re: Chicago Restaurant Recommendations needed?

I’ll be in Chicago this weekend but staying in the burbs. We’re doing dinner at some Italian spot in Wynetka Friday night. Gene and Georgetti Saturday night and Cubs game and Pquods following on Sunday. Can’t wait!

Lol truly is, but I think you get more accurate info here.

Did Girl and the Goat last trip to chi with the wife and it was worth it.

Is Siena Tavern still open in River North? Loved that place when I visited a few years back

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.... While there are some great restaurants in Chicago, the overall food culture is beneath that of even Houston....

Ethnic cuisine (what does that term even mean?), one would expect, should be phenomenal. It is not....

What about working class, predominantly white food? Hot dogs, Italian beef, and deep dish pizza is my next subject. First, let's be clear:... Deep dish pizza? Again, another lackluster "contribution" from a city that cares more about catching up to New York's financial prowess than enjoying life. I will make a claim that at face value appears to be a preposterous, but in reality is true, and say New Orleans has better pizza than Chicago. ...

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Tell us you haven't spent much time off the beaten path in Chicago without telling us. Seriously this is the dumbest food recap of Chicago I've ever read. Try not spending your entire time on Michigan Avenue.

First, I like Houston's food but it's not half of Chicago and never will be.

Second, the "ethnic food" situation in Chicago is amazing. You just don't know where to go. I will steer you to the Great Neighborhood Restaurant list: LINK

Also, ride the subway to Chinatown, little chinatown/vietnam, little india, or Albany Park. Albany Park is the most diverse zipcode in America. The food is very good and quite different. If you haven't been to Albany Park you have no standing to comment on Chicago food, full stop. Same for little India or little Chinatown/little vietnam.

Third, insinuating that deep dish pizza is Chicago pizza immediately disqualifies you from any commentary again. Shows a total lack of knowledge beyond wikipedia. It's for suburbanites and tourists. Chicagoans in they city eat pub pizza, a crispy thin crust pie that is often square cut. We have deep dish once a year.

Finally, I have lived in Chicago and NOLA and the pizza is zero comparison. There are maybe five good pizza places in NOLA and no original NOLA style of pizza. In Chicago, there are five good pizza places within sight of most homes and there are two unique styles.

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Can 13 year olds get in the game room area at the chicago athletic association, or is that considered a bar?

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is there any rooftops that would be cool to go to that a 13 year old can also go to?

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I'm a younger dude without kids, so one of the other Chicago guys might be more help.

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*Bonus, do I have to let him eat Giardono's or is there another deep dish spot that we should go to...Pizza Uno? Any other ones?

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Aside from the names that are frequently mentioned on this board, I really like Milly's Pizza In The Pan and Art of Pizza.

Never been, but a few friends have raved about Bartoli's, too. It's about a mile walk from Wrigley, so you could go after the game?

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Can 13 year olds get in the game room area at the chicago athletic association, or is that considered a bar?

and

is there any rooftops that would be cool to go to that a 13 year old can also go to?



*Bonus, do I have to let him eat Giardono's or is there another deep dish spot that we should go to...Pizza Uno? Any other ones?

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Unless they've changed post-COVID, the game room has had kids in it when I was there. It's got a bar, but definitely not existing as an adults only bar.

Regarding rooftops - I always enjoyed the rooftop at Hotel Lincoln in Lincoln Park. I don't think it was adults only, if I recollect. But you may want to check.

Pizza - I agree that Art of Pizza, which is on N. Ashland in Lakeview, is worth a visit. As is Pequod's, which, would be my choice.

Also - looking at some of your posts from earlier in this thread, I also second checking out Southport Corridor near Wrigley before the game. I'm biased because it's my neighborhood, but there's a ton of places to eat and all are family friendly. Corridor is great, as is Southport Grocery.

The Weather forecast I keep seeing is making me nervous about our plans with the baseball games tomorrow night and Friday during the day.

I can maybe look into extending the trip a day to make a game saturday at wrigley... but so unlucky if this happens..

our flight actually is scheduled to leave at 6:40pm Sat night, wonder if squeezing in a day game at 1:20 would somehow still work...probably cut it too close.

damn mother nature...hope it isn't bad.

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Not sure if it was you who recommended Milly's in the WFDT thread, but we got that 2 weekends ago and it may now be my favorite deep dish in Chicago... it was great...

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Was me I much prefer tavern-style, but I agree - it's my favorite deep dish / pan in Chicago.

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I also like Pizza Friendly Pizza (close to home) for a change of pace... not sure what you'd even call that style of pizza..

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Haven't been, but look forward to checking it out. Have heard good things from a couple buddies. Definitely looks like a nice change from the different "traditional" styles.

Very easy. Have done it a few times. Just catch the Hiawatha on Amtrak.