With more Black-owned restaurants opening and the variety of cuisines increasing, from fast casual and BBQ joints to steakhouses and fine dining, this year’s Chicago Black Restaurant Week features nearly 40 restaurants highlighting that growth.
For more than 10 years, Chicago Black Restaurant Week has promoted a variety of Black-owned eateries throughout the city and surrounding suburbs. From Feb. 8-22, participating restaurants will offer specials that typically include an appetizer, entree and dessert for a fixed price.
Chicago Black Restaurant Week has provided a financial boost to the restaurants, some of which sell out of food in the first few days, according to its founder, Lauran Smith. And customers have even started traveling from out of town to participate.
“People really do see the value,” she said. “They look forward to it. Schools are now making field trips to some of these Black businesses during Chicago Black Restaurant Week for Black History Month.”
This year, Smith said she is seeing more Black-owned restaurants open on the West Side and in the south suburbs. And the variety continues to increase.
“We’ve got steakhouses now,” she said. “We have Michelin stars. I’m seeing a lot of new types of restaurants.”
Smith said supporting Black-owned businesses is more important than ever during the current state of the economy.
“People are losing jobs and businesses are still closing,” she said. “People have children in college, and college is getting more and more expensive. Food prices are going up. People are looking for investors so they can expand and do some different things. People are really having a hard time.”
And recent political attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion have given Smith pause.
“I always want to promote Black businesses, but at the same time, I don’t want to place a target on anybody’s back, either,” she said.
But the positive impact of Chicago Black Restaurant Week keeps her motivated.
“It really is OK for us to have a space,” she said. “There are so many [restaurants] in your area that you probably didn’t even know were Black-owned. I just really want to get the word out.”
For more information, go to chiblackrestaurantweek.com.
Full list of businesses participating in Chicago Black Restaurant Week
- CBRW2026 Featured Retail Brand: Titun Cocktails
- A. Ashley Designs
- BR Bar, 18601 Cicero Ave., Country Club Hills
- Bronzeville Winery, 4420 S. Cottage Ave., Chicago
- Chalet Chicago, 228 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago
- Chemistry Chicago, 5121 S. Harper Ave., Chicago
- CheSa’s Bistro & Bar Chicago, 3235 W. Addison, Ste C, Chicago
- Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles, 3947 S. King Dr., Chicago
- Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles, 543 Madison St., Oak Park
- D’s Cookie Dough Co., 2601 Flossmoor Rd., Flossmoor
- D’s Roti & Trini Cuisine, 6239 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago
- Elements 466, 466 25th Ave., Bellwood
- Gaijin 950 W. Lake St., Chicago
- Haires Gulf Shrimp, 7448 S. Vincennes Ave., Chicago
- Haires Gulf Shrimp, 1156 S. Jefferson, Chicago
- Hidden Manna Cafe, 3613 216th St., Matteson
- Ja’Grill Hyde Park, 1510 E. Harper Ct., Chicago
- Jerk & Cocktails, 17507 S. Kedzie, Hazel Crest
- Juiced By Shic, 14736 S. Pulaski, Midlothian
- Litehouse Wholefood Grill, 1368 E. 53rd St., Chicago
- Mahari Chicago, 1504 E. 55th St., Chicago
- Nafsi South Shore Beach, 7059 S. South Shore Dr., Chicago
- Sanders BBQ Supply, 1742 W. 99th St., Chicago
- Soul Prime, 1969 N. Halsted St., Chicago
- Soul Shack, 8711 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago
- St Patrick’s Restaurant & Rooftop, 15022 Lincoln Ave., Dolton
- Strugglebeard Bakery, 5221 S. Harper Ct., Chicago
- Stussy’s Diner, 3500 S. Halsted, Chicago
- Sunrize, 1455 Ring Rd., Calumet City
- Surf’s Up South Shore, 2236 E. 71st, Chicago
- Taste 222, 222 N. Canal St., Chicago
- The Duplex, 3137 W. Logan Blvd., Chicago
- The Park Bar & Grill, 63 E. Garfield Blvd., Chicago
- The Rhythm & Blues Cafe, 7522 Madison St., Oak Park
- The View Restaurant, 1701 W. Roosevelt Rd., Broadview
- TNT Rooftop Restaurant, 5405 W. Madison, Chicago
- Toast It Iz, 9204 S. Western Ave., Evergreen Park
- Toast It Iz, 22 E. Hubbard, Chicago
- Your Organic Inner G, 8269 S. Kedzie Ave., Chicago
