Windy City Spots

Chicago has something for everyone, from the art lover, to the food lover, to the punk rocker! While in Chicago, you must visit Lake Michigan. Whether you do a boat cruise or just go for a walk, look back at the skyline - it is amazing!

I would also suggest seeing a play at the Chicago Theater. They are all Broadway quality, and the building is beautiful. I have many happy memories from my childhood where we went for dinner beforehand at a trendy restaurant, then to a play and dessert afterward. You must do the theater scene in Chicago.

In addition, you MUST see Chicago at night. I feel like this is when the city really shines. From the impressive skyline to the trendy restaurants, hopping bars, and late-night gatherings, this is the true Chicago!

Quick Tips:

One of the best resources for local events is 190 North, a TV program that airs on Sunday nights (10:30pm) on Channel 7/ABC. The show tells you all about the local hotspots, from where to eat and drink to what is playing at the local theaters. It is a great resource for visitors and locals alike. If you won't be in Chicago on a Sunday, check out their website at http://www.190north.com/.

In addition, there are usually tons of ads in the Chicago Tribune and local newspapers for restaurants, clubs, bars... Sometimes coupons are included. The Tribune is probably the best source for entertainment news in the city, and most hotels give you a complimentary copy (well, the nicer ones do).

Best Way To Get Around:

The L is a pretty good way to get around the city, and it only costs .50 to ride it. It can get you almost anywhere you want to go, although I would not suggest riding it alone at night if you are a female. In addition, the bus system isn’t' all that bad for the city, and it is the same ticket for the L and the bus, so you don't need to buy a bunch of different tickets.

If you are renting a car, I would suggest doing so at the airport (O'Hare), as the options are a lot cheaper here than elsewhere. Taxis are also readily available, and you can pick one up from almost anywhere. You can definably walk Chicago though, as it is a great city to walk in with the lake, parks, and Michigan Avenue.

I love Maggiano’s; it is perhaps one of my favorite restaurants of all time. Although I have had better Italian food and been to restaurants with a better atmosphere, I still love this place. I would highly recommend a reservation, especially if you are going around any type of holiday.

If you do end up having to wait a few minutes, take advantage of the bar; their drinks are fabulous. I would recommend the cosmo, and they also make a fabulous sour-apple martini. My father is a fan of their Manhattans straight up. There is an extensive wine list. The bar area is dark and intimate, with burgundy and dark wood. It is usually busy. Don’t come here if you are looking for an intimate moment.

The decor in Maggiano’s is all dark woods and deep reds with accent pieces. There is enough here to keep little ones very occupied, with pictures of famous Italians and original pictures and menus all over the walls.

For food, go for it family style. It isn’t worth it for everyone to order their own entrée; there are too many different items that you will want to taste. Their portions are huge, even the half orders. For an appetizer I would suggest starting with the bruschetta or the calamari, as both are done very well.

I have yet to find something that I don’t like on the menu. A must is the house salad, though. The dressing is amazing and the rest of the salad is great (if you don’t like blue cheese, have them put it on the side, as there is a ton of it). For pasta items, I strongly suggest the shells and shrimp. The shrimp are large and cooked perfectly, and the sauce is light, very flavorful, and not overburdened by the taste of tomatoes or seafood. In addition, the clams linguine is amazing. I have never had it in the red sauce, but it is my favorite dish in the white sauce. There are a ton of clams, a light sauce, and a good bit of garlic. The fettuccine alfredo and spaghetti and meatballs may seem a little basic, but they are good, very, very good.

Now, that’s just the pastas! For entrées I would strongly suggest the chicken giardinaire. It is a pounded chicken breast that is breaded and then cooked. It is smothered with giardinaire, and the tastes are very complimentary.

For dessert you must attempt Nonna’s pound cake, which is my favorite dessert here. It is pound cake with caramelized bananas, hot fudge sauce, and a good serving of vanilla ice cream. Once again, this is pretty large and can be shared among several people. If you are a fairly large party, I would suggest that you do the family-dining menu. If you can, order everything that you like on it! It is a good price and all-you-can-eat, so even if you finish what they give you, you can always get more!

Berghoff’s is known for their beer and German food. I must say, though, that I have had a lot better. I think their food is overrated and that people go much more for the name than they do for the food. I have never been here for lunch, but I have heard that there are huge crowds and that the food is pretty good. My suggestion is that if you are going to go, go for lunch.

As noted above, the place is packed for lunch almost every day. It is also a popular place to go before or after the theater, or even after shopping. While the food is decent if you are going there just as a small group, I would strongly suggest not going here for a banquet or with a large group. We once did a company dinner here. The service was horrible; it took forever to get our food, and it was cold when it came out.

I do enjoy their potato pancakes, a favorite side dish of mine (must be that Eastern European blood in me). In addition, the schnitzel is pretty good as well. I am not a fan of their famous creamed spinach, but that is more likely a personal dislike. The bread is good and will set the tone for the rest of your meal. I believe that it’s rye and wheat. It is dense, coarse, and thick.

The majority of the meals are smothered in some sort of sauce or another. They are usually brown and heavy, and I’m unable to tell one from the other. I would not suggest coming here if you are on a diet - the amount of calories will send you into shock.

The decor in here is authentic German; you do feel like you are sitting in a beer hall it the middle of Berlin, Munich, or any other city in Germany – well, with a Chicago twist. There is a ton of dark wood and a good bit of stained glass. The whole interior is dark, and on the walls there is a lot of Chicago memorabilia.

This is perhaps my favorite place to get a hot dog in Chicago. They make them the Chicago way, with poppy seed buns and everything you could ever imagine piled on top of them. Don’t worry it you are a purist, though, as the hot dogs are just as good if you get them with just a pickle as if you get them with everything. For those that are not from Chicago, a Chicago dog has everything on it, and the bun does get a little soggy! Make sure to get a few napkins if you don’t to wear your food.

In addition to the amazing hot dogs, Chicago Style also has amazing gyros (another Chicago favorite). Here is comes right off the spit; it isn’t heated in a microwave like some other places around town. They don’t water down the cucumber sauce and they include onions and tomatoes in addition to the lamb, pita, and sauce. I would highly recommend the gyros.

The fries are not my favorite here, but a lot of the time they come with the meal, which is a good bargain. They are the cut fries, so they are a little thicker and still have portions of the skin on them. They will also probably need a liberal dousing of salt and pepper; they lack a little in taste. I am just not a fan of hand-cut fries, but if you like them, these are pretty good.

Overall, Chicago Style Hot Dogs will give you a good idea of what a real Chicago hot dog is all about.

If only you could make reservations at Garret’s Popcorn, that would be the life. The line that usually stretches out the door is there for a reason… the popcorn is amazing! It is one of those traditions that you always must stop here for popcorn when you are shopping downtown (well, at least my family does).

You will know that you are near Garret’s either by the long line that sometimes stretches half the block or by the smell that hangs in the air. Garret’s is known for their caramel corn. It is nothing like the stuff you buy in the store. It is warm, slightly sticky, and sweet but not too offensive, and rarely does the popcorn stick in your teeth. The only way to eat the popcorn is warm; it isn’t nearly as good cold as it is warm. So, don’t worry about pacing yourself and saving some for later - indulge!

In addition, you can see them make the popcorn themselves, so you know that they didn’t just buy it somewhere else and heat it up in the back. It is pretty interesting for both children and adults to watch and takes your mind off waiting in line.

I would strongly recommend that the next time that you are in Chicago, you stop in and get a bag of popcorn from here. You won’t regret it!

Gino’s East is where you go when you want good deep-dish pizza! It is practically a Chicago institution. There are several locations around the Chicago area, and the food is the same at all of them. Gino’s East combines old-world Italy with fast-paced Chicago. They give you just enough of Italy so that you relax, but not enough so that you linger. The table clothes are red-and-white checkered, the music is Italian, and there is memorabilia of famous Italians on the walls.

There is a full-service bar here, so it is sometimes a popular place for people to gather to watch the games. The beer is slightly overpriced, but the wine is a pretty good deal. I would suggest getting a carafe because the price is a lot cheaper for the number of glasses that you will be getting.

I know that you came for the pizza, but I would suggest getting the family-style salad to start off with. It is a bottomless bowl, so you can eat as much as you want, and the dressing is wonderful. It is a little tangy and refreshing but not overpowering. The salad consists of lettuce (a combination, but mostly iceberg), cucumbers, tomatoes, croutons, onions, and black olives. In addition, if you are looking for a starter, the mozzarella sticks and bruschetta aren’t half bad.

For pizza, get the deep dish; it is one of the best that Chicago has to offer. The crust is what makes this pizza a better offering than a lot of others in the area. It is a cornmeal crust (I believe) and not nearly as heavy as others that I have tasted. While this dinner will by no means be light, you don’t feel like you have eaten a rock after you have had a slice or two of the pizza. My favorite type of the pizza is the supreme, and I would suggest it to everyone. The pizza doesn’t get lost in the toppings, but there is a nice balance between the toppings, the sauce, and the cheese.

In addition to pizza, Gino’s East also has some decent entrées. Their lasagna and spaghetti are pretty good. But go for the pizza - it’s what everyone comes for.

The best time to visit the Walnut Room in Marshall Field’s is during the Christmas season. It is during these few months that the huge tree is put up. Every year, there is a different theme, and that theme is shown throughout the rest of the store. During the holiday season, you are actually sitting underneath the tree--go ahead and stop and snap a few pictures.

The room is actually quite pretty in every season. With deep colors, dramatic windows, and lots of wood (hence the name), it is a pleasant dining experience during any time of year.

The food in the Walnut Room has greatly improved in the past several years. Now it is a place to go to eat, as well as just to look at the tree or the view out the windows (looking out over downtown Chicago). The specialty of the house is the chicken pot pie. However, when it comes out, it does not look that large, and the filling is rich, creamy, and filling. It includes real chicken and a variety of vegetables all in the sauce. In addition, the turkey is very good as well. It is accompanied by delicious sweet potatoes and is done superbly. I have also tasted the mustard chicken, and it was very good, tender, juicy, and a good item as well.

All the entrees come with either a side (ex. potatoes and vegetables), or they come with a salad before the meal--you also receive bread with every item ordered. The service is quick, efficient, and usually in the background. In addition, they don’t gouge you on drinks like they do at some "touristy" places.

I would strongly suggest that you visit the Marshall Fields Walnut Room, especially during the Christmas season!

The Signature Room is a wonderful place to go for a special occasion. It is on the 95th floor of the John Hancock and simply defines elegance in Chicago. It is fairly pricey, but you are paying for being in Chicago, the wonderful food, and the amazing view. Two walls of the restaurant are floor-to-ceiling windows, and the view is spectacular. I would strongly suggest you book a reservation relatively early here, about 30 minutes before sunset, so you can enjoy the city in all three stages of the day (day, sunset, and evening). Another option is to have a drink in the lounge and then come to dinner and enjoy the elegance of the room in the evening.

I have only come here for dinner before, but have heard they have a lovely lunch and a spectacular brunch. Maybe one day this summer I will check these out. There are extensive menus for all three dining experiences, as well as an extensive cocktail and wine list.

For an appetizer, I would suggest the seafood timbale, a combination of lobster, shrimp, and crabmeat served with a sauce of avocado, onion, and fennel. Also, the wild mushroom strudel is amazing - rich with a liberal helping of goat cheese.

If you are in the mood for rich, go for the lobster bisque for a soup selection. It is warm, thick, rich, and perfectly delightful. The signature Caesar salad is perfectly crisp, and the dressing is what a true Caesar salad dressing should be.

I love the filet here. They prepare it just perfectly and never overcook meat at the restaurant. It is served with tomatoes and a blue-cheese and au-jus specialty. The scallops are wonderful as well. They are the perfect size and served with a potato-truffle torte, which is wonderful. I have tasted the duck, and it is an original dish with a fruit-flavored glaze.

Everything served here is á la carte, and I would suggest the asparagus spears if you wish to have some vegetables and the garlic whipped potatoes for your starch. These are creamy and full of flavor (an amazing feat for potatoes).

Perhaps the best part of dinner here, besides the view, is the desserts. I adore crème bruleem and the one here is no exception - rich, creamy, and perfectly prepared. The chocolate mousse cake is wonderful. Served with crème anglais and a raspberry sauce, the tastes are very complimentary. They also have a fruit plate and a cheese plate for those of you that have more refined tastes when it comes to dessert (or are too full to eat anything else).

The service here is refined perfection. You will never have to wait for your water glass to be refilled or for your plates to be taken. Everyone, from the maitre d’ to your headwaiter, will be there to serve you, so live it up.

Located in the northwest suburbs, Venus is one of my favorite Asian restaurants in the world! Everything, from the food to the people, is wonderful. We come here quite often, and the owners always remember us from before, even if has been awhile since we were there last. IT is the perfect place for a date, family dinner, and birthdays.

As you walk in, you will notice that the decor the walls is done with a layered gold that gives off a very nouveu, classical look. All the accents are black or white. The booths and chairs are black, napkins are black, appetizer plates are black (adds a lot to the table), and even the wine glass stems are black. The tablecloths are white, and I think this is just because people spill on them so much that they need to bleach them. The light fixtures are cute, and overall, the restaurant gives off an ambiance of chic and freshness you don’t often find.

They have amazing food here, and I would strongly suggest just doing it family-style so you get to taste a little of everything. Start off with the shrimp toast and the crab rangoon, both of which are wonderfully prepared - you can taste the seafood in them. If you are in the mood for a soup, I would suggest the sizzling rice soup. They prepare it right at the table (and, honestly, that’s half the fun). Now it’s time for entrées, my favorite part of the meal. My sister and I absolutely adore the Szechwan chicken or beef. It is sweet, spicy, and mixed in with a good amount of shredded vegetables. I would also suggest the garlic chicken, another favorite of mine. Once again, it is hot, sweet, and chock-full of veggies and flavor. If you are in the mood for more spice, check out the pork and beans. This is not what you find in the canned-food section, but rather small pieces of pork with fresh green beans, all in a sweet sauce that has a little kick in it. If you aren’t in the mood for spicy or just can’t handle it, go for the noodle dishes. They are fresh and have an amazing amount of meat in them. The fried rice is also a must (we order an extra dish just to get this), and the chicken in a black bean sauce has a different kind of flavor and will cool down your taste buds if you had some of the spicier dishes.

If you still have room for dessert, then I would suggest the fried bananas. They prepare it at your table, and it is enjoyable just watching it. First, they light the banana on fire, then they dunk it into the ice bath!

The staff will serve you tea throughout the meal, as well as water (for some of the dishes, you will need it). In addition, they have a full bar and some interesting Asian specialty wines and beers.