OT: What to do in Chicago

[forty_three]

3. Deep Dish Pizza: Gino's East, Giordano's, Lou Malnatis (my favorite), it's not a real trip to Chicago without having a deep dish.

That's not pizza.

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

That's not pizza.

 

[higgyfan4]

Hey forty_three, I know a way you can make ten bucks....

@commie22 Mike Commodore
Anyone in Cbus want to make 10 bucks? Can someone pop by my townhouse and make sure that Herpes Ape isn't lounging in my rooftop hot tub?

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

5. Willis (was sears) tower..

wait...

what??

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

That's not pizza.

technically it's pizza.. it's just a shitty version of it


The Original Famous Rays World Famous FTW

fold that bitch in half

 

[Smart]

As someone who's lived there for four years, let me give you some suggestions.

1. Architectural tour of Chicago. You go on a big ass boat down both sides of the river while someone explains the history of the city and its architecture.
2. Field Museum/Shed Aquarium. Both are stellar in their respective field.
3. Deep Dish Pizza: Gino's East, Giordano's, Lou Malnatis (my favorite), it's not a real trip to Chicago without having a deep dish.
4. Those beef sandwiches are overrated.
5. Willis (was sears) tower.
6. A cocktail at the top of the Hancock.
7. House of blues, or one of the many jazz bars Chicago has to offer.

The vast majority of this is great advice.

An architecture tour is a must. If the weather is bad, you might want to take it on a bus instead of on the river, but make sure you take one of them.

The Shedd is probably the museum i'd recommend the most, but if you are into history, go to the Field Museum, and if you are into science, go to the MSI.

For pizza, there are actually two types of Chicago Style Pizzas: Deep Dish and Stuffed. Deep Dish is much breadier, while stuffed is cheese based. I prefer stuffed, and the best chain of the bunch (Giordano's) has a location in Rosemont, which is where I assume you are staying. There are also two of these downtown. Lou Malnati's, the most famous Deep Dish style, has a location not far from Rosemont in Park Ridge.

Italian Beef is not overrated. It's one of the best things in the world. Portillo's is the most famous place, and is probably the best place you could encounter. There is a location right downtown.

Don't go to the Willis Tower because.....

Getting a drink at the Hancock is one of the best tips I can give you. The view is better than that at the Willis Tower, and it is free to go to the Signature Lounge. Buy a nice drink for $12 and laugh at all the idiot tourists that chose to spend their money on an inferior view with no drink.

As for the restaurants, it all depends on what you like. I'm not a steak person, so i'm not the person to give you good advice there. Michael Jordan just opened up a new one which is getting praised. Gibson's and the Chicago Chop House are both considered very good, but like Jordan's are very expensive. There's really no good food in the Convention Center city known as Rosemont. The only place that's passable is Maria's Mexican Restaurant. Downtown, my favorites are Star of Siam, The French Market (underneath the Metra, has a ton of great stands), Blackbird (really expensive, but can be cheaper for lunch), Sushi Sai, and Frankie's Pizza (Part of Lettuce Entertain You, but the only cheap restaurant worth a damn on the Mag Mile). Between Downtown and Rosemont is Smoque BBQ, the best in the city. Beyond that, most of the good restaurants are out of your way.

 

[flyersfan4706]

That's not pizza.

technically it's pizza.. it's just a shitty version of it


The Original Famous Rays World Famous FTW

fold that bitch in half

Smartest people on the board right here folks.

 

[Winged_Wheel88]

Smartest people on the board right here folks.

Awww, thanks man. You're pretty smart, too. And cool. And black.

 

[flyersfan4706]

Awww, thanks man. You're pretty smart, too. And cool. And black.

I just spat out my drink, and I am not even having one.

 

[Smart]

Smartest people on the board right here folks.

I truly feel bad for you guys that you don't enjoy Chicago Style Pizza. The funny thing is that Pizano's, Piece, and Union Pizzeria are all better than the best thin crust places in your city.

 

[flyersfan4706]

I truly feel bad for you guys that you don't enjoy Chicago Style Pizza. The funny thing is that Pizano's, Piece, and Union Pizzeria are all better than the best thin crust places in your city.

I just like my pizza to taste good, that is all.

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

I truly feel bad for you guys that you don't enjoy Chicago Style Pizza. The funny thing is that Pizano's, Piece, and Union Pizzeria are all better than the best thin crust places in your city.

Lombardis
Spring Street, Little Italy, NYC

Will make you realize you have been eating glorified calzones.

 

[LeaderOCola]

As for the restaurants, it all depends on what you like. I'm not a steak person, so i'm not the person to give you good advice there. Michael Jordan just opened up a new one which is getting praised. Gibson's and the Chicago Chop House are both considered very good, but like Jordan's are very expensive. There's really no good food in the Convention Center city known as Rosemont. The only place that's passable is Maria's Mexican Restaurant. Downtown, my favorites are Star of Siam, The French Market (underneath the Metra, has a ton of great stands), Blackbird (really expensive, but can be cheaper for lunch), Sushi Sai, and Frankie's Pizza (Part of Lettuce Entertain You, but the only cheap restaurant worth a damn on the Mag Mile). Between Downtown and Rosemont is Smoque BBQ, the best in the city. Beyond that, most of the good restaurants are out of your way.

this is a great restaurant, but really, if he's going to aim high he should try to weasel into Alinea like I already mentioned, or maybe even Girl and the Goat(dont know if you can even bribe your way into a table there as hot as it is right now) .... Royal Thai is a lot better than Star of Siam at about the same price. And speaking of Wrigleyville... how can I not mention Mythos ?

 

[Smart]

Lombardis
Spring Street, Little Italy, NYC

Will make you realize you have been eating glorified calzones.

I've been there. It's good, but it isn't any better than the top thin crust places in Chicago. I'm glad to have grown up in a place where I have access to both types of pizza, but if I had to eat one type before I die, i'm going for Stuffed Pizza in a heartbeat.

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

this is a great restaurant, but really, if he's going to aim high he should try to weasel into Alinea like I already mentioned, or maybe even Girl and the Goat(dont know if you can even bribe your way into a table there as hot as it is right now) .... Royal Thai is a lot better than Star of Siam at about the same price. And speaking of Wrigleyville... how can I not mention Mythos ?

great username!

for reals

 

[SLY]

I truly feel bad for you guys that you don't enjoy Chicago Style Pizza. The funny thing is that Pizano's, Piece, and Union Pizzeria are all better than the best thin crust places in your city.

 

[Smart]

this is a great restaurant, but really, if he's going to aim high he should try to weasel into Alinea like I already mentioned, or maybe even Girl and the Goat(dont know if you can even bribe your way into a table there as hot as it is right now) .... Royal Thai is a lot better than Star of Siam at about the same price. And speaking of Wrigleyville... how can I not mention Mythos ?

Never been to Royal Thai. I was only recommending places that he was likely to be nearby to the places he already is. Star of Siam is the best value downtown. They have solid, solid Thai food where you can have a filling meal for $10 in The Loop. There aren't very many other restaurants which that last sentence is true for.

 

[Smart]

The guy who owns Piece is from New Haven and serves New Haven style pizza, and i've heard that Yale grads here say it is better than anyplace there (though admittedly, this is only word of mouth).

 

[SLY]

The guy who owns Piece is from New Haven and serves New Haven style pizza, and i've heard that Yale grads here say it is better than anyplace there (though admittedly, this is only word of mouth).

Well, I have never had pizza from the actual city of Chicago. But saying that the places you listed are better than one of, if not the, best pizza cities in the country is just, well, not smart.

 

[SLY]

People rant and rave over Pepe's and Sally's pizza in New Haven. While both places are indeed great, it is just the name nowadays. Modern Apizza on State St. is where its at.