Well, this Easter weekend la familia is going to Chicago. What is a must see/do/go? Silly me, but I already have tix for the Blue Man Group at 10pm on Friday. What? My mother-in-law seems to like them. Restaurant, especially Peruvian ones, suggestions are needed. I plan to head to Lou Mitchell's because I am a breakfast kind of guy. Gotta love those kind of places. Orange also looks interesting. Museums? That Colombian steak house Tablas sounds good. Local theater? Hookers? Ahh, just wanted to see if you were reading. Wouldn't mind to meet any of you guys for lunch or something. Looks like rain and more rain...guess wind is always in the forecast, but that doesn't matter. I never get weekends off and plan to make the best of things. TIA and possible rep to follow. Faces. Names. You know the deal.
You can't go wrong with Lou Mitchell's. There isn't anything better. My suggestion for a Peruvian place would be Rinconcito Sudamericano on Armitage and Damen. If you're in the mood for Italian, I recommend Francesca's. It's a local chain with several locations in the city and suburbs. I've been to the ones on Taylor and Bryn Mawr, but the one on Clark (Mia Francesca) would be a good choice to go to the night you're going to see Blue Man Group. For Greek, Parthenon on Halsted, just north of Van Buren isn't the most stylish restaurant on the strip, but it has hands down the best food at the best prices, and free valet. The MCA is very cool, and right off Michigan Avenue if you're planning on heading there. I always recommend the Mexican Fine Arts Center (19th and Damen) Museum because it has an amazing collection and it's free. Everyone who goes there seems to love it, and it's the only place my Colombian friends go to for Colombian food. For online help: http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/ http://www.chireader.com/
You shouldn't skip the Art Institute. It's amazing. I've always got to pimp the best vegetarian restaurants in the city: the Chicago Diner and Green Zebra, the latter being haute veggie cuisine. Steppenwolf is the one of the most important theater companies in the country, although I'm not sure what they're playing now or whether you'd be able to get tickets. The original Uno's is worth the hype. Not Due's across the street, not any of the chain places, the original. You might find shopping on Michigan Ave. and Oak St. enjoyable. Why not dip into La Perla and pick up something slinky for the missus?
Las Tablas is a must. Also, if you have time, why don't you go to the top of the Hancock to the Signature Lounge. The Signature Room is a restaurant and you will need reservations, but the Signature Lounge is just a bar and it's free to get in. Buy a drink and enjoy the view. Blue Man Group is fun. If you get the chance, why don't you also stop by and meet me. Maybe you can negative rep me and call me plastic.
PM me if you want to meet. I am leaving either sometime tonight or early Friday from Columbus, Ohio. I could at least PM you my cell phone number if you find some open time. I still don't know where we are going to stay, in the city, downtown, way outside...searching locations, I'll have my truck to park, too. I'd like to buy you a cool cerveza at that lounge. I promise not to make fun of Peyton anymore. Was thinking of a Bulls game but they only had SRO seats left. I didn't feel like standing in the 300s section. Thanks guys and if this applies...Happy Easter. Outta rep for the moment, but I'll get back to you all.
As the brain continues to work here... Where are you guys going to watch the Mexico/USA match? I hope some place has the Brasil/Peru match. Gotta check the start times.
Garcia, Don't know how much this will help, but I put a thread re going to Chicago this weekend up a while ago. Loads of people gave some really helpful idea's for eating and going out. Most of which Im going to do my best to fit in. Im also going to get to the Blue Man group, though haven't got tickets...... Enjoy your weekend!! Thread re Info on Chicago
After calling dishnetwork, it seems that Las Tablas, Los Recuerdos and La Mitad del Mundo (all in the 773) will have the match. I don't know how updated that list was because my dad is showing the match in Columbus and he wasn't listed as anything close to my home zip code. What is Los Recuerdos like anyway? The 812 area code is in Indiana and Legacy of the Incas may also have this match. Gotta get there early I'd guess and not forget that Chicago is on Central time, right? Anyway, I have somethings in the works and thanks again everyone. Rick, I'll double check that link. I seem to remember that thread.
Breakfast eh? Hit up Ann Sather's and have one of their cinnamon rolls. They are unreal... Another good and cheap place for breakfast is Nookies Too in Lincoln Park on Halsted.
Essentially, a paisa bar holding out against the gentrification of the area. It's normally a dance place, but for games, they have big screens on 4 or 5 walls, and cram as many chairs into the place as possible. I'm surprised that there are that many places showing the games. Last year, Los Recuerdos was the only place in the city that was guaranteed to have them all. Unapologetically unsophisticated, and the first choice of all the sudamericanos. If there's more than one game on a day, you can pay to watch all the games, and if you leave early, they'll refund you at the door for the games you didn't stay to watch. It's not a big place, though, so it does fill up and people get turned away at the door. I've never been to Mitad del Mundo, Las Tablas is definitely a more comfortable place, but it's BYOB.
I noticed in the other thread that you're staying at the Hyatt Regency, so the Art Institute is a short walk down Michigan. The Hyatt is intertwined with a few other buildings, so you can walk inside all the way to Michigan and Lake, and then it's about 4 blocks down Michigan. I wouldn't miss it, I go there about once every three years and spend a good four hours there each time. I work directly across the street, but have tomorrow off. That said, the work crowds should be down a bit, especially after 3:00; the local train service is expecting a lot of early dismissals. Have a great time while you're here.
i looked around for a chicago thread because in april i'm going to chicago. i chose this one among several because it's the only one that didn't go 100% foodie (jesus h., is that all you guys think about?) i already have the art institute, the field and the science and industry museums circled; we have tix to see the cubs too. as for restaurants we're pretty well set (unless you have tips in hype park or garfield park, bearing in mind we're not big on meat). bars are useless since i'll be with a teenager. what i'm mostly interested in is offbeat stuff only chicagoans would know; like the cannonball in the wall of the hotel de sens in paris or the fire hydrant at 20th and dolores in SF... also any cool neighborhoods to check out. thanks for any insight you may have!
I'm interested, also. My wife suggested we visit Chicago this summer because we will be so close already (St. Louis ). I asked her what we would do, because I really have no idea what the attractions are, having never been there before. Of course she has no idea what to do there, either (again with the ). A couple of basic questions are, how expensive is it (this is relative, I know) and how easy is it to navigate around the city? Can you stay downtown and walk to a decent number of destinations? Or would you taxi, take the trains, whatever? We would be driving in, but I don't fancy the idea of driving around a huge city I've never been to before - unless that is actually a good idea?
When I was in Chicago, Hyde Park wasn't known for restaurants. Old School Uof C folks will tell you that Mellow Yellow is the place to go. In my experience, it was a decent diner, but there are three within walking distance of where I live now that are as good or better. And there's Medici's at which I've had decent food and one of the crappiest dining out experiences ever. There absolutely HAS to be new places, but those are the definitive old school U of Chicago places. Now... Bookstores: the Seminary Co-op (which seems to have moved since my day) and of course for used books, Powells.
Ha, old schooler! What about Valois? Hyde Park has gone all gentrified now, there are several places where you can blow you money on second-rate small plate froufrou restaurants. The best food is ethnic -- a couple of good Middle Eastern places, a Korean cafe, that sort of thing. The area also is developing a growing number of strange combo restaurants, for example a pizza/sushi spot and an Indian/soul food restaurant. Go figure.
1) they 86'ed me when I pronounced it VALL-oyse. 2) Speaking of gentrification, that reminds me of how a friend described Hyde Park when he lived there: "nowhere else in the city will you see whites and blacks standing shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm, united in their struggle against the lower classes." I seem to remember hearing sushi on pizza being a New York thing... and I can sort of see the Indian/Soul connection. However, if it's an excuse to put frou-frou food on small plates, forget it.
Sorry: I missed this. Downtown is easy walking access to the Art Institute and the Museum of Contemporary Art, and if you're there during Taste of Chicago, you'll be at an advantage (there are a few other things in the parks downtown) But my favorite parts of Chicago are outside of downtown. The el is pretty easy to navigate, but someone who's been there more recently than I have will have to give you pointers. For instance, in my day, I'd have people get on the brown line and get off either at Belmont, Southport, or Western and be an easy walk from good and affordable restaurants. But as JohnR points out, gentrification has made my mental map obsolete.
Ha! With you on that. But no worries. An Indian family bought a soul food place, changed the menu, but kept a few old favorites. Pretty hard to find a soul food place these days, of course -- like finding a blues club. Dying breeds.
Good, affordable restaurants - Any where on the red line north of the city Chinatown Bridgeport Pilsen Hyde Park Plus probably most on the brown line to the north, too, but I know those areas less well. All good neighborhoods for exploring too. With Uptown being quasi gentrified, you're now safe anywhere on the red line between downtown and Howard -- can get off anywhere, not a problem.
1) Hotels tend to be expensive in the summer (winter not so much) 2) Restaurants are big-city pricey in downtown/near North, that is the tourist and business areas, and in the frou-frou places in other neighborhoods. 3) If you stay downtown, which is a fine idea nothing wrong with that, you can walk to a whole lot of stuff, and take the El (i.e. subway, sorta) to everything else. 4) Driving in Chicago isn't bad, really, but I wouldn't advise it ... parking will kill you and it's slow due to the traffic.
If you want actual Chicago deep dish pizza (not stuffed pizza) go to Pequod's. If there is a long wait, stay. I believe you can also call ahead, order your pizza and say you are eating in and they will reserve a table for you. Takes 30ish minutes to cook. http://pequodspizza.com/ If you want thin crust I would go with Brick's. The original location is in the basement on an apartment building in Old Town. The stairs to the lower level look very scary, but don't worry. You will not be attacked! http://brickschicago.com/ There is another location that is much bigger/nicer located in North Center (Irving Park Brown Line Stop). I would recommend that neighborhood to wander around in. Half Acre Brewing is located there, although the Tap Room gets packed and they no longer do free tours. There is a small brewery that just opened called Begyle Brewing. I think they have a tasting room, not sure on tours. If you are in North Center and you don't want pizza, I'd go with a burger at Bad Apple or German food at Lachett's Inn. If you are looking for a good place for a quite drink head to Mrs Murphy & Son's Irish Bistro. Owned by the people that own Murphy's Bleachers near Wrigley. The bar is way in the back down a long hallway, but they have a great beer list and good whisk(e)y list. Food is kind of overpriced, so just good for beer. It never really gets crowded either, and almost everyone in there will be locals.
Went there about a week after it opened, and about a dozen times before moving away. Terrific stuff. I don't remember worrying about getting jumped, but I recall thinking that I wouldn't want to take on these stairs while under the influence.