The best restaurants in The Loop.

Gibsons Italia on North Canal Street is an Italian steakhouse with an architectural setting. Diners describe a fourth-floor dining room with a retractable roof and floor-to-ceiling glass facing the river, and some are seated in booths by the water. Birthdays and anniversaries fill the book, and business dinners for groups of ten run smoothly.

Steak is the headline. The New York strip, cooked Pittsburgh style, the filet, the ribeye, the wagyu and a Chicago cut all draw praise, along with sides of mushrooms and a baked potato. The Italian side of the menu is strong too, with scallop risotto, an aged acquerello risotto, spicy rigatoni, ravioli and meatballs. Arancini with a cacio e pepe note, charred octopus and east coast oysters start the meal, and tiramisu finishes it.

Service gets the most credit, with servers described as personable, attentive and knowledgeable. The practical notes are about pace and seating: a lunch took more than two hours for one family, and an early arrival at a nearly empty room was seated at a small table. Ask for the upper dining room, and the evening matches the setting.

Remington's on North Michigan Avenue is a steak and seafood house within walking distance of Millennium Park. Diners say it is where locals bring visiting friends, and servers get thanks by name for graciousness. Tables face the busy street, which gives people watching along with the meal, and a back area handles private parties such as bridal showers.

The lobster is the dish named most. Steak, prime rib, crab, the Sixty South salmon and a filet fill the dinner side, while lunch brings the French dip, filet mignon sandwiches, a cheeseburger and a fish sandwich. Spinach artichoke dip with chips is the starter people recommend, and mac and cheese is the side. One diner suggests Saturday afternoon as the ideal visit.

A few diners reported a long wait for a server in a small room, a missing appetizer, or a steak cooked more rare than ordered. Others praised the staff for turning a birthday dessert into a surprise. For a polished meal near the park, it is a dependable choice, and lunch is an easy way in.

The Gage on South Michigan Avenue draws diners for work dinners, anniversaries and visits with relatives from out of town. The service is the first thing many mention: a host who seats guests where they ask, water refilled quickly and a waiter who arrives fast. An atrium section is a pleasant place to sit, and a patio opens in warm weather.

The menu is limited in size and creative. The coconut curry, including a vegetarian version, got a standout recommendation, and the coq au vin, the venison burger, the burger, fish and chips, fried lobster, a lobster roll, a blackened fish sandwich and oysters and a Caesar salad fill the list. At brunch, pork belly eggs Benedict stands out.

The notes are about the check and consistency. A few diners found an unlabeled surcharge on the bill, and one table said the dishes were uneven, with a cold gravy and a soft Scotch egg. Prices run above average for Chicago, though diners say quality justifies a visit. Ask about the atrium, and look over the check.

Acanto on South Michigan Avenue is a small Italian restaurant across from the Art Institute, and diners describe candles on every table, racks of liquor lit on the wall and an oil painting of a fox in the corner. A sommelier and servers get warm mentions by name, and the wine list is called remarkable. Theater-goers come before a show nearby.

Start with the Sicilian arancini, which a diner with gluten sensitivity called the only ones she knew that could be made gluten free. Pasta is the center of the menu: rigatoni, ravioli, a seafood pasta and a house gluten-free version. Calamari with very little batter, meatballs, a torta, lobster, risotto and an arugula salad round out the list. Tiramisu is the dessert people name, and Italian-style donuts also appear. A happy hour menu runs in the afternoon.

The notes concern execution and welcome. A few diners found meatballs mushy, a hostess distracted, or a lunch check high, and two said they felt uncomfortable. Others praised the care for food allergies and called the food fantastic. The entrance is shared with a college, so look closely.

Bar Mar on North Wacker Drive stands out the moment diners walk in: vaulted space, bright colors and good lighting that make the room pop. Diners describe it as both spacious and comfortable, and valet parking and a smooth reservation start get notes. Birthdays are common, and servers get thanks by name for wit and menu knowledge.

The lobster roll is the dish named most, with oysters, salmon and a warm crab cake close behind. Hamachi cones, lobster bisque, a grilled shrimp salad, a poke bowl, an Asian taco, hanger steak and a key lime pie fill out what diners report. Cocktails are a strength, and the salt air margarita, with foam on top, won over a diner who normally prefers sugar on the rim.

The practical notes: bar seating is first come, and diners with a reservation sometimes wait at the bar before the table opens, in one case a full hour. Some found the service slipping or the food less memorable than hoped. Even so, plenty of diners call a late lunch here marvelous, and the lobster roll is the safest order.

The Jibarito Stop on North Wabash Avenue is a counter-service Puerto Rican restaurant in the Loop, and diners say having this food downtown is a welcome change. Customers who knew the earlier locations return eager, and lines can form from sheer excitement. Staff and prices both get kind notes, and the interior is relaxed.

The jibarito is the sandwich: crisp plantain, garlic spread and tender meat, with steak the most named filling and pork and chicken also available. The tripleta sandwich, a loaded sandwich, gets strong praise. Spicy beef empanadas, a sweet masa fritter, relleno, arroz con gandules and tembleque round out the table. A vegan menu has a following, and the vegan steak mofongo impressed diners who skip meat. A half jibarito with rice and beans is an easy lunch.

Expect some friction. A few diners waited a long time for a sandwich, and one found the steak dry or the portions in a bowl smaller than pictured. Opening times also surprised an early family. For a different lunch in the Loop, though, it delivers flavor, and the steak jibarito is the order.

Sterling Food Hall on South Clark Street is an open, spacious hall with many vendors, and diners call it an unexpected find in the Loop. The space is kept well, seating is plentiful, and a group with different tastes can all eat at the same table. Prices get a thumbs up for downtown, and lunch is the busiest period.

The empanadas from Lito's are named most, especially the chicken and mushroom with morita sauce. Danke, the sandwich shop and bar, runs a happy hour with discounts on drinks, and La Shuk serves Middle Eastern plates that one diner called among the best lunches of the trip. Fare gets praise for chicken and friendly staff, and the hall also lists baja fish and shrimp tacos, enchiladas, a butter chicken bowl, a granola bowl, pizza and burgers.

The notes are practical and mixed. Diners warn that outside food is not allowed, and a few reported a poor welcome from staff at the door or in the seating area. The music is quieter than at some halls. Treat it as a quick, flexible lunch stop with plenty of choices.

Wildberry Pancakes & Cafe on East Randolph Street sits near Millennium Park, and its line on a Saturday morning is something diners treat as proof they chose well. Inside is a warm, sunny room with natural light, and a patio adds outdoor seats. Service is quick, with food reaching tables remarkably fast, and unlimited coffee refills help.

Pancakes are the story. The signature Berry Bliss pancakes lead, and the blueberry Danish pancakes follow, with chocolate chip banana, cinnamon roll, banana cream pie and s'mores versions also named. Savory plates cover the Butcher Block Skillet, brisket, eggs Benedict, an omelette, biscuits and waffles. Portions are generous, so sharing is smart, and diners with gluten concerns report good options.

The wait is the practical piece. Weekend lines are long, though diners say they move fast, and a weekday morning can mean no line and an outdoor seat. A few diners found the staff rigid about rules or rude during a rush, and one party felt rushed out. Most call it worth the hype, and the Berry Bliss pancakes are the plate to order first.

The Dearborn on North Dearborn Street is a stylish, modern room that diners find warm and clean. Booths, tables and a cool bar area give plenty of seating, and the layout works for lunch, after-work drinks, dinner before a show or a date. One diner spotted what looked like a private dining room, and the spot is easy to reach on foot from Loop hotels.

Fish and chips is the dish named most, and one diner called it among the finest. The Dearborn burger and the Beef Wellington burger follow, along with a seasonal barbecue burger with a generous portion of salty fries. Fried chicken, spicy chicken, hot honey and pepperoni pizza, gnocchi, mushroom soup, ribs, shrimp and a fried perch Benedict at brunch all appear.

The practical notes: reserve to avoid a wait, ask for the patio or a secluded area when noise is a concern, and expect downtown prices. A few diners found the fish unseasoned. Many others say the service was on point, and a family with a toddler found a break from the rain there.

Pizzeria Portofino on North Clark Street sits along the Chicago River, and the patio is the draw. Diners reserve a table outside for lunch with a view, and the interior is described as beautiful. Birthdays and anniversaries fill the book, kids are welcome, and a visitor with celiac disease praised the careful handling of her meal.

Pizza leads the orders, led by the charred pepperoni pie with hot honey. Sausage and fennel, truffle, feta and white sauce mushroom pizzas each have fans. Starters win over many tables: the prime beef meatballs, goat cheese, octopus and Parmesan truffle fries with aioli. Pasta includes a creamy vodka rigatoni, and the tiramisu, including a lemon version, closes the meal. An espresso martini with cinnamon is a drink worth trying.

Reservations help, since the place is busy, though several diners reported waiting well past their booked time, including on Valentine's Day. A few found service or entrees uneven. Plan for warm weather, book the patio, and order the pizza and the meatballs to share.

Cindy's Rooftop sits on top of the Chicago Athletic Association hotel, and the trip up is part of the experience. An elevator operator takes diners straight to a glass atrium with sweeping views of Millennium Park, the skyline and Lake Michigan. Diners describe a lively mood, close tables and a crowd that fills the bar.

The menu leans toward sandwiches and burgers, with oysters, fried chicken, steak, a fish sandwich, a beet salad, rigatoni and a mushroom risotto also named. Vegetarian diners found good plates, and the cocktails are called interesting. Many diners say the drinks and the view are the main event, with the food a pleasant bonus.

Practical advice is straightforward. Reservations are hard to get, so book several days ahead, and do not arrive early, since the table will not be ready. The bar takes walk-ins. A surcharge applies to checks, including at both the bar and the table. The room is loud, and interior tables do not always face the park, so daytime visits show the views best. A few diners reported poor service, but plenty praise attentive staff.

The Marq on West Adams Street is a sleek Loop restaurant with a lounge of oversized couches for a cocktail before the meal. Lunch is the busiest period by far, and the room also handles pre-theater dinners, with servers moving orders along when a show is close. Large parties, even sixteen at once, and full buyouts for client events have gone smoothly.

The burger is the dish named most, and the namesake Marq burger earns praise even from diners unhappy with service. Sandwiches fill the list, from a chicken sandwich to a Reuben on fresh rye. Tacos, nachos, hummus, mac and cheese, short ribs and chicken bites also appear. One diner called the hummus the best around, and a few found the Caesar salad off the mark.

The notes are about service speed and allergies. A couple of diners waited a long time to be greeted, and one with a peanut allergy was told peanut oil is used throughout, which is not on the menu. Others praised a manager for fixing a mistake right away. Mention the show time when booking, and the staff responds.