The Best Brunches in Chicago

Whoever first discovered a meal between breakfast and lunch, thanks to them! No weekend is complete without it. Brunch, a powerful concept that combines the best parts of breakfast and lunch, is the perfect way to start your lazy weekend morning.

While most of the restaurants in Chicago removed their brunch menus to focus on lunch and dinner plates, some are still serving brunch menus – and not just only serving your brunch favorites like egg benedicts, pancakes, and mimosas, but plates that you would have never seen before, plates full of Chef’s creativity.

Whether you’re looking for a set menus or a boozy brunch cocktail, discover Level’s definitive guide to the best brunch in Chicago below.

Photo courtesy of @eatwakenbacon

Wake'n Bacon

Brunch: Every Day 8am – 4pm

Wake n bacon is a chic fantasy flower garden-themed restaurant that serves comfort food with Asian and Latin influences. Spice maple chicken ‘n waffle, Sweet salmon couscous, Maui Wowie, Ube Flap Jack Stack…. You know that this is not a traditional brunch place you’ve seen it before from it’s menu.

Wake‘n Bacon is currently the most Instagramable brunch spot in Chicago, and every little inch in the restaurant, including the dishes, is worth sharing on your feed. Visit this wonderland this weekend for brunch and see for yourself why this CBD-centric brunch spot is a hot spot for a windy-city local – and it’s just a 10-min drive from Level Old Town.

Chikatana

Brunch: Saturday & Sunday 10am – 3pm

One-way ticket to Mexico✈️ Chikatana, an Oaxacan-oasis in the heart of the Fulton Market, about a 5-min drive from Level River North, is a playful cantina with menus that reflect both the vibrancy of Mexico’s cuisine and the Midwestern seasonal harvest. Their brunch menu is home to items like Benedictinos (Mexican eggs benedict), Enfrijoladas (corn tortillas filled with chorizo), and Pozole Verde (slow-cooked pulled chicken).

Chikatana is decked with wood accents, plants, and woven basket lamps and also has a big patio with large covered tables and lots of plants to help you forget that you’re practically eating in the middle of Fulton.

Beatnik On The River

Brunch: Saturday & Sunday 10am – 3:30pm

Come to Beatnik for the breathtaking views of the Chicago River. This riverfront boho-chic oasis transports you to a time of bohemian freethinkers of the 1950s and ’60s. Beatnik On The River captures this worldly spirit by taking guests on a voyage through a series of vignettes that marry the bucolic splendor of a Mediterranean farmhouse with the colorful opulence of Moorish architecture and the tropical lushness of Bali.

Every Saturday and Sunday, Beatnik On The River offers one of Chicago’s favorite brunch experiences: RIVIERA. The weekend brunch menu is a global affair with dishes like Ceviche, Pork Belly Fried Rice, Shakshuka, and Pan Con Tomate. So leave your passport behind and take that long overdue trip to an exotic destination right here in the Windy City. Get out this weekend , and join Beatnik for the RIVIERA experience – just a 10-min walk from Level River North

Little Goat Diner

Brunch: Every day 7am – 3pm

Little Goat Diner, about a 5-min drive from Level River North is renowned Chef Stephanie Izard’s cute West Loop hot Little Goat Diner is a modern-day diner with swivel counter seating, tufted leather booths, and mid-century lighting. It is the neighborhood spot for enjoying breakfast all day, sharing coffee with friends, and indulging in the diner staples you loved as a kid - but don’t expect eggs and soggy French toasts. Instead, it’s more clams, kimchi bacon & eggs, bull’s eye French Toast and paratha burrito, creative takes on the classics. There are many ways to enjoy this diner; house-made pastries, a lively bar with cocktails, and local beer selections. It’s a new way to experience a different style of brunch this weekend.

Photo courtesy of @beatrixrestaurants

Beatrix

Brunch: Saturday & Sunday 8am – 3pm

Beatrix is a neighborhood coffeehouse, restaurant, and meeting place in Chicago’s River North district. The menu features healthy meets and is known for its iconic coffee and bakery counter, including signature cookies and in-house pastry favorites. There are gluten-free items, cocktails, and an incredible coffee and dessert menu as well. You can also do a quick, grab-and-go market experience with self-serve salad, soup, and hot food bars, rotating chef-prepared salads, sandwiches, and snacks, so if you are in a hurry to grab either breakfast/or brunch, Beatrix the perfect place.

Summer House Santa Monica

Brunch: Saturday & Sunday 9:00am – 3:00pm

Want to experience a west-coast vibe in the middle of Chicago town? No problem – visit Summer House Santa Monica in Chicago, and you will be transported to the warmth of the west coast even on the windy, snowiest Chicago days. Summer House Santa Monica is complete with beach house décor, a beautiful retractable glass ceiling, and an all-season courtyard patio. The Californian-inspired menuhighlights simple, market-driven ingredients with a focus on local & sustainable farming. Summer House Santa Monica serves brunch on weekends, and the menu is full of Californian-inspired creative plates like Huevos Rancheros, Three Egg Breakfast, Prosciutto & Egg pizza, and more. Warm-up on the west coast at Summer House Santa Monica this weekend.

Photo courtesy of @thedearbornchi

The Dearborn

Brunch: Saturday & Sunday 10am – 2:30pm

Located in the heart of Chicago’s loop and about a 7-min drive from Level River North, The Dearborn is a place where you can take a perfect break from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding theaters, museums, and shops. The murals, leather booths and other details throughout the restaurant are inspired by Chicago’s history

From shrimp & grits to chicken tinga tostadas, The Dearborn has an expansive menu with all of your brunch favorites. Our favorite? Chef Julianna’s cinnamon roll monkey bread, topped with confectioners sugar and Chantilly cream.