Chicago Trip

I am meeting 6 friends for a weekend in Chicago soon. They're all from Houston, and most have never been there before.

Any specific recommendations of things to do or restaurants to go to? We plan to get a "Chicago Go" card and do some of those attractions, as well as having tickets for Wicked Friday night.

One thing they're really interested in is Chicago-style pizza. I've been to one, but am drawing a blank as to which one. Suggestions?

Thanks. (yes, I have guidebooks, but it's always nice to hear from real, live people.)

We always stop at a Giordano's for pizza. There are several around town.

They have a stuffed pizza with spinach, garlic and enough cheeses to wipe out Wisconsin. It's freaking heart-clogger.

What cool is you can get a half-baked. You take it home and finish off the baking. It's like a fresh from the restaurant pie. They may even dry-ice it for travel.

Speaking of Chicago-style pizza, I've often wondered if, oh I don't know, a place like Denver or Las Vegas has any of the "East of Chicago" pizza joints...

wait for it...

Wouldn't they be called "WEST of Chicago"???

(sorry, it's been a long week...)

http://www.chicagopizzaandovengrinder.com/

^ That place is slammin. Sooooooo good.

"Baby dont you wanna go
Back to that same old place
Oh sweet home Chicago"

Of the very few "big" cities I've been to.. Chicago is by far my favorite.

Gino's is a great deep dish place, I try to get there whenever we go, but it comes in second to Maggiano's on my list of favorite restaurants (http://www.maggianos.com/locations/detail.asp?unit_id=001.025.0047). There is a Bubba Gumps Shrimp Company (yes.. a restaurant fashioned after Forrest Gump) on Navy Pier, and if their food is anything like the one in Maui, get the ribs, they are spectacular, best I've ever had hands down.

The Magnificent Mile is great for shopping shopping and more shopping. Depending on where you stay (most hotels downtown are on the mile or just off it) you can walk it all day. The Aquarium and Field Museum are pretty cool too, plus there is always the Sears Tower. Just kinda neat to go up there and see the city, especially on a clear day.

If there is a cubs game, try and find tickets and go (though I doubt you'll be able to at this point). Bleacher seats, Wrigley, Old Style... great combo... and I don't even like the Cubs, or baseball for that matter.

Talk to the doormen at your hotel, they'll give you great suggestions on where to go.

When are you going?

We are heading up May 10th to see Crowded House in concert at the VIC Theatre.

I doubt you'll be able to find tickets to a weekend Cubs game. They're pretty hard to come by unless you get them from Ebay well in advance or if you want to buy them from a scalper, which I don't recommend because scalpers suck nuts.

We leave next weekend. Both the Cubs and the Sox are out of town -- I checked a while back.

Giardano's or Gino's East are the two major pizza players.

http://www.centerstage.net & http://chicago.metromix.com/ are both good websites for looking up stuff. I've seen most of the touristy crap, so I like to hit up the neighborhoods. Greektown, Wicker Park, Belmont, etc...

Glad you had a good time. I'm going to check out the GO card myself for this summer. http://www.gochicagocard.com/

Also, if you don't mind busses and the EL (especially if you're doing a lot of neighborhood hopping, the CTA has $5 daily passes you can get. Unlimited rides on the busses and EL trains for 24 hours. http://www.transitchicago.com/maps/fares.html#e

We took the El once just for the "experience" (I have ridden it before.) And we took the bus to Navy Pier -- best way to get there and it was cheap.

Oliver's Army wrote:When are you going?

We are heading up May 10th to see Crowded House in concert at the VIC Theatre.

Hey, OA, how was your trip?

Aggie Transplant wrote:

Oliver's Army wrote:When are you going?

We are heading up May 10th to see Crowded House in concert at the VIC Theatre.

Hey, OA, how was your trip?

Great.
We went with another fun couple so the trip went fast.
The Amalfi Hotel is a cool place and we got a killer deal on our rooms online
We ate some lunch with beers at Harry Carey's which was right across the street from our hotel.
The VIC is an awesome theatre to see a band.
Crowded House sounded amazing and not at all like a struggling has-been band.
Stopped into a blues club after to listen to come *real* Chicago blues and proceeded to eat and drink way too much.
Slept in late and had a huge free breakfast
It was cold and rainy the whole drive home.