Planning a trip to Chicago....

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Wild0409
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Hi guys. Just in the beginning stages of planning a trip to your city from Seattle. I can see the main things about your city online, but I'd like some input from people that actually live there. Like, if you were to visit Seattle, I'd have things I'd tell you about Seattle that may not be in the brochure, like the "really" good places to eat, or drives you may wanna take. Any input is appreciated! Thanks! (and yes, a visit to Soldier Field is a "Can't miss") lol
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The Marshall Plan
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I would avoid the train station downtown and the couple block radius within. It's a shithole.

Homeless in the bathroom, people asking for money, people asking to "borrow" your cellphone.

I would also do shopping and maybe even dining in the suburbs if you can. The costs in Chicago are brutal.

You should definitely do the museums if that's your thing. Shedd, Science & Industry and The Field Museum.

Also, you MUST have pizza here and then also Portillo's (hot dog, beef sandwich place. Awesome!). I don't know if there's a Portillo's in Chicago. There are a ton of them in the suburbs.

For pizza, Lou Malnati's, Giordano's and Rosati's are my favorite. If you can only do one of those, Lou's in the best in my opinion.

Gino's East also has fantastic pizza.
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Wild0409
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Awesome. Thanks! Looking it all up. Just the stuff I'm looking for...
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There are two Portillo's in Chicago proper: in River North at Clark and Ontario, and in the Near West Side near Canal and Taylor. And yeah, it's not to be missed.
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dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
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At Portillo's, whatever you order add onto it the french fries and the chocolate cake. Even if you take the chocolate cake to go. Get it.
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The Marshall Plan wrote:I would avoid the train station downtown and the couple block radius within. It's a shithole.

Homeless in the bathroom, people asking for money, people asking to "borrow" your cellphone.

I would also do shopping and maybe even dining in the suburbs if you can. The costs in Chicago are brutal.

You should definitely do the museums if that's your thing. Shedd, Science & Industry and The Field Museum.

Also, you MUST have pizza here and then also Portillo's (hot dog, beef sandwich place. Awesome!). I don't know if there's a Portillo's in Chicago. There are a ton of them in the suburbs.

For pizza, Lou Malnati's, Giordano's and Rosati's are my favorite. If you can only do one of those, Lou's in the best in my opinion.

Gino's East also has fantastic pizza.
The train station is fine. There are homeless people in every major city. You must live a very sheltered life.
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There is a beautiful outside mall called Cabrini Green near Old Town. Have a cab drop you off there just wander around.


BTW, Wild0409, how the hell do you have a post count that reads 0.
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Chicago is an amazing City.

Couple places you should look at..

Hotels- The London House, The Wit, Palmer House...The London house is right on the river and a good location. They also have a great rooftop bar

Nice dinner- Del Friscos..if you like steak and wine, this is the best. By far the best ribeye I've ever had..Chicago Cut, awesome meal and great location. RPM Italian is good for non steak.

Mexican- Cantina Laredo-

Pizza- Lou Malnatis or Paizanos..nothing in Chicago comes close to these

You have to go to the roof top at The Chicago Athletic Association for one drink..also, checkout their 2nd floor game room

Go out to the Shed, and just chill on the steps. Best view of the city and very relaxing place to hang out.
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Adipost wrote:
The Marshall Plan wrote:I would avoid the train station downtown and the couple block radius within. It's a shithole.

Homeless in the bathroom, people asking for money, people asking to "borrow" your cellphone.

I would also do shopping and maybe even dining in the suburbs if you can. The costs in Chicago are brutal.

You should definitely do the museums if that's your thing. Shedd, Science & Industry and The Field Museum.

Also, you MUST have pizza here and then also Portillo's (hot dog, beef sandwich place. Awesome!). I don't know if there's a Portillo's in Chicago. There are a ton of them in the suburbs.

For pizza, Lou Malnati's, Giordano's and Rosati's are my favorite. If you can only do one of those, Lou's in the best in my opinion.

Gino's East also has fantastic pizza.
The train station is fine. There are homeless people in every major city. You must live a very sheltered life.
That's your opinion. I think its a shithole. Chicago's infamous crime record says I'm right.
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Adipost
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The Marshall Plan wrote:
Adipost wrote:
The Marshall Plan wrote:I would avoid the train station downtown and the couple block radius within. It's a shithole.

Homeless in the bathroom, people asking for money, people asking to "borrow" your cellphone.

I would also do shopping and maybe even dining in the suburbs if you can. The costs in Chicago are brutal.

You should definitely do the museums if that's your thing. Shedd, Science & Industry and The Field Museum.

Also, you MUST have pizza here and then also Portillo's (hot dog, beef sandwich place. Awesome!). I don't know if there's a Portillo's in Chicago. There are a ton of them in the suburbs.

For pizza, Lou Malnati's, Giordano's and Rosati's are my favorite. If you can only do one of those, Lou's in the best in my opinion.

Gino's East also has fantastic pizza.
The train station is fine. There are homeless people in every major city. You must live a very sheltered life.
That's your opinion. I think its a shithole. Chicago's infamous crime record says I'm right.
Most of the crime is situated in one or two specific areas.
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Pequods for deep dish pizza, pepperoni and garlic (best I've ever had, and I've tried them all)

Joe's Seafood for steak (bone in ribeye)

Murphy's Red Hots for a Chicago Dog (char with everything)I

Union Station is perfectly fine and the area is fine.
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I've never been to Chicago but having lived in London for many years, my pro tip on any dodgy area is to be the dodgy person and then everything will be fine.
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In addition to all the foods mentioned above - three words: Harold’s Chicken Shack.
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Adipost
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G08 wrote:Pequods for deep dish pizza, pepperoni and garlic (best I've ever had, and I've tried them all)

Joe's Seafood for steak (bone in ribeye)

Murphy's Red Hots for a Chicago Dog (char with everything)I

Union Station is perfectly fine and the area is fine.
Pequods x 2!
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Definitely pizza. You can't go wrong no matter where you eat it. I prefer Pequods but they are all good.

As far as the area around Union Station. I have never worried about anything bad happening around there. We we get off the train, we walk all over. I have walked from the Station to UC. From UC to Michigan Ave, no probs.

Go the the Museum of Broadcasting. They currently have the Saturday Night Live exhibit and I heard it was awesome. Hit Buddy Guys fos some good Blues and pretty decent southern style food.
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Again, how the hell does Wild0409, the author of this thread, have a zero post count?

This is some real Twilight Zone shit going on here....
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The Marshall Plan wrote:
Adipost wrote:
The Marshall Plan wrote:I would avoid the train station downtown and the couple block radius within. It's a shithole.

Homeless in the bathroom, people asking for money, people asking to "borrow" your cellphone.

I would also do shopping and maybe even dining in the suburbs if you can. The costs in Chicago are brutal.

You should definitely do the museums if that's your thing. Shedd, Science & Industry and The Field Museum.

Also, you MUST have pizza here and then also Portillo's (hot dog, beef sandwich place. Awesome!). I don't know if there's a Portillo's in Chicago. There are a ton of them in the suburbs.

For pizza, Lou Malnati's, Giordano's and Rosati's are my favorite. If you can only do one of those, Lou's in the best in my opinion.

Gino's East also has fantastic pizza.
The train station is fine. There are homeless people in every major city. You must live a very sheltered life.
That's your opinion. I think its a shithole. Chicago's infamous crime record says I'm right.
I’m guessing you live in the suburbs, but are giving advice about Chicago. And no the crime record does not say you are right it says some neighborhoods are dangerous. In my opinion you are on the edge of trolling right now.

To the OP. I would recommend you give Greek town a try.
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The Marshall Plan
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That's not what trolling is or even close to what trolling is.
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UOK
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Adipost wrote: The train station is fine. There are homeless people in every major city. You must live a very sheltered life.
In my limited experience, I've had zero issues at any Chicago train station, subway, or airport.

Homeless are simply a point of urban decay that you can choose to ignore or let it bother you. Treating them with respectful ambivalence is probably the best course, and unless you're in the wrong place at the wrong time, they're harmless.
The Marshall Plan wrote:At Portillo's, whatever you order add onto it the french fries and the chocolate cake. Even if you take the chocolate cake to go. Get it.
The chocolate cake and/or the cake shake is absolutely exquisite, but it will most certainly give you diabetes.
Wounded Bear wrote: BTW, Wild0409, how the hell do you have a post count that reads 0.
Posting in The Lounge does not count toward your post count.
The Marshall Plan wrote: That's your opinion. I think its a shithole. Chicago's infamous crime record says I'm right.
Considering that opinion ≠ "I'm right", I would let the matter rest.
staleystarch wrote:I’m guessing you live in the suburbs, but are giving advice about Chicago. And no the crime record does not say you are right it says some neighborhoods are dangerous. In my opinion you are on the edge of trolling right now.
I live in Champaign and don't mind giving advice about Chicago. Where a person's from is only a point of debate if you're really bound and determined to quote "credentials." There are parts of Champaign (cough, North Bradley, cough) that are essentially poor areas riddled with crime and poverty, but it wouldn't dissuade me from telling someone to walk or drive through there on their way to somewhere else.

It's not like people walk into Chicago's city limits and as soon as a shadow crosses the ground they get pelted with gunfire.

The best advice regarding Chicago or any big city is to trust your gut and stick to the tourist path. I've had amazing sushi in a crummy block of Chicago where just outside the restaurant were bus stops with shattered glass and crack smoking materials strewn about. I didn't linger after I ate - I caught a damn bus, minded my own business, and got back toward the Loop.

And that's the key thing: Mind your own business, and if you feel like you're in a shady place, you probably are. Get on a train or bus, and carry onto somewhere that looks friendlier. Chances are excellent, however, that you'll be perfectly fine no matter where you end up.

-------------

PIZZA: Palermo's 95th is the shit, but it's in Oak Lawn and that's out of the way for anyone headed toward the city. That is unless you'd like to visit the infamous intersection of 95th and Cicero; aka Let's Die Boulevard.

VISIT: The Field Museum for sure. Millennium Park is great, and within walking distance to several very good restaurants. That whole downtown area adjacent to the park and along the river has a ton of great holes in the wall, cozy bars, and atmosphere. If you're patient, hop a few trains to Wrigley Field. That whole area is neat to simply walk around in, not to mention the plethora of bars. A lot of that part of town is steeped in charming history, but it's also a pain in the ass to get there.

DON'T: Drive. Between parking and tolls, you're wasting your time and money. Bus and train passes are cheap and insanely convenient.
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UOK wrote:
Adipost wrote: The train station is fine. There are homeless people in every major city. You must live a very sheltered life.
In my limited experience, I've had zero issues at any Chicago train station, subway, or airport.

Homeless are simply a point of urban decay that you can choose to ignore or let it bother you. Treating them with respectful ambivalence is probably the best course, and unless you're in the wrong place at the wrong time, they're harmless.
The Marshall Plan wrote:At Portillo's, whatever you order add onto it the french fries and the chocolate cake. Even if you take the chocolate cake to go. Get it.
The chocolate cake and/or the cake shake is absolutely exquisite, but it will most certainly give you diabetes.
Wounded Bear wrote: BTW, Wild0409, how the hell do you have a post count that reads 0.
Posting in The Lounge does not count toward your post count.
The Marshall Plan wrote: That's your opinion. I think its a shithole. Chicago's infamous crime record says I'm right.
Considering that opinion ≠ "I'm right", I would let the matter rest.
staleystarch wrote:I’m guessing you live in the suburbs, but are giving advice about Chicago. And no the crime record does not say you are right it says some neighborhoods are dangerous. In my opinion you are on the edge of trolling right now.
I live in Champaign and don't mind giving advice about Chicago. Where a person's from is only a point of debate if you're really bound and determined to quote "credentials." There are parts of Champaign (cough, North Bradley, cough) that are essentially poor areas riddled with crime and poverty, but it wouldn't dissuade me from telling someone to walk or drive through there on their way to somewhere else.

It's not like people walk into Chicago's city limits and as soon as a shadow crosses the ground they get pelted with gunfire.

The best advice regarding Chicago or any big city is to trust your gut and stick to the tourist path. I've had amazing sushi in a crummy block of Chicago where just outside the restaurant were bus stops with shattered glass and crack smoking materials strewn about. I didn't linger after I ate - I caught a damn bus, minded my own business, and got back toward the Loop.

And that's the key thing: Mind your own business, and if you feel like you're in a shady place, you probably are. Get on a train or bus, and carry onto somewhere that looks friendlier. Chances are excellent, however, that you'll be perfectly fine no matter where you end up.

-------------

PIZZA: Palermo's 95th is the shit, but it's in Oak Lawn and that's out of the way for anyone headed toward the city. That is unless you'd like to visit the infamous intersection of 95th and Cicero; aka Let's Die Boulevard.

VISIT: The Field Museum for sure. Millennium Park is great, and within walking distance to several very good restaurants. That whole downtown area adjacent to the park and along the river has a ton of great holes in the wall, cozy bars, and atmosphere. If you're patient, hop a few trains to Wrigley Field. That whole area is neat to simply walk around in, not to mention the plethora of bars. A lot of that part of town is steeped in charming history, but it's also a pain in the ass to get there.

DON'T: Drive. Between parking and tolls, you're wasting your time and money. Bus and train passes are cheap and insanely convenient.
I remember that crash, a drunk driver killed two nuns.
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The Marshall Plan wrote:That's not what trolling is or even close to what trolling is.
This is a Chicago Bears forum meaning there are most likely many members of this forum who live in Chicago. You just called the place where they live, and I quote, a “shithole”. You cannot get any closer to trolling than that.
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staleystarch wrote:
The Marshall Plan wrote:That's not what trolling is or even close to what trolling is.
This is a Chicago Bears forum meaning there are most likely many members of this forum who live in Chicago. You just called the place where they live, and I quote, a “shithole”. You cannot get any closer to trolling than that.
And he clearly has never been to Detroit :lol:
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G08 wrote:
staleystarch wrote:
The Marshall Plan wrote:That's not what trolling is or even close to what trolling is.
This is a Chicago Bears forum meaning there are most likely many members of this forum who live in Chicago. You just called the place where they live, and I quote, a “shithole”. You cannot get any closer to trolling than that.
And he clearly has never been to Detroit :lol:
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dplank wrote:I agree with Rich here
RichH55 wrote: Dplank is correct
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I am not a Chicagoan, but someone who has been visiting the city at least 2x a year for the past 21 yrs. I have never had a problem and have walked all over the downtown, loop and other areas. Hell, St Louis is a little scarier nowadays.
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Otis Day wrote:I am not a Chicagoan, but someone who has been visiting the city at least 2x a year for the past 21 yrs. I have never had a problem and have walked all over the downtown, loop and other areas. Hell, St Louis is a little scarier nowadays.
totally agree. there are sections of every city that are bad, but it seems chicago's good areas are pretty damn safe, but st louis is kind of sketchy overall, at least downtown area.
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I thought I’d revive this thread and post some thoughts.

The CTA is amazing public transportation. Trains and busses take you anywhere you want to go and run frequently. I don’t think we ever waited longer than 5-10 minutes. The weekly Ventra pass for $28 is a bargain.

If you’re a sightseer, go for the CityPass. $108 and gets you into Shedd, Field, Science & Industry, Art Institute, and Willis Tower Skydeck. Saves quite a bit over ala cartel admissions.

As a pizza aficionado, I sampled Giordano, Lou Malnati, and Pequod’s. Giordano was too much crust, although tasty. Malnati was very good, but the bottom crust was too thin. Pequod’s really hit the sweet spot. The company added to the experience, since we met G08 and his wife there.

We stayed at the Best Western Grant Park. Nothing fancy, but clean and a great value. The staff were all helpful and courteous. It’s an easy walk to museums and Soldier Field, and Roosevelt CTA station is a block away. Also, the 11 Street Diner around the corner on Wabash was awesome (ate there 3 times). Menu prices seem a bit high, but portions are huge. Go hungry!

All in all, we had a great week - except for Thursday night.
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Field Museum is great, but get there before they open to avoid waiting in a long-ass line.

Lou Malnati's is amazing, but if you have a party larger than 2, you're probably going to wait 2-3 hours to be seated. I'd honestly just get their take-out and eat at your hotel.

Portillo's is okay. You eat there for the atmosphere, not the food.

Homeless are what they are. Don't let anyone use your phone.

CTA Pass is clutch if you're going to be going all over the place.

Navy Pier is whatever, but there's some awesome architecture boat tours you can take if the weather's nice. Highly recommend.

My fiancee and I stayed in StayPineapple hotel downtown right near Millenium Park and the theatre district. Uber/Lyfted everywhere or walked. Had a great time.
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Ormazd wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 3:52 pm I thought I’d revive this thread and post some thoughts.

The CTA is amazing public transportation. Trains and busses take you anywhere you want to go and run frequently. I don’t think we ever waited longer than 5-10 minutes. The weekly Ventra pass for $28 is a bargain.

If you’re a sightseer, go for the CityPass. $108 and gets you into Shedd, Field, Science & Industry, Art Institute, and Willis Tower Skydeck. Saves quite a bit over ala cartel admissions.

As a pizza aficionado, I sampled Giordano, Lou Malnati, and Pequod’s. Giordano was too much crust, although tasty. Malnati was very good, but the bottom crust was too thin. Pequod’s really hit the sweet spot. The company added to the experience, since we met G08 and his wife there.

We stayed at the Best Western Grant Park. Nothing fancy, but clean and a great value. The staff were all helpful and courteous. It’s an easy walk to museums and Soldier Field, and Roosevelt CTA station is a block away. Also, the 11 Street Diner around the corner on Wabash was awesome (ate there 3 times). Menu prices seem a bit high, but portions are huge. Go hungry!

All in all, we had a great week - except for Thursday night.
:toast: thanks again for the pizza! After we left my wife turned to me and said, "I hope we're that happy when we've been married as long as they have."
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Awww, you guys are awesome.
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