Must Eat Places in Chicago for long weekend

January 2019

February 2018

March 2018

February 2018

ETA: Some other ideas...
- Giant
- Roister
- Oriole
- Fat Rice
- S.K.Y.
- The Loyalist
- Fulton Market Kitchen
- Bar Biscay
- Red Lion Pub
- Pleasant House Pub
- Community Tavern
- Farm Bar

It's, likely, in one of those threads, but my top-three spots for deep dish / pan are Pequod's, Art of Pizza, and Lou Malnati's. If you're looking for tavern cut, hard to go wrong with Phil's in Bridgeport. Had it for the first time a few months ago. Coalfire makes good thin crust. Had Flo & Santos during the Super Bowl, which was good, too. Great tavern cut.

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Can't justify spending that on food

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1000% respect that. Just giving you ideas to look at.

Hope you enjoy Girl and the Goat.

Used to live there. Amazing food town. Pizanos or Lou Malnatis thin crust for pizza. Ricardo Trattoria for nice Italian dinner. Frontera Grill for lunch, get there early.

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Pequods v Lou malnatis?

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Pequod’s. Also, by long weekend, I would assume that includes a Friday or Monday. Go to Pequod’s between 11am - 3pm either day and grab the $4.95 lunch special, which is a personal pan pizza and soda. Incredible deal.

Pequod's

I wasn't impressed with the Purple Pig, personally. Not that it was bad, just that it wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

I get not wanting to spend the loot at Alinea...recommend checking out Boka, which is another Michelin starred restaurant for much less money but still serves unique and sophisticated food. I mean, you're still going to end up with a hefty bill but nothing ridiculous. Recommend the 7 course tasting menu with wine pairing.

An absolute fricking GEM for breakfast/brunch is Dove's Luncheonette. It's sort of a tex/mex-ish menu (yet far from being a Mexican joint) but just, man, you HAVE to eat there. A small diner, killer juke box, amazing food. Definitely checkout their hangover cure....almost like a spicy ceviche cocktail.

Au Cheval

Not necessarily for the burger. Had an amazing menu.

Go about 10/11 and just sit at the end of the bar.

Pequod's Pizza was dope. Will recommend to anyone.

Just got back last night from a weekend getaway with the wife.

We took recommendations from here and also some friends who live there.

Lunch at Portillo’s - Chicago dogs and Italian beef sandwich. The hotdogs were just ok to us, but probably because we’re not big hotdogs fans anyway.... just figured we had to try them. Italian beef we ordered “wet with extra peppers”. Highly recommend that.

Dinner at GT Prime Steakhouse - place was replay nice and the service was awesome. Bone marrow ($13) came highly recommended, but we weren’t all that impressed. We spilt a wedge salad ($10ish). Very good with peeled tomatoes and lots of very thick bacon. She had the bison filet ($55ish) and I had the Australian Wagyu NY Strip ($70ish). Both cooked perfectly, we ordered rare plus one. Never heard of that, but we asked for slightly under med rare and that’s what the guy suggested. Steaks were great, but when you add a bottle of wine (2016 Caymus $190) it can be a pricey dinner.

Lou Malnati’s on N. Wells for lunch - just wanted to try Chicago deep dish so we split a personal Malnati’s classic with the butter crust and added spinach ($12ish). Sauce was really good. I can see why people love it as far as the taste, but too much bread for us. Again, had to try, but we’d probably rather the thin crust.

Drinks at the signature bar on the 96th floor of the Hancock tower - this was bad timing on our part due to the weather. Couldn’t even see the tops of the buildings nearby due to the clouds. We’d definitely like to try this again since we heard (and could imagine) the views are amazing. Got the raw bar special ($55) which has king crab, lobster, jumbo shrimp and oysters all served cold with seaweed salad. $10 Guinness and $17ish mojito.

Girl and the goat for dinner - can’t recommend this enough. Met up with a friend and his wife and ordered 9 plates. Most plates are between $15-$23 and all were very good. Plates I remember we’re the duck toungues, pig face, shishito peppers, broccoli, whole fried fish, some pasta thing (pretty sure there is only one of those on the menu), goat empanadas, and two others I can’t remember. All were very good, especially the duck toungues.

Hope this helps. FYI don’t lean into the wind too much. It’ll change directions quick and throw you into traffic if you’ve had a few, haha, enjoy your trip.