Chicago Restaurants

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Not all messages are displayed: show all messages (435 of them)

It just occured to me that I completely forgot to mention barbeque, which is inexcusable since Chicago is such a great bbq town. I would rank it,

Leon's at 79th and Stony Island
DD&S at 71st and Cottage Grove
Lem's at 59th and State
Curt's at 82nd and Cottage Grove

Lem's is the one you always see named as the "best", but while it is really good it's almost slightly overcooked, a tad dry. Also it's never quite as spicy as I like things, which is why my favorite is Leon's. Definitely don't order the spicy sauce unless you like things really spicy, but I love it. All these places have other locations on the south side but these are the ones I usually visit.

If you're downtown, check out Millar's Pub at Wabash and Adams, which is great inexpensive and a Chicago institution. Good people watching place. The ribs aren't my favorite, mainly 'cause they use too much molasses, but they're still pretty good. Lots of other stuff on the menu, very friendly place.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 01:08 (twenty-one years ago) link

I don't actually eat in Chicago much, but when I do it always seems to be at one of two places: either Russian Teatime or Roditys in Greektown.

I know much about dining in the western suburbs, though!

― Melissa W (Melissa W), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 01:19 (twenty-one years ago) link

Yeah, Greektown is one place I definitely need to get to again. Aside from drunken late-night gyros at Zorba's, I think I've only ever eaten there once, years ago (and I can't even remember which place). Which is insane because I like the food.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 01:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

Suburbs are included, Mel! What's good by you?

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 02:28 (twenty-one years ago) link

Oh yes, Pita Inn is fantastic.. Though ever since they expanded, the wait for food has become almost unbearable. And the lighting is a big too much.

But here are my favorites:

Little Home Vietnam: Damen/Ashland. Right under the Damen stop on the Brown line. The BEEF SPRING ROLLS are ORGASMIC. TRULY. They're the clear rice paper with chargrilled beef with peanuts, lettuce, carrots, greens, sprouts, and dip it in this LOVELY chilli oil. Its trulky unbelievable. Though the rest of the menu is sort of blah, except the lemongrass chicken is deliciously spicy.

Mirai Sushi: pretty good sushi, for chicago... i mean since its so far from any ocean.

Lou Malnatis Pizza: just get plain cheese. the meat layer is a bit too much.

Aruns: This 12 course Thai meal on the northside.. Really expensive, but oh so delicious.

Frontera Grill, Bistro 110, Yoshi's Cafe are pretty good. Kamahachi is awful.

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 04:28 (twenty-one years ago) link

Little Home Vietnam (my friend lives in that building) was terrible the two times I went. I prefer the Thai place across the street and on the other side of the L platform. The best Vietnamese restaurants are around Argyle/Broadway, but I can never remember the names. I know some of the good ones by sight. Avoid Furama.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 04:34 (twenty-one years ago) link

oh no no, the rest of the menu is pretty bland, its all about the BEEF SPRING ROLLS!!!!

― phil-two (phil-two), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 04:37 (twenty-one years ago) link

If the Bergoff is that German restaurant not too far from the Art Museum than I like to go there when I visit. Otherwise I would appreciate a Chicago poster accompanying me to one of the other restaurants suggested above the next time I am in Chicago (end of the summer?)

― marianna, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 10:25 (twenty-one years ago) link

Bring me twee mixtapes and I will happily swing you around the lot.

― nabisco (nabisco), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 17:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

Anybody been to Famous Dave's? It's one of the few suburban rib places that gets good reviews.
I'm not looking for the best ribs, just good ones that are close by

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Are you in the suburbs? Which way?

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

I be out in Bolingbrook (it's right by Naperville)

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

whoah, cool

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

That's the first time i got a 'cool' response from telling where I live.

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:31 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Bolingbrook" sounds so nice and Chicagolandy, 5-8-8-2-3 Hundred, Empire . . . yummy.

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:33 (twenty-one years ago) link

Bolling Oak Brook Park Forest would be the greatest.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:38 (twenty-one years ago) link

obv you've never been there.
(just kidding, it's really not that bad of a place as far as suburban wastelands go...we're sandwiched in between the yuppies (Naperville) and the, um, blue collar types (Romeoville) which gives us good diversity. plus, our mayor likes to par-tay (DUI) and we are the drug capital of the ~~midwest~~ nation)

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:40 (twenty-one years ago) link

tee-hee, I've played that game before, Amateurist

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

I love how people in Chicagoland pronounce hundred "hunnert."

― hstencil, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:42 (twenty-one years ago) link

The made up Chicagoland suburbs game is the most genius game ever! I live in North Trier, we are playing Deer Glen in the conference semi soccer bracket next month.

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

I so want to go to a Romeoville-Joliet game.

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

(All the action happens underneath the bleachers.)

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

Oh the things I've heard about New Trier!

hstencil, I think I'm usu closer to saying 'hunnerd'. In generally, nobody in my vicinity talks stereotypically Chicagoan (you know, 'hey dere, how youse doin')

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:49 (twenty-one years ago) link

I've lived here for 13 years and I always have to look up suburbs on the map. Whenever I go out of state and meet people and tell them where I'm from, they'll inevitably say "Oh! I have family in [park/oak/field/forest/brook/lake]". And I have to tell them I honestly have no idea where they are talking about.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

Suburb with name most likely to be that of a Death Metal band's album: Midlothian.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:54 (twenty-one years ago) link

I heard somewhere that there's like 1500 Chicago suburbs. 1500!! Can anyone verify?

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:55 (twenty-one years ago) link

I share Mr. Diamond's experience. I'm always sitting next to folks on planes who announce, "My aunt lives in Arlingdale Brook!" and I nod in incomprehension.

I don't know where any suburbs are except: the ones along the lake to the north (and then I start getting confused after Highland Park), Oak Park, and, er, Skokie.

My general feeling about the rest of the suburbs is that they don't need to exist.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:55 (twenty-one years ago) link

I think that's if you include all of the rest of Illinois as suburbs of Chicago.

― hstencil, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:55 (twenty-one years ago) link

Or rather didn't need to exist; I'm not recommending we bomb them or anything.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:56 (twenty-one years ago) link

Rest of Illinois? What do you mean? :)

Amateurist, you do want to to bomb LA though, right? Nothing but suburbs

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 19:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

Bomb the Suburbs? Who are you, Amateurist? William Upski Winnant?

― hstencil, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:01 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Amateurist, who are you?" was at one time a fave ILE catchphrase.

It was the "Daaaaalston" of early January 2003. "I blame hstencil" is what's happening now. Tight.

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:06 (twenty-one years ago) link

I was just saying that urban sprawl is a regrettable historical phenomenon. I generally try to temper my fear of suburbs with an understanding of why people move there and stay there. But I still am made physically ill by much of the suburban landscape.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:09 (twenty-one years ago) link

If you want to understand better how suburbanization happens and why, I suggest reading Borderland: Origins of the American Suburb, 1820-1939 by John Stilgoe.

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:13 (twenty-one years ago) link

felicity, someone else has gotta revive the "I blame hstencil" thread besides me!

Amateurist:

― hstencil, Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:18 (twenty-one years ago) link

(Felicity: I used that book for my senior thesis!)

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:28 (twenty-one years ago) link

Well then you should have a good understanding of it.

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:31 (twenty-one years ago) link

That last post had a very schoolmarmish ring to it. Um, I guess I should, except that the post-WWII suburb is something of a different beast.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:42 (twenty-one years ago) link

Amateurist, please give the class an oral report on the topic of Leavitttown and After: What Happened? for the class on Monday. Thanks.

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

1500 suburbs sounds about right - there are a lot of tiny, tiny ones that you don't find out are right around the corner from you until you are about 25. I'm in the suburbs right now - Cal City, to be exact. I'm starting to like it.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:50 (twenty-one years ago) link

Oops, what are you doing in Bolingbrook?

That's where I grew up!

Nice Roger Claar reference. (You know the story about how he defended his DUI? Said he wasn't drunk -- he only swerved because he was removing a necklace of Mardi Gras beads. Umm, sure.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 20:54 (twenty-one years ago) link

Are you John Cunningham?

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:03 (twenty-one years ago) link

Umm, yeah. And you are?

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:06 (twenty-one years ago) link

Does anyone remember the indoor amusement park in Bolingbrook, or am I really dating myself? We used to call it "Boilingbrook". Once on Usenet, people came up with funny names for Chicago suburbs, like "Slummit" instead of "Summit".

― Kerry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:19 (twenty-one years ago) link

Yeah, Kerry, that was Old Chicago. I never actually went there myself -- it closed shortly after my family moved to town, about 1986 or so. For a while, Bolingbrook could claim both Old Chicago and the first indoor wave pool in the nation, although I think that may be closed now, too.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:25 (twenty-one years ago) link

You're referring to "Old Chicago" Kerry, and, yes, you are dating yourself. It's been torn down for years...I only have vague memories of it (I'm 24)...there's a huge auto auction lot there now.

I just realized I may have committed a boo-boo John...really sorry if you didn't want your name revealed. I don't just because I'm technically not supposed to be perusing the internet at work.
Here's a hint: you said you liked my Bjork t-shirt (why I remember this I have no idea)
BTW, how the hell are ya?! Where the hell are ya now?

(you made my post outdated...the wave pool is now an ice arena...no more chlorine incidents Yay!)

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:26 (twenty-one years ago) link

yes, Kerry, Old Chicago, with the "Four Seasons" ride and its endless loop of "We had joy/we had fun/we have seasons in the sun," the poor man's "It's a Small World." I wuz there.

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:28 (twenty-one years ago) link

I was sad to learn recently that Pirates' Cove is no more. Pirates' Cove: do you remember?

― Amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

Kerry and I are f-ing OG Chicago, yo. Don't mess.

― felicity (felicity), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

can I be down,yo?

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 12 March 2003 21:31 (twenty-one years ago) link

Skipping 335 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.