one night only...with a catch

[alyssabrooke]

Hey all,

Will be in Chicago for one night in late august with a group of 6 30ish foodies from New York. None of us have ever been to chicago so we would like to see what they have to offer. We are looking to spend around 75$ with booze, nothing too stuffy or fancy- just good food with a cool/bustling vibe.

One catch- we are going to catch the 11 o'clock show at second city (being that we are first timers) so somewhere in that general vicinity would be great.

thanks so much
Alyssa

[ljero]

There are many options depending on the type of food you are looking for.

Balena in Lincoln Park is great--rustic, trendy and great Italian food.

[nsxtasy]

Like Trattoria Gionni, Balena is almost a mile from the theater. Not surprising, since the two are a few doors apart from each other.

[maiziewoodland]

I really like trattoria gionni near steppenwolf theatre in old town. close to you. also, the other italian place around the corner from steppenwolf, cant remember the name, maybe Vive? gionni is better, great bread, great pasta. Perennial Viranat is great for brunch if you are here for a morning. Have fun. We have a great city!

[nsxtasy]

Trattoria Gionni isn't all that close to Second City; it's almost a mile away. Instead, I second the recommendation of Perennial Virant, which is only two blocks away. They have a small plates contemporary American menu. Definitely a great place, and will fit your budget perfectly. (If you *must* have Italian, Topo Gigio is only half a block from the theater, but I'd pick Perennial Virant over it in a heartbeat.)

[jbontario]

Yes, as NYers don't go for Italian, Perennial is great. That said, if you can get a reservation at 7:30ish, you should be able to take a cab from anywhere in the general downtown to lincoln park areas and make an 11:00 show.

For example, you could make a 7:30 Publican reservation and have plenty of time if you were in a cab at 10:30 (20 mins ride with a little traffic). Same goes for another of my favorites, Slurping Turtle (Japanese) or Sable if you want fantastic cocktails (clear cubes of ice and care with every drink) and high-end bar plates.

[Bdav1818]

Perennial Virant fits all your requirements and is one of my favorite places in Chicago. Take a look at their website and see if it's what you're looking for.