The Only 3-Michelin Star US Restaurant That's Not In New York Or California

Attaining a Michelin star is a goal for many chefs and fine dining establishments. But if being awarded even one star is a major accomplishment, then earning three is simply extraordinary. According to the Michelin Guide, the highest honor is awarded to restaurants that "tend to have chefs at the peak of their profession, where the cooking elevates the craft to an art form, with some dishes destined to become classics." There aren't many three-star Michelin restaurants out there, with only 157 worldwide that hold the distinction.

In the United States, only 14 restaurants boast three Michelin stars, most of which are in either New York or California. Except for one: Smyth, located in the trendy West Loop neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The restaurant is owned and operated by culinary power couple chef John Shields and pastry chef Karen Urie Shields, who met while working at Charlie Trotter's eponymous restaurant in 2003. However, the pair didn't start a romantic relationship until a few years later when John returned after a stint at Alinea, another Michelin-honored restaurant with two stars.

The couple originally planned to head up Trotter's new Las Vegas venture but instead answered a Craigslist ad to take over a restaurant in rural Appalachia. Town House, located in Chilhowie, Virginia, was taken over by the Shieldses in 2008, who converted it into a fine dining destination that received critical acclaim. After Town House closed in 2012, the chefs returned to the Windy City. However, their unique interpretation of farm-to-table dining followed them from Chilhowie to Chicago.

Smyth debuted in 2016 alongside its downstairs sister restaurant, The Loyalist. The eatery earned two Michelin stars the following year and its third star in 2023, which it has maintained since. Smyth serves five, eight, and 12-course prix-fixe menus inspired by the offerings from local farms from an open kitchen. In fact, the restaurant collaborates with a farm just 20 miles south of the city that grows custom produce specifically for the establishment.

The couple's creative interpretation of ingredients, whether uncommon or typical, is what put them on the map. Some of these unique combinations include Capital oyster with dulse, turnip, and preserved berries; and steamed halibut with fermented green tea gelee. Beyond that, Smyth also offers glazed red kuri squash, quince, pepitas, and foie gras wild rice foam; celery root tart glazed with truffle, burnt onion, and barley; and beef tongue with sprouted wheat and pickled plum.

"There is only one problem with Smyth," noted one reviewer on Yelp. "It raises the bar extremely high for any restaurant that will follow it. Once you try Smyth, it's like you've reached the end of the game." While some may have a favorite Michelin star restaurant in the U.S., if you can't get a table at Smyth, don't worry. The Loyalist is where fine dining technique meets no frills fare (famed for its burgers) — even better, no reservation is required.