Starting school at Chicago

Hey everyone!

I am going to be transferring down from a school here in Texas to DePaul University in Chicago. My orientation for DePaul University is the day after my birthday on July 19th. Me and my family are driving all the way up to Chicago for my orientation day. I was just wondering. What are some places that we definitely need to try??? I have been to Gino's before and would really like to take them there, but was wondering if there is any other place that would be worth trying?

I have only been to Chicago once and that was when I took a tour of DePaul University a couple years back with my school, and fell in love with the city and the school, but unfortunately was not accepted, but decided to apply as a transfer and was accepted this time! I am really looking forward to starting my school career here at DePaul and having Chicago as the city that my school is located in. Any help will be appreciated! Please help make this week that we are in Chicago for my orientation day and birthday weekend a good one! I really want to try some good food and get a head start on what to expect this upcoming school year!!

Big Star
Hot Doug's
Franks and Dawgs
Giordano's is better than Gino's IMO
Portillo's
Greektown

chartreusetea wrote:I have been to Gino's before and would really like to take them there, but was wondering if there is any other place that would be worth trying?

Maybe a couple

In all seriousness, The LTH Forum Great Neighborhood Restaurants is your best resource. Pick a cuisine that isn't well-represented in Texas and start checking them out. Maybe even pick one that you think is well-represented in Texas (Mexican, perhaps?). You might be surprised. Definitely don't stay focused on the stereotypical Chicago pizza and hot dogs (not that there's anything wrong with them), or you'll be missing out. On a lot. A LOT.

Congratulations on your acceptance, and welcome to LTH!

Welcome to Chicago! You're going to be in the heart of some of the best restaurants in the city and you will have SO many to try. Just make sure you walk to a lot of them, that will help keep off the pounds.

Kuma's Corner! its a bar so you can expect wait times for seating and food. no reservations are taken, but the food and beer are dynamite and worth the wait!

www.kumascorner.com
2900 West Belmont Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618-5804
(773) 604-8769

MBK wrote:Kuma's Corner! its a bar so you can expect wait times for seating and food. no reservations are taken, but the food and beer are dynamite and worth the wait!

http://www.kumascorner.com
2900 West Belmont Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618-5804
(773) 604-8769

Legal drinking age is 21 and he's transferring in after a couple of years at another school. I'm guessing the upcoming birthday is 20. So dynamite food, but no dynamite beer.

spinynorman99 wrote:

MBK wrote:Kuma's Corner! its a bar so you can expect wait times for seating and food. no reservations are taken, but the food and beer are dynamite and worth the wait!

http://www.kumascorner.com
2900 West Belmont Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618-5804
(773) 604-8769

Legal drinking age is 21 and he's transferring in after a couple of years at another school. I'm guessing the upcoming birthday is 20. So dynamite food, but no dynamite beer.

Yep I will be turning 20 on July 18. But I'm sure my dad and uncle will appreciate the beer!

As regards deep dish pizza in Lincoln Park, you are far better off going to Lou Malnati's (good) or Pequod's (excellent) than Gino's (sucks in my opinion).

Lou Malnati
958 W. Wrightwood
Chicago, IL 60614

Pequod's Pizza
2207 North Clybourn Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614-3011

A decade ago when I went to high school in Lincoln Park there was definitely great food to be found in the neighborhood, LA Pizza (back in the day), Alladin's (best lamb shish sandwich in Chicago, RIP) and of course Demon Dog (RIP). Would be happy (and surprised) to hear that this is still the case.

I would take them to a true Chicago classic--Ricobenes--for the breaded steak and some of the best fries in Chicago. Go to the original on 26th street just west of I94.

http://www.ricobenesfamoussteaks.com/locations.php

I think you should try PITA INN in SKOKIE which you will thoroughly enjoy pretty reasonably priced middle eastern food.

No offense, but I'm having a hard time seeing why he needs to shlep to Skokie for that one. Kedzie has Salam etc. much closer.

Mike G wrote:No offense, but I'm having a hard time seeing why he needs to shlep to Skokie for that one. Kedzie has Salam etc. much closer.

I think PITA INN is cheaper for those on a student salary and has greater turnover so the food is a little fresher. Although I like the Baba Ghanoush @ Salam is better.

Sweets and Savories is a great option just slightly west of the DePaul 'hood and perfect for a nice bday dinner with the family. It's BYO so your uncle and dad can pick up a sixer of whatever they'd like. Food is delicious and prices are very reasonable.

I second the suggestion to print out a copy of the LTH Great Neighborhood Restaurants guide and a map of the city and just decide where you'd like to explore. There are options in every corner of Chicago and the list is as reliable as they come. You may not see some of the more touristy places you read about elsewhere, but GNR's are places worth seeking out.

One additional word of advice though--LTH is helpful not just with where to go, but with what to order. So once you narrow down your options, have a look through some of the threads here to see what's not to be missed about a particular favorite spot. You'll be VERY glad you did The search function is located at the bottom of the page or, sometimes, it may be easier to "google" LTHForum and the restaurant name.

Congrats on making it to DePaul (I'm an alum as well!) and hope to hear where you ended up going (and what you thought of it!!)

Jen

I see you made it to the website; You'll find lth to be a great resource for the years you'll be in Chicago. Enjoy the eats - we certainly miss it.

I think you should try PITA INN in SKOKIE which you will thoroughly enjoy pretty reasonably priced middle eastern food.

Why in the heck would a DePaul student head out to Skokie?

Hey, he's a DePaul student...Taco Burrito Palace #2 is inevitable.

2441 N Halsted St

I know I'm in the minority here, but you could do worse than to grab a gyros platter and Greek fries at the Athenian Room, decent atmosphere, filling, popular and been around at least as long as I have in this world.

Athenian Room
807 W Webster
Chicago 60614

MBK wrote:Kuma's Corner! its a bar so you can expect wait times for seating and food. no reservations are taken, but the food and beer are dynamite and worth the wait!

Kuma's offers "immersion in heavy metal culture" along with its great beer and burgers, so if your family is comfy with chowing down in an ambience that I would describe as mosh-pit-moderne, then I say go for it.

But if you're looking for more staid surroundings in the area I would second Sweets & Savories, also truly a GNR.

rmtraut wrote:

I think you should try PITA INN in SKOKIE which you will thoroughly enjoy pretty reasonably priced middle eastern food.

Why in the heck would a DePaul student head out to Skokie?

Hey, he's a DePaul student...Taco Burrito Palace #2 is inevitable.

I went to DePaul for two years and mercifully managed to avoid The TBP.

*shudder*

Thanks everyone for the help! I will make sure to post my experiences this upcoming week and will make sure to let you all know how it turns out! I will definitely be sticking around on this forum, I will be living in an apartment styled dorm and will be living off a apartment meal plan which leaves me with about $5.70 per day for food to use, so I will have to find places to eat and start learning how to cook!

I went to DePaul for two years and mercifully managed to avoid The TBP.

Were you sober for those two years?

Dmnkly wrote:

rmtraut wrote:

I think you should try PITA INN in SKOKIE which you will thoroughly enjoy pretty reasonably priced middle eastern food.

Why in the heck would a DePaul student head out to Skokie?

Hey, he's a DePaul student...Taco Burrito Palace #2 is inevitable.

I went to DePaul for two years and mercifully managed to avoid The TBP.

*shudder*

same here, though i couldn't avoid Allende for their pastor burritos and Taco/Burrito Express (by Kingston Mines) for their huge chicken quesadillas when i lived in that area as a youth. don't forget Noodles in a Pot... now we're really going back to school

@rmtraut maybe he was, but there were to the best of my recollection Allende crowds and TBP2 crowds late at night--i was in the Allende camp... from what i remember their pastor was cut from a cone and decent, but this is wayyyy back when:

Allende Restaurant
773/477-7114
2408 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago

jbw wrote:Kuma's offers "immersion in heavy metal culture" along with its great beer and burgers, so if your family is comfy with chowing down in an ambience that I would describe as mosh-pit-moderne, then I say go for it.

Any time I go to Kuma's "suburban family groups" are well represented and they all seem to be enjoying themselves. Perhaps it's the "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" factor, but people seem to be open to loud headbanger music in that environment. We were there some months ago when yet another show was filming so they had the music off. The relative silence actually threw me for a while -- then I kind of liked it.

Thanks everyone for the help! I will definitely be posting how my experience goes next week, and I will make sure to mention that I found all these restaurants through LTHForum.com!

Since you're on a college student budget, I'd recommend stopping at Bird's Nest for their wing deal on Thursdays or Sundays. 35 cent wings and I'm sure they wouldn't mind you being there as long as you don't try to order booze. I went with a friend who just ordered orange juice and they didn't mind (although he's 25 and looks older.) Also, the wings are very good and they're likely within walking distance for you.

Bird's Nest
2500 N. Southport
773-472-1502