Smyth
Smyth is a three-Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant in Chicago's West Loop serving multi-course tasting menus ($420–$550) to affluent diners. Operated by chefs John Shields and Karen Urie Shields, it was ranked No. 1 in North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2026.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Smyth does
Smyth is a fine dining restaurant located in Chicago's West Loop, operated by chefs John Shields and Karen Urie Shields. It holds three Michelin stars and was ranked No. 1 in North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2026, situating it at the top tier of the U.S. fine dining market. The restaurant operates a tasting-menu-only model, offering multi-course menus priced at $420–$550 per guest with optional wine pairings ranging from $245–$475 per guest, and accommodates private events for parties of up to 36 guests.
The core technology stack is a hospitality SaaS stack rather than a proprietary platform: a BentoBox-built website serves as the digital storefront with WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility compliance, Exploretock handles reservation booking, Tripleseat manages private-event inquiries, and an online gift card storefront supports direct-to-consumer gifting. The Loyalist, a more casual companion restaurant, operates alongside Smyth under the same chef team, extending the brand into a lower price-point segment.
Smyth's business model is direct-to-consumer luxury hospitality: revenue is generated almost entirely at the point of experience, with pricing power anchored by Michelin three-star status and top-50 ranking. The customer base is concentrated among affluent tasting-menu guests and private-event clients in the Chicago market, with no evidence of off-premise, retail, or licensing revenue.
Smyth firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smyth
- Legal name
- Smyth
- Website
- https://smythchicago.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Smyth is a three-Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant in Chicago's West Loop serving multi-course tasting menus ($420–$550) to affluent diners. Operated by chefs John Shields and Karen Urie Shields, it was ranked No. 1 in North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2026.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smyth industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fine Dining Restaurant
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fine Dining Restaurants (THAFACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants (THAFACAG)
Keywords
Where Smyth is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Smyth business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Fine Dining Tasting Menu Revenue: Revenue from multi-course tasting menus at $420 per person for standard experience and $550 per person for Chef's Menu, with 2.5-3.5 hour dining experiences.
- Wine and Beverage Pairing: Revenue from wine pairing programs including Smyth Pairing at $245 per person and Reserve Pairing at $475 per person, featuring low-intervention wines from regenerative producers.
- Private Events: Revenue from hosting private dining events in the only three-Michelin-starred private space in Chicago, including private dining room for up to 12 guests and full buyout options for up to 36 guests.
- Gift Cards: Revenue from gift card sales through the company's online storefront.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Smyth Menu - $420 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Chef's Menu - $550 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Smyth Pairing - $245 per person |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Reserve Pairing - $475 per person |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Smyth product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smyth operates a three-Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant in Chicago's West Loop serving multi-course tasting menus ($420 per person for the Smyth Menu and $550 per person for the Chef's Menu) complemented by wine pairings. The restaurant also hosts private dining events and operates a companion venue, The Loyalist, providing a full-service hospitality offering within the premium dining segment.
Product overview
Smyth is a three-Michelin-starred New American fine dining restaurant in Chicago's West Loop, operated by husband-and-wife chefs John Shields and Karen Urie Shields. The restaurant offers two distinct tasting menu experiences: the Smyth Menu ($420/person, 2.5-3 hours) and the Chef's Menu ($550/person, 3.5 hours). Complementary wine pairing experiences include the Smyth Pairing ($245/person) and Reserve Pairing ($475/person), featuring low-intervention and regenerative wines curated by Wine Director Louis Fabbrini. The restaurant also offers private dining for up to 36 guests and operates a companion restaurant called The Loyalist in the same West Loop location.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Smyth Menu
- Chef's Menu at Smyth
- Smyth Pairing
- Reserve Pairing
- Private Events
- Gift Cards
- The Loyalist
Quantifiable outcome
- Ranked No. 1 in North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2026
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Smyth
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Smyth technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Smyth partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ExploretockcoreExploretock (Tock) platform serves as the primary reservation system for Smyth, handling booking for tasting menu experiences and FAQ support for guests.
- The LoyalistcoreThe Loyalist is the companion restaurant to Smyth, operated by the same chef team in the same location. The two restaurants share the private dining room and operate as Smyth + The Loyalist, offering both fine dining and more casual options.
- TripleseatminorTripleseat platform handles private event inquiries and bookings for Smyth + The Loyalist, including private dining room (up to 12 guests) and full buyout options (up to 36 guests).
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Smyth competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Le Bernardin: Three-Michelin-starred seafood-focused fine dining restaurant in New York City by Eric Ripert. Comparable as a long-standing three-star American fine dining institution with global prestige.
- Masa: Three-Michelin-starred sushi omakase restaurant in New York City by Masa Takayama. Comparable as an elite, chef-driven, multi-course premium dining experience at the upper tier of U.S. fine dining.
- The French Laundry: Three-Michelin-starred Thomas Keller restaurant in Yountville, California, widely regarded as a benchmark for American fine dining. Closely comparable on tasting menu model, price point, and elite Michelin status.
- Atelier Crenn: Three-Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant in San Francisco by Dominique Crenn. Comparable as a chef-driven, multi-course tasting menu destination with strong international rankings.
- Sushi Saito: Three-Michelin-starred sushi restaurant in Tokyo, often cited alongside the world's most exclusive tasting menu destinations. Comparable as a small-format, reservation-only, chef-driven tasting menu experience with global prestige.
- Eleven Madison Park: Three-Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant in New York City by Daniel Humm. Comparable as an elite multi-course tasting menu destination at a similar premium price tier.
- Per Se: Three-Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant in New York City by Thomas Keller. Comparable on tasting menu format, premium pricing, and Wine Spectator Grand Award-holding wine program.
- Alinea: Three-Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant in Chicago founded by Grant Achatz, where Smyth's chef John Shields previously served as sous chef. Directly comparable as a fellow Chicago three-star fine dining destination with multi-course tasting menus.
- Oriole: Two-Michelin-starred tasting menu restaurant in Chicago's West Loop, where Smyth's General Manager Cara Sandoval was a part-owner. Directly comparable on cuisine philosophy, tasting menu format, and Chicago fine dining market.
Others
- The Loyalist: Companion restaurant to Smyth, co-located in Chicago's West Loop and operated by the same chef team. Included as a sub-brand rather than a true peer, since it shares operations and ownership with the subject company.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Smyth social profiles
Digital presenceSmyth financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smyth leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Smyth funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smyth M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Smyth
What does Smyth do?
Smyth operates a three-Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant in Chicago's West Loop serving multi-course tasting menus ($420 per person for the Smyth Menu and $550 per person for the Chef's Menu) complemented by wine pairings. The restaurant also hosts private dining events and operates a companion venue, The Loyalist, providing a full-service hospitality offering within the premium dining segment.
Is Smyth a public or private company?
Smyth is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Smyth founded?
Smyth was founded in -1.
Where is Smyth based?
Smyth is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Smyth make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Fine Dining Tasting Menu Revenue is the primary driver. The others are wine and Beverage Pairing, private Events and gift Cards.
Who are Smyth's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Le Bernardin, Masa, The French Laundry, Atelier Crenn, Sushi Saito, Eleven Madison Park, Per Se, Alinea and Oriole. The Loyalist is listed as an others.
Does Smyth have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smyth.
What industry is Smyth in?
Smyth's product category is Fine Dining Restaurant. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAA, Fine Dining Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAFACAG, Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.