Stephanie Izard's Chicago hit serves bold flavors and creative small plates. Goat dishes are signature but everything shines.
Girl & the Goat, at 809 West Randolph Street in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood, Illinois, opened in 2010 as the first restaurant from chef Stephanie Izard, who had won the Top Chef competition in 2008 and become one of the most talked-about chefs in the country. The restaurant quickly established itself as one of Chicago's most exciting dining destinations — a place where the cooking was emphatically bold and the room was emphatically alive. Izard built the menu around the idea of fearless, globally inflected American cooking: flavors from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the American South appear in the same meal without tension, tied together by a consistent commitment to punchy seasoning and well-sourced ingredients. As the name suggests, goat features prominently and with great creativity — goat empanadas, goat carpaccio, whole roasted goat for the table. But the menu extends well beyond the signature protein: roasted vegetables with wood-fired char, grilled whole fish, imaginative pasta-like preparations, and pig-face (a slow-cooked, pressed, and crisped pig's head terrine served with a fried egg) are among the dishes that have acquired devoted followings. The dining room is open and energetic, with exposed brick, high ceilings, and a communal table in the center of the room. Service is knowledgeable without being formal. The cocktail and wine program reflects the restaurant's adventurous spirit, with unusual varieties and producers alongside better-known options.
Signature dishes
- Goat Empanadas — $16
- Pig Face — $19
Good to know
- Hours
- Dinner daily
- Reservations
- Recommended
Location
809 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607
41.8844, -87.6481 View on map
Highlights
- Goat empanadas and goat carpaccio — creative explorations of the restaurant's namesake protein from chef Stephanie Izard
- Pig Face — slow-cooked pressed pig's head, crisped and served with fried egg; one of Chicago's most talked-about dishes
- Bold, globally inflected small-plates format drawing from Southeast Asia, Middle East, and American South simultaneously
- West Loop Randolph Street location at the center of Chicago's most acclaimed restaurant corridor
- Top Chef Season 4 winner Stephanie Izard at the helm — the restaurant that made her a national culinary figure
Tips for visiting
- Order widely from the small plates menu rather than a single large main — the menu is designed for sharing and covering many preparations
- Goat empanadas and pig face are the two dishes most consistently recommended by regulars and should not be skipped
- Reservations on Resy should be made one to two weeks ahead; the communal table is available for walk-ins on most nights
- The menu changes frequently; the online menu may not reflect what is available on any given night — remain open to suggestions
- Parking in the West Loop on weekend evenings is very limited; taking public transit (Green/Pink line to Morgan) or a ride-share is advisable
Accessibility
Girl & the Goat is located on the ground floor of a West Loop building with accessible entry from West Randolph Street. The dining room is on a single level with a mix of standard and communal table seating. Guests with mobility requirements should advise the restaurant when booking to ensure appropriate table placement.
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Frequently asked questions
What kind of cuisine does Girl & the Goat serve?
Girl & the Goat serves boldly flavored, globally inflected American small plates. Chef Stephanie Izard draws on Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern, and Southern American flavors in the same menu, unified by punchy seasoning and high-quality sourcing. Goat features prominently but the menu is broad.
Is Girl & the Goat expensive?
The restaurant is in the mid-range to upper-mid-range category. Small plates typically run $15–$25; larger items $25–$45. A couple sharing four to six dishes with cocktails or wine should expect to spend $120–$200.
What is the best thing to order at Girl & the Goat?
The goat empanadas, pig face (slow-cooked pressed pig's head with egg), and roasted vegetables are consistently the most praised preparations. The menu changes often, so asking the server for current favorites is a reliable strategy.
Do guests need to like goat to enjoy Girl & the Goat?
No. While goat appears in multiple preparations, the menu is large and diverse enough to construct an excellent meal without touching the signature protein. The restaurant's name is a creative identity; the kitchen's breadth is genuinely wide.
How far in advance should reservations be made?
Reservations one to two weeks in advance are generally sufficient for most dates. Weekend evenings book more quickly. The communal table at the center of the room and the bar area often accommodate walk-ins on weeknights.