re: Chicago (Non High End) Dining

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Really quality and affordable steak spot. and BYOB.

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The vacio was always my go to. Be prepared to wait a while for a table, especially if it's a big weekend. Though they do have a little room in the back you can go drink in or you can just hang out outside and people watch.

OP, going to include a few additional ideas from my original list:

- Some of the breweries/brewpubs in Chicago have excellent kitchens. Old Irving and Half Acre are at the top and have a wide selection of draft pours. Summertime can be a bit tougher to drink a barrel-aged stout, but HA is usually pretty good about having a couple on-draft. Off Color hosts Five Squared Pizza for a weekly pop-up every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. DryHop and Corridor, which I had on my initial list, are the same owners. Beer is OK but food is good. Corridor's beer really took a nosedive when their head brewer left for MoRE when Shaun Berns started Phase Three. Revolution has a brewpub, separate from their taproom, in Logan. Food is above-average, but good beer selection and walking distance to other bars, cocktail bars, and breweries. Marz's kitchen is worked by Taco Sublime. They've gotten a name from smashburgers but their tacos and quesadillas are good, too. Not to be confused with Marz's other location in Logan/Bucktown, but could be worth a visit before/after the Sox game.

- I didn't really stretch my list into Andersonville, but I should have because Hopleaf is worth it alone. Arguably, the best combination of food and beer in the city. Awesome atmosphere and a block from Simon's Tavern, which is a great dive. Little Bad Wolf commonly shows up on best burgers list in Chicago and Taste of Lebanon is one of the best Mediterranean / Middle Eastern restaurants in the city.

- Roscoe Village is an awesome part of Chicago. Relatively quiet, a lot of foot traffic, and heavily tree-lined. Few good, casual spots to eat, including Village Tap (great back patio) and The Region (good smash burger). Both across the street from Cuba 312, which chucktown recommended.

A quick note of thanks to all.

From what I remember:

Went to a taco place the first night and DryHop after (taco place was somewhere a few blocks from DryHop.) Both were good, not great.

Went to Butcher's Tap for lunch, and Farm Bar for dinner. Man, Farm Bar was great. I also got decent beers at the bagel place across from Wrigley.

Went to Maplewood (loved it), didn't like the food at the Sox game (not sure how you frick up a brat )

On Saturday, went to some Korean street BBQ place on Clark (was great) and then got drinks at some Mexican place further up Clark, a couple blocks from Wrigley.

Anyway - thanks again. I had a great time. I wish I had another week to go check out all of the other recommendations.

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Man, Farm Bar was great.

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Nice choice on Farm Bar Haven't been for a few years, but I used to live a couple blocks away. They have a great brunch. Went by it on Saturday midday, actually, on my way to Musky Fest / watch Wisconsin game at Will's.

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Birthday dinner Trivoli Tavern or Gibson Italia

Pizza Night Pizzeria Portofino or Lou Malnati

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Since you're only around for the weekend, go with Gibsons. It's so difficult to beat that setting/view on the river. Trivoli is an absolute vibe, though - one of the best date night spots in the city and their Sticky Date Cake is incredible.

Reservation won't be available, but Monteverde bar seating (you'll have zero or minimal wait at open) would be my first option. If you want pasta, but don't care if the entire menu is Italian, Rose Mary (Croatian) is another option. Sarah Grueneberg and Joe Flamm are both great people, too, so I'm always cool supporting their restaurants.

ETA: I know it's your birthday, though, so ignore my Monteverde and Rose Mary alternative if you want

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Pizza Night Pizzeria Portofino or Lou Malnati

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This is totally dependent on what you're looking for.

Lou Malnati's is, of course, one of the more known chains in Chicago. If you're going for the pizza itself, skip Lou and head Uptown to Milly's or My Pi in Bucktown. Pretty easily the two best deep dish / pan pizzas in Chicago right now.

If pizza is secondary to the setting, go with Portofino. The entire restaurant is open air on a warm day, so it's a great place to hang with a Spritz. It's a tough reservation because so many weekend visitors and groups like their photo ops.

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I did leave out another one. Girl and Goat or The Loyalis

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Both have similar atmospheres - dim, lively, and only smart casual (like most Chicago restaurants, don't look like a scrub and it doesn't totally matter what you wear).

Girl and the Goat is a West Loop restaurant pioneer, so I'd lean that way if you've never been and only here for the weekend. That said, I'm a huge fan of The Loyalist. Their burger is very, very popular and they make a great Old Fashioned. We find ourselves there a decent amount and just pull up to the bar, which is an easy seat right around open.

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catch a quick bite and a beer in wrigleyville before the game Fri afternoon?

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If craft beer matters, Lucky Dorr is your best bet for something immediately next to Wrigley. Otherwise, few other beer+food options are Guthries, Corridor, Toons, and Sheffield's. If craft beer isn't a care, close your eyes on Clark and point Bars everywhere, but something like Happy Camper or Old Crow could be fun.

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Went by it on Saturday midday, actually, on my way to Musky Fest / watch Wisconsin game at Will's.

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Me and four other badgers were hammered at a lakehouse on Lake Keowee here in SC and somehow ended up watching a livestream of the end of the event where they crowned the queen