Chicago Recs

[lms]

Is anyone in the Chicago area or spent a lot of time there? I need a couple recommendations for something to do Monday night. My boss and I are flying there Sunday-Wednesday for our conference. They keep us pretty busy but do give us the one night free to do whatever we want. We don't have to attend the Sunday night and Tuesday nights event but it's free food and alcohol so why not attend. And besides the Tuesday night event is always an amazing party. It'll be me, my friend and then anyone else that we meet that wants to tag along with us. We are staying at the Hilton on South Michigan Ave. so maybe something in that part of town?

I work at a hotel and I know I can google but I like recommendations from experience. TIA!

[shauni27]

Can you go to a comedy show? We went to one at Second City and it was so much more fun than I thought it would be. I always just walk around in Chicago and find new places each time I am there to try a different place. I know a couple of years ago they opened an Eatily--I am not sure where you live or if you have ever been to an Eatily, but it is so yummy and fun and a great experience in my opinion.

[boiler717]

Are you staying at the Hilton by the convention center? I think there are a couple in that area. With it being winter you are going to want to take a cab wherever you go so I wouldn't limit.
I'd try to get some Hamilton tickets! Second city is a great rec, too. There are also some fun bowling / Whirlyball type places.

[knx9211]

I thought Hamilton, too, but Broadway is dark on Mondays, so I assume the Chicago theatres are too?

[lms]

boiler717 I hate that they chose to send us there in the middle of winter because I would have loved to just walk around. I grew up in Ohio but since I've been in Georgia for the last 13 years I don't have any of the winter clothing that would be needed. It's not at the convention center because they have a ton of meeting space for all of our events. It's right across from Grant Park.

Glad to hear that Second City is good place to go. I would love to go to a comedy club because we don't have one where I live. They have so many I wouldn't know which ones are worth it and which aren't.

shauni27 I haven't been to an Eatily. I'll have to look that up.

[loira]

Maybe go to a blues bar? H and I always meant to do that when we visited but never got around to it...

[grover]

Not sure if portillos is close to where you are staying, but that's my favorite beef and steak place for a fairly quick lunch or dinner.

Can't really recommend things to do because while I live I. The suburbs and my H works downtown, we dont trek up there too often. I will say we saw second city years ago and that was fun

[awkwardpenguin]

Yes, no Hamilton on Monday.

It really depends on what types of things you like to do! I love the idea of a Second City show - they are super fun. We've never done the blues thing, but we probably should.

Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, so if I had one night free I'd probably walk around a neighborhood and go to a cocktail bar. Wicker Park is my old hood and The Violet Hour is a very popular cocktail bar there. You want to walk along Milwaukee between Ashland and Damen for cute shops. If you're more into beer, The Map Room is great, but in a less walkable part of the neighborhood.

Another neighborhood/beer bar combination is Andersonville/The Hopleaf, but it's a trek from downtown. Probably 20-30 minutes in an Uber. Women and Children First is a famous (and sometimes parodied) feminist bookstore in Andersonville, and there are lots of fun shops to visit there as well.

My weakness is hole in the wall ethnic food, so I have a ton of recommendations on that front, all in outlying neighborhoods. Yassa in Bronzeville is Senegalese, Tank Noodle in Uptown is great Vietnamese, La Pasadita in Wicker Park is amazing authentic Mexican, although it's gotten REALLY divey in the past couple years and doesn't have much variety. Antique Taco in Wicker Park is a hipster taco location, but really good.

That's all I can think of right now. I live here, so let me know if you have any questions!

[lms]

Thank you so much awkwardpenguin. I would love to walk around an area but it's only going to be 18-20 degrees at time in the evening. Is it going to really feel that cold? I guess as long as we are dropping into different stores and restaurants I won't freeze.

grover I understand about heading into downtown because we are in the same situation where we live (much smaller city though). We live in a suburb and never go into the downtown area.

[awkwardpenguin]

Yeah, it will feel that cold. I think maybe I've lost touch with non-Chicago reality. But yeah, shouldn't be too bad if you're going into shops and such. I also failed to mention Wicker Park has a Taco Bell that serves booze, which is possibly the best feature of Chicago.

[lms]

Jan 6, 2017 23:16:40 GMT -5 awkwardpenguin said:

Yeah, it will feel that cold. I think maybe I've lost touch with non-Chicago reality. But yeah, shouldn't be too bad if you're going into shops and such. I also failed to mention Wicker Park has a Taco Bell that serves booze, which is possibly the best feature of Chicago.

LOL. As if people aren't already drunk enough when they go to Taco Bell. But that is definitely the one fast food restaurants where serving it fits in with their food offerings.

[oneslybookworm]

Jan 7, 2017 10:09:27 GMT -5 lms said:

Jan 6, 2017 23:16:40 GMT -5 awkwardpenguin said:

Yeah, it will feel that cold. I think maybe I've lost touch with non-Chicago reality. But yeah, shouldn't be too bad if you're going into shops and such. I also failed to mention Wicker Park has a Taco Bell that serves booze, which is possibly the best feature of Chicago.

LOL. As if people aren't already drunk enough when they go to Taco Bell. But that is definitely the one fast food restaurants where serving it fits in with their food offerings.

You bite your tongue!!! Taco Bell is amazing, anytime, drunk or not!

That said, I was completely hammered when this photo was taken...