Chicago Quick Lunch Michigan Ave Choice?
 

Anyone who has experience, please share which places have a good fast fun lunch on MI Ave anywhere North of the River for a solitary shopper.

Other than Cheesecake Factory and WaterTower Food Court choices, have any of you found a different sit down that won't take more than an hour and that you liked? Doesn't have to be cheap, but just don't want business formal dress required.

Thank you in advance.

Have you tried Grand Lux Cafe Right on Michigan--600 North. It's quite tasty.

I've always liked Rosebud on Rush. It's a bit off the beaten path so often not as busy. If you're by yourself, another option is to slip on at the chef's counter at Weber Grill. Then, you can watch the goings-on as you eat.

Thanks, that's exactly what I was asking for.

I may be there more than the two whole days now, so I think I will try these for sure.

I love watching the chef- that's right up my alley and I totally forgot about Grand Lux. It was on one of my rec's before but I was never that far North the last few times.

Well, I'm all set. I'm going to see Hair Spray and have lots of other things to do both fun and also a few tasks. Now all I need is for the weather to cooperate, so I'm not shlepping through the snow.

JJ5, my recommendations, starting nouth and going sorth. A few of these are Lettuce Entertain You restaurants and 1 chain, but hope that's OK.

Just off Michigan on N. Rush: Le Colonial, McCormick & Schmicks.

Basai Thai (luncheon buffet--if you get a booth/table in the northeast corner of the restaurant, you overlook the lake) or Tucci Bennuch at 900 N. Michigan.

Bistro 110 (onion soup is wonderful). Mitey Nice Grill at Water Tower Place is good, but I always go outside of the regular lunch hour to get in/out within 1 hr. - gets pretty busy in there.

Coco Pazzo Cafe on St. Clair.

Boston Blackie's for burgers.

I also like the gumbo at Heaven on Seven (Michigan/Rush). That and the jalapeno muffin make a nice lunch.

Hope these help.

Thank you so much, exiled princess. I love the Bistro 110 onion soup too.

I'm printing these out and saving also for a trip I'm making/ staying further North next Spring. I've been to Coco Pazzo just once, but I'm trying to broaden my North experiences. Also things change so much all the time.

Because I had a place for a couple of months across from the Art Institute I don't know the other end a fraction as well.

Basai Thai sounds perfect if I end up not having much of a dinner- or skipping it- which could happen easily with all I have to do. I absolutely love Thai food, and spicier the better.

Also like the Lettuce restaurants, I find their food is always fresh.

I usually go to Bistro 110 or RL - bar area only.

Grand Lux is usually a zoo. And, IMHO, there is no difference between that and The Cheesecake Factory, if you are not inclined towards Cheesecake.

Osteria via Stato is also open for lunch now and the bar area is now an Enoteca for a quick bite and a glass of wine.

Rosebud on Rush does a nice quiet lunchtime in their bar area. The last time I was there, less than a month ago, there were several ladies eating solo at the bar.

We stopped in at Lawry's on Ontario(across from Grand Lux) Saturday afternoon for a prime rib sandwich. It's just a sandwich bar, but boy was it good. Also, it didn't appear that many people knew about it so it wasn't busy at all.

Wow, you have really given me some choices. Now I'm tempted to do another Winter Delights weekend to just see even more live entertainment- and also try some more of these- besides the late spring jaunt. That prime rib sandwich sounds GOOD.

Maybe using my Christmas present from my parents.$$ LOL!

If any of you Chicagoans are interested, the Winter Delights weekends have come out and some of them are extremely interesting packages with one of a kind culinary lesson, or tour included. The pricing is all over the board and has some one nighters on Fridays as well. Spa weekends too.

www.877chicago.com

I really appreciate these answers, because I feel that there are some places that solitary eating isn't as "comfortable" as others, yet you have given me some nicer options than the norm.

I have eaten alone at Bistro 110 every year since 1988 and always enjoy the food and service--never felt ignored etc because I was dining solo. I like sitting in the little booths that are slightly raised...comfy and a good place to park all those shopping bags. Their decor is pretty around Christmas as well.

I know there are several (some would say many) restaurants finer than Bistro 110 in Chicago, but it's a longstanding personal favorite. It's my one "must dine" whenever I'm in Chicago.

Thanks, I like to hear that solo was good as well.

Someplace that hasn't been mentioned that I have always enjoyed is The Grill located on Michigan Ave connected to the Westin.

JJ5, if you are going on the weekend, check and make sure that places are open for lunch, I spent a Saturday afternoon walking around trying to find an open place in River North a few weeks back.... Finally ended up at Joe's Stone Crab on Grand, my favorite place to get crabcakes.

You can make reservations at a lot of these places on www.opentable.com, even with 1 person you might want to have them although I find that if I'm dining solo, I can eat at the bar and get seated right away even if the place is packed.

The rest of my suggestions have been covered-Rosebud, Boston Blackie's, Grand Lux, Osteria Via Stato, Heaven on Seven are all good.

OK, now I'm hungry!

I'm going on a Thr.,Fri,Sat.- this time. But next time it will be Saturday until Tue.

THANKS all.

Did you hear that Paul Konerko just signed, swalter518!

Sorry for the other fans but I'm in bliss right now and I can't help it.

FIVE YEARS!

I should also add that most of these places are not open past 2 for lunch save Bistro 110, Joe's Stone Crab (as mentioned by Kristi), RL, Grand Lux, and I usually end up in the Oyster bar at Shaw's which is open all afternoon, even though the remainder of the restaurant is not.

(As an aside, these restaurants have to start staying open past 2 - I know I usually don't begin shopping until 11:30 am-12 noon and not ready for lunch until after 2. And it can be tough to find a place. Okay - minor rant is over.)

A great place for lunch on Michigan Avenue is Cafe Spiaggia. It has very fresh high quality northern Italian food in a Cafe setting. Spiaggia is the very expensive and much more formal sister restaurant but this is a nice lunch alternative. You can sit by the windows overlooking Michigan Avenue or sit at the bar. Because it is hidden away on the 2nd level of a high rise building (it's next to 900 N. Michigan Avenue shops, not sure of the exact address)it doesn't get the masses of tourists. Have fun!

ttt

JJ5- while this is off-topic, I know that you've previously stated your preference for Trattoria No. 10 as a pre/post-theater dining place. In order to get out of the cold while I was in the Loop this weekend, I stopped into the Trattoria as I happened to be right there when the snow and wind became unbearable. Intending at first only to warm up and have a quick glass or two of vino, I was enticed by the menu to order something. So I split, with my companion, an appetizer order of polenta with barese sausage and the butternut squash ravioli. The ravioli was to die for - I'll be back there just for that.

So, if you'll be in town soon for any plays - you can't go wrong there lately - especially with the squash ravioli!

Glad you liked it. I do too!

And it is one of the places near where I'm staying (Hotel ALlegro) that is always a fallback. I know the restaurants in the Downtown LOOP business proper area much better than I do North of River, so I am just trying to broaden a bit. If it stays this cold I'll probably hit the Bistro 110 for the soup for sure.

And there is something about Trattoria #10 that just seems out of the malestrom. I love that too.

Aloha, just got back. I went to Bistro 110 during a day of power shopping and I ate at the bar solo....but it was not fast! It wasn't overly slow, but I guess I was looking for a really quick but delicious lunch so I could get back out to shop again. The Eggs Louisiana were very good!

My friend later told me he adores Spiaggia as well.

ttt for another poster

And thanks all! I'm up for trying a whole bunch of these over the next few months.

Went to the Grand Lux Cafe and they offered a house or ceasar salad at lunch, when I got the bil I was charged 3 more for the ceasar, I was annoyed because they made it sound like a choice. The salad was only a few leafs so I felt ripped off. The desserts were terrific though.