Originally Posted by ginnyfsf
The street where all the Indian stores are (all I can think of is "Little India" but I think that's in Singapore!) is very interesting to walk along (and eat things there, too).
I forget the streetname too, but we sought this out about 5 years ago and it was totally worth it. We went because my wife was looking for some specific fabrics that were known to be available in that area, but we ended up thoroughly enjoying the food. We ate at a restaurant that had no liquor license - a "brown bag" place. Fantastic food...tiny mom & pop place about 1/2 block off the main drag. Conveniently located next to a liquor store that carried about a dozen Indian beer varieties.
Your hotel concierge should be able to give you directions, street names, restaurant/shop recommendations, and the nearest El stop. I'm sure Google can do the same...
I seem to recall it was a
long walk from the El. We kept thinking "just another couple of blocks" for about a half-hour. We probably didn't cover more than 1-2 miles, but it seemed like forever with stoplights and such.
If you aren't up for the hike, just grab a cab. Unlike in a lot of cities, I've never gotten any 'tude from a Chicago cabbie for a short fare. At least not one cruising around on city streets...