McCormick Place

I was looking for a place to send some colleagues during a trip to McCormick Place, and wow, there's not a lot of options. All I can find that isn't fast food is Chef Luciano's Gourmet Chicken. Any other ideas? Preferably within walking distance, weekday lunch. They mentioned Chinatown was too far in the time they had.

Thanks!

Spoke & Bird on 18th between Indiana and Prairie could be a nice option. Pretty casual, but refined, breakfast and lunch fare.

But the appeal would be their huge outdoor patio. On a nice day, it's a pretty great place to enjoy lunch - especially if you're stuck inside McCormick Place the rest of the day.

Reggies on 22nd?

I wouldn't dismiss Chef Luciano's or Gourmet Chicken (two restaurants, same owner). Not at all. Some of the dishes at Chef Luciano's are really darned good, especially the spicier stuff. Chef Luciano is from India – his real name is David Gupta – so he understands the use of spices. The fried chicken at Gourmet Chicken is top-notch and their beautiful renovation of an early White Castle is noteworthy. I used to go frequently, but haven't been for some years (I need to get back there). Ages ago, John T Edge – founder of Southern Foodways Alliance etc etc – included Gourmet Chicken in an article on 10 Great Places for Fried Chicken. I despise "10 Best" lists and go out of my way to ignore them, but John T is one of the three or four food writers I respect most, plus he knows a thing or two about fried chicken – Fried Chicken: An American Story is one of his many books.

If Chinatown is too far to walk, why not take the bus? The #21-Cermak stops at McCormick Place's entrance and goes through the heart of Chinatown (4 or 5 stops, about a 5 minute ride). It runs about every 15 minutes during the day, but by using CTA's Bus Tracker the wait shouldn't be more than a minute or two. Paying with a card (not cash) allows a return on the same transfer. Taxis and Ubers should be plentiful, of course.

Chinatown is actually very, very close. Waiting for a bus is more trouble that it would be worth. If going as a group a taxi or Uber isn't going to cost more than a few bucks per person.

chicagojim wrote:Chinatown is actually very, very close.

Yup. According to Google Maps, from the drive-through turnaround at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place to the Chinatown Gate at Cermak and Wentworth, it's 3/4 mile - 16 minutes walk, 7 minutes by car/taxi/Uber.