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A week in ChiTown, wut 2 do?

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
I've never been to Chicago (wasn't ever on my list of places to visit-so I don't know anything about it), but I'm scheduled to spend a week there at teh end o'the month for work, so what the heck, right?

So, what are some of the "must do's" there? I won't have my bike, but I will have evenings off to sample the best of the city's breweries, per your recommendations.

Thx!
 
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greenchris

Turbo Monkey
Jun 24, 2005
1,381
0
DA BEARS.
architecture tour via boat if it's nice enough outside...

get pizza for sure--- pequoids is the ****

i know your older but hanging out in Wicker park will keep you young and your neck sour... just find the intersection of Damen/North/and Milwaukee and walk around in any direction

great museums and the shedd aquarium

not too many breweries but PBR is a flowin everywhere... revolution brewery is supposed to be really tasty beer and food so is piece...

brunch and bloody marys-- twisted spoke is good especially if it's nice outside

let me know if you have any specifics... it's a fantastic city i'm sure you will be surprised and impressed!
 

j.les

Monkey
Jul 21, 2007
474
0
Chicago
Food:

- Get a beef sammich at Johnnie's, Roma's or one of those places downtown (names escape me atm.)
- Chicago style hot dog at Hot Dougs, or even Portillos
- Deep dish pizza at Geno's East, Pizza Uno, Pizza Due, Giordano's, or Lou Malnati's
- Kuma's is great for burgers, microbrew and metal - http://www.kumascorner.com/food

Art museum is great, along with the Field Museum, Museum of Science & Industry.

Chicago has a great lakefront. Lincoln Park zoo is right off the lake. It's small, but free.

Where are you staying?

The question isn't "What are you going to do?" The question is "what aren't you going to do?"

735212f496.jpg
 

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,430
1,949
Front Range, dude...
Lincoln Park on a nice day...
Porillos
Get away from the big pizza joints...I totally prefer the smaller local neighborhood guys.
Hawks game.
Art Institute.
 

mrbigisbudgood

Strangely intrigued by Echo
Oct 30, 2001
1,380
3
Charlotte, NC
Ah yes, my hometown. I'm a dirty south sider Sox fan. No telling what the weather will do this time of year. I will also be home in Chicago between the 16th and the 20th of this month

You have all the classic touristy stuff.....
Italian Beefs
Pizzas at Gino's East
Sawyers Fish House....I mean Shedd Aquarium
Michican Ave.
Sears Tower (I will never call it Willis)
blah blah blah tourist stuff blah blah blah

What I plan to do.......
http://www.raysmtb.com/mke/index.php
Eat at Mindys
Eat at Aurelios in Homewood, Super 6 Thin Crust with Hot Giardeniera
See my buddy Lou Shields play some Delta Blues, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lou-Shields/199438846783031
Get some Cinnamon Raisin Bread from Iversens Bakery in Blue Island
Drink with my brothers in one of our usual watering holes

If our schedules match up, let me know and I can take you to some stuff on the South Side.
 

?????

Turbo Monkey
Jun 20, 2005
1,678
2
San Francisco
The Hancock Tower offers a great view (possibly better than the Sears Tower), and it's free if you go to the restaurant and bar at the top of the 'cock. I've never been to the viewing platform at the top, because you get the same view at the restaurant/bar and you can buy a drink or two for the price of admission to the viewing platform.

The Sears (Willis) Tower is cool since they added the Skyboxes.

I would recommend the Sears Tower during the day, and the bar at the Hancock Tower at night.

Millenium Park is nice. There is the bean by Anish Kapoor. If you get lucky and catch a free Andrew Bird concert in the bandstand that Frank Gehry designed... mind blown. Sound, presentation, everything... incredible.

Next to Millenium Park is an Art Museum with a nice new addition by Renzo Piano.

The University of Chicago campus in Oak Park is awesome... it looks like Hogwarts. There is a nice Cathedral and Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House nearby as well.
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
k, my secretary has me staying at Hotel Monaco on Wabash Ave.

looks like a good location close to some canal or something. Maybe it's like San Antonio's River Walk area..??
 

Zagreus

Chimp
Jan 3, 2010
59
0
S. California
k, my secretary has me staying at Hotel Monaco on Wabash Ave.

looks like a good location close to some canal or something. Maybe it's like San Antonio's River Walk area..??
You're super-close to Billy Goat's Tavern, if you want a culturally-relevant, pretty alright burger.

Also not a bad walk from Millenium Park, probably 20min which could be really nice if the weather is good. It's a beautiful park to just relax in, and the Bean is pretty neat if you've never seen it. I doubt there will be music in the pavilion yet, but check the schedule closer to the date you'll be there and you might be surprised by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra or any of the many Chicago musicians who frequent that spot.

As for Breweries, Revolution is great, and it's in a pretty hip-ish area.

If you want the best meal of your life, go to Girl & the Goat. Make a reservation now. I've lived in Chicago for the vast majority of my life and that is the best food in the city. Only about a 10min cab ride or a bus-ride from you.

Don't go to Wicker park, or the Ukranian village, unless you want to puke in your mouth every 6 seconds at the site of a fixie-fashion-statement with a PBR strapped on.
 

Big J

Monkey
Jul 18, 2005
421
0
Chicago
+...Hot Dougs, the fries are great!

-...Kuma's Corner...imp..overrated.

Both of the above are well NW of the loop so try these....

Burger: Twisted Spoke...http://www.twistedspoke.com/home.html

Beer: Hop Leaf on N Clark (Uptown), lots of outstanding Belgian brews on tap. http://hopleaf.com

If you’re a carnivore do try an Italian beef and sausage combo, Chicago style. Any of good sandwich spots will do, can't miss them, just throw a rock.

Take a walking architecture tour, have your concierge set you up with a good one, they’ll take you to some very cool places off the beaten path.

J
 
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jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,799
8,383
Nowhere Man!
Steal a cop car and have Blues Brother chase scene on the Lower Wacker drive. Don't even consider jumping Michigan as you won't make the turn at Wabash and the service rd. Trust me on this...
 

j.les

Monkey
Jul 21, 2007
474
0
Chicago
I like reading all these tips on what to do. I've lived here for 43 years and I'm always learning about new places to eat. Seems like eating is all that is here to do sometimes. So many places to eat, so little time.

Like the other guys said, the architectural tours are great. If the weather cooperates, perhaps you can rent a bike and ride the lakefront. If you want to hit up Ray's MKE, I go there 1-2 times a month, maybe I can pick you up somewhere down the blue line.
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,799
8,383
Nowhere Man!
+...Hot Dougs, the fries are great!

-...Kuma's Corner...imp..overrated.

Both of the above are well NW of the loop so try these....

Burger: Twisted Spoke...http://www.twistedspoke.com/home.html

Beer: Hop Leaf on N Clark (Uptown), lots of outstanding Belgian brews on tap. http://hopleaf.com

If you’re a carnivore do try an Italian beef and sausage combo, Chicago style. Any of good sandwich spots will do, can't miss them, just throw a rock.

Take a walking architecture tour, have your concierge set you up with a good one, they’ll take you to some very cool places off the beaten path.

J
As a visitor the combo was rather to much. The beef part was awesome. and alone Italian beef is great. But the Sausage part was greasy and infected the flavor of the beef IMO. My experience is limited to carts by the entrance to Navy Pier and by the el near wrigley. I totally don't get the chopped Mint leave and Tomato slice thing. I have seen Cucumbers as a condiment also. Just wrong IMO. However the smell form the train platform is to much to resist.... You almost have to get off at Addison and make the pilgrimage.....
 

mrbigisbudgood

Strangely intrigued by Echo
Oct 30, 2001
1,380
3
Charlotte, NC
I like reading all these tips on what to do. I've lived here for 43 years and I'm always learning about new places to eat. Seems like eating is all that is here to do sometimes. So many places to eat, so little time.

Like the other guys said, the architectural tours are great. If the weather cooperates, perhaps you can rent a bike and ride the lakefront. If you want to hit up Ray's MKE, I go there 1-2 times a month, maybe I can pick you up somewhere down the blue line.
Same here. I moved away 20 years ago and I've forgotten more than half of the good places. Thank God my brothers are still there to keep me in line.

My brothers and myself are hitting up Rays on the 17th. Message me if you are going up that day.
 

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,430
1,949
Front Range, dude...
Yep...me too. I have spent my "adult" life moving away from and back to the Chicago area...left for good 13 years ago, have only been back for family functions (I have a typical hard partying Chicago family...) and have sworn never to live there again. But I think I will always consider myself a Chicagoan.
 

Big J

Monkey
Jul 18, 2005
421
0
Chicago
As a visitor the combo was rather to much. The beef part was awesome. and alone Italian beef is great. But the Sausage part was greasy and infected the flavor of the beef IMO. My experience is limited to carts by the entrance to Navy Pier and by the el near wrigley. I totally don't get the chopped Mint leave and Tomato slice thing. I have seen Cucumbers as a condiment also. Just wrong IMO. However the smell form the train platform is to much to resist.... You almost have to get off at Addison and make the pilgrimage.....
Yes, as a visitor the combo may be a little much. As far as the sandwichs are concerned every establishment has their own take on what a Chicago beef, sausage, redhot (hot dogs), est. should be....the majority are good and fresh cut fries are the only way to go.

J
 

Big J

Monkey
Jul 18, 2005
421
0
Chicago
k, my secretary has me staying at Hotel Monaco on Wabash Ave.

looks like a good location close to some canal or something. Maybe it's like San Antonio's River Walk area..??
I wish....a river walk would be cool but no and like the other guys said rent a bike take a ride along the lake front. If the Garden is open you could even do a little DJ'n and hit the pump track, it's not far from the loop.....http://cambr.org/SMF/index.php?board=63.0

Have fun, Chicago is a great city.

J
 

Big J

Monkey
Jul 18, 2005
421
0
Chicago
Same here. I moved away 20 years ago and I've forgotten more than half of the good places. Thank God my brothers are still there to keep me in line.

My brothers and myself are hitting up Rays on the 17th. Message me if you are going up that day.
As a Southsider isn’t it against city ordnance for you to be anywhere but in your favorite Irish pub during St. Patrick’s Day and/or pucking in the gutter out front? I'll be hitting Ray's on Sunday....are we allowed to ride while hung over.....

J
 
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mrbigisbudgood

Strangely intrigued by Echo
Oct 30, 2001
1,380
3
Charlotte, NC
As a Southsider isn’t it against city ordnance for you to be anywhere but in your favorite Irish pub during St. Patrick’s Day and/or pucking in the gutter out front? I'll be hitting Ray's on Sunday....are we allowed to ride while hung over.....

J
My brothers, parents,and grandparents live in Will County now. By default I am now exempt from this law.
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
Good trip so far, the weather is perfect!

Flew in Mon:


Took the train to Hogwarts from O'Hare


Big City




Board Room View


Lunch


Dinner




Walk About