Chicago, the ‘Windy City’, just became the ‘Tasty City’. No, the city blocks aren’t edible. However, those very same blocks are home to some of the most delicious joints ever! While the streets cater for almost every cuisine out there, we need to go through each unique one in order to really do justice (not only to the meal) to all these joints. Let’s start off with one of the most diverse and delicious cuisines in the world and scout the best Indian Food in Chicago. Indian cuisine is filled with aromatic flavours and spices that savour and add more to the dish. Let’s take a look at all these delicacies! After all, keeping our tummies filled is essential to survival. So, let’s dive into it!
Best Indian restaurants in Chicago
Indian Cuisine is one of the most flavoursome and aromatic flavours worldwide. If you’re in Chicago, there are some of the best Indian restaurants you should visit.
1. Namaste Chicago
Location: 2515 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Price range: $11 - $30
Must try: Chicken Makhani, Navarotam Korma
Rating: 4.5/5
What better way to start us off than to get welcomed by a traditional Indian greeting? It may be in the name, but the restaurant itself is very homey. The restaurant prides itself on delivering healthy and lip-smacking Food while utilising fresh and original ingredients and recipes. As a fusion of Nepalese and the best Indian Food in Chicago, you get to experience the delicacies of Northern India making this restaurant one of the best Indian restaurants in chicago.
2. Vajra
Location: 1329 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60642
Price range: $31 - $60
Must try: Oyster Mushroom Curry, Chicken Chettinad
Rating: 4.5/5
This premier restaurant dedicates itself to putting authentic Indian and Nepalese recipes on the table. Using only the choicest and freshest ingredients and spices available, you are bound to be enthralled by the Food’s essence.
3. ROOH
Location: 736 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661
Price range: $31 -$60
Must try: Whole Sea Bass Wrapped In Banana Leaf
Rating: 4/5
In the mood for a sit-down dining experience or just a fun cocktail party, ROOH is one of the best Indian restaurants in Chicago, where events are tailored to your needs. Offering four exquisite spaces, you can be sure to get your aesthetic matched. With space for upwards of 100 people, you can find a table anytime to connect with the Indian experience.
4. Superkhana
Location: 3059 W Diversey Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Price range: $11 - $60
Must try: Breakfast Dosa Hash, Chicken Xacutti
Rating: 4.5/5
If you are looking for delicious Food and a fun time, head on over to Superkhana, with its beautiful spaces and warm, friendly staff. With a vast collection of delicious Food and drinks, your taste buds will be pleased. The restaurant uses locally sourced ingredients to do justice to its international cuisine and the Indian flavour!
5. Cumin
Location: 1414 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, Il 60622
Price range: $11 - $30
Must try: Chicken Tikka Masala, Palak Paneer
Rating: 4/5
One of the BEST restaurants in Chicago, the restaurant has been awarded the Michelin’s Bib Gourmand from 2011-19, so you know you made the right choice. The first Indian and Nepalese cuisine-based restaurant to open up on the west side of the city, it boasts a menu with some of the finest dishes ever, like the chicken tikka masala, chicken vindaloo, paneer aloo gobhi chilli amongst other seafood, veg and meat entrees that will satisfy your cravings! The menu has numerous appetisers, desserts, beverages and entrees to cater for your hunger levels. A wide range of cooking techniques ensures the authentic aroma and taste of Indian cuisine is brought out with the help of exotic spices and fresh ingredients.
6. Basant
Location: 1939 W Byron St, Chicago, IL 60613
Price range: $31- $50
Must try: Mushroom Medley & Jackfruit Haleem
Rating: 4.7/5
Named after the festival of new beginnings and spring, Basant is one of the best Indian restaurants in Chicago, striving to provide the authentic flavour and tradition of India through fresh, local ingredients and classic techniques. The menu is carefully curated to provide imaginative variants of Indian cuisine without losing focus on the essence of scents and flavours!
7. The Spice Room
Location: 2906 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, IL - 60647
Price range: $11 - $30
Must try: Malai Kofta, Bagara Chicken
Rating: 4.5/5
At the Spice Room, making authentic Indian cuisine and delivering the essence of the unique dishes is of paramount importance. You’ll be able to taste the freshness, and when it comes to spice, do not worry; spicy does not mean hot always. The restaurant uses just the perfect amount of spices that bring out its own set of unique flavours! The reputation associated with the Food is bound to bring you back again and again.
8. Ghareeb Nawaz
Location: 807 W Roosevelt RoadChicago, IL 60608
Price range: $5 - $15
Must try: Veggie Thali
Rating: 4/5
A popular Indian and Pakistani cuisine-based restaurant, it is known for its delicious and rather affordable Food. Moreover, being a popular spot for visitors and locals alike, you know you have stepped into one of the best Indian restaurants in Chicago. The restaurant offers a large variety of dishes, such as biryanis, curries, kebabs and much more!
9. Mild 2 Spicy
Location: 714 W Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614
Price range: $11 - $30
Must try: Mixed Vegetable Vindaloo (Spicy), Rava Masala Dosa
Rating: 4.5/5
Specialising in modern Indian cuisine, Mild 2 Spicy offers a large selection of items on the menu, from proper meals to appetisers. With a unique style and flavour, focus on dedicated service and classic dishes, you and your tastebuds will be satisfied with the meal.
10. Tandoor Char House
Location: 2652 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
Price range: $10 - $35
Must try: Tikka Masala Tacos, Lamb Saag
Rating: 4/5
Formed by two brothers, the Tandoor Char House is influenced by its rich cultural heritage and passion for the culinary arts. The recipes on offer are the embodiment of their love for their traditional Food and method of cooking, which gives it a unique approach as compared to others. The experience is many folds from the several ingredients carefully picked and utilised to the dedicated people that serve you. The promise to uplift your experience is a true one indeed!
11. Indian Clay Pot
Location: 1804 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60613
Price range: $11 - $30
Must try: Clay Pot Chicken, Keema Samosa
Rating: 4/5
By far one of the best Indian restaurants in Chicago, the Indian Clay Pot puts forward some of the most amazing delicacies from the far North of India to the deep South. The restaurant’s Chef Sai, who has crafted his skills over many years, puts forth his passion and talents to prepare tasty recipes in actual clay pots that have been imported from India. Add the authentic and traditional taste of the Indian subcontinent with the pots, and you are in for a good time! A plus point, the spiciness can be customised according to your taste, along with a few recipes just for those who prefer gluten-free or vegan options.
12. Maharaj Indian Grill
Location: 333 S State St, 8 E Van Buren St Unit C13, Chicago, IL 60604
Price range: $15 - $35
Must try: Maharaj Dinner Special
Rating: 4.5/5
If you are looking for one of the affordable Indian restaurants in Chicago, you can always head over to the Maharaj Indian Grill. With friendly and efficient staff coupled with delicious Food and a pleasant ambience, you are bound to keep coming back! Food like mutter paneer and steamed rice paired with a mango lassi will make for a pleasant experience, and to top it off, try the ras malai at the end. The restaurant is a perfect place for students in the USA and tourists alike as it is close to DePaul University and the city’s beautiful attractions.
13. Chicago Curry House
Location: 899 S Plymouth Ct, Chicago, IL 60605
Price range: $10 - $30
Must try: Shrimp Madras
Rating: 3.5/5
One of the best Indian restaurants in Chicago, the Chicago Curry House is just evidence of the city’s diverse culture. The restaurant puts forward delicious Indian and Nepali food which lets you experience the taste of the Indian Subcontinent. With momos, tandoor chicken, thalis and gundruk, you are in for a treat.
14. Bhoomi Modern
Location: 15 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602
Price range: $9 - $30naansense
Must try: Bhoomi Burger
Rating: 5/5
Bhoomi provides a fresh experience in an approachable and contemporary way that is going to leave you craving grilled Indian kebabs. The recipes have been adapted by the owners from a cookbook of their own design, definitely leading up to a delicious experience!
15. Naansense
Location: 178 N Franklin St, Chicago, IL 60606
Price range: $11 - $30
Must try: Naan Wraps
Rating: 4/5
Do you ever eat really good Food and sceptically say, “What Naansense is this?!”. At Naansense Chicago, you are guaranteed just that! Founded by a pair of friends who had fun exploring Indian street food, this Indian street cafe is bound to give you the authentic taste of India with a friendly and familial vibe! Without a doubt one of the best Indian restaurants in Chicago.
16. Gaylord India Restaurant
Location: 100 E Walton St, Chicago, IL 60611-1448
Price range: $10 - $35
Must try: Tandoori chicken and Lamb dishes
Rating: 4/5
Do you crave North Indian cuisine after a long day? You just want to have either rajma and rice or Dal Makhani with naan or roti, which is comfort food for most of us. Gaylord India is one of the best Indian restaurants in Chicago that not only serve separate food items but also a lunch buffet which is also known as a thali in India. This is one of the most visited Indian restaurants in Chicago, especially known for its north Indian cuisine.
17. Tiffin
Location: 2536 W Devon Ave, Chicago
Price range: $20 - $35
Must try: Bhindi Masala
Rating: 3.5/5
In India, the word Tiffin basically means Food carried by children when they go to school or college or by individuals when they go to the office. The first thought that enters your mind after reading Tiffin reminds you of school. In other words, it means a lunchtime meal. This meal is packed with flavours and Food that will always remind you of home. Similarly, this is one of the top Indian restaurants in Chicago offering an extensive food menu that offers a high level of some of the traditional Indian cuisine favourites. The warm staff, ambience and environment will make sure you return home with a smiling heart and full stomach.
18. Jaipur
Location: 738 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661
Price range: $10 - $30
Must try: Tandoori Lamb
Rating: 4.3/5
Jaipur, also known as the pink city, is very famous for several tourist places and also for its Food. Located in Illinois, Jaipur is one of the top Indian restaurants in Chicago, where you will probably be able to experience the authentic flavours of Indian Cuisine. This is one of the best Indian restaurants in Chicago that is constructed with amazing white and red decors that will teleport you to the pink city of India!
19. Indienne
Location: 217 W Huron St Chicago
Price range: $40 - $65
Must try: Sweet Potato Chat
Rating: 4.5/5
Indienne is one of the Indian restaurants in Chicago that resides in a 19th-century printing warehouse which is now converted to a timber loft where you can experience the best Indian food in Chicago. The restaurant’s staff focuses on customers having a memorable experience and offering a provocative and refreshing menu along with seasonal specialities. The restaurant also allows customers to bring their own wine bottles; however, if you are bringing more than 2, they charge a corkage fee. Indienne also provides a pound birthday cake which is made in-house. The staff and the ambience make sure that you have an exquisite dining experience and taste the best Indian Food in Chicago.
20. Uru-Swati
Location: 2629 W Devon Ave Chicago
Price range: $6 - $20
Must try: Paper Dosa
Rating: 4.5/5
Uru-Swati is one of the Indian restaurants in Chicago that offers a variety of chaat, as well as amazing South Indian cuisine. The restaurant offers an extensive selection of delicacies, from snacks to excellent paratha meals. The menu is power packed with a range of lentils, bread and Indian desserts that are made with authentic Indian spices and will make sure you explore almost every delicacy from the land of spices!
Indian cuisine is one of the most prominent cuisines in the world, with a plethora of flavours to satisfy you; it’s only right you do it justice. Make sure to head on over to some of the best Indian restaurants in Chicago and have a good time!