Where to get the best Chicago food next Friday

Hi,

My wife and I are coming to Chicago from England next weekend. We've got plans for each night except Friday and want to go somewhere for dinner away from the usual tourist haunts.

Can anyone recommend good quality, reasonably priced restaurants serving Chicago/American style food (i.e. not French, chinese, etc.) with a great atmosphere?

We're staying near the Trump tower but are happy to cab/travel further out to get something local.

Cheers

David

for a great steak,go to smith & wollensky.if it is warm enough,
sit outside along the chicago river, order a ribeye,and enjoy chicago, THE greatest city in the world! p.s.very close to trump tower.

I haven't been there but people say North Pond is amazing. A short cab ride.

Hi, David. I hope you enjoy your visit.

Would you mind letting us know what you think "reasonably-priced" is? How much would you like to spend per person before alcohol?

Ronna

As mentioned above, the "Best Chicago food" depends on your price range. If you want to experience Chicago-style pizza, there are several options within walking distance in nearly every direction. Same with Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef (a local standard). If you want to go a little more upscale then I'd suggest a walk down to Grant Park (10 minutes or so) to the Gage - it's a gastropub but with a good sampling of American fare. Heaven on Seven (which is semi-touristy) is a Louisiana cajun restaurant (somewhat dumbed-down) very close to where you're staying. It's uniquely American.

Thanks for the comments so far.

I had a look at Smith & Wollenskys and it's probably the upper limit we want to spend ($50 a head for food). I had a look at their website and it looks really nice.

However, our other two nights are going to be upmarket so we'd really like something more homestyle for Friday.

Ribs and steaks sound great. I like the idea of the Louisiana style but would prefer 'Chicago-an' if possible.

Any other suggestions greatly appreciated. Do you have a neighbourhood eatery that's well above average and a good crowd?

I've just looked at the menu's for Heaven on Seven and it looks great as a Louisiana option and the price is spot on. It'd still prefer something typically Chicago is possible but I'll keep these details as a back-up.

One issue is that the area you are staying in is pretty touristy--so if you want to avoid touristy, I think it's worth traveling away from where you are staying. Also, I think a really good steak house could set you back a bit more than $50 a head. There's a terrific rib place which is fairly accessible by public transportation (you could take the CTA train but you'd have to make one line change. Honey 1 is one of the most popular restaurants on this site. Doesn't have much by way of ambiance, but they have great ribs and tips. You will definitely stay under budget.

I realize Mexican may not come first to mind when someone asks for real Chicago food, but given the Mexican population here, it's as real Chicago as pizza or frankfurters ever were. I recently took an English visitor to Frontera for lunch, and he raved about how different and eyeopening having that kind of artisanal, authentic Mexican was, compared to what he's eaten elsewhere. It's walkable from Trump Tower, though read up on crowds, possibility or not of making reservations, etc.

My first thought for a real meat-and-potatoes meal on a budget was Miller's Pub, which is a very Chicago-y, pub-like kind of place with photos of local celebrities on the wall and some very solid American-style food. Their open-face prime rib sandwich, with fries and side of bleu cheese dressing is my favorite downtown meal for < $20. That said, I don't know how special a trip to Miller's really is, and if time is limited, it might not be the overall best experience one could have.

If you feel like a hamburger, then I recommend the burger at the Rosebud Steakhouse, which is a very pleasant walk down Michigan Avenue from where you're staying. You'll find plenty of reviews online here and elsewhere, but it's an exemplary rendition. A loud, classic steakhouse vibe (can be overwhelming; if you can snag one of the three outside tables, I recommend it). It's $12 or $13 and plenty of food (especially with the excellent bread basket) and upscale service. A great deal.

You can't go wrong with the patio at Smith & Wollensky, it's one of my favorite views in the city. Smoque or Honey 1 are far from where you're staying, but if you're interested in barbecue, they're worth the effort.

Miller's Pub
134 S Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL
(312) 263-4988

Rosebud Steakhouse
192 E Walton Pl
(312) 397-1000

I'd think places that are doing the local/fresh sort of thing might be what's going on most in Chicago right now. My recommendation would be Mado or the Bristol.

Mado is closer to get to, take the Blue line to Damen (Milwaukee/North/Damen) and hang a left. Cross North, then cross Milwaukee. It's about 4 doors up, on the same side and a bit past Red Hen. I think they are BYO still?

If you're more in the mood for a walk, and a drink with your dinner, head up Damen instead of Milwaukee (that's still heading to your left out of the El stop). It's about 3/4 of a mile walk, or you can take the Damen bus (or a taxi) up to the Bristol.

Either one is an easy cab ride. Mado takes reservations, the Bristol does not. I don't know if Mado takes walk-ins. The Bristol gets busy, but you can get a drink and sit in their lounge upstairs to wait.

Mado
http://www.madorestaurantchicago.com
1647 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 342-2340

The Bristol
http://thebristolchicago.com
2152 N Damen Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 862-5555

I don't know what kind of food you like or you are interested in trying.

Here are my suggestions:

Lula Cafe- Logan Square- I had the "best soup of the year" IMO there on Thursday night- aspargus, morels, and hazelnuts
Moon Palace- Chinatown
The Brown Sack- Western most edge of Logan Square, great lounge across the street Weegee's (LTH held it's 5th anniversary party there)
Spacca Napoli- Pizza Ravenswood
Green Zebra- Primarily vegetarian, but absolutely fabulous-- they even have housemade sodas at this place

The Brown Sack and Spacca Napoli are also GNRs, LTH's designation for Great Neighborhood Restaurants. You will find substantial love on the threads for the others I suggested as well.

On second thought you can probably go straight to the thread on GNRs and easily find places for less than $50/person sans Alcohol.


I hope this helps. Please write back and tell us how it went.

Mike G wrote:I realize Mexican may not come first to mind when someone asks for real Chicago food, but given the Mexican population here, it's as real Chicago as pizza or frankfurters ever were...

I completely agree with this. Mexican food is very Chicago - especially upscale, somewhat-refined Mexican food, which was put on the American culinary map largely by Frontera Grill chef, Rick Bayless.

thaiobsessed wrote:One issue is that the area you are staying in is pretty touristy--so if you want to avoid touristy, I think it's worth traveling away from where you are staying.

I also agree with this, so - much as I love Frontera Grill, I'd suggest hopping in a cab and heading to Mundial Cocina Mestiza, which, although more Mexican-fusion than pure Mexican, has delicious food in a comfortable setting and a mostly-Mexican neighborhood that's a lot of fun to walk around in. Be sure to stop in at Artesanias D'Mexico, a shop run by a couple that travels home every year to add to their beautiful collection Mexican bowls, platters, and other artwork for sale.



Mundial Cocina Mestiza
1640 W. 18th Street
312-491-9908

Artesanias D'Mexico
1644 W 18th St
(312) 563-9779

David, welcome.

Just to be clear, "Chicago style" can mean different things. One the one hand, it means things like Chicago style hot dogs, deep dish or stuffed pizza, and steaks. These have been Chicago staples for a long time and most travel shows about Chicago will invariably highlight these types of places. I'd draw the analogy to fish and chips in England.

On the other hand, there's the type of restaurants that are doing more contemporary food based on locally sourced ingredients. Above, people mentioned Mado, Lula Cafe, and North Pond. These are excellent examples. The menus may not strike you as different than what you might find in a contemporary restaurant in California, New York, London, or Paris. The differences are subtle and depend on which ingredients are in session in each place. I would recommend one of these restaurants, frankly - unless you want to go for hot dogs or pizza. I've had great meals at all of these places. I'd recommend North Pond. It has stellar food, but it is also the most beautiful space, located right in the park along the lake (Lincoln Park). It is difficult to get a reservation on a Friday night, though, so don't wait too long. Mado would be my second choice, but note that they are BYO and also quite meat-focused.

Finally, there are the great "upscale casual" restaurants that are currently really hot right now. These places combine a casual atmosphere with higher-end, refined food. Mado and Lula Cafe are included in this group also (North Pond is somewhat more expensive and I wouldn't necessarily call it "casual", though it certainly isn't formal). Other places are Avec, the Publican, and the Gage. Avec is a modern take on French and Spanish-influenced tapas. The publican focuses on pork, seafood, and beer. The Gage is a gastropub. Take a look at the menus for more details.

My sense is that a visitor from England has probably had enough gastropubs - I could be wrong. If not, The Gage and The Bristol are fine recommendations. I highly second the notion of Mexican food. Chicago has a huge Mexican population and therefore, Mexican food, however, as others noted above, Frontera is very crowded and does not take reservations, so seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Also, I hear from *very* reliable Pilsen sources that Mundial Cocina Mestiza has slid downward lately, so unless someone has a very recent report, I'd be a little hesitant to offer that up as a suggestion. So, if you can squeeze in Frontera for lunch on Friday -- it's steps from your hotel -- I highly suggest it. Crowds are much less at Frontera during lunch than at dinner.

For dinner, I think North Pond sounds like the perfect option. It is located in a Arts and Crafts-style building in a bucolic setting nestled in Lincoln Park. The cuisine is new American or modern American, whatever they're calling it these days, but the focus is on local, Midwestern and seasonal sources, so you'll get a taste for what is in season here in Chicago. It is a short cab ride from your hotel.

http://www.northpondrestaurant.com/

aschie30 wrote: Also, I hear from *very* reliable Pilsen sources that Mundial Cocina Mestiza has slid downward lately, so unless someone has a very recent report, I'd be a little hesitant to offer that up as a suggestion.

Just read this sad report about Mundial, which could be what's behind reports of a downward slide. I do hope someone who has been there recently posts about the experience, and will try to do so myself in the near future. It has been a terrific restaurant, and might very well continue to be one, even if there are some rough patches during what sounds like a transition period.

There are certainly other outstanding Mexican restaurants in Chicago. If the OP is interested in going that route, a quick search in the "Great Neighborhood Restaurants" section of the site will produce fruitful rewards.

Or Salpicon can be a good alternative to Frontera/Topolo. It's a long-ish walk or short cab ride to Old Town.

Or, to get a true feel for how Mexican Chicago can be, someone should recommend the street food Sunday morning at Maxwell Street Market(could be called a Mexican Portobello Road).

Regarding the Gage. Perhaps I shouldn't have referred to it as a Gastropub. I think it is much closer to a standard contemporary American restaurant than to what Gastropubs are in Britain, or at least what they were originally were. In any case, the OP can take a look at the menu and decide for himself whether it fits the bill.

Not knowing much more about their itinerary, I recommended the Gage both for cuisine (pretty solid American) as well as location.

Kennyz, the personal circumstances behind Mundial may be unfortunate but the one person I know who's been there recently, Chuck Sudo of Chicagoist, seemed to be pretty impressed with the food (for now, those observations were only on, gasp, Twitter, but no doubt will appear at Chicagoist shortly). So I wouldn't write it off purely because of that personal transition, though I might also hesitate in recommending it to an out of towner for their one Mexican meal.

Thanks to everyone for excellent replies. I haven't decided on dinner yet but from your comments it's between North Pond, Honey 1 BBQ/BBQ Smoque, Gage or Frontera.

We were going to fill up on breakfast and skip lunch but having read the GNRs I'm going to get to Calumet fisheries, Hot Dougs or Poochies for lunch.

My wife thought we were going sightseeing - I'm just going to make her walk between restaurants! Unfortunate as it gives thunderstorms for Friday.

Cheers

David

DavidM wrote:Thanks to everyone for excellent replies. I haven't decided on dinner yet but from your comments it's between North Pond, Honey 1 BBQ/BBQ Smoque, Gage or Frontera.

We were going to fill up on breakfast and skip lunch but having read the GNRs I'm going to get to Calumet fisheries, Hot Dougs or Poochies for lunch.

My wife thought we were going sightseeing - I'm just going to make her walk between restaurants! Unfortunate as it gives thunderstorms for Friday.

Cheers

David

Whatever you do, David, I hope you post back and let us know where you went and what you thought of it. We're always interested in hearing about visitors' experiences.

P.S. Either Calumet Fisheries or Hot Doug's sound like fine ideas to me.

After all your help I'll certainly let you know where we end up and what we think of it.

If you see a couple of obvious tourists waddling round local neighbourhoods looking like they've been eating for 3 days solid, say hi!

Just be aware that Calumet is a considerable distance from downtown (15 miles, according to Google maps).

DavidM wrote:We were going to fill up on breakfast and skip lunch but having read the GNRs I'm going to get to Calumet fisheries, Hot Dougs or Poochies for lunch.

Okay, I'm a huge fan of Hot Doug's -- it's one of a handful of uniquely Chicago places that I recommend to every out-of-towner. *However*, if you have time constraints, please be aware that: 1) It's only open until 4 PM; 2) More importantly, and especially on Fridays and Saturdays, there will be a very long queue. (Did I say that right?)

I drove by Hot Doug's today at 2pm and the line was past the adjoining alley. I love Hot Doug's, but I'm not sure it's worth 2+ hours on a Friday or Saturday afternoon, especially if you are only here for a short time. Poochie's is one of my favorite places also. There won't likely be a wait, but the drive from downtown will be 20-30 minutes each way. Wiener and Still Champion is slightly closer.

I'd go North Pond or Frontera. If you tell Frontera you're in from out of the country, they may even take an advance reservation (or your concierge / host can call first thing in the morning Friday).

I have concerns about Smoque and the Gage on Friday nights. The former may sell out of certain menu items and/or have long lines, and standing in an idiosyncratic American queue system may be the last thing you want to do with your evening. The latter can be really, really loud and packed. I'm a big fan of both places (particularly The Gage), but don't think they're best for a summer Friday night.

If you want a good taste of Chicago aquarium-smoker barbecue, by all means hit Honey-1, but I advise it as a snack (you can get over there any time) rather than a sit-down evening, unless you have other plans in that area for dessert, late nibbles (El Nandu empanadas) or pub crawling (Quenchers, etc.).

I also think the Gage is a bit expensive for what it is. Probably because of the location.

Hi all,

We just got back from our fantastic weekend in Chicago and I thought I'd let you know how we got on with the restaurants.

We were part of a 300-strong Pampered Chef group from the UK over to see head office. We stayed at the Fairmont on Columbus which was very good and our room had a good view of the city from the 31st floor.

Thursday night the hotel laid on a buffet which was good but not spectacular. They also did a good breakfast buffet each morning with apple smoked bacon, maple link sausages, eggs and the rest.

Friday we didn't have a big lunch but did find Ghirardelli's on N. Michigan & Pearson. My wife loved the peanut butter filled chocolate and I had butter pecan and chocolate ice-cream - delicious and a charming store interior. We checked out Frontera and were told we had a 2-hour wait, so went to the hotel and changed.

Despite the tornado/storm warnings we headed back and had a great meal. It was exactly what we wanted - great cooking in a lively restaurant with good service and few tourists. The cocktails were good - Bohemia and Gold Margarita's - while I stuck to Dos Equis.

For starters I had Huarache de Chivo (goat) and my wife had Taquitos. Both were lovely.

For mains I had the Carne Asada a la Oaxaquena - a bit pricier than I'd planned but the waiter conviced me to trade up. The steak was thick, tender and pink but not bloody. My wife had Puerco Enfrijolado which she simply described as 'gorgeous'. The portions were a bit bigger than we're used to but weren't excessive. In all, it was exactly the meal we were hoping for.

We popped into Giordano's at Prudential Plaza near the hotel for a drink on the way home and ended up with some very 'happy' Americans celebrating their dad's 60th birthday who shared the whiskey. We ended up back with friends in Andy's jazz club a bit worse for wear.

On Saturday we did touristy things (Millenium Park, Magnificent Mile and Hancock) so got snacks during the day. A hot dog at Mr J's Dawgs (nice dog but didn't like the sniggering service) and frozen yoghurt at Berry Chill - both on State I think. Berry Chill were really freindly and helpful and gave us a taste of each flavour before we bought one. They also had plastic spoons that changed colour when used so we kept them as souvenirs for the kids.

Saturday night was a dinner dance aboard Odyssey's Chicago out on the lake. Food was average but the experience was very enjoyable culminating in a great view of the fireworks.

On Sunday we decided to squeeze in another of your recommendations and headed up to Irving Park to eat at Smoque BBQ. It was a bit of a trek made worse by engineering works on the blue line but was worth it.

The pulled pork and St Louis ribs were beautifully tender and the ribs were the juiciest I've ever had. The BBQ beans and coleslaw were good and I loved the french fries with their jackets on. There was no way we could finish it all and waddled down the street happily stuffed.

I'm glad we didn't do Smoque on the Friday night - Frontera was absolutely right, but Smoque was spot on for Sunday lunch. When we left the lne was out the door and twenty yards down the street - a good recommendation in itself.

Thanks for your suggestions - we had a fantastic time in Chicago. If it hadn't been for the trip we'd never have thought to visit but the place was so nice and the people so friendly (best shop assistants I've ever encountered) we'd recommend it to anyone over New York.

Cheers

David

Kennyz wrote:I do hope someone who has been there recently posts about the experience, and will try to do so myself in the near future.

I ate dinner at Mundial Cocina Mestiza a month or two ago and it was outstanding - every bit as good as my previous dinner there last summer, if not better. The food was outstanding and the service was fine too. Everything was delicious but I would be remiss if I didn't mention the standout appetizer of steamed mussels slathered with strips of poblano pepper and chunks of bacon - yummm!!! Mundial is now my favorite of all the Mexican restaurants in the Chicago area.