Favorite Restaurant in Chicago
 

Any thoughts? and I mean restaurants, even though Chicago has the best hot dogs in the world!

dont forget the pizza stuff.

In the Magnificent Mile area, I'm rather fond of Sayat Nova at 157 E Ohio. Good food at very reasonable prices.

My favorite brewpub is Goose Island at 1800 N Clybourn. The beer is phenomenal, and the food is quite good. It's about three long blocks from the North and Clybourn subway stop, but if you have a car I recommend driving, they have free parking.

If you really want to get out of the tourist area, Hopleaf in Andersonville is the best beer bar in town, and they now have quite an interesting menu to go along with the fantastic beer.

I frequent all three establishments and highly recommend each.

I grew up in Chicago but was never a big fan of hot dogs. I only visit about once a year now, but I will comment on my favorites in three different categories:

I used to love Pizzeria Uno on Ohio St, it may be firmly on the tourist trail but it is worth it to prove to yourself that Uno´s isn´t really a chain...there is no similarity between the original and an Uno´s in, say, California. Order sausage if you want a "real" Chicago pizza. Pizzeria Due on Wabash is basically the same thing if the wait at Unos is too long.

I also was a fan of the Italian Village on Monroe, both the "Village" upstairs (which is classic, cheap, red sauce, southern Italian) and the more recently opened Vivere which is very modern, more expensive, northern Italian. To be fair, I haven´t been to either of these places in ten years...but from what I am told they are still thriving.

A couple of years ago I took my parents to Charlie Trotter´s for their anniversary. This is one of the best restaurants in the US, and alone worth the trip to Chicago if you are a "foodie." I thought the service was the best I had experienced up to that point in any restuarant in any country. The food is really difficult to describe...rare ingredients, architectural presentation, bizarre combinations. All that said, you have to enjoy the tasting menu concept (there is no a la carte) and be prepared for overdone presentations, descriptions, etc. If this is your thing, this is where you want to go...if not, you will be happier elsewhere.

Let us know if you go...

In the Travel&Dining: Featured Destinations section below there is a Chicago forum with 125+ restaurant reviews at least (upscale, downscale, ethnic), as well as many of the terrific things to do in our wonderful city.

Gospel, the truth. I cringe every time I hear someone say "I went to Uno's in (insert anywhere but the original location)" The chain sucks, plain & simple, it is not at all the real McCoy like dankyone describes above. Sausage is the #1 ingredient on pizza in the Chicago area (& much of the Midwest), pepperoni is #1 elsewhere in the US.
Trotter's used to be, still good, but resting on its laurels IMO. TRIO (of which there is a review in the Chicago forum) I believe is Chicago's cutting edge restaurant for pushing new culinary horizons, fois gras in a tube!!

If you're looking for steak, hit either Gene & Georgetti for traditional old Italian steakhouse style great steaks, or Gibson's for great steak with fantastic star-studded atmosphere. Since I'm a Chicago native, I go to G&G.

For pizza, try Pizano's, either on State just north of Chicago (800 North block of State Street) or on Clark just south of Wrigley Field (~3400 block of North Clark). Pizano's is the original Chicago pizza recipe--the inventors of Chicago-style pizza (deep dish, not stuffed) were Mr. Sewell and Mr. Malnati. Mr. Sewell's pizza is made at Uno's and Due--as others here have said, not at all the chain store pizza. Mr. Malnati's pizza is made at the various Lou Malnati's pizzerias throughout Chicagoland (with my favorite the flagship at 439 N. Wells), as well as at both Pizano's, by Mr. Malnati's youngest son Rudy. Mr. Malnati (Rudy's mom) still spends significant time in the kitchen at the State Steet restaurant. As others have noted, get sausage on your pizza. I still rue the fact that the only place I can get a slice with real sausage on it (the crumbly stuff, not the sliced crap) is in Chicago.

If you're blind drunk, try the Weiner's Circle on Clark Street (~2600 north). The more blitzed you are, the better the dogs and cheese fries.

If you're looking for a unique lunch sandwich, try Ricobene's, on Lake Street between Wabash and Michigan. Their breaded steak sandwich is awesome, as are their cheese fries--among the best in town.

As noted by others, Trotter's is spectacular if you're on the company's dime (or proposing to your loved one).

Finally, if you're a fan of tapas, there is no better place outside of Spain than Cafe Iberico, in the 700 block of North Lasalle (just south of Chicago Avenue). They've been there for about 11 years (unfortunately, I left Chicago about 10 1/2 years ago, trading my 8 block walk to Iberico for the slowways of Silicon Valley), and consistently provide absolutely spectacular food at a great price. No complaints about service here either--the service is as good as it gets at any tapas restaurant.

Forgot one other place for lunch--Mr. Beef on Orleans. The winner for Italian beef, time and time again.

NO WAY, NO HOW, would be my reaction (& others) see the debate on the Chicago forum thread titled “Best Italian Beef” :)
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=308703

I can also get that from the Zagat's website - guess I was looking for info from you guys - and some new places like Pluton.

P. S. WE have eaten at a lot of the top places, Ambria, Everest, CTs, Le Nomade, etc. and find CT over the top on wine prices and over the top prices period. Think he is relying on reputation (and tourists).

I agree with you about a wonderful city - I grew up there and think it is the best place in the US!

There are a lot of great reviews in the forum as Willie mentioned -- not just writeups that have been posted over from the papers, but commentaries from many of us that have dined there. And I find that Sweet Willie's dining reviews are pretty solid!

RE the Wiener Circle....don't forget to ask for a chocolate shake if you go there!

Thanks, will definitely check it all out

To Sweet Willie - I definitely want to try Trio, and it is in my home area as well! Thanks for the reviews.

Have not dined at Pluton. Can you clarify what cuisine/experience you are looking for?

Read about Pluton in Wine Spectator - owner is from Jacky's Bistro in Evanston and of course WS is interested in wines, but it also got a good Zagat review but can't find anyone who has been there - it is pretty new.

As for cuisine, we like French, American, even fusion and actually the only thing we wouldn't go for would be Indian, although I hear Monsoon is good.
Thanks for the info and for taking the time.