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Post#41 » by TB#1 » Thu Feb 21, 2008 3:32 pm

guypithecus wrote:I'm surprised no one has mentioned the world famous Billy Goat Tavern. Maybe not the best food, but certainly a Chicago landmark made famous by Saturday Night Live.

http://www.billygoattavern.com/home.html


Good call, but only for the orignal location on lower Michigan, for the "ambiance." The burgers aren't good enough on their own to recommend any of the other locations that have sprung up, although the one near the UC is a good meet up point before games.
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Post#42 » by Chewie » Thu Feb 21, 2008 6:25 pm

Not to be a downer but if you're going to come to Chicago, make it a point to visit not live here. Maybe this is the February blahs talking but humans weren't meant to live this north of the equator. Come during the 4 to 5 months of decent weather, hit the afore-mentioned eateries, make the obligatory Wrigley visit, go nuts on Michigan Ave and the museums and, hey, isn't that silver bean cool?.... THEN GET THE F OUT because 7 months of clouds, cold, and snow shovels are coming. Not to mention the
sea of bums I've got to wade my way through on a daily basis - that's a fun year-round thing, though.

"Jeez, Chewie, why do you live in Chicago if you dislike it so much?" Working on it.....working on it. Florida calls me.
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Post#43 » by TB#1 » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:29 pm

Chewie wrote:Not to be a downer but if you're going to come to Chicago, make it a point to visit not live here. Maybe this is the February blahs talking but humans weren't meant to live this north of the equator. Come during the 4 to 5 months of decent weather, hit the afore-mentioned eateries, make the obligatory Wrigley visit, go nuts on Michigan Ave and the museums and, hey, isn't that silver bean cool?.... THEN GET THE F OUT because 7 months of clouds, cold, and snow shovels are coming. Not to mention the
sea of bums I've got to wade my way through on a daily basis - that's a fun year-round thing, though.

"Jeez, Chewie, why do you live in Chicago if you dislike it so much?" Working on it.....working on it. Florida calls me.


Hey, I got forced into a Florida move, and while I'm not exactly sad to have missed one of the worst winters ever up there, most aren't that extreme. I miss Chicago each and every day. That list for Chicago attractions took hours. I could do one for Tampa Bay in about 10 minutes.
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Post#44 » by moevillini » Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:04 pm

great idea for a topic - I think I read through the suggestions carefully and there's a couple that I'd add:

Garfiled Park Conservatory - right off the Lake Street El (Green Line) - especially in the middle of winter!
http://www.garfield-conservatory.org/

The Chicago Cultural Center - the original Chicago Public Library, an amazingly beautiful interior with gorgeous mosaics and frequently some very intersting rotating exhibits, concerts etc, mostly free
LINK

Navy Pier is pretty much a waste of time unless you're there for a special exhibit EXCEPT the Ferris Wheel is great and the Smith Museum of Stained Glass is phenomenal (free, just walk thru)
http://www.navypier.com/things2do/rides_attract/smith_museum.html
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Post#45 » by Pedro Pistolas » Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:42 pm

Nice Topic !
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Post#46 » by Chewie » Fri Feb 22, 2008 1:25 am

TB#1 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Hey, I got forced into a Florida move, and while I'm not exactly sad to have missed one of the worst winters ever up there, most aren't that extreme. I miss Chicago each and every day. That list for Chicago attractions took hours. I could do one for Tampa Bay in about 10 minutes.


Hey, TB. Yeah, I grew up all over FL, actually, and came to Chicago to attend DePaul and have been here for the last 20 years. I guess the gloomy winters have just worn on me. It doesn't take much to please me, though - warm weather and beaches would do the trick at this point. Was actually looking at Valrico which is by you. The big drawback of Florida to me is the awful, AWFUL public school system which is a factor with 3 kids. The grass is always greener, eh ?
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Post#47 » by GregB » Fri Feb 22, 2008 7:23 am

I just wanted to say thanks for the thread. In september, My friend is getting married in chicago. I have driven through but never stopped. I have recently been planning my trip and I will prob use a lot of this info for my day or two before the wedding in the city.

My friends Bday is right before his wedding. Just wondering if any of you have any good bar recommendations??

I am in my mid 20s. Looking for a fairly busy bar on a thursday night, with lots of beer on tap, halfway decent prices, and a decent selection of women. Maybe an Irish Bar. live alternative/modern rock music would be ok too.
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Post#48 » by TB#1 » Fri Feb 22, 2008 1:34 pm

GregB wrote:I just wanted to say thanks for the thread. In september, My friend is getting married in chicago. I have driven through but never stopped. I have recently been planning my trip and I will prob use a lot of this info for my day or two before the wedding in the city.

My friends Bday is right before his wedding. Just wondering if any of you have any good bar recommendations??

I am in my mid 20s. Looking for a fairly busy bar on a thursday night, with lots of beer on tap, halfway decent prices, and a decent selection of women. Maybe an Irish Bar. live alternative/modern rock music would be ok too.


Plenty of Irish bars on the list in my original post. Let us know what part of the city you are going to be in and we can narrow down choices.
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Post#49 » by TB#1 » Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:32 pm

Not necessarily a place for out of towners to seek out, but I must give props to The Get Me High Lounge.

My now wife and I had a first date near my apartment in Bucktown, a half block north of Club Lucky on Honore. I loved Club Lucky and I ate there before and my wife and I ate there many times after (she is a slave to their grilled calamari and was duly impressed when I duplicated the recipe (the key is lemon juice, garlic and capers).

But for that night, we ate at Eat Your Heart Out (no longer there, on North Ave) -- we both had the duck breast. We had coffee and dessert at Urbis Orbis, a coffee house in the building that eventually was closed and became the Real World Chicago Fiasco. Then we met up with my roommates for a drink at the Get Me High. That was a Friday Night and the date "officially" ended late Sunday night. Hubba Hubba.

In any event, the Get Me High is a drinker from another generation, and is worth the experience.

Honorable Mention shoutout to The Bucktown.
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Post#50 » by Magilla_Gorilla » Sat Feb 23, 2008 12:16 am

Awesome thread TB#1. I just moved back to the city, after being relocated as a child, and this thread is a great help in discovering new places.

Oh, and a word about Bucktown, DAMN YOU AND YOUR OUTRAGEOUSLY HIGH PRICED REAL ESTATE! The wife and I were looking in the area, and couldn't believe the real estate prices there - its crazy. I suppose the fact that we were used to the ridiculously cheap real estate in Texas - but I mean damn its expensive.

Aruns is only a couple miles from the house - I'm thinking about taking the wife there next weekend - anyone else been there?
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Post#51 » by TB#1 » Sat Feb 23, 2008 12:28 am

Magilla_Gorilla wrote:Awesome thread TB#1. I just moved back to the city, after being relocated as a child, and this thread is a great help in discovering new places.

Oh, and a word about Bucktown, DAMN YOU AND YOUR OUTRAGEOUSLY HIGH PRICED REAL ESTATE! The wife and I were looking in the area, and couldn't believe the real estate prices there - its crazy. I suppose the fact that we were used to the ridiculously cheap real estate in Texas - but I mean damn its expensive.

Aruns is only a couple miles from the house - I'm thinking about taking the wife there next weekend - anyone else been there?


Arun's is good. Go.

And when I lived in Bucktown, my roommates and I rented a newly rehabbed, 2 story, 3 bedroom/2 bath unit on Honore for something like $800 per month. This would have been mid-90's. My bedroom was on the upper floor and was formerly a kitchen, had an ornate tin ceiling, a built in wood cubbord I used as a bookcase, hardwood floors, and a door out to a deck over our tiny yard. I had a grown man's bedroom set, kitchy "art" on the walls. Stereo, including turntable. It was a single man's **** palace.

My wife has told me that she liked our place, but once I showed her my room, it more or less sealed the deal.

After that, we moved to Armitage and Oakley for a year, before the Hipper than Thou thing drove us down to Hyde Park for 3 years, which was a different kind of Too Hip -- then out to the west suburbs once Fertility Syndrome hit.
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Post#52 » by GregB » Sat Feb 23, 2008 1:56 am

TB#1 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Plenty of Irish bars on the list in my original post. Let us know what part of the city you are going to be in and we can narrow down choices.



Right now they live in Elmhurst. From what I understand that a sub SE of Chicago. I am pretty much willing to go anywhere though.

I really want to try some authentic deep dish pizza. Ginos East and Giordanos sound like the best from everything I have read. Not sure which one to choose. Maybe I will have to try both.
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Post#53 » by treyZz » Sat Feb 23, 2008 3:14 am

Irish Oak in Wrigleyville is a nice bar. Got completely hammered in there a few weekends ago.
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Post#54 » by CousinOfDeath » Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:29 am

Posey H8er wrote:Has anyone ever been to Tasty Dog? That had to be my favorite hot dog place growing up.
http://www.oprf.com/TastyDog/
http://www.centerstagechicago.com/resta ... tydog.html

This is the original building. They moved across the street recently because apartments were being built.
(picture)


ya i go to school at oprf like 2 blocks from there. It's kinda overrated, not as good as Johnnies :D . But seriously, Genes and Judes has to be the best hot dog place i know. And about the beef shortage, ive never really noticed anything like that, they all seem normal to me.
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Post#55 » by Jo Jo English » Sat Feb 23, 2008 8:07 am

TB#1 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Did I ever mention my wife was born and raised in Lexington, Il?

She has family in Decatur and when and if we ever get back there, I'll check it out.

Her favorite food treat when she gets back to central Illinois is Gondola subs from Avanti's.


I know a lot of my opinion is shaped by nostalgia, but Krekel's is a tradition in my family. I grew up in a household where grabbing a "krekel burger' and bag of fries, was much better than stopping by McDonalds or BK.

It is a joint that my parents remember eating at when they were in high school, and my (much younger) nephew worked there for a spell in high school just last year. So, again, the longevity and nostalgia can't be ignored.

I will say this though - I have a strong belief that anyone who spent time in Decatur would agree with me. If you like you burgers fried very thin it does not get better than Krekels. Since they are so thin grab a double or triple, a bag of fries, and a milkshake.

Good Lord... I need to get back to Decatur stat. It has been far too long.

EDIT: Another food "thing" I miss about central Illlinois, admittedly one of few, is the pork tenderloin sandwich. So far I've been unable to find a decent pork tenderloin sandwich in the Chicago area. I know it is more of a southern treat, common in parts of central IL and IN. Does anyone make an authentic pork tenderloin sandwich within 40 miles of the United Center?

I really need to take the lady out for one since her experience with the delicacy begins and ends with Culver's version. :)
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Post#56 » by Jo Jo English » Sat Feb 23, 2008 8:27 am

GregB wrote:-= original quote snipped =-




Right now they live in Elmhurst. From what I understand that a sub SE of Chicago. I am pretty much willing to go anywhere though.

I really want to try some authentic deep dish pizza. Ginos East and Giordanos sound like the best from everything I have read. Not sure which one to choose. Maybe I will have to try both.


Elmhurst huh? Well McNally's, an Irish Pub, just closed there in the last year or so. I spent plenty of time there, so that sucks. It was less than a block from my old apartment so it was easy to stroll in for a few black and tans, then stumble back home. Other bars in the Elmhurst area are Fitz's Pub and Doc Ryan's. Neither are all that impressive. If you hit up Fitz's Pub on a Thursday from September - May, you can definitely count on a college-aged crowd. It is only a few blocks away from the Elmhurst College campus. Honestly though you're probably better off heading into the city for a memorable bar experience.

HOWEVER...

You did mention wanting to try a good deep dish pizza. It just so happens that Elmhurst has one pretty nifty Lou Malnati's pizza delivery service. They don't have an actual restaurant (in Elmhurst) so you will have to get it delivered (or carryout). Well worth it. Lou's is outstanding.
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Post#57 » by Grand Champ » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:13 pm

Take Giordano's off of there and add Pequod's

Giordano's is terrible tourist trash pizza and tastes like bitter ****. Also Giordano's is nationwide, where Pequod's is local with 2 shops.

http://www.pequodspizza.com/



I think you should add a Sushi list.

Some of my favorites are

Bentonara http://www.bentonara.com/

and

Jai Yen http://www.jai-yen.com/

and for Chinese

As for Lao Schezuan in Chinatown! http://www.laoszechuan.com/ Get the Tony's Chicken!


Add The Weiner Circle for late night hot dog fun! http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overvie ... RefID=1306


Also add Fearon's Public House to the Irish bar's list. Good food, and great beer. Also a great place to catch an international Rugby match at 6AM on a Saturday morning.
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Post#58 » by TB#1 » Sat Feb 23, 2008 6:19 pm

Jo Jo English wrote:-= original quote snipped =-


EDIT: Another food "thing" I miss about central Illlinois, admittedly one of few, is the pork tenderloin sandwich. So far I've been unable to find a decent pork tenderloin sandwich in the Chicago area. I know it is more of a southern treat, common in parts of central IL and IN. Does anyone make an authentic pork tenderloin sandwich within 40 miles of the United Center?

I really need to take the lady out for one since her experience with the delicacy begins and ends with Culver's version. :)


I did a little poking around on the 'net. Here is a pretty good discussion about pork tenderloin sandwiches in the Chicago area. Short answer: looks like "authentic" sandwiches are in short supply in Chicago, but if you want to road trip to Ottawa, you may just find heaven.

Plan a day at Starved Rock State Park and get a sammich in town.

Some highlights from the discussion thread (including a guy who actually has a website dedicated to fried pork tenderloin sandwiches) :o

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/324480

I grew up in Ottawa, IL about 70 miles SW of Chicago and regularly ate pork tenderloins just like you are looking for; However, I have never found them in the Chicago area. Don't know if you are up for a roadtrip??


Here's what I got so far but the locations are a stretch for a lunch stop from South Chicago.

The Silo Restaurant
Lake Bluff (way north)

Taqueria Puebla
3625 W. North Avenue (Mexican variation but looks good)

Petros
Next to City Hall in the Loop (been there, open face, huge)



Down to Chicago and back in one day. Success on the tenderloin, sort of. I asked the construction superintendent I met with on site where a good breaded pork tenderloin place was. He called his secretary and had her call some restaurants he thought had them and to confirm. We found one not three blocks away on Archer west of Damen. The place was the New Archview Restaurant. The breaded pork tenderloin was billed as a hot pork tenderloin sandwich. It was a breaded pork tenderloin served open face on top of two slices of de-crusted white bread. It was served with mash potatoes and was covered with gravy. It tasted good. What I didn't expect for $6.30 was a bowl of split pea soup as a starter. The split pea soup was super.

Chicago seems to serve breaded pork tenderloins open face with gravy. I understand this is the Bohemian eastern European influence. Petros on the corner of La Salle and Randolph in the loop was the same way as was another restaurant, the Crystal Bohemian in Westmont. I posted a picture on my www.porktenderloinsandwich.com website.


Hit the Blackberry Inn Yesterday in Elburn for lunch..., and had the Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. Not bad, the pork was 3x the size of the bun, and flavorfull. I had it topped with mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, and Tobasco... good eating for around $6.00 w/fries.

Also $2.50 bottles of Bud.., and 3$, 1 pound hamburgers.....also other Sunday football specials.
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Post#59 » by Jo Jo English » Sat Feb 23, 2008 8:56 pm

TB#1 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Yep, I stumbled across those websites in the last year or so. I guess I'm not the only one who didn't grow up in the Chicago area and is missing a little taste of home.

At some point I am going to get to The Silo Restaurant to sample one, I just have to justify the $25 in gas it will cost me. :lol:

Thanks for the help though.
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Post#60 » by dawhizz » Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:58 pm

For burgers, it's hard to beat the ones at Moody's Pub up on North Broadway, as far as I'm concerned. The dining room is really dark, but when it's nice you can sit outside.

Also, for the music enthusiast, I have to give a shout out to Reckless Records, with three locations in Chicago (Downtown, N. Milwaukee, & N. Broadway). I always go with a list of things I'm looking for, find several, and pick up several more. Plus lots of the CDs they sell have recommendations printed on them, so it's a great place to browse.

www.reckless.com

I wish they still had the par-3 golf course downtown.

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