What are some good places to eat at in Chicago? I’m trying to avoid any touristy places.
Where you staying? What type of food do you like? How much do you want to spend?
Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder is a family favorite to which I always steer friends asking. Definitely a hidden gem; I’ve met people from the city that don’t even know about it. It’s on Clark Street, near Lincoln Park. Make sure you get the Mediterranean bread as an appetizer, ask for the creamy dill and poppy seed salad dressings, mix the dressings, and dip the bread . . . unbelievable. The “crock pot” pizza is also fantastic.
Fun additional fact: Supposedly the house in which the restaurant is located (on the bottom floor) served as a lookout for Al Capone’s men before the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, which took place right across the street. Not for everybody, but I’ve always been fascinated by mob history.
Dr pangloss: staying downtown. I am specifically looking for a cheap but delicious breakfast, a good sandwich/burger for lunch, and a pizza dinner. Don’t want to spend too much but willing to pay for quality food.
CC: thank you ! Exactly what I was looking for, hidden gems. I will be going there.
[quote]StevenF wrote:
Dr pangloss: staying downtown. I am specifically looking for a cheap but delicious breakfast, a good sandwich/burger for lunch, and a pizza dinner. Don’t want to spend too much but willing to pay for quality food.
CC: thank you ! Exactly what I was looking for, hidden gems. I will be going there. [/quote]
Just a note on this place, other than it being amazing. It may be deemed a “hidden gem” you better get there at 4 or 5 if its a weekend and you want a wait of less than an hour. Also the lincoln park zoo is right there, its free, cool little zoo to check out if youre trying to kill time.
Funny!
I just had a thread where I was trying to find good food at the Chicago airport.
There ended up being a sports bar called Stanley’s and that was it.
DMK burger bar
Piece Pizza
Als Italian Beef
DMK Burger Bar
I saw the DMK burger bar on diners, drive ins, and dive’s. That was definitely on my list, but I also saw another one called Hackney’s I believe which may be in a suburb. I really want a good cheeseburger. Decisions decisions.
[quote]StevenF wrote:
I saw the DMK burger bar on diners, drive ins, and dive’s. That was definitely on my list, but I also saw another one called Hackney’s I believe which may be in a suburb. I really want a good cheeseburger. Decisions decisions.[/quote]
I grew up in the burbs where hackneys is a mainstay. Apart from the amazingly delicious onion ring brick[french fried onions on the menu] hackneys is not that great. Good, not great. There are much better places in Chicago for a burger.
Pete Millers steakhouse does really good burgers if you are going to the burbs. Their burgers are highly underrated because they are known for the expensive and overpriced steaks. The $13 burgers are fantastic though.
[quote]Anonymity wrote:
Als Italian Beef[/quote]
x1000
[quote]fighting_fires wrote:
[quote]StevenF wrote:
Dr pangloss: staying downtown. I am specifically looking for a cheap but delicious breakfast, a good sandwich/burger for lunch, and a pizza dinner. Don’t want to spend too much but willing to pay for quality food.
CC: thank you ! Exactly what I was looking for, hidden gems. I will be going there. [/quote]
Just a note on this place, other than it being amazing. It may be deemed a “hidden gem” you better get there at 4 or 5 if its a weekend and you want a wait of less than an hour. Also the lincoln park zoo is right there, its free, cool little zoo to check out if youre trying to kill time. [/quote]
Yes, absolutely a great piece of advice. The place is small and - to be perfectly honest - cramped (though I prefer “cozy”), and it fills up fast. Early dinner is recommended at Grinder unless you’re just not in any kind of hurry.