I need your help, Chicago. Again!
Dec 15th, 2003, 05:03 PM
#1
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I need your help, Chicago. Again!
My husband and I are having meeting next week at 135 S. LaSalle
Can you recommend a nice, quiet place with a great food for lunch within a short walk of 135 S. LaSalle?
Any food but but Chinese and Mexican.
Thanks again
Can you recommend a nice, quiet place with a great food for lunch within a short walk of 135 S. LaSalle?
Any food but but Chinese and Mexican.
Thanks again
Dec 15th, 2003, 05:24 PM
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Try Vivere, 71 W. Monroe. It's about a 3 block walk. Go to www.metromix.com
for details.
for details.
Dec 16th, 2003, 05:38 AM
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patg's suggestion is probably the best, Vivere is part of the 3 Italian Village restaurants so check out the descriptions for the other two, the Village and La Cantina, I think Vivere is the higher end of the three.
Another idea a little further away is Atwood Cafe in the Burnham Hotel at 1 W. Washington Street. It's still walkable at about 5-6 blocks. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Another idea a little further away is Atwood Cafe in the Burnham Hotel at 1 W. Washington Street. It's still walkable at about 5-6 blocks. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Dec 16th, 2003, 06:11 AM
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I'm not that familiar with Chicago, but go to www.chowhound.com and select the Midwest-Chicago option. Several people over there are very knowledgable about Chicago. Have fun!
Dec 18th, 2003, 01:15 PM
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There are not many great restaurants on that side of town - you need to go north of the river for LOTS of great options. However, the Italian Village is good and has been around a long time and it has a great reputation. The Bergoff is also nearby. It is a German restaurant that has been around for 100 years or so.
Dec 18th, 2003, 02:19 PM
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I love the Bergoff. My wife and I are going tomorrow after we check out the christmas windows in the loop. We do it every year and its one of my favorite traditions. Sauerbraten, spatzle and red cabbage better than I've had in germany or austria. It's not quiet though.
Dec 18th, 2003, 02:46 PM
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I've heard Rhapsody in the Symphony center is nice (65 East Adams)although not cheap/ Whenever I want to research chicago restaurants I go here. Check downtown or loop area.
http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dining/
http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dining/
Dec 18th, 2003, 03:54 PM
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Mama,
Trattoria No. 10
10 N. Dearborn St.
312-984-1718
Classy place very downtown.
Here?s one review:
http://entertainment.metromix.chicag...l-3683,00.html
We live exactly downtown, 22 years. I'd stay away from the Italian Village, too trampled with visitors over the years, the menu list everything but the kitchen sink
You can eat everywhere downtown. The streets are full of places to eat. Some restaurants have views or are in beautiful atriums and museums.
Downtown lunch time is very very busy.
My .02 cents.
If you have extra time, and don't mind the cold, you can walk around and feel out the place, let serendipity take hold. You can look at the Picasso, Miro and Chagall sculptures one block over on Dearborn or check out the holiday trees and visit Marshall Fields a beautifully designed and remodeled nine story department store two blocks over on State Street.
If you don't find the perfect place, eventually you'll be hungry enough to eat anywhere. It's only one meal, you'll be full in seconds anyway. Hopefully, that won?t happen.
No extra time to spare?
Take a cab, so many people say, "let's walk" forgetting how really slow walking is, even the shortest distances take time to arrive.
It's less than a 10 minute cab ride to the Loop, Near North, Gold Coast, Mag Mile, Greek Town and more. Now you have hundreds of Chicago restaurants to choose from. It would take you that same amount of time to walk to the Italian Village from La Salle. I've know people to take a $15 lunch time cab ride up to Argyle to eat Viet Nam food.
Metromix Dining
http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dining/
has a wonderful search engine, "Find A Restaurant In Chicago", You can search Location, (downtown), price range, type of food, BYOB and read reviews from professional and others that have eaten at the restaurant and then get a great map of the location.
Jon
Trattoria No. 10
10 N. Dearborn St.
312-984-1718
Classy place very downtown.
Here?s one review:
http://entertainment.metromix.chicag...l-3683,00.html
We live exactly downtown, 22 years. I'd stay away from the Italian Village, too trampled with visitors over the years, the menu list everything but the kitchen sink
You can eat everywhere downtown. The streets are full of places to eat. Some restaurants have views or are in beautiful atriums and museums.
Downtown lunch time is very very busy.
My .02 cents.
If you have extra time, and don't mind the cold, you can walk around and feel out the place, let serendipity take hold. You can look at the Picasso, Miro and Chagall sculptures one block over on Dearborn or check out the holiday trees and visit Marshall Fields a beautifully designed and remodeled nine story department store two blocks over on State Street.
If you don't find the perfect place, eventually you'll be hungry enough to eat anywhere. It's only one meal, you'll be full in seconds anyway. Hopefully, that won?t happen.
No extra time to spare?
Take a cab, so many people say, "let's walk" forgetting how really slow walking is, even the shortest distances take time to arrive.
It's less than a 10 minute cab ride to the Loop, Near North, Gold Coast, Mag Mile, Greek Town and more. Now you have hundreds of Chicago restaurants to choose from. It would take you that same amount of time to walk to the Italian Village from La Salle. I've know people to take a $15 lunch time cab ride up to Argyle to eat Viet Nam food.
Metromix Dining
http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dining/
has a wonderful search engine, "Find A Restaurant In Chicago", You can search Location, (downtown), price range, type of food, BYOB and read reviews from professional and others that have eaten at the restaurant and then get a great map of the location.
Jon
Dec 18th, 2003, 06:44 PM
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Trattoria No. 10 is very good and not too far away. If you have the time, there are lots of other options if you want to walk or jump into a cab. However, I think it will take more time to do this than to walk the two blocks to Italian Village or even Trattoria No. 10. But I don't live "exactly" downtown. In fact, not even sure where that is or where "very" downtown is.
Dec 18th, 2003, 07:06 PM
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the Berghoff takes reservations and since it's seems to be in every guide book and on every tourist's radar, the lines at lunch can be long. And as was mentioned, it is not quiet.
If you are going anywhere next week, make reservations, I tried to get one for Tuesday early evening at the Village and they were booked.
If you are going anywhere next week, make reservations, I tried to get one for Tuesday early evening at the Village and they were booked.
Dec 19th, 2003, 09:13 AM
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Italian Village, Berghoff are great suggestions. I personally like Trattoria #10. However, you did mention 'quiet' and these places may not be really quiet. Another option that is fairly quiet, clubby sort of would be Nick's Fishmarket - just across the street from City Hall on LaSalle in the bank plaza I think where they also have the German Christmas Market set up??
Dec 19th, 2003, 06:53 PM
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I can add some stuff:
Nick's entrance is now on Clark & Monroe, the west side of the 1st National Bank Plaza, (sort of the same location as before).
The German Market is at Daley Plaza, (Picasso & holiday tree). I talked to some of the workers there and the whole market is brought over from Germany as a group.
One booth sells crepes, around $4.50 each, but they have a daily special for $2.50. Scored the chocolate crepes twice at that price, yummy.
IMO, the rest of the food there is crap, better is available everywhere in the city.
Nicks is so darn expensive, really crazy priced. For that money, I'd go to my most favorite restaurant in the city:
Spiaggia
980 N. Michigan Ave.
312-280-2750
http://entertainment.metromix.chicag...l-7359,00.html
IMO, Spiaggia, blows Tru, Trotter and the Everest Room away.
and for lunch, (cause' lunch is somewhat cheaper)
Le Colonial
937 N. Rush St.
312-255-0088
They serve the best Chilean Sea Bass I've ever had in my life. Honestly, everyone that has tried this dish with me has gone away very happy.
Read the review, it's all true.
http://entertainment.metromix.chicag...l-5612,00.html
But, these places hit the pocket book hard, so for people like us that eat out every night, we usually have to go outside the loop or visit one of our one favorite places:
J Randolph's Bar & Grill
155 N. Michigan Ave.
312-565-2203
J. Randolph shares the same kitchen as the upscale
La Strada Ristorante
155 N. Michigan Ave.
312-565-2200
http://entertainment.metromix.chicag...l-4123,00.html
We disagree with the one posted review for J. Randolph claming the food is bar food at a lower quality than Bennigan's.
http://entertainment.metromix.chicag...l-4123,00.html
Bennigan's food is all process, everything there is pre packaged, as is most of the food served in Chicago's restaurants, and everywhere else. The challenge is finding reasonably prices restaurants that serve the least amount of or no processed food at all, which really makes a huge difference in the taste.
The menu at J. Randolph lists many selections off the La Strada menu, some of the items are freshly made, and you pay half the price of La Strada. This place is a great find.
We love food, we once wrote on this board, that we spent time in Florence and did not go inside any buildings that did not serve either food or drink. I'm embarrassed to admit that it's true.
The above is just my cheap .02 cents, just blabbing here.
Jon
Nick's entrance is now on Clark & Monroe, the west side of the 1st National Bank Plaza, (sort of the same location as before).
The German Market is at Daley Plaza, (Picasso & holiday tree). I talked to some of the workers there and the whole market is brought over from Germany as a group.
One booth sells crepes, around $4.50 each, but they have a daily special for $2.50. Scored the chocolate crepes twice at that price, yummy.
IMO, the rest of the food there is crap, better is available everywhere in the city.
Nicks is so darn expensive, really crazy priced. For that money, I'd go to my most favorite restaurant in the city:
Spiaggia
980 N. Michigan Ave.
312-280-2750
http://entertainment.metromix.chicag...l-7359,00.html
IMO, Spiaggia, blows Tru, Trotter and the Everest Room away.
and for lunch, (cause' lunch is somewhat cheaper)
Le Colonial
937 N. Rush St.
312-255-0088
They serve the best Chilean Sea Bass I've ever had in my life. Honestly, everyone that has tried this dish with me has gone away very happy.
Read the review, it's all true.
http://entertainment.metromix.chicag...l-5612,00.html
But, these places hit the pocket book hard, so for people like us that eat out every night, we usually have to go outside the loop or visit one of our one favorite places:
J Randolph's Bar & Grill
155 N. Michigan Ave.
312-565-2203
J. Randolph shares the same kitchen as the upscale
La Strada Ristorante
155 N. Michigan Ave.
312-565-2200
http://entertainment.metromix.chicag...l-4123,00.html
We disagree with the one posted review for J. Randolph claming the food is bar food at a lower quality than Bennigan's.
http://entertainment.metromix.chicag...l-4123,00.html
Bennigan's food is all process, everything there is pre packaged, as is most of the food served in Chicago's restaurants, and everywhere else. The challenge is finding reasonably prices restaurants that serve the least amount of or no processed food at all, which really makes a huge difference in the taste.
The menu at J. Randolph lists many selections off the La Strada menu, some of the items are freshly made, and you pay half the price of La Strada. This place is a great find.
We love food, we once wrote on this board, that we spent time in Florence and did not go inside any buildings that did not serve either food or drink. I'm embarrassed to admit that it's true.
The above is just my cheap .02 cents, just blabbing here.
Jon
