Going to Chicago in May and wonder - considering how bountiful LA/SoCal are with exceptionally delicious and diverse food, what have y’all eaten there that was uniquely more delicious than the analogue here? We’re lacking on Greek and Polish compared to Chicago, so definitely looking into those. What else must I not miss?
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What’s your price cap on meals? IMO there are a lot of choices, and also many worthy high end options.
Gonna have:
- 1 birthday dinner ($150/p max)
- 1 breakfast ($30/p max)
- 1 lunch ($30/p max)
- 1 dinner ($70/p max)
Consider Elske and Asador Bastian for your big dinner. Both are uncommon styles in LA, new Nordic and Basque from northern Spain. Fire by Grant Achatz would also work at $115, but there are a lot of wood fired restaurants in LA. Depends if you want to go to one by a 3* chef 
Personally I would go to Elske, for my tastes, and stretch my budget to do the set menu + juice pairing. You can land under your budget if you order a la carte though.
For your other dinner, the more casual side of the high end places might be fun. After is a cocktail bar with food attached to 2* Ever. Loyalist is a pub under 3* Smyth, the burger is well known and their other food is deceptively complex and worth getting. Publican and Purple Pig are some iconic new school Chicago restaurants. Meat-centric, but not classic Chicago steakhouses.
Breakfast, if you are an early riser and don’t mind waiting in line, try Kasama for their Filipino brunch and pastries. No reservations though, and they are very popular.
Lunch Publican and Purple Pig are both lunch options too. I’d add Au Cheval. But consider classic options like deep dish pizza, bar pies, Chicago dogs, Italian beef sandwiches. Honestly Portillo’s may be a chain, but is a respectable option if you want a Chicago dog and Italian beef. Otherwise, maybe Al’s for Italian beef unless you want to start going farther afield.
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For street food this guy is great, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLljeN9d2CdimnOg1qhZTBf8LEa74Tn0NH
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Thanks for all this! Awesome list. Asador Bastian looks incredible and unlike anything here. As for pizza - what are your deep dish recommendations? RIP to Blackbird on Melrose…
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Seconded this. I just got back from there and Elske was a great meal. Also recommend warlord for this price range
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+1 Warlord, I haven’t been, but heard great things.
Deep dish, I’m not expert on. Pequod’s is good. Closer to the downtown core my wife’s family always goes to Pizzeria Due.
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Pequods is probably the best one to try imo (as someone not from Chicago). But I would definitely recommend getting some tavern style. There is a new spot called Pizz’amici which had a great pie, cool staff. All I got was the pie as I was headed to Smyth right after, but their salads and smaller plates also looked good. Vito & Nicks does it the best, but it’s a pain to travel to from the city
Having been to many of the upper scale places (except steakhouses) out there, Warlord is really the one that hits all the right notes for me. Legit hearth, cocktails, and dry aged program. A constantly changing menu, save the burger which imo is one of the best in the city (without taking into account price points), and kitchen open until 1 am. Can be a tough seat during busy hours since no reservations, but Sunday/mondays seem to work fairly easily. They also just began a tasting menu concept at the counter which I am stoked to try.
Will be out there in may for the restaurant convention if any other FTCers want to grab a bite or drink!
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I don’t know of anyplace in LA similar to Gibson’s.
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It got some bad reviews to start but I think the best restaurant in Chicago is Feld. Hyperseasonal no showiness delicious food. Only 195pp as well. I also really love Elske, and had a fun meal at Indienne.
For the mainstays Oriole is a great fine dining meal. Asador Bastian is great too.
Otherwise - I love a burger at Red Hot Ranch with some fried shrimp….
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Oh, and tavern style pizza at Pizzamici right now is BANGING
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Dove’s Luncheonette for their chicken fried steak
Tempesta Market for house made italian deli style meats
Superkhana International
Akahoshi ramen - prob better than any ramen compared to LA’s disappointing ramen scene.
Virtue for modern Southern food, its basically what Alta here in LA strives to be.
There’s also a Puerto Rican food scene
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Love to see some Feld love! It’s my buddy’s spot, and I really really enjoyed my visit in august. Can’t wait to get back.
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Nice!! I’m going again in late march. Stoked
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I’ve been to Chicago over a dozen times, potentially two dozen (lost count honestly). You gotta do brunch at Kasama and if you have a car, get the combo Italian beef with an Italian lemon ice at Johnnie’s Beef. Au Cheval is really fun for the vibes and the food is great too.
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The burger at Au Cheval is (to quote Mr. Bueller)… so choice.
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