Sweet Willie

(according to Citysearch)

1.Wrigley Field
1060 W Addison, Chicago, IL
Sip an Old Style and cheer on the Cubbies from the lively bleacher seats of this historic ballpark.

2.Art Institute of Chicago
111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL
Spend an afternoon at this famed Michigan Avenue museum and gaze at Seurat's "Sunday on La Grande Jatte."

3.Signature Lounge
875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL
Settle into a window-side table 96 stories above the Magnificent Mile and drink in spectacular city views and sidecars.

4.Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
439 N Wells St, Chicago, IL
Go to deep-dish heaven with a flaky-crusted, cheese-oozing pie from this pizza joint. FT thread on Chicago Pizza here: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=308700

5.Buddy Guy's Legends
754 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL
Catch an authentic Chicago blues set by the club's guitar-wailin' owner during his annual stand each January.

6.The Wiener's Circle
2622 N Clark St, Chicago, IL
Get yelled at by the feisty late-night crew while ordering a Chicago dog at this legendary spot for red hots. FT thread on Best Chicago Hot Dog here: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=334192

7.Second City
1616 North Wells St., Chicago, IL
Glimpse tomorrow's comedy superstars at the legendary club that helped launch Bill Murray, Mike Myers and many other famous jokesters. FT thread on Second City here: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=334101

8.Chicago from the Lake
435 E Illinois St, Chicago, IL
Take an architectural riverboat tour and find out who built the corncob-shaped Marina Towers.

9.Billy Goat Tavern
430 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL
Dig into a double cheeseburger with chips (no fries!) at this divey lunch counter made famous by John Belushi on SNL.

10.Drake Hotel
140 East Walton Pl, Chicago, IL
Take a break from Mag Mile shopping with afternoon tea at this world-famous hotel.

“Bonus Items”

Gino's East
633 N Wells St, Chicago, IL
Graffiti-covered walls and to-die-for deep dish draw crowds of families and tourists to this classic pizzeria.


The Palmer House Hilton
17 E Monroe St, Chicago, IL
This classic Loop hotel has 19th-century charm and 21st-century service and amenities.

Whitehall Hotel
105 E Delaware Pl, Chicago, IL
This deceptively large boutique hotel is popular with visiting celebrities who like their privacy.

The Talbott Hotel
20 E Delaware Pl, Chicago, IL
A quaint, quiet British ambience on a pleasant, tree-lined street.

Mr. Beef
666 N Orleans St, Chicago, IL
A celebrity favorite, the Italian beef sandwich at this no-nonsense joint is out of this world. FT thread on best Italian Beef in Chicago here: http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=308703

(according to Citysearch)

glg

Great list! I keep meaning to do #8. Been to #5, but not when the man himself was there.

Otherwise I'm short the hotels (#10 and the ones on the bonus list).

What other stuff would people put on the list (say you had to grow it to 20)?

ElmhurstNick

I'm short #10 and #5, but I spent enough of graduate school at Kingston Mines, BLUES, Rosa's, Lilly's, etc. that I think I can count #5 anyway.

Five more uniquely Chicago experiences:
11. Get a bone-in pork-chop sandwich at Jim's at 2:30am on a Friday morning and buy a ROLL-X watch from the nice man in the trenchcoat standing curbside
12. The Bahai Temple
13. The Green Door Tavern jazz club
14. The South Side St. Patrick's Day parade (I have not yet made this one)
15. A snowy Friday afternoon at O'Hare's Concourse F (oh, you mean they have to be good experiences??)

DavidDTW

This is going to sound weird, but how about the top floor men's room at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier? I don't know of any other rest room with a view like that!

Sweet Willie

Have to ask, who was next to you?

Sweet Willie

FYI, for those of us who were fortunate to go to the Kingston Mines "back in the day" it is now not at all the way it used to be. Gone are the two long, low lit narrow rooms. Now it is one big, well lit room, and selling t-shirts seems to be the main focus. Cleintele is not the same and neither is the music. SKIP the mines, head elsewhere.

DavidDTW

Ha! Out the window! (Me, a voyeur? Only occasionally!)

ElmhurstNick

Oh that's just pathetic. Half the fun for me was sitting in whichever room was on break, because you could still talk and be heard, and the music was as loud as necessary.

I know that Rosa's has declined a little bit as well, I stopped going once they got rid of the bouncers that would watch your car in the parking lot next door, and once I got a nicer car!!

nd_eric_77

I know its touristy, but the top of Sears Tower at night is pretty impressive. Also, catch the South Shore Railroad to South Bend and spend a Notre Dame football Saturday at the campus. Even if you don't pay an outrageous amount to a scalper for a ticket to the actual game, the campus is beautiful and the atmosphere electric.

glg

Notre Dame is definitely off the list. It's in Indiana for pete's sake

ILuvParis

I would imagine Millenium Park will be high on most lists from this point forward. I think Weiner's Circle and Bill Goat could quite easily be skipped - both fun, but I wouldn't book an internet fare with those two places as destinations. You can get a good hot dog and a mediocre cheeseburger in many places - Chicago style pizza and Italian beef, now that's worth the trip! You're not going to find them anywhere else, at least edible versions.

Things I would add to the list, in addition to Millenium Park: a drive along Lake Shore Drive from Hollywood to McCormick Place (including a drive to the Planetarium to see the skyline from that vantage point), a walk along the Magnificent Mile (N. Michigan Avenue), the magnificent Marshall Field's on State Street (to shop) and Carson, Pirie, Scott (for the architecture), a ride around the Loop on the "L," and the carmel corn/cheese corn mix at Garrett's Popcorn shops.

cawhite

Sorry, but "Pete" is at Purdue, not N.D.

gretchendz

But you must add Garrett's...even if it means 11 items

Sweet Willie

OK YOU TWO! ( ) what/who the HECK are Garrett's?

gretchendz

It's a popcorn shop.
Regular, chessey, caramel...

One is on Michigan Ave (west side of street).

Used to be one in the financial district too--but U have not been in a LONG time