Dinner suggestions driving back from O'Hare?

I'm picking up my friend from O'hare tonight around 7 p.m. and am trying to figure out a place to stop for dinner. She's visiting for the first time from NYC.

I live in Andersonville, and would prefer to eat somewhere in the city.

I'm already taking her out for deep dish pizza and Mexican food later this weekend.

Wherever we'd go, I'd like it to be casual, reasonably priced, but still considered a Chicago gem, since she does live in quite the food mecca herself.

I'm considering both Smoque and Semiramis.

Any other suggestions? Sorry, this request is rather vague. I've been racking my brain and am having a mental block!

TIA.

I don't know your preferred route from O'Hare to Andersonville, but I take the Kennedy to Nagle to Devon to Caldwell to Peterson. If you do that, Katsu's not at all out of the way. Nor, for that matter, is the Fondue Stube!

HI,

I have been known to go to Caponies on Harlem.

Look for posts by OUrPalWill who works near the airport.

Regards,

Carlywood wrote:Wherever we'd go, I'd like it to be casual, fairly reasonably priced, but still considered a Chicago gem, since she does live in quite the food mecca herself.

What food mecca would that be? By process of elimination, I'd say it's not LA, because you're taking her for Mexican food.

Carlywood wrote:Wherever we'd go, I'd like it to be casual, fairly reasonably priced, but still considered a Chicago gem, since she does live in quite the food mecca herself.

Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!

2401 W Devon Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 338-2800

Get off at Irving and go to Sabatino's. That's my go-to when I have people at O'Hare for meetings and whatnot. It's right off the Kennedy and about 1/2 way, time wise.

Whoops! She's coming in from NYC.

Jump off the xway at Lawrence Av. and head straight to Marie's. Great thin crust pizza, cheap drinks and loads of atmosphere.

Just cause shes a tourist doesn't mean ya gotta feed her deep dish !

Marie's Liquors and Pizza
4127 W Lawrence Av
Chicago

gleam wrote:

Carlywood wrote:Wherever we'd go, I'd like it to be casual, fairly reasonably priced, but still considered a Chicago gem, since she does live in quite the food mecca herself.

Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!

2401 W Devon Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 338-2800

SECONDED!!!

You want an Olde School Chicago gem easily accessed from 94 then you want Sabatino's. Outstanding Chicagoan American Italian neighborhood restaurant.

I really like Khan's, primarily for take out, but the place lacks an ounce of ambience to save its life. Sabatinos drips Chicago ambience.

Another good alternative if you come down Foster after getting off on Austin (Access Austin from 90 before the 90-94 merge) is just hanging a right on Milwaukee and going a half mile or so down to Gale Street Inn. Try and sit in the bar area's comfy booths for one of the best Chicagoy feeling places in all Chicagoland.

The burgers, ribs (fall off the bone style), and even steaks are pretty damaned good and they pour a great Martini. If you go to GSI, try to stay in the bar area seating for the best ambience. You'll love it!

Bster

Bster wrote:You want an Olde School Chicago gem easily accessed from 94 then you want Sabatino's.

Okay, here's where I'm going to have to dissent. I think that Sabatino's atmosphere is reminiscent of the atmosphere at any old school, red sauce Italian, including those on the East Coast. In other words, even though Sabatino's is a Chicago institution, I don't think it's unique to Chicago.

If Carlywood's friend has lived in the tri-state area, especially suburban NY, or Boston or New Jersey, Sabatino's may not necessarily be unique to her.

Carlywood- why don't you forget about taking her somewhere around O'Hare, and just go back to Andersonville and go to Hopleaf?

Since this is for a visitor from New York, I wouldn't recommend an Italian restaurant or to a place for thin crust pizza, since they are such local specialties back home. Besides, you're already doing deep dish later during her visit (good choice!).

My recommendation? Sol de Mexico, on Cicero south of Belmont (exit the Kennedy at Lawrence, left at the top of the ramp, go east a few blocks to Cicero right after going under an overpass, turn right, go 2.2 miles). Lots of different kinds of moles, very good Mexican food totally unlike what she has probably had back home.

Another possibility is Sweets and Savories. It's slightly out of your way but convenient to the Kennedy. Excellent food and the unlikely storefront makes it seem like a real find.

Smoque is a good choice, too.

Sol de Mexico's a good suggestion, because it's not likely the New Yorker has the opportunity all that often to enjoy such good Mexican food, for such a bargain (compared to NYC) prices. It's an easy-off stop from the expressway and not inconveniently located for the trip home to Andersonville.

On the way back from O'Hare and something she's not likely to have in NY is a delicious home-y Polish place like Smak-Tak.

Best,
Michael

I thought SDM at first also but:

Carlywood wrote:I'm already taking her out for deep dish pizza and Mexican food later this weekend.

As gleam so eloquently put it:
Khaaaaaan! The whole STREET screams "ambience." Khan's doesn't need that much.

Just to throw a couple more ideas in:

Spoon Thai on Western, and Laschet's on Irving Park. Neither is really too far out of the way and both seem like great places to bring an out-of-towner.

seebee wrote:I thought SDM at first also but:

Carlywood wrote:I'm already taking her out for deep dish pizza and Mexican food later this weekend.

Oops - sorry!

Smoque, Spoon Thai...

Go to M. Henry tomorrow for breakfast!

Whoops, I'm too late. One less well known stop convenient from O'Hare is GNR winner Elephant Thai. If you follow the common expressway-to-Nagle-to-Devon route for North siders, it's right on the way.

Elephant Thai
5348 W Devon
Chicago, IL
773-467-1168

I know too that I'm posting late, but some other decent restaurants that aren't too far from 90/94 that you could've gone to include Tre Kronor, Edelweiss, Mirabell, or Guey Lon! At least, on the other hand, someone was smart enough to suggest Sabatino's(which I feared noone would mention).

Anyway, Tre Kronor is a very good restaurant to eat at. It isn't so close to 90/94 as Sabatino's is, but it's just as upscale as Sabatino's, and you won't have to drive excessively far east, as you would with some of those other suggestions I've seen(i.e. Khan, Hopleaf, etc., and no offense to those places, since I like them just as much as anyone else). It's in the same 2-3 mile distance range away from the expressway, just like Laschet's is(or its rival, Resi's Bieustube). Anyway, Tre Kronor is a Swedish restaurant that goes beyond just your basic Chicago Swedish diners(i.e. Ann Sather, Svea, etc.), and even puts them to shame. Excellent entrees, traditional Swedish entrees(i.e. Salmon Dill Quiche, Swede. meatballs, etc.), and delicious pastries. The servers will usually give anyone dining here samples of appetizers on their menu(such as tuna squares, which I recall having once here), which is a great touch to the ambiance of this place. Also, if you're on your way to neighborhoods to the east of here(such as Andersonville or Uptown), it's located at a nice halfway point inbetween the Kennedy(90/94) Expressway), and lakefront neighborhoods such as Andersonville.

Edelweiss and Mirabell are both German restaurants not too far away from the expressway at all. Mirabell is located just across the street from a KMart, and immediately to the east of the Kennedy off of Addison Ave. Edelweiss is on Irving Park Rd., and not very far east of O'Hare airport at all. It's located just to the west of both Harlem-Irving Plaza(aka the 'HIP'), and the Rolling Stones music store(not to mention, Rolling Stones would make a nice stop, after a good meal at Edelweiss, since I believe it's open every night until midnight).

Finally, Guey Lon is a decent Chinese restaurant that's operated in Chicago for about 50 years, located on Elston Ave., just to the south of Irving Park Rd. They also serve certain Thai dishes too(such as Pad Thai), and are well known for their food, due to the fact they've participated in the Taste of Chicago for many years.

Tre Kronor
3258 W. Foster Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
(773) 267-9888

Edelweiss
7650 W. Irving Park Rd.
Norridge, IL, 60706
(708) 452-6040

Mirabell
3454 W Addison Street
Chicago, IL, 60618
(773) 463-1962

Guey Lon
3968 N Elston Ave.
Chicago, IL, 60618
(773) 267-1724

Lots of good recommendations here including Sabatino's, Smak Tak and Mirabell. Smak Tak would be my choice among those a) because its so darn good and b) the one place that I ate Polish food in New York would be blown away by it.

Off of Devon in Park Ridge is MJ2, a homey cafe with creative pastas, excellent pork chops, as well traditional Italian Specialties. There's a nice Indian Buffet directly across the street from the shopping center in which MJ2 is located called Tandoor. On River Road, just south of the Theater, the newest incarnation of Gianotti's serves one of the best blackened salmon dishes that I have ever eaten.

I've been itching to try the brand new Couscous House in the 4700 block of West Lawrence. It has a very attractive dining room and boasts a Mediterranean and American menu. If your friend will accept more pedestrian digs, James and Joy Fried Chicken, also in the 4700 block of West Lawrence serves traditional Filipino food from a steam table daily.

In my years living in New York, I never had rotisserie chicken as good as that at Brasa Roja on Montrose.

Finally, not far from Edelweiss is Hortex. Ignore the fact that the name sounds like a brand of disposable glove. They serve a very tasty Polish Gourmet menu with a focus on game.

Hortex. ... They serve a very tasty Polish Gourmet menu with a focus on game.

CAn you tell us more?

Regards,

Carlywood,

Where did you end up, what did you have, and how was it?

Cathy2 wrote:

Hortex. ... They serve a very tasty Polish Gourmet menu with a focus on game.

CAn you tell us more?

Regards,

Certainly. The place does serve some traditional polish including a really great beef soup. On my previous visits, mostly for business meals, I have been surprised to find quail on the specials menu, cooked with a berry glaze, and once a special of a simmered venison steak (more a cutlet).

There actually are two Hortex Restaurants. One on School Street which is offers fare much like that of other Polish places in town. The one on Irving Park, that I mention here, is the higher end version.

I'm usually so bad at posting about where I end up going after asking for suggestions here!

We went to Smoque and it was really great.

I was disappointed they were already out of pulled pork and brisket, as I was itching to try the pulled pork sandwich. I was suprised by how crowded it was for 8:15 on a Thursday night!

We both had the special: 1/2 slab of baby back ribs with two sides and slaw for a mere $9.95. I had to get the corn bread as well.

The ribs themselves were perfect: juicy, tender, but still a little effort to get them off the bone. I used the sauce for more moisture, but wasn't as impressed with its taste.

The macaroni and cheese was divine. The corn bread was perfection. Next time I'll split an order of fries with someone because that portion is out of control. Plus, this way I can sample another side. I will say the fries were probably my least favorite part of the meal...just not a lot going on there in terms of taste. Perhaps a douse of salt would have helped them out a bit.

Anyway, thank you all for your suggestions...I will keep them in mind for another night!