It seems like the food world has an enormous hunka-hunka burnin' love for Rick Bayless. Even though I've had plenty of tastes of his food, I'm still on the fence on whether or not I like his style. More
You know that irritating catchphrase, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas?" They're wrong. Disappointment definitely comes home with you. More
The previous pizza businesses in this location haven't had much luck. One of the last versions, Pizza Broker (best name ever) disappeared. Then it was Nicola's Pizza, which wasn't much different. Now it's Loop Pizza. Maybe the spot is just suffering from a curse. A pizza curse. More
Pret is an extremely quick-serve sandwich restaurant. You can be in and out within two minutes, which is perfect for office folks rushing to their next meeting. More
Someone in a boardroom a while back decided it would be a great, no, an amazing idea to create an item that would take critical market share away from the competition. And thus the Little Caesar's Deep!Deep! Dish Pizza was born. More
Baconfest Chicago is like Lollapalooza, except instead of bands, you have a talented crew of chefs, and instead of music, well, there's bacon. More
Boni Vino Ristorante and Pizzeria is on a stretch of Van Buren just behind the Chicago Board of Trade, and the front windows are so dark that the interior has been a mystery to me for years. More
If I had to summarize the entire Shark's Fish and Chicken experience in a few words, I'd say this: Get the catfish, honey barbecue wings, gizzards, or maybe the taco puff. Also, there's a pawn shop next door with a TV show. More
The ingredients are solid, but the beef in these burgers is just too dense. More
Roly Poly Sandwiches, as I learned during my research, is a chain restaurant that only serves wrap sandwiches. But my child-like curiosity got the better of me, and I knew I had to visit. Besides, the place is called Roly Poly, how could you not want to go? More
One thing I've discovered during my food writing journeys is that if you want to learn about new lunch places, ask your coworkers. They might be holding onto some gems you've never known about. Case in point: Osaka Express. More
Considering I've done about 60 Lunch in the Loop posts, it's still a wonder to me that there really aren't that many classic hot dog joints down in Officeville. That makes Max's Take Out a gem, especially if you're looking for a hometown Chicago lunch. More
The food at French Accent is served buffet style (I see some you buffet-haters rolling your eyes already) and it's a little overwhelming at first; there are a ton of choices. There's a carving station, a panini station, a very big hot buffet line (complete with desserts), and a bar—for those of you who prefer your calories in the form of alcohol. More
As a general rule, I try to avoid non-Chicago chains for Lunch in the Loop because it seems like cheating. But then again, whenever I play Monopoly I always opt to be the banker so I can embezzle cash, so I don't mind a tiny bit of cheating now and then. More
Ceres Cafe is located on the ground floor of the Chicago Board of Trade, and it's mostly known for their extremely strong after-work drinks. But they've got an enormous diner-style menu too, in case you're not going for a three-Martini lunch. More
Little Goat's All American burger is good for traditionalists, but if you're willing to explore, definitely try the Korean Burger with a goat patty, kimchi, bacon, fried egg, and spicy mayo. More
It's like a classic Chicago pub had a baby with the bar from Cheers. There's old signed celebrity photos plastering the walls, so if Ol' Blue Eyes has been there, it's got to be good. Right? More
As the name suggests, Halo Asian Mix's menu is varied—there's Hawaiian (Spam Loco Moco, anyone?), Filipino, Japanese, Chinese, and even a whole Thai section. Not everything is a winner, but as they say, variety is the spice of life. More
Naf Naf Grill is a recent transplant from Naperville, and my friends from the suburb always claimed that it was the best Mediterranean food they'd ever had. How does it hold up? More
Overall, the Grilled Onion Cheddar Burger tastes like a patty melt without the rye bread. Just like most fast food offerings, it sort of teeters along the edge of okay and not-so-good. More
Lately, I've realized that during my heartwarming coming-of-age Lunch in the Loop journey, I haven't done much exploring of hot dog joints. Mostly because there aren't as many as you'd think in the Loop. The majority of the hot dog stands live in the other parts of the city. Weird, right? More
The Marquette Inn is an unassuming little diner right in the heart of the Loop. The interior is dark and dingy, but it has a lot of character and is, in my experience, always busy. More
Order the Ace Burger easy on the bacon jam, and it's one great burger. More
Now that we're all grumbling and back at the office, we can at least take solace in good lunches while we despair at our desks. I am happy to report, however, that there is now another place that offers bánh mì in the Loop, bringing the total number of places to two. Good job, downtown Chicago. More
I hate playing favorites, because when I pick one sandwich or salad over another, the other one gets its feelings hurt. But you know, after writing over 50 Lunch in the Loop posts, you know there's got to be at least a few things that really stood out. More
Hi,
Probably 8 - 10 people. Those sound like great ideas, I'll have to mull them over and pitch them to the ol' boss.
Anyone else?
Thanks Kristin!
These pictures are outstanding.
Erin, it's been awesome working with you. Let us know where you land so we can say hi.
I think he learned all of his video making skills from Guy Fieri. Holy shit. The rack focuses are making me dizzy and he's shouting every single word at my face! I'm scared. Hold me.
Jesus. What DIDN'T I do? I'd put a shitload of condiments from the fridge in between two pieces of white bread. I will never forget the taste of grape jelly, American cheese, and sweet pickle relish in one bite.
Oh God the memories, make them stop, make them stop!
Hi everyone! Thanks for all the comments. Nothing like fast food to get people talking.
@monopod -- I was thinking the same thing, maybe their machines weren't quite calibrated for thicker dough, but it was severely undercooked. It just occurred to me that perhaps the dough was frozen or cold before it went in, and so it didn't cook fully.
@monkeyrotica -- The sausage is the weird pelletized kind. Smooth texture, off-putting in that overly processed sort of way. But there were whole fennel seeds, which gave it a little texture and more flavor.
The fact that these look good to me is my body's way of crying out for help. And by help, I mean, vegetables and fruit.
Ben, I was just talking about these with my coworker yesterday. She didn't believe that these were a thing. I'm totally making some, flavored with sweet justice.
I'd rather ride a tricycle into the Chicago river than go back and eat at Ed Debevic's.
Buuuut we did have a pretty good time. Elliot saved the day.
Jim-Bob, that was awesome. Internet high-five!
@jwardell
It's a bit of a walk from the El stop, if you can handle hoofing it for a while, then standing in a long sausage line. If you have comfortable shoes and it's a nice day out, I think you'll be okay. Plus, you get the added bonus of being able to go to the great Joong Boo Market filled with a bunch of awesome Korean food (I'm a little biased).
A cab ride from downtown Chicago would be really pricey, if that's where you're staying, plus getting a pickup from around there would be kinda difficult to go back.
@jordanhojo That's what I meant, I re-read that sentence and can see the confusion. Always salt a patty right before cooking it! Just not like waaay early.
Um, Niki, you're hilarious. How am I not married to you? How did I think that previous question was totally not creepy?
Whoa, @fleurdesel. That's super cool. I had no idea there were two types of bergamot. That's confusing! You learn new things every day.
(Sorry for being THAT guy. You know I got your back.)
Damn, girl, how's that enamel on your teeth?
Bergamot is actually a citrus fruit, not an herb. It is used to flavor the Earl Grey group of teas. It's interesting to me that it comes off like black pepper because it's a citrus like a lime or lemon.
I think I had a praise dump this morning...
ALAINA!
Oh, man. Thanks for being awesome.
I'm pretty floored by the lamb chops and the tuna tacos. How badass is that?
Haha, thanks guys. My friends told me I should have a food show on Adult Swim or something where I just screw around.
No.
Well, maybe.
Okay.
You know, I think that the whole reason you did this post was so you had an excuse to cover a place called "Mr. Spanky's." Well played, Nick.
Well played.
Um, Leandra and Robyn, I love you guys. You knew that anyway.
Leandra -- my favorite food scene is from Spirited Away too, but oddly, it's the sad scene where Chihiro is crying when she eats the rice balls that Haku brings her when things seem so hopeless. Food tastes a lot different when you're crying. You need it, but you don't want it. It's such a bittersweet scene, and it's moving.
Now I'm embarrassed. I'll go get into a barfight now. DUDE POWER!
This is an amazing slideshow. I'm very impressed, Roger.
I've been waiting a while for Lunch in the Loop to be established before I unleashed my introduction of Burrito Buggy to you all. Burrito Buggy easily serves the strangest combination of food I have ever seen in the Loop. More
Here's the thing: Most people think that the Chicago dog has an inflexible formula, one set down from on high, which mandates a certain seven toppings that must be included or the whole deal is off. But the reality I've encountered over the many years I've been searching for the best hot dog in Chicago is far more varied and interesting. Here's the guide to make sense of it all. More
Paella gets most of the glory when it comes to must-eats in Valencia, but if you're visiting, be sure to also try fideuà, esgarrat, and horchata, among other foods listed in this slideshow. More
At first glance, Hot Diggity Dogs looks like the kind of place that has been open for 40 years or so. The menu doesn't help. The stand, located underneath the Wellington Red Line station, specializes almost exclusively on the trinity of hot dogs, Italian beefs, and burgers. But, in fact, it has only been open for little over a year, making it one of a number of places that have popped up in the wake of Hot Doug's immense success. More
Years ago, a friend introduced me to a mildly hilarious unofficial off-menu dessert at McDonald's: an apple pie and a vanilla ice cream cone, smashed up in a cup together to make the best McFlurry McDonald's doesn't know about. This concoction doesn't have an official name (yet) but it got me thinking: if it was that easy to improve upon the pie, there must be other undiscovered treasures hiding within plain sight. The only logical next move was to find out. More
Lindsey has a sweet tooth, which is something you probably already knew thanks to her countdown of peppermint desserts in the city. But even if you didn't get a chance to catch up with that post (which you should) this picture of her hugging a Kitchen Aid should explain a lot. More
Ever since I started this Lunch in the Loop column, everybody's been harping on me to put up a post about Chicken Planet. More
You already know Marisa from her pickling column here and her popular Food in Jars site. While we know she loves her jams, pickles, and other jarred treats, today's your chance to learn more about her. Like how she microwaves a bowl of queso once a year. Take it away, Marisa! More
Blake is a part of the old school. In the blog world, that means he's been writing for Serious Eats since early 2007—years before he even thought about living in Chicago. But in a general sense, it's also true. Sure, he's made his own bacon before, but how many other people have had to butcher the pig first? More
Admittedly, we don't spend a lot of time here talking about what's coming up with Next. Unless, of course, a burger happens to be involved. But this is just so...cool. More
The Beatles vs. The Rolling Stones: It's the ultimate rock question of allegiance. Do you want to hold her hand or spend the night together? The feud will probably never die, but two prominent rock critics and two chefs are taking the fight to the kitchen to see what happens there. More
Gapers Block threw its first annual barbecue contest this past Saturday. The competition pitted seven great local barbecue joints against each other. More
To kick off Knockout Noodles, I'm starting with a visit to Cho Sun Ok, the small, yellow-signed Korean BBQ in Lincoln Square; in addition to meats and fish pan-seared at the table, Cho Sun Ok also specializes in naengmyeon, or cold noodle dishes. More
After the wild success that was Burger Day 3000, the boys of Burger Day are back for their fourth beef patty tour of Chicago by visiting five restaurants in one day. The quality wasn't as good this time around, but the day was every bit as fun. More
Most of you will doubt recognize Dennis Lee as the man behind The Over 21 Club and Lunch in the Loop. What you probably don't know is that besides making jokes about oddly named restaurants and trying to feed stuffed bears, he's really a very serious and quiet guy. Okay, not really, but I'll let him do the introduction. More
Diner Grill is a 24-hour joint inside of a beat-up old train car, and it's pretty much known in Chicago for serving what I like to call "belligerent drunk people food." They serve breakfast, burgers, and fries, at all hours of the day, but most people show up around 2 a.m. looking for something greasy to fill their post night-of-mayhem hunger pangs. More
I've only been writing TGI Fry-Day for about a month and a half, which means I've barely dipped my toe into the bubbling fry pot that is Chicago. But that doesn't mean I just started eating fried food. If I'm wet behind the ears, it's only because I had an itch in the middle of my order of fried pickles. Submitted for your approval, here are my top five fried obsessions from 2011. More
Ever since I was outed as Serious Eats commenter Fart Sandwich earlier this year, I couldn't believe my luck when Ed and the gang asked me to write for the site. It's been just about six months now, and writing for Serious Eats has really given me the opportunity to explore food in the city I love so much. More
As I've mentioned a few times this week, Serious Eats Chicago has only been going for a month and a half. So, it's best not to look too hard at the numbers and try to come up with some grand thesis. Regardless, here's our best shot: Chicagoans love fried chicken. And ramen. And any story that mentioned Hot Doug's. I know, earth-shattering stuff, right? More
As ubiquitous as they may be, I'm not sure if there is a Chicago food less appreciated and understood than the tamale. Great ones are located all over the city, from Roger's Park to Gage Park. I could have kept going, but 16 felt like a good number. More
We've done all the hard work and scouted out 14 of the most beloved fried chicken places in Chicagoland. These are the places you'll be dreaming about for days to come. Check them out in our slideshow. More
I knew the main reason Ed wanted to have a launch party in Chicago was so that he would have an excuse to get as many of his favorite Chicago restaurants together in the same room as possible. Picking one was an impossibility, but our preliminary list quickly grew to the point where there were almost as many restaurants as potential guests. In the end, we settled on four amazing places . More
In any big city, tacos are a great representation of what the local food scene has to offer. Small, simple, and versatile, this is street food at its finest. Or it's a popular chef (ahem, Paul Kahan) doing tacos at their cheffiest-finest. There's quite a bit of diversity on this list: from the homey, traditional carne asada and carnitas to kalbi (Korean short rib) to a crunchy fish taco. More
Most people who have only heard of The Wiener's Circle probably know it for the screaming insults that are part of the late night routine. But those who have actually been to the place will tell you this small stand puts out some very solid burgers. More
s
Hi everyone!
The reason why I picked this place was honestly due to curiosity. I had a gut instinct about what I thought it might be like, but you never know until you try, right? Plus I did have all that money from slots and I figured, what the fuck, why not. And I knew you guys would be interested in hearing about it too.
(And to those who got the reference to The Room, internet high-fives to all.)