James Beard Awards Chicago winners
Congratulations to Chicago’s 2025 James Beard Award winners:
- Noah Sandoval of Oriole (Best Chef: Great Lakes)
- Kumiko (Outstanding Bar)
- Lem’s Bar-B-Q (America’s Classics)
Check out all the past Chicago James Beard Award winners and stay tuned for details about the 2026 ceremony in Chicago.
We’d like to extend a special congratulations to all the Chicago restaurants that were nominated for the James Beard Awards in 2025!
Outstanding Restaurant
A restaurant that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations.
Outstanding Bar
A wine bar, beer bar, cocktail bar, coffee bar, or any other business whose primary offering is beverage and that demonstrates consistent excellence in curating a selection or in the preparation of drinks, along with outstanding atmosphere, hospitality, and operations.
Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
- Thai Dang, HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen
- Chris Jung and Erling Wu-Bower, Maxwells Trading
- Noah Sandoval, Oriole