FYI, there’s a Groupon for Pizzeria Due if you’re looking to save some money. You might also check Groupon for attraction discounts, they tend to disappear in summer, but you might luck out.
Uno also does deep dish cooking classes if you’re interested. My wife and I went a couple years ago. We had a lot of fun and had some really good pizza (even though I prefer Malnati’s)
The deep dish cooking class looks great. We’re a bunch of foodies.
You’re in luck then. Chicago has a lot of great restaurants. While you can find them all over the city some neighborhoods have more than their fair share.
Focus on the West Loop (mainly west Randolph Street in the West Loop) and River North (where Pizzeria Uno/Due is among many, many other restaurants). In either locale you can easily walk to many restaurants.
Gold Coast has some good places but touristy and over priced for it. Pretty much anything on or very near Michigan Avenue is the same.
Lincoln Square is coming along well with a few fun restaurants but it is a fair hike from the city center.
Chicago steak houses are very good. Also VERY pricey.
Lots of gems sprinkled all over but you’d need to make a request for something in particular to get pointed in the right direction.
Chicago also has one three Michelin Star restaurant that is compared to the best in the country but you need a second mortgage to eat there. That said I have heard from people who have been you can get nearly as good a meal for a lot less (but still very expensive) at a few other places (Oriole was one I think).
Forgot:
Also Wicker Park/Bucktown (fun area but a little ways out from the city center…not real far but a cab ride for sure…mass transit if you are game).
This is definitely a YMMV type opinion, but I don’t care for either of those neighborhoods. Maybe it’s just because they’re a pain in the butt to get to by transit from Lakeview but every hyped restaurant I’ve been to when I head out that way has been overpriced and not worth it.
I agree. I also live in Lakeview and getting there is a HUGE pain in the arse. I almost never go.
Also, it is the new yuppie stronghold (Lincoln Square is coming along). So not really my crowd either.
But there are some good restaurants and bars there (I actually lived here for a bit so know (knew) the hood). It is not a bad choice to visit. The area is pretty alive and buzzing. You can have fun.
Being a Lakeview resident I can get the same closer so rarely go any more but that is just me.
Logan Square has some decent restaurants and bars too. Again, not close to city center.
Oh, and if you’re looking for an evening activity, The Second City is always a good time. Pick any show; I saw the current E.T.C revue and the cast is superb. It’s a short Uber or cab ride from downtown. Afterwards, grab a pint at the Old Town Ale House, the Chicago-est dive bar you’ll ever find.