9 Chicago Restaurants Anthony Bourdain Loved
It's certainly fair to say that Anthony Bourdain loved Chicago. He visited the city three times across three different TV shows, and his admiration never wavered. "I can't say enough nice things about it," he says in Season 2, Episode 1 of "The Layover," which focuses on the Windy City. The food impressed him, of course, but so did the people and the atmosphere.
In his Chicago-based episodes, Bourdain always leads with the idea that it's a proper U.S. city, full of towering buildings, sharp elbows, and bold character. Each neighborhood has its own distinct personality, and typically comes with its own preferred hot dog or Italian beef stand, as well as its own dive bar. He respected the city's no-BS, down-to-earth attitude, and paid close attention to where the locals actually ate. Bourdain was especially charmed by Chicagoans' sense of humor — shaped not just by the Second City comedy scene, but by their signature self-deprecation (especially when it comes to baseball teams) and a willingness to poke fun at all kinds of local politicians.
As always, when it came to food, Bourdain embraced both the high- and low-brow fare. He admired Chicago's embrace of the modernist dining movement just as much as its old-school classics, like red hots and Italian beef. The only exception was deep-dish pizza, which he refused to acknowledge as "real pizza." Aside from that, he didn't hold back from sampling everything the city had to offer. Without further ado, let's dive into Anthony Bourdain's all-time favorite Chicago eateries.
Ricobene's
Ricobene's has been a Chicago staple since 1946, and has drawn a dedicated fan base over decades. While it's first and foremost a pizza joint, the real star of Ricobene's is the legendary breaded steak sandwich. That's exactly what Anthony Bourdain ordered when he visited this late-night spot in Season 7, Episode 2 of "Parts Unknown", joined by underground rock producer, Steve Albini. The two talked about the music industry, Chicago's punk scene, and the overall attitude of Chicagoans while working their way through jumbo-sized sandwiches.
Bourdain was first struck by the sheer size and weight of it, with its hulking stack of meat, sauce, peppers, and melted cheese all in one sandwich. But he was ultimately won over by the fresh, hot crispiness of the breaded steak and the proudly messy construction of it all. "There's no delicate way to eat this, you just hoist and go," he said, acknowledging the sandwich's gloppy appearance as part of its charm while he asked for more napkins. He was clearly a fan, declaring, "That is a thing of beauty." In Bourdain's vocabulary, this translates to a full stamp of approval.
(312)-225-5555
252 W 26th St, Chicago, IL, 60616
Fat Johnnie's Famous Red Hots
Fat Johnnie's Famous Red Hots is an unassuming hot dog stand located on Chicago's South Side, complete with picnic tables and a loyal following. Anthony Bourdain visits Fat Johnnie's in Season 5, Episode 5 of "No Reservations," guided by Peter Engler, a mouse geneticist and an expert on Chicago-style hot dogs. Engler introduces Bourdain to the stand's two iconic creations: the "Mother-in-Law" and the "Mighty Dog." Both swap a traditional hot dog for a tamale and are smothered in chili, a combination that struck Bourdain as disturbing yet compelling. He orders each with "the works," along with a soda called a "Suicide," made by mixing every flavor at the fountain.
Unsurprisingly, Bourdain can't resist cracking jokes about the "Mother-in-Law." It's messy, tough to handle, and basically guarantees indigestion. But once he digs in, the jokes gives way to genuine appreciation. The textures, the spice, and the delightfully sloppy arrangement make sense to him in that uniquely Chicago style of cuisine. "This is really good stoner food," he says, acknowledging the strange logic behind the tamale-dog hybrid. Even the soda cocktail wins him over in the end. It's messed up in just the right ways that Bourdain loves.
(773)-633-8196
7242 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60636
Burt's Place
Anthony Bourdain had long-standing hang-ups about Chicago deep-dish pizza. "I've always felt that the so-called deep dish pizza was a crime against food," he says in Season 5, Episode 5 of "No Reservations". "It wasn't pizza at all, I believed; instead, some kind of Midwestern mutation of a pizza." In nearly every Chicago-centric episode, he repeats that it's nothing to brag about. But his friend, Louisa Chu, is determined to challenge his bias, so she brings him to Burt's Place in Morton Grove.
Owned by the late Burt Katz at the time of filming, Burt's Place built its reputation on deep-dish pies made with exceptionally high-quality ingredients. Bourdain's order comes loaded with spinach, mushrooms, and bell peppers. Chu tells him to focus on the crust: "It's caramelized on the outside completely, and the fillings are top-quality fresh." She insists that Burt's deep-dish can convert even the most skeptical critics.
And for Bourdain, it works. After taking a few bites, he finally gives in. "I understand it now," he says. He still doesn't consider himself a fan of the pizza style, but Burt's has the one deep-dish pizza he genuinely enjoyed. "I think my problem was just calling it pizza. Whatever this is, I like it."
847-965-7997
8541 Ferris Ave, Morton Grove, IL 60053
Johnnie's Beef
Johnnie's Beef is one of the few places that Anthony Bourdain name-checked repeatedly over the years as his favorite spot for Italian beef. "Either on my way into town or out of town, I'm going Italian beef at Johnnie's," he told Thrillist. Located in Elmwood Park on Chicago's Northwest Side, the stand has been the go-to spot for Chicago-style Italian beef for decades. The sandwich comes piled with thinly sliced beef, soaked in its own juices, and topped with hot and sweet peppers.
In Season 2, Episode 1 of "The Layover," Bourdain dives into a dripping, overloaded sandwich and immediately understands why locals are so devoted to it. He calls the beef "superbly moist, some might say drenched, and delicious," embracing the mess that comes with the dining experience. He also can't resist making fun of the ordering process: "There's something a little awkward about going up to a grown man and saying, 'I'd like some Italian beef, hot, sweet, and wet, my good man.'"
Embarrassment aside, the payoff is undeniable. For Bourdain, Johnnie's represented the best of Chicago's maximalist sandwich culture. Or as he sums it up with his typical enthusiasm: "It is a big soggy load of awesomeness."
7500 W North Ave, Elmwood Park, IL 60707
Piece Brewery and Pizzeria
Piece Brewery and Pizzeria appears only briefly in Anthony Bourdain's Chicago coverage, but it clearly left a good impression, as he listed it as one of his favorite spots in a Thrillist interview. While the segment on this restaurant didn't make the final cut of his show, it stood out to him as a quality pizza spot. "I had actual thin-crust pizza," he said. "Really, really delicious. Thinner crust than most Italian pizza. It was just very good, wood-fired, non-deep-dish pizza." In classic Bourdain fashion, he used the experience to underline his ongoing feud with Chicago's more famous pizza export, the deep-dish, adding that "No Chicagoans I know eat that s**t."
Opened in 2001, Piece Brewery and Pizzeria sits near Wicker Park as a cross between a neighborhood sports bar, classic pizzeria, and event venue. The space is known for its in-house brews, lively karaoke and music crowds, and a New Haven-style pizza menu that stands out in a city dominated by thick and chewy slices. It's a spot that demonstrates how Chicago's pizza identity is indeed much broader than its deep-dish reputation.
(773) 772-4422
1927 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Girl & the Goat
Girl & the Goat is one of the Chicago restaurants Anthony Bourdain spoke about with the most admiration. He praised chef Stephanie Izard exuberantly, telling Thrillist, "I love her and I love her food. For me, that's the very picture of a tough, determined Chicagoan. That's a very hard-working chef." When he visits the restaurant in Season 2, Episode 1 of "The Layover," he's immediately struck by the sheer size of the cavernous restaurant. It's a fitting home base for a chef who won Season 4 of "Top Chef," and helped anchor the West Loop's now-famous Restaurant Row.
During his visit, Bourdain tastes a lineup of Izard's greatest hits: kohlrabi salad, roasted beets with green beans, roasted cauliflower, pickled pepper, and grilled octopus. After seeing her escargot-stuffed ravioli, he remarks, "This is indeed a happy place." The meal ends with goat belly paired with lobster and bourbon butter, followed by the restaurant's signature oven-roasted pig face topped with a fried egg. Bourdain devours it with delight, speaking directly to the camera when he says, "I love the taste of pig's face in the evening. It tastes like...victory."
For Bourdain, Girl & the Goat also exemplifies a broader truth about the city's culinary scene. "Of all the cities in America, Chicago for some reason embraced modernist cooking to a degree that no other American city did." Izard's bold, globally inspired menu is his finest example of that spirit.
312-492-6262
809 W. Randolph St. Chicago, IL
Jimmy's Red Hots
Even as a lifelong New Yorker, Anthony Bourdain was quick to admit that, in the Chicago-versus-New York hot dog debate, the Windy City wins. In Season 2, Episode 1 of "The Layover," he puts it bluntly: "By my way of thinking, the Chicago red hot is the finest example of hot dog on the planet." He chooses Jimmy's Red Hots to exemplify the finest of Chicago street food traditions at work.
Bourdain appreciated that Jimmy's held an unwavering commitment to doing things the right way. "One pays attention to the time-honored details when talking hot dogs here," he says. That means yellow mustard instead of anything artisanal, a neon-green relish that looks almost radioactive, a steamed bun, and a boiled dog with a snappy case. Nothing fancy or reinvented, just a faithful execution of a beloved staple.
Jimmy's also enforces its hot dog traditions with signs posted everywhere instructing customers not to ask for ketchup. This is one of the cardinal rules of Chicago hot doggery that Bourdain faithfully follows. "No one disagrees about the ketchup thing. That's just wrong," he says, fully embracing the city's culinary code.
(773) 384-9513
4000 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60651
Longman & Eagle
Longman & Eagle first appears in Anthony Bourdain's Chicago journey during Season 7, Episode 2, of "Parts Unknown," where he visits the restaurant with his friend, Paul Jurewicz, a comedian from the Second City comedy crew. This Logan Square spot has a definite hipster vibe. "Though the flannels and neckbeards are abundant," Bourdain jokes, "the food is excellent." He and Jurewicz dig into beef tartare, roasted bone marrow, and a rich tête de cochon topped with blue cheese and celery relish. "The good lord wants you to eat this," he says, fully embracing the decadence. The meal continues with beef tripe confit and slow-roasted cauliflower with caramelized onions and lentils, dishes that highlight the kitchen's use of rustic ingredients in modern dishes.
Later in Season 2, Episode 1 of "The Layover," Bourdain brings up Longman & Eagle again, this time recommending it not only as a place to eat but as a place for sleeping. The building doubles as an old-fashioned, tavern-style inn in addition to being a restaurant and bar. "It's too young and too hip for me," he admits, "but it's got affordable rooms and the added bonus of 38 different whiskies at the bar."
(773) 276-7110
2657 N Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
The Publican
The Publican is a boisterous beer hall known for its loud, communal atmosphere and generous, pork-heavy portions. In Season 2, Episode 1 of "The Layover," Anthony Bourdain visits the West Loop spot for lunch with Mark Caro, a Chicago Tribune reporter, and the two dive straight into a conversation on some of the city's favorite topics: local politicians, corruption, and the lovable chaos of Chicago civic life.
Bourdain is impressed not just by the food at Publican, but by the place's owner, Paul Kahan. "How is it possible? To be a really nice guy, serve great food, and make money?" he asks. "Usually one of those is missing." Every dish coming out of the kitchen impresses him. Bourdain works through a lake perch salad with arugula, red onion, and parmesan; boudin noir with summer squash and roasted peppers; and a plate of fries topped with eggs for good measure. He also digs into a cantaloupe and chicory salad with prosciutto tossed in champagne vinaigrette, plus speck with burrata, roasted tomatoes, and pears, followed by octopus served with barley and watermelon. It's a feast that highlights one of Bourdain's favorite qualities about the city: "Chicago's not a town that does anything in a small way."
(312) 733-9555
837 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607