Going To Chicago
NeverEnoughMoney
300 Posts
I'm going to Chicago for the second time in a few weeks and I'm looking for some suggestions on what to do with my time. Last time I went, I didn't have a chance to do that many things that interested me, I plan to change that this time.Looking for great sites to seegood food to eatnice neighborhoods to visitrequired places to shopand, of course, vinyl spots to hit.Off the bat, I'm interested in seeing Frank Lloyd Wright's home, eating at Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder Co., maybe revisiting mk, checking out Green Mill, and shopping at Wicker Park.Any of this stuff not advisable?I got a lot of great feedback for my trip to SF last year and had a memorable visit, so any help would be appreciated.Thanks.
Comments
WTF are Duck Fat Fries...could they be as simple as they sound? and are they good?
NeverEnough: what type of food do you prefer? I know all the bangin vegetarian joints, and for pizza, it really depends what style you like. If you like Mexican food, I highly endorse Nuevo Leon on 18th/ Ashland.
Besides the Wicker Park stores like Reckless and Dusty Groove, you should try Hyde Park Records on 53rd.
Theres a new Egypt exhibit at the Art Institue downtown right now.. looks amazing.
Pick up "The Reader" when you get into town. All the events going on in the city are in there, and you can find em almost everywhere in town.
Thanks for the recommendations. I like many different kinds of food - Indian, Korean, Italian, Southern, etc - but I'm mainly looking for food that's not only good, but provides a uniquely Chicagoan experience (or it's so good, that it is worth eating regardless of where it is located). I live in NY, so I don't really need to go to an Italian restauarnt that is just really good. But, if it is really good and it is in a unique space, it over looks a nice part of Chicago or there is something endemic about it, I'd want to go.
As for Pizza, I love all kinds, but I hear deep dish is the way to go...
So, feel free to school me.
man, if you have a car.. theres a Korean restaurant on the far north side called Amitabul... http://www.amitabul.getwebnet.com/ Sooo fucking good. My wife is not a vegetarian, but she couldnt beleive how good this place was. Get some date tea if you go!!!
I really like Wishbone on Washington st. Go for breakfast... its like Cajun mixed with the standards, but always busy and everything I've tried there is awesome. We go almost every 2 weeks.
The chicago mafia dudes always eat at Gaylord's for Indian food. Seems to be flame, but I haven't tried it.
I'm not a huge Pizza dude, but I always like some Giordanos, or Unos, or Lou Malnatis. Lou Malnati's might be the best of the 3 for deep dish. They have a delivery service that sends shit to California, and NY all the time apparently. Some real mafioso shit.
We_eat_trains is the dude to talk to about restaurants... maybe he cares to chime in.
yes it's as simple as it sounds. I've never had them because I'm vegetarian (although I've heard everything gets fried in some sort of lard, but whatever) but people that have swear by them.
Great to hear it man. Make sure to bring some records to the swap at Delilah's that day. And dude - any chance of a falafel rerun?? That place was the move. I'll holler at ya when I get into town.
BTW - we_eat_trains! Dcastillo! TerryClubbup! Luck! Pickwick33! LET'S GET THIS SOULSTRUT REUNION IN FULL EFFECT!
Hot Doug's is fucking heaven. The best hog dogs I've EVER had (and I live in Chicago). Well worth the trip.
What you know about Gaylord's? Strictly Vindaloo 4 Dayz.
Ditto on Amitabul. Its a haul - you'll start asking yourself "Am I still in Chicago?"-but its def. worth it for the super fresh, super heady vegetarian dishes. For some upscale (though Westernized) Korean with ambience, Jin Ju on N Clark and Foster in Andersonville is good.
As for Indian, the whole Devon strip is pretty safe, but I'd check out Sukhadia at 2559 W Devon if you're feeling adventurous. Its the Chicago outpost of the NY/NJ Indian sweets and chaat places. Super cheap, super intense flavors. Typically I'm the only white dude in the place, if that's any indication.
Marco - ever been to Sultan's Market? It's vegan central, for good reason. Maybe SoulVeg, too. But I can't stand Earwax's vegan fare. Let's get up.
Bonus: I'll play you this here moddy Alvin Williams squirrel.
Would anyone recommend checking out Green Mill w/o an act of interest playing just to check it out, or it isn't like that?
Any necessary stores to check out? Record or otherwise? A few suggestions have been thrown out...
Thanks.
Known by some as Uneatable.
Pita Inn in skokie is a hike but if you have a car, do it.
Its in the tourist trap area of michigan ave, but uno's really does have incredible deep dish pizza. (Due's is exactly the same as Uno's, a block away, and the lines are shorter)
My friends like House of Sushi and Noodles, 1610 W Belmont, if yr looking for japanese. I guess its not particularly 'chicago' though.
Carfagna's a curmudgeon. What did you get that you didn't like?
Marco: Sultan's Market is the place I brought yall before.
For upscale, you should try one of the blingy Greek joints in Greektown, on Halsted.
sunday would be a good look for me to meet up w/some of the strutset...
yo meaty it's tanner pm me your address cos i wanna stop by and sift phru ya records plus i need taht 7" joe
J*sh, The Green Mill is cool, but unless you can see Terry Callier or someone else of note, I'm not sure it would be worth spending an entire evening there. It's a nice place, but not sweet enough to go just to go. I'd sooner check out whoever is playing at the Jazz Showcase.
I have fond memories of seeing Bobby Hutcherson, Ahmad Jamal, and Pharoah Sanders there. Good times.
Were you at the matinee gig a few years ago when he had kids from the audience get up on stage, handed them mallets and play random notes on cue all along the bottom row (in C major)?
That was dope.
yao, your pms are off buddy, or it says youre not accepting em. turn em on
What is the best comfort food, rib joint in town?
My girl has a serious sweet tooth, where's the best place to satiate her craving?
Thanks.
1068 W Taylor
There are two Lem's on the southside, very classic bbq joints (bulletproof, cash only, limited menu options). I recommend the hot links, they are the traditional butcher shop style. One's on 59th, the other's on 75th just east of Indiana.
An old Chicago bbq with a bigger, new location is Captain Curt's on Cottage Grove just south of 81st street. Very solid, handcrafted links, very hot sauce, and choice rib tips. It's a little more expensive, but there is a wider variety of menu options and they take credit cards.
For the sweet tooth, two classic Chicago spots come to mind:
One is Blommer's Chocolate Factory, which on a windy day you can smell all over the city. It's at Milwaukee and Des Plaines, just northwest of downtown.
Margie's is an old timey, but legit, sundae shop at Western and Armitage. Cash only.
good food to eat[/b]
The aforementioned BBQ joints.
Hot Dougs (www.hotdougs.com)
Surprisingly, no one has mentioned Carne Asada at Pasadita. A local favorite.
The classic Chicago diner is Valois on 53rd St. in Hyde Park. The hash browns are recommended.
Top Notch in the Beverly neighborhood is highly recommended for custom made, hand ground burgers.
Original Pancake House in Hyde Park. Get the "49'ers" cakes.
nice neighborhoods to visit [/b]
Pilsen
Little Village
Hyde Park
Bronzeville
required places to shop [/b]
I'm told that American Apparel and H&M are quite popular.
and, of course, vinyl spots to hit. [/b]
Meaty Ogre's house?
There are no stores really worth going to.
Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder is fairly unpleasant, between the overblown Lincoln Park neighborhood and the crowds that tend to form there during any normal feeding time.
If you must have pizza in Chicago, I recommend Bricks on Lincoln Ave. for thin crust and Lou Malnati's for thick crust. There are three or four Lou Malnati's locations.
I only know the Leon's on Cottage Grove. I thought it was okay. It's obviously very popular, but that's not necessarily a good thing. Compared to Curt's, they cut a few corners. Is the one on Stony Island better?
I forgot this one. Here's my recommendation: public works. Chicago has some of the best public art. Millenium Park, the Picasso at the Thompson Center, the Chagall mural in the Loop. On a nice day, a tour of these beats a museum.
The Lincoln Park Zoo is free, and frankly a pretty nice zoo. It's also worth checking out the butterfly exhibit at the Notebaert Museum for an extra $3. Then you can walk to Oven Grinders without a hassle.
The Tut exhibit looks dope, but it's a $25 pricetag.