Popular Celebrity Hangout Spots To Visit In Chicago
By AMANDA FINN
As one of the largest cities in the U.S., Chicago is frequently visited by celebrities, many of whom have homes in the Windy City, like Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, and John Cusack.
Although not quite Downtown, Chicago's wealthy celebs flock to the Gold Coast area, which has some of the most expensive homes and decadent eateries in town.
One such establishment is the French-Vietnamese restaurant, Le Colonial, where both comedian D.L. Hughley and former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel have been spotted.
For home-style Italian food, Carmine's has served many visiting celebs, including Sammy Hagar and Sting. The rumor is even the Chicago mob loves this place.
This area near downtown is a trendy celeb foodie paradise, with steakhouses like Chicago Cut, where Barack Obama, Kristin Cavallari, and Jay Cutler have been spotted.
Owned by Bill and Giuliana Rancic, RPM Italian is a celebrity haven, serving stars like Lady Gaga, Michelle Obama, Michael Jordan, Cindy Crawford, Hilary Swank, and Janet Jackson.
Former celeb hotspot Tavern on Rush was replaced by the Bellevue restaurant. Surprise guest bartender Mark Wahlberg has visited it to promote his tequila brand Flecha Azul.
Bellevue opened in May 2023 and is already a place to spot celebrities. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler even stopped by for dinner before their sold-out show at the Chicago Theatre.
As Chicago's only three Michelin-star location, Alinea is appreciated by run-of-the-mill diners and celebs alike for its imaginative dining experience.
When "Game of Thrones" stars Kit Harrington and Gwendoline Christie visited in 2019, the chef-owner, Grant Achatz, used a replica of a sword from the show to serve them.