IL has 3 of the best hotel restaurants in US, report says. Where to snag a reservation
Three Illinois eateries are among the Top 100 Hotel Restaurants in 2025, according to a new analysis from online reservation company Open Table and travel website Kayak.
The report named Cabra, Ema and Shanghai Terrace in its top 100 list, all of which are located in Chicago.
Cabra is located at The Hoxton hotel and serves Peruvian cuisine, while Ema offers Mediterranean fare at Hyatt Place. Shanghai Terrace, which has been named the best Chinese restaurant in Chicago, is located at The Peninsula, a luxury hotel about a mile from Navy Pier.
“Recently, hotel owners have seen the value in not only having restaurants as an amenity for their guests, but also in being a culinary destination for locals and even travelers staying elsewhere. Travelers have so many options of places to stay, culinary offerings are a big part of making that choice,” Cabra Chef Stephanie Izard said in the Open Table analysis.
Along with the Chicago spots, hotel restaurants in Las Vegas, Miami Beach, Orlando, Philadelphia, Austin and Wailea, Hawaii, were among the most popular.
The News-Democrat has contacted staff with Cabra and Ema for comment about the recognition from Open Table and Kayak.
Here’s what to know about the three Illinois hotel restaurants ranked among the best 100 in the nation.
Dining at Cabra
Cabra serves lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday, as well as “grazing hour” from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, brunch from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the weekends and traditional dinner service daily. Reservations are recommended and can be made online.
“The restaurant’s airy, plant-filled ambiance, paired with its open kitchen and sweeping city views, creates a dynamic dining experience. Guests can savor a variety of shareable plates, from ceviche to savory meats, all bursting with the rich, fresh flavors inspired by Peru,” Open Table’s description of Cabra reads.
If you’re planning to stop by Cabra at grazing hour, you can order a variety of dips and snacks, such as spicy sticky wings with ranch, avocado dip or picarones (sweet potato donuts), along with empanadas and drink specials.
Cabra’s brunch menu features an elote omelette, quinoa french toast, bacon and egg solterito (chopped salad) and “the giant empanada” with maple sausage and sweet potato filling.
Popular dinner options include ceviche, seared halibut, chorizo skewers, seared duck salad and more. For dessert, check out the passion fruit lucuma mousse, soft serve swirl or picarones.
Cabra has 4.6 stars on Open Table, with more than 3,300 reviews.
Booking a table at Ema
Ema features Mediterranean small plates like hummus, falafel, salads, crispy potatoes, kebabs, sandwiches and more. For brunch, Ema serves its usual hummus, as well as an “Alba cinnamon butter cake,” avocado toast, soft scrambled eggs and lamb shakshuka. Reservations are recommended and can be made online.
Happy hour is from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday at Ema’s bar, and specials include a $10 house margarita, $7 small plates, $6 craft beers and $8 glasses of wine.
In addition to its dine-in options, Ema also offers online ordering for pick up and delivery. Ema has 4.6 stars on Open Table, with more than 4,800 reviews.
Check out the menu at Shanghai Terrace
Shanghai Terrace’s specialties include the Chinese-style beef tenderloin, “happy red rice,” shredded duck and wok-fried scallop in black truffle sauce. Shanghai Terrace has 4.8 stars on Open Table, with more than 2,400 reviews.
“My team and I strive to offer our guests fresh ingredients and imaginative cuisine. We do our best to blend traditional sauces with locally sourced seasonal ingredients with the intent of meeting high standards. We’re grateful Shanghai Terrace has been recognized among Chicago’s best Chinese restaurants. Some of our specialties include Peking duck, lobster truffle dumplings, and Szechwan Chilean Sea Bass,” Elmo Han, chef de cuisine at Shanghai Terrace at The Peninsula Chicago, wrote in an emailed statement to the BND.
Other options at Shanghai Terrace include vegetable-based dishes, like the braised eggplant, or seafood favorites, such as the Chilean sea bass or spicy sweet chili prawn.
The fine-dining restaurant also serves rice and noodle dishes, including seafood fried rice in abalone sauce and Shanghai fried noodles.
You can find a variety of desserts at Shanghai Terrace. The menu says items are subject to change, but options include an almond cherry cream puff, fromage blanc mousse, The Peninsula mango pudding, seasonal fruits, cookies and more.
The restaurant’s main dining room “offers a seductive 1930’s Shanghai eatery-inspired atmosphere decorated in tones of ebony, gold and scarlet,” Shanghai Terrace’s website says. You can make reservations online.
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