Here’s How Much You’ll Pay Per Plate At Illinois’ Most Expensive Restaurant

Hi I'm poor.

If you think you're already budgeting to eat out every once in a while, you would have to skip a few car payments to eat at one place in Illinois.

Love Food found the most expensive restaurants in every state for 2025. The list includes fancy steakhouses, breezy seaside eateries, and everything in between. It was based on a restaurant's priciest main course or tasting menu, not places just one very expensive dish.

Illinois' Most Expensive Restaurant

Illinois' most expensive restaurant is Alinea in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. It's got 3 Michelin stars so it can't be all bad. Love Food said about the restaurant:

This trailblazing spot is loved for its innovative approach to modernist cuisine and artful presentation – complete with edible balloons, clouds of dry ice, and consumable art.

Dinner at Alinea could cost you as much at $500 per plate.

I didn't add a zero to that.

Alinea, located at 1723 N. Halsted, doesn't have a menu listed online but the Google reviews mentioned some good plates include the char, the South American fossil, the Iberian pork, and the "iconic" sundae. One reviewer said he spent $1,500 for two people.

Is it worth the money? There's debate all over Google about that but most say it is.

Alinea has a lot of accolades, including Best Restaurant In The World by Elite Traveler, Best Restaurant in North America by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and Best Restaurant in the U.S. by Gourmet and Business Insider. Alinea is one of only 14 restaurants in the U.S. to be ranked 3 Michelin stars.