Friday, October 3, 2014
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Chicago Italian
Freddy's Pizzeria
1600 South 61st Avenue
Cicero, Illinois 60804
2 Blocks West of Austin Blvd @ 16th Street (On the Corner)
Monday - Saturday: 10 am - 7 pm Closed on Sunday
Freddy's is a combination Italian deli/food store with tables for eating. My standard lunch here was a few slices of their pan pizza followed by their extraordinary Italian Ice. Their gelato is good too, but I almost always prefer Italian ice (and sorbets) to ice cream.
Freddy and his wife (Marie?, sorry, it was long ago) are very nice people and they run a great place.
http://www.freddyspizza.com/index.html
1600 South 61st Avenue
Cicero, Illinois 60804
2 Blocks West of Austin Blvd @ 16th Street (On the Corner)
Monday - Saturday: 10 am - 7 pm Closed on Sunday
Freddy's is a combination Italian deli/food store with tables for eating. My standard lunch here was a few slices of their pan pizza followed by their extraordinary Italian Ice. Their gelato is good too, but I almost always prefer Italian ice (and sorbets) to ice cream.
Freddy and his wife (Marie?, sorry, it was long ago) are very nice people and they run a great place.
http://www.freddyspizza.com/index.html
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
East Coast (including Dulles Airport)
Dulles
Five Guys Burgers
Terminal A
[Many other locations; see website]
This *is* the place to eat at Dulles! Five Guys is the East Coast equivalent to the West Coast's In'n'Out Burger. Burgers cooked to order. Fresh cut fries. (Even beer! And grilled kosher hot dogs, but you really want the burger here.)
http://www.fiveguys.com/
Five Guys Burgers
Terminal A
[Many other locations; see website]
This *is* the place to eat at Dulles! Five Guys is the East Coast equivalent to the West Coast's In'n'Out Burger. Burgers cooked to order. Fresh cut fries. (Even beer! And grilled kosher hot dogs, but you really want the burger here.)
http://www.fiveguys.com/
Monday, October 1, 2007
Chicago Things To Do and See
Getting Around in Chicago
Chicago streets are basically laid out according to a Cartesian coordinate system; think graph paper.
Most Chicago streets run North-South or East-West.
A few interesting streets run diagonally across the grid. E.g., Clark St, Elston Ave., Lincoln Ave, and Milwaukee Ave on the North Side. Archer Ave and Ogden Ave (mostly) on the South Side.
There are 800 street numbers to a mile, with usually 8 blocks to a mile.
(0,0) is the intersection of State St and Madison St in the loop. Street numbers go off in direction of the compass points from that intersection. Thus 800 N State St is one mile North of State and Madison. Similarly, the Illinois Institute of Technology runs from 3100 to 3500 S. State St, which works out to being 4 miles South of Madison St.
Chicago is a fascinating collection of neighborhoods: Rogers Park, Wicker Park, South Shore, Pilsen, River North, Hyde Park, etc.
However, generally, people talk about locations as being on the North Side, South Side, or West Side. What happened to the East Side? It's mostly the lake. Look at a city map, there is a smidge of an East side way down in the far Southeast corner of the city.
The Second City
The wonderful improvisation troupe.
["old town," near North side]
1616 N. Wells St (Wells at North Ave)
Chicago
http://www.secondcity.com/?id=theatres/chicago
Late Night Catechism
at the St George Theatre [near North side]
Theater -- there are many fine small theaters in the city (and suburbs)
Check out the listings in Chicago Magazine and The Reader below
Art Institute of Chicago
First rate museum with a spectacular collection of French Impressionist works.
[Downtown]
Michigan Ave. at Adams
http://www.artic.edu/
Field Musuem of Natural History
Millenium Park
Beautifully redone and renamed section of Grant Park. Home of the amazing Cloudscape.
Bordered Michigan Ave on the West, Monroe on the South, Randolf on the North, and Columbus Drive on the East. Just North of The Art Institute.
http://www.millenniumpark.org/
Museum of Science and Industry
The museum to see in Chicago, especially with kids.
Suggestions: Check out the exhibits in the various stairwells between main and second floor. For those with small kids, be sure to get to the kids room in the basement.
[Southside, along the lake]
57th Street and Lake Shore Drive
Chicago
773.684.1414
http://www.msichicago.org/
Shedd Aquarium
Bahai Temple
[Northen suburb]
Sheridan Road
Wilmette
Downtown Architectural Landmarks
The "loop" elevated train
The Auditorium Theater
The Monadnock Building
The Rookery
First National Plaza (now Chase Plaza)
The Cultural Center (across street from Millennium Park)
Other Sources of Chicago Information
Chicago Magazine
Monthly magazine
http://www.chicagomag.com/
Chicago Reader
Free weekly paper.
Check out "discounted event tickets" under Theatre/Perform -> Hot Tix at their web site
http://www.chicagoreader.com/
Chicago Airport Food
O'Hare
Throughout O'Hare's terminals you can find both Chicago hot dogs and pizza. In general, the quality is not as good as their corresponding non-airport locations.
Chicago hot dogs are available at carts located throughout Terminal 1. Look for the Vienna umbrellas. For reasons not clear to me the carts serve a larger than normal dog, perhaps to satisfy those non-Chicagoans who want jumbo dogs. It works but not as well as the standard sized dog.
Fries are not available at these carts. (See Gold Coast Dogs below.) Adding more insult is that they sell only Vitner's chips. Any Chicagoan will tell you the local chip is Jay's. Shame on the owner of this concession.
Uno's pizza is usually available at a stand adjacent to the cart. For those who are vegetarians, I recommend the cheese pizza.
Terminal 1 (United) - C Concourse
C14
C26
Terminal 2 (United / Air Canada / Other)
In the main hall of Terminal 2 there is Chicago hot dog / Pizzeria Uno stand, located right next to a Cinnabon. (These concessions are located on the side of the hall closer to Terminal 1.)
Down at the Terminal 1 end of the hall, right next to the Butch O'Hare exhibit, is a Goose Island Brewery concession, which just happens to have a Vienna hot dog cart. Goose Island Brewery is a Chicago microbrewery and their beer is good.
FYI There is also a children's play area, post office, and medical center in Terminal 2, on the side closest to Terminal 3.
Terminal 2-1/2 -The Rotunda - G Gates (American)
The Rotunda, located between terminals 2 and 3, contains a food court in which is buried a Chicago hot dog / Italian beef stand. Coming from Terminal 2 in the connecting passageway, it is the first opening on the left as you enter the Rotunda. Coming from Terminal 3 you will notice the "Great American Bagel Company" on your right. (BTW, there's nothing great about their bagels.)
Gold Coast Dogs
If you really crave a Chicago hot dog, Italian beef, polish, ..., fries, head over to Gold Coast dogs. Although the quality is not the best, the staff is friendly and there's plenty of seating in the food court.
See ordering instructions in Chicago Hot Dogs and Chicago Italian Beef. (One time the guy dressing my dog started to put the wrong peppers on it. Should there be any confusion, insist on sport peppers!)
Midway
After you pass through security, Terminal A is to your left, there is a food court also to your left, and Terminal B is straight ahead of you.
Midway Food Court
Gold Coast Dogs
See entry above in O'Hare section. Have not sampled their fare here given the availability of Manny's and Superdawg.
Terminal A
Manny's Deli
Located just before gate A4, at the end of the first moving walkway, just beyond a House of Blues concession. You can easily get to Manny's and still make a flight in Terminal B.
See the entry under Chicago Other Food. It's wonderful to be able to get matzah ball soup, corned beef on an onion roll, and a potato pancake at the airport! Other food is served of course, but why would anyone order a BLT at a deli serving tasty corned beef and pastrami? (They also serve breakfast in the morning, but regrettably don't offer lox and onion omelettes.)
One advantage of Manny's at Midway over the original is that at Midway they are open for dinner.
Terminal B
Nuts on Clark
On your left as you start entering Terminal B.
Nuts on Clark sells varieties of nuts and popcorn, snacks if you will. It's been around for a long time in their original location on Clark Street, just a few blocks North of Wrigley Field.
Miller's Pub
Between gates B10 and B11.
See entry under Chicago Other Food.
Superdawg
By Gate B14.
See entry under Chicago Hot Dogs.
The price for a Superdawg is approximately $2.50 higher at Midway than at the stand. Fries for some reason are only 10 cents more.
Throughout O'Hare's terminals you can find both Chicago hot dogs and pizza. In general, the quality is not as good as their corresponding non-airport locations.
Chicago hot dogs are available at carts located throughout Terminal 1. Look for the Vienna umbrellas. For reasons not clear to me the carts serve a larger than normal dog, perhaps to satisfy those non-Chicagoans who want jumbo dogs. It works but not as well as the standard sized dog.
Fries are not available at these carts. (See Gold Coast Dogs below.) Adding more insult is that they sell only Vitner's chips. Any Chicagoan will tell you the local chip is Jay's. Shame on the owner of this concession.
Uno's pizza is usually available at a stand adjacent to the cart. For those who are vegetarians, I recommend the cheese pizza.
Terminal 1 (United) - C Concourse
C14
C26
Terminal 2 (United / Air Canada / Other)
In the main hall of Terminal 2 there is Chicago hot dog / Pizzeria Uno stand, located right next to a Cinnabon. (These concessions are located on the side of the hall closer to Terminal 1.)
Down at the Terminal 1 end of the hall, right next to the Butch O'Hare exhibit, is a Goose Island Brewery concession, which just happens to have a Vienna hot dog cart. Goose Island Brewery is a Chicago microbrewery and their beer is good.
FYI There is also a children's play area, post office, and medical center in Terminal 2, on the side closest to Terminal 3.
Terminal 2-1/2 -The Rotunda - G Gates (American)
The Rotunda, located between terminals 2 and 3, contains a food court in which is buried a Chicago hot dog / Italian beef stand. Coming from Terminal 2 in the connecting passageway, it is the first opening on the left as you enter the Rotunda. Coming from Terminal 3 you will notice the "Great American Bagel Company" on your right. (BTW, there's nothing great about their bagels.)
Gold Coast Dogs
If you really crave a Chicago hot dog, Italian beef, polish, ..., fries, head over to Gold Coast dogs. Although the quality is not the best, the staff is friendly and there's plenty of seating in the food court.
See ordering instructions in Chicago Hot Dogs and Chicago Italian Beef. (One time the guy dressing my dog started to put the wrong peppers on it. Should there be any confusion, insist on sport peppers!)
Midway
After you pass through security, Terminal A is to your left, there is a food court also to your left, and Terminal B is straight ahead of you.
Midway Food Court
Gold Coast Dogs
See entry above in O'Hare section. Have not sampled their fare here given the availability of Manny's and Superdawg.
Terminal A
Manny's Deli
Located just before gate A4, at the end of the first moving walkway, just beyond a House of Blues concession. You can easily get to Manny's and still make a flight in Terminal B.
See the entry under Chicago Other Food. It's wonderful to be able to get matzah ball soup, corned beef on an onion roll, and a potato pancake at the airport! Other food is served of course, but why would anyone order a BLT at a deli serving tasty corned beef and pastrami? (They also serve breakfast in the morning, but regrettably don't offer lox and onion omelettes.)
One advantage of Manny's at Midway over the original is that at Midway they are open for dinner.
Terminal B
Nuts on Clark
On your left as you start entering Terminal B.
Nuts on Clark sells varieties of nuts and popcorn, snacks if you will. It's been around for a long time in their original location on Clark Street, just a few blocks North of Wrigley Field.
Miller's Pub
Between gates B10 and B11.
See entry under Chicago Other Food.
Superdawg
By Gate B14.
See entry under Chicago Hot Dogs.
The price for a Superdawg is approximately $2.50 higher at Midway than at the stand. Fries for some reason are only 10 cents more.
Chicago Other Food
Ann Sather
A wonderful for all meals Swedish restaurant. Ahhh, those cinnamon rolls!
I frequented the Belmont, by the El, location.
http://www.annsather.com/
909 W. Belmont
Chicago
Frontera Grill and Topolobampo
Just get a reservation and go to one of these two co-located restaurants.
[River North]
445 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL
http://www.rickbayless.com/
Ginger's Ale House
Best soccer bar per www.mysoccer.com . To be confirmed.
3801 N Ashland
Chicago
Ed Debevics
If you want a burger, fries, meat loaf, etc, with a wisecracking attitude, Ed's is the place. Not great food, but an experience.
[River North]
640 N. Wells St.
Chicago
312.664.1707
[One other location, see web site]
http://featuredfoods.com/cgi
Manny's
One of the last Jewish delis in Chicago proper, and perhaps the only cafeteria-style one left. Over the decades Manny's hasn't changed, though the neighborhood around it has. Note that the Jefferson location is now open for dinner!
The place to go to part of a melting pot of Chicago, grab a bowl of matzah ball soup, a corned beef sandwich, and a potato pancake.
For those not familiar with cafeteria style self-service - if you want a sandwich bypass all those people waiting for hot entrees at the beginning start of the counter. Otherwise you'll get frustrated. If you don't see the sandwich you want atop the counter, yell out your request to one of the counter guys.
[Near South Side]
1141 S. Jefferson
Chicago
312.939.2855
[Also at Concourse A, Midway Airport]
http://www.mannysdeli.com/
-->Walker Brothers' (Bros) Original Pancake House
Perhaps the best pancake house in the country is the Walker Bros spin on the Original Pancake House. For those in Silicon Valley, the Original Pancake Houses out here are a pale rendition of Walker Bros.
[Northern suburb]
153 Green Bay Rd
Wilmette
847.251.6000
[A few other locations as well]
http://www.walkerbrosoph.com/
Lou Mitchell's
Another quintessential Chicago place for breakfast just West of the loop. Eggs cooked and served in individual skillets. Fresh baked breads.
I remember the morning when we were standing outside in line with our then infant son. Lou came out to work the crowd and upon encountering us he commented on our cute baby and bumped us to the front of the line. The place is great even if you don't have a cute baby as a prop.
[West of the River, Downtown]
565 W. Jackson
Chicago
312.939.3111
http://www.loumitchellsrestaurant.com/
Rub's Backcountry Smokehouse
Wow! A down home, smoked bbq joint. Not far from where I grew up. Excellent food. Very casual with picnic benches indoors.
http://www.backcountryq.com/
[West of Ridge]
6954 N. Western
Chicago
[More to come]
Downtown: Miller's Pub and at Midway Airport by Gate B9(?)
Near North: Shaw's Crabhouse
Mid-North: Cafe Bucharest
Northern Suburbs: Del Rio (Highwood)
Northwest Suburbs: Bob Chin's crab house
Various locations: Morton's Steakhouse ($$$$$) [Even in Downtown SJ, CA on Park Ave]
A wonderful for all meals Swedish restaurant. Ahhh, those cinnamon rolls!
I frequented the Belmont, by the El, location.
http://www.annsather.com/
909 W. Belmont
Chicago
Frontera Grill and Topolobampo
Just get a reservation and go to one of these two co-located restaurants.
[River North]
445 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL
http://www.rickbayless.com/
Ginger's Ale House
Best soccer bar per www.mysoccer.com . To be confirmed.
3801 N Ashland
Chicago
Ed Debevics
If you want a burger, fries, meat loaf, etc, with a wisecracking attitude, Ed's is the place. Not great food, but an experience.
[River North]
640 N. Wells St.
Chicago
312.664.1707
[One other location, see web site]
http://featuredfoods.com/cgi
Manny's
One of the last Jewish delis in Chicago proper, and perhaps the only cafeteria-style one left. Over the decades Manny's hasn't changed, though the neighborhood around it has. Note that the Jefferson location is now open for dinner!
The place to go to part of a melting pot of Chicago, grab a bowl of matzah ball soup, a corned beef sandwich, and a potato pancake.
For those not familiar with cafeteria style self-service - if you want a sandwich bypass all those people waiting for hot entrees at the beginning start of the counter. Otherwise you'll get frustrated. If you don't see the sandwich you want atop the counter, yell out your request to one of the counter guys.
[Near South Side]
1141 S. Jefferson
Chicago
312.939.2855
[Also at Concourse A, Midway Airport]
http://www.mannysdeli.com/
-->Walker Brothers' (Bros) Original Pancake House
Perhaps the best pancake house in the country is the Walker Bros spin on the Original Pancake House. For those in Silicon Valley, the Original Pancake Houses out here are a pale rendition of Walker Bros.
[Northern suburb]
153 Green Bay Rd
Wilmette
847.251.6000
[A few other locations as well]
http://www.walkerbrosoph.com/
Lou Mitchell's
Another quintessential Chicago place for breakfast just West of the loop. Eggs cooked and served in individual skillets. Fresh baked breads.
I remember the morning when we were standing outside in line with our then infant son. Lou came out to work the crowd and upon encountering us he commented on our cute baby and bumped us to the front of the line. The place is great even if you don't have a cute baby as a prop.
[West of the River, Downtown]
565 W. Jackson
Chicago
312.939.3111
http://www.loumitchellsrestaurant.com/
Rub's Backcountry Smokehouse
Wow! A down home, smoked bbq joint. Not far from where I grew up. Excellent food. Very casual with picnic benches indoors.
http://www.backcountryq.com/
[West of Ridge]
6954 N. Western
Chicago
[More to come]
Downtown: Miller's Pub and at Midway Airport by Gate B9(?)
Near North: Shaw's Crabhouse
Mid-North: Cafe Bucharest
Northern Suburbs: Del Rio (Highwood)
Northwest Suburbs: Bob Chin's crab house
Various locations: Morton's Steakhouse ($$$$$) [Even in Downtown SJ, CA on Park Ave]
Chicago Italian Beef
Chicago is home to a regional sandwich delicacy called "Italian Beef" which is marinated beef, piled onto sliced Italian bread, topped with peppers, and with "juice" as requested.
As with most Chicago hot dog stands, Italian beef stands are typically single location, sole proprietorships. There are, of course, exceptions such as Portillo's.
Code words:
sweet = add bell peppers, as in beef with sweet
hot = add giardiniera (hot pepper and vegetable condiment), as in beef with hot
wet = add extra juice (marinade)
dry = no juice
combo = combined Italian beef and sausage sandwich
Al's Beef
The original Al's is in Little Italy on Taylor St, which is an interesting, and at times a tough, place. Perhaps not the best in town, but still very good, and the Taylor St location is open late and across the street from Mario's Italian Ice stand.
[Little Italy, just Southwest of downtown]
1079 W. Taylor
Chicago
312.226.4017
[Other locations as well, see web site]
http://www.alsbeef.com/
Buona Beef
In my opinion the best beef sandwich in Chicago.
[Western, collar suburb]
6745 Roosevelt Road
Berwyn
708.749.2555
[Other locations as well, see web site]
http://www.buona.com/html/buona_companies/index.html
Mr Beef
My daily lunch for more years than I care to remember. Made infamous by various late night talk show hosts. Scala meat packing was across the street, up one block to the North.
[River North]
666 N. Orleans
Chicago
312.337.8500
[Cannot find a real web home page for them.]
http://chicago.citysearch.com/profile/3663623
Portillo's
See entry under Chicago Hot Dogs
As with most Chicago hot dog stands, Italian beef stands are typically single location, sole proprietorships. There are, of course, exceptions such as Portillo's.
Code words:
sweet = add bell peppers, as in beef with sweet
hot = add giardiniera (hot pepper and vegetable condiment), as in beef with hot
wet = add extra juice (marinade)
dry = no juice
combo = combined Italian beef and sausage sandwich
Al's Beef
The original Al's is in Little Italy on Taylor St, which is an interesting, and at times a tough, place. Perhaps not the best in town, but still very good, and the Taylor St location is open late and across the street from Mario's Italian Ice stand.
[Little Italy, just Southwest of downtown]
1079 W. Taylor
Chicago
312.226.4017
[Other locations as well, see web site]
http://www.alsbeef.com/
Buona Beef
In my opinion the best beef sandwich in Chicago.
[Western, collar suburb]
6745 Roosevelt Road
Berwyn
708.749.2555
[Other locations as well, see web site]
http://www.buona.com/html
Mr Beef
My daily lunch for more years than I care to remember. Made infamous by various late night talk show hosts. Scala meat packing was across the street, up one block to the North.
[River North]
666 N. Orleans
Chicago
312.337.8500
[Cannot find a real web home page for them.]
http://chicago.citysearch.com
Portillo's
See entry under Chicago Hot Dogs
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