Some friends and I will be in Chicago October 29-31. We would like to check out a couple of the restaurants featured on this show. We will not have a car, will be using public transportation. After looking at the menus, we have narrowed our list to the following:

White Palace Grill
Tufano's Vernon Park Tap
Kuma's Corner
Smoque
The Depot American Diner
Glenn's Diner
Honkeytonk BBQ

Anyone have any thoughts on these restaurants? We would probably go for lunch. Breakfast is included at our hotel.

Access to public transportation is important. We don't mind walking, but want to be careful where we are. I read many great reviews of The Depot American Diner, but several people mentioned the neighbor isn't too great. I realize many areas in cities are okay during the day, but not good for walking after dark.

One of my friends read good things about Ramova Grill, which is located in Bridgeport. Again, the same issues as above.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Kuma's Corner is awesome but you will wait, possibly for 2 hours. Perhaps one or two people can go there in advance and so the whole group doesn't have to wait...it's worth it. Smoque is also amazing, again you will need to wait. Sorry I don't know about transportation...I live in the burbs and have driven to both locations.
Have fun!

Thanks so much for the reply. I know that any restaurant on DDD usually becomes very popular. If the neighborhood is good, perhaps we could take turns waiting in line and the others can check out the neighborhood. Will do more research on what is near both of these places. Based on the menus some of us have looked at, I think our choice would be Smoque.

Still hoping to get some feedback on the other restaurants.

Assuming you're not from Chicago, Depot is in a perfectly fine Latino community. It's a cute place, but is small and can get crowded. Kuma's is overrated and not worth waiting for. Vernon Park is, to my mind, so mediocre that I had to chuckle when I saw it on DDD. White Palace: It's fine but nothing special. Instead, enjoy Manny's deli around the corner for great corned beef sandwiches, old time Jewish stick-to-your ribs entrees and, if you go at lunch, a quintessential Chicago experience. I would also try Hopleaf in Andersonville for great beers and creative food. It gets busy though. Be careful wih DDD; so much of it is show business and won't reflect the eating experience they've promised on the show. I would caution against building an eating tour around it, especially with so many great choices in Chicago. Have fun.

IMHO, it's incredibly rude for only one person to stand in a long line (sometimes having an hour wait or more) and then have a number of others in their party to show up later. Even one other person is iffy, depending on the circumstances. You wouldn't want this to happen to you, if you were one or more of the people behind. Right? So please don't do it to others.

In fact, I personally know of a number of times where some individual has tried this (at a very busy place) and the others in line wouldn't allow those stragglers to cut in line. Rightfully so, too.

Getting to your question, though...You are only in Chicago for a short time. Have you even researched how much time you will be spending traveling to and from these places from wherever you are staying or doing other activities? Especially when you are doing this smack dab in the middle of a day.

I suggest that you take a look at the CTA's trip planner (on their website) and do a little research there. Make sure that you allow plenty of time waiting on the bus (or busses, especially if you are anticipating transfers). If you are unwilling to spend the better part of an hour getting to somewhere and the same amount of time back, perhaps you should consider other options.

Personally, I don't see the reasoning behind going to an out-of-the-way place if you have other activities planned in the areas frequented by visitors.

My friends and I have been to Chicago several times, we take part in this trip every other year. We were thinking of something different to do. Have visited many of the well known attractions. Some of us have visited restaurants in other cities that were featured on DDD. We like the show and have usually had fun at the places featured.

I certainly didn't mean for us to be rude about one of us standing in line. I guess if it's such an issue we won't do it. I guess none of these places are where you can put your name in when you arrive and then wait.

We have used public transportation in the past and are aware it can sometimes be time consuming if you have to use the bus instead of the subway. That is why I was trying to get an idea about the DDD places so we could see what it would take to get there.

Thanks for the replies. I will share the info with my friends.

mlm59, exiledprincess always has very strong opinions.

For what it's worth, I don't consider it to be rude, and I would not mind if someone in line ahead of me did it. How many tables will one person, representing a large group, require? Just one. How many tables will they require if they're all standing in line? Still just one.

I can't offer advice on any of your choices, but I hope you enjoy yourselves wherever you end up. We ate at a bar in Ft. Lauderdale simply because it had been featured on DDD, and had a wonderful experience.

I agree- what's so rude about having one person stand in line for others who will be joining them? It's not like they're sitting in the restaurant holding a table for them to show up. By the time they get to the head of the line, the size of the party is the same.

I don't know if this is a citything or what - but when standing on line for the movies in NYC - one person better not be stanidng there and holding the place for a whole family. Sometimes one person gets there early and stands on line witing for a single companion - who should turn up quickly - but more than that is an absolute no-no. Otherwise what is the point of having the line?

And what's so rude is that seating - theater or restaurant - is limited. suppose half the people on line did this - those at the back - who could have been standing for an hour - may find themselves shut out of the show - or with a two hour wait for a table versus an hour. If they had seen how long the line really was they might not have waited.

Just NOT fair.

I don't think it's rude either.

Sorry, I didn't mean to ignite a firestorm. My friends and I always try to do something different when we take a girlfriend getaway. With our hectic schedules, Chicago is something we can manage for a weekend every other year.

I guess we will figure out which of these places is easy to get to via public transportation and check a couple out. If the line is long, oh well, we can stand and chat and still have a good time.

Thanks again to everyone for their input.

It is not rude at all. It's a different situation at the movies. With a restaurant like Kuma's they won't seat you until the whole party is there (obviously) and in the case of Kuma's Corner, there isn't really anywhere to wait (assuming the bar is packed, which is probably will be). I don't see why it would be necessary for everyone to endure the torturous wait (and loiter)...after all, you can be honest about what you are doing. I don't eat meat, but my son is a burger connoisseur and thinks it's the best in the city. There are a lot of great places (burger, etc., though). My husband says "go to Manny's"!

I got a smile when I saw the comment that this is a "city thing". And, no, mlm59, you didn't start a "firestorm".

When you are visiting a major city, the one thing of which you are pretty much guaranteed is that you will have to wait in line at popular places, sometimes an hour or more, especially if you go at the busiest times. That's the price of going to them (in addition to the literal price, of course.)

It is no different whether you are going to the movies, in line at a supermarket, going to a concert or to a popular restaurant. Cutting in line is discourteous to those waiting behind you.

Definitely agree with NYtraveler. A lot of people make the decision whether to even go to a popular restaurant (or other attraction, business, even museums) solely based on the size of the line - and estimated wait time. If they see a smaller line, they will wait and if they see a longish line, lots of people do not wish to wait. It's as simple as that.

I don't think it's a "citything".
And I also don't think it's rude.

No, I don't think it's a "citything" as well. IMHO, everyone should exhibit courtesy to others *everywhere*. Another person's time is just as important as yours.

However, to be fair about this: If you feel I'm out of line about stating cutting in line is rude, why don't you just do a little online search about this subject? I'm sure you'll find this same answer at any number of places (etiquette sites, etc.). Also, I'm pretty certain you'll find several newspaper articles about what happened to several people around the U.S. and elsewhere (not necessarily in large cities) when they attempted to cut in line - and what to them happened afterwards.

That being said, if I happen to be the one of the only people at my supermarket at 7:00 a.m. in the morning with a full cart of groceries (not on a very tight schedule) and the person immediately behind me has only 1 item (and is in a hurry on their way to work), I'll allow them to go ahead of me for their purchase. That *is not* cutting in line. However, what is being mentioned above is hardly the same situation.

I just wanted to remind others about this fact as well: When you are visiting a small(er) or more intimate restaurant with limited seating, such as these mentioned are, they usually only have tables (or booths) which seat 2 or 4. If you have a larger group larger than that amount, what they usually do is move some of those tables together to seat that particular size of a group waiting. So you are often not speaking of only one table being involved but at least a couple.

Sorry, I meant to say "one of only a few people at my supermarket at 7:00 a.m.".

"However, to be fair about this: If you feel I'm out of line about stating cutting in line is rude, why don't you just do a little online search about this subject?"

Like this thread?

Different people have stated their personal opinions. Perhaps we should accept that for what it is. If you need to do an online search, go right ahead. The majority on this thread feel one way and a couple of people disagree. I'm not sure why there's a need for a homework assignment to prove one point of view "right" and the others wrong.

May I suggest Glenn's Diner? We live near it and go there very frequently. It is equally wonderful for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Although if you enjoy seafood, dinner might be your best bet. The menu is large and so everyone will have something they like (usually too many good options you cannot decide!). I stick to the specials.

They are right next to the CTA Montrose brown line stp. Just exit the train and it is just steps to the west of the stop.

And....They take reservations!

Gina,

Thanks for suggesting Glenn's Diner. I looked at the website this evening and think it is a definite possiblity.
We are also considering Smoque. Kuma's Korner has been voted down.

One of our group thinks we should definitely try The Depot American Diner or the White Palace Grill. Does anyone have a preference between the two and is one easier to access than the other via public transportation?

Thanks

No, starrs, I was talking about a website specifically pertaining to etiquette and good manners, not travel. And you knew that.

BTW, there is an easy way to see if cutting in line is an acceptable practice. You just have to ask every single person behind them if it's OK for that/those person(s) to cut. If everyone says "OK", then go ahead. If anyone objects, though, it's not.

mlm59, just a suggestion: Have you ever been to the Half Shell on Diversey? It isn't as far away as some of these places. I believe it's still cash only.