Cheap Food (Especially in Lincoln Park)

Hi Folks:

I am new to Chicago, just before I moved, I met a sculptor, who had just moved to Philadelphia and took him to a few of my favorite cheap restaurants. I LOVE to find inexpensive restaurants with GREAT food.

He looked at me on one of these outings and said, "This is what you'll be missing in Chicago. You know all of these little places to get great food here and it'll take you a long time to find them in Chicago."

Well, he was right. So, I'm putting it out to the List. Where are the best moderate to inexpensively priced places to eat in Chicago. With emphasis on close proximity or easy commuting from Lincoln Park.

Thanks in Advance

Bill

What's your sculptor friend's favorite medium, crack?

While none of the GNR's are in Lincoln Park, there are literally dozens of choices for quality, inexpensive meals. Some are an easier commute than others from LP, but you'll find that they are worth the trip.

Here's the full list.

FWIW, some of my personal favorites on this list which are within 7 miles of LP: Al's, Hot Doug's, Kuma's, Manny's, Honey 1, Smoque*, Lao Sze Chuan*, San Soo Gab San*, Sunshine Cafe*, Cemitas Puebla, Fonda Del Mar* , La Pasadita, Sol de Mexico*, Salam, Spoon, Sticky Rice, TAC Quick*, Tank Noodle.

Some of my favorite non-GNR cheap eats on the north side: Sheba Cafe, Taqueria El Asadero, Nhu Lan, Thai Pastry, Jury's, Flying Chicken, Apart Pizza, and hell, many more. Explore the board and explore your city!


*may be a little more $, but worth it

Thanks,

This is exactly what I was hoping for...

Do you have a favorite above the rest?

Lincoln Park isn't the greatest neighborhood for distinctive cheap eats. The nearest Great Neighborhood Restaurant is Sweets and Savories, which definitely isn't cheap.

Here's the GNR Google map centered on Lincoln Park. From that, I think my recommendation for best blend of cheapness, closeness, and greatness is TAC Quick.

More generally speaking, Argyle Street is probably the nearest neighborhood for a dense concentration of good cheap places, being heavily concentrated on Vietnamese and Chinese.

In any case, welcome to Chicago. I suggest you keep an eye on the "events" board, because we seem to be having a lot of them lately, and they'll be a good way to try new places with maximal "ordering power" -- as well as to meet nice people.

The next best way to improve the quality of recommendations you get is to stick around here and post about things you do and don't like, or see if there are any things you can add to the existing threads on Philadelphia (there are several) or any other subject that rings your bell. You start to figure out who has tastes like yours (and we start to figure out your tastes) and pretty soon it's a very efficient system This is the route to proving your sculptor friend 100% wrong.

germuska wrote:From that, I think my recommendation for best blend of cheapness, closeness, and greatness is TAC Quick.

Do-over! As much as I like TAC Quick, I looked at the map again and I might have to say Honey 1. Honestly, it would probably depend on the day of the week.

bstaff1901 wrote:
Do you have a favorite above the rest?

Hmm, if I had to pick one from the above list, based solely on deliciousness, I'd go with Lao Sze Chuan.

Based more on the spirit of your question (inexpensive, easy commute from LP), I'd offer Salam, Taqueria El Asadero, Spoon, Tank Noodle, and Sheba.

It took me an hour to narrow this down.

Perhaps I should buy you dinner.

I do computer troubleshooting, and one of the things I've learned is that what takes me an hour would take a client all day...

It would have taken me years to get to a list that good. I will eat at both as soon as possible and I'm sure they will be way better than what I would have chosen on my own.

Thank You,

Let me know when you want to collect...

germuska wrote:

germuska wrote:From that, I think my recommendation for best blend of cheapness, closeness, and greatness is TAC Quick.

Do-over! As much as I like TAC Quick, I looked at the map again and I might have to say Honey 1. Honestly, it would probably depend on the day of the week.

I've had the TAC Quick-Honey 1 conundrum twice now--finding myself in Lincoln Park and desperate for good food. If you are using public transportation and depending on how far east or west your starting point is in Lincoln Park, I've tested it. Getting to TAC Quick is much faster by el (even with CTA delays) than the Fullerton bus to Honey 1. To be genuinely cuckoo about it, I use as my marker Facets. If I'm west of Facets Cinematheque (1517 W Fullerton), then I go to Honey 1. If I'm east of Facets, then it's TAC Quick. If I'm at Facets, which 9/10 times is the case if I'm in that neighborhood, I stand around and take 30 minutes to decide until I'm so hungry I've come undone and can barely navigate to either place. I usually end up at TAC Quick.

OK. I've filled my crazy quota for the day... Bill, welcome to Chicago.

While they are harder to find in Lincoln Park than they are in other parts of town, there are still some little gems in that particular neighborhood.

Aloha Grill, on Clark, serves a traditional Hawaiian Plate lunch very inexpensively. It may be Lincoln Park's most authentic chow spot.

Da Beef made me aware of a little wing joint on Clark, in Lincoln Park, a few months back that may well make Chicago's best wings though there's not a beer to be found in the place.It doesn't look like much from the outside.

Standard India, on Belmont near the El, has a decent lunch buffet though you'll find much better on Devon Avenue.

Philly's Best serves a great cheesesteak...Ha! Just kidding. It's decent. But, would probably horrify the average Philadelphian due to the Chjicago spongebread it is served on. It's on Belmont near Clark, too.

The little taco stands are everywhere in this town. Those in Lincoln Park and Lakeview don't hold a candle to places like La Pasadita or Cemitas Puebla.

Solid diner food abounds on Broadway in Lakeview. Stella's and Melrose both come to mind. Avoid Frances is Lincoln Park. For the life of me, I can never figure out why that place, with it's bland food, is always packed.

TAC, in my opinion, is the best Thai in the city. It is slightly North of Wrigley Field. Lakeview has some other *decent* Ameri-Thai options.
DuckWalk on Belmont and Joy's on Broadway come to mind.

Chinese? Fugggetaboutit in that neighborhood. Chinatown or Argyle is your best option. I recently had one of the best Chinese dinners ever at Lao Sze Chuan in Chinatown. The food was spicy and incredibly flavorful.

Silver Seafood near Broadway and Lawrence is excellent when it is on and it seems to be in one of it's "on" periods at the present time. It's neighbor, Furama, does decent though predictable Dim Sum on the weekends.

I love the Pho and Vietnamese salads at Hoang Cafe on Argyle, a short cab or CTA ride from where you are.

Perhaps a step below the GNRs, but several steps closer to LP, would be Aloha Grill, which serves tasty fast-food Hawaiian. I have a couple of Hawaiian friends who speak to its authenticity. While I can't confirm this, I will say that it hits the spot, is very cheap, and there aren't any other places like it (that I know of) in the city. I'm a fan of the Loco Moco, which is two hamburger patties topped with two eggs and gravy.

Aloha Grill
2534 N Clark St
773 935-6828

Love,
John

EDIT: I see that YourPalWill just beat me to it. Drat!

While LP may not have the concentration of cheap, authentic ethnic eateries as some other neighborhoods, I wouldn't completely write the area off. In fact, there is quite a bit in the way of decent cheap eats. As a former longtime LP resident, I'd recommend the following (in no particular order):

Athenian Room (Webster and Halsted)
Dee's (Armitage and Seminary)
Pasta Palazzo (Halsted and Armitage)
Metropolis Rotisseria (Armitage and Bissell)
Four Farthings (Armitage and Cleveland)
Original Goose Island (1800 N. Clybourn)
Pequod's Pizza (Clybourn and Webster)
Stanley's Kitchen and Tap (Sedgwick and Armitage)
Allende (Lincoln and Fullerton)
Taco and Burrito Palace #2 (Halsted and Fullerton)

Cheap food in the LP? The crowd there is a bit younger but i'll list a few that i like:

Noodles in the Pot is a real cheap Thai place. I'm not sure that it compares to the GNRs but the food ($6.50 for a Pad See Eiw and lunch specials starting at $5.50) is decent for the price.

http://www.joysnoodlesandrice.com/noodl ... boutus.asp
2453 N. Halsted St. Chicago, IL 60614
Sunday-Thursday 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Friday-Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

If you want cheap Japanese, House of Sushi and Noodle has both cheap lunch specials and an all you can eat sushi maki buffet for $13.95. Expect to wait in line during dinner, especially on the weekends. The crowd is young, but they do make some interesting makis. The buffet closes one hour before the restaurant, and the kitchen closes thirty minutes before.

http://www.houseofsushiandnoodles.com/
1610 W. Belmont Ave Chicago, IL 60657
Mon - Thurs 12:00 Noon - 3:00 PM (Lunch Break) 5:00 PM - 10:30 PM
Fri 12:00 Noon - 3:00 PM (Lunch Break) 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Sat 12:00 Noon - 11:00 PM
Sun 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM

For Mexican, I will second the Allende restaurant above for their Al Pastor Burrito. It is Al Pastor that is cooked on a spit last I remember but I wouldn't compare it to taquiera's that specialize in Al Pastor. I also recommend El Presidente Restaurant for their delicious gratis chips and salsas, chile rellenos de queso and various specialties. They do have Al Pastor that is cooked on a spit but again, I wouldn't compare it to the specialty Al Pastor shops, although I still enjoy it. It can fill up with a younger crowd as the night rolls on but there's usually an officer or two eating there so no need to worry about about a brawl breaking out (I've never seen one).

El Presidente
2558 N Ashland Ave, Chicago 60614
Btwn W Wrightwood Ave & W Altgeld St
Open 24 Hours (Serves Breakfast)

I have yet to try a more greasy and delicious chicken quesadilla than at Taco & Burrito Express. I go there exclusively for their chicken quesadillas and horchata. Its also a 24 hour joint and it is right next to Kingston Mines Blues Bar which is open till 4am. Give it a try.

Taco & Burrito Express
2540 N Halsted St Chicago, IL 60614
Open 24 Hours (Serves Breakfast)

If I were you, I would hop on the redline and take it to the Argyle stop for a bowl of Pho, ASAP! I recommend Pho 999 (Thai Binh) for Pho, but many here goto Tank Noodle and it is really more social over there, so if you are looking to be amongst the populace, that would be a good place to do it.

Thai Binh (Pho 999)
1113 W Argyle St, Chicago, IL
Open till 10:30 PM (Hours may vary)

http://www.tanknoodle.com/
Tank Noodle (Pho Xhe Tang)
4953 N. Broadway Chicago, IL 60640
Thu-Tue: 8:30am-10pm

Hope this helps!

PS: Buffet Palace seems to be in your area. It seems to be getting some decent reviews although I have yet to try it. You can read about it at this thread:

http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=8482

YourPalWill wrote:Solid diner food abounds on Broadway in Lakeview. Stella's and Melrose both come to mind. Avoid Frances is Lincoln Park. For the life of me, I can never figure out why that place, with it's bland food, is always packed.

And I'd say just the opposite. Stella's is good, Melrose is blah and Frances is worth checking out. But as with any restaurant, it depends on what you order. I'm partial to the turkey reuben at Frances, and haven't eaten anything else on the menu. I had a really good Chinese chicken salad at Stella's recently. While I realize there's nothing authentic about that dish (it's neither Chinese nor a "diner" dish), I was impressed with the chicken...I usually find white meat chicken to be tough and dry, but this was tender and tasty.

Oh yeah, you can get a pretty good slice at Cafe Luigi. Derived wisdom from posts here on the board is that they are one of the few places in Chicago that really sells "New York Style" pizza.

Cafe Luigi
2548 N Clark St, Chicago, IL
(773) 404-0200

germuska wrote:Oh yeah, you can get a pretty good slice at Cafe Luigi. Derived wisdom from posts here on the board is that they are one of the few places in Chicago that really sells "New York Style" pizza.

Cafe Luigi
2548 N Clark St, Chicago, IL
(773) 404-0200

ive got to check this one out... thanks!

I'm also going to have to disagree with Will on Frances'. I've never found the food there to be bland. In fact, I think it's pretty solid diner food. The grilled ham and cheese on challah toast is fantastic, and they also make really good omelettes. Sausage patties are made in-house and have a nice spicy kick to them. Also, the milkshakes are pretty good.

I'm also a Frances liker. I like the turkey reuben too, and find breakfast to be real good. Don't forget about Weiner Circle around the corner. I am a huge fan of the Kalamata chicken at Athenian room, with a side of feta. You might also try Nookies.

Living in the area, I unfortunately can vouch for the fact that there really aren't many exceptional restaurants. For my tastes, Frances is completely bland and I really can't figure out why people like it. Also, my one experience at Noodles in the Pot was terrible.

My two neighborhood favorites probably wouldn't be considered "cheap", but certainly aren't expensive:

Fattoush - Terrific Lebanese food
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... t=fattoush

Sapori Trattoria - Above average Italian fare with a nice neighborhood'y vibe
http://chicago.menupages.com/restaurant ... =35&home=Y

YourPalWill wrote:Da Beef made me aware of a little wing joint on Clark, in Lincoln Park, a few months back that may well make Chicago's best wings though there's not a beer to be found in the place.It doesn't look like much from the outside.

Care to share the name with us?

my two quick go-tos in lincoln park are aloha grill (mentioned above) and angela's burrito style, where i feel the burritos are above the level of the standard lincoln park joint. plus they're on the same block of clark!

i enjoy the spicy carribean chicken at tarascas as well. they bill themselves as a sort of fusion carribean/mexican restaurant, and i don't drink but according to the people i went with last time, the margaritas are pretty heavy duty.

Don't forget Hema's Kitchen (2411 N. Clark). Even though those of us that remember the Devon original pre-expansion and lament for the loss of Hema's company at individual tables and the .45 samosas, the Lincoln Park location does at least a few items proud - my favorite is the chicken roll with hot peppers and green chutney. Fragrant, wonderful, filling, and cheap!

My Pi just a few doors down (2417 N. Clark) doesn't get a lot of play on this board but I think their straight-up pepperoni deep dish is a classic. Also inexpensive.

Here's a third for Aloha Grill, agreed on the authenticity, value, and flavors.

Care to share the name with us?

I'm assuming they're referencing House of Wing at Clark & Fullerton. Not the greatest wings I've ever had, and not even true buffalo wings. They have an asian tang to them which is okay, but unexpected for anyone who thinks they're going to get some BW3 or Buff Joes.

Ive lived in Lincoln Park all 26 years of my life and many of the good spots are long gone and replaced by the like's of Chipotle and the now no longer on the LP's finest list, potbelly, but a few remain and a few have spawned, some of my favorite places to eat cheap in the area

Aloha Grill- I find myslef eating here on binge's, I wont go for a few months and then ill have it 4-5 times in a week. What makes this place better than average to me id the fact its authentic Island cuisine at a great price and nothing else of its kind in the city. Another big plus is the range of the menu Id suggest the loco-moco, BBQ mix plate, Cheeseburgers, and anything that sounds good to you will more than likely be satisfying for the price. If you want to eat really cheap grab a mini plate, at less than $5 its a meal in itself.

Athenian Room- One of the spots thats been here forever, the AR is a damn good Greek restaurant and another spot you really cant go wrong when ordering. The thin sliced crispy gyros dinner is piled high with meat served over the ir signature greek fries, which are perfectly cooked steak fries smothered in a greek wine sauce with all sorts of herbs, some of the better spuds to be had. Other people will tell you how good their Kalamata chicken is and they also do a good charred feta burger. For just under $13 their skirt steak dinner is also addicting, its a perfect cooked piece of skirt steak drenched in the above mentioned wine sauce served with fries and salad.

Taco Burrito Palace #2- The legend has moved out if its old resting spot a few doors down so its a little more yuppiefied with the flat screen and all but the food hasnt skipped a beat. The king of all late night Mexican spots probaly doesnt have the best anything in the city, I take that back the rice is perfect and maybe the chicken enchiladas too, I have yet to find better. They do do an exceptional job with everything they make, from the grease filled quesadilla's to the steak fajita buritto and the homemade tamales and the fresh made salsa. When visiting after hour's (its known the cooks at night are superior) its hard to go wrong, just order what sounds good and enjoy the scene. Note: The family that owns TBP also owns the Mayan Palace down the street and its more of a sit down with waitress' and chips and salsa served table side but they serve alcohol and other options not on the TBP menu and its very well priced.

The Weiner's Circle- Another legendary spot you may have already heard of. The best char dog in the city comes loaded with all the Chicago fixin's and the cheese fires are the best around. They also do a really good char cheddar burger and my non meat eating friend loves the grilled chicken This place can be a circus at night but it is open all day and good at any hour.

House of Wing- This little spot puts more love into their wings than most people give their spouse's. Run by a Chinese family that knows their wing's you can make it out of here with an order of wings, done regular or extra crispy, with the crispy giving the wings a Chinese style that cant be beat in my opinion, for under $10.

The Birds Nest- This bar competes with the above mentioned for best wings in the area (aside from wings of the world, either or could be the best in the city) They have real deal plump juicy wings, not the small ones you find at BW-3. They come in buffalo or teriyaki and im a big fan of the teriyaki. This place knows how to cook wing's. The day is always switching but if you want cheap they have twenty cent wing day a couple times a week.

Half Shell- If you want cheap seafood (if there is such a thing) this spot have been here forever in fact the day I was born at the hospital down the street my dad and uncles drank here all night and I doubt it has changed since. They offer up fresh fried seafood, I enjoy the 32 pointer or something like that which is a combo of shrimp, scallops, oysters, fish and frog legs piled on thin cut fries.

Chicago Pizza and oven Grinder Company- Not cheap for dinner alone but if you go with a group of people a reasonable priced spot offering unique pizza pot pie. Perfect for the upcoming winter months. This place is very popular so be prepared to wait on the weekend's

If I come up with any I couldnt think of, Ill be sure to post them.

Athenian Room
807 W Webster Ave
Chicago, IL 60614-3628
Phone: (773) 348-5155

TBP #2
2241 N. Halsted St., Chicago
Tel: (773) 248-0740

http://www.alohagrillbbq.com

The Wiener's Circle
2622 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60614-1523
Phone: (773) 477-7444

House of Wing
2447 N. Clark St., Chicago
Tel: (773) 929-9421

http://www.birdsnestbar.com/

The Half Shell
676 W Diversey Pkwy
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 549-1773

http://www.chicagopizzaandovengrinder.com/

JLenart wrote:

YourPalWill wrote:Da Beef made me aware of a little wing joint on Clark, in Lincoln Park, a few months back that may well make Chicago's best wings though there's not a beer to be found in the place.It doesn't look like much from the outside.

Care to share the name with us?

I'm not too modest to quote myself:

Ramon wrote:Today, by chance, I found myself in reasonable proximity to Da Beef’s rec of House of Wings. The parking gods smiled on me as I found a spot right in front with time on the meter.

The interior is cramped, (3) micro tables with a couple of stools along the counter window. Aside from the wings, the typical dog, beef, etc was offered. The oldster was manning the register and one other worked in back cleaning celery with care.

Wings are offered single, double, or party order. A single order is $5.25 for eight pieces or $5.75 for “crispy” -- they could be ordered buffalo or BBQ. I immediately appreciated the fact that celery and blue cheese or ranch came with the order and they described the quantity in terms of “pieces” and not “wings” as others obfuscate. There was no heat level specification offered.

There was no line as I placed my single order for crispy buffalo ranch (I know I know). I sat in a stool and watched said oldster shuffle off to work. The wings went in the deep fryer, and I amused myself with a pencil puzzle I keep in my back pocket for just such occasions. Several others placed orders for non-wing fare as I bided my time. After checking, meticulously, several times, the wings were plopped into a Tupperware-like container. Some sauce was precisely squirted onto the chicken. A top was affixed with some fasteners and said oldster began to shake the wings. He made sure to shake them to the east, west, north, and south – upside down, sideways, and aright. He was almost dancing. He removed the securing mechanisms, found something amiss, resecured and danced some more.

The wings were placed in the standard three compartment cardboard container along with many celery pieces, a container of decent dressing, two wet naps, and a hard candy mint. I wanted to shout stop as the container went with care into a plastic bag that he tied in one of those ways I can’t figure out – but I was stuck in the moment – I also knew I pack cold steal that could make quick work of those fiendish plastic bag tie-ers.

Total wait time (14) minutes that I did not find excruciating. Still plenty of time on the parking meter. Enough time to whip out the camera. I wish digital cameras made that cool auto-film-advance sound as I coaxed my model to be her sexy self. Maybe I need another hobby.

The wings were quite meaty. Any more and the skin/fat to meat ratio would suffer. They were cooked to perfection – I’m leary of them undercooked and well done is a disaster. The sauce definitely tasted “buffalo” flavor. A bit of vinegar, a bit of heat, a bit sweet, though it lacked much butter flavor. The wings were crisp from a light coating of corn starch (?). They were delicious and the celery particularly fresh and cool. A winner all around.

In the great chicken wing pantheon that exists in the gullet of my mind’s eye Buffalo Joe’s, at the top of its game, still reigns supreme, though the wings were never as meaty. I might wish for a bit more heat and oleo from House of Wings, but considering the great care and pride put into the product, and the end result, I wish to change my mind.

House of Wings
2447 N Clark
773-929-9421
M-Th 11-9
F-S: 11-3
Sun: 12-8
Delivery offered

-ramon

My boyfriend used to live at Belden and Clark and we ran into a similar problem (at least I did, being the foodie of the two) whenever I was over there (which was always).

I agree that Aloha Grill is a MUST TRY and I wish I didn't live so far away in Andersonville. Sure, I can have Sunshine Cafe anytime I want, but needing a loco moco plate lunch fix is harder to come by.

Anyway, someone above said there is no decent Chinese in the area, but I disagree if you're OK with the standard Cantonese fare. Nan's (2360 N. Lincoln Ave) is fresh, has decent portions and fair prices. We discovered it a little late in his lease, but I'd say it's worth a shot.

What a great topic, especially as I live in Lincoln Park and have an office on Clark Street. I've been here for three years, and have found some my favorite cheap eats elsewhere...

In the neighborhood, I'd say to drop in at Angela's, Weiners Circle and The Bagel. Both Sultans and Sinbads are good Middle Eastern spots. Im most definitely in the "why does anyone go to Francis'?" crowd, and do not care for either the pizza or the attitude at Cafe Luigi. The Athenian Roon is fine for what it is, an inexpensive neighborhood spot, but for the real deal hit up Greektown. I love Pompei on Wellington and Sheffield for an outstanding bowl of Soup, which you could make a lunch out of, and think that Eatzi's Salad Bar is a nice option. Another spot for something on the less expensive side would be New York Bagel Deli on North and Sheffield. Stick with the bagels and their great flavored Cream Cheeses, and steer clear of the ubiquitous proto-chain located around LP.

A bit farther afield, I think Santulo's on North and Damen does a far superior New York slice, and have taken quite a liking to El Jardin Cafe (the one under the EL, not the white stucco El Jardin Restaurant) up on Clark at Roscoe in Wrigleyville. Another enjoyable spot for something on the less expensive side out of the area is Lucky Sandwich, on Clark in Wrigleyville, where you can get a Pittsburgh-style 'everything on it' sandwich.

Enjoy!

chgoeditor wrote:

YourPalWill wrote:Solid diner food abounds on Broadway in Lakeview. Stella's and Melrose both come to mind. Avoid Frances is Lincoln Park. For the life of me, I can never figure out why that place, with it's bland food, is always packed.

And I'd say just the opposite. Stella's is good, Melrose is blah and Frances is worth checking out. But as with any restaurant, it depends on what you order. I'm partial to the turkey reuben at Frances, and haven't eaten anything else on the menu. I had a really good Chinese chicken salad at Stella's recently. While I realize there's nothing authentic about that dish (it's neither Chinese nor a "diner" dish), I was impressed with the chicken...I usually find white meat chicken to be tough and dry, but this was tender and tasty.

I have to admit that I'm almost exclusively a breakfast eater at all three of these places.

Melrose makes exceptional omelets in my opinion and their eggs florentine are exceptional in that they use freshly quick sauteed spinach and make their own hollandaise in house. You also get three eggs with every standard breakfast order at Melrose versus two at Stella's and Frances.

Stella's does perfect poached eggs and great ham on the bone. It offers some great creative casserole type dishes on its breakfast menu. If you like smoked chicken sausage, Stella's give you a big link of it versus little breakfast sized sausages.

Stella's is, hands down superior to Melrose, when it comes to lunch and dinner.

Frances has just never won me over. They advertise sausage made in house that's as bland as sandpaper. If you're going to make your own sausage, at least season it a bit, so that it is worth eating.

whiskeybent wrote:

Care to share the name with us?

I'm assuming they're referencing House of Wing at Clark & Fullerton. Not the greatest wings I've ever had, and not even true buffalo wings. They have an asian tang to them which is okay, but unexpected for anyone who thinks they're going to get some BW3 or Buff Joes.

I apologize. I was the victim of an early morning brain fart.

don't forget the Friday night all you can eat Fish and Chips at Duke of Perth on Clark Street!

(and it really isn't that far from LP to Division and Milwaukee and Ashland where you can get cheap Polish comfort food at Podhalanka and Andy's, Mexican at Las (three different locations within spitting distance!) Pasaditas, heck, there's even a Harold's Fried Chicken on Milwaukee now. Grab a quarter white with S&P and hot sauce and there you go.)


bjt

To be genuinely cuckoo about it, I use as my marker Facets. If I'm west of Facets Cinematheque (1517 W Fullerton), then I go to Honey 1. If I'm east of Facets, then it's TAC Quick. If I'm at Facets, which 9/10 times is the case if I'm in that neighborhood, I stand around and take 30 minutes to decide until I'm so hungry I've come undone and can barely navigate to either place.

Well, either way you beat where I ended up one time while going to Facets.

As far as Chinese goes, well, as far as fake gloppy-sweet Ameri-Chinese goes, and I say that without being as condemnatory as it sounds, I quite enjoyed a recent visit to Yen's.