The best restaurants in River North.

Bavette's Bar & Boeuf on West Kinzie is a steakhouse built around mood. Diners describe a room that feels like a movie set: dark, classic, exposed brick, chandeliers and an impressive bar. The second floor has a slightly different feel but stays intimate, and seats are comfortable. Birthdays and anniversaries fill the book, and diners say the staff does not rush a table.

The classic ribeye, cut Chicago style, is the order most diners name, and an aged bone-in ribeye and a bone-in filet sit beside it. A wagyu burger, spiced fried chicken, baked crab and elote also draw praise. Do not skip the Lyonnaise salad, which came up as a surprise highlight, or the truffle mac and cheese. Service gets strong marks from nearly everyone.

The hard part is the reservation. Diners describe setting alarms for the booking window and say an early slot is the easier one to catch. Some arrivals are asked to wait at a crowded bar. A couple of diners found the food did not match the hype, but the many who did find it say the steak stays in memory for days.

Aba on North Green Street is a Mediterranean restaurant on the third floor, reached by elevator, with greenery that makes diners forget the city outside. Diners call the room a chic spot for a date, and the outdoor space is a draw even in cool weather because heaters are provided.

Hummus is the order to start. The crispy short rib hummus is named more than any other dish, the roasted garlic and smoky garlic versions have fans, and the classic version holds its own. Then comes the green falafel, crispy chicken thighs, spiced skirt steak, shawarma and lamb and beef kebabs. A shrimp dish and salmon appear too. Vegan and vegetarian diners find plenty, and brunch and lunch are served.

The notes are about access. Reservations are in demand, and a few diners found the host stand more formal than the room deserves. One diner thought the Greek salad was only fine. Most describe plates that are rich in flavor, careful service and a room that feels special enough for a birthday or an anniversary.

Il Porcellino on West Hubbard serves Italian-American cooking in a dim, busy room that diners find warm. Photographs hang on the walls, and light fixtures are made from wicker-wrapped Chianti bottles. Families, birthday tables and couples on anniversaries fill the seats, and the host stand gets credit for a warm welcome.

The burrata lasagna is the order diners repeat. Gnocchi, ravioli, spaghetti and meatballs, a seafood pasta and a chicken dish also get named, and garlic bread and tiramisu are the bookends. Portions are generous, and one diner called it one of the few Italian places in the city that gets quality, freshness and size right together.

The room is loud, and it is rarely empty. Diners advise a reservation and warn that a wait after check-in is common. A few found the daily pasta special oily or the gnocchi less impressive, and one party was offered only outdoor tables after a long wait. Those are the exceptions in a pile of notes about the lasagna, the warmth and the sense that the kitchen cares.

Gilt Bar on West Kinzie plays with a speakeasy look. A huge bar anchors the main room, the lights are low, and a library downstairs is the part of the night diners remember, with older hallways and a photo booth. Valet parking is offered, and the crowd ranges from birthday tables to bachelorette weekends.

Happy hour is mentioned more than almost anything else, and the early slots fill up. At dinner the burger leads the praise, with a double wagyu option, and the truffle pasta and house-made pastas are close. Steak, a caesar salad, mushrooms, carbonara and smoked salmon also appear. Truffle mozzarella sticks make a good first plate, and portions are shareable. Service earns notes for being attentive and for recommending dishes.

The room is dim and loud when it is full. Walk-in waits can run long, and a couple of diners reported reservation mix-ups or a steak that came out fatty or underdone. The strongest endorsements come from people who took a group, ordered several plates to share and stayed downstairs a while.

Lou Malnati's on North Wells Street is where many visitors try Chicago deep dish for the first time, and the praise centers on the crust. Diners describe the buttercrust as flaky, crisp and rich, strong enough to hold up under the toppings. The Chicago Classic is the order, and a hot honey pizza has fans.

Starters help pass the time. The Malnati salad, a Caesar, toasted mozzarella sticks and lemon pepper wings arrive while the pizza bakes, and a house-made brownie closes the meal. Diners eat the pizza with a fork and knife, and several found the first experience a pleasant surprise. Servers get praise for checking in while diners wait.

The wait is the practical issue. Deep dish takes a long time to bake, the waiting area on Wells Street is small, and some groups waited a long while for a table. The location has seating upstairs and outdoors. A number of diners found the pizza generic or the service uneven, but for a first deep dish in River North, the Classic is what most people point to, and arriving early or ordering starters right away helps.

Three Dots and A Dash is a tiki bar that begins with a walk down a narrow service alley off Hubbard Street. Diners look for a wall of skulls, check in with a doorman and descend a staircase into a dark, tropical room with a thatched bar, hanging grass and tiki figures. The music leans toward disco, and the room is loud.

Cocktails are the draw, and diners call them the best tiki drinks around. Every tiki drink can be made as a mocktail. Food is secondary but enjoyable: a pu pu platter, pineapple chicken bao, firecracker popcorn chicken, coconut shrimp, spring rolls, tiki nachos and Spam fried rice show up in orders, and a donut or waffle can close the night. Service gets good marks from diners who got a seat.

Getting in is the practical part. Reservations come up often, and a Tuesday or Monday walk-in found a packed room and a line. Early arrivals can sit at the bar. A few diners reported rough treatment at the door or from the host stand. For anyone who commits to the concept, this is a memorable night out.

Xoco on North Clark Street is a laid-back Mexican counter where the food does the talking. Diners order at the front, receive a table number and wait for tortas, tacos, soup and sandwiches. Seating is a mix of high-top tables, taqueria-style tables near the open kitchen and a patio that is comfortable on a nice day.

The pepito torta, the milanesa torta and the barbacoa torta get the strongest word. A churro chicken sandwich, tinga tacos, Oaxacan fish tacos, short rib tacos and carnitas tacos fill out the menu. The soups matter too: a carnitas soup, a tortilla soup and a pozole drew praise, and a spicy chicken tlayuda and quesadillas with chorizo appear. Guacamole and a margarita pair well, and vegetarian diners mention an eggplant sandwich.

Xoco takes no reservations, so Saturday evenings bring a wait, and lunch moves faster. A few diners found the tortillas cool or the shrimp and scallops flat, and others waited for a dish longer than expected. The room is casual, service is quick and friendly, and a quick lunch of a torta and a bowl of soup is the dependable order.

Sunda New Asian on West Illinois Street is a large, lively dining room with high vaulted ceilings and a menu meant for sharing. Diners say the mood is upbeat, the dress code is smart casual and the coat check is a nice touch. It draws birthday groups, bachelorette parties and families, and it is very loud.

The pork belly bao is the order named most. Seoul wings, also called Korean fried chicken, the adobo fried rice and a crispy Brussels sprout salad follow, and sushi rolls such as the surf and turf roll, the crab roll and the red dragon roll have their fans. Pad thai, wagyu, tiger shrimp and miso bronzed black cod cover the mains. An espresso martini flight and a happy hour menu with wings and handrolls bring a lot of praise.

Prices run a bit high, and the noise makes long conversation hard. A few diners waited past their reservation time or found service slow on a packed night. For a group that wants to try many dishes, the share-style menu works, and happy hour is the more relaxed way in.

Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab on East Grand Avenue is a swanky, old-school steak and seafood house, and the first thing diners praise is the service. Hosts are warm, servers get thanks by name, and water glasses never run empty. Birthdays and anniversaries fill the tables.

Stone crab is the signature, and diners also order oysters, lobster, Alaskan king crab, crab stuffed shrimp and a grilled seafood platter. The prime steak side of the menu is equally busy, with a bone-in ribeye and a fried chicken that gets mentions. A bread basket arrives with onion rolls, raisin toast and a pretzel roll, and diners say it is a good start.

A few practical points. Valet parking is offered, and a solo diner who could not find a reservation time was welcomed at the bar. Guests who arrive early with a reservation may wait standing near the entrance, and a table can take longer than the grace period allows. A couple of diners found a steak overdone or service curt, but most describe a polished night out with crab at the center.

Ema on West Illinois Street is a Mediterranean restaurant with a light, airy look: pale woods, greenery, two bar areas and an outdoor space for those who do not mind street traffic. Diners call the decor modern and comfortable rather than formal, and the clientele dresses nicely but not stiffly.

Start with the spreads. Sweet corn hummus, bhel hummus, hummus with lamb ragu and charred eggplant baba ganoush are the dishes diners name, with spicy whipped feta close behind. Green falafel, a Greek salad, Brussels sprouts and crispy wild mushrooms round out the sharing plates, and chicken kebab, kefta kebab and a braised short rib sandwich handle the mains. Vegetarian orders are easy to build, and lunch and brunch are available.

The room is popular, so a reservation helps, and a couple of diners reported long waits past their booking. Noise sits at a medium level, and bar seats work well for solo diners. A few found a dish poorly executed, and one lunch order did not match the online menu. Most call it a dependable favorite for birthdays and group dinners.

Shaw's Crab House on East Hubbard Street feels like a classic East Coast seafood house. Dark wood, white tablecloths, an oyster bar down one side of the main room and servers in vests set the scene, and diners describe the staff as attentive without hovering. Friday nights fill the room, and tables sit close together.

Crab leads the orders. Diners name Alaskan king crab, stone crab and soft shell crab, and oysters, including west coast varieties, come from the raw bar. The lobster roll is the dish that rescued one party's rainy Saturday, and buffalo shrimp, garlic shrimp, a seafood salad, gumbo and a petite filet round out the table. Lunch is a busy time, and the menu includes lobster tacos and lobster mac and cheese.

A few practical notes. Reservations are smart on weekend nights, the table can get crowded when plates, drinks and bread arrive, and a couple of diners found service lacking or a dish unremarkable. The common thread is a polished room that suits a birthday or an anniversary, with fresh shellfish and friendly service as the draw.

Beatrix on North Clark Street is an all-day restaurant connected to a hotel, and the crowds show it. Breakfast and brunch bring the longest lines, and diners say the room is busy but warm, nicely lit and decorated with care. Happy hour and lunch are quieter ways in.

The breakfast side of the menu includes a ranchero breakfast burrito and classic dishes, and later in the day diners order the hot honey chicken, a prime burger, a mushroom quinoa burger, enchiladas, fish tacos and a steak plate. The lime shrimp, served over rice with avocado, was the highlight for one party. Hot honey Brussels sprouts, whipped feta and Korean chicken meatballs make a good happy hour spread, and a cheesecake with passion fruit closes the meal. Coffee and baked goods work if the wait is too long.

The practical advice is to reserve, even on a weekday. Diners report waits at breakfast, and a few found service uneven or tables held back while the room had empty seats. Others praised the staff for warmth and fast food, and many call it a dependable choice.