Chicago, IL + Add a trip

Best deep-dish pizza

Skip the touristy spots -- Pizzeria Uno, Giordano's -- and eat deep-dish pizza at Lou Malnati's, which is the best in town. They have three city locations and many suburban locations, but if you're staying downtown, the closest location is at 439 N. Wells, in the River North neighborhood near the Merchandise Mart el station.

Lou's is King!

Lou Malnati's is hands-down winner in my book for best Chicago deep dish. Tons of convenient Chicagoland locations.

Be advised, you'll have to wait a while for the pizza, but it's definitely worth it.

Good ribs at Carson's

Downtown Chicago has a ton of good restaurants - maybe not the variety of a New York, but good anyway.

A cool place to go for ribs (or steak or chicken, but they're known for their ribs) is Carson's (www.ribs.com). Steak joint-y type of atmosphere, decent cocktails. Usually gets pretty busy and if I remember correctly they don't take table reservations.

Best Hot Dogs in the Nation

Gourmet hot dog joint. The first place that Anthony Bourdain goes when he gets into Chicago.

The Duck Fat Fries are divine, so is the game of the week

Dinner for the Adventurous at Vermillion

Vermillion, just across the river from the Loop, offers an astonishing melding of Latin American and Indian cuisines. My wife and I had the works: starters, entrees, and desserts, and everything was delightful, bursting with brilliant flavors, and flawless. The pistachio crusted veal chop was especially awesome. Also, for the tipplers among you, don't miss the cucumber-mint cocktail. The service was friendly and very helpful: they took my wife's shellfish allergy very seriously. And the slightly sexy decor (red, black, and white, with big bw photographs of a woman in various rugged locals in various amounts of clothing) didn't hurt. It's a bit expensive, full dinner with drinks for two was $150, but more than worth it.

Bongo Room for great Breakfast

whenever I am in town I try to go to the Bongo room for breakfast at least once. There is one on Sth Wabash in South Loop, and one in Wicker Park (Milwaukee Ave)and I think there is at least one more across town. The food is very fresh and innovative, and service friendly and efficient

Taste of Chicago

Best bloody marys

Dunlay's on Logan Square

The best Web Meet-ups in Chicago

I am over from the London & Dublin Web 2.0 scene to spend summer 2008 in Chicago. I'm looking for tips where to meet as many people as possible involved in the web here.

BarCamps, OpenCoffee's, Geek Dinners... what runs in Chicago?

Invite me along! robin@bytesurgery.com

Upscale Southern Cooking

This place is fantastic. Great decor, sharp knowledgeable staff, interesting menu. Start off with their famous Bloody Mary if you come in for lunch. The Jambalaya is incredible. Also the seared Catfish. Side dishes are large so don't over do it. Art Smith, Oprah Winfrey's personal chef,is the owner and head chef. Oprah sometimes is there but she generally orders take-out. There is a Red Line stop half a block away.

Rose Angelis-Good Italian in a Neighborhood Place

Rose Angelis does not look like much from outside but inside it's a winner. Tucked in off a side street in a stylish Lincoln Park neighborhood, you will find some great dishes and wine. Start with one of their big salads. Share it with four people. Then, some of the home made pasta (Raviolini and Gnocchi). I also loved the Melanzane alla Parmigiana. Great wine list also.

Frontera Grill - Best Mexican Ever

Book way ahead of time even for the grill at this Rick Bayless restaurant. The Goat Enchiladas are unbelievable. The Margaritas are some of the best I ever had. Try the Topolo. There is also a casual bar where you can eat and a fine dining room (table cloth etc).

Smoque BBQ

Ribs, pulled pork, brisket, mac n cheese, damn!

Yum!

There are several reviews on this place online. I'm not a professional so I wont be able to use the fancy words to convince others to go, but I can say, that this place is worth a visit! I just ate there today and I already want to go back. Unfortunately I fly to California tomorrow.

Go to their website to check out their 4-page manifesto on BBQ.

Wicker Park / Bucktown / Ukrainian Village

Vegetarian Options: Handlebar, Rodan, Earwax, Thai Lagoon, Penny's, Sultan's Market, Bin Cafe, Bite Cafe

Drinks: Rainbo Club, Empty Bottle, Gold Star, Nick's

Violet Hour

While I haven't been yet, everyone raves about the Violet Hour. A hip speakeasy type bar where the insane bartender makes his own bitters, and fabricates some of the strangest concoctions on the planet.

He's a gin dude, so he celebrates the wonder and beauty of gin in most of his cocktails.

Check out chicagoTips.com for the best eclectic tips for Chicago

Full Disclosure: My Mom's blog, chicagoTips, is the best web site I know about Chicago. she has lived there for over 50 years, and knows the city inside and out. She has great tips on funky art exhibits, restaurants, places to visit.

I totally recommend

Yolk on Michigan Ave and

Orange at 3231 N Clark St in Wriggleyville

for breakfast.

Dunlays on Clark

Best chocolate chip cookie you'll ever eat (it's served half-baked topped with ice cream in a cast iron skillet), and everything else is delicious, too. Sesame chicken salad, meatloaf, beer cheese, veggie burgers, regular burgers, crispy skinny french fries, and a whole bunch more. Yum!

Drinks are a little overpriced, but I've never had a bad meal (and I've been to Dunlays a lot).

Dunlays is in Lincoln Park, so parking can be tough, but it's not too far from the Fullerton red line stop, and both the Clark (#22) and Broadway (#36) buses stop right outside.

http://www.dunlaysonclark.com/

Pequods on Webster & Clybourn - the best pizza in the universe :) Love love love it. They have an awesome lunch special (under 5 bucks!).

http://www.pequodspizza.com/

Prairie Restaurant, 500 South Dearborn in the South Loop

Handelbars in WickerPark, great beer selection, tiny little place and finally a place that makes their own great handcut fries! (entirely vegan/veg, some seafood)

The Pick Me Up in Wrigleyville; great coffee/espresso and food, and hey you can even get a beer too. (brunch, dinner, heavy on vegan and veg options, insane coffee combinations, beer, and latenight snacks, open supersuper late)

Bongo Room : best brunch spot in Wicker Park

Earwax : another brunch spot in Wicker Park, when Bongo Room has an hour and a half wait, which isn't uncommon on weekends, this is a great second option. also heavy on veg options!

Gino's East deep dish map of illinois

I'd disagree with Adrian, but only if you're not the biggest fan of sweet tomato sauce. Go to Due's!

If you are looking for something rather unconventional in terms of a bar, go in for Violet Hour. The bartender is an innovative guy in a good way. It rocks...

Italian beef sandwiches almost anywhere -- I still can't find anything like them anywhere else, and I've traveled the world!

Nhu Lan for banh mi and delicious smoothies and other vietnamese food.

small cafe, very friendly.

Coffee was very good, but the service was a bit grumpy.

Anne Sathers offers a great dining experience on Chicago's northside. The space offers intimate seating, especially if you can get a table near the fireplace near the front of the restaurant. Most of the food is Sweedish inspired, however the staff is ready to prepare almost any type of dish you may want.

All-around pleasant experience, from the greeting to the service to the entertainment. We went here on a night that the Cubs were playing and as we got into the neighborhood we panicked about finding parking. Called Uncommon Ground and they spotted a parking place right in front of the restaurant for us! It kept getting better from there with very nice and knowledgeable staff, delicious menu, and excellent musical entertainment.

Best steak I ever had. At $50 per cut, it better be!

Our favorite neighborhood spot in the city! Try the Pear Ravioli. Or the Spaghetti with Clams. Or any of the Polentas. Or ...

Cyrano's Bistrot in River North--amazing country French cooking, very interesting wine list, great value!

Every aspect of Mezé has been meticulously woven together to create an elegant yet casual atmosphere and a personal experience for each and every guest. Our signature tapas are reminiscent of various cultures, brought to you by our 5-star executive chef and his more than 25 years of experience. The exotic music offers a vast array of international sounds, while the artwork adorning the walls adds local flavor. You’ll find at Mezé a place of relaxation amidst vibrant energy. Mezé Tapas Lounge is one of those places in the West Loop that everyone dreams of but can never find - fantastic food, fresh music, diverse crowds and an intimate atmosphere.

Great Old world Irish food, with a modern twist. Reasonable prices $10-15

Casting itself a bit too much as a sports bar, this place actually has a good pizza menu and a quite reasonable beer selection.

Usually too busy to get a seat. When it's not it's a good place to grab a breakfast bagel and find out what's going on around Lincoln Square.

Very overrated and touristy.

Good food, funny staff and good music, too... Every visit is a different experience...

Got there 20 minutes before opening and were the 10th party in line. Twenty minutes to be seated after being let into the bar. The drinks were super good! Disappointed to be seated in the downstairs dining room. It felt a little like the service suffered a bit for being there. The food was fantastic.

So, service less than perfect. Food, divine!

amazing, chic, yet relaxing atmosphere. One of the few restaurants that serve food during the week past 9:00pm. Delicious sushi! great service!

amazing fusion restaurant that collides the unique brasilian cuisine with japanese sushi. Ambience is amazing, service is great, creative and authentic brasilian and japanese drinks. great service. There is also supposed to be a great and affordable brunch on weekends.

Most Fantastic and Ridiculously Good Burgers in America. Trust me on this, people -- anyone who eats a "Lair of the Minotaur" and doesn't marvel at the flavors of the caramelized onions, Pancetta, and Bourbon Soaked Pears mixing with the brie an the juices of the perfectly prepared 10-oz ground beef burger are just DEAD above the neck -- for a mere $12, with a heaping side of the greatest waffle fries in town, it's the cheapest oral orgasm in Chicago. Chefs eat here in mufti -- seriously, it's that good.

If you want to experience Chicago get out of downtown. Most of the more interesting neighborhoods can be accessed from the "L" or a $10-20 cab ride. Try Lincoln Square (German), Roscoe Village, Andersonville (Swedish), Milwaukee Av in Avondale (Polish), and Devon Av in W Rogers Park (Indian, Pakistani, Jewsish) in the north; Bucktown, Wicker Park, Ukranian Village, Little Italy, and Pilsen (Mexican) to the west; or Hyde Park, Chinatown and Bridgeport on the Southside.

Each one of them is a unique and identifiable enclave. Many of them have very strong ethnic identities (Pilsen) while the character of others is driven by culture (Bucktown). One of my favorite things to do when I'm driving someone in from O'Hare is to take them down Lawrence Av going east towards the lake. Within two miles you will have passed through a patchwork of white, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Asian, and Indian mini enclaves where you can shop in a thrift store run by Indians, have a Mexican lunch, a Korean dinner and pick up some Halal meats.

Trust me on this, people -- anyone who eats a "Lair of the Minotaur" and doesn't marvel at the flavors of the caramelized onions, Pancetta, and Bourbon Soaked Pears mixing with the brie an the juices of the perfectly prepared 10-oz ground beef burger are just DEAD above the neck -- for a mere $12, with a heaping side of the greatest waffle fries in town, it's the cheapest oral orgasm in Chicago.

Try Lincoln Square (German), Roscoe Village, Andersonville (Swedish), Milwaukee Av in Avondale (Polish), and Devon Av in W Rogers Park (Indian, Pakistani, Jewsish) in the north; Bucktown, Wicker Park, Ukranian Village, Little Italy, and Pilsen (Mexican) to the west; or Hyde Park, Chinatown and Bridgeport on the Southside. Each one of them is a unique and identifiable enclave. Many of them have very strong ethnic identities (Pilsen) while the character of others is driven by culture (Bucktown).

I've been there and their sandwiches are very good. Cooked on site and with fresh bread it makes american food taste great ;-)

Each one of them is a unique and identifiable enclave. Many of them have very strong ethnic identities (Pilsen) while the character of others is driven by culture (Bucktown). One of my favorite things to do when I'm driving someone in from O'Hare is to take them down Lawrence Av going east towards the lake. Within two miles you will have passed through a patchwork of white, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Asian, and Indian mini enclaves where you can shop in a thrift store run by Indians, have a Mexican lunch, a Korean dinner and pick up some Halal meats.

Twin Anchors

As a curry lover, I have to say this place really impressed. They serve really fresh and tasty Indian food with flair. It's not your average curry house. The taste of the most simple dhal was delicious and fresh. They had a selection of many good beers including a light ale, and great deserts. The kulfi was good but a little too frozen. The service was fast and friendly, as we had a gig to get to. Would highly recommend and will return!