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Dream Burls

Dream Burls

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The wife and I are headed to Chicago for a couple of days. I've never been there. What should we not miss? Where should we eat (lunch and dinner)? All suggestions will be much appreciated.
 
Suggest PM Stereo Pete - Great guy and he might be the most accomplished eater on the forum :cool2::cool2::cool2:
 
With all the excellent chefs/restaurants/kitchens in Chi-Town, I'm surprised there aren't more KKF members there.
Maybe Mario will come and hang with you.
 
I'm several hours north but get down occasionally. I was just down for a week of training a month ago. I took the architectural boat tour which I had never done before - if you want a cool relaxing way to see all the sights from the River that is the way to go. The museum of science and industry is pretty cool too.

Food wise I would defer to Pete but some of my favorites are
Girl and the Goat - You probably can't get a table but may be able to eat in the bar
The Publican - temple of pork
Lou Malnati's for Deep Dish Pizza - Also good are gino's east and Giordanno's but if you haven't ever had Lou's you have to try it
Johnnie's, Al's on Ontario, Bari's, for Italian Beef.
Bari's (little italian grocery store deli) for italian subs.
Rick Bayless' Topolobampo and Frontera are fantastic but extremely hard to get in to without prior reservations.
Steak - I haven't been there yet but heard fantastic things about David Burke's. One of my personal favorites is Gibson's (WR Chicago cut), Erie Cafe, Smith and Wollensky's (cool right on the river location), Gene and Georgetti, Benny's Chop house (Let's face it Chicago is known for great steak, take advantage of at least one meal at one of these places.)
Seafood - Hugo's frog bar (IF you are going to Chicago for Seafood your are crazy though.)
Japanese inspired - Yusho
Sushi/Japanese - Juno Momotaro
Chinatown - Lao Sze Chuan -
Beijing Duck Sun Wah BBQ (Call ahead if you want to do it)
Scandinavian Svea or Tre Kronor
Bar Food Duck Inn
Ramen - Furious Spoon (Wish we had Ramen like this in Milwaukee I have to settle for pho)
Tiki Bar - Lost Lake
 
Last trip to Chicago I had the best fried chicken I'd ever had...Harold's...but suggest if you go there it be in the daytime...made to order, spicy and delicious.

Art Institute is a must see.
 
DeepCSweede said:
I'm several hours north but get down occasionally. I was just down for a week of training a month ago. I took the architectural boat tour which I had never done before - if you want a cool relaxing way to see all the sights from the River that is the way to go. The museum of science and industry is pretty cool too.

Food wise I would defer to Pete but some of my favorites are
Girl and the Goat - You probably can't get a table but may be able to eat in the bar
The Publican - temple of pork
Lou Malnati's for Deep Dish Pizza - Also good are gino's east and Giordanno's but if you haven't ever had Lou's you have to try it
Johnnie's, Al's on Ontario, Bari's, for Italian Beef.
Bari's (little italian grocery store deli) for italian subs.
Rick Bayless' Topolobampo and Frontera are fantastic but extremely hard to get in to without prior reservations.
Steak - I haven't been there yet but heard fantastic things about David Burke's. One of my personal favorites is Gibson's (WR Chicago cut), Erie Cafe, Smith and Wollensky's (cool right on the river location), Gene and Georgetti, Benny's Chop house (Let's face it Chicago is known for great steak, take advantage of at least one meal at one of these places.)
Seafood - Hugo's frog bar (IF you are going to Chicago for Seafood your are crazy though.)
Japanese inspired - Yusho
Sushi/Japanese - Juno Momotaro
Chinatown - Lao Sze Chuan -
Beijing Duck Sun Wah BBQ (Call ahead if you want to do it)
Scandinavian Svea or Tre Kronor
Bar Food Duck Inn
Ramen - Furious Spoon (Wish we had Ramen like this in Milwaukee I have to settle for pho)
Tiki Bar - Lost Lake
Click to expand...

Great list. I definitely +1 Girl and the Goat and Publican.

A few more to add...

Next - Grant Achatz second restaurant. You can check Craigslist or EBay for "tickets" to dinner. You can also check their Facebook page for "day of" reservations at both Next and even possibly Alinea. I was lucky enough to get into Alinea or Next the last 3 times I went.

The Aviary/The Office - on the same subject as Achatz. His cocktail bars.

Boarding House - excellent prepared faux- Mediterranean cuisine. Easily one of the best octopus dishes I ever had. It's owned by Alpana Singh, the only Master Sommelier to pass the exam with a perfect score (at the age of 26). Her palate is amazing and she helps balance the flavors of dishes.

The Violet Hour - easily one of the best cocktail bars in the country.

Have a great trip.
 
Boy, I'd have to stay a month to try all these, but it's great to have the choices. I already made a reservation at David Burke's. Just have to have a Chicago steak. Thanks for all the recommendations. We leave next Wed.
 
DeepCSweede said:
Food wise I would defer to Pete but some of my favorites are
Girl and the Goat - You probably can't get a table but may be able to eat in the bar
The Publican - temple of pork
Lou Malnati's for Deep Dish Pizza - Also good are gino's east and Giordanno's but if you haven't ever had Lou's you have to try it
Johnnie's, Al's on Ontario, Bari's, for Italian Beef.
Bari's (little italian grocery store deli) for italian subs.
Rick Bayless' Topolobampo and Frontera are fantastic but extremely hard to get in to without prior reservations.
Steak - I haven't been there yet but heard fantastic things about David Burke's. One of my personal favorites is Gibson's (WR Chicago cut), Erie Cafe, Smith and Wollensky's (cool right on the river location), Gene and Georgetti, Benny's Chop house (Let's face it Chicago is known for great steak, take advantage of at least one meal at one of these places.)
Seafood - Hugo's frog bar (IF you are going to Chicago for Seafood your are crazy though.)
Japanese inspired - Yusho
Sushi/Japanese - Juno Momotaro
Chinatown - Lao Sze Chuan -
Beijing Duck Sun Wah BBQ (Call ahead if you want to do it)
Scandinavian Svea or Tre Kronor
Bar Food Duck Inn
Ramen - Furious Spoon (Wish we had Ramen like this in Milwaukee I have to settle for pho)
Tiki Bar - Lost Lake
Click to expand...

This is a strong list. I've been to all the places in bold and the only one I wouldn't recommend is Smith & Wollensky.

I also really, really like Avec (probably my favorite meal I've had since living here) and think that Portillo's is a lunch must. Very touristy but it's a Chicago icon and the location downtown is very much an experience.
 
Thanks again everyone. I think I have more than enough to choose from. I'll report back over theweekend and let you know what we did.
 
So here's my report on Chicago. Great city. Reminded me a lot of NYC except prettier, cleaner and not as dense. The only disappointment I had was with the food, but I guess that's the luck of the draw. We went to David Burke's steakhouse in the James hotel and I spent a lot of money on a 45 day aged rib eye only to have what I consider to be a mediocre steak. It was cooked fine, just lacked the flavor and intensity of what I can get at Lobel's on Madison. We also tried the deep dish pizza at Lou Malnati's. Again, nice, but I still like my Artichoke's pizza double baked Sicilian best. For our second dinner we went to the Italian place, Rosebud's. Another good meal, I had their risotto, but I guess living in NYC and being exposed to all the great restaurants here spoils you. We were not impressed.

What did impress us was the architecture of the city and they way it's laid out hugging Lake Michigan and meandering along the river. That in and of itself made the trip worthwhile for me. For those of you who don't know, I was an architect in a previous life so seeing great structures and design hits my buttons. The architectural cruise was just fantastic. An hour and a half of oohs and aahs. I've posted some pictures below. I took over a hundred in two days. Would I go back? - yes, but I'd try some new places to eat.

DSC_9341.jpg DSC_9280.jpg DSC_9278.jpg DSC_9344.jpg DSC_9320.jpg DSC_9271.jpg DSC_9336.jpg DSC_9279.jpg DSC_9292.jpg DSC_9254.jpg

If anyone is interested in seeing more pictures let me know.
 
I'm sorry to hear you didn't have a great food expierience. I've never been but have heard it's an amazing food city. Sometimes it's just the luck of the draw though.
 
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