Restaurants in Great Lakes
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Graham Elliot
Each meal starts with insanely addictive truffle-oil-and-Parmesan popcorn. Chef Graham Elliot, one of Chicago’s young-buck gastro luminaries, then takes whimsy to new levels in such dishes as his foie gras lollypop coated in Pop Rocks and sweetbread hush puppies with anise slaw. Adventurous eaters who appreciate trendy food in an industrial, rock-and-roll atmosphere will like it most. Keep an eye out for his forthcoming sandwich shop.
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Bandera
Looking up at the entry to this 2nd-story restaurant on Michigan Ave, you’d have no idea of the gem that waits inside. The red-bedecked Bandera has the comfortable retro feel of an expensive supper club, without the snooty waiters (and at half the price). American classics – meat loaf, grilled fish and rotisserie chicken – predominate here. When you’ve shopped till you’ve dropped, this is the place to come pick yourself back up again.
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Dee’s Place
Not many places waft an ambience of 1950s Harlem jazz house meets Soul Train. Photos of musical greats hang on the walls, and a stage hosting live jazz, blues and poetry readings takes up half the small room. Oh, the food? It has soul too, as in fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, fried okra and jerk chicken, along with seafood gumbo on weekends. In summer there’s seating by the barbecue pit in the back garden. Dee’s is BYOB.
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Bistrot Margot
A visit to Bistrot Margot is like a visit to a little Parisian corner bistro in one of the remoter districts. Roast chicken, steak and frites, mussels and other coastal shellfish highlight the classic menu. The interior decor mixes dark wood with bright tiles and red booths, and the busy crowd adds to the atmosphere. There are good daily specials, including half-price wine on Monday and a prix fixe menu on Wednesday.
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Cafe Jumping Bean
This ramshackle cafe will make you feel like a regular as soon as you step through the door. It serves excellent hot focaccia sandwiches, baked goods and strong coffee to the 20- and 30-something crowd of MFA-wielding local bohemians. Chess and domino games are always breaking out here, and the comfy confines make it an excellent spot for whiling away a couple of hours with a mocha, soaking up Pilsen’s colorful surroundings.
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Gold Coast Dogs
A good place in the Loop to sample the classic ‘Chicago dog, ’ this humble café serves the handheld tubed pork with the city’s elaborate dressing: onions, relish, mustard, hot peppers, celery salt and a pickle spear. The atmosphere is unsightly – it shares a space with a fast-food chain – but when the weather permits, better environs are a short walk away at Millennium Park.
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Chez Joel
Whether you’re dining outside under the big oak tree or tucked in a cozy corner, the atmosphere and exceptional French fare make Chez Joel – the renowned namesake of chef Joel Kazouini – a romantic favorite, though an odd duck among the predominantly Italian stretch of Taylor St. The menu is anchored by bistro favorites such as duck leg confit and coq au vin, and is complemented by an extensive wine list.
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Epic Burger
This sprawling, sunny-orange restaurant brings ecoconscious fast-food eaters the goods they crave: burgers made with all-natural beef, no hormones or antibiotics, topped with cage-free organic eggs and nitrate-free bacon; preservative-free buns; vanilla-bean-speckled milkshakes; and no petroleum-based packaging. The loud music and flat-screen TVs draw a student crowd from the surrounding college campuses in the South Loop.
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Mr Beef
A Chicago specialty, the Italian beef sandwich stacks up like this: thin-sliced, slow-cooked roast beef that's sopped in natural gravy and giardiniera (spicy, pickled vegetables), and then heaped on a hoagie roll. Mr Beef serves the best at its picnic-style tables. It's about four blocks west of Hotel Felix.
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Tru
Tru is considered one of the city’s best. The French prix fixe menu (from three courses on up) is equally artful and capricious, with highly seasonal offerings, a renowned cheese course and brilliant desserts. As you might expect by the price, the service is ace and a jacket is required for men. Getting a nibble doesn’t have to break the bank, though; all prix fixe items are available à la carte in the adjoining lounge.
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Adobo Grill
Adobo chef Paul LoDuca takes Mexican food and flavors to another dimension at his lively eatery near Second City. The yummy guacamole appetizer is made tableside, and the dishes that follow are no less extraordinary. Try the trout steamed in corn husk or the tender chicken breast in an Oaxacan black mole sauce. Thirsty? The margaritas are predictably good, but Adobo also has over 80 sipping tequilas on hand.
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Leonardo’s Restaurant
A sleek yet quaint atmosphere and delicious traditional Tuscan fare make this a fiercely guarded local neighborhood favorite. No yawn-inducing pasta and meatballs, here. The champion of the menu is the 18 Hour Ravioli, stuffed with a mouth-watering combination of braised osso bucco and goat cheese, covered in caramelized pearl onions, sage and a succulent demi-glace. A whole boneless chicken tops the meat mains.
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Chicago Chop House
In the proud tradition of Chicago chops, this comfortable, upscale, independently owned steak house is king. Look forward to perfectly cured meats hand cut on-site, and an atmosphere befitting the city’s famous politicos and mob bosses – many of whom look down from framed portraits lining the walls. If you’re not up for a slab of meat, you can always pop in to the piano bar and sample the 600-strong wine list.
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Vienna Beef Factory Store & Deli
After eating them all over town, it’s worth a trip to the source. The Vienna Beef Factory makes the majority of hot dogs sold in Chicago, and the factory’s workers’ deli is one of the freshest places to try the famous creations. Hot-dog haters can nosh on corned-beef sandwiches or potato pancakes. And Vienna diehards can pick up a case of the dogs at the on-site store to bring back home.
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Tank Noodle
The official name of this spacious utilitarian eatery is Pho Xe Tang, but everyone just calls it Tank Noodle. The crowds come for banh mi, served on crunchy fresh baguette rolls, and the pho, which is widely regarded as the city’s best. The 200-plus-item menu sprawls on from there and includes banh xeo (crispy pancakes), catfish and squid dishes, and a rainbow array of bubble teas.
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Twin Anchors
- Chicago, USA
- Restaurants › Bbq
Twin Anchors is synonymous with ribs, and Chicagoans can get violent if you leave town without sampling some of the smoky, tangy-sauced baby backs. The meat drops from the ribs as soon as you lift them. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations, so you’ll have to wait outside or around the neon-lit 1950s bar, which sets the tone for the place. An almost all-Sinatra jukebox completes the supper-club ambience.
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Wildfire
A rotisserie and wood-burning oven roast shrimp, prime rib, steak and ribs at this haven for barbecuers. Prices for the generous portions average about $19 – not bad for this comfortable and welcoming place. In the best tradition of Chicago’s smoke-filled rooms (where dubious political deals are cut), you’ll emerge smelling of smoke, but at least it’s barbecue rather than cigar.
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Chicago Curry House
Even if it’s just standard Indian food in a standard Indian restaurant ambiance, the Curry House provides a nice option for the South Loop and offers a rare bonus: Nepalese dishes. Standouts include aloo tama bodi (potatoes and black-eyed peas) and khasi ko maasu (goat meat on the bone). Sample them at the lunch buffet. Several menu items are vegetarian. A full bar helps wash it all down.
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Phoenix
Though better sit-down dinner experiences in Chinatown are abundant, the draw here is the excellent dim sum. Small plates of char siu bao (barbecued pork buns), shrimp-filled rice noodles, egg custards and other popular vitals roll around the dining room in a seemingly endless parade of carts. The language barrier can be an issue, so keep in mind that if it looks like chicken feet, it probably is.
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Fireplace Inn
This local legend has been serving up Chicago-style baby-back ribs and perfect steak fries for over 35 years. The two-level dining room is heavy with wood – almost as much as the namesake fireplace burns up in a night. When the snow is blowing off the lake and the sidewalks are piling up with drifts, you can warm your cockles here –or you can air them out in the summer at the garden tables.
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Platiyo
The warm dining room of this creative Mexican restaurant is packed with locals who come for the upbeat atmosphere and dishes like mahi-mahi tacos and the excellent shrimp fajitas. The chef of Platiyo learned his chops working at the superlative Frontera Grill, and you can taste the mastery – at least until you’ve imbibed too many items from its inventive margarita menu.
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Al’s #1 Italian Beef
The original location of this local chain might not be the place to grab lunch if you want to get off your feet – there are no tables, only a stand-up counter – but the legendary namesake sandwich is a favorite of Hillary Clinton (who ordered some for her 50th birthday party). Piled high with savory beef that soaks through the thick bun, this inexpensive treat is one of the city’s culinary hallmarks.
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Spring
The seafood mains at this award-winning place come to your plate by way of Asia, with Chef Shawn McClain lovingly dressing up dishes of lobster, grouper, halibut and scallops in mouthwatering soy glazes, hot and sour broth, and fresh wasabi. The restaurant – which was a bathhouse in a former life – looks a little like an Ikea showroom: simple, modern lines and muted greens set the tone.
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Rhapsody
Adjacent to Symphony Center, Rhapsody’s dining room opens to a lovely garden – perfect for regaining your strength after a visit to the Art Institute, or dining early before some Mahler. Menu highlights include the herb-crusted halibut and succulent beef tenderloin, with chocolate tart or a flight of five ice cream flavors for dessert. You can always just pop in for a drink and a snack in the lounge.
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Blackbird
One of the most talked-about restaurants in Chicago, this chic dining destination for Chicago’s young and wealthy perches atop best-of lists for its exciting, notably seasonal menu. The warm-ups – like the confit of suckling pig with concord grape, roasted chioggia beets, and house-made prosciutto – are a perfect introduction to the visionary mains, which pair well with the short, careful wine list.
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