So, you have decided to visit Chicago this summer. This is a good choice. Here are some places you should eat during your visit to the Windy City. I have separated them by a classification system all my own:
- Vietnamese: Café Hoang – Fine Pho and excellent Bun Bowls make this the best spot on Argyle Street. Don’t forget to order some spring rolls.
- Thai: Thai Quick – Tasty Thai cuisine by the Lawrence Red Line El stop. The portion sizes are not large but neither are the prices. They have a now, not so secret, Thai menu, that should be the first place you look. At one time they served quite spicy food, but sadly this is no longer true. Nonetheless the quality of food is pretty high here.
- Hot Dogs: Hot Doug’s – Simply the best hot dog and sausage emporium that I have ever eaten at. A wide variety of home made sausages and dogs along with tempting duck fries on the weekend.
- Mexican: Salpicon – This is a very competitive category, but in the end I chose this place because all of the their food is exquisite. Pricey but worth it, their Queso Fundido is stunningly good.
- Tapas: Café Ba Ba Reeba – Somewhat pricey but the larger than normal portion sizes and the well developed flavors, make this a must try Tapas experience. They have a wide variety of choices and really splendid sangria.
- Chinese: Lao Sze Chuan – Fiery szechuan food can be find at this Chinatown stalwart. Tony’s Three Chili Chicken is legendary.
- Dim Sum: Shui Wah – Cheap, tasty, fresh: this is the best Dim sum place in Chinatown and Chicago by a large measure.
- German: Chicago Brauhaus – An old fashioned beer garden in Lincoln Square complete with the Oompa Loompa band. Fine wiener schnitzel can be had here along with bratwurst and tempting large steins of beer and ale.
- Korean BBQ - San Soo Gab San – Grill you own meat at your table at this late night favorite for your own piece of Korean paradise. You could exist on just the side dishes alone.
- Fondue: Geja's Café – this intimate Lincoln Park spot is a famous date spot in Chicago. The cheese fondue is really excellent. You’ll never leave here hungry.
- Japanese: Sunshine Café – this home style restaurant never fails to deliver high quality cuisine. Although cramped this place delivers tasty and inexpensive comfort food.
- Sushi: Katsu – the freshest and best sushi and sashimi in Chicago. Expensive and intimate this is an excellent special occasion spot.
- Shrimp Cocktail: Dirk’s – extraordinarily good and fresh shrimp with just terrific cocktail sauce. Expensive but worth it.
- Bao: Wow Bao – Flavorful and cheap, these Chinese treats should not be missed.
- Pizza: Great Lake – This Andersonville gem may be the best pizza place in the world. Tiny, so be prepared for a long wait.
- Cajun: Heaven on Seven – Sublime gumbo and ok, giant cocktails, make this a place to be.
18 comments:
I see some of my favorites here...oh now there you go again making me homesick! :(
wait...where's wiener circle??? LOL
caroline, hot doug's is vastly superior to wiener's circle.
WOW! Maybe I should do one of these for Henderson/Las Vegas. Very considerate of you Laoch.
donna, you should. My favorite place to eat in Las Vegas is the Thai place - Lotus of Siam
gimme th' gumbo. THAT'S my place to be, :-)
Sounds good to me.
hey! how did you know i've decided to visit chicago this summer?! scary.
i want to see the all famous wringley field. do they open to the public? ... and what else is chicago known for other than the deep dish pizza? ... i think i'll pass the asian food for this trip since i just came back, and i'll only have maybe two days (or 5 meals) to spare.
aafrica, Wrigley Field is open some days for tours. You can check their website to find a number to call to find out which days. Chicago has really great Mexican food (The third largest population of Mexicans in the world lives in Chicago). As such I would try one of the Rick Bayless restaurants (probably Frontera Grill). We also have a lot of high end places which are considered to be excellent, including Moto, Blackbird, Alinea, Charlie Trotter's et al.
If it were me and I could not have Asian food, I would eat at Frontera, Great Lake for non deep dish pizza, a place in the Gold Coast, probably Gibson's. I would have a cocktail if you are allowed at Trader Vic's, and for touristy reasons I would eat at one of the many places near Wrigley Field. I would also have a hot dog at Hot Doug;s because they have the best hot dog;s in the world.
elisabeth, indeed.
ah. they have wonderful Gumbo.
I know a few of them, agreed. Thank you for sharing this list, will print it out.
anatres, I think it is pretty good list.
HI, thanks for your visit, WWF is World Wildlife Fund. I changed the title of my posting today and spelled it out.
belgium, ah, thanks, I would not have known that.
i remember seeing hot doug's on travel channel. i'll have to try that. i think i'll pass the fancy places--i don't have table manner enough for restaurants with table clothes.
i probably will need pho ... any coffee places you'd recommend?
aafrica, the place with the best coffee in Chicago is probably Intelligencia on 3123 North Broadway.
Are you a food critic in another life? You could be.
sandy, no although it would have been fun to be one.
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