46% 19% 6%

Do you avoid restaurants that are too loud? Yes No Chicago 71% 29% National 73% 27%

Do you avoid restaurants that are too quiet? Yes No Chicago 11% 89% National 11% 89%

What do you think about the presence of children in upscale restaurants? It's a free country It's ne as long as they are well behaved There should be limits, i.e. no babies I don't like it - I'm paying a lot of money and would like to dine in peace www.zagat.com Chicago 7% 72% 9% 12% National 7% 77% 7% 9%

Top 20 Food Ratings 1997-2014

1997 29 28 Le Franais Trio Everest Carlos Aruns Ambria Ritz-Carlton Din. Rm 27 Tallgrass Charlie Trotters Le Titi de Paris 26 Seasons Les Nomades Frontera Grill Gabriels Topolobampo Montparnasse Gordon 25 Spiaggia Bistro Banlieue Mortons of Chicago 1999 29 Le Franais 28 Ambria Carlos Tallgrass 27 Le Titi de Paris Topolobampo Ritz-Carlton Din. Rm. Aruns Charlie Trotters Everest Trio Seasons 26 Frontera Grill Mortons of Chicago Mesn Sabika Bistro Banlieue 25 Courtrights Fond de la Tour Gabriels Gordon 2001 29 Le Franais 28 Carlos Ritz-Carlton Din. Rm. Tru Ambria 27 Seasons Everest Le Titi de Paris Trio Charlie Trotters Tallgrass* Topolobampo Les Nomades 26 Aruns 302 West Spiaggia Courtrights MK Gabriels Frontera Grill 2002/03 28 Seasons Les Nomades Ritz-Carlton Din. Rm. Charlie Trotters Le Titi de Paris Carlos Le Franais Trio 27 Ambria Tru Everest Tallgrass Spiaggia Les Deux Gros Topolobampo Gabriels Aruns MK 26 Spring Mortons of Chicago 2004/05 29 Ritz-Carlton Din. Rm. Trio 28 Tallgrass Les Nomades Carlos Tru Ambria Mirai Sushi Seasons 27 Charlie Trotters Le Titi de Paris 302 West Everest MK Aruns Topolobampo Le Vichyssois Bistro Banlieue Oceanique* Kevin

2006/07 29 28 Carlosx Le Franais Les Nomades Tru Alinea Tallgrass Aruns Ambria 27 Topolobampo Charlie Trotters Everest Vie Spring Barrington Bistro Oceanique Ritz-Carlton Din. Rm. Blackbird 26 Courtrights Frontera Grill Spiaggia

2008/09 29 Alinea Tallgrass Les Nomades Topolobampo Vie Le Titi de Paris Niche 27 Tru 28 Carlos Alinea Schwa 28 Aruns

2010/11 29 Les Nomades

2012/13 29 Alinea Katsu Next 28 Riccardo Trattoria Les Nomades Takashi Avec Green Zebra MK Schwa Topolobampo Sprout Fontanos Subs Tru Ruxbin Charlie Trotters 27 Mixteco Grill Bonsoire Arami Longman & Eagle

2014 29 Katsu Vie Next Alinea Schwa EL Ideas Les Nomades Riccardo Trattoria Topolobampo Takashi Avec Acadia Tru Courtrights Over Easy Caf Gaetanos Girl & The Goat MK Arami 28 Ruxbin

Topolobampo Michael Tallgrass Tru 27 L2O Blackbird Oceanique Carlos Naha Vie Charlie Trotters MK Katsu Spring Everest sushi wabi

Spring Charlie Trotters Everest Seasons Aruns Blackbird Spiaggia Hot Dougs Frontera Grill Avec

26 sushi wabi

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