Des Plaines eats?

Greetings & brief introduction,
I'm the chef at a small indy in Louisville KY. Will be visiting for a couple of days in early May for the Dead shows (much needed relief after the Kentucky Derby chaos).
I haven't been to Chicago in almost a decade and need some serious help with the eats. We are staying at the extended stay on Touhy Ave. We are looking for near-by dining options, local flavor preferred. Generously poured spirits a big plus! Lunch and dinner recommendations would be wonderful.

I am also craving some post show deep dish pie delivery: thick buttery crust, cheese on the bottom, solid slab of Italian sausage and chunky tom-sauce on top.
Would very much appreciate some recommendations.
Thanks bunches,
Mark Albert
Baxter Station Bar & Grill

Hi, Max - welcome to LTHForum! As always, the first place to check is the GNR Map and see what's close to you - Paradise Pup strikes me as a good bet if you're looking for downstyle Chicago style. Here's the full list with descriptions for your reference. Another place to look is the suburbs are not a culinary wasteland thread.

And, since you happened to mention it, I'd love your input on my Derby Day thread. Part II is in the works.

If you're looking for breakfast nearby:
Sunrise Grill
1930 E Touhy Ave
Des Plaines
(847) 298-1600

louisville chef wrote: We are looking for near-by dining options, local flavor preferred. Generously poured spirits a big plus! Lunch and dinner recommendations would be wonderful.

I will vouch for the steak tacos at the Des PLaines Las Asadas as easily being in my top 5 of the Chicagoland area.
The place is a dive. Order at the counter, and wait for your food order to be called. Sit at a formica booth, and enjoy. Local Flavor + Lunch + Des Plaines= Las Asadas. Listen. Go between 11:30a and 12:30p. Get steak tacos, or anything else with STEAK. The barbacoa is good too. If you get chicken, and it's just ok, do not complain to me about it. Get the STEAK. My mouth is watering just writing about it. This is real, char grilled, skirt steak. This is not griddle sauteed garbage steak that most Chicagoland taco joints sling.

No spirits are poured here, but if you bring a few beers in brown paper bags, and don't advertise it, nobody will look at you funny.

If steak is not your thing, then skip this place.
I have a feeling, however, that if you do like steak, and you get their A-grade stuff, you might go back another day while you're here.

Las Asadas
356 Lee St
Des Plaines, IL 60016
(847) 298-2274‎

Go to Paradise Pup and get a cheddar burger. IT will be the best thing you do in your entire life.

Also grab a polish sausage while you're there, as its a Chicago essential. Thell them to "char it and drag it thru the garden"

either the geno's east outlet in rosemont or the lou malnati's in park ridge should deliver to your hotel and scratch your chicago pizza itch. if you want to dine in, the malnati's won't be able to accomodate you--they are a take-out only spot. both have very good chicago-style deep dish pizza as you describe.

Geno's East Rosemont
8725 W Higgins Rd
Chicago, IL 60631
(773) 444-2244

Lou Malnati's Park Ridge
650 A Northwest Highway
Park Ridge, IL 60068
(847) 292-2277

have fun!

oh, there's also a barnaby's just a few blocks from your hotel. very good cracker-thin crust pizza, the style sometimes referred to as "tavern style". it's an old-school pub type of place. excellent pizza, cold beer...worth a visit, especially since it's so close by.

Barnaby's
636 E Touhy Ave,
Des Plaines, IL‎ - (847) 297-8866‎

i can vouch for the carry out quality of Malnati's Park Ridge and I second Paradise Pup. I would do the double char cheddar burger on the blackbread (why not induldge?). Also, their shakes are great. Why not take a 10 minute drive to Gene and Judes south on River Road and get a hot dog? I think you might enjoy that:

Gene & Judes
2720 River Rd, River Grove, IL‎
(708) 452-7634

Paradise Pup
1724 S River Rd, Des Plaines, IL‎
(847) 699-8590‎

Both of these places are GNRs (Great Neighborhood Restaurants). Basically, these are forum community recommended places to eat and in my opinion they are d--m good ones.

Mark,
Will you have a car during your visit? If you do, you're looking at some great options. You're not in walking range of too much.

There's a Portillos at Busse (Rt 83) and Greenleaf in Elk Grove that isn't far. You'll find solid examples of Chidog, beef and polish there.

There's another Las Asadas near the very southwestern tip of DP. This may be closer to your lodging.
From here

Las Asadas
DP South
(847) 718-9782
782 W Oakton St

Des Plaines, IL 60018

The above rec's have been very solid - Paradise Pup is probably the best single thing in Des Plaines (it might be the best burger in Chicago anyway).
And I'll second the Lou Malnati's for the best deep-dish in the city.

However, if youre in the mood to go at all ethnic (stuff you wont find as easily in Louisville, maybe)... there is Rinconsito Hispano, just round the corner from Paradise Pup (my fallback spot when Paradise Pup isnt open or has monster lines, which is often - PP is like 11-5, Mon-Sat). You can get a mixture of Latino faves here, at this tiny hole-in-the-wall, Mexican etc.. but the reason to go is the very authentic food from El Salvador. Only a handful of dishes (more on weekends), very much worth the try. Especially the freshly made pupusas, for 2 bucks a pop, the plantains, the empanadas etc. And on weekends a few more El Salvadorean specials. If youve never had a pupusa, theyre very much worth a trip for that alone - choice of cheese-filled, bean-filled, pork-filled, or all of the above.

And if youre somewhat mobile with a car, and youre looking for, say, Indian or Pakistani food.. there is Tandoori Restaurant in Des Plaines, which has been reported on on this board a few times. (But if youre mobile with a car, Devon street isnt *that* far, really).

c8w

Rinconcito Hispano
1669 E Oakton St
Des Plaines, IL 60016
(847) 803-6180

Try Romano's for some good thin crust pizza. This place hasn't changed in probably 40 years - very traditional old-school Italian joint. They pour a good beverage over there as well.

Romano's
1396 E Oakton St
Des Plaines, IL 60018
(847) 827-5571

I second the Paradise Pup run but be prepared to spend a good 45min there if you go on the weekend. Great food, but they have the slowest service I can think of.

Flamingo's Seafood (#33 in the suburbs are not a culinary wasteland thread) serves excellent Mexican food, along with huge margaritas.

Flamingo’s Seafood
1590 S Busse Road (½ block east of Algonquin)
Mt Prospect, IL 60056
(847) 364-9988

rdstoll wrote:Try Romano's for some good thin crust pizza.

Yes. Romano's! Be sure to order the "panless" pizza. It's a unique craker crust vairent that is quite good.

I grew up in D.P. and still live down the road- Paradise Pup, definitely. The hot dogs are good, but the cheddar burger is amazing.

It's a little farther away, but for breakfast, I'd recommend L & L Snack Shop (I talk about it in the last post of that thread.)

Las Asadas is good. I also like Arandas Taqueria. They are cash only. Also, another place I'd recommend is Salerno's (as talked about in this thread) at Wolf Rd. and Kensington Rd. Italian, a little farther away, but worth it- very inexpensive, fresh ingredients, home-made. Here's their correct website address: http://salernoscatering.com

Arandas Taqueria
1721 E Oakton
Des Plaines
(847) 390-0899

Salerno's
1716 E Kensington Rd
Mount Prospect
847.699.2822

Thanks to all for the abundance of great suggestions. I have no doubt that our visit will be much more enjoyable thanks to your valuable input. My short list of must eat places is now looking pretty firm.
I will post again after our trip to share our culinary adventures.
Again, Much Thanks!

I would like to extend an invitation to your southern sister board
http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/hot ... um.php?f=9

louisville chef wrote:I would like to extend an invitation to your southern sister board
http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/hot ... um.php?f=9

That board is moderated by Robin Garr who does some great food and travel writing and is a noted wine writer.

I have used it successfully on several occasions.

Beacon Tap on Lee Street for Friday fish fry.

I must say that my most recent visit to Paradise Pup this weekend was legendary. In addition to having the best burger in the galaxy, they also have the best Polish Sausage.

I took two visiting guests there on Saturday and after an hour-long wait to order, they claimed both to be modern marvels of taste that were unrivaled.

The banana shake was on point as always.

LouisvilleChef, it's no doubt this is the place to go, just make sure you realize that they're closed on Sunday and that there will be a wait on Saturday. . but oh so worth it.

Thanks for the heads up.
We will be arriving Monday AM and departing Thurs after breaking the fast.
We have adequate transportation, however not looking to drive any more than absolutely necessary.

rdstoll wrote:Try Romano's for some good thin crust pizza. This place hasn't changed in probably 40 years - very traditional old-school Italian joint. They pour a good beverage over there as well.

Romano's
1396 E Oakton St
Des Plaines, IL 60018
(847) 827-5571

Romano's in Des Plaines is closed.

My default thin crust pizza while in DP is Barnaby's - 636 Touhy Ave, Des Plaines www.barnabys1.com

MortonG wrote:Beacon Tap on Lee Street for Friday fish fry.

This may be the only item worthwhile, the supposed 'home made' corned beef was not in the least homemade.
Attitude & vibe of Beacon Tap has gone very much downhill sad to say.


Lots of praise for Las Asadas and Arandas, the only item I've had at each is tacos & I wasn't thrilled, thought very dry. But it has been awhile so I'll have to go back.

For Mexican in Des Plaines, I've been going to Mexico Restaurant (great name ) - 694 Lee St, Des Plaines. Their lengua gordita w/salsa rojo or verde, contains these thicker slices of tongue that are oh so tender. I dream about this meal. Not food realted but the family that runs this place are very friendly.

Chef to chef, I have to tell you coming to Chicago and staying in Des Plaines and enviorns, is like going to San Francisco and never leaving Daly City. In the ballpark but not in the game. Suggest reconsidering your plan.

Jazzfood wrote:Chef to chef, I have to tell you coming to Chicago and staying in Des Plaines and enviorns, is like going to San Francisco and never leaving Daly City. In the ballpark but not in the game. Suggest reconsidering your plan.

Sorry, your advice is about three years too late.

Sweet Willie wrote:Romano's in Des Plaines is closed.

... but they're open in Rosemont (haven't been, though)
Romano's Rosemont
9785 W. Higgins Road
Rosemont, Illinois
(847) 292-0100
http://www.romanosrestaurant.net/Rosemont.htm

JoelF wrote:

Sweet Willie wrote:Romano's in Des Plaines is closed.

... but they're open in Rosemont (haven't been, though)
Romano's Rosemont
9785 W. Higgins Road
Rosemont, Illinois
(847) 292-0100
http://www.romanosrestaurant.net/Rosemont.htm

I've been, and I think the pizza measures up pretty well to the old location. Just one note: don't order by the slice . . . it pales in terms of quality. But if you can afford to drive an extra 10 minutes to Norridge, I would tell you to go to Lazza Pizza for a really outstanding pizza (very different type however).

Since there is no Rosemont thread this fits into, I'm putting this here. I stopped by Cibo Racconto for a sammidge today. I ended up with the Spinach & Goat Cheese Turkey (smoked turkey, spinach goat cheese spread, fresh tomatoes, field greens & provolone on a multigrain roll) and it was quite nice. Not the best sandwich in the world, but it hit the spot. I couldn't taste that much of the goat cheese, but there were nice thick slices of tomatoes, lots of fresh greens, and the bread was crisp on the outside and delicious. Only $7.99, too. And yes, this is the same Racconto based in Melrose Park that makes pasta/sauces/etc., yet this is the only location, and the Racconto website doesn't seem to mention the restaurant, and the restaurant doesn't directly mention the retail food; the only thing they share is the logo. Odd.

10441 Touhy, Rosemont
@ Chestnut, just west of Mannheim, within walking distance of Rosemont Horizon*


*Allstate Arena