Things to do in Chicago? 24 hours!

[John Connor]

Don't forget Whitecastle. Although my parents who ate ther before I was born say it's nothing like it used to be.

 

[IronWing]

Don't forget Whitecastle. Although my parents who ate ther before I was born say it's nothing like it used to be.

Oh crap, did they change the grease?

 

[John Connor]

Maybe. LOL Fuck if I know. My parents tell me McDonalds, Wendy's and Whitecastle all used to be better than they were. Even Carl's Jr.

My parents almost bought stock in Wendy's when they first opened. They kick themselves for not doing it. Even Fuji film.

 

[BurnItDwn]

West Englewood is a nice area to visit. Little curio shops, quaint restaurants and bars, buskers on the streets. Great place to take the kids, too.

Police Line Do Not Cross!!!

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Italian beef.

The pizza is meh. If I want pizza, don't serve me a casserole.

interesting... I didn't know they were so well known for italian beef? When you say that do you mean their Chicago hot dogs? Or Italian beef sandwiches?

Anyhow - Main things I have so far for my to-do list:

Lou Malnatis - Pizza
Giordano's - Pizza
Portillos or Al's for Italian beef - Sandwiches/Hot Dogs?

Potential Boat Tour
Potential Second City Comedy night
Millennium Park


What else am I missing? Any nice breweries in Chicago? And I don't mean goose island, their shit has never impressed me (and they sold out to InBev)

 

[Chapbass]

interesting... I didn't know they were so well known for italian beef? When you say that do you mean their Chicago hot dogs? Or Italian beef sandwiches?

Anyhow - Main things I have so far for my to-do list:

Lou Malnatis - Pizza
Giordano's - Pizza
Portillos or Al's for Italian beef - Sandwiches/Hot Dogs?

Potential Boat Tour
Potential Second City Comedy night
Millennium Park


What else am I missing? Any nice breweries in Chicago? And I don't mean goose island, their shit has never impressed me (and they sold out to InBev)

Portillos for beef and dogs. What a great place. My buddy came here from Germany for about a month, I think he went to Portillo's about 20 times (not exaggerating).

How many days are you staying? Could point you to some good local restaurants if you want to get out of the tourist style spots.

 

[smackababy]

If you go to Portillo's, go inside. Every location has like a 3 hours wait in the drive through and you can just go inside for little to no wait. I wouldn't bother, but Italian beef is pretty meh IMO.

Lou's and Giordano's are chain places, no reason to go there IMO. Just look up a local place (or go to Pequod's like you should).

Revolution Brewery is okay (and I don't know or care if they were bought by InBev). Unfortunately, it is located in Hipster Central and the only thing really in season is garbage... I mean IPAs and there isn't much of that. There are a lot of decent bars in that area if the brewery isn't up to snuff. Webster's is pretty much the only place I'd go, but I love wine and places filled with hipsters being loud just pisses me off.

The boat tour is worth if, especially if you can do skip Millennium Park. It's not a nice park and there is just a big silver bean in it. Navy Pier has a bunch of touristy shit and the magnificent mile (down Michigan) has the "uptown" kinda shit.

Also, our Chinese food is shit. And Michael Jordan's Steakhouse is a giant tourist trap.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Portillos for beef and dogs. What a great place. My buddy came here from Germany for about a month, I think he went to Portillo's about 20 times (not exaggerating).

How many days are you staying? Could point you to some good local restaurants if you want to get out of the tourist style spots.

Staying 4 Nights total: Sat - Wed - Any recommendations are certainly appreciated. I don't know much outside of going to a Cubs game.

 

[zinfamous]

North Halstead, between Belmont and Addison. Lots of great bars on that strip. enjoy a few before (and after) the Cubs game.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

If you go to Portillo's, go inside. Every location has like a 3 hours wait in the drive through and you can just go inside for little to no wait. I wouldn't bother, but Italian beef is pretty meh IMO.

Lou's and Giordano's are chain places, no reason to go there IMO. Just look up a local place (or go to Pequod's like you should).

Revolution Brewery is okay (and I don't know or care if they were bought by InBev). Unfortunately, it is located in Hipster Central and the only thing really in season is garbage... I mean IPAs and there isn't much of that. There are a lot of decent bars in that area if the brewery isn't up to snuff. Webster's is pretty much the only place I'd go, but I love wine and places filled with hipsters being loud just pisses me off.

The boat tour is worth if, especially if you can do skip Millennium Park. It's not a nice park and there is just a big silver bean in it. Navy Pier has a bunch of touristy shit and the magnificent mile (down Michigan) has the "uptown" kinda shit.

Also, our Chinese food is shit. And Michael Jordan's Steakhouse is a giant tourist trap.

I won't have a rental car - so that won't be an issue. I'll be Ubering all over for transportation.

I'm all for superior local places, but they are usually a dime a dozen. Some are amazing, others are subpar to the chains. Any good local reccomendations?

I'll look into revolution brewery as well - Thanks! As much as I hate IPAs...

 

[pete6032]

Girl and the Goat and Au Cheval are two popular places to eat among the locals.

 

[Mike64]

Maybe. LOL Fuck if I know. My parents tell me McDonalds, Wendy's and Whitecastle all used to be better than they were. Even Carl's Jr.

If White Castle was ever good, it was before my time (and even my mother (RIP), who had fond memories of it when she was young in the 40s) never said it had ever been "good", just a novelty...). But it's been so long (like 30 years) since I've eaten there I have no idea what shit they're shoveling these days. But McDonald's? Eh, except for the French fries, McDonald's really isn't any worse (and except for changes to the menu, and microwaves, is really barely different) than it was when I was a kid, going on 45 years ago. Even back then, my mother refused to call their burgers "burgers," referring to them instead as "little gray patties". (She generally had the McFish-whatever-it's-called when I managed to drag here there). I never really liked Burger King, and haven't eaten a burger there in at least 15 years, but when I was a kid they at least did taste sort-of-flame-broiled, which I don't remember from the last time I had one. I still like Wendy's better than other fast-food burgers, but again, honestly don't remember them ever being noticeably "better" than they are now...

My parents almost bought stock in Wendy's when they first opened. They kick themselves for not doing it. Even Fuji film.

You think that's bad. I'd been working in my first post-college job for about a year when 1987's Black Monday happened and Microsoft stock absolutely tanked (along with most everyone else's). Shortly before, things had shaken out enough for me to become convinced, to my techie-ish dismay, that they were (pretty obviously, I thought) going to end up completely trouncing what competitors were still standing in the PC/software wars, but instead of pouring my not-insignificant savings into their stock (even though I really was convinced they'd bounce back easily and head for the stars), I spent it on grad school to avoid taking out even more loans than I did... Even with a reasonably (though not highly) lucrative job history, I've always been afraid to actually run those numbers since I suspect I'd (semi-seriously) just end up beating my heading against a brick wall until I lapsed into a coma.. Not that I in retrospect wouldn't have gone back to school too, but I would've taken out more (even higher rate, non-guaranteed) loans than I did after spending the cash on the stock.. Shoulda, coulda, woulda...<sigh>

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Grrr... Looked for a show for Second City since love comedy... Looks like it's already sold out for this coming weekend? Crap.

 

[shortylickens]

the best hookers I ever found were all from Chicago.

 

[Platypus]

s0me0nesmind1 check out Half Acre and Revolution... also Marz (go to Maria's in bridgeport to get some).

If you want more beer recommendations, or want to grab a beer hit me up.

 

[zinfamous]

Grrr... Looked for a show for Second City since love comedy... Looks like it's already sold out for this coming weekend? Crap.

Improv Olympic is generally better anyway, and better bang for your buck (OK, I was always comped for the many dozens of shows I saw there--same as at 2nd City--but I always preferred the IO crews). It's also on Clark street, about a block from Wrigley. The audience is usually filled with visiting Cubs fans and general local bar douches being insulted by the performers, so it's a good time.

For local awesome restaurants, assuming they are as good as they were ~9 years ago at least: Tango Sur (also near Wrigley) on Southport for awesome Argentinian steaks and meats. I prefer it to the fancy and famous Chicago chop houses, and it's waay cheaper than those places.

 

[zinfamous]

s0me0nesmind1 check out Half Acre and Revolution... also Marz (go to Maria's in bridgeport to get some).

If you want more beer recommendations, or want to grab a beer hit me up.

Hey, Plat:

North Halstead, between Belmont and Addison. Lots of great bars on that strip. enjoy a few before (and after) the Cubs game.

You should meet him at Buck's or Hydrate, like I suggested.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

The best thing to do in Chicago is to walk around town and point out to the natives all the ways in which New York is better. They're trying to learn and improve and they really appreciate getting tips on how to do it.

 

[JM Aggie08]

The best thing to do in Chicago is to walk around town and point out to the natives all the ways in which New York is better. They're trying to learn and improve and they really appreciate getting tips on how to do it.

Flashing large amounts of cash while yelling racial slurs should be on the list as well.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Flashing large amounts of cash while yelling racial slurs should be on the list as well.

That's true of every large city, so it should go without saying. But yeah, it works especially well in Chicago, Newark and Damascus.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

North Halstead, between Belmont and Addison. Lots of great bars on that strip. enjoy a few before (and after) the Cubs game.

Looks like that's near a place called "Boystown"? Are you taking me to gay clubs?

I'll check it out

Girl and the Goat and Au Cheval are two popular places to eat among the locals.

Someone told me about Girl and the goat... basically said something to the tune of making reservation a MONTH in advance.... Also mentioned a place across the street conveniently called "Little girl and the goal" or something to that tune that is pretty good but not as crowded.

s0me0nesmind1 check out Half Acre and Revolution... also Marz (go to Maria's in bridgeport to get some).

If you want more beer recommendations, or want to grab a beer hit me up.

Debating on where I want to go for beers. Personally I'm a big belgian beer fan, and none of the local breweries seem to make any of that type. Either way I'm definitely up for a beer, especially after our cubs game. I'll send you a PM.

 

[pete6032]

Looks like that's near a place called "Boystown"? Are you taking me to gay clubs?
.

That is Boystown. I think he was just joking lol.

Debating on where I want to go for beers. Personally I'm a big belgian beer fan, and none of the local breweries seem to make any of that type. Either way I'm definitely up for a beer, especially after our cubs game. I'll send you a PM.

Half Acre is relatively close to Wrigley Field. Up in that area might also try Begyle Brewing. They just opened about a year ago.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Anyone know how Stubhub works? I've been eyeing my Cub's tickets for the last few weeks and they always have 300+ bleachers available for $90+. I PRESUME they start to get desperate and let go of their retardation a few days before the game to realize that $30 > $0. Is there typically a large price drop days/hours before the game?

 

[zinfamous]

Anyone know how Stubhub works? I've been eyeing my Cub's tickets for the last few weeks and they always have 300+ bleachers available for $90+. I PRESUME they start to get desperate and let go of their retardation a few days before the game to realize that $30 > $0. Is there typically a large price drop days/hours before the game?

IME, no. You can try to get some from the street, but bleachers are hot tickets at Wrigley. Usually, you go stand in line some days in advance of the game for whatever bleachers are still available, though that may have changed.

You could always stop by one of the dozens of "ticket broker" shops that surround Wrigley and sell Cubs tickets. (these vendors don't have bleacher tickets, though) Of course, all of these stores are owned by the Cubs, which just sends them blocks of tickets. The Cubs have effectively been scalping their own tickets for years now. Ah, Chicago....

 

[gorcorps]

Don't forget Whitecastle. Although my parents who ate ther before I was born say it's nothing like it used to be.

Whitecastle sucks

I think that's something you need to grow up with to like it, because there aren't many outsiders I know who like it. As somebody who's had it just a handfull of times but only as an adult, I have no idea how they're still in business. I'd even pick burger king over white castle.