Chicago!....in December :\

[Sleepyhouse]

My boyfriend are going to Chicago at the beginning of December. We'll be staying downtown and using public transit.


Can you recommend anything to do beyond Navy Pier, The Aquarium and the parks?

Where should we go for the best deep dish pizza? Best hot dogs?
Any other food we shouldn't miss? I've heard Chicago has good Mexican food?

Areas with fun shops? Is there anything good in Chinatown?


Help me out!
And yes, we've got warm clothes :)

[silverfish2007]

i thought navy pier was a huge snore. total waste of time IMO.
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[knittykat]

Awesome!

I like the Museum of Science and Industry. It's not on the same museum campus as the Aquarium and all, and it's a little more low-profile, but it is a lot quirkier and has some really fun stuff like a chicky hatchery and a WWII submarine you can tour, a giant dollhouse--cool weird stuff. And the coal mine! It's really fun!

Navy Pier is "meh" IMHO--some nice restaurants and mostly shopping. Unless there's something you really want to see there, it's not a "must see" IMHO.

Giordanos is the best deep dish pizza. There's one in the loop. Don't let anyone tell you anywhere else has the best deep dish. They're lying.

I love Portillo's hot dogs but many Chicagoans disagree with me. There's a gourmet hot dog place called "Hot Doug's" and there's also a place where they sass you and give you crap while you're ordering--they are supposed to have good ones there too.

Chinatown--I LOVE Chinatown but I love kitschy little Hello Kitty stuff and Chinese food and stuff. It's definitely fun. And the red line goes right there so it's convenient, although you'll walk a lot once you're there.

If you make it down to Hyde Park, there's a place called Rajun Cajun that's a uniquely Chicago kind of place. The first time I saw it I didn't even want to go in--it looks SO divey and has this very unappetizing neon in the window. But ladyjane talked me into it and I was so glad. It used to be a soul food place--fried chicken, greens, biscuits. Then it sold and an Indian family bought it and started doing Indian food. Well, the old customers started to miss their soul food, so the owners, being flexible, started serving Indian chow right alongside fried chicken, mashed potatoes, greens, biscuits, cornbread. When you order you can get, say, a main dish from the Indian side of the warming table and sides from the soul food side. Oh and it's cheap :-)

If you want real Mexican, go into Pilsen. It's a little south and west of the Loop, near the medical campus. I forget the name of the place we went, but boy was it good. My bestie's uncle works in Pilsen so we have hit more than one place and every one has been good. You may have to order in Spanish in a couple of them--I did in the one where we went, so brush up a little on it :-)

Can you tell I love food? Be prepared to go out of the Loop for anything but either really fancy, landmark-type places (Mortons, Fulton's) or chains (Bennigans, Houlihans).

And if you're interested in meeting me for dinner, call, lady! I'd love to show you around!
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[Sleepyhouse]

Thanks Knitty!!

Portillos was recommended so that's on the list.

And someone else mention Lou Malnati's for pizza. And Man vs. Food went to Gino's East.
So tough to decide! My guy wants to go to Pizza Uno for some reason, even though we can eat that here. I might have to put my foot down.

[checkersumthing]

Wicker Park for shopping! Bug moonunit for an updated list! Including zines and records and used books and fancy purses and such :) I reallyyummy food!
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[knittykat]

[milyssa]

Pizza solution: Do a pizza tour! Get 1 slice at each place to share :)

This is really silly, but there's an 80's cover band in Chicago that I am completely in love with, so if you like that sort of thing, check out Sixteen Candles ([url]sixteencandlesband.com[/url]) to see if they're playing anywhere while you're there!

Swedish Bakery: http://www.swedishbakery.com. I haven't been here in YEARS, but it was a favorite spot of my family's when we went to Chicago when I was younger. SO delish.

If I think of other things, I'll let you know :)
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[ruggedchick]

I personally love Giordanos and dislike Gino's.

I love looking at the holiday display in the Hancock Building.
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[DancingStar]

Love Portillos! Love, Love, Love.

Love Frango Mints.

Love Holiday Lights.

Love the theater. But that is *my* Chicago tradition, because I rarely go outside of Chicago and I think you do that anyways.

ETA: I really like lunch at the Signature room, 95th floor of the John Hancock. Great view and reasonable prices. http://www.signatureroom.com/Home/

I also like to look at the old watertower nearby the Handcock. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Water_Tower

Mostly Chicago is reliving my childhood.

[Sleepyhouse]