Eating out in Chicago!
Recommendations appreciated - we'll be there for a week. Famous pricey restaurants are in all the guidebooks - we're more interested in great local places. Share your tips?
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27 Comments:
Check out the Great Neighborhood Restaurant awards (search GNR) on LTHForum.com, which is probably the best local restaurant-loving site dedicated to Chicago.
chgoeditor at 9:20PM on 03/24/08
Hop Leaf-best pub/belgian beer
Avec-best tapas/wine bar
Mon Ami Gabi-best bistro
Julias Mienel-best pastry
La Casa de Samuel-authentic mexican
Goose Island (clayburn st) best local brew pub
Carlos' -best suburban fine dining
Green Zebra-best vegitarian
coolname at 9:38PM on 03/24/08
Piece Pizza and Microbrewery and Goose Island breweries are great. Really good food and stellar beers.
frederika at 9:39PM on 03/24/08
my two favorite places in chicago, and they have been ever since i was a child, are pizzeria due and walker brother's pancakes.
cybercita at 9:43PM on 03/24/08
My boyfriend and his family are from Chicago--every trip back they go to Aurelio's Pizza numerous times, and then they bring back at least a dozen pizzas and freeze them for use over the next months. I've had some of it and it is very very good (they always get the thin crust sausage pizza), and I'm sure it's even better made at the restaurant!
(http://www.aureliospizza.com/aurelios/corporate.nsf
/fCNTDspReadH?OpenForm&Cat1=LA1)
luswim06 at 10:57PM on 03/24/08
If you're into Dim Sum, you have to have to have to go to the Phoenix in Chinatown. I go every time I'm back in town. Chinese people out-number the white people which in my book is always a good sign. If you need to wait for a table, which you probably will, go across to the little mall and grab some mooncakes.
meganaw at 11:16PM on 03/24/08
I second Piece Pizza (in Bucktown) and Goose Island (Lakeview-ish). I also love Anne Sather, Pick-Me-Up cafe, and Clarke's for brunches (all in the Lakeview Area).
LiveToEat at 9:56AM on 03/25/08
some of my faves:
- lula cafe
- pretty much any place on devon avenue
- green zebra
- seoul corea (in hyde park)
- lao sze chuan
- hot doug's
- semiramis
emmab at 11:13AM on 03/25/08
I would suggest:
-Pizzeria Uno (for original Chicago style deep dish pizza)
-Cafe Iberico (tapas)
-Adobo grill (Mexican)
Hillary
Chew on That
Chew on That at 4:49PM on 03/25/08
You must go to SuperDawg. Great dogs, old-fashioned diner atmosphere.
PhotoKirk at 9:46PM on 03/25/08
For a great breakfast spot, don't overlook "Yolk" on South Michigan Ave. Fantastic breakfast choices, unusually friendly and prompt attention by the wait staff, and close by the museums...what more could you ask for?? Well, except for the Bacon Batter Waffles that is sllluuurrp.
DeaconVolker at 10:18PM on 03/25/08
I second Lao Sze Chuan (in Chinatown). Also, Emilio's Tapas Restaurant near Navy Pier is very good (maybe Cafe Iberico is better but I've never been there). Giordano's (multiple locations, one near Greektown) is totally the best for Chicago-style pizza; you have to get the spinach pizza. It is so good! Tuscany Restaurant (I've been to the one on Taylor St., near UIC) is pretty good. There are tons of good places to eat in Pilsen. There is a very nice Moroccan restaurant called Andalous in Belmont.
Also, this is fancy and expensive so maybe not what you're wanting to be recommended, but the Brazilian restaurant Fogo de Chao is all-you-can-eat grilled meat place (also with an outstanding salad bar) that is soooo good. But, you can also get cheap "authentic" ethnic food many places so you might not to bother with that.
Ellie P. at 1:19AM on 03/26/08
I moved away. Now I miss these non-chains:
1. Blind Faith Cafe (amazing veg restaurant in Evanston. You won't believe what they can do with seitan!)
2. El Barco (mexican place on Ashland that keeps it real)
3. Rick Bayless's places
4. Mirai Sushi in Wicker Park
5. Flo (so so good for mexican-inspired brunch)
ButterButter at 11:25AM on 03/26/08
IMO Iberico is better.
It's been a while since we lived there - but we loved Rose Angelis and Las Tablas (sp?). We also went every week to a small Thai place called Panang at Chicago and Clark.
pookywookyster at 12:10PM on 03/26/08
medici!
emilif at 8:35PM on 03/26/08
I would go Cafe Florian before the med (medici) but maybe that's just because I lived right across the street from it.
coolname at 9:34PM on 03/26/08
also in Hyde Park is Solonica... great Greek diner, try the egg salad
coolname at 9:36PM on 03/26/08
Lula Cafe is hand down my favorite restaurant in Chicago. There are two menus to choose from: their regular (and very reasonably priced) menu, with a lovely beet bruschetta and chickpea couscous; and their weekly (slightly more expensive) menu full of local produce and innovative food. Their brunch is fantastic too. I can't recommend it highly enough.
MayaBruck at 10:38AM on 03/27/08
I need a quick BEST OF breakdown. I'm headed to Chi-Town in July
Best Hot Dog
Best Polish Sausage
Best Deep Dish Pizza
Best Burger
Best BBQ
Best Sandwich
Best anything else I don't know about and should...
NYC Food Guy at 11:58AM on 03/27/08
ewww, i wouldn't go to the med, unless you're getting bread or pastries from the bakery. the florian is only a step above, and that's not saying much. salonica's okay, but i'd save your money for other spots, if i were you. (if you must eat in hyde park, go to seoul corea, really.)
emmab at 1:08PM on 03/27/08
Best Dog: Hot Dougs
Best Polish: Is Maxwell St. still there?
Best Deep Dish: This will incite some controversy. My vote is Geno's east. I like the cornmeal crust.
Best Burger: Hard to say but Bar Louie has $1 burgers on Tuesday and they are pretty damn good.
Best BBQ: Ribs n' Bibs
Best Sandwich: Italian Beef at Al's #1 on Taylor St.
For my other best of's see my post above.
coolname at 9:34PM on 03/27/08
coolname, do you mean the Maxwell St. stand on the corner of Damen and Elston? That's been very recently taken down.
For Lula, you can go to Farm Dinner on Mondays and get an entirely local menu.
I also recommend Terragusto. They make their pasta daily and their menu features Northern Italian dishes with local market ingredients. Despite being a pretty nice restaurant, it's BYOB only, so don't forget to bring some wine.
blackolive at 6:46PM on 03/29/08
Best Deli: Manny's Coffee Shop on South Jefferson St. near Roosevelt Rd. Pastrami and corned beef sandwiches a foot high and great homemade brisket, short ribs, chopped liver, potato pancakes, etc. Lots of "movers and shakers" chowing down in this throwback to the 50's.
lawmann at 2:35PM on 03/31/08
Definitely go to Hot Doug's on Friday for their french fries - fried in duck fat on Fridays!
Blackbird for a dinner.
Alinea for a 24 course one of a kind meal.
bugman at 6:28PM on 03/31/08
Oh Blackbird, Avec and Schwa. I forgot to mention those earlier.
meganaw at 2:59PM on 04/01/08
Do a search on Serious Eats for the recent post on Hot Dougs - sounds amazing, wish I could go! I've never been there myself.
Okay I found the link:
http://www.seriouseats.com/eating_out/2008/03/serious_sandwiches_hot_dougs_citrus_burgundy.html
also: www.hotdougs.com
Gizmosma at 5:10PM on 04/09/08
I GREW UP AROUND 18TH AND ASHLAND
THERE USE TO BE AN ITALIAN RESTRAUNT ON THE NORTH/EAST CORNER OF ASHLAND AND 18TH NAMED
DV'S PIZZA ATTACHED TO FOREMOST LIQUORS
ON THAT CORNER.
THIS WAS DURING THE 50'S AND EARLY 60'.
DOES ANY ONE KNOW WHEN IT CLOSED DOWN OR IF IT RELOCATED.
A MUST PLACE TO EAT IS ON 1079 TAYLOR AL'S BEEF.
THE COMBO BEEF/ITALIAN SAUSAGE IS A MUST WITH GREEN PEPPERS/GIADANER AND DIPPED IN THE GRAVY. A MUST.PLACE TO EAT.
U MUST GO TO HALSTED AND 12TH STREET MAXWELL FOR THE OUTSIDE EATERIES ON A SUNDAY. ALL KINDS OF GOODIES AND GREAT BLUES MUSIC ON THE STREETS
I AM NOW IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS, BUT STILL SEE MY CUBS ON CABLE TV WGN. BEST EATS CHICAGO
mugsy at 7:16PM on 04/05/09