OT: Chicago dining advice

[geochick]

Where should we eat in Chicago near the Navy Pier (no kids). We‘ll be at the Chicago Marriott Downtown which is a few blocks west of the Pier. We love Chicago pizza, good sushi, etc. We're looking for good places for a quick lunch and nicer places for dinner. Thanks.

[DebbieJ]

You can check out reviews on www.chowhound.com and go to the Chicago board.

I think you should definitely have some pizza. I love Giordanos. I think Pizzeria Uno is overrated.

There is lots to eat in Chicago. Do you have a specific price point?

DH and I just ate at Geja's in Lincoln Park on Friday. A great, romantic fondue place. But it will set you back a little bit.

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[geochick]

<<Do you have a specific price point?

Nope. We just want good food that will represent Chicago well within walking distance from our conference hotel. Thanks. I'll check out the reviews you suggested.

[lizamann]

Places I've enjoyed right in that area:

Fox and Obel for lunch. It's a gourmet grocery store with cafe.

Boston Blackies for lunch - decent HUGE burgers.

Les Nomades for dinner (it's really fancy, French,and pricey. But always rated one of the best restaurants in the city.)

Kamehachi - good sushi

Saloon Steakhouse - excellent steak

[lizamann]

Places I've enjoyed right in that area:

Fox and Obel for lunch. It's a gourmet grocery store with cafe.

Boston Blackies for lunch - decent HUGE burgers.

Les Nomades for dinner (it's really fancy, French,and pricey. But always rated one of the best restaurants in the city.)

Kamehachi - good sushi

Saloon Steakhouse - excellent steak

[C99]

I'd ask your concierge when you get there; he or she will have the best information for that area. But some ideas:

- L'Appetito. This is an Italian deli and cafe. I love their sandwiches and used to eat there all the time when I worked in the Hancock Bldg. The original location is in the basement of the Hancock, but I recently noticed a location on Huron and Wabash.
- Fox & Obel, which is on Grand or Ohio, about 2 blocks from Navy Pier. It's a grocery store with a cafe.
- Elephant & Castle, a bar/restaurant. My husband goes to the Loop location, but one just opened in the Radisson at Huron and St. Clair.

[C99]

I'd ask your concierge when you get there; he or she will have the best information for that area. But some ideas:

- L'Appetito. This is an Italian deli and cafe. I love their sandwiches and used to eat there all the time when I worked in the Hancock Bldg. The original location is in the basement of the Hancock, but I recently noticed a location on Huron and Wabash.
- Fox & Obel, which is on Grand or Ohio, about 2 blocks from Navy Pier. It's a grocery store with a cafe.
- Elephant & Castle, a bar/restaurant. My husband goes to the Loop location, but one just opened in the Radisson at Huron and St. Clair.

[wagner36]

Definitely the Fox & Obel for lunch - they have a great lunch and it is fun to browse the grocery store. We generally go there once a week.

For a fancy dinner, pretty much anything you want is within walking distance (or a very cheap cab ride if it is cold) in the River North/Streeterville area. You could spend $100 at something reasonably priced (with no/little alcohol), to $800 at Trio.

There's too many choices!

[Fairy]

Oh, where to begin?! Personally, I would avoid the touristy places because there's so much in Chicago that is local and just so wonderful. Here are some thoughts for you (and they're a quick cab ride, five bucks, if they're not walking distance). Note, Navy Pier is all aobut touristy places.

1. Chicago Chop House. This is some of the best steak and seafood in town. Located near the Hard Rock Cafe along Ohio or Ontario Street (or thereabouts)

2. Cheesecake Factory. The biggest of the touristy hotspots, and packed and a nightmare in waiting time. But it's soooooooo good and worth the wait. Do LUNCH there, avoid dinner or you'll end up eating at 10pm. Located in the Hancock Building.

3. Smith & Wolinski's. Another wonderful steak and seafood place. It's a chain, but it's wonderful. Located just north of the Chicago River on LaSalle Street (or maybe Clark)

4. Lawry's. The place that invented the season salt. Very good Prime Rib. The service is hoity toity and makes me uncomfy, but the food is good.

5. Fogo de Ciao. YUMMY. Brazilian steak house that has the meat on skewers and they come around and just keep giving you whatever cuts of meat (all kinds of diff meat and fish and chick) until you puke. The salad bar is to die for and worth the price of admission alone. It's expensive. Worth every penny. Dinner place. This and the Chop House are my faves. Located on LaSalle Street a block north or so of the Rock & Roll McDonalds (3 blocks north of the Chicago River, which is Wacker Drive)

6. Ed Debevicks. This is another tourist trap, but it can be fun if you're into that kind of thing. It's a diner-style place with 50's food and servers being obnoxious and insulting. Seriously. People love it. I don't, but lots of folks do.

[mamica]

Quick Lunch:
Fox & Obel
Big Bowl
Blue Oyster Lounge at Shaw's
Grand Lux Cafe: HUGE menu; and YUMMY; I've heard it's good for breakfast/brunch too
Elephant & Castle is your traditional pub food
Pierrot Gourmet is on the ground floor of the Peninsula; has a french/european flair (quiches, pastries)


Sushi:
Kamehachi, definitely: They have a location betw/Marriott and NP
Blue Water Grille: sister of the famed NYC sushi place...also with other seafood options...but this is west of the Marriott, away from NP

Pizza:
Giordano's is located not far from the Marriott

Nicer/Pricier dinners:
Saloon, definitely, for steak: not as touristy as some of the others (my personal opinion is that the Chophouse is overrated); Smith and Wollensky is also very good for a chain, and nice views on the Chicago river
Rosebud for traditional Italian; huge portions
Rosebud Steakhouse
Tru: very pricy, very contemporary; jacket required, 3-hour dinners
Joe's Stone Crab: offshoot of the South Beach mainstay w/the famous stone crab claws, but they also serve excellent steak with lots of other seafood options
Shaw's Crab House: a nice "date" place; seafood
Riva is a seafood place on NP, but I think it's overpriced b/c of the views
Bice is good, more contemporary Italian
Shanghai Terrace at the Peninsula is great asian food

Chicago has SO many great food options! The hotel concierge can help you out as well, I'm sure. Have a blast!

[elephantmeg]

This is where my brother sent me when I was looking for a good restaurant in chicago. It's set for near his old digs (we went to Mon Ami Gabi, oh my gosh the best food I've had since France!) but you can choose your area, read reviews and drool. Have fun, I can't wait to go back to Chicago (can you tell I live in a hick town?) :)

http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/search/venues.front?regComm=C%3Ammx-lincoln-park&attributeType=mmx-cuisine

[chiqanita]

Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder! Love it! Love it! Love it! Just a few miles from downtown. I always get the personal pizza. It comes upside down and is turned over when they serve it to you. You gotta try it!

http://www.centerstage.net/restaurants/chicago-pizza-oven-grinder.html

[tiapam]

The Weber Grill Restaurant is nearby and they actually cook the food on Weber grills:

539 N. State Street
Chicago IL 60610
Tel: 312-467-9696
http://www.webergrillrestaurant.com/index.html

I have eaten at one of the other locations and enjoyed it. Since it is so close, I would go there for lunch.

A short cab ride away is excellent Mexican:
http://www.salpicon.com/

And if you are with a group this tapas place is great. It's a short cab ride or good walk:
http://www.cafeiberico.com/

Have fun!

-Pam

DD - Two years old!

[DebbieJ]

>
>Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder! Love it! Love it! Love it!
>Just a few miles from downtown. I always get the personal
>pizza. It comes upside down and is turned over when they
>serve it to you. You gotta try it!
>
>http://www.centerstage.net/restaurants/chicago-pizza-oven-grinder.html


Ooh!!! That place IS yummy!

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[Fairy]

Ooh, forgot to chime in for Sushi. The best sushi on the planet (or at least in the state) is at Itto Sushi. It's not remotely downtown, it will require a cab or bus, but it's worth it. Wonderful.

[Fairy]

Another big vote for this. Excellent stuff.

[JulesinChicago]

Another great Mexican place, a few blocks west (around Clark & Grand?):

Frontera Grill - DELICIOUS Mexican. Not Tex-Mex, but regional Mexican cooking. Very reasonable prices and consistently rated (in Zagats) among the top places to eat in Chicago. Killer margaritas. No reservations, but get there when the doors open (5 or 5:30) and you won't have to wait long. The chef/owener is Rick Bayless, who has a show on PBS, Mexico One Plate at a Time.

Enjoy your trip!

Julie

[wagner36]

Yes, the Frontera Grill is fabulous. And if you want to go out to a fancier dinner (with no wait - Frontera gets really crowded) go to the sister restaurant Topolobambo. It's divine. And they take reservations, but make them now!

My other favorite more-moderate mexican in the city is the Adobo Grill or Salpicon (I think Pam mentioned this one).

If you're a steak person, I also second Joe's (steak and stone crab). Very good!

[Jen841]

This is where we shared our news of being pregnant to my parents years ago : )

There are 2 tapas restaurants downtown, the names are escaping me.... fun!

We moved 2 years ago, but I would highly recommend (I assume they are all still open)...
Mambo Grill (is it still around?, great mushroom sandwich)
Italian Village- all floors are good

QUICK sandwiches... Potbelly's, or order in Pockets (no atmosphere, but great sandwiches), or Corner Bakery- their chicken salad is wonderful.

Our favorite north part of the city mexican, BYOB, Mamacita's... my mouth is watering!

Fun place, decent food, House of Blues.

Fun place for drinks and music, the RedHead.
Bandera on Michigan Ave was very good, must get the cornbread

[lizamann]

Oh yeah - Frontera Grill! Ignore what I said in my earlier post and GO TO FRONTERA (or Topolobamba). It's definitely one of the most "internationally" famous restaurants we have.

[DebbieJ]

Another vote for Frontera.

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg