Best Lunch Restaurants in River North (Chicago)

Don’t skip the bhel hummus. One of the best plates i’ve had this year.

I recently dined at Pizza Portofino, and I was beyond impressed! The food was absolutely delicious, with every bite bursting with fresh, authentic flavors. The pizza had the perfect balance of a crisp crust, rich sauce, and high-quality toppings. What really stood out, though, was the staff—they were amazing! From the moment we walked in, everyone was friendly, attentive, and incredibly quick. Our food arrived much faster than expected, and the service was seamless throughout the meal. If you’re looking for a great dining experience with fantastic food and top-notch service, Pizza Portofino is the place to go!

I reserved a special from Mercadito called "Amor y Sabor" and boy it did not disappoint. The ambiance was very chill and the music was not too loud. Our waitress was very nice and attentive with us. The food was fantastic it consisted of a 4 course meal. It began with a shot of tiger de leche (Peruvian cuisine). Then we had a choice of camarones ceviche which was super tasty and flavorful. After that, we had queso Birria tacos with the dip and that was also delicious. Next but not least, we had some nice and tender strip steak which was perfectly cooked and was easy to chew. Our night was capped off with some churro desert and a glass of champagne. Overall an awesome and exciting experience and would highly recommend it!

Buffalo chicken meatballs and chicken enchiladas were amazing. Our server, Freddy, was outstanding and went above and beyond!

I had dinner tonight at La Grande Boucherie and it was absolutely spectacular, food was perfectly cooked and bursting with flavor. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the entire team for their outstanding service. A special thanks to Jonathan, Mathiew, and the lovely hostesses Christina and Madeleine, as well as my attentive server Edgar and his diligent busser Louis. A heartfelt shout out to Chef Taus, who truly deserves high praise for crafting such an extraordinary dinner! Every team member went above and beyond to create a truly memorable experience. If only there were a 6* star option! You really rolled out the red carpet for me!