Just passing thru from some crappy town called Vancouver, BC and haven't been to Chicago in about 3 yrs. Got the following "Best of" places from foxworld..

Best Breakfast: Lou Mitchell's & Yolk
Best Salad: Portillo's,WildFire & Ponte Fresco
Best Desert: Cheesecake Factory, BomBon Cafe & Cafe Sel Marie

Any other "local" favourites you suggest?? Hole-in-wall places preferred and in the downtown core.

Also, I heard there is a roller hockey tournament at North Avenue Beach. Is it worth the trek from downtown? Anything else worth doing in that area?


Cheers!

Heaven on 7 ( southern/cajun) 111 N. Wabash, 7th Floor of Garland Bldg.
This is the original restaurant! Dont visit the imposters :)
When's the last time you had Green River? Full selection of hot sauce.
Picture of this place next to "Hole in the Wall" in the dictionary.
Breakfast and Lunch only. Way cool.

Rose Angelis 1314 W. Wrightwood ( 2600 North) Cool italian neighborhood restaurant. Worth the cab. Oozes Chicago.

Star of Siam (Thai) near Marina Towers on Illinois Street, downtown.
Best Thai food! and cheap.

OvenGrinder for Chicago Pizza, a unique experience.
2121 N. Clark Street
You will come back to Chicago JUST for this pizza.
and you may bump into a local celeb.
still a hole in the wall

Billy Goat of Saturday Night Live fame
430 N. Michigan Avenue Lower Level
cheesborger cheeseborger coke,no pepsi!
Hole in the Wall is a step up from the Goat :)

I'm homesick...

Cheesecake Factory?? Bah!

> Heaven on 7 ( southern/cajun) 111 N. Wabash, 7th Floor of Garland Bldg.
This is the original restaurant! Dont visit the imposters :)
Totally agree. I went to the one in Naperville once and was disappointed.

For breakfast, I don't think Yolk is all that special. Much better is Orange, which is just a couple blocks away, or the loop version of The Bongo Room (although I much prefer the original one in the Wicker Park neighborhood).

For deep dish pizza go with the locals to Lou Malnati's on Wells.

Have you ever been to the Liquid Lounge in the Hotel Allegro? It's very retro - not yuppified.

The Cheesecake Factory? Not local. Definitely avoid.

Please pass through quickly

His post says Vancouver BC?? Maybe it's not CA.

Never mind, CA is Canada... my bad.

Thanks for all the replies!! Those are the kind of answers I like!


.....except for YVrDave's. He clearly did not care to take the time to see that I AM FROM VANCOUVER. I guess some people don't get my sense of humour and a are a little sensitive to it...well, tough sh!t. ;)

Dave,

I think that Kristi has paid this brain surgeon to post his hilarious comment!

Robert

I think the OP needs to get a new travel bible, any source that suggests going to a steakhouse to get a salad cannot be trusted ;-)

I know a new club in the planning stages for Vancouver BC... it is called the Tiki Lounge. Imagine this: Magenta walls with Leopard skin accessories. Tall (Think Volleyball Players!) waitresses serving exotic drinks with erotic male dancers. Owners are two expat yanks from Chicago and N.C. respectively. If you can wait until 2010, the joint will be opening. It will be THE place to go!

Hey from Sydney, Australia -

Linda, wow you gave 3 of my absolute favourites in Chicago.

Do take her advice!

Heaven on 7 - I'd pay a small fortune for their gumbo right now...or a Shrimp Po-Boy;

Rose Angelis - what a beautiful spot for a casual Italian meal. Tucked in a great part of Lincoln Park, you can find a relaxed pub not far at all where you'll meet some friendly locals. Rose Angelis is a great, great local spot.

And Oven Grinder pizza on Clark? Definitely the best pizza in Chicago. In fact, a chef here in Sydney did a cooking show where he traveled to Chicago and visited Oven Grinder's and when he came back he featured a receipe (as they cook it) because he said he'd never gotten more requests about a recipe in the history of his show. This place is a must visit, and it has some good mafia history as well.

Am sure you have plenty of nice seafood in Vancouver, but on Diversey is a beauty of a hole in the wall called The Half Shell. Only order 3 things there - their flat beer, a salad, and their Alaskan King Crab Legs (served over fries and along with a sucker). Cash only. The place oozes shadiness, and it's the best Crab deal in Chicago. Say hi to Mike and Ollie please.

Happy eating from Australia!

Mike