Never been to Chicago. What Can I Do There?
May 19, 2010 4:47 PM Subscribe
Will be in Chicago next week. Staying in the Chicago River North area. What interesting things should I do in Chicago? Is there any chance of getting Oprah audience tickets this late? Are there casinos close to where we will be or are they accessible via the L? What are the best restaurants to try in Chinatown and Greektown and where can I find a square pizza which I think is just the coolest looking thing?
Millennium Park is a must-see, not least because you can immediately repair to the Park Grille bar to assimilate your cultural experience. And, as long as you're in the neighborhood, stroll on over to Jean Gang's newish Aqua Tower.
The Architecture Institute's river tours are excellent. They strike a good balance between facts and (fun) gossip.
Unless you come from a city with a great zoo, the Lincoln Park Zoo is pretty good, especially their Great Ape House.
Plan to spend at least half a day shopping on the Magnificent Mile, even if you don't want to buy anything.
Finally, if you like crab, the best Alaskan King Crab dinner I have ever eaten is to be found to Phil Stefani's 437 Rush.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 5:24 PM on May 19, 2010
The Architecture Institute's river tours are excellent. They strike a good balance between facts and (fun) gossip.
Unless you come from a city with a great zoo, the Lincoln Park Zoo is pretty good, especially their Great Ape House.
Plan to spend at least half a day shopping on the Magnificent Mile, even if you don't want to buy anything.
Finally, if you like crab, the best Alaskan King Crab dinner I have ever eaten is to be found to Phil Stefani's 437 Rush.
posted by Short Attention Sp at 5:24 PM on May 19, 2010
Mexican: Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill or Topolabampo (they are adjacent to each other) are fantastic. We prefer the more casual Frontera. (BTW, Bayless did the menu for tonight's state dinner at the White House for the Mexican president's visit).
2nd-ing the Architecture river tours for what Short_Attention_Sp said.
Old Town area is also a good walk around if the weather's nice. Have also heard good things about the Chicago Food Tour if you're a foodie.
posted by webhund at 5:35 PM on May 19, 2010
2nd-ing the Architecture river tours for what Short_Attention_Sp said.
Old Town area is also a good walk around if the weather's nice. Have also heard good things about the Chicago Food Tour if you're a foodie.
posted by webhund at 5:35 PM on May 19, 2010
Take the Green Line El and visit the Frank Lloyd Wright stuff in Oak Park. We have the Home & Studio plus Unity Temple. Both are not to be missed. Earnest Hemingway was born and raised in Oak Park, so if you're a fan, it's worth a stop by his birthplace. Never seen a square pizza in Chicago. Try Melnati's pizza, but also try Giordano's for fun (yes, it's a chain, and has a flour-based crust, but darned good pizza!).
3rd-ing the Architecture river tour. Chicago architecture is simply amazing. Skip Oprah.
posted by rtodd at 6:37 PM on May 19, 2010
3rd-ing the Architecture river tour. Chicago architecture is simply amazing. Skip Oprah.
posted by rtodd at 6:37 PM on May 19, 2010
Interesting? Oprah, square pizza, and casinos? Hmmm, ok.
Chicago has a lot of facets and it isn't hard to find something for your definition of interesting. If you want gaudy interesting ala Oprah and casinos then Navy Pier is the place for you!! There also is the Gangland Chicago Tour where you can see the highlights of Prohibition-era slayings.
posted by JJ86 at 6:40 PM on May 19, 2010
Chicago has a lot of facets and it isn't hard to find something for your definition of interesting. If you want gaudy interesting ala Oprah and casinos then Navy Pier is the place for you!! There also is the Gangland Chicago Tour where you can see the highlights of Prohibition-era slayings.
posted by JJ86 at 6:40 PM on May 19, 2010
There's tons of stuff to do in Chicago--visit the Art Institute, the Aquarium, the Museum of Science and Industry...Public transportation is excellent, so you shouldn't have a problem getting anywhere for a minimum of expense.
Just wander around downtown, if you like. All sorts of fun shops.
4th-ing the Architecture tour.
I have a deep sentimental attachment to Giordano's pizza (*sigh*).
Pegasus is my own favorite of the Greektown restaurants.
posted by thomas j wise at 7:18 PM on May 19, 2010
Just wander around downtown, if you like. All sorts of fun shops.
4th-ing the Architecture tour.
I have a deep sentimental attachment to Giordano's pizza (*sigh*).
Pegasus is my own favorite of the Greektown restaurants.
posted by thomas j wise at 7:18 PM on May 19, 2010
I think you misunderstood -- the pizza isn't square. However, the slices are often cut into squares -- but only if the pizza is thin crust. If you're cool with a chain, Edwardo's does thin-crust square-sliced pizzas pretty well. Giordano's is another chain favorite, largely for deep-dish, although their crust consistently tastes peculiar to me.
On the gaudy-cool front, I'd also suggest the Museum of Science and Industry, with its giant dinosaurs and bizarre, sprawling dollhouse decorated with semi-precious and precious stones. Afterward, walk to Promontory Point and enjoy a fantastic view of the skyline across the water. From there, hey, walk to Edwardo's on 57th and Kenwood, or Giordano's on 53rd and Dorchester, and get your square-cut pizza. :)
posted by artemisia at 10:49 PM on May 19, 2010
On the gaudy-cool front, I'd also suggest the Museum of Science and Industry, with its giant dinosaurs and bizarre, sprawling dollhouse decorated with semi-precious and precious stones. Afterward, walk to Promontory Point and enjoy a fantastic view of the skyline across the water. From there, hey, walk to Edwardo's on 57th and Kenwood, or Giordano's on 53rd and Dorchester, and get your square-cut pizza. :)
posted by artemisia at 10:49 PM on May 19, 2010
Art Institute.
After that, the Museum of Contemporary Art.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:53 AM on May 20, 2010
After that, the Museum of Contemporary Art.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:53 AM on May 20, 2010
Lincoln park zoo is free.
I've heard good things about the Gangster Tour.
posted by backwards guitar at 5:24 AM on May 20, 2010
I've heard good things about the Gangster Tour.
posted by backwards guitar at 5:24 AM on May 20, 2010
Welcome to Chicago! You'll love it. We're friendly folk (so long as you don't put ketchup on your hotdogs like an uncouth east coast heathen).
There are many casinos in the area, but none are in the city proper or are accessible by L. However, several of them have convenient shuttle buses to get you there (all the better to get your drink on and spend all your money on their tables!). They are located in Elgin (northwest), Aurora and Joliet (southwest), and around the lakeshore in Indiana and Michigan. Here's a page which lists local casinos (the ones in East Peoria, Rock Island, and Bettendorf, IA are far out of town, so ignore those).
For the shuttles, some pick up from downtown hotels, but if you're not staying there, the easiest thing is probably the Chinatown pickup point: you can take the red line L to Chinatown, then walk about a block north to Archer and Wentworth, and many shuttles pick up there. It's an anonymous sidewalk with parking lots on either side of the street, and no signage, but usually there are other people waiting too so you won't feel like you're just standing on a sidewalk under L tracks for no reason. As a bonus of using a Chinatown bus, you can start up, or wrap up (or both!), your trip with tasty, tasty Chinese food -- dim sum is a nice kick-off event, try Phoenix or big Three Happiness (there are two Three Happinesses, one large and one small. Little Three Happiness is on the south side of Cermak and looks like a tiny hole in the wall, big Three Happiness is on the southeast corner of Cermak and Wentworth, and has awnings talking about karaoke; the karaoke one is the one with dim sum). Won Kow sells volcano drinks that are lit on fire, which are kind of fun for a group thing at brunch. For afters, Moon Palace is on the other side of the fire station from big Three Happiness and is tasty. If you just want a snack before you leave, stop in to Maxim's Bakery (big pink sign, east side of Wentworth, south of Cermak) and try a custard bun or another treat.
I can't find anything on a shuttle for the Grand Victoria in Elgin, or the Harrah's in Joliet. But from Chinatown, the Ameristar (IN) picks up at the top of the hour, the Four Winds (MI) every two hours on the hour, the Horseshoe Hammond (IN) every hour at a quarter-past, the Majestic Star (IN) doesn't list hours. The bus ride is about 30-45 minutes. Some shuttles may charge or require a player's card. The Horseshoe shuttle, the only one I've personally used, is free if you have a Total Rewards card, unless you lose your return trip voucher, in which case it's $20 plus the indignity of waiting for the next bus since you probably missed yours standing in line at the customer relations desk (Do Not Lose Your Voucher, Ask Me How I Know!).
Per your smoking preference, you should know that the casinos in Illinois are smoke-free, but the Indiana and Michigan ones are smoker-friendly.
And as for Greektown -- Parthenon is my perennial favorite, though honestly I don't think I've had a bad restaurant experience there at all. Bonus trivia points: Parthenon, rather than Greece, is where the "Greek" dish flaming saganaki was invented. Bring a group, order a whole bunch of saganaki, and watch a waiter come out with an armload of plates of cheese and light them all up with a blast of heat, to be immediately followed with a "I wish my workplace wasn't close to so many college students who find fire so entertaining" bored exclamation of "Opa!" Then eat, because saganaki is delicious!
posted by sldownard at 6:58 AM on May 20, 2010
There are many casinos in the area, but none are in the city proper or are accessible by L. However, several of them have convenient shuttle buses to get you there (all the better to get your drink on and spend all your money on their tables!). They are located in Elgin (northwest), Aurora and Joliet (southwest), and around the lakeshore in Indiana and Michigan. Here's a page which lists local casinos (the ones in East Peoria, Rock Island, and Bettendorf, IA are far out of town, so ignore those).
For the shuttles, some pick up from downtown hotels, but if you're not staying there, the easiest thing is probably the Chinatown pickup point: you can take the red line L to Chinatown, then walk about a block north to Archer and Wentworth, and many shuttles pick up there. It's an anonymous sidewalk with parking lots on either side of the street, and no signage, but usually there are other people waiting too so you won't feel like you're just standing on a sidewalk under L tracks for no reason. As a bonus of using a Chinatown bus, you can start up, or wrap up (or both!), your trip with tasty, tasty Chinese food -- dim sum is a nice kick-off event, try Phoenix or big Three Happiness (there are two Three Happinesses, one large and one small. Little Three Happiness is on the south side of Cermak and looks like a tiny hole in the wall, big Three Happiness is on the southeast corner of Cermak and Wentworth, and has awnings talking about karaoke; the karaoke one is the one with dim sum). Won Kow sells volcano drinks that are lit on fire, which are kind of fun for a group thing at brunch. For afters, Moon Palace is on the other side of the fire station from big Three Happiness and is tasty. If you just want a snack before you leave, stop in to Maxim's Bakery (big pink sign, east side of Wentworth, south of Cermak) and try a custard bun or another treat.
I can't find anything on a shuttle for the Grand Victoria in Elgin, or the Harrah's in Joliet. But from Chinatown, the Ameristar (IN) picks up at the top of the hour, the Four Winds (MI) every two hours on the hour, the Horseshoe Hammond (IN) every hour at a quarter-past, the Majestic Star (IN) doesn't list hours. The bus ride is about 30-45 minutes. Some shuttles may charge or require a player's card. The Horseshoe shuttle, the only one I've personally used, is free if you have a Total Rewards card, unless you lose your return trip voucher, in which case it's $20 plus the indignity of waiting for the next bus since you probably missed yours standing in line at the customer relations desk (Do Not Lose Your Voucher, Ask Me How I Know!).
Per your smoking preference, you should know that the casinos in Illinois are smoke-free, but the Indiana and Michigan ones are smoker-friendly.
And as for Greektown -- Parthenon is my perennial favorite, though honestly I don't think I've had a bad restaurant experience there at all. Bonus trivia points: Parthenon, rather than Greece, is where the "Greek" dish flaming saganaki was invented. Bring a group, order a whole bunch of saganaki, and watch a waiter come out with an armload of plates of cheese and light them all up with a blast of heat, to be immediately followed with a "I wish my workplace wasn't close to so many college students who find fire so entertaining" bored exclamation of "Opa!" Then eat, because saganaki is delicious!
posted by sldownard at 6:58 AM on May 20, 2010
...big Three Happiness is on the southeast corner of Cermak and WentworthBig Three Happiness is on the northwest corner of Cermak and Wentworth. And I need more coffee.
posted by sldownard at 7:02 AM on May 20, 2010
If you're interested in museums (which you should be, because Chicago has some incredible museums) consider the Chicago Citypass which gets you into the Shedd Aquarium (one of the best in the world), Field Museum, Planetarium, Museum of Science and Industry, and Skydeck Chicago OR Hancock Observatory, for the price of about 2.5 separate admissions. Plus you get to skip the often lengthy ticket lines.
posted by Gortuk at 7:38 AM on May 20, 2010
posted by Gortuk at 7:38 AM on May 20, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for all the great info! Im off to Chicago tomorrow and will definitely check out your suggestions!
posted by MsKim at 12:24 PM on May 22, 2010
posted by MsKim at 12:24 PM on May 22, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Casinos: None in the city, and you can't get to the ones out of the city by L.
Greektown: They're all about the same. We go to Parthenon, but Greek Islands is also good.
Chinatown: Happy Chef for dim sum, but that depends on how adventurous you are -- it's definitely a no frills, little English type thing. The Phoenix is a little more accessible. Joy Yee has good noodles and bubble tea. Beyond that, you'll have to be more specific, because there's a lot of different stuff in Chinatown.
Square pizza? Never seen that here, though they cut thin crust round pizzas into square pieces here, which annoys me to no end. Piece makes their pizzas in rectangular pans so the pizzas are not round, but that's New Haven style pizza and sort of unique in Chicago. (Still, it's good stuff if that's your thing.) Otherwise, since you'll be in Chicago, get Chicago style pizza at Lou Malnati's -- there's one on Wells, in River North.
posted by devinemissk at 5:02 PM on May 19, 2010