In Chicago for a month!! Restaurant recommendations?

[karasue91]

So I just moved from NYC to Calgary, AB. I started my job last Wednesday and was told that day to pack my bags because I was leaving for Chicago on Sunday for a month! My company is pretty cool in that when you are sent off to a client, you are allowed to either fly home, fly to another city and back, or fly someone to you. So, since FI is still in NYC till March and we thought we wouldn''t see each other at all for 2 months, it was awesome to have an opportunity to see each other sooner!

So we are staying in Chicago this weekend. Seeing Wicked on Saturday night, and I was hoping someone might be able to recommend a cute restaurant or two for us to go to while we are in town? FI has never been to Chi so he is pumped, and I would like to take him to Lincoln Park and/or Wrigleyville since they are so cute. I got a recommendation for a little place called Red Rooster? It sounds just like our kind of place, a hole in the wall with great food!

Just thought I would post for some advice! Thanks!

 

[KimberlyH]

A short list (I could go on for a verrrrrrry long time about Chicago restaurants, I might bore you).

R.J. Grunts - Lincoln Park http://www.rjgruntschicago.com/ (I've never been, DH says it's good)

Custom House in the South Loop http://www.customhouse.cc/

Harry Carey's in River North http://www.harrycarays.com/ (this place is close to my heart; it's where DH and I got engaged)

Fulton's on the River http://www.levyrestaurants.com/Levy/DiningExperiences/Restaurants/Group5/Fultons+on+the+River.htm

Shaw's Crab House in River North http://www.shawscrabhouse.com/

Salpicon in Old Town http://www.salpicon.com/

Note: anything in river north and the south loop would be good for pre-play (short cab ride).

Hopefully DeeJay will pipe in with some more recommendations, I'm just a frequent visitor who loves the city like a second home.

 

[Emeraldfan]

Wow, that''s great that you will get to spend time in Chicago and see your FI!! As I just moved from Chicago not that long ago I can suggest a few places.

Banderas - http://www.hillstone.com/ - on Michigan avenue. I LOVE this place. They have the best Prime Rib French Dip Sandwhich ever made. Their hacked chicken salad is also amazing. Don''t pass up the Oreo cookie dessert either.

Wildfire - http://www.wildfirerestaurant.com/ - on Erie near the Rainforst Cafe and Hooters. There french onion soup is amazing and their caesar salads are good too. The filets are good and the salmon is as well. Try the key lime pie for dessert.

Cafe Iberico http://www.cafeiberico.com/ - Tapas place on LaSalle. They have great sangria, white and red, probably the best in Chicago. It''s noisy on the weekends as the food is so good it''s always packed. It''s a great place to go with friends.

Piece Pizza - http://www.piecechicago.com/ - In WickerPark/Bucktown on North Ave. right off the Blue line. Really good NY style pizza (at least for Chicago standards). They have their own microbrews and it''s a great place to hang out and eat pizza and watch football.

Hope that helps. Now you''re making me hungry and thinking I should move back to Chicago

 

[monarch64]

Twin Anchors...1700 block of Sedgwick (best ribs in town)
King Crab (armitage and Halsted...800W and 2000N)
Gibsons on Rush St.
Pizza...Gino's EAST
There ya go...that should cover ribs, seafood, steak, and pizza!

Chinatown...ask any cabbie...Roosevelt Rd. and 22nd St.

Best cocktail...Signature Room Hancock Building...95th floor (Right by Gibson's)
Carmine's...good Italian

Little Italy...Taylor St. (Rosebud, Tofano's, etc.)

Have fun!!!!

ETA: Pequod's Pizza on Webster/Clyborn. Carmelized crust. Enough said.

 

[diamondfan]

If you get out to Evanston for any reason (Northwestern in there) there is a great restaurant called Oceanique. I had an amazing dinner there. It is not too far from the city proper and might be nice as a change of pace...you will be there a while, so I am sure you will want to explore a bit!

 

[monarch64]

Karasue, what neighborhood are you staying in? I was just asking DH (native chicagoan) about more suggestions and he wanted to get a better feel for where you and your FI are going to be staying so he could steer you towards a better dining experience. Oh, and he does recommend Red Rooster!

 

[akw94]

I would second Shaw''s (seafood) and Wildfire (American). I''d also add Maggiano''s (Italian) and Tuscany (Italian).
Hmmm, names are leaving me so I''ll think on it and come back in awhile.

 

[Erin]

One of my old neighborhood favorites was The Irish Oak in Wrigleyville. I think it was on Cornelia St.

The Irish owners used to own a bar in Ireland and shipped the entire round bar and all the booths tables and chairs from there.
It''s a bar but it''s not a pick-up type bar. Sometimes they have live music but mostly play Irish music.
The food is awesome if you like sheppards pie, corned beef, salmon, fish and chips.
Might be a great thing to do during a lunch time since you''ll be dressed up for the theatre Saturday night- or is that just our assumption

Anyway, if you can appreciate a richly authentic irish bar - here''s as close as it gets without the airfare.

 

[designchica]

The Bongo Room
Gino''s Pizza
Lawry''s Steak House

and many more. Lots to choose from. Ask the locals when you get there. Have fun!

 

[~*Alexis*~]

Red Rooster is good...

Magnificent Mile has some great places, but I never remember their names..

But go see Buckingham Fountains...thats always a good time....China town has good food and its realatively cheap!

 

[mintve]

Date: 1/8/2008 12:24:13 AM
Author: monarch64
Twin Anchors...1700 block of Sedgwick (best ribs in town)
King Crab (armitage and Halsted...800W and 2000N)
Gibsons on Rush St.
Pizza...Gino''s EAST
There ya go...that should cover ribs, seafood, steak, and pizza!

Chinatown...ask any cabbie...Roosevelt Rd. and 22nd St.

Best cocktail...Signature Room Hancock Building...95th floor (Right by Gibson''s)
Carmine''s...good Italian

Little Italy...Taylor St. (Rosebud, Tofano''s, etc.)

Have fun!!!!

ETA: Pequod''s Pizza on Webster/Clyborn. Carmelized crust. Enough said.

YES, I second GINO''S EAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it is so yummy! we were there for my bf''s b-day last year! I was so excited abou the leftovers too. I love cold pizza! MY BF set the doggie bag down to take pics of the water tower on Michigan Ave and a homeless man picked it up. He thought my BF left it for him! OH well, I guess he had a happy tummy that night!

 

[dancingqueen]

My favorite is Nick''s Fish Market. It was absolutely fabulous!

I have also always enjoyed the Chicago Chop House.

Also, I can''t recall the correct name - Trattoria No. 9 (or some number?)

 

[karasue91]

Yay thanks so much for all the recommendations!!!! We are staying at the Swissotel, I think on Michigan and Wacker? But we definitely don''t want to stay around Michigan Ave the whole time.

I''ll be spending the rest of the night checking out your recommendations!! Thanks again everyone

 

[eks6426]

Oh, lots of good choices in Chicago. Check out Metromix.com for reviews & recommendations. You can search by type of food, location etc.

Some of my faves:

If you want an adult night out....jazz club....Green Dolphin Street

If you want an adult night out..latin style....Nacional 27


Restaurants I like:

Rosal''s (Italian in Little Italy)--try the fried ravioli appetizer--it''s not what you expect
Brassiere Jo (River North)
Geja''s Cafe (Fondue)

 

[Diamond*Dana]

Rosebud is a yummy place to eat
http://www.rosebudrestaurants.com/rest3.php

 

[Elmorton]

A big second from me to the Rosebud Restaurants....so yum and pretty reasonably priced.

I''m also a huge fan of Giordano''s pizza for when you want to order in (we went there on a Friday night for my bachelorette party and waited a little over an hour to get in - having it delivered is sooo much better).

 

[akw94]

Here''s some more:

Cuban:
Cafe Laguardia in Bucktown http://www.cafelaguardia.com/cuba/
Cafe Bolero http://www.cafebolero.net/

Turkish:
Cousins: 5203 N. Clark St (I saw some bad reviews on Metromix (www.metromix.com) for this place but when I went a couple years back, it was great)

Southern:
Wishbone: 1001 W. Washington (just west of downtown and right near Oprah''s studio)

French:
La Sardine: 111 N. Carpenter (also right across from Oprah''s studio)

And the others I suggested earlier:
Tuscany: 1014 W. Taylor St. (little Italy, neighborhood just west of downtown)
Maggiano''s: 516 N. Clark St. (north downtown)
Shaw''s: 21 E. Hubbard St. (north downtown)

Those are some of my favorites, hope they are helpful and tasty!

 

[Erin]

Just wanted to add...

Trattoria #9 or whichever number is more like a stop in and each lunch place. It''s nice but it''s meh for experience.

Green Mill - Awesome for Jazz but maybe the neighborhood has changed since I lived on Bryn Mawr but it the area doesn''t give you that overall feel of being safe. Even though I always was safe around there.

Rosebud restaurants are good food but the one at 70 W Madison (Three First Nat''l Plaza) is underneath the escalators. Not much for atmosphere.

Nick''s Fishmarket I think is good but terriby terribly overpriced for what you get. Remember it''s in the center of the business district and most of their clients are business dinners.

Evanston''s a pretty far drive

Of course, the Palm inside your hotel is Outstanding!!!!

 

[omieluv]

Date: 1/8/2008 12:24:13 AM
Author: monarch64
ETA: Pequod''s Pizza on Webster/Clyborn. Carmelized crust. Enough said.

Hey Monnie, you finally made it to Pequod''s then?? Yum!

 

[flutterby]

OMG pequods....i thought it burned down? I miss Chicago so much!! I lived there and was a wine buyer/restaurant manager for 6 years.

My fave restaurant is green zebra, its on Chicago ave about 3 miles from your hotel. Its all organic small plates and its fantastic!

Everyone has had some great suggestions. you might also want to check out www.metromix.com they have reviews on everything in the city. The hotel your going to is great, free internet, very modern right on rush! If your seeing Wicked it would make sense to eat somewhere on rush (maybe gibsons or hugo''s frog bar?)then go see wicked. The next night you could head up to lincoln park or bucktown. There is a great restaurant in lincoln park called north pond. Its literally in the park and its fantastic! Also nearby is a little pizza joint called Chicago Pizza and grinder Company. It is delish, but I usually only order wine, this amazing flatbread, an the antipasto salad. Its right across the street from where the valentines day massacre was, and the guy that owns it is a little italian guy that works as the host and doesnt take any names, he remembers your face. you can put your name in, go to the bar across the street and come back...its kinda cooL!

Too funny you got a reccomendation for red rooster, its actually attached to a restaurant called cafe bernard that I used to work at! Good, nothing exceptional! Have fun! Chicago is such a great city!!

 

[Haven]

I second a night out at Nacional 27, although the appetizers and dancing are better than the dinner meals. Great cocktails, too.

If you like South American food Tango Sur is AMAZING. It''s also BYOWine, great atmosphere, and incredible food. 3763 N. Southport

Kamehachi has my favorite sushi, though that may be a national chain? Yummmmm.

Gibson''s is great, but I still think Morton''s is MUCH better. Their cajun ribeye is to die for. Especially if you''re a cow. I know you can eat at Morton''s all over the country, though. I love Carmine''s, too, but Morton''s is the best.

If you''re up for some live bellydancing and incredible decor, Alhambra Palace is pretty good. The place is enormous, and the food is tasty. They''ll charge cover for certain live entertainment, so call ahead. 1240 W Randolph

Love Wildfire, but I think that''s a national chain, right? If you go, get the chopped salad and the beef tips special, if it''s being offered.

I like Cafe Iberico, but I prefer Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! for tapas, it has a great atmosphere and GREAT food. Don''t miss out on the caramel banana dessert, it is delicious. 2024 N Halsted. Iberico has a great salad-y item, too.

If you feel like adventuring a bit north of the downtown area, Sapori Trattoria has the BEST Italian food in the city. I usually get their lobster pasta, which is amazing, and I''ve never had a bad meal there. It''s in the DePaul neighborhood, 2701 N. Halsted. I eat there way too much. It''s a very intimate little place, delicious bread, great wine. Oooh, Orso''s in Old Town is excellent, too. Too bad it''s not nice out, they have a great outdoor patio.

And I''m sorry guys, but for Chicago pizza you must go to Lou Malnati''s. Gino''s East and Giordano''s are great, but LOU MALNATI''S is the best Chicago pizza. I can''t be convinced otherwise. Nope. Never.

Geja''s is GREAT for fondue, you''ll love it! (Much better than that abomination, The Melting Pot. Ick.)

Once you''re in the city go to Metromix.com to find locations and special events. I love it, it has great reviews and pretty accurate information.

Enjoy your stay, Chicago is one of the greatest places on Earth, if I may say so myself.

 

[monarch64]

I second Ms.Flutter''s recommendation of Hugo''s Frog Bar for Saturday night! I''ve only been there once and can''t remember much of the meal (it was the night DH proposed to me), but I do remember it being a great atmosphere and that I had no complaints about the food! Yeah...my memory of the dining experience that night is just a wee bit foggy--I was just a little on the nervous side...

Omieluv, yup, finally tried Pequod''s a few months ago, it''s fab!!!

 

[eks6426]

Date: 1/9/2008 7:05:11 PM
Author: Haven
I second a night out at Nacional 27, although the appetizers and dancing are better than the dinner meals. Great cocktails, too.

If you like South American food Tango Sur is AMAZING. It's also BYOWine, great atmosphere, and incredible food. 3763 N. Southport

Kamehachi has my favorite sushi, though that may be a national chain? Yummmmm.

Gibson's is great, but I still think Morton's is MUCH better. Their cajun ribeye is to die for. Especially if you're a cow. I know you can eat at Morton's all over the country, though. I love Carmine's, too, but Morton's is the best.

If you're up for some live bellydancing and incredible decor, Alhambra Palace is pretty good. The place is enormous, and the food is tasty. They'll charge cover for certain live entertainment, so call ahead. 1240 W Randolph

Love Wildfire, but I think that's a national chain, right? If you go, get the chopped salad and the beef tips special, if it's being offered.

I like Cafe Iberico, but I prefer Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! for tapas, it has a great atmosphere and GREAT food. Don't miss out on the caramel banana dessert, it is delicious. 2024 N Halsted. Iberico has a great salad-y item, too.

If you feel like adventuring a bit north of the downtown area, Sapori Trattoria has the BEST Italian food in the city. I usually get their lobster pasta, which is amazing, and I've never had a bad meal there. It's in the DePaul neighborhood, 2701 N. Halsted. I eat there way too much. It's a very intimate little place, delicious bread, great wine. Oooh, Orso's in Old Town is excellent, too. Too bad it's not nice out, they have a great outdoor patio.

And I'm sorry guys, but for Chicago pizza you must go to Lou Malnati's. Gino's East and Giordano's are great, but LOU MALNATI'S is the best Chicago pizza. I can't be convinced otherwise. Nope. Never.

Geja's is GREAT for fondue, you'll love it! (Much better than that abomination, The Melting Pot. Ick.)

Once you're in the city go to Metromix.com to find locations and special events. I love it, it has great reviews and pretty accurate information.

Enjoy your stay, Chicago is one of the greatest places on Earth, if I may say so myself.

I second Tango Sur. It's fabulous and intimate. A totally different steak experience than Morton's or the other traditional chop houses. BYOB is nice too. I also second Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba.

Another place that has been there forever is the Russian Tea Time restaurant. It's near the theatres. They have very interesting vodka flights...their best seller is Horseradish Vodka...and amazingly it's pretty good. I've been there for dinner and enjoyed it. http://russianteatime.com/

In addition to Metromix, you can use opentable.com to make reservations for places.

 

[Erin]

Another strong nod for Lou Malnati''s being #1

 

[karasue91]

yay yay yay thanks everyone!!! i''ll let you know how we end up! I''m soooo excited for the weekend....

 

[CrownJewel]

Hey karasue!!! I''ve been wondering how your move went?! I know you''re in Chicago now, and I hope everything is going smoothly. So you have an empty apt in Calgary?

Anyway, I''m glad we got to hear from you!

 

[diamondfan]

Evanston is not that from the downtown and you can always take the train. It is cute, lots of little shops and restaurants, and worth the effort if you have a month in the area.

 

[Allisonfaye]

One of my favorite places is Frontera Grill on Clarke St. It is owned by Rick Bayless who is often on public television. It is Mexican food but with a unique twist and the margaritas are out of this world. It is hard to get into on a weekend. YOu can make a reservation but I think you have to call exactly at 8:30 on a Sat morning for that night. Odd. Right?

You can also wait for a table but the waits can be long.