three nights in chicago - where should we eat?

[gottaeatanddrink]

hello! we are visiting chicago for three nights at the end of june and i am looking for suggestions for dinner - good local haunts, something authentically chicago. we don't want to break the bank, but will pay if it is worth it. we are staying in north river, so something close by is great.
thanks for any suggestions!

[nsxtasy]

I think the one "can't miss" specialty in Chicago is our Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. There are a lot of places serving great pizza here. The original Pizzeria Uno and Pizzeria Due ( www.unos.com ) are still in River North, serving single-crust "pan" pizza, as is Pizano's on State ( www.pizanoschicago.com ); for double-crust "stuffed" pizza, Giordano's is on Rush ( www.giordanos.com ). You can phone your order ahead of time if you want to avoid waiting 30-45 minutes while seated for your pizza to bake.

If you "will pay if it is worth it", consider Alinea, which was named the best restaurant in the country by Gourmet magazine and also recently named one of the ten best restaurants in the world. It will cost, though - figure $300/person including moderate alcohol and tax/tip. It's in Lincoln Park, two miles north of River North. www.alinearestaurant.com

We also have some excellent (and more affordable) casual fine dining restaurants. I really love Cafe des Architectes, serving delicious contemporary American food in the Sofitel in River North/Michigan Avenue. It's also an excellent value, with a $42 prix fixe 3-course menu every day, and a special $29 "neighborhood friends" 3-course menu Sundays through Tuesdays. www.cafedesarchitectes.com

There are some excellent mid-priced Italian restaurants, notably Cafe Spiaggia ( www.cafespiaggia.com ), Coco Pazzo ( www.cocopazzochicago.com ), and Vivere ( www.vivere-chicago.com ).

And, we have some excellent Mexican restaurants, serving creative provincial cuisine not available in most other American cities. Take a look at the menus on their websites and you'll see what I mean. Frontera Grill and Topolobampo ( www.rickbayless.com/restaurants ) are in River North, and others close by include Salpicon ( www.salpicon.com ) and Mexique ( www.mexiquechicago.com ).

Fox and Obel is worth a mention, too. It's an upscale gourmet grocery store, just a wonderful place to shop for prepared foods as well as basic ingredients. They also have a cafe in the rear that's open day for a meal or a snack. www.fox-obel.com

A local snack is Garrett's for caramel popcorn and cheese popcorn. www.garrettpopcorn.com

That's a quick overview. Feel free to ask more questions; if there's a specific type of food you enjoy, let us know and we can direct you to the best we've got. Enjoy your visit!

P.S. It's River North, not north river. :)

[gottaeatanddrink]

thank you so much for all the tips - i had read about a number of your suggestions, but i always prefer a diner's recommendation rather than the 'best of' lists often paid for by the restaurants!
cheers!

[nsxtasy]

Thanks! FWIW, I have no association with the restaurant industry, other than as a customer, and I assume the same of other Chowhound posters except when they state otherwise.

I forgot to mention North Pond in my post. It's another contemporary American, casual fine dining restaurant with excellent food. What makes it unique, as well as "authentically Chicago", is its exquisite setting. It's located in the middle of Lincoln Park (the park itself, rather than the adjacent neighborhood of the same name). It faces its namesake pond, with the city skyline looming over the opposite shore; the renovated building formerly served as a warming shelter for ice skaters on the pond. www.northpondrestaurant.com

[gottaeatanddrink]

thanks for that - sounds perfect for us.
any thoughts on graham elliot or blackbird?

[nsxtasy]

I haven't been to Graham Elliot (although I enjoyed his cooking when he was at Avenues).

I have mixed feelings about Blackbird. The food is delicious, IMHO second only to Cafe des Architectes among our more casual contemporary American restaurants. However, it's a lot more expensive, it's a lot noisier, the seating is a lot closer together, and the portion sizes are skimpy. That's why I tend not to recommend it, and instead recommend Cafe des Architectes (for the best food) and North Pond (for its exquisite setting). Hope that makes sense. If you'd like to try Blackbird, I recommend going there for lunch, when it's more affordable and when the portion size issue is less critical.

[gottaeatanddrink]

all appreciated. i will report back after our trip!

[Siun]

When I have food loving guests in town there are a few spots that I consider standouts of the current joys of dining in Chicago. My list of go-to's would be Green Zebra which always surprises and makes everyone smile, Frontera if you can get a table (stop by when they open and book for later in the evening), Mercat a la Planxa for Jose Garces Catalian tapas in a fun room with stunning view and definitely Sprout (esp. if you are top chef fans). If you're in town on a Wednesday or Saturday, also stop by the Green City Market to shop with the chefs and everyone else who loves great food - you can even eat there with the crepes and other goodies cooked to order.