Chicago weekend in September
 

Hi! I've got most of our plans for Chicago weekend.
We're staying at a B&B in Bucktown - check in 3PM on Friday the 22nd. We'll be driving so parking is a consideration - getting somewhere is not.

I don't have firm plans for that night - we'll probably want to explore the area and find a place to eat. So recommendations here would be nice.

Saturday - Breakfast is included - and sounds fantastic, so no worries there.
We'll spend at the Shedd aquarium and The Adler Planitarium (it's my hubby's 50th and we watches "The Planets" every Tuesday night!)
I need a recommendation on where to lunch in the area. I'd hate to waste a meal in one of the cafeterias or on fast food - so any help here?

We have dinner reservations that night at Le Bouchon, so that's set. Any ideas of where to go afterwards if we're not so pooped from all the sightseeing?

Sunday - again breakfast in bed and then I'm considering driving out to Schamburg to visit our son. He just moved to the area and I thought maybe we could meet him for lunch.
Again - I'm open to any recommendations as to where to meet him for lunch/brunch. Much as I can occasionally enjoy good chains like The Cheesecake Factory, I'd prefer a good local place.
Thanks!

Lunch in Schaumburg is my specialty!
Try Prarie Rock: http://www.prairierockbrewingcompany.com
or for the quintessential suburban beef/dog place, you could go to Portillos.
The Woodfield area is filled with restaurants, unfortunately a good portion of them are chains. There is a Weber Grill restaurant in the neighborhood and a Joes crab shack. I like bbq sandwiches and frequent Smokey Bones. I also like variety so there is a greek family type place on the corner of Golf and Plum Grove that has about 742 items on the menu. The name escapes me.

For a complete listing in this area go to: http://www.visitgw.com/

placeu2 - thanks so much. It seemed like Schamburg was going to be the most difficult! I guess that's not so.

Anyone else? Shedd Aquarium area lunch or Bucktown dinner?

I ate within the Shedd at Soundings last year and was pleasantly surprised. It's a white linen tablecloth place, quiet, good views, and they were especially nice to us.

This is not the other cafeteria or luncheon "bring your own" type venue that they also had available. In Sept. it should be very nice, and not crowded. We were early lunch and had it almost to ourselves. And it sure was a big surprise to me as the quality was fresh and delicious- rather on the more elegant end for luncheon.

My favorite places in Schaumburg are Big Bowl, a casual Thai restaurant, and Wildfire, a place to get steaks, sandwiches, chicken, etc. There's also Shaw's Crabhouse and Maggiano's which is Italian, you can find menus for all of these at www.leye.com.

The area down by the Shedd & Adler doesn't have a lot of restaurants, I think JJ5's suggestion might be your best option. I understand there is a terrific view of the Lake from the restaurant.

You might try checking out Metromix for ideas in Bucktown, they have a neighborhood guide with some ideas. Cafe LaGuardia is a popular place (I didn't care for it but maybe I ordered the wrong thing), I had an interesting meal at Irazu, a Costa Rican place, their oatmeal shake is really yummy, and if you have a hankering for ice cream head to Margie's, a classic ice cream parlor on Milwaukee
http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/l...oods/bucktown/

Big Bowl, Maggianos, and Wildfire are all local chains run or started by Lettuce Entertain You. They're dependable, typically have good food with sizeable portions. If you plan to leave the museums at lunch time you can take the free shuttle back to Michigan with many options. Otherwise, you're pretty isolated on the musuem campus. Not very far are Taylor Street, and Chinatown, all with many restaurants. I don't know if it's open on Saturday, but Manny's just off Roosevelt Road is a real local place. Check Zagat for good suggestions.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think we'll eat at the Soundings, it sounds good.
My son is moving from Schamburg to Evanston this weekend.
So now I need somewhere in Evanston to eat on Sunday afternoon.
At least now we don't have to go way out of our way to see him before we go home.