While we’re on the topic of going to Chicago…I’m going to be there for two nights in late July. I am under the impression that I can get a 3-day transit pass for $15 on a Ventra card at O’Hare’s L station. Is it as easy as putting $15 into the machine, pushing some button that says “3-day pass,” and the machine spits out the card, or do I have to jump through some hoops involving the phone app to do this? (Or perhaps it’s easier to get three $5 one-day passes?)
You can get 1-day ones from vending machines. I think the O-hare machine also has 3-day passes.
If you’re willing to trust me with a mailing address, I’ll send you a 7-day pass. I have some extra I’m not going to use.
I ordered my Ventra card online and they mailed it to me.
Huh, I’ve always just walked around Chicago. I’d rather sightsee (and people-watch) than spend my time figuring out public transit. And I’m in my '70s and out of shape, so I walk slowly. But I’ve confined myself to the Loop (well, from the Field Museum through Grant Park then across the river for shopping and pizza places).
SO glad for all these recommendations! And glad to hear someone likes Pizzeria Uno (too long a wait at Lou Malnati’s, so we took guests to Uno… and had an Italian Beef while we waited for our pizza). But I prefer thinner crust (seriously, “Stuffed Crust” is over a pound of cheese), so I’m glad to hear about Rosati’s!
Oh, do they ever! I always forget about Garrett’s until I’m there, and I have to bring some home for my wife.
Not my fault they were closed for renovations. I think I’ll wait until 2026 or 2027 before I visit again, though - next year I’ll probably go to Vegas instead. I did note a few places I might like to eat if/when I make it there again (the Berghoff’s menu looked appealing, but alas no time), I’ve been told the zoo is very nice, and I’d like an opportunity to actually visit Navy Pier if only just to walk it.
As an aside, I did come down with a non-covid respiratory infection on my last day in town, and it’s still annoying me enough that I had to leave work a few hours early tonight, but this is peanuts compared to last year’s run-in with rotavirus.
But - as I noted above - only if you’re eating it right away. Otherwise you’re gonna have soggy hot lettuce.
These days Google Maps does all the hard work of figuring out what route to catch and what station to go to. It’s a far cry from my teenage years in San Diego when I carried about two dozen different bus schedules around in my backpack and figuring out how to get anywhere I didn’t already know how to go to was a cartographic nightmare. Just punch in point A and point B and it tells you what you need to do - walk to this L station, ride this train for so many stops, go downstairs and get on this bus, and you’re there. I don’t think I had to wait longer than 10 minutes for a bus or train the entire trip (except on the way back from Second City, when there was some kind of delay on the Brown Line and I got tired of waiting and got an Uber instead).
Rosati’s, IMO, is good stuff if you like thin crust, but my experience with thin crust pizza is pretty much limited to Domino’s so YMMV.
Hah - about 10 years back, we were in town for a wedding, saying at the Union League Club. We were planning to meet a local friend for brunch. We asked 3 different family members for recommendations. All 3 said “Lou Mitchell’s - but they only take cash!”.
We’ve eaten at Giordano’s (same trip as the Lou Mitchell’s brunch, then again when we passed through Chicago 2 years back). My brother had two Malnati’s pizzas shipped to us last Christmas - they’re shipped in dry ice. Giordano’s also does that. I haven’t had one shipped from there, but I liked the Giordano’s in-store pizza better than the Malnati’s shipped pizza.
I’ll have to read through this thread more carefully - I’m visiting Chicago twice this year. Once in the summer, as part of a family jaunt, then once in the autumn to visit a friend for a week. We’ll be in the Hyde Park area both times.
They take cards now. Even the hot dog stands take cards now - all you need is a tablet and one of those little square card readers, really.
I’ve been told that Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder is still cash-only, and it was on the agenda, but mom didn’t feel like going that far from the Loop for a salad, even one as comically large as the one in their promo photos.
Yes, it is. We did this late last month. Bit of a pain that it’s O’hare (and one other place) which only does the 3 day passes. But no saving, a one day pass is 1/3 of a 3 day pass.
They also are valid 72 hours, so not until end-of-day, like some cities passes.
Same offer as @That_Don_Guy . I’ll mail you a 7-day pass if you’d like.
Thanks! I’ll PM you.
Likely I’d use one on the autumn trip; the one in the summer, we’ll have our car, but the autumn one, I’m taking the train out solo to visit my friend and it would be useful to be able to get to/from the train, and perhaps out to the 'burbs to visit my brother.
I am not walking (or taking a taxi/Uber) from O’Hare to downtown. 
At least Chicago has had its act together for a while and has a subway that goes to its largest airports; it took San Francisco and Washington, DC forever to do this. Okay, San Francisco was mainly the people in the county where the airport is located not wanting to pay an extra 1/4% sales tax starting back in the late 1950s…
And that’s a bad thing in what way, exactly?
It’s not two pounds.
I make a 16" pizza at home, somewhat thin crust. I use two 8 oz. bags of shredded mozzarella for that. It doesn’t seem outrageous to me. Sure, I could make it with just one bag, but two is way better. A pound of cheese is the standard pizza unit of cheese to me.
I’m bumping this thread because now I’m planning another trip to Chicago (It seems to be a popular destination). I was there for one day a few years ago basically as a long layover between Amtrak trains, and I felt like there was a whole lot more that I would have liked to see if I had more time. And I had a bunch of American Airlines miles to spend. And I realized I’ve only actually used three vacation days this year, so I really ought to take a vacation somewhere.
I’ll be there early fall, basically the last couple days of September and first few days of October. Given that season, what can I expect for weather? Obviously I know I need to prepare for colder weather than California, but how cold?
These are the few things I have planned so far:
Day 1 (Saturday): My flight arrives late afternoon. I doubt I’ll feel like doing a whole lot other than taking the L to my hotel and grabbing dinner.
Day 2: Wrigley Field tour in the morning. I naively assumed that they offered tours year-round, but when I looked for tickets I realized they only do them during the regular baseball season, apparently. Luckily, my first full day there coincides with the last day of the season, so I was able to book a tour that day. It is unfortunately a game day, so I won’t get to see as much as I would as on a non game day, but at least I get to visit the iconic park. (And I’m not really a baseball fan, so I’m not interested in actually watching a Cubs game).
I’ve got time to do something else that afternoon.
Day 3: Free, at the moment.
Day 4: Free during the day. That evening I made a reservation at Ever restaurant. If you’ve seen The Bear the season 2 episode “Forks” took place at a fictionalized version of Ever. It will be my first time at a Michelin starred restaurant, and I’m looking forward to it.
Day 5: Free
Day 6: Free during the day. I bought tickets to a taping of Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me at the Studebaker Theater that evening.
Day 7: Free, although I plan to check out of my hotel in The Loop and relocate to the airport Hilton, because my flight the next morning is earlish and I don’t want to be taking the L out to O’Hare at 6 in the morning.
Day 8: Depart that morning.
I definitely plan to see the Art Institute and the Museum of Science and Industry, I just didn’t plan those on specific days.
On my previous visit I already did the Architectural Boat Tour (which I enjoyed), the Willis Sears Tower, and the Field Museum, so I don’t need to do those again (although I didn’t get to see everything at the Field Museum because I got there kind of late). Any other boat tours you might recommend? Any perhaps less famous spots worth seeing?
As for dining, I liked the pizza I had at Giordano’s last time, but I understand it’s not exactly the traditional deep dish style. So maybe Lou Malnati’s this time. Or Pequod’s? I think this may have been discussed in this thread previously; I need to go back and re-read it.
Bring a swimsuit and a parka! 
Should be sweater weather, but your best option would be to have maybe a waterproof shell w/ a removable liner, which give you 3 options.
I would say that early October is the best weather in the area, but it could also vary widely. I guess it depends on your tolerance too, but you’re probably looking at 60 during the day. Could be chilly in the evening.
I’m excited for you for Ever. I’ve been to a couple Michelin star restaurants (one in Chicago), but none of them were that type of fancy.
Going to walk around the parks, see the Bean? The Zoo? You could do improv or see a show.
I didn’t catch the reference to Ever. When we went with another couple, I believe the bill was $2500 (they paid). Several of the courses were - um - quite inventive. But I (and my wife) preferred the $100 per plate lamb chops/filet and sides we had last weekend at Capital Grille.
And the final dessert course at Ever was a freaking donut! And not the best donut I’ve ever had.
(Funny story - the couple who treated us to Ever, the guy does not have a credit card, and he brought insufficient cash. So he was treating us, but I had to put it on my card. I couldn’t have cared less, but he was SO embarrassed.)
I am thinking I might try to get tickets to a show at Second City one night. Of course that’s another evening/nightlife thing.
I just got finished re-reading this thread, someone mentioned the Frank Loyd Wright home and studio tour. That sounds interesting.
As for the Lou Malnati’s vs. Pequod’s debate, I am leaning towards Lou Malnati’s, just because if I only have one pizza I would like to try the traditional Chicago deep dish. But I do have more time than the OP did, so maybe if I am in the mood for a second pizza I will head to Pequod’s.
Yeah, Giordano’s is popular (and not bad at all), but it’s technically “stuffed,” rather than the original “deep dish” style. For original-style deep dish, Lou’s, or Pizzeria Uno/Due* would probably be your best bets for downtown eating.
I’ve always read awesome reviews of Pequod’s, but it’s also slightly different (with a caramelized crust), and they aren’t located downtown.
*- Pizzeria Uno was the originator of deep-dish, and is located at Ohio and Wabash in River North; Pizzeria Due is their expansion location, a block north of the original. Same menu at both places.
Agreed. It could be in the 80s, and it could be in the 40s.