Where should I eat in Chicago?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’d look up restaurants in “best of Chicago” websites, but there’s one thing I’m keenly aware of. I live in Portland, Oregon, and the restaurants I go to rarely make the “best of” lists. Most “best of” places are listed because they are A) touristy or B) famous. Or they pay to get on those lists (more common than you might think).

I’m specifically looking for places NOT touristy, and definitely not “famous.” I don’t want to have a two hour wait for medicore food at a Chicago “landmark.”

I’ll be staying in the Loop without a car or too much time to waste going long distances, so any suggestions have to be walking or El distance from The Congress Plaza Hotel.

So…where should I go for: Pizza (I love double crust pizza), barbecue, Thai, and Middle Eastern food? Who has great microbrews?

Where’s a great place for breakfast?

What other restaurants that don’t fit those categories?

Thank you! I’ll report back when I return next week.

2

Here’s a list of some of my favorite Chicago eateries.

Billy Goat 309 W. Washington St. 312-899-1873 (Cheezborgers) - Of Saturday Night Live fame. Original is located on lower Michigan under the Wrigley Building. A basically good greasy cheeseburger on a kaiser roll. Amenities are in the “dive” category, rowdy and noisy. Good quick lunch place downtown.

Mama Falco’s 7 N. Wells St. 312-782-6576 (Quick Itallian) - Great quick lunch Itallian downtown.

Mister J’s 822 N. State St. 312-943-4679 (Pork Chop Sandwich) - Mmm Mmm Mmm. Typical Chicago-style hot dog joint with great specialty sandwiches.

Mr. Beef 666 N. Orleans St. 312-337-8500 (Beefs) - Chicago Itallian beef. Is there such a thing as an Italian beef sandwich outside Chicagoland?

Perry’s 180 N. Franklin St. 312-372-7557 (Huge Deli Sandwiches) - Better be hungry. Deli sandwiches as big as your head.

Portillo’s 100 W. Ontario St. 312-587-8930 (Sandwiches, Pasta, Ribs) - Local Chicago chain, throw a dart at the menu, you can’t go wrong.

Chicago Chop House 60 W. Ontario St. 312-787-7100 (Fancy, Steak, Chops) - Gangster era motif. Top of the line midwest beef.

Leona’s 3215 N. Sheffield Ave. (Casual, Itallian) - Walk from Wrigley Field. Big portions, very tasty. Perhaps my favorite thin crust pizza in Chicago.

Original Pancake House 22. E. Bellevue Pl. 312-642-7917 (Casual, Breakfast) - If you’re a breakfast kind of person, this is the place.

Su Casa 49 E. Ontario St. 312-943-4041 (Casual, Mexican) - Fairly standard Mexican fare, but it kept me coming back.

Lou Malnati’s 439 N. Wells St. - My favorite Chicago deep dish pizza. Several locations.

Pizzeria Due 619 N. Wabash Ave. 312-943-2400
Pizzeria Uno 29 E. Ohio St. 312-321-1000 - Located almost kitty-corner from each other, this is where Chicago deep dish pizza was invented. Both places are very good. Don’t even think about getting in near prime time though.

Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders 2020 N. Clark - Unique pizza and specialties. Across the street from the St. Valentines Massacre site … LOL. A must-visit in my book.

Bonappetit :slight_smile:

3

I agree with all these places. But I’d get the artichoke at Leona’s. It’s to die for.

Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinders is awesome. One of the best pizzas around.

4

Indeed – after visiting Chicago it’s near impossible to find Italian beef that comes close to the manna they serve in the city.

I heartily recommend Lou Malnati’s, as the above posters already mentioned. Best deep dish I’ve ever had!

5

One more vote for Lou Malnati’s Pizza. I’m a Florida boy who had never had REAL Chicago-style deep dish pizza (the Pizzeria Uno chains hardly count), and Lou Malnati’s was a mind-blowing experience. I also had Portillo’s on one of my two Chicago trips, and you can’t go wrong there either.

6

When I was in Chicago last I ate a few times at a quiet little restaurant called My Tai, on Michigan Ave a few blocks north of the Art Institute. I have no idea if this place has GOOD Thai, but we certainly enjoyed it. For all I know it was the Thai equivalent of all the sit-down (non-buffet) Chinese places around here.

It’s making me really hungry thinking about it, though.

And they have Thai beer. But I didn’t try any.

7

Portillo’s rocks in a fast foody sort of way. Their chicken croissants are awesome.

8

For non-pizza Italian, you can’t beat Italian Village, 71 W. Monroe.

A third vote for Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders, but if you go, go early.

I have less experience with Loop restaurants than northside neighborhoods, but The Berghoff, 17 W. Adams is quite good, as are Brasserie Jo at 55 W. Hubbard, and Bistro 110, 110 W. Pearson St.

9

Check out
Chowhound

and my favorite Chicago dining site (its new so you might not get as fast a response)

LTH forum

10

I liked Grand Lux Cafe when I was there over spring break, but I don’t know how to get there.

(Wow, could I be more useless?)

11

A couple other places:

Cajun food: Red Fish or Heaven on Seven, both located just north of the loop.

Greek town, (Diana’s) just west of the loop.

12

I’d have to second Greek town. We used to go there all the time when we lived there. There was a row of Greek restaurants, all different. Diana’s was the “nicest,” and had the best dolmades. Another place was grungier, had a belly dancer, and had better gyros.

We lived in Park Ridge. There there was Walters, which had an eclectic menu and everything was good. Excellent pastries, too.

13

You can walk from the Congress Plaza to Walter’s, but it’ll take a while.

14

For Middle Eastern, try Reza’s at Ontario and Orleans. Its more on the Northwest corner of the Loop but its near many of the tourist attractions.

I was fortunate enough to visit Reza’s just a few weeks ago and I was blown away by how good the food and service was. We had a large party with several small children and some picky adults and we were absolutly pleased with everything. They have a generous vegetarian menu but we mostly got skewered and grilled meat dishes. We shared most everything and the beef, chicken, lamb, shrimp, scallops and veggies were simply wonderful. Its served on a huge pile of delicate dilled rice that was just deliciogurgles.

You can’t miss with Greek Town.

And kelly5078, I’ve lived in Park Ridge on and off (On for the summer) for twenty years and I still haven’t been to Walters. I’ve gotta say, tho…I’ve heard mixed reviews.

15

Twin Anchors. - best ribs in town (and you can take the train there). Long waits in peak hours.

Original Pancake House - already mentioned.

If you want to go to Leona’s there is one downtown on Franklin.

16

Another vote for Reza’s. I adore that place, and yeah, the dilled rice is superb. Their lamb skewers rock, as do the shrimp.
I don’t know if it’s still there but there used to be a great little Swedish pastry/breakfast place across the street; don’t remember the name. (Isn’t that helpful?)
I enjoy The Berghoff mainly for their creamed spinach and because the surly waiters are such a kick. (They’re fast and good but none of this hokey “My name is Brad and I’ll be…” stuff.) I’m also a sucker for weinerschnitzel and dark bread.

17

I love breakfast, and can recommend Lou Mitchell’s at 565 W. Jackson Blvd, near Union Station. Probably will be crowded, but you get warm donut holes and Milk Duds while you wait. Great omlettes. Diner atmosphere, been there since 1923.

18

Go to Navy Pier (touristy, I know) and get an elephant ear from one of the little stands. Get me one while you’re at it.

19

IMHO, Twin Anchors has meat jello, not BBQ. We have good BBQ but you have to travel a bit, Lems down on 79th is good, Honey 1 out on Division is great, it all depends on whether you have a car or not.

For Thai, I’d go with TAC Quick on Sheridan at Irving or Thai Aree on Milwaukee.

For microbrews I suppose you could try Goose Island over by North and Clybourn but Hopleaf on Clark just S of Foster is an amazing Belgian bar that has an incredible selection and is a block south of Reza’s so you can kill two birds with one stone.

It really matters where you are staying and what your transportation is. The websites I linked to will give you tons of good advice and reviews on great food without the “Best Of” mentality you see in the big magazines.

20

Blasphemy!

The meat there falls off the bone - and the sauce is so damn good. I understand that some people don’t prefer their meat so tender, but I love it. To each their own. :slight_smile: