Visting Chicago... Suggestions??

I am going to be visiting Chicago with my boyfriend on December 21st (a Thursday). I have visited before so I am somewhat familiar with the city but I am looking for some suggestions for where to go for dinner and maybe somewhere else to catch some drinks afterwards. I'm looking for something unique to Chicago. Any suggestions? Thanks:)

Start by checking out the Great Neighborhhood Restaurant Awards:

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewforum.php?f=28

You can download Mike G's brilliant wallet guide here:

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=10650

Price range and some idea of what price range and atmospher you are looking for might help, otherwise you'll either end up spending $750 at Alinea or eating a drippy $6 Italian beef sandwich standing up at Al's on Taylor street - both fantastic, both near places to get drinks after, both unique to Chicago

Thanks for the replies already.. please keep them coming! To clarify, I'm looking for something fairly nice and reasonably price. We're in our early twenties so something that would apply to that age group would be best. We enjoy all types of food so what ever you have in mind would be great.
Thanks again!

I am sadly far from an early 20-something, but I have a few that work for me. They recommend the following places, all in the Wicker Park/Bucktown area (and adjoining neighborhoods) on the city's near Northwest side.

This is the neigborhood you should spend much of your time in, while you are still young enough to enjoy it. Funky shops and off-beat breakfast/lunch eateries for the daytime, great number and diversity of bars and clubs for the nighttime, and a lot of great restaurants (see below) that are all very good value, run by Chicago's up-and-coming chefs, some of whom will likely be nationally famous one day.

Schwa is in many ways the most-talked about restaurant in Chicago at the moment -- very small, BYOB, amazing food, lots of passion from the owner/chef. If you want to go there, call and make a reservation in advance. You can learn more about all these places by searching LTH, or going to a Chicago-area sight like Metromix.com. Good luck, and have fun!

Schwa
1466 N. Ashland Ave.
773-252-1466

Sweets & Savories
1534 W. Fullerton Ave.
773-281-6778

May Street Market
1132 W. Grand Ave.
312-421-5547

Scylla
1952 N. Damen Ave.
773-227-2995

West Town Tavern
1329 W. Chicago Ave.
312-666-6175

HI,

If you get a reservation for Schwa on your favored date, then thank your lucky stars and whomever cancelled. In early June, I made reservations for July 26th and it was not my choice date. I took what I could. In all respects I found it a very worthwhile meal.

Regards,

Avec

de cero

cdngurl wrote:Thanks for the replies already.. please keep them coming! To clarify, I'm looking for something fairly nice and reasonably price. We're in our early twenties so something that would apply to that age group would be best. We enjoy all types of food so what ever you have in mind would be great.
Thanks again!

"Reasonably priced" is a dangerous term around here.

For me, $600 on dinner for two at Alinea is pretty reasonable. The restaurant may be the best in the world right now. On the other hand, I was annoyed to have to pay nearly $15 for a corned beef sandwich at the late Max and Benny's on Illinois. I'm glad that place closed. It was a disgrace to my neighborhood.

I would just toss out budget considerations. Go to Moto, pay $500 or so, and have a meal that you will never forget. How often do you get to eat the entire menu and have it taste like nachos?

Unique to Chicago, reasonably priced, early twenties. I'm guessing "reasonably priced" may be the key term. Unique to Chicago, reasonably priced, and early twenties SCREAM deep dish pizza.
You can find some pizza joint suggestions on this board. There were very recent posting's about uno's and due's
For a cut above, however, I'd suggest Pequod's Pizza.

For a non pizza dinner, I'd suggest a few margaritas and some interesting mexican food at Frontera Grill. There are people who think Frontera is over rated, but I've never been remotely disappointed there. I have been disappointed both times I went to Salpicon, however. Anyway, those are my two for $, early 20's, and unique - Pequod's and Frontera. Both are not far from "scene" areas for your after dinner drinks, also.

You could head over to Little Italy and eat at The Rosebud on Taylor St.
Hawkeye's is an ok bar just down the street from there.

Right in the heart of Bucktown/Wicker Park is "Hot Chocolate." Depending on your culinary-cultural capital, it might be just right, but it certainly a moderately priced, well-regarded restaurant in which 20-somethings would feel right at home.

Hot Chocolate
1747 North Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
773.489.1747

One of the great things about Chicago is the diversity of types of food you can get for the price (what other city outside of the US can you get a full Thai meal at Sticky Rice for $10 or at Aruns for $200 and both be fantastic for completely different reasons). There are a lot of people on this board that are very well-travelled. Would you mind telling us where you're from, what type of restaurants you enjoy right now, and whether you're looking for something you normally can't get?

the "matchbox" for "drinks". "map room" for beer. like other posts said--do some searches on this site or metromix. much depends on your own priorities, tastes. do you want to travel a ways? stay downtown? etc.