Chicago Restaurants

I really don't get to a very wide variety of restaurants these days, so I have no idea what's actually good and will be checking this thread religiously for suggestions. But I like Privata and Matsuya and Le Creperie (I know, I know), and whatever else is wrong with the Bongo Room they still have great eggs benedict (the lox and asparagus ones).

I saw Lou Malnati's on some Food Channel pizza special. Way overrated IMO. They put a whole freakin' layer of meat on their pies...TOO MUCH

Oddly enough, some of my favorite restaurants in Chicago tend to be veggie places with a religious aspect to them. Especially the Buddhist joints, like Victory's Banner (for breakfast), Amitabul, and the new, delicious Alice & Friends.

I'll also third Andie's -- it is a shade better than Reza's, methinks.

Topalobampo
Blackbird
NoMi
Spring
Crofton on Wells

would be tops in the next tier for me.

After much research and deliberation I've decided Chicago Chop House has the best steak, with Gibsons running close behind.

Mirai for sushi.

I'm not much of a Pizza fan, and I really don't like stuffed all that much, so I'll bow out of naming a winner there.

Gioco has great food but is overpriced. Rosebud on Taylor probably still the king for Italian. Favorite place for cheap Italian: Bertucci's, a nice little family owned restaurant in the grey area between Chinatown and Bridgeport. It's like dining in someone's converted basement, but the food is fantastic.

I think we already did Italian Beef on some other thread, but Carm's on Polk roolz (for Italian Ice too). Ricobene's on 26th has a great one too, and don't miss their signature breaded Steak Sandwich.

Portillo's for Hot Dogs.

Chinatown I like Hong Min or Emporer's Choice best.

I've been to Turkish Bakery twice -- it seems a little overpriced to me, though.

So the "Mr. Diamond" name really does refer to your wealth!

THe Middle Eastern place is only a bakery. They have Jordan Almonds and 50 different shapes of fillo/pistachio/honey desserts. It is not "baclava." Can't you see it's shaped like a bird's nest?

I've been to maybe 20 of the 50-odd Indian restaurants on Devon, but damned if I can remember the names of the better ones. One of the Moti Mahals is really good. Also all of the video/music stores owned by the Patel Bros are great!

Avoid the weird Mongol-Indian restaurant on that one corner, though.

They jet in fresh fish and seafood from all over the world to O'Hare. It is cheap and casual and large and they know what the hell they are doing.

Mr. Diamond you should inflate your itemized deductions and then splash out at Le Francais!

nabisco, was Spring the one we were standing directly in front of when the 2 Lincoln Park Trixies asked us for directions to it on our way to Mod?

Yes. I don't know if I told you the story about how Spring made me cross the street every day. But there was a period the summer after it opened where (a) the sidewalk was crowded with valet-parked people who, when you tried to get past, acted like you were the out-of-place one, and (b) their fish-filled dumpsters reeked up that side of the street pretty unbearably.

That said: Felicity, you liked Mod, right? Dear everyone: Mod looks terrible -- it looks like a Lego hair salon, which is sort of cool but not someplace you'd want to eat. But it's very good.

I'm really enjoying this thread for the recommendations, especially some of the north side places that I just don't get too that often.
Yeah, they actually opened a Bob Chinn's near the loop. I've been meaning to get over there for a while now...

Oops, where is Carso's? Do you mean like south loop, or way far south? Anyway, it sounds great!

Leon's at 79th and Stony Island
DD&S at 71st and Cottage Grove
Lem's at 59th and State
Curt's at 82nd and Cottage Grove

Lem's is the one you always see named as the "best", but while it is really good it's almost slightly overcooked, a tad dry. Also it's never quite as spicy as I like things, which is why my favorite is Leon's. Definitely don't order the spicy sauce unless you like things really spicy, but I love it. All these places have other locations on the south side but these are the ones I usually visit.

If you're downtown, check out Millar's Pub at Wabash and Adams, which is great inexpensive and a Chicago institution. Good people watching place. The ribs aren't my favorite, mainly 'cause they use too much molasses, but they're still pretty good. Lots of other stuff on the menu, very friendly place.

I know much about dining in the western suburbs, though!

But here are my favorites:

Little Home Vietnam: Damen/Ashland. Right under the Damen stop on the Brown line. The BEEF SPRING ROLLS are ORGASMIC. TRULY. They're the clear rice paper with chargrilled beef with peanuts, lettuce, carrots, greens, sprouts, and dip it in this LOVELY chilli oil. Its trulky unbelievable. Though the rest of the menu is sort of blah, except the lemongrass chicken is deliciously spicy.

Mirai Sushi: pretty good sushi, for chicago... i mean since its so far from any ocean.

Lou Malnatis Pizza: just get plain cheese. the meat layer is a bit too much.

Aruns: This 12 course Thai meal on the northside.. Really expensive, but oh so delicious.

Frontera Grill, Bistro 110, Yoshi's Cafe are pretty good. Kamahachi is awful.

hstencil, I think I'm usu closer to saying 'hunnerd'. In generally, nobody in my vicinity talks stereotypically Chicagoan (you know, 'hey dere, how youse doin')

I don't know where any suburbs are except: the ones along the lake to the north (and then I start getting confused after Highland Park), Oak Park, and, er, Skokie.

My general feeling about the rest of the suburbs is that they don't need to exist.

Amateurist, you do want to to bomb LA though, right? Nothing but suburbs

It was the "Daaaaalston" of early January 2003. "I blame hstencil" is what's happening now. Tight.

Amateurist:

That's where I grew up!

Nice Roger Claar reference. (You know the story about how he defended his DUI? Said he wasn't drunk -- he only swerved because he was removing a necklace of Mardi Gras beads. Umm, sure.)

I just realized I may have committed a boo-boo John...really sorry if you didn't want your name revealed. I don't just because I'm technically not supposed to be perusing the internet at work.
Here's a hint: you said you liked my Bjork t-shirt (why I remember this I have no idea)
BTW, how the hell are ya?! Where the hell are ya now?

(you made my post outdated...the wave pool is now an ice arena...no more chlorine incidents Yay!)

Oh man. I'm trying so hard to remember who you are, Oops. I feel like it should be obvious. Don't tell me just yet.

Also, I don't really care if you use my "real name" -- but I do like Jaymc better.

I'm killing myself here.

p.s. I went to the Naperville location and, while the food was tasty, it was WAY to noisy and cramped.

And I have a crush on one of the waiters at Francescas in Edgewater

;)

If you are picky about that, I know Mamacita's (two locations: one is 2439 N. Clark, the other is 3324 N. Broadway) makes a point of being lard-free. But I've never been there, so I can't vouch for it otherwise.

As for my own recommendations ... I'm quickly realizing that I haven't been to that many sit-down-and-toss-back-a-couple-drinks Mexican places (as opposed to quick-burritos-while-you're-drunk taquerias). But I know that Fernando's (3450 N. Lincoln) has great margaritas, and from what I remember, the food was pretty good, too. I've also enjoyed El Mariachi (two locations, four blocks apart!: 3420 N. Broadway and 3829 N. Broadway). Also search: El Tapatio (3400 N. Ashland), which has a mostly traditional menu but also some interesting vegetarian fare (I had an enchilada with zucchini, carrots and spinach!).

(Destroy: The Executives on Randolph St., which advertises itself as "vegetarian friendly" but wasn't any more uniquely vegetarian than anywhere else. A little overpriced, too.)

Of course, Chicago has its fair share of somewhat pricey, fancy "authentic Mexican" places: Topolobampo and Frontera Grill (owned by celebrity chef Rick Bayless) and Ixcapuzalco would fit into this category. I haven't been to any of them but I routinely hear good things.

(x-post)

Suggestions:
- Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
- Try different keywords.
- Try more general keywords.
- Try fewer keywords.

(x-post)

Irazu does have fantastic veggie burritos, though (esp. if you like your burritos with rice) (and mushrooms). And those fruit smoothie things (I forget what they're called -- licuados, maybe?)

;p

Not unless you were reading all this into what I was saying. I am no expert on these matters and wouldn't dare put forward such a hypothesis without some serious evidence.

What restaurant did you hate, Sarah?

Traditional = whatever it is that I'm used to that I seemed to get at Mexican restaurants in Virginia and Texas but can't find here

It's Western and Armitage.

there are 3 burrito stands with the same name on Ashland south of Division.

ha ha, I should take a blender with me. "Excuse me, could we please be seated by an outlet? Thank you."

he was a cool guy, but in classic Jerry Seinfeld fashion, he only knew me for a few weeks to a month and he asked me to help him move. i couldn't say no, but it hindered our friendship. haha. it didn't, but he disappeared soon after that.

hahahaha I knew jaymc never got KWAI-ed.

Yeah, I don't care. Our kitchen is pretty unsanitary too.

Don't worry - that's just an expression, nothing personal.

Flash Taco's still good, though. Except they use fucking Cheez Whiz on the nachos.

The point to BYOB, by the way: CHEAPNESS. Four individual glasses of restaurant wine: $24-36? Bottle of same wine from the liquor store that is always less than four doors down: $12.99. Plus $2 corkage fee, but whatever. I was a huge fan of all those nicer UkVillage BYO places -- for a while there I was actually enjoying dining with large groups of friends.

and my real favorite place that i went like every day...damn, what's it called? i'm too hungover. it's on clark at the triangle where it hits um, sheffield? it's open really late, has loads of yummy veg food, does milkshakes, does breakfast all day and night, and they don't care how long you stay. and a jukebox. it was like a restaurant made for me. i'll think of the name in a minute, i'm sure. does anyone know what i'm talking about?

Does Lulu's in Evanston still do the appetizer brunch on Sundays?

So, anyway, we went to TECALITLAN. It was dark in there! And my cheese enchilada was tough. But my margarita was fantastico. :-D
So was the salsa. mmm...

i don't remember the names of any mexican places, i just know them by sight. there are so many...

Oh wait, we've been to Pick Me Up, the first time we visited. It was pretty good.

(xpost: V's B is indeed the bomb. I wasn't thinking about breakfast places...)

JAYMC ON THE MOTHERFUCKING MARK MOTHERFUCKER ARGH ARGH WHY DO I LIVE IN NEW YORK?!!!?!

also, pita inn finally raised its prices.

and oooh lord i could go for some rib tips from heckys. or maybe even robinsons #1.

and a chili cheese dog from the 7-11 on peterson & western

why????

Also, NW side in the hay-ouse: Gale Street Inn on Milwaukee across from the bus/El station has good meaty ribs. Also, the grody-looking Taqueria de Gallo on Milwaukee at Lawrence makes a surprisingly tasty taco dinner combo w/ rice and beans.

Anyone here tried Maya del Sol on Lawrence (roughly 3500 W.) or Monastero's at Pulaski and Devon (I believe)?

OK, Italian places that are pretty good...

-Sabatino's - 4500 W. Irving Park Rd. Very old school and oddly put together supper club-type place with one of the smokiest piano bar areas in the city. I haven't veered much off the pasta/bolognese sauce part of the menu, but the food is good and not too expensive.

-Oliveti's in Des Plaines next to the railroad tracks. Very tasty homemade red sauce.

And a few other more chain-y places that have never disappointed are Cucina Biagio in Harwood Heights (god it doesn't get more bad-suburban-sounding than Harwood Heights) on Lawrence 2 blocks west of Harlem, which is a fancier version of the Suparossa chain restaurants, and Biaggi's on Rand Rd. in Deer Park near Palatine, which reminds me of a Lettuce Entertain You/Maggiano's type joint. Heavenly lasagna, though.

Man, I don't even listen to the Score anymore. Totally burnt out on it. Too many ads, too much Uncle Fuzzy, etc

Rob, I was given a tiny AM radio by a coworker at my new gig, so I've been listening to it most days. I can't get through Mike North's new morning show, though; between his completely ignorant Freerepublic.com-inspired political analysis and the Steve-Dahl-lady-from-Tinley-Park-voiced Anne Maxfield as one of his sidekicks, I find myself having to keep the radio off 'til 10:00 just about every day. Boers and Bernstein (especially Bernsie) are still pretty awesome together, though, and I can tolerate Hood & Buffone. Can't wait 'til the Cubs are off the radar screen, though.

But yeah, if I have to hear about the Totally Hot Skybox and playing pool and darts in the company of Chicago's hottest women one more time...

I started listening to the Score in the mornings to catch up on the previous day's MLB results, and I grew to like Murphy and Fred, with frequent appearances from Jimmy Piersall. Once the NFL season started, I still listened but more impatiently (I don't care about football). And now they're replaced switched Murph with this joker Mike North. Both Murph and North are kind of hyperactive guys, but Murph also seemed really good-natured, whereas North's just an asshole. And apparently a conservative, too. This morning he had someone from Fox News on, which he called his "favorite TV station." They were also deciding whether Pete Rose was one of the greatest all-time liars, and North said, "Well, there are some people that lie, and some people that flip-flop, but that's another story..." ARGH!! I just want to hear people talk about the Cubs!!

Wendy Snyder?

Bhabi's Kitchen - Best Indian food I've ever hard. Get 4 or 5 entrees and take home leftovers. LOVE the brocolli rabe and the eggplant dish, both of them take over 6 hours to cook. The pistachio naan is out of this world. It's indian home cooking.

Riques Regional Mexican Food - Love the black beans with the chips as soon as you walk it, it's extremely hard not to just eat those and be done with it. Great guac, and the best mole sauce I've had outside of Austin.

Other resturants I like a lot, and eat often:

Andies
Handlebar
Pho 777
Tank Noodle

Rique's has the best pico de gallo ever.

Ugh. I heard that too, and that's what caused me to turn off the radio 'til Boers and Bernstein came on.

Wendy Snyder?

Haha, close, but I think Anne Maxfield (a refugee from Spike Odell's morning show on WGN) is actually worse. The way she says "Score" like "Scoo-er" sends shivers down my spine, and not in a good way either. She's the epitome of the annoying-accented frizzy-haired Chicago radio ditz.

If anyone is ever in or near NW Indiana, they have GOT to go to El Taco Real in Hammond, which is one of the best Mexican places in the tri-state region. You can't even get a seat there on a weekend.

I love Earwax too! Especially the goat cheese quesidillas

The sweet potato quesedillas at Earwax are pretty incredible. I have neglected the goat cheese ones because I always end up with the sweet potato ones.

Let's see, where have I eaten lately that is good? I don't know, I've sort have fallen into old favorites. Standard India on Belmont is pretty good for cheapo buffet indian food. No where near as good as the better places on Devon though. I've been dying to go to the Green Zebra.

http://www.leye.com/restaurants/restaurants_index.htm

Jesse applied at Ben Pao and seemed to think it wasn't very good.

ive eaten at the one in new york, and it is really really good. but i read that the two are very different because chicagoans weren't into the idea of spending $40 for a main course of thai food. anyways, im boycotting vongerichten's restaurants, not that i could afford them anyway, because ive been fired from two of them! anyways, yeah, from that list, definitely go to everest if you can. it would be a great opportunity to dine at like one of the world's great restaurants, or whatever. though maybe i would go to tru since the food is supposed to be fantastic and it looks cooler and less stuffy.

1) West Town Tavern -- amazing, amazing, amazing. One of the top ten meals I've had in, say, the last five years. I had the lamb, but I tasted the duck confit and it was also bring-you-to-your-knees good. And the wine list! They know their wine, and pride themselves on providing the full, lengthy, orgasmic dining experience. Gets the coveted snail from the Slow Food people, which means they use only local and organic produce and meat. Not as expensive as you'd think.

2) Flo -- Fresh, bright Southwestern flavors color every dish.They make a wonderful tangy salsa that's more like a paste and comes with french bread before the meal, as if to say, "If you like butter, you'll love this." Killer brunch, which draws hip young crowds on weekend mornings. Eggs Flo is poached eggs on an English muffin with turkey, hollandaise sause, and asiago cheese. Perfection. Also don't miss the meatloaf. Or the Frito pie. That's right -- gourmet Frito pie. You'll be amazed what a difference black beans make.

3) Burger Baron -- I just discovered this tonight, and mentioned it on another thread. Really great hamburger. For $3.50, you get a half pound cheeseburger made to order (I like mine a little pink in the middle). The flavor is in the meat -- it's not overly seasoned, if it's seasoned at all, but it's still very good. That's a hard thing to pull off with ground beef.

Someone should revive this: [Removed Illegal Link]

― Jesse, Monday, 9 April 2007 22:47 (seventeen years ago) link

so, we need to find somewhere for tonight that's relatively cheap, not far from the lake (so we can walk out to see the fireworks), and likely to be ok for a party of 7 omnivores with a couple of vegetarians. any ideas?!

Ditch the vegetarians?

Sorry I missed this. I was at Geja's, the fondue restaurant in Lincoln Park, where all this week they are offering 42% off their entire menu, in celebration of their 42nd anniversary. My girlfriend and I got the "deluxe seafood" fondue, which consisted of a cheese fondue appetizer (with apples, grapes, and bread), then a main course of scallops, shrimp, and lobster (with broccoli, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and potatoes), followed by a chocolate fondue for dessert (with marshmallows, strawberries, bananas, pineapple, and cake). I felt more stuffed than I had been in a long, long time. We came home and pretty much just lay in bed for the rest of the night.

Anyway, perhaps Pars Cove would've worked for last night?

I still don't get why Oops italicized "favorite" in the opening post.

Four years later, I'm guessing it's because Gareth started "New York Restaurants" the day before and spelled it "favourite." I can rest easy now.

For Persian, you cannot beat Noon o Kabab on N. Kedzie. They have the best lamb and rice I've ever had. I should check out Pars Cove.

I mostly mentioned Pars Cove because of its proximity to the lake, but the food's pretty good, too. Maybe a little more expensive than most similar places, but that's what you get for the neighborhood.

Thanks for the advice - in the end we lucked out with http://www.thaiclassicrestaurant.com/, which turned out to be cheap, good, just round the corner from our apartment, and thus an easy walk to the lake. These other places look good, too. My googling yesterday suggested that N. Kedzie is a treasure trove of Persian places, so I guess we'll be going there soon.

I might have to rescind that recommendation.

Thai Classic is a decent stand-by. My friend Summer and I ate there before a High Llamas/Low show at Metro in early 1998.

In retrospect, maybe the first Thai restaurant I ever ate at?

<I>(4 years ago)</i>

ouch.

what do people think of lula these days?

I still love it, for brunch much more than dinner though.

Still pretty solidly good.

Favorite brunch spots in Chicago in no particular order (by moi):
* Vella (new - at Western stop on blue line - tons of crepes, french toast)
* Flo (mexican influenced - lots of great egg dishes & french toast)
* Jane's (have only eaten there once but loved it)
* VICTORY'S BANNER (duh)
* Lula's

Hillary's used to be my fave. I'm so sad they never reopened. :-(

xxxpost re Lula: About the same as I did 5 years ago, it's just more popular now. I do love that it's able to stride the line between trendy organic and cheap eats: you can go there and get a bowl of fusilli with brown sugar and butter for like $8, or else you can have a special farm-raised pork loin, with wilted spinach in a balsamic reduction for $22. Last time I was there I had a great cheese plate, with hazelnuts.

Vella (new - at Western stop on blue line - tons of crepes, french toast)

Kr and I have been very curious about this place, it's just not in our hood, so it'd be kind of a long drive for brunch.

Tweet???

Another fantastic brunch place: Over Easy (on Damen, halfway between Lawrence and Foster).

Tweet is ok, but then again I've only eaten there once too.

Ooh... I should try Over Easy. I've always been curious about Orange, but the one time Nick let me drag him there the wait was entirely too long.

I do love that it's able to stride the line between trendy organic and cheap eats: you can go there and get a bowl of fusilli with brown sugar and butter for like $8

how is that cheap? I can eat for a week on $8 with a little planning.

$2 hot dogs, $3 falafel, $4 cold cut sandwiches -- this is what cheap means to me

It's plenty cheap for a trendy New York Times-approved restaurant that takes pains to use local, organic ingredients. My point was also that they started out as a quirky neighborhood cafe with a menu mostly under $12, but even though they've added elaborate $20+ specials and cheese plates and the like, they've still kept the old menu, which I think is cool.

Tweet has good breakfast.

Thai for me is Sticky Rice. They also serve insects!

I should check out Pars Cove.

and then check in to a hospital har har.

Orange sucked hard core the one time we ate there.

I generally find that most brunch is overrated, if merely for the fact that it is always too crowded and overpriced.

Speaking of overpriced, I want to try Alinea now. As much as food that has been vaporized and foamed bothers me, I think it would be fun. I would wildly anticipate sniffing some of that salmon air.

Brunch is for fags.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/graphics/2004/08/11/bvborat199.jpg

Anybody been to Sticky Rice? Is it really much different from your standard Thai place? What's good there?

Orange is an extremely cute space and all the food is cute and the wait staff is pretty good looking but the food is either super bland or one note sugary and the service is usually kind of crappy. I keep getting tricked into going back but it is just not good, certainly not good enough to justify the "if u want substitutions in ur omelette go 2 golden angel" note on the menu, at least government issue cheese and cigarette ash constitute discernible flavors. Bongo Room is a far superior always-crowded microchain and even that's not worth waiting in line for.

Pizza Capri

* Flo (mexican influenced - lots of great egg dishes & french toast)

i thought this was a Brazilian place

Brunch is for fags.

-- kenan, Friday, July 13, 2007 1:39 AM (10 hours ago) Bookmark Link

Cue one of the 10,000 photos of kenan posing wistfully in his thick-framed glasses with a copy of Plato or some bullshit artfully placed just in the background.

Nah, Flo is basically a bunch of variations on huevos rancheros, but it is awesome.

Currently my favorite place in the world is Bin 36. This has to do with the fact that these days I am interested in subsisting only on wine and cheese.

Do yourself a favor--go to Bin 36 (I've only been to the downtown one, right next to the House of Blues and 10-Pin between State and Dearborn). The reasons:

-Flights. Flights of wine are the best way to discover wine. In the bar area (can't remember what they call that area) the wine list is arranged by 4-pour flights. You can either order the full range or by the glass from the flight. Each wine has a very accessible description. Also, 1/2 glass pours are available for all of their glass pours. And they're always happy to let you taste before you buy.

-Fun. The servers know their stuff, and even as they're pouring la-de-da $$$$ wines, the uniform in all areas is a black logo T-shirt.

-CHEEEESE! An amazing cheese list, and a cheesemonger who is eager to help you discover new stinky and tasty yummies.

-Great for impressing a date. I forget exactly what the details are, but they have a nice-looking prix fixe deal that includes wine pairings for a relatively decent price. I mean prix. The atmosphere is slick and hip, but in a remarkably comfortable, approachable sort of way.

I need to post that to Yelp.

where do y'all eat in Wrigleyville?

nowhere

What kind of food do you want to eat in Wrigleyville? If you are willing to walk two or three blocks east on Addison until Broadway, I could make better recommendations.

good food. Chicago food. I've got legs and I know how to use them.

Goose Island brewpub has great beer and pretty good food. The one on Clybourn is better though.

I've eaten here twice and have had excellent meals both times:
http://www.homebistrochicago.com/

cool, thanx

Good Italian, excellently situated for people watching: http://www.angelinaristorante.com/

Good burgers, nice beer garden in the back: http://www.dukeofperth.com/

Nice date place: http://www.lacreperieusa.com/

Breakfast, personally a big fan of the "Country Benedict": http://www.nookiesrestaurants.net/edgewater/facts.html

Vegetarian: http://www.veggiediner.com/wp/

This site has bar/food deals. If you can get to Bar Louie on a $1 burger day, your day will be made.

Lots of decent bar food in Wrigleyville, actually, as long as it's not a game day. Otherwise, Penny's at Roscoe/Sheffield is tasty Thai and BYOB; Tango Sur on Southport is Argentinian churrasco steaks.

Oh, duh, this place is great: http://www.sheffieldschicago.com/

People go to Wrigleyville to consume things other than hot dogs and Old Style? Huh.

Sheffields is pretty good! I like their BBQ.

Good beer selection, too.

Uncommon Ground is in Wrigleyville and it's good.

The Billy Dec Asian fusion place that just opened has gotten bad reviews, but besides that there's a lot to choose from.

Dan's been missing out.

Arco de Cuchilleros does pretty decent tapas.

If we're considering places south of Belmont, I like Sura Thai Bistro.

We order delivery from Sura Thai all the time and I agree w/ John.

Dan's been missing out.

Have I? Have I really? jk

Actually I have enjoyed La Creperie, Duke of Perth, Goose Island, and Sheffield's before, so it's no big. That area's not what comes to my mind first when considering dining options, is all.

I could go for a crepe right NOW.

Alinea = best restaurant in North America

I think I am going to have to go to the duke of perth one of these days.

It will be required of you.

A bunch of us went there last summer, IIRC -- was it for Colette and Toby's going away? I'd be up for doing that again.

Duke of Perth doesn't really seem that different from every other pub to me. Sarah and I got a fairly gross vegetarian option off their menu: some kind of beer-battered vegetable platter that was mainly beets, so it was essentially a big dish of fried beets.

The fish and chips are divine.

and it is SCOTTISH

oh duke of perth...damn i miss pubs that even just look like that.

Uncommon Ground is the worst place in North America.

Worse than PRISON.

i miss duke of perth intensely now.

Duke of Perth is nice. They have good beers on draft and the food (meat variety) is tasty. Burgers and grilled chicken wings are good.

the beers are delicious.

driving down clark and lincoln over the holidays and seeing all these places led to a lot of mourning over the charmless style of 99% of the pubs in l.a.

Aw, that would make me sad, too. Pubs are v. important to my mental health.

Also in the area, Chen's Chinese is actually really good. Great steamed dumplings. Just avoid Harry Carrey's, Cubbie Bear, Sluggers, and any place with more TV's than beers on tap.

I don't know if they serve food, but OMG the Captain Morgan's bar that is attached to Wrigley Field looks awwwaaawsawawawwaful.

But if it were not in Wrigleyville, and not branded so, it could be pretty fun. All the windows open up, making the whole thing a patio, and they have indoor cornhole.

i'd like to rep heavily for barnaby's (local pizza parlor chain). their pizza is pretty amazing, albeit not chicago-style. more like the greatest bar pizza you'll ever have in your life. i always have a blast when i go there.

also, the foxhole in mchenry, which is completely divey and has its own vv good variation on bar pizza.

Duke of Perth serves a burger with a fried egg on it. One of the best I've ever had.

hey folks!

headed to Chicago in a week, probably going to go out to dinner with 5 people

one is vegan, the others aren't- is there a place where there will be plenty of yummy food for the vegan guy but plenty of yummy non-vegan stuff for the rest of us? We're all downtown by the hotels for the MLA convention, so closer to that zone would be better than further

Thanks for any expertise or commiseration you have to share.

Guess it's going to be kind of chilly, eh?

You might get a better response in the rolling Chicago thread.

It's hard to think of a place off the top of my head that will meet both your requirements, but as a guess, you might try Sunda in River North?

reza's might work. also, assuming you won't be dining with someone who absolutely requires meat at every meal, there are a few vegetarian restaurants in the area that i think non-vegetarians could probably enjoy: karyn's cooked and green zebra (the second is a little further out from river north—think it would be like a 20 minute bus ride or a short cab trip)

Was gonna suggest Green Zebra but wasn't sure about the distance. That's a place that any serious eater would be interested in, vegan/veg/whatever, imo.

What's good?

We don't eat out much.

It's probably not worth making the trip for, but if you're in Hyde Park you could do a lot worse than Salonica. It might be the best diner I've been to in Chicago.

90 Miles always great.
Indie Cafe always great.

We've been enjoying Andy's Thai Kitchen by Wellington. Probably my current favorite Thai. Everything is really spicy though.

I refer to this list a lot: http://stockyardpalate.wordpress.com/eat-here/

Salonica: Where Greece Comes Alive!

We used to live right behind there, and trust me, we could sure smell the "greece."

A lot of places are blending together to me these days, but I always love returns to Publican and NIghtwood. Oh, and really looking forward to a second time at Kai Zan, one of the best meals I've had in a while.

Seems like 90% of new places are fried chicken focused.

generally consider myself a chicago-style hater. I like a thin crust and I don't want a pizza to sink me like a stone. I'm in the south loop at a hotel, too goddamn tired and hurting to walk anywhere. desk tells me go for giordano's or lou malnati's. I almost order the lou's thin crust and then I go, you know what, you're here one night, the worst case scenario is this pizza a lot of people love doesn't punch your button like it does theirs but you get fed. I order the Lou: spinach and mushroom mix, cheddar cheese, roma tomatoes.

fucking A that is an outstanding pie. I could probably eat the other half of it but I'm trying to show some restraint. couldn't do it as a full time thing but I renounce my chicago-style opposition henceforth

victory's banner changed owners and is not as cult-y. it still has pictures of sri chimnoy and his artwork, but the servers wear street clothes and seem like normal people.

i don't think they close for pilgrimages twice a year anymore either.

i want to give a gift certificate to a nice restaurant to a couple i know in chicago. maybe a couple hundred bucks? do you chicagoans have any suggestions

victory's banner changed owners and is not as cult-y. it still has pictures of sri chimnoy and his artwork, but the servers wear street clothes and seem like normal people.

― na (NA), Friday, February 23, 2018 11:37 AM (one year ago) bookmarkflaglink

i don't think they close for pilgrimages twice a year anymore either.

― na (NA), Friday, February 23, 2018 11:37 AM (one year ago) bookmarkflaglink

update, it's now called "lucy's cafe" and is not culty at all (unless you consider the live laugh love aesthetic a cult). the food is the same as when it was victory's banner, though they've added some options.

i don't eat anywhere nice, sorry.

yeah me either

maybe a lettuce entertain you gift card? not really fancy but they can use it at a number of good places.

ha I was gonna mention lettuce but I have no idea which of their concepts are worth going to nowadays

lthforum GNR's was always my bible. Here's their section on fancy schmancy joints:

NEW AMERICAN/FINE DINING
avec-- Offering small plates and wine at communal tables in the west Loop. It does not hurt to have one of Chicago's best chefs helping out, either. Probably more pan-Mediterranean or Spanish, but just eat, drink, and don't worry.
Big Jones-- Southern cooking gone upscale, along with strong drink of the best sort. Engaged, inspired, and pushing the envelope within the vernacular.
Carnivore-- Oak Park meat shop of wonder, stocked with local produce, handcrafted charcuterie, fresh oysters, and an expert grill turning out exceptional burgers and vegetable sides.
El Ideas--Ever wonder what a dinner party at a professional chef’s house would be like? Phillip Foss has created a completely unique fine-dining experience that brings diners as close to the action as possible while serving cutting edge cuisine. Bring your own wine, spend some time helping the chefs plate the next course, and rock out to what some have called the best playlist in the city. It all makes for an intimate and unforgettable experience.
Elizabeth Restaurant-- Passionate forager-chef Iliana Regan – whose prior venture was a single-table restaurant in her apartment – serves inventive, seasonal, and artistic dinners in an intimate Lincoln Square dining room. Both serious and whimsical, the evolving tasting menus have included a terrarium with yellow watermelon, uni ice cream, bear rice crispies, and a shrimp noodle. Service is top notch, wine pairings are thoughtful, and reservations are a must.
Fat Rice-- For many of us, Fat Rice is one of our favorite restaurants… boatloads of accolades, and still are down-to-earth, putting out wonderful food consistently, with good service and no pretension… service with a smile and superb unique food… where else in the world would one find a Portuguese/Asian/African fusion restaurant?
Inovasi Restaurant-- A master chef offering a constantly changing menu of creative, and usually delicious dishes. Put yourself in his hands and he will take you on a fun ride.
MANA Food Bar-- MANA is a vegetarian restaurant where you don’t miss the meat. No vegetable-based substances dressed up to look like meat, just well-conceived and well-executed food. A small, beautiful place to spend an evening drinking and having small plates, with chef-driven food drawing from Asian, European, Latin, and American flavors. Whether it’s curry, tamales, house-made pickles, or pierogi, there’s plenty for everyone.
Pearl's Southern Comfort-- This Edgewater spot has a Cajun heart and skills covering the breadth of Southern foodways, from scratch gumbo and pimento cheese to Nutter Butter pie.
Prairie Grass Cafe-- Head up to Northbrook for a "casual meal in the kitchen of one of America's best chefs." Great ingredients prepared to highlight their flavor and quality. Simply delicious.
Purple Pig-- Yeah, yeah, it’s a bit of a celebrity spot, but it delivers. And not just the pork products - the vegetables are delicious, too. Really, we wanted to hate it, but it is too good.
Vie-- A Blackbird-alum chef with a strong commitment to regional and seasonal flavors brings a downtown foodie outlook to suburban Western Springs.

if they're very adventurous, Elizabeth is great. A nice warm atmosphere and Iliana Regan will likely be one of the handful serving you if she's there.

Monteverde would be a good choice for the gift certificate. Elizabeth (as Omar says) if they're very experimental and Parachute if they're pretty experimental. Monteverde won't seem too conventional or too avant-garde if they're in the middle and is top-notch on all fronts.

thanks dudes!

Etta too -- a good combo of informal while feeling like a special-occasion place.

I'm going to be in Chi this weekend, any recommendations for places that are still open in 2022 and that I could actually go to on a weekend? Any favorites among the myriad of Thai and Vietnamese places in Uptown?

It was over a decade ago but people brought me to Spoon Thai in lincoln square once and it was extremely memorable; we ordered a bunch of things off the 'secret' menu and they were confusing and delicious.

I've been to Chicago four times in the past 7 months but haven't eaten IN a restaurant there since 2019, only gone in to pick up jibaritos and such.

Hai Yen was a favorite back in the day

…as was Tank Noodle before they became Jan 6 insurrectionists: https://abc7chicago.com/tank-noodle-chicago-trump-yelp-rally-dc/9482003/

oh no not tank noodle

i don't really know the vietnamese/thai restaurants in uptown that well. nhu lan is my favorite banh mi place and they have an uptown location, but i've never been to that location, i always go to the one in lincoln square/avondale. along with spoon thai, sticky rice is the other fun thai place in lincoln square with a "secret menu" (not really that secret but more authentic i guess). if you want a lunch buddy, text me.

Thanks! I was planning on stopping by Ba Le before the Green Mill, Nhu Lan looks good though, I've noticed that place before (looks like they close early though). Got my eyes on Jin Thai or Bibim Town for lunch, maybe Lucy's Cafe fka Victory's Banner.

My wife is running the marathon in Chicago in a couple of weeks. Any recommendations for post-race dinner on Sunday evening not that far (no more than a short Uber ride) from Grant Park? Looking for a casual elevated comfort food type of meal with good beers and reservations for as many as 5. Right now I have a reservation at The Publican, but wanted to keep looking.

Publican is a great choice, you can never go wrong with Publican. I'd also maybe recommend Dusek's in Pilsen, they probably scratch a similar itch.

Thanks, JiC.

I agree. Was thinking that The Gage and Cherry Circle Room, both on Michigan Ave., could work if you don't want to travel far. But the Publican seems perfect for what you're looking for.

I'd avoid the Gage and Cherry Circle, tbh. They'll be slammed because they are essentially across the street. The former is also pretty overpriced for what it is, and the latter kind of too hip for a post marathon dinner. Publican is what you want for pretty much any occasion. Be sure to get the chicken, sausage and fries plate, which might seem pricey for what it is, but it's delicious.

Yes, I agree with all that, just trying to be helpful.

Just finish the marathon first and you’ll have your pick of places.

Tell your wife to wave at me. I’ll be at mile 6.3 on the right side of the street.

don't go here: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2023/09/dozens-more-sick-in-salmonella-outbreak-linked-to-chicago-taqueria/

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and confirmations. It's her eighth(?) marathon, but first Chicago marathon. Just hoping for cool weather.

We are also thinking of Frontera Grill. Not beers, but I've had one of Bayless' cookbooks for 20+ years. Even though he can be a bit much, the menu looks great.

Imo the only reason to go to Frontera is to say you went. Chicago is packed with great Mexican places, and fwiw (xpost) a Bayless place is one of the few times one of us ever got food poisoning. Plus when I called them up to complain, they were totally dicks about it. Good option when you're at the airport, though.

Good mezcal margaritas.

You can get them in the airport, too!

Thanks!

Any recommendations for where to get a Chicago-style hot dog for lunch not far from Grant Park? Thinking of the Devil Dogs in the South Loop, but open to other ideas in the Loop.

Honestly, pretty much anywhere! Devil Dawgs is a good choice. Just make sure, wherever you go, that there is a Vienna Beef sticker/sign on premises.

I once ate at a pizza place in Chicago that specialized in pizza with a layer of sausage. Like, a disc of sausage that covered the whole pie. It was stupidly good.

Thanks, JiC.

xpost That's kind of a Chicago thing, at least for some deep dish (trying to recall which places, exactly). That or big sausage chunks, cooked with the pie (so the grease mingles).

Chicago Dog at Devil Dogs is A+. Should have ordered two and skipped the fries.

How did the rest of it all go?

Sorry, meant to post an update. The Publican was my kind of restaurant. Beer selection was really great - I had an English Bitter and Flemish Red beers from two local brewers I can't remember. My wife had a beer that was a blend of a lambic and a Hefeweizen, also delicious (perfect amount of sour for me).

Food was maximalist and everything was really strong. For a meat-centric place, the vegetable dishes were standouts: bbq carrots with tahini sauce and a fried brussels sprout dish that had avocado and bunch of other stuff in it. Just perfect. We also had the big rib with apple butter, chicken and summer sausage, porchetta with grits, mussels, big charcuterie plate, mussels - my one complaint was they kind of upsold us by telling us we needed 6-7 dishes when their portions were huge so we had way too much food but got to try a bunch of stuff but it was kind of gluttonous. If this place was in NYC, I would eat there all the time - it reminded me of Resto a little, which was an NYC restaurant I loved back in the day.

Chicago is a great city - love the physical layout with the bridges going in all directions downtown. My wife had a pretty successful marathon. We also got to go see the Remedios Varo exhibit at the Art Institute, which was one of the best exhibits I've ever seen.

As gluttonous as we were, we did not order the mussels twice.

Sorry, trying to type this too quickly and my grammar is terrible.

the Publican is great. one of my most memorable twofers was going there followed by a visit to the Aviary. fortunately we were staying at a hotel downtown vs staying out in the far NW sticks, as we frequently do when visiting.

I think I have had that carrot dish! My wife and I went there for an anniversary dinner and they tried to kill us with food.

Yeah, it's hard to go wrong with Publican. It's kind of amazing how even the dishes that seem boring on paper - chicken and sausage, carrots - are pretty incredible in execution. They also have a *great* Negroni with barrel aged gin.

We are going to be back in Chicago for a few days this week. We're staying at the JW Marriot downtown. I've never had a Chicago Italian Beef sandwich. Any recommendations on a place downtown? I see there is a Portillo's in River North I could walk to.

I can't make a personal recommendation bc I don't think I've had an Italian beef since I was a kid, but FYI: Mr. Beef on Orleans is where they film The Bear, if that's something you care about.

There's also an Al's #1 Italian Beef on Wells, a local chain that claims to have invented the sandwich. (There are competing claims.) According to my copy of Made in Chicago: Stories Behind 30 Great Hometown Bites, Al's and Johnnie's (in suburban Elmwood Park) "head up most lists of the best Italian beef sandwiches in the Chicago area."

Both Mr. Beef and Al's are also in River North btw.

Johnnie's (near me) is "the best," but all, even Portillo's, are fine.

Downtown, I dunno. Pretty much all my beef experience is in the neighborhoods.

The original Al's Beef is on Taylor near UIC. I haven't been there for a while but I remember it being good. The other Al's locations are franchises iirc.

Portillo's and the franchise Al's are gonna be fine, but I'd pick Al's over Portillo's if all other things are equal.

portillos is an unpleasantly overwhelming experience imo, especially the one in river north. very big and loud and crowded with a confusing ordering system.

^^^why I would pick Al's (also I think the sandwiches are better, Portillo's try to do everything and end up doing nothing very well… I suppose you can get beer there which is a plus)

You can also get a cake shake!

All right, maybe I'll venture a little further afield. Thanks everyone.

From the JW Mariott downtown, the River North Al's would be a pretty easy walk.

That was what I was thinking, rather than figuring out CTA (which I have used before). Might venture out to some record stores as well, so might try to combine those to get me out of downtown.

If you’re near Navy Pier, there’s a spot there called Chef Ciccio — the guy who runs it (who literally makes the sandwiches most days) is in his 80s, and his family has been selling Italian beef since the 30s, and it’s fantastic.

Chicago magazine just did their top 10, and it’s a good list:
https://www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/november-2024/italian-beefs-golden-age/the-10-best/

Duck Inn is one I have had before, it was nice but fancified beef just seems misguided.

Great article. Not sure about dunking the entire sandwich in the gravy.

i've never eaten an italian beef because they are too large and unwieldy and not my jam. at my workplace we had an italian beef pizza, which actually sounded p gross to me initially but eventually redeemed itself as a non-wet manageable way to enjoy the italian beef flavors without committing to an entire gigantic sandwich. one slice was enough.

I've never had an Italian beef sandwich dipped, because it's just too messy. Asking for it wet is an ok compromise. Plenty of people swear by a combo, which is a grilled Italian sausage added to the sandwich, but that's just too much and asking for gut trouble.

Wet is the beef dipped, but not the bread? I would absolutely do that.

#1 is deserved, you really aren't going to get better than Johnnie's.

The first two nights I am going to my wife's work events at two steakhouse looking places, then we are having dinner Saturday with my aunts and cousin at Obelix. Between all that, plus me having to get a few Chicago dogs and the beef sandwich, I am going to need to eat salad all next week.

xp the beef will be dipped no matter what iirc, wet is a slight addition of jus—if it means anything, wet is how I typically order it, but every once it a while I will get the whole thing dipped (it's really only a problem if you have an aversion to using lots of napkins)

also I wrote that having ordered exactly one italian beef in at least the past 4-5 years :D

oh and absolutely get the giardinera, don't fuck around with sweet peppers unless you really don't like spicy things

Thanks for the tips dan m. I will go with wet and get the giardinera.

You can also order the beef dry with the jus/sauce on the side, especially if you are getting it to go, but not every place honors that request, lol.

Any recommendations for quick lunch in Wicker Park near Division stop? Preferably not beef, lol.

I’m an out of towner (in fact an out of continenter) but La Pasadita was vg the one time I ate there.

Not for up the road to Dove’s Luncheonette and Big Star, can’t go wrong with either of those.

xp A few possibilities within a few blocks of the Division stop:

-Sando Street: Japanese-style sandwiches, counter service, 1547 N. Ashland (ate there a few weeks ago, pretty good)

-Alegrias Seafood and El Barco Mariscos: two Mexican seafood places across the street from each other, 1024 and 1035 N. Ashland (I've only been to Alegrias, but a long time ago -- I think it might have even had a different name back then, but people seem to like 'em)

-Antique Taco: Hipster (i.e., cheffy, nontraditional) tacos, 1360 N. Milwaukee (been a while since I've been here, too, but it was reliably decent). There's also Big Star, which is in a similar vein, but a little further afield, at 1531 N. Damen.

also agree on the Dove's recommendation, if you're wandering up that way -- it's next to Big Star

If you're heading to the Division stop bc you're going to Dusty Groove, you might as well walk up Milwaukee Ave. and hit up Reckless, too

Yeah, that was the plan. Thanks for the recommendations everyone. I do love Japanese sandwiches, though Masa pancakes sound awesome, too.

I forget where (in the country) you're coming from, but there are lots of good Mexican spots everywhere, including Big Star, which is boutiquey but still really good. (For later, more or less across the street from Big Star is Violet Hour, one of the country's best cocktail bars.) Also in Wicker Park is Piece, the pizza place co-owned by Rick Nielsen. It's pretty good and has good beer/good vibes. All this stuff is by the Damon stop, but that's just one stop closer/farther, depending what direction you are going in.

If you get Japanese sandwiches in Chicago, I'll get Chicago deep dish pizza in Japan: http://en.devilcraft.jp/

There's a Harold's Chicken near Ashland iirc, get your 2pc dark with mild sauce

Sauce on the side!

I went to Dove’s Luncheonette and had the masa pancakes with a side of smoked sausage. Fun little place with a nice vibe and good food. Thanks Tim and Chicago ilxors.

On the downside, I wasn’t really a fan of the record stores I went to (Reckless, Mr. Shuga, Dusty Grooves) because they were a style of store I kind of hate: too much new vinyl/reissues, not enough used vinyl, and anything you actually wanted to buy was $$$. I ended up buying a couple of African reissues I would never find or afford in OG.

Also, how do stores get away without a new arrivals section for used vinyl?

Both DG and Reckless have always had those bins to my memory

DG did, but I don’t think Reckless did (or I missed it). DG was definitely the best of the three.

We take visitors to Buona Beef b/c they do a great Italian beef but also a seitan Italian "beef-less" that I love. It's a chain, but no reason to hold that against them. There's a location east of where you're staying...on the way-ish to Navy Pier or the lake.

How was Obelix, PBKR? It's on my list, but I haven't been yet.

Obelix was really great. Mostly classic French bistro with some cheeky modern twists.

They had a poire spritz with a pear eau di vie and pear cider that was one of the best cocktails I’ve had.

We shared escargot and a pate en crout for the table, both straight forward and excellent, then duck breast for my main (the menu has an entire section just for duck dishes). Everything was really perfect. Prices are high but worth it imo.

Go hungry! I stupidly ate too much for lunch or I would have really done damage on some appetizers.

nice

My wife had their version of a salad lyonnaise that had a duck egg and duck confit instead of lardons. The confit was shredded and then seared in a pan like a big smashburger of duck.