Unsure where Chicago's insiders are eating and drinking? It's easy to spot lines out the door, but some underlying trends are harder to see.
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to uncover which restaurants have been getting extra notice this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Chicago businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are extra cool this summer.
Ocean Prime
Open since March, this steakhouse and New American spot, which offers seafood and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Steakhouses" on Yelp.
Citywide, steakhouses saw a median 1.2% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Ocean Prime saw a 54.5% increase, maintaining a strong 4.5-star rating throughout.
Located at 87 E. Wacker Drive in the Loop, this Chicago location of the national chain of steakhouses provides an elegant dining experience. Ocean Prime's menu features steakhouse classics like 14-ounce New York strips and lobster tails. On Sundays, the restaurant serves a prix-fixe surf and turf dinner.
Stone Fox
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Edgewater's Stone Fox, the cocktail bar, which offers burgers, pizza and more, is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "Pizza" on Yelp saw a median 1.9% increase in new reviews over the past month, Stone Fox bagged a 37.5% increase in new reviews within that time frame, maintaining a solid four-star rating.
Open at 5721 N. Clark St. (between Edgewater and Hollywood avenues) since March, Stone Fox offers a stylish bar and dining room where guests can enjoy classic cocktails and gastropub creations like wood-grilled chicken wings, thin-crust pizza and a burger topped with onion-bourbon jam. Be sure to stop in for weekend brunch too.
Galit
Lincoln Park's Galit is the city's buzziest Mediterranean spot by the numbers.
The Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and vegetarian spot, which opened at 2429 N. Lincoln Ave. (between Montana Street and Fullerton Avenue) in April, increased its new review count by 77.4% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 2.8% for the Yelp category "Mediterranean."
Galit offers Israeli and Mediterranean dishes that emphasize local and seasonal ingredients. On the menu, you will find four different kinds of hummus and a variety of meat and veggie platters, like steak cooked over coal, roasted asparagus and cabbage stuffed with lamb kebab. There are cocktails, beer and wine too.
Parson's Chicken & Fish
Parson's Chicken & Fish is currently on the upswing in the New American category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp saw a median 2.3% increase in new reviews over the past month, this bar and New American spot increased its new reviews by 30.5%, with its Yelp rating declining slightly from 3.5 stars to three stars. Review counts increased by more than 150% on a month-to-month basis.
Open for business at 2439 N. Halsted St. (between Lincoln and Fullerton avenues) since last December, this restaurant brings the flavors and vibes of the Logan Square original to Lincoln Park. Parson's second location serves up a whole array of fried chicken specialties, from whole birds to popcorn chicken and Nashville-style hot chicken, served with white bread and pickles. The drink menu features draft beers, beer cocktails and frozen negronis that can be enjoyed on Parson's patio.
No Bones Beach Club
Open since late 2018, this bar and traditional American and vegan spot is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "American (Traditional)" on Yelp.
Citywide, businesses tagged "American (Traditional)" saw a median 1.7% increase in new reviews over the past month, but No Bones Beach Club saw a 12.4% increase, maintaining a healthy four-star rating throughout.
Located at 1943 W. North Ave. in Wicker Park, No Bones Beach Club offers vegan and vegetarian takes on comfort food. Try the nachos topped with Spiced Jackfruit Carnitas, the panko-breaded tofu "fish and chips" or the Buffalo-style tempeh sandwich.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
