Now that we've made it to Chicago:

[cowgirl836]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

I was going to suggest Malnati's. That pizza is Soooo good.

EDIT: They have lots of cool memorabilia in their downtown location, if you haven't been to that one.

DH still wants to go there if we are in town. I think we should branch out but hey, if we get to be there multiple days....

 

[Cardinal2001]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

Deep dish is very touristy - not a lot of locals actually eat it. If you go outside of the touristy areas, then you'll find way more thin crust. However, of the touristy chains, Malnati's is definitely the best. Pequod's outside of downtown is even better though, but smaller place with long waits.

The city has almost every type of food imaginable though. I'd suggest trying other things if that's what you've had a lot.

It may be touristy, but to an outsider that doesn't get a chance to eat it (Black Market pizza? Not even close), this is a treat.

 

[cowgirl836]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

What types of food do you like?

ha, well we like steak but probably not doing a steakhouse. I'd say we are pretty varied - do not like very spicy food (do like Mexican food) or weirdly fancy. Outside of that we are pretty open.

 

[carvers4math]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

My BIL in a 60 year old Chicago native and loves Malnati's. I don't think it's just for tourists.

 

[cyclonedave25]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

ha, well we like steak but probably not doing a steakhouse. I'd say we are pretty varied - do not like very spicy food (do like Mexican food) or weirdly fancy. Outside of that we are pretty open.

Fogo de Chao. You're welcome.

 

[LindenCy]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

My BIL in a 60 year old Chicago native and loves Malnati's. I don't think it's just for tourists.

This. There are pizza snobs from the city, but as a born and raised Chicagoan, it is good. There are lots of other places too, but Malnati's is good.

 

[klamath632]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

we have family decently close to Woodfield so I was considering staying with them but yeah, even that was quite the haul. Yes, Madison area. We are both off next Friday anyway so getting in by 3 would be totally fine.

Take the Metra to the loop and then uber.

 

[digZ]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

Fogo de Chao. You're welcome.

I'd suggest going after the game. Want to make sure you make it to the game without going into a food coma

 

[cowgirl836]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

I'm actually surprised at the hotel prices, expected them to be quite a bit higher but I guess this isn't probably enough to disrupt normal occupancy rates + it being Easter weekend.

 

[cowgirl836]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

oh yeah, DH is interested in donuts and breakfast diner places, haha.

and since I'm sure many others would be interested in restaurant choices - I'll be more specific and say we like pub/grill type food, Italian, seafood, Mexican, Asian/sushi......probably looking for something slightly more casual for a trip like this. So not super fancy dress jacket type places.

DH got to go to Joe's once for a work dinner. I'm jelly because it sounded delicious.

 

[cyclone2001]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

I dont like this thread, Lets not jinx anything.

 

[marothisu]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

ha, well we like steak but probably not doing a steakhouse. I'd say we are pretty varied - do not like very spicy food (do like Mexican food) or weirdly fancy. Outside of that we are pretty open.

There's a ton of places just in the downtown area. Way more than I can even begin to suggest a ton on here, but here's some:

Italian:
Volare, La Madia, Quartino, Nico, La Scarola, JP Graziano (a deli - more of a sandwich place)

Burgers
Rockit, Grange Hall, Au Cheval (rated best burger in America not long ago - no reservations and wait times can be very long. Foie Gras & Eggs there is amazing as well).

American (maybe more of an elevated kind)/Gastropub
Mad Social, Publican, Publican Quality Meats, Oak + Char, Gilt Bar, Bottlefork, Beatrix, The Gage, Sable, Maple & Ash (more steakhouse, new - but not a typical steakhouse at all), Pump Room, River Roast, Farmhouse, Green Street Smoked Meats (BBQ).

Purple Pig and Girl & the Goat are also amongst the top, though PP doesn't take reservations and can have long waits and Girl & the Goat might be hard to get a reservation.

South American (no, it's not all spicy)/Tapas/Other European
Bar Takito, La Sirena Clandestina, Vera, Tanta, Havana, Cafe Iberico, Enolo, La Sardine, Maude's, Carnivale

Asian/Indian
Urban Belly, Boozebox/Sushi Dokku, Sunda, India House, Talay, Jaipur, Ramen Takeya,

I also love Le Colonial which is a little more fine dining,but upstairs is a lounge where you can order anything. You will not feel like you're in the US anymore - it's all 1920s/1930s SE Asian plantation from Vietnam. Kind of an unknown celebrity hang out. You don't need to be super dressed up to go there, but don't show up in your ISU gear or anything. Jeans/sweatshirt is completely fine. Food is great too, though it's more refined Vietnamese food from when France ruled it.

Momotaro too - expensive, but if you're a sushi purist, there's not a lot of better places in the US. They have a downstairs Izakaya too with a little bit of food that's cheaper but the menu isn't huge.


Sweets/Coffee/Tea
Stan's Donuts, BomboBar (attached to Bar Siena), Intelligentsia, 3 Arts Club Cafe (most beautiful cafe I've been to in the US - long waits but..damn), Sawada,


Most of the places I listed are not a jacket/slacks type of place. You can show up to any of these pretty much with jeans/sweatshirt (not like a sports one, but a normal, decent sweatshirt) or jeans/button down. Most places in Chicago are pretty casual like that.

 

[cowgirl836]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

There's a ton of places just in the downtown area. Way more than I can even begin to suggest a ton on here, but here's some:

Italian:
Volare, La Madia, Quartino, Nico, La Scarola, JP Graziano (a deli - more of a sandwich place)

Burgers
Rockit, Grange Hall, Au Cheval (rated best burger in America not long ago - no reservations and wait times can be very long. Foie Gras & Eggs there is amazing as well).

American (maybe more of an elevated kind)/Gastropub
Purple Pig (can have long waits), Girl & the Goat (not sure if you could get a reservation but who knows), Mad Social, Publican, Publican Quality Meats, Oak + Char, Gilt Bar, Bottlefork, Beatrix, The Gage, Sable, Maple & Ash (more steakhouse, new - but not a typical steakhouse at all), Pump Room, River Roast, Farmhouse, Green Street Smoked Meats (BBQ).

South American (no, it's not all spicy)/Tapas/Other European
Bar Takito, La Sirena Clandestina, Vera, Tanta, Havana, Cafe Iberico, Enolo, La Sardine, Maude's,

Asian/Indian
Urban Belly, Boozebox/Sushi Dokku, Sunda, India House, Talay, Jaipur, Ramen Takeya,

I also love Le Colonial which is a little more fine dining,but upstairs is a lounge where you can order anything. You will not feel like you're in the US anymore - it's all 1920s/1930s SE Asian plantation from Vietnam. Kind of an unknown celebrity hang out. You don't need to be super dressed up to go there, but don't show up in your ISU gear or anything. Jeans/sweatshirt is completely fine. Food is great too, though it's more refined Vietnamese food from when France ruled it.

Momotaro too - expensive, but if you're a sushi purist, there's not a lot of better places in the US. They have a downstairs Izakaya too with a little bit of food that's cheaper but the menu isn't huge.



Most of the places I listed are not a jacket/slacks type of place. You can show up to any of these pretty much with jeans/sweatshirt (not like a sports one, but a normal, decent sweatshirt) or jeans/button down. Most places in Chicago are pretty casual like that.

awesome, thank you. Yeah we'll have nice jeans and non-ISU tops but didn't want to be bothering with dress pants and such.

 

[marothisu]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

awesome, thank you. Yeah we'll have nice jeans and non-ISU tops but didn't want to be bothering with dress pants and such.

Yeah, you'll be fine in any one of those places. I rarely wear a jacket when going out to eat here. If you're wearing nice jeans/nice shoes and either a button up or a nice sweatshirt, then 99% of the places in town will not care. The only time they might care at a decent place would be if you came in tennis shoes and an ISU t-shirt or something like that, or you look like you came straight from the gym. You could probably see from pictures on Yelp too at any of those places how people are dressed.

 

[marothisu]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

My BIL in a 60 year old Chicago native and loves Malnati's. I don't think it's just for tourists.

This. There are pizza snobs from the city, but as a born and raised Chicagoan, it is good. There are lots of other places too, but Malnati's is good.

I should have stated it differently. People here don't hate deep dish - they like it, but it's really only a few times a year type of thing. Lou Malnati's is definitely good. When I have visitors from out of town in and they want deep dish, that is where I take them.

Outside of downtown though in the city proper, you won't find that much deep dish pizza - you'll find a lot more thin crust Chicago style or Neopolitan style. If you do find it outside of downtown, it is usually from one of the big chains downtown (like Malnati's). Pequod's is a different story - but they are in my opinion the best deep dish in town. Too bad the restaurant is so small and the waits can be so long.

 

[LindenCy]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

I should have stated it differently. People here don't hate deep dish - they like it, but it's really only a few times a year type of thing. Lou Malnati's is definitely good. When I have visitors from out of town in and they want deep dish, that is where I take them.

Outside of downtown though in the city proper, you won't find that much deep dish pizza - you'll find a lot more thin crust Chicago style or Neopolitan style. If you do find it outside of downtown, it is usually from one of the big chains downtown (like Malnati's). Pequod's is a different story - but they are in my opinion the best deep dish in town. Too bad the restaurant is so small and the waits can be so long.

I agree. The thin crust is actually what permeates a lot of the north side. That's good too.

 

[JohnnyAppleseed]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

If anyone does Au Cheval (which I would highly recommend), there will likely be at least an hour wait; probably longer on the weekend. But you can put your name in and then either go across the street to Haymarket or next door to Lone Wolf and have drinks while you wait.

 

[Clonefan94]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

Take the Metra to the loop and then uber.

Metra to the Western Ave. Station. UC is a few blocks from there as you can see it from that stop.

 

[CaryCyPwr]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

Was that thump right after MIch St lost the sound of ticket prices for Chicago dropping?

 

[cowgirl836]

Re: If we make it to Chicago:

Was that thump right after MIch St lost the sound of ticket prices for Chicago dropping?

It certainly dropped!