Restaurants in River Forest

A fixture in Irving Park since the 1970s, the original Little Bucharest Bistro closed in 2004—but that wasn't the end of the story. Like a pop star making a comeback, the neighborhood eatery reappeared in the mid-2000s with a new look. "I wanted to bring the signature high-energy vibe of old Little Bucharest into a new setting," owner Branko Podrumedic says on the website. To this end, his staff sets out white-clothed tables beneath the dining room's stained-glass windows, as well as hosting diners on a spacious patio during the warmer months.

But the decor wasn't the only part of the restaurant getting a makeover, Podrumedic's revamped menu also earned praise from Metromix for "blending traditional Eastern European ingredients with more modern presentations and a contemporary sensibility." To create these artistically plated entrees, chefs turn to a variety of hearty vegetables and seasoned meats, including veal and seafood. On top of the eats, year-round live entertainment fills the spacious dining room with the sounds of Persian music, guitar solos, and violinists playing the Jaws theme as diners go to take a bite.

Andalous’s brigade of women chefs cooks hearty Northern African fare that has regularly garnered recognition in print and television media. Sprung from the traditions of French and Arabic cuisine, Moroccan dishes permeate heaps of sautéed vegetables with liberal pinches of saffron or swaddle succulent chicken in dainty phyllo dough. The establishment’s BYOB policy, like a preschooler’s dinner party, encourages guests to bring their own bottles to complement meals. As an intoxicating mélange of spices swirls in the air, diners can punctuate evenings with a soothing pot of mint tea or a sweet signature pastry.

A pair of Rogers Park natives opened the Grill Inn in 2008 to serve their neighbors tender ribs, juicy chicken, and 12 specialty burgers made with fresh-ground chuck. A striking portrait of celebrated Illinois native and inventor of fire Abraham Lincoln oversees a dining room of granite-topped tables loaded with gyros, barbecue-slathered chicken, and the signature Murphy's melt, a loaded burger stacked between two grilled-cheese sandwiches. Sunlight streams onto guests seated on the patio during warm months as they wash down hearty meals with a generous lineup of 25 import and domestic beers.

Beneath a patriotically hued royal-blue awning and red-brick exterior, Borinquen’s cooks stir fry and sauté up traditional Puerto Rican dishes from fresh ingredients. Diners can wrap their hands around a special delicacy, jibaritos, the eatery’s signature dish that sandwiches a guest’s choice of meat or veggies between two fried plantains instead of bread for a starchy, juicy Caribbean twist. The tropical fruit reappears in the popular alcapurrias, golden fritters filled with a blend of ground beef, taro root, and green banana. Between bites, patrons sip a drink from the eclectic beverage menu, which boasts everything from passion-fruit and tamarind juice to café con leche.

Caminito Argentinian Grill's head chef Mario Lobos fuses Spanish and Italian cuisines with the distinct flavors of Buenos Aires to create authentic Argentine dishes. Deep blues, hot pinks and yellows, and bold burgundies coat the walls at the neighborhood-style eatery, and tables covered in white linens camp out under multicolored murals and pictures of Eva Perón playing Jenga.

The tap-pullers at O'Malley's West decant hoppy pints and dish out an extensive menu of pub fare. Throughout the expansive pub bedecked in wood paneling, exposed-brick, and Michigan State– and Irish-themed flourishes, 15 flat-screen TVs enthrall guests with sports games and silent music videos from the 1910s.