"My kind of town......" a Chicago Travel Page by jenn5179

I am a Chicagoan - born and raised and proud of it!

I live in the city, and we do our fair share of dining out, so I am posting a list of awesome places that I love.

We are always looking for new places to eat, so you won't see me recommend many of the well known places (Little Italy, Cheesecake Factory, etc)

As far as what to DO in Chicago - between the Bulls, the Blackhawks, the Cubs, the Sox, the Bears, the theaters, the museums, shopping and everything else going on in this city, it is a fun place for a week or a weekend....

I am not a hotel gu-ru since I live here, but if you are looking for ideas for places to eat, or anything else, feel free to contact me!!!!

If you are looking for somewhere spectacular to eat, price be damned, here are some great places:

Kiefer's - My favorite steak in the city. I think it far surpasses Ruths Chris, Morton's, or any other place some concierge is going to try and ship you off too (2nd runners up for steak - Carmichael's in the West Loop, or Smith & Wollensky's)

Lawry's - Prime rib in all its glory! This restaurant is so old-school on the inside, from the decor to the servers outfits, its really cool. Plus they carve your prime rib tableside, it comes with the Spinning Salad (which, by the way, is my favorite salad in the world) and some other sides

Trattoria Roma - Not that pricey, but the place is so authentic, and perfectly located in Old Town - afterwards you can walk across and catch a show at Zanie's (Comedy Club) or head over to the Chocolate shop across the street for a covered strawberry. Laura, the owner, is one of my favorite business owners in the city, and their ever-changing (handwritten daily!) menu is full of some awesome stuff -- Artichoke Ravioli, Ossobucco, Chilean Sea Bass, and some wonderful thin crust pizzas. This is, hands-down my favorite place in the city... Oh, and they have outdoor seating as well!

De Cero - a little place on Randolph Street, but so fabulous with their array of tacos (over 15 different kinds - including vegetarian options) and the fact that you can mix and match them to create your own platter.
This place is great, and if you want to go, I suggest reservations. It is a West Loop favorite and always busy.

Okay, so up there are my out-to-dinner recommendations... but if you just want a quick snack, or a beer, whatever.....

A Mano - this Italian place, by the House of Blues is fun for a light weeknight dinner, or maybe even lunch.... Lots of really unique Italian dishes, in a very modern, posh looking place. If you want spaghetti and meatballs, you will probably NOT be happy here!

Beer Bistro - Located in the West Loop, great sliders, wings, burgers, pizzas (and drinks of course!)

9 Muses - in Greektown, awesome food, shish-ka-bob (you can order pork souvlaki by the skewer, so you don't have to have a big old meal, order just a couple with a side of fries or a salad!) If you are there at night, they've got great music, a big nighttime stop for the 20-30 something crowd

Bordo's - in Lincoln Park - another bar with a great menu!