Restaurants in North Chicago

The Irish words inscribed above the main door of Bridie McKenna's––"slán abhaile"––mean "safe home," a phrase brought to life by the restaurant and pub's welcoming servers and friendly bartenders. The kitchen sends out traditional comfort foods starting with the hearty all-day Irish breakfast comprised of bacon rashers, baked beans, black and white puddings, and sautéed mushrooms. Irish classics such as corned-beef sandwiches, shepherd's pie, and lamb stew also extinguish appetites alongside 21 beers on tap and an array of single-malt scotches. The strains of Irish or contemporary live music can be heard near the open fireplace several evenings a week and karaoke enthusiasts come to show off their best microphone juggling techniques every Friday.

The concept of comfort food typically conjures up images of a family sitting at a kitchen table, passing around steaming casserole dishes filled with something cheesy, creamy, or meaty. But that's not the case at City Park Grill. Though chefs sling feel-good edibles such as meatloaf, roast chicken, and warm apple crisp, the food is plated on modern, rectangular wares and served in a dining room where black-and-white photographs stud an exposed brick wall. An old-fashioned ethos wins out in the kitchen, however, as chefs insist on preparing all soups, sauces, and desserts from scratch daily. Drinks from the full-service bar make the perfect complement to a day of game-watching on one of five big-screen TVs.

Tamales' chefs chop, sauté, and grill fresh ingredients to forge a menu of Mexican dishes tinged with southwestern flair. Four varieties of the namesake masa morsel parade to tables donning a steaming corn husk and a rainbow of specialty salsas, and hearty plates of paella, tacos, and grilled meats suffuse the space with savory Latin aromas. Frosty margaritas are laced with 14 varieties of top-shelf tequila as barside savorers partake of creative small plates, slather chips in salsa, and wave tiny red napkins to subdue stampeding slices of lime.

The chefs at The Grill man the restaurant's namesake forge, which sizzles cheerily beneath burgers, sandwiches, and steaks. During periods of sunshine or kite fires, waiters bustle between the indoor dining area and tables on an outdoor patio. All-day delivery services shuttle filling dispatches to busy diners, and curbside carryout service sates the mighty hunger of jealous automobiles.

At Trattoria Valle D’Itria, chef Giovanni calls upon a brick oven and an armory of fresh ingredients to bring to life the culinary traditions of the sun-soaked Itria Valley. Diners draw in deep breaths loaded with the aromas of sweet polenta, chicken stuffed with mushrooms, and gnocchi cloaked in vodka-cream sauce. Cooks roll sheets of dough, which they trim into myriad fresh pastas bound for steaming pots and the desk of alphabet-soup editors. Warm lighting romps across dark wooden accents in the restaurant's interior, and umbrellas shelter patrons as they dine and people watch in sidewalk seating.

The original Dear Franks location in Deerfield flung open its doors back in 1978 and has served the same quality dogs, burgers, and fries ever since, only now at two additional locations in Niles and Glenview. Charred Vienna Beef hot dogs drag through a garden of traditional Chicago-style toppings, and freshly cut, double-crisped fries are draped in creamy wisconsin sharp cheddar. Italian-beef sandwiches, tuna melts, and assorted sausages also assuage cravings for comfort food, as do chocolate malts and teddy bears stuffed with foie gras.