thelegalfoodie's Profile
Next dress code?
My husband wore a suit with no tie. Most men were in suits, though I don't think you would be out of place in a dress shirt and dress pants.
Most women were in dresses. Except the woman next to me, who was in ratty jeans and a white v-neck t-shirt. Not sure how/why she thought that would be appropriate.
40th Birthday- Appetizers, Desserts & Drinks Location on the North Side
My husband recently threw my 30th at 694 Wine Bar on Milwaukee(formerly Juicy Wine). It was spectacular, the prices were very reasonable, we had an amazing display of cheese and salumi, and they will order desserts for you. The service was awesome, and the lounge atmosphere was great.
Southport Drive with picky eaters
This is my 'hood, so I have been to every place along Southport many times.
If you like sushi, Sushi Mura is one of my favorite restaurants. Good quality sushi, very reasonably priced, the owners are the nicest people, and they encourage sake bombing.
Southport Grocery is excellent, one of my favorite brunch spots.
Bull-eh-Dia's has definitely increased in quality in the last year or so. I prefer Cafe Ba-ba-reeba for tapas, but Bull-eh-Dia's is definitely good.
Mystic Celt has some of the WORST food on Southport. For traditional pub food, Cullen's (Southport between Waveland and Grace, next to ther Mercury Theater) is a far better choice.
There is a Mexican place called Frida's. I've only been once, right after it opened, and I was not impressed.
People seem to love Tango Sur. I think it is absolutely revolting. I've been at least 5 times and have never liked anything I've had - and I love everything. But, it always has a huge wait, so apparently it's just me.
Deleece is OK. It used to be very good, but the quality and service has gone way downhill in the last couple years.
Coobah (Cuban/Latin-inspired) is another consistently solid place.
Need recs for rehearsal dinner downtown
We had a rehearsal dinner for about 70 people at Lalo's on Clybourn (it isn't downtown, but a little north of the Loop). They were incredibly accommodating, cheap and bent over backwards to make sure everyone was taken care of, had drinks, guac was refilled, etc. I know others have had good luck with some of the pizza places downtown.
I attended a large rehearsal dinner at the Metropolitan Club in the Willis Tower. The views are great, the food was good, but it felt like a wedding before the wedding. Way too formal. I think many people prefer a more casual, relaxed party for the rehearsal. I know as the bride a super fancy rehearsal would have made me stressed and nervous. Margaritas and Mexican food made for a relaxed and festive evening.
Visiting Chicago - Looking for NYE Restaurant
I have been to Carnivale several times, once on NYE. It's a great bet for a fun restaurant that is DEFINITELY not quiet, good food and drinks. Not sure if you can stay all night (we had to give up our 12 top after 3ish hours or so) but with just 2 of you you could certainly move into the bar.
Carnivale had its normal menu with normal prices for NYE when we were there 2 years ago.
Booking lead time at Schwa
For my birthday in March, my husband started calling in January. I think he got through after about two weeks of calling, by sheer luck!
Looking for recommendations for restaurants in Chicago to celebrate 20 year wedding anniversary
Depending on price point...
Top: Alinea, L2O, Trotter's
Average for a lovely dinner out: Naha, MK, A Tavola, Schwa, Blackbird
Best Korean in Chicago?
Cho Sun Ok is excellent, and very authentic. So authentic that we can't go without our Korean-speaking friend. It's his favorite Korean restaurant in the city.
Romantic prix-fixe dinner in the $20-30 range?
I would HIGHLY recommend Han 202 in Bridgeport. Easy street parking, $20 5 course meal, and the food is outstanding. Nice atmosphere - certainly you could get dressed up but you wouldn't be out of place in jeans. My husband and I went a few months ago and loved it. It is Asian-influenced, but you can certainly avoid the more heavily spiced items. If you like calamari, get the salt and pepper calamari as your app - you will not be disappointed. For salads, the lemongrass beef salad is amazing.
Good food in Roscoe Village?
Kaze Sushi (on Roscoe) is excellent. Make reservations in advance, as it is tiny.
Piazza Bella Trattoria (also on Roscoe) is also very good, more casual and easier to get into.
A short distance away on Irving Park and Ravenswood is Cafe 28. Solid Cuban, good drinks, good atmosphere. One of our staple neighborhood places.
...And the worst restaurant in Chicago is....
Carmine's on Rush.
AWFUL. We waited for an hour and a half past the reservation time (I would have left but I was there for someone else's birthday dinner). The waiter gave two of us crap about wanting just us to be on a separate check - the rest of the group ordered a ton of wine and shellfish appetizers. I have an allergy to shellfish, and I had strep so I wasn't drinking. My friend is a non-shellfish eating Jew and a non-drinker. We tried to explain to him why we wanted a separate check (and both of us had worked in the service industry so we understood it was kind of a pain), but no dice.
Food was unmemorable. I would never go back.
Help - Romantic restaurant needed
Eve is truly "meh." The service was great, but the food was very bland and uninspired.
L2O is fabulous, but be prepared to spend $700+ for the twelve course tasting, wine pairs, tax and tip.
For the price point, food, service and atmosphere, my #1 choice is MK. It's a short cab ride from the Mag Mile, and it is fantastic in every aspect.
Romantic dinner for 2 near the Renaissance (State & Wacker)?
I recently dined at Cibo Matto in the Wit Hotel and was very impressed. Try the bucatini carbonara, the halibut, and the hamachi crudo. Yum.
How "bad" is the Alinea wine list?
I thought the wine pairings were excellent at my July '08 visit. Certainly better/more economical than ordering half bottles of a red and a white.
Suggestions appreciated
I would very highly recommend MK for your anniversary meal. My husband and I had one of the best dining experiences there.
For steaks, Chicago Chop House is the best classic Chicago steakhouse - but you'll get all kinds of debate on that.
As for near Wrigley, I also live nearby and agree with the Coobah and Cafe 28 suggestions. I would also suggest Fianco (Italian), or if you are into sushi, a little place called Sushi Mura. It doesn't look like much, but it's always fresh, fun and the owners are sweethearts. I would strongly advise against Deleece - it has CONSIDERABLY declined in quality over the last year or so, and I have never been a Tango Sur fan (though plenty of people seem to be, as it is always packed).
Mixteco Grill at Montrose and Ashland is a little further from the field, but the Chef is Rick Bayless trained, so you are getting Topolobampo-quality moles for a fraction of the price. If you are willing to venture a little further north to Lincoln Square, Bistro Campagne and Tallulah are excellent options (although maybe a little too fancy for post-game).
Visiting Chicago in the Fall- River North- looking for advice!
1. Another vote for Yolk. If you want to venture up to the Lakeview neighborhood, Hearty Boys has the very best brunch of all time, IMO (Sundays only though)
2. Buddy Guy's or Green Mill (Uptown) for live music. Otherwise, you might want to check out the House of Blues schedule, or, if you're into country music, the upcoming acts at Joe's Bar (a large sports bar that features country acts on Fridays - everything from Miranda Lambert to Keith Urban and Brad Paisley).
3. Goose Island is the obvious choice, but for great beer and great pizza, I'd head over to Piece in Bucktown for lunch one day. You can get little tasting sized samples of their in-house brewed, award winning beers for I think $1-2, or big beers for $5-7.
4. Navy Pier, meh. I doubt you will spend an entire day there. There isn't much to see beyond the ferris wheel and taking a leisurely stroll down the pier. I wouldn't waste a meal on NP!
A Tavola
Absolutely. The crowd is a little older and more refined. For dress, I would go more sophisticated than trendy, if that makes sense (the girl will probably understand what I am talking about!)
A Tavola
It is EXCELLENT. Very romantic, intimate, perfect for an anniversary. Enjoy! Get the gnocchi, for sure.
