Going to Chicago. What do I need to do? Avoid?

[BigRedChief]

Going to Chicago for a little 4 day vacation(Thrusday - Sunday) on spring break. Going to the Bulls vs. Cleveland NBA game and see Lebron, Derrick Rose, Shaq etc on Friday night. What is the can't miss "stuff" in Chicago? Avoid? opinions welcome...

Staying downtown at the Allerton hotel.

Any Planeteers want to get together?
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03/22/2010 edit to pay it forward for future chicago visitors:
Transportation:
Definitely take the trains and bus’s if you are planning to spend a lot of time downtown. We saved a fortune in cabs. Get the CTA pass and you can get on how ever many buses, trains, transfers etc that you want for how many days you purchase. http://faremedia.chicago-card.com/store/main.aspx?DepartmentId=34 Check the schedule and plan your route out:
http://www.transitchicago.com/travel_information/maps/default.aspxhttp://www.transitchicago.com/riding_cta/populardestinations.aspx

We arrived at 8:00 at the O’Hara airport and not taking the train would have been a disaster. They highways are parking lots that time of the day. We flew out of Midway on the way out and took a cab out there to the airport.
We really enjoyed riding the bus’s and talking to the locals. They gave us great tips on where to eat etc.

You don’t need a car. If you are driving, there is no where to park and where there is parking is very expensive and driving downtown is dangerous trying to navigate all those cabs and buses? Not for the weak of heart.

Attractions:
Get the Go Chicago card: Saved us a ton of money on admission fees but more importantly we avoided the lines at the attractions to get tickets. It was snowing and the line to get into the Field museum was over an hour and a half to just get tickets to get into the museum. The lines to get tickets are long. Get your tickets in advance.
http://www.smartdestinations.com/chicago-attractions-and-tours/_d_Chi-p1.html?pass=Chi_Prod_Go

Sears Tower: Was cool but if you have to wait an hour or two? Question the value. The ledge is really cool. Nothing between you and the street 103 stories up but some Plexiglas. It’s an experience you can’t get anywhere else in the world.

John Hancock observatory: We actually liked it better than the Sears tower because of the better ocean and beach views. They have something cool there, a skywalk 93 stories up that you can walk along that is exposed to the wind, temperatures etc 93 floors up. Just some mesh screen between you and the sky.

Science and Industry museum: We all felt that this was the best of all the museums. You have to see the U-Boat. It’s another one of those you can only experience in Chicago things.

Millennium Park: The silver bean was really cool. Seems like a real simple thing but once you get there and see it up close you understand the draw the bean has for people. Make sure you go underneath the bean and check it out. Looks like a wonderful place to watch a concert.

Shedd Aquarium: We were disappointed in this one. Maybe we are just spoiled but we thought the Aquarium in Omaha was much better.

The Field museum: Another disappointment. Sue the T-Rex was really cool but the rest of the museum left us flat. Seemed really educational for kids but for us adults we would like to have seen more exhibits than some pottery.

Chicago Bulls game: We decided to take the bus out there. Straight shot to and from downtown. Not really a bad seat in the house. The mascot seems to be pretty athletic and entertaining. Highly recommend getting one of the monster dogs.

Navy Pier: We went there and it was cold. Looks like a great place to visit in the warm weather.

Second City: We saw “Rush Limbaugh, the musical”. Barney Frank, Hillary, Dancing Ronald Reagan’s…Very funny stuff. Had a bit in there when Rush with the Royals and George Brett on a toilet with hemorrhoids. Highly recommend checking out a show there.

The Art Institute: A wonderful place to see art. So many Picasso’s, Monet’s and Van Gough’s you can’t really appreciate them fully like if some were here in KC just because of the sheer volume of masterpieces in one place. Very impressive collection. We also enjoyed seeing the American Gothic and some American art.
http://www.artic.edu/aic/

Eats:
Ginos East: Great pizza. Love the crust. We went to the one on Shapiro and it has all the walls filled with customer graffiti. Not living off its past reputation. My son thought it was the best pizza ever.

Giordanos: on Shapiro, Excellent deep dish pizza here also. Better than anything you can get in KC. Try sprinkling a little Italian herb seasoning on the pizza here.
http://www.giordanos.com/locations.html

West Egg: Breakfast by the doubletree. Reasonable prices and great food. Everything we had was good.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/west-egg-cafe-chicago-2

Yokes: Breakfast on Lake Shore drive. Best crepes we have ever had. Very good food.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/yolk-chicago-2

Quaritinos: Best meal in Chicago. Very trendy and hip place but don’t let that push you away. You order 5-6 things and share them. Ravioli, Brusheta and the Bananas foster desert were our favorites but everything we had was real flavorful and well prepared. http://www.quartinochicago.com/


Lodging:
We stayed at the Allerton hotel downtown. I would highly recommend if you are coming to Chicago and you are going to do these things listed above to stay downtown. This was a great hotel. If you can’t afford the downtown rates just take the train into the city and go from there.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

Frazod -- you ever been to Pequod's or Burt's Place?

I haven't been to Burt's - I'm pretty sure I've been to Pequod's. I've been to dozens of these neighborhood pizza joints. Some live up to the hype, some don't. Most are pretty damned good, simply because they have to be to survive in this environment. But I've grown accustomed to it - keep in mind, the Chicago deep dish pizza you eat once every year or two and rave about and describe to others in glowing, impressive terms is just regular old pizza to me, so forgive me if I don't pop a woody over it. I have lived up here for over 20 years, you know.

Have I tried them all? No. But Gino's is the most memorable and best of the ones I have tried, and that's a fairly widely held opinion.

[Sfeihc]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

FYP

The only time LC's is a quality pie is if you're at Comerica Park. The Pizza Man can't have any concessions better than his pies. Therefore eat before you go. Maybe try Pizza Papalis is Greektown, now that is some quality pizza.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by frazod

I haven't been to Burt's - I'm pretty sure I've been to Pequod's. I've been to dozens of these neighborhood pizza joints. Some live up to the hype, some don't. Most are pretty damned good, simply because they have to be to survive in this environment. But I've grown accustomed to it - keep in mind, the Chicago deep dish pizza you eat once every year or two and rave about and describe to others in glowing, impressive terms is just regular old pizza to me, so forgive me if I don't pop a woody over it. I have lived up here for over 20 years, you know.

Have I tried them all? No. But Gino's is the most memorable and best of the ones I have tried, and that's a fairly widely held opinion.

That statement is alien to my experience with food. I could never say "yeah, that Kansas City barbecue that everyone raves about is just regular old barbecue to me, so excuse my lack of boner for it." I could NEVER say that. My woody for it is everlasting; the barbecue around here is an intrinsic part of my being.

If Chicago's great stuffed/deep dish places don't give you a woody then you've become jaded.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Which Ocean was that you saw from the Hancock Bldg?

Looked like ocean to us land locked midwesterners.

[WoodDraw]

Originally Posted by jspchief

4. Not really knowing where the museum of science and industry is other than "south I think" so taking the El so deep into southern Chicago that a place like Cabrini Green looks like a nice place to wait for a cab that may never arrive.

LOL.

The first time I went down to meet my friend in Hyde Park, I was staying up in Lakeview. I looked up CTA directions and it said "Take red line south to X, get out and walk to blah blah." I'm like ah, this will be fun. Get to see a lot of the neighborhood walking to his place.

Finally get off on my stop, and walk out to this bombed out blighted place with no ****ing clue where I was. I'm walking around aimlessly asking anyone I see how to get to UoC.

Everyone I stopped and asked was nice as hell, though. One guy finally walked me to the bus stop I needed and got me on the right one. I wouldn't try that at night though. Needless to say, all my friends had a good time about me trying to take the red line to their house.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Reaper16

That statement is alien to my experience with food. I could never say "yeah, that Kansas City barbecue that everyone raves about is just regular old barbecue to me, so excuse my lack of boner for it." I could NEVER say that. My woody for it is everlasting; the barbecue around here is an intrinsic part of my being.

If Chicago's great stuffed/deep dish places don't give you a woody then you've become jaded.

This evening I had to get some work done on my car, and while waiting my wife and I went to get food. We were walking to a nearby BBQ place when I smelled the distinctive scent of Indian food on the air. I didn't know of any Indian places in the area, but I was sure of the smell. So I followed it, and sure enough, a couple of hundred yards downwind I found a little hole-in-the-wall Indian restaurant in the back of a mostly-empty strip mall that I'd never noticed before. We went in to check it out and it was FANTASTIC. Blew the place we'd went to for years out of the water (which is excellent) and was cheaper on top of it. I'm still in awe of how good my dinner was. That damn near gave me a woody. **** pizza.

[Reaper16]

Originally Posted by frazod

This evening I had to get some work done on my car, and while waiting my wife and I went to get food. We were walking to a nearby BBQ place when I smelled the distinctive scent of Indian food on the air. I didn't know of any Indian places in the area, but I was sure of the smell. So I followed it, and sure enough, a couple of hundred yards downwind I found a little hole-in-the-wall Indian restaurant in the back of a mostly-empty strip mall that I'd never noticed before. We went in to check it out and it was FANTASTIC. Blew the place we'd went to for years out of the water (which is excellent) and was cheaper on top of it. I'm still in awe of how good my dinner was. That damn near gave me a woody.

I'm with you, man. I love stories like this. Discovering amazing, hidden food gems is one of life's richest pleasures. This post is really coo...

Originally Posted by frazod

**** pizza.

... wait, what? That is a false ****ing dichotomy. Can't you love both?

[BigRedChief]

Bump for those thinking of going to Chicago for a vacation.

[Dartgod]

Heading back to Chicago tomorrow for the weekend. Going to the Royals/Sox game Friday night and the rest of the weekend is pretty much open. We will be going to Giardano's this time for pizza. We've eaten at Gino's on previous visits, so gotta try another place this time.

One thing I do want to do is get a good Chicago dog while in town. I usually plan on it and then have to settle for one at the airport on the way home. Can anyone recommend a good hot dog stand or restaurant downtown?

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Heading back to Chicago tomorrow for the weekend. Going to the Royals/Sox game Friday night and the rest of the weekend is pretty much open. We will be going to Giardano's this time for pizza. We've eaten at Gino's on previous visits, so gotta try another place this time.

One thing I do want to do is get a good Chicago dog while in town. I usually plan on it and then have to settle for one at the airport on the way home. Can anyone recommend a good hot dog stand or restaurant downtown?

I like Portillo's (who also has one of THE best beef sammich's you'll ever taste) when I'm sober, and The Wieners Circle after a late night drunk.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Heading back to Chicago tomorrow for the weekend. Going to the Royals/Sox game Friday night and the rest of the weekend is pretty much open. We will be going to Giardano's this time for pizza. We've eaten at Gino's on previous visits, so gotta try another place this time.

One thing I do want to do is get a good Chicago dog while in town. I usually plan on it and then have to settle for one at the airport on the way home. Can anyone recommend a good hot dog stand or restaurant downtown?

Can't really help you with the hot dogs - about the only place I eat a hot dog is at a game. Not a big deal to me.

However, there was a show on the Travel Channel last week that had a segment on Chicago hot dog places. Maybe you could investigate their website and find a list of the places they talked about, none of which I remember by name unfortunately. There's one (apparently) world famous place on the north side, but I don't know the name.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

I like Portillo's (who also has one of THE best beef sammich's you'll ever taste) when I'm sober, and The Wieners Circle after a late night drunk.

At Clark and Ontario? That looks doable. Thanks!

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

Heading back to Chicago tomorrow for the weekend. Going to the Royals/Sox game Friday night and the rest of the weekend is pretty much open. We will be going to Giardano's this time for pizza. We've eaten at Gino's on previous visits, so gotta try another place this time.

One thing I do want to do is get a good Chicago dog while in town. I usually plan on it and then have to settle for one at the airport on the way home. Can anyone recommend a good hot dog stand or restaurant downtown?

Woofy's is the best Chicago Hot Dog place I've been to, it's been around for about 40 yrs or so. Off of California and Peterson IIRC.

[Reaper16]

Hot Doug's. If you don't go there then you are depriving yourself of one of the best meals of your life. Seriously.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

At Clark and Ontario? That looks doable. Thanks!

yep portillo's is ****ing awesome.


try the combo and a hot dog.