# Heading for Chicago again - restaurants wanted. OH! And bitters! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2007, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627 "2007-03-05T03:40:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trivial\_Trivia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Trivial\_Trivia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trivial_Trivia)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/1 "2007-03-05T03:40:28Z")
I’ve been there several times and I’m going back from 9 to 12 March (Friday through Monday). Science and Industry is the only major museum I’ve not yet seen so it’s on my to-do list; otherwise I shall spend the weekend bababa-ing over De-niece and drinking. I’m looking for some restaurant recommendations. I live in the hinterlands these days and ethnic cuisine is rare, other than Somali or Mexican (NOT Taco Hell - real Mexican). I miss Korean BBQ and Mid-East food the most. Web searches say Old Jerusalem is the place to go for the latter but I’ve not found anything regarding the former. Any recommendations from the locals? Any other non-American-vanilla places I should check out? Regarding bitters - Fullers ESB is the only decent kind I can locally find (on- or off-sale). Any good beer shops in town? The closer to Humboldt Park the less…uh…_persnickety_ my hosts. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/2 "2007-03-05T04:04:06Z")
When I’m in Chicago with my family we usually go to [The Parthenon](http://www.theparthenon.com/restaurant-main.htm) in Greek Town. My Greek grandpa gets squid and octopus and stuff like that, but I prefer the leg of lamb. It usually has a sort of crowded, boisterous atmosphere, so I wouldn’t say it’s the best place for intimate dining. More of a good-time family place. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/3 "2007-03-05T04:52:49Z")
I used to live in the neighborhood where the Museum of Science and Industry is located, and there is a great middle-eastern restaurant there called **Cedars of Lebanon**. Middle-eastern food is my favorite cuisine, and I used to eat at that place a lot. Since you are going to be down that way visiting the museum, I highly recommend trying it out. There is also a great, very causal, cajun restaurant there called **Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop** , if you are in a different kind of mood that day. Love both of those places. Have fun while you are in town! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/4 "2007-03-05T17:20:20Z")
Giordano’s, 53rd and South Blackstone, for yummy Chicago deep-dish pizza. [Here’s](http://chicagolife.uchicago.edu/city/hp_dining.shtml) a list of Hyde Park eateries. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/5 "2007-03-06T00:21:04Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] When I’m in Chicago with my family we usually go to [The Parthenon](http://www.theparthenon.com/restaurant-main.htm) in Greek Town. My Greek grandpa gets squid and octopus and stuff like that, but I prefer the leg of lamb. It usually has a sort of crowded, boisterous atmosphere, so I wouldn’t say it’s the best place for intimate dining. More of a good-time family place. [/QUOTE] OOPA!! I’ll second that recommendation. I’ve had work-related dinners at the Parthenon twice this winter. Wow! I thought I was going to burst from all the food they kept bringing out. Good stuff. If you go, **Trivial** , make sure you get the saganaki. OOPA! I’d also recommend [Leonas](http://www.leonas.com/locations.html). They have some great Italian food plus the standard fare. Great ribs, too. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/6 "2007-03-06T00:53:01Z")
I think they have Bodyworlds on exhibition at the Museum of S&I right now. There’s a Korean place on 55th and…Cornell, I think, pretty close to the M of S&I. It’s pretty decent but I’ve never had their BBQ. Most of the fancier Korean places are further north. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/7 "2007-03-06T01:32:52Z")
LTHForum.com is where you want to go for the best restaruant recommendations. Pictures, intelligent and thoughtful discussion, get togethers and group dinners, it’s the Straight Dope of food sites. You can search for cuisines, but the best bet is to look for their Great Neighborhood Recommendations lists or GNR for short. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/8 "2007-03-06T04:43:49Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/9 "2007-03-06T04:45:35Z")
Moto, for something different. > **[Moto - Chicago, IL](https://www.yelp.com/biz/moto-chicago)** > > Specialties: Inventive. Innovative. Artistic. Imaginative. Thought provoking. Futuristic. Inspired. All words used to describe Homaro Cantu's moto, an internationally recognized leader in the world of molecular gastronomy. A term with many... ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/10 "2007-03-06T05:00:52Z")
[QUOTE=furt] Moto, for something different. [http://www.yelp.com/biz/7QzBX3OKNV2Jda6nXUSf2g](http://www.yelp.com/biz/7QzBX3OKNV2Jda6nXUSf2g) [/QUOTE] I think one of my girlfriend’s friends works at this restaurant, or at least is involved with it somehow. They supposedly use lasers to cook the food, or something. Sounds a little too esoteric for my tastes (I prefer hearty, filling, straightforward food) but if you want a unique experience it sounds like a good choice. ---
**Author:** ![Trivial\_Trivia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@Trivial\_Trivia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trivial_Trivia)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/11 "2007-03-06T23:33:07Z")
We actually have resevervations for Moto on Saturday night, and the place had better be worth every penny of the $165 16-course prix fixe menu with accompanying $85 wine menu. This doesn’t solve my Korean BBQ issue, however. Perhaps no such thing exists in Chicago? ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/12 "2007-03-06T23:53:21Z")
Korean bbq exists. Goto [Metromix.com](http://Metromix.com) and do a restaurant search. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/13 "2007-03-07T00:23:48Z")
Not a beer shop, but this place - [Hopleaf](http://www.hopleaf.com/home.html) - has one of the best beer selections in town. Something like 30 beers on tap and well over 250 in bottles, mostly Belgian but plenty of other choices to keep you happy. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heading-for-chicago-again-restaurants-wanted-oh-and-bitters/394627/14 "2007-03-07T00:41:37Z")
**MikeG** is right on. Run, don’t walk (virtually) to [lthforum.com](http://lthforum.com/bb/index.php) and run your eyes over the Great Neighborhoods awards forum. Similarly, be sure to use the search feature to check out any restaurant before you decide to hit it up. Korean BBQ and Middle eastern foods are plentiful. Again, LTHforum will set ya right.