The Lakefront Restaurant

4.7

1085 Reviews

$30 and under

American

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 1, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 4 times today

Great for scenic views
Good for special occasions
Charming

The Lakefront Restaurant is an upscale tavern located on the shores of Lake Michigan in the historic Theater on the Lake building. We offer seasonal Midwestern fare featuring the freshest choice ingredients and a beverage program highlighting craft beers, spirits, and a diverse wine list.

We are open year-round, and invite you to enjoy the casual elegance of our intimate tables, communal seating, lounge area, and our warm-weather Skyline Patio -- all while taking in the stunning views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. Visit us during the fall and winter months for happy hour and other daily specials.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Contemporary American
Hours of Operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–8:00 pm
Phone number
(312) 414-1313 ext. 2
Website
https://theateronthelake.com/restaurant/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Private party facilities
The Lakefront Restaurant is located in the historical prairie-style building, Theater On The Lake. The building has flexible room options for any event, including full buyouts of the building, private rooms, and simi private area within The Lakefront Restaurant.

Location
2401 N Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60614
Neighbourhood
Lincoln Park
Cross Street
Fullerton & Lake Shore Drive, East of Lake Shore Drive on the Lakefront
Parking details
Self-Parking Monday - Friday until 4pm, $15 valet parking (cash only) is available in the front circle drive. Pricing for events may vary. Easy Uber/Lyft/taxi drop-off. Paid parking is available at Lincoln Park Zoo and Diversey Harbor parking lot located on the northeast corner of Cannon and Fullerton. Free street parking is also available along Cannon Drive.
Public transit
CTA bus routes #76, #151, and #156
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,085 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.5Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Lakefront Restaurant offers a charming lakeside dining experience with "spectacular views." Guests appreciate the "delicious food," friendly staff, and easy valet parking. Highlights include the seasonal menu and variety of options like vegetarian tacos and "exceptional cheesecake." While service can occasionally be slow, the atmosphere and scenic location make it a "perfect spot" for celebrations and casual meals.

1,085 Reviews

L
Liz
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Love the seasonal menus. Always great service and amazing food.
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B
Brandon
Chicago
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on February 9, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
Food was ok, nice presentation but overall not amazing, service was pretty slow, it’s a really pretty building but over all not as good as I’d hoped. Desert was the highlight.
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D
DeAnna
VIP
Chicago
50 reviews
5.0
50 reviews
Dined on February 9, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything was excellent. The perfect place for mom’s birthday dinner!!
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K
Karla
Chicago
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on February 8, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everyone was super friendly, professional, and polite. Our waitress was so sweet and patient. Overall it was a wonderful experience.
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K
Karen
Chicago
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on February 7, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
a perfect spot for a get together for a small birthday celebration. Quiet enough to hear your tables conversation. Sitting and looking south to the skyline is the perfect vibe. The food is great. The staff attentive but not annoying. Hope to get back there for another family birthday
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C
Casey
Chicago
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on February 6, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Everything was tasty...it did take a very long time to get our food My beef was not warm...it was cool .I s. Assuming it was plated and not served as we waited a very long time. We all ordered Beef tenderloin...so there was no waiting on one dish...so the cold main course is on the service.. Now you know.
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B
Bobby
Chicago
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 3, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Every dish and cocktail that we tried was absolutely top notch. We were trying their Restaurant Week menu. Regular menu had very reasonable prices. My wife and I would definitely come again!
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J
John
Chicago
200 reviews
3.0
200 reviews
Dined on February 2, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We love the location and the staff. Views are great. Food could be better. Not enough variety and the brunch menu is pretty boring and not enough flavor.
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A
Adam
VIP
Chicago
10 reviews
3.0
10 reviews
Dined on February 2, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 5
We had high hopes for this restaurant. First off you cannot beat the view it’s right on the lake!! Started off pretty well. Then when our food came the issues began. We ordered breakfast nachos with no cilantro. Delivered with tons of cilantro, figured we could just scrape it off no biggie. However, the cheese sauce was ice cold and solidified. Server replaced it, and eventually when we got it was pretty good. The cheese board I would not recommend at all. The cold bacon was covered in a sauce that looked disgusting. One of the three cheeses was good, but they only gave us 3 small crackers with the whole board. Tomatoe bisque was tasty but overly salty. Wings I would definitely recommend, got the bbq and they were pretty good. Then we didn’t see our server again for over an hour. We had run out of water and drinks and eventually had to ask another server. When we wanted our bill, again had to ask another server. They charged us for 2 breakfast nachos which of course was not going to fly. Our original server finally came back and took the check. Overall not a great experience. Would try again in the summer just for the view!
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d
deborah
Chicago
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on February 2, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always DELICIOUS, great service, comfortable and of course the spectacular view🌞
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FAQs

The Lakefront Restaurant is rated 4.7 stars by 1085 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 1, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 4 times today

2401 N Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60614

Additional information

Cross Street
Fullerton & Lake Shore Drive, East of Lake Shore Drive on the Lakefront
Neighbourhood
Lincoln Park
Hours of Operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–8:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Contemporary American
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Self-Parking Monday - Friday until 4pm, $15 valet parking (cash only) is available in the front circle drive. Pricing for events may vary. Easy Uber/Lyft/taxi drop-off. Paid parking is available at Lincoln Park Zoo and Diversey Harbor parking lot located on the northeast corner of Cannon and Fullerton. Free street parking is also available along Cannon Drive.
Public transit
CTA bus routes #76, #151, and #156
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://theateronthelake.com/restaurant/
Phone number
(312) 414-1313 ext. 2
Private party facilities
The Lakefront Restaurant is located in the historical prairie-style building, Theater On The Lake. The building has flexible room options for any event, including full buyouts of the building, private rooms, and simi private area within The Lakefront Restaurant.

The Lakefront Restaurant

Make a reservation

Additional information

Menu

What 1,085 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is The Lakefront Restaurant restaurant rated?

Is The Lakefront Restaurant currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information