Want the scoop on Chicago's buzziest local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to uncover which eateries have been getting a significant increase in attention 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 closing the summer out strong.
Ali Baba Doner
Open since February, this Turkish spot, which offers ice cream and frozen yogurt, sandwiches and more, is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "Sandwiches" on Yelp.
Citywide, sandwich spots saw a median 2% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Ali Baba Doner saw a 68.8% increase, maintaining an impressive five-star rating throughout. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Ali Baba Doner's review count increased by more than 730%.
Located at 545 W. Diversey Parkway (between Hampden and Lehmann courts), Ali Baba Doner offers doner, kebabs, dinner plates, falafel appetizers, doner sandwiches, chicken nuggets and other wraps and plates.
Bandit
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about West Town's Bandit, the cocktail bar and traditional American spot is a hot topic according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "American (Traditional)" on Yelp saw a median 2% increase in new reviews over the past month, Bandit bagged a 65.8% increase in new reviews within that time frame, with a slight upward trend from a 3.5-star rating a month ago to its current four stars.
There's more that's trending on Chicago's traditional American scene: Wahlburgers has seen a 29.9% increase in reviews.
Open at 841 W. Randolph St. (between Green and Peoria streets) since June, Bandit offers a wide array of fare options, including sandwiches, burgers, seafood, bar bites and steak.
Onward
Rogers Park's Onward is also making waves. Open since November at 6580 N. Sheridan Road (between Albion and Loyola avenues), the cocktail bar and New American spot, which offers desserts and more, has seen a 14.3% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 2.3% for all businesses tagged "Desserts" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis Onward's review count increased by more than 500%.
Onward offers upscale New American fare. Look for specific menu options such as Saffron Farfalle with duck sausage ragu, fennel sofrito and baby spinach; the Crystal Valley Chicken with romesco hummus, Persian cucumber and snap peas; or Ora King salmon with chioggia beets, romanesco and dill cream. Over the past month, it's maintained a superior 4.5-star rating among Yelpers.
Ocean Prime
The Loop's Ocean Prime is the city's buzziest steakhouse by the numbers.
The steakhouse and New American spot, which offers seafood and more and opened at 87 E. Wacker Drive (between Lower Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue) in March, increased its new review count by 16.7% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 1.2% for the Yelp category "Steakhouses."
Ocean Prime offers appetizers, sushi, a raw fish bar, soups, salads, seafood dishes, chicken-centric entrees, steaks and other side dishes.
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ
Lake View East's Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ is currently on the upswing in the barbecue category on Yelp.
While businesses categorized as "Barbeque" on Yelp saw a median 1.8% increase in new reviews over the past month, this Japanese and Asian fusion spot, which offers barbecue and more, increased its new reviews by 15.9% — and kept its rating consistent at 4.5 stars. Review counts increased by more than 360% on a month-to-month basis.
Open for business at 2813 N. Broadway (between Surf Street and Diversey Pky) since June 2018, Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ offers a wide array of barbecued meats and vegetable
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.
