River North's Riverfront Just Got a Jaw-Dropping Upgrade: NAIA's Massive Mediterranean Debut Is Here
By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Near North ·
Near North neighbors, your neighborhood's dining scene just leveled up in the most spectacular fashion. NAIA, a sweeping new pan-Mediterranean restaurant from DineAmic Hospitality — the powerhouse group behind Siena Tavern and Prime & Provisions — has officially arrived along the Chicago River at 300 N. LaSalle Street, and it's unlike anything else in the city.
The scale alone is staggering. At 12,000 square feet, NAIA spans nearly an entire city block of river frontage, with seating for up to 400 guests across indoor and outdoor areas. Leading the kitchen is Greek chef Athinagoras Kostakos, whose résumé includes the famed Mykonos hotspot Scorpios. Expect a sun-drenched menu of seafood dishes, grilled meats, mezze, house-made pastas, and flatbreads, alongside a dedicated raw bar and crudo counter perched right at the water's edge. Inside, a dramatic coliseum-style dining room fans out toward the river — there's not a bad seat in the house. With warm weather here, the breezy riverfront terrace is the place to be this Memorial Day weekend.
And NAIA isn't the only fresh face in River North right now. Akiro, the Madrid-born Nikkei hand roll bar that earned acclaim as Spain's first of its kind, has opened its first U.S. location at 546 N. Wells St., offering refined nigiri and hand rolls in partnership with Chicago's Éxodo Hospitality Group. Two bold new international flavors, one extraordinary neighborhood. Have you visited NAIA or Akiro yet? Tell your neighbors what you think in the Socialhood comments!
Sources:
1. https://www.timeout.com/chicago/news/a-new-massive-mediterranean-restaurant-spanning-an-entire-block-will-open-on-chicagos-riverfront-soon-032626
2. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/03/27/naia-brings-huge-patio-to-river-north-kittys-cosmopolitan-club-opens-with-ultra-cold-cocktails/
3. https://www.modernluxury.com/new-best-restaurants-in-chicago/