HELP PLEASE! PIZZA & STEAK RECO's for an Italian Colleague

What's a gal got to do to get a few reco's? I don't eat deep dish (much prefer my Chili Mac's Za) or steak (Chop House, Custom House?)

Please help me out with reco's for a "chicago style pizza" and a place for great steaks for an italian colleague who will be visiting for a few days. It's OK if they are touristy, but I would like to steer them in the right direction for a good experience!

All input appreciated.

Thank you!

A gal's got to use the search function.

The discussion on both steak and 'za, Chi-style and otherwise, are wide, deep, numerous, varied, and passionate.
Read through a few threads to get a feel for the various voices and positions in play to see who and what seem simpatico to you, or right for your friend.

Welcome to LTH JSG!

You might find this list of Great Neighborhood Restaurants helpful in your search.

you can't go wrong with vito & nick's !!

Yes, appreciate vito and nick's but have to assume they won't be getting too far outside of the loop ... just not sure which of the "famed chicago style" places is really OK ...

Well, for a recent experience I dined at the Gino's East in the north loop last Friday for lunch and I can't recommend it for the pizza. Soggy, with lifeless flavorless toppings. Capped with slow, disinterested service and what I thought were high prices it's a perfect tourist trap and I can not recommend against it enough.

Haven't been to any of the other loop vicinity pizza meccas in a while so can not given an honest assesment of those. As for steak I'd recommend agains the Chicago Chop House based on numerous reports from friends and family as well as some discussion on this forum. After that it really depends on what you're looking for as far as atmosphere and approach, so doing a few forum searches is probably a really good recommendation.

edited for very horribly poor grammar

Appreciate your response - thank you. I have been searching, but as you can image type the word "steak" or "chicago style pizza" and its endless information. Lou Malnati's did seem to rise to the top and I'll definitely steer clear of your recent experience. Thanks again!

I've noticed that business people from France and Italy seem to relish places like Peter Luger and Gene & Georgetti.

G&G is a short walk from the downtown Malnati's, so you could try them back-to-back and get it out of the way. That would be heroic eating. Under no circumstance should anyone from Italy order anything "Italian" from G&G (unless it's the osso buco, and even then probably not). Lamb chops, yes. Liver and bacon, yes. Spaghetti, no. David Burke and Keefer's are good modern options, especially is not everyone wants red meat.

As for steak, the outdoor patio at Smith & Wollensky is one of the nicest places to eat a meal downtown, and I've never had a bad piece of meat. Very consistent. Gene & Georgetti is my all-time favorite, a relic (authentic or not) of a period in Chicago history that I want to believe actually existed. I have no idea how it might translate.

Smith & Wollensky
318 North State Street, Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 670-9900

Gene & Georgetti
500 N Franklin St
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 527-3718