Chicago - there for 3 days. Where do I eat?
We'll be in Chicago for 3 short days in June for our college reunion at nerd school, aka University of Chicago. We'll be spending one day joining in the alumni festivities, checking out how much the campus has changed, eating at our old haunts. But the weekend is ours to spend freely.
Tell me, SE folks, where would you go/what would you eat in 2 short days in Chicago? We'll be in downtown Chicago (probably close to the Mile) at a hotel, and we are all about taking the El and Metra to get to places. What are your recommendations - high and low ranges!
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25 Comments:
I can't go to Chicago and not visit El Burrito Mexicano just under the El in Wrigleyville.
lexophile at 12:51PM on 03/14/08
Go to www.lthforum.com and search for GNR or "Great Neighborhood Restaurants" that the forum awards to about 30 terrific spots annually. Plus, you'll find dozens of threads like yours featuring tons of recommendations.
chgoeditor at 1:02PM on 03/14/08
How awesome! My husband and I are U of C alums as well, but haven't been back for a few years now .. we're planning on making a visit sometime this summer. If you haven't been to Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill or Topolobampo, I would recommend visiting one of them. Other than that, we mostly ate around Hyde Park during our college days..
mrsbao at 1:03PM on 03/14/08
Michael Nagrant has lots of great picks in our Eating Out section. And I'd definitely put Alinea on your list.
Alaina Browne at 1:11PM on 03/14/08
You basically have unlimited choices....Chicago is a world class city when it comes to dining & going out....on par with NY, SF & Toronto....
Here are a few random places that immediately came to mind:
Brunch: Rockit
Steaks: Gene & Giorgetti's
Oysters, seafood & cocktails: Shaw's crab house (sit at the bar)
Or just walk up and down Rush Street and see what appeals to you.
2qrs at 1:15PM on 03/14/08
Brunch: Ann Sather in Lakeview
Brewery: Goose Island (great pub chips too!)
LiveToEat at 1:59PM on 03/14/08
Primehouse.
jonfoxx at 3:56PM on 03/14/08
Uno's Pizzeria!
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 5:28PM on 03/14/08
Some of the best-reviewed places in the high-end range, most of which I've not personally experienced...
Charlie Trotters
TRU
Carlos'
Everest (I've eaten here. Service was excellent, food was very good but not stellar, and the view was, of course, very nice. Nice in an old-school way, which reminds me, the room was starting to look in need of a spruce-up.)
Alinea
LoCo at 6:50PM on 03/14/08
I love Chicago! And miss it so much :(
Lula's in Logan Square. Awesome food, amazing desserts. Has two menus, one is more upscale, the other more casual, but no entree is >$30.
The Hopleaf in Andersonville. Great selection of beer, their mussels steamed in beer are really delicious. A really fun atmosphere too.
Cafe Spiaggia. The food is to die for (the gnocchi is particularly yummy) and the prices are very reasonable.
Anywhere on Devon street is also great for yummy Indian food, check out the dessert shops and don't be shy about asking for samples. most of the places are more than willing to let you try different things.
The Happy Chef for dim sum (no atmosphere but awesome food) or The Phoenix for dim sum (nicer atmosphere, food is good, but the service is atrocious). And be sure to stop by Joy Yee's for their bubble tea made with real fruit. (All in Chinatown).
By the way, I love nerds! I am also a U of C Alumni. Have a great weekend!
Jj6407 at 8:11PM on 03/14/08
Italian Village.
it's a 3 story building with a different style Italian restauraunt on each floor. the more stairs you're willing to climb, the better the prices are. Smaller tables have a better chance of being seated faster, and the food is incredible.
i don't remember where it is, but it's near the loop area, and it has a huge red neon sign that says "Italian Village". all the doormen know where it is.
redhead at 9:23PM on 03/14/08
I must say Gibson's Steakhouse http://www.gibsonssteakhouse.com/ has the best steaks I've eaten in my life.
In the summertime you'll likely see baseball players there after games, as well as other celebs. Great food, great atmosphere, pricey but totally worth it.
bobcatsteph3 at 9:35PM on 03/14/08
i canNOT go to chicago without brunch at walker brothers pancakes {the apple pancake with is to die for} and a sausage pizza at pizzeria due.
cybercita at 10:36PM on 03/14/08
I second Cafe Spiaggia. We have been to Chicago many times and we never miss the opportunity to dine at CS. Also, I will second Shaw's. I am an oyster devotee!
crazyspice at 11:30AM on 03/16/08
You are so lucky! We haven't been to Chitown in 2 yrs. You may have time to book at Trotter's if you jump on it, but they generally reserve 6 mo. in advance. But really try, if you are looking for an upscale experience - and I emphasize the term "experience". You won't forget it; but take all your plastic.
@LoCo - Have you been to Tru or Alinea? We really want to go, even if the lack of foie gras is more than a little off-putting to the SO. (He kind of needs a 12 step program...) If yes, was it worth it? Carlos was actually on our list the last time, but we didn't make it there.
Weber's (as in Weber Grills) was really good and if you go there, you must have a key lime martini. Weber's isn't too too pricey.
For casual, Goose Island, Piece Brewery and Pizza, Pizzaria Uno or Due, Hopleaf Belgian Beer Bar on N. Clark St.
Escargot (French bistro), North Pond in Lincoln Park or WestTown Tavern.
frederika at 12:50PM on 03/16/08
@fred'a, I'm sure I have not been to Alinea or Carlos' but I'm not positive about TRU. Do you know when they opened? I don't specifically recall it, but it seems like we might have gone. Pathetic, I know. But I've only been to Chicago once, and it was one of those trips where we were only there about four days and packed in all kinds of restaurants and activities. Plus, I was being wooed and romanced, so it was all a bit of blur... ;-)
Other than Everest, my suggestions were basically just my list of next-time dining possibilities!
LoCo at 1:18PM on 03/16/08
I TOTALLY agree with Italian Village! I love the basement level myself.
Of course most people will say you "have to" have: deep dish pizza. Unos or Giordano's are my faves - but Giordano's wins by a nose because I can get Uno's here at home - husband likes Gino's East; Chicago style Hot Dogs - yummy!
Stay away from the "chains" - Hard Rock, Rainforest, etc. Too crowded, too noisy, too much.
SayWhat at 1:44PM on 03/16/08
@LoCo - When we lived in Toledo, OH (yawn several times....), we made an annual trip west to Chicago or headed east to Cleveland several x a year. In Chicago, we always stayed out in the burbs, near Schaumberg or Hoffman Estates and drove in to the city. Why not stay downtown, you ask? Well, there are lots of microbreweries and brewpubs out there, and it was just closer and easier to get back when you were a little tanked up! lol!!!
I don't think Alinea has been open very long or we would have definitely tried to get in there. On the trip when we went to Trotter's, we really couldn't have afforded to go to Alinea also. We don't usually share the fact that we have been to Trotter's or Per Se with a lot of people - it's our dirty little self-indulgent secret. shhhh... I really have no idea how long Tru has been open, but we did have Carlos on our list of possibilities a few years ago.
Chicago is an incredible restaurant city - hard to go wrong there and there are just too many choices. It's like a little NYC ( and we've been there several times to visit my son). Miss that, too. A lot.....
frederika at 2:43PM on 03/16/08
I'm so envious... If I had a son living in NYC, I can tell you that I'd totally be there ALL the time (poor kid).
LoCo at 2:47PM on 03/16/08
I had the chef's tasting menu at TRU and it was dee-licious
It was A LOT of food so go hungry
thegreatlumpia at 3:26PM on 03/16/08
I recommend lunch at Ralph Lauren's -- it's located a couple doors from the American Girl store (just look for moms and girls carrying those distinctive red shopping bags!). I had the most marvelous club sandwich there last summer. Really worth it! The Weber Grill restaurant is fab and loads of fun. Google them for a menu.
Kathygoblue at 9:35AM on 03/17/08
@Say What - Isn't Uno a chain? We have a couple of them here in PA.
crazyspice at 10:20AM on 03/17/08
TRU is one of the best meals we have ever had but I have to warn you also one of the most expensive which includes a trip to Charlie Trotter's!! The setting is beautiful along with the people. I agree-lots of food and they bring around a dessert trolley at the end with all kinds of homemade delicious goodies!
Alina is fairly new-we have not been there but I believe it was ranked the number one restaurant last year by Gourmet. I think it has a very earthy healthy type menu if I remember correctly.
Italian Village???? Are you kidding me? With all the fantastic restaurants in Chicago, that has to be at the bottom along with Rosebud's. They are well known touristy type of restaurants-sort of like Mama Leone's used to be in New York. Same with Pizzeria Uno-we have several here too!
Good to know about Webers and the dim sum places-thanks for those tips as Chicago happens to be one of our FAVORITE cities!!!
Le Colonial is also very good up on Rush I believe. Also for sushi, Sushi Wabi on Randolph can't be beat!!!
Enjoy-I am very jealous!
suschef at 12:33PM on 03/17/08
You guys are AMAZING (also, UofC alums UNITE! 10 years after graduating, I remember my years w/rose colored glasses, happily forgetting the painful hours of studying and trying to keep up.) I've compiled the list into a handy dandy spreadsheet w/addresses and phone numbers and have forwarded to my friends.
We're even talking about extending the mini-vacation so that we can make some serious headway into this list of awesome. It's been 10 years since most of us have been back, though one friend stayed in Chicago for a couple more years to get her masters at UIC (she stayed in Greektown and she wants to go back and eat at her favorite place.)
It's kind of pathetic to realize that my entire eating-experience in Chicago was limited to Hyde Park and Chinatown, with occasional forays to the North Side and 3am burrito runs to the original Maravillas restaurant on 63rd.
You guys are the best!
lorelei76 at 9:54PM on 03/19/08
This thread is going to be so helpful; I'm going to be spending time in Chicago during the coming year! Thanks for all of the great suggestions!
macknitter at 6:58PM on 03/20/08