ORDAirport Guide

Sit-down restaurants at O'Hare for a long layover

O'Hare restaurants whose map text points to a sit-down meal, with gates and hours: The Dearborn, Summer House, Publican Tavern, Macaroni Grill, Tocco.

A dining table and chairs in a tavern restaurant on a Terminal 3 concourse at O'Hare.
Publican Tavern, Terminal 3

For a sit-down meal behind security, the airport’s map text points to three places: The Dearborn in Terminal 5, which offers “full sit-down service”, Tocco in Terminal 5, which says “Grab a seat”, and Summer House Santa Monica in Terminal 2, which lists restaurant seating. In Terminal 3, Publican Tavern and Macaroni Grill describe a leisurely meal and family style dining. Two more, the Hilton’s Andiamo and Gaslight Club, are before security.

The airport’s directory doesn’t say which places take reservations, and most map entries say nothing about service. Tortas Frontera’s entry, for one, describes “quick-service gourmet” to go.

Every place in the terminal tables is after security, and hours are daily unless a row says otherwise. Places that are mostly about drinks are in the bars guide. The late-night food guide and before 6 a.m. guide cover the hours at each end of the day.

Places whose map text points to a sit-down meal

Place Where Hours What the airport’s map says
Publican Tavern Terminal 3, Gate K1 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Fits quick snacks and “guests with time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast, lunch or dinner”
Macaroni Grill Terminal 3, Gate K2 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Offers “family style dining of your Italian favorites”
Summer House Santa Monica Terminal 2, Gate E2 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Lists “Restaurant seating, grab and go items, and bar”
Tocco Terminal 5, Gate M11 None listed Says “Grab a seat” for Italian dishes and “a refined dining experience”
The Dearborn Terminal 5, Gate M17 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Offers “full sit-down service” along with a grab-and-go marketplace
Andiamo Hilton lobby level, before security 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Features “comfortable oversized booths” and “a wide variety of menu selections”
Gaslight Club Hilton lobby level, before security 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Lists “fine dining”, steaks, chops and seafood, with live music

The airport’s dining directory lists The Dearborn near Gate M17 with no hours, while its terminal map gives 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The directory prints no hours for Tocco either. The Hilton guide has the walkways to Andiamo and the Gaslight Club from each terminal.

Terminal 3 has the longest list

Place Near gate Hours What the airport’s map says
Chicago Cubs Bar & Grill G1 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Lists a menu “reminiscent of favorites at Wrigley Field” and “a kids menu”
Chili’s G10 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Known for “Southwestern-inspired American favorites” like burgers and fajitas
Chili’s H2 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Known for “Southwestern-inspired American favorites” like burgers and fajitas
O’Briens Restaurant & Bar H5 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Serves “breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a bar”
La Tapenade Mediterranean Café H14 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Lists “pastries, breads, gourmet sandwiches and pizzas” and flatbreads baked daily
The Bronze Tap K4 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Says breakfast is served until 9:30 a.m. and takes food orders to go
Tortas Frontera by Rick Bayless K4 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Describes “quick-service gourmet” to go, with tortas and guacamole
Wolfgang Puck Express K12 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Names chef Wolfgang Puck and a “Full Bar”
Burger Federation L20 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. A “Casual spot for award-winning burgers, hot dogs and fries and a full bar”

Terminal 1 has eight, mostly on Concourse B

Place Near gate Hours What the airport’s map says
La Tapenade Mediterranean Café B4 4:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Lists “pastries, breads, gourmet sandwiches and pizzas” and flatbreads baked daily
The Bronze Pizza B7 4:15 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Serves “pizza, salads and wraps” with drinks, and “daily breakfast”
Tortas Frontera by Rick Bayless B10 4:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Describes “quick-service gourmet” to go, with tortas and guacamole
Chili’s B14 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Known for “Southwestern-inspired American favorites” like burgers and fajitas
Tuscany Café B18 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Listed as Italian and pizza, with sandwiches, salads, burgers and beer
Wicker Park Market C1 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Has a sushi chef making rolls “to order”, and says “Full bar service is available”
Billy Goat Tavern and Grill C19 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Names cheeseburgers and “a rib-eye steak sandwich”
Berghoff Cafe C26 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Lists “made to order breakfast sandwiches and omelets”

Terminal 2 adds five more

Place Near gate Hours What the airport’s map says
Wicker Park Sushi Bar E1 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Has a sushi chef making rolls “to order”, and says “Full bar service is available”
Stanley’s Blackhawks Kitchen & Tap E5 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Opens “Pays homage to the local professional hockey team” and names no dish
La Tapenade Mediterranean Café E9 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Says only “Grab-and-go food and beverage items”
Chili’s F9 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Known for “Southwestern-inspired American favorites” like burgers and fajitas
Skybridge Bar & Grill F15 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Serves “contemporary Greek cuisine” and has “a fully stocked bar”

Terminal 5 has six on Concourse M

Terminal 5 has no walking link to the other terminals, so if your gate’s on Concourse M these are the ones that aren’t a ride away.

Place Near gate Hours What the airport’s map says
The Hampton Social M7 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Calls itself a “bar & small plates concept”
Big Bowl M11 None listed Lists “Chinese and Thai cuisine” with bowls, rice and noodle dishes
Hub 51 M16 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Offers “eclectic fare” and “views from the expansive bar”
Tortas Frontera by Rick Bayless M18 None listed Describes “quick-service gourmet” to go, with tortas and guacamole
Butcher & The Burger M28 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Calls itself “your neighborhood burger counter”, with a “vegan lentil burger”
Bar Siena M30 Monday and Thursday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Offers “brunch, lunch, and dinner” with “Italian street food and a pizza bar”

The airport prints no hours for Big Bowl or for Tortas Frontera in this terminal, and none for Bar Siena on Tuesday or Wednesday.

How do you get between the terminals?

Terminals 1, 2 and 3 join on the secure side, so they’re all reachable without a second security line. The guide to walking between terminals shows how they connect and notes that the airport publishes no walking times. From Terminal 5, the Airport Transit System and the terminal transfer bus are the ways across.

Sources