New and improved City of Chicago Thread (Check OP for Recs)

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by Truman, Apr 23, 2018.

  1. visa

    visa Well-Known Member
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    Yeah, Cabra has ascended to the top of my west Loop power rankings. I don’t ever have to leave this area it’s great.
     
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  2. Drunkle Tom

    Drunkle Tom Well-Known Member
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    The lady and I are heading to Chicago for the first time for a concert this weekend, and was looking for some bar & dinner recommendations? We're staying on the Magnificent Mile, and already have plans to hit Lou Malnati's or Pequod's for lunch one day and Portillo's the other. Kinda looking for some places to bar hop around on Friday night and a nice dinner (but not Everest nice) on Saturday before the show. Friend already suggested Three Dots & a Dash for a drink, and the show is at the Bottom Lounge, so dinner nearby there would be especially cool.

    Also, any must-see sights/events for during the day Saturday?
     
  3. Arkadin

    Arkadin inefficiently efficent and unclearly clear
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    What's the best way to get out to Elgin from mdw?
     
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  4. DollarBillHokie

    DollarBillHokie Usher is the worst
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  5. Zack Zedalis

    Zack Zedalis Silver Foxin'
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    Flying in on Monday for the week
     
  6. COVIDiskilingme79

    COVIDiskilingme79 Well-Known Member
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    Not an expert on the matter so maybe someone else has better ideas.

    1) Uber/lyft
    2) Orange line to downtown and then transfer to the Metra Milwaukee District West to Elgin. Should be around $10-12 total but won't be that quick.
     
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  7. Bricktop the white

    Bricktop the white Well-Known Member

  8. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Give us something to work w. Who you coming w? What are kind of debauchery are you looking to get into?
     
  9. Bricktop the white

    Bricktop the white Well-Known Member


    I'm going to visit a friend from college. Only plans so far are second City, art museum, and architecture cruise + observation deck (either Hancock or Willis tower). I get in Friday night and leave Tuesday evening.
     
  10. gordon bombay

    gordon bombay magician's alliance enthusiast
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    Cubs are in town this weekend. Corridor/Sheffields/Wrigleyville/Cubs game is a great way to kill a day.
     
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  11. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    coming in late July

    is Fulton River District a good place to stay? most the dinner reservations i've made are that way so figure boozing/eating in the evening there before stumbling to hotel, in the morning take transit to do tourist stuff

    first time in town but live in Minneapolis so will probably come back semi-regularly so not worried about cramming everything in
     
  12. Bert Handsome

    Bert Handsome I'm sorry, the card says Moops
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    Yeah I think you'll be fine in West Loop.
     
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  13. theregionsitter

    theregionsitter Well-Known Member
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    Have Alinea reservations for July 1st
    La Scarola July 2nd
    Chicago Cut July 3rd


    Staying at the Waldorf for the week

    #DaReturn #LFG

    Fireworks on Lake Michigan, I’m coming home again
     
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  14. nofatchildren - cissp

    nofatchildren - cissp Free Da Guys
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    What's the Wicker Park/Bucktown power rankings look like (bars, restaurants, cool shit to do)?

    I'm going to be living in the area starting around the end of June. I've already been to Small Cheval a number of times just from being in the area in the home search process.
     
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  15. FTK

    FTK Well-Known Member
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    I’ve lived in wicker park the last three years, it’s pretty awesome. Division street in general is good, lots of bars. Mott street, chop shop, doves luncheonette, publican anker, there’s a bunch of other places I’m forgetting in terms of good food. Lottie’s is the best bar assuming you’re relatively young/into partying. Paradise park is great too. I’ll have more suggestions for you once I sober up
     
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  16. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Hell yeah, bitches.



    Im not even a big weed guy, but like some edibles from time to time
     
  17. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    the more i researched i realized how dumb my question was
     
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  18. Bert Handsome

    Bert Handsome I'm sorry, the card says Moops
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    Up until rather recently the only area a tourist would want to stay is river north/gold coast. Uber and boutique hotels have changed that
     
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  19. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    yeah seems every hotel is just opened or opening in that area, going to be in Hoxton and the Hyatt House that isn't even open yet
     
  20. ryno23

    ryno23 Well-Known Member
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    If you are in Wicker Park head a bit nOrth on Milwaukee and eat at Wasabi. Get the chicken buns as well as the garlic ramen.
     
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  21. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    I think Wicker Park has officially lost it's hipster status

     
  22. LeVar Burton

    LeVar Burton Knee deep in a dynasty, ROLL TIDE!
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    Staying in the Gold Coast area this weekend with a big group. Would like to know the best place to stock up on some beers, bourbon, and snacks for the house on the way into town from Ohare. Should I stop at a costco (Does Costco even sell whiskey/bourbon?) and get everything I need or get to the house and then make a grocery run close by?
     
  23. Juke Coolengody

    Juke Coolengody One name. Two men?
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    Best options for booze are probably Costco out by the airport or Binny's (there's one in River North pretty much right off of the Ohio exit).

    For snacks, there's a Jewel in Gold Coast, but it's kind of shitty (as are most Jewels in the city). For basic snacks it would be fine though. Otherwise you have to probably go to one of a number of Whole Foods/Marianos in the area. Plum Market is a super nice grocery store a little ways away on Wells, but definitely pricey. Basically, picking stuff before you get to the house wouldn't be a bad option because Gold Coast isn't the best area for grocery shopping.
     
  24. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Depends where in the gold coast. If youre close to division, there's a big Jewel that will have everything you need. They have a parking garage too.
     
  25. Anison

    Anison Fair and square
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    The rebuilt Jewel on Division would work. Also the one over on Canal.
     
  26. Juke Coolengody

    Juke Coolengody One name. Two men?
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    Yeah, the Jewel on Division is fine - may have been overly dramatic discussing its shittiness. There are typically a decent amount of homeless people hanging around that area, but the store is generally fine. I'm a little cunty when it comes to food, so generally don't hit up Jewel these days (full disclosure).
     
  27. Bert Handsome

    Bert Handsome I'm sorry, the card says Moops
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    Jewell is just the worst but will serve the needs of a tourist just fine. The Lincoln Park Costco would also work but won't be as convenient.

    Binnys will have the best beer/booze selection you will find if you are at all picky
     
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  28. DollarBillHokie

    DollarBillHokie Usher is the worst
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    Amazon Prime Now
     
  29. LeVar Burton

    LeVar Burton Knee deep in a dynasty, ROLL TIDE!
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    Well you guys, first weekend in Chicago was a blast and success for all. Met up with 16 buddies of mine for my bachelor party. Went with Jewell as it was only a quarter of a mile from the house. It was a bit of a cluster upon checking out the bag boy broke a handle of bourbon and vodka. We stayed off cedar st in a huge house that had 4 floors which was 3 suites.

    Found The Hangge Uppe Thursday night and to say my group loved it would be an understatment! Considering when we first walked in we were skeptical to say the least but we clowned pretty hard with a handful ending up there every night.

    All you can eat and drink seats for NYY and CWS with CC up against one of the best pitchers in the league this year. Butch McGuires after the game close to the house.

    Wrigleyville Saturday for Dead and Co at night

    The small group of 4 of us that left late sunday did the riverwalk, bean, and lincoln zoo on sunday. Would recommend everything we did to any and all tourists. BTW, moving 16 people around town is hard but CTA definitely helped with the 3 day $20 pass.
     
  30. visa

    visa Well-Known Member
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    Oof, McGuire’s and the Hangge Uppe...

    Glad you had a blast though!
     
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  31. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    When i first moved to chicago after college I was at both those places almost every weekend. It's like a chicago rite of passage.
     
  32. theregionsitter

    theregionsitter Well-Known Member
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    This
     
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  33. visa

    visa Well-Known Member
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    I dated a bartender at elm street right next to Hangge Uppe when I moved back...lot of rough early mornings. That whole area is my personal Fyre Festival

    RIP Leg Room
     
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  34. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    The slurry of puke, spilled jager bombs and urine on the bathroom floors is in the Hangge Uppe is really something else.
     
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  35. visa

    visa Well-Known Member
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    Especially after TBOX. Shit was worse than St Pats.
     
  36. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    I only have done TBOX twice. Just too many people for me.
     
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  37. visa

    visa Well-Known Member
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    Anison knows Festa and was on the royal court. Made things a little easier
     
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  38. Bert Handsome

    Bert Handsome I'm sorry, the card says Moops
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    My only experience with TBox was when I randomly met a buddy in Wrigleyville on a Saturday to get a burger and watch college hoops. I lived in LP and he lived in Roscoe Village so it was the logical middle ground. Turned out to be TBox and the only spot we could even squeeze in was Sports Corner
     
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  39. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Cereal for lunch!
     
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  40. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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  41. visa

    visa Well-Known Member
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  42. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    trying to decide if I should dump Avec or Loyalist reservations for it, hitting Roister for brunch too though

    I understand the need for places to do non refundable deposits but it still sucks when trying to be flexible
     
  43. visa

    visa Well-Known Member
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    Partial to avec (and blackbird) over smyth and loyalist. They may let you flip the deposit to st Clair
     
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  44. gordon bombay

    gordon bombay magician's alliance enthusiast
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    FWIW I have always been able to get the restaurants to cancel the deposits if I had to bail within the 24hr period. Did it with fat rice yesterday
     
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  45. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    yeah might dump loyalist for st clair, have publican too as a placeholder that night but hitting them for brunch saturday so can't imagine it'll be so great i'll want to go back a few nights later
     
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  46. visa

    visa Well-Known Member
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    That’s the way to go. Publican brunch is the best in the city for me. Eden is up there too.
     
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  47. theregionsitter

    theregionsitter Well-Known Member
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    Went to Alinea on Monday

    The course and cocktail inside the kitchen was neat, shocked how young all the staff is. Most if not every cook was under 25

    Stood 5 feet from Grant as he worked, pretty cool
     
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  48. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Imo Publican is the restaurant in terms of ease of getting an reso + quality of food.

    Community seating sucks tho. Gotta get a booth.
     
    #398 Truman, Jul 5, 2019
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2019
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  49. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    getting in at 820am saturday to ORD, flight back is 1:10 wednesday

    looks like blue line to green line is the transit option vs taxi

    whats thread consensus on train vs taxi?
     
  50. FTK

    FTK Well-Known Member
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    Where are you staying? I always do train unless its covered by work, but I usually don’t have to transfer lines