With Chicago’s massive and ever-growing craft beer scene, it only makes sense to incorporate some of the brews into your meals. While it’s always preferred to have a beer with dinner, cooking with beer can elevate the meal so much as well. Chances are you already have...
When I lived near the intersection of Armitage and California a few years ago, the food options were fairly limited and imbalanced. You could have a high-end foodie meal at Table, Donkey and Stick or grab a hot dog at the Tastee Freez. All of that has changed...
When we last visited Kizuki Ramen at the end of winter, it was their first night of service. Though Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya is a chain spanning from Japan to the Pacific Northwest, they were breaking in a new staff, trying to get the whole menu together, and...
Chicago has been taken over by a fever for Japanese ramen noodles. Within walking distance from my apartment alone, I can think of four places I could go for noodles. Jakarta, Indonesia-based Imperial Lamian, a restaurant group with more than 20 locations, picked...
Juicing is a great and easy way to obtain your daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Avoid the shops that load their drinks with sugar – the best juice bar Chicago offers can be found at any one of these locations. Juice Bar Chicago Guide: Vegetarian Express – $...
The West Town area over the past couple years has truly become a hip place to hang out thanks to trendy shops and boutiques and great restaurants. The latter includes Unite Urban Grill, a sleek and chill neighborhood steakhouse concept. I was invited to stop on by the...
Located in Lakeview’s Southport Corridor, Southport & Irving (SIP) is a classy yet relaxed cocktail bar and restaurant taking inspiration from the days of speakeasies and jazz clubs giving it the feeling it’s been around since the days of Capone and Machine Gun...
Caffè RoM is an Italian-style coffee shop with three locations in downtown Chicago: Prudential Plaza, the Hyatt Center, and River East. They specialize in Fair Trade coffee creations, gourmet Panini sandwiches, and freshly made gelato. The River East location is the...
The last time I was at the Stretch, I was in pursuit of their award-winning Cortland Street Burger and walked away with a very happy stomach. I made a return trip to the Wrigleyville sports bar and grille to sample their new spring menu—launching March 12—created by...
Chicago is known for its famous pizza creations; because of this there are extensive amounts of options. There really is no time to give to eating bad pizza when there are some many taste bud exploding options out there! Follow this list and you will experience some...
Chicago has no shortage of breakfast and brunch options. Stumble out bleary-eyed on a Sunday morning and even the grease bucket on the corner is probably offering some fried egg hotdog nightmare’there are so many places to grab brunch that it’s easy to...
Perhaps one of the only things that competes with ice cream on a hot summer day is a large glass, or pitcher, of margaritas! For exquisite margaritas Chicago offers a great variety of quality options. Best Margaritas Chicago Provides: Las Palmas – Mexican / Latin...
Chinese restaurants are gems hidden in plain view. Every once in awhile I get a craving so hard that I must go find some fluffy steamed rice, chicken, and soy sauce. When that utter desire hits you next, and only Chinese food can suppress the feeling, these ten...
It’s noon and time for lunch. You’ve really got a craving for Antique Taco, but there’s definitely not enough time to go to Wicker Park and back on your meager lunch break. I guess you’ll have to settle for Taco Bell again… If this is the sad existence you’ve led as a...
The holidays are meant to bring everyone together– but not everyone fancies meeting in the kitchen. There are many choices for Christmas restaurants around Chicago, along with Christmas Eve choices. There is a chance that your favorite venue may be open, but here are...
Chop Steakhouse is the First Restaurant at the South Loop’s Roosevelt Collection •Chop Steakhouse Opened July 15, 2015• The Roosevelt Collection is a combination of newer high-end apartments in the South Loop, along with a large shopping area. Despite the gorgeous...
In 1975, following two years of success running a Loop luncheonette, Alex Dana took over a Little Italy Men’s Supper Club, reopening as Bocciola della Rosa. Soon rechristened in English as Rosebud, the restaurant became incredibly popular with locals, visiting...
Chicago is known for many things: towering skyscrapers, gorgeous lakefront, Al Capone, sometimes questionable politicians, and of course, food. Chicago offers some of the best eats in the country, especially when it comes to pizza. There s no other place in the world...
If you live in the city and love Japanese and Korean food, you may consider visiting the northwest suburbs. Many Japanese and Korean companies have made Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates their North American Headquarters. As a result, neighboring suburbs have a large...
Flagship, to many, may seem like just another typical sports bar. Upon first glance, I wouldn’t argue with you. However, being that sports games were flooding the copious amount of screens throughout the venue and my table didn’t pay attention to any of them one bit–...
Up a secretive set of stairs at Little Goat, the casual sibling restaurant of Girl & the Goat, lies a gorgeous private dining space featuring a sleek, modern kitchen, a homey and bright dining area, accompanied by a rooftop area with a gorgeous view of the...
Our recent list of the best Chicago burgers was not without its share of controversy. After its publication, I was told I had to go over immediately to Cochon Volant and try their Le Cheeseburger Royale. Translated as “Flying Pig,” Cochon Volant recently opened in the...
Airports can sometimes feel more like a prison than a gateway to the world. Time spent between flights should be well used rather than abused. This list compiles some of the best O’Hare restaurants to spend your time, indulge in some food, and refresh with a drink....
Division Street in Wicker Park is rich in bar food, but if you just want a quick bite on your way home from work your options are pretty limited and pretty greasy. Thankfully, there’s MAK: Modern Asian Kitchen. MAK is a fast casual, counter-service restaurant...
Italian food is easily the most popular style for Chicago restaurants. With so many different options, it can be hard to choose. You’ll find everything from restaurants with modern, cutting-edge d’cor to small, quiet discoveries that feel straight out of...
Eating breakfast pizza in Chicago does not have to mean cold deep dish from the night before or even ordering a deep dish before noon. Eating pizza for breakfast means that you’ll be taking in a deliciousness of ingredients that are reminiscent of a hearty,...
Ravenswood’s Artango serves authentic South American cuisine, but it’s also a dance studio and something of an avant-garde art gallery– all packed in a hundred-year-old former factory. That certainly makes Artango one of the most unique dining experiences in the city....
Chicago’s northwest side is rich in heritage and loaded with flavor. Many Jefferson Park restaurants embrace the Polish side of the community, but you can find quality cuisine from all nationalities in the area. With a true neighborhood feel, many of these restaurants...
Have you ever wanted to go out and watch the game without having to eat the same old sports bar food? Sports bars are a dime a dozen in Chicago, but the Commonwealth Tavern (2000 Roscoe Street in Roscoe Village) stands out from the pack by merging your favorite bar...
The lifestyle choice of eating vegan is not always the easiest to commit to, especially if you find yourself eating out a lot. Fortunately, Chicago is a very vegan-promoting city, even amidst the sidewalk vendors and pizza parlors. There is an extensive list of...
Chicagoans love brunch so much that more and more restaurants decide to get into the brunch game. However, the results can often be kind of surreal when you wind up at the local dive that’s trying their hardest to deliver an extravagant Lobster Eggs Benedict in the...
Spending an evening dining out is an enjoyable way to pass the time – especially when in good company. On top of food prices, alcohol can quickly make the bill escalate. Fortunately there are numerous BYOB Chicago restaurants to choose from. Being able to indulge in...
Good ole’ Southern cooking has blessed our palates with many unique and favorite dishes? but one of the very most cherished dishes is the simple Chicken and Waffles combination. There is just something about the soft, yet crunchy experience of a waffle matched up with...
I most certainly would not consider myself to be a master when it comes to grilling– but I do know a thing or two about cooking in the kitchen. This easily translates to cooking on the grill. Essentially everything that you can fry or bake can also be grilled– even...
Whenever I find myself in Naperville, Jackson Avenue Pub seems to be my go to spot (followed by Quigley’s Irish Pub). The atmosphere is pretty low-key and their food is spot on– especially if you have burgers on your mind. Atmosphere The interior of Jackson Avenue Pub...
Holidays in the city are nothing short of pure entertainment’ that of course includes a Chicago 4th of July weekend! Celebrate this grand country’s independence at any (or all) of these locations around Chicago. Whether you are looking to eat and drink inside or...
Pho is somewhat of a miracle in a bowl. It has this way of bringing comfort into your life when you didn’t even know that you needed to be comforted. If you happen to find yourself sick or a little hungover, Pho can speed up the healing process. Whether you are...
Wings are a sacred meal. They are messy, delicious, mainly eaten with friends and beer, and taste even better when sports are streaming across the screen. If you are going to support your favorite teams, then also support your tastebuds by letting them indulge in the...
An egg sandwich at brunch can be a wonderful thing; however, when you’re in the rush before work it always seems like your only option is to run into McDonalds or Starbucks. Eastman Egg Company is out to change that. They started with the idea that you can get an...
The idea of going to a Wrigleyville bar could either be the greatest or worst thing every depending on who you are. If that is your scene, there’s certainly no shortage of places to choose from to watch the game, grab some lunch, or have a boozy weekend. Located just...
The red Weber Grill has been a staple of American backyards since the 1950s, but you may not be aware that the iconic kettle was born right here in Chicago. In 1952, George Stephen Sr. was a part-owner of the Weber Metal Works in Chicago crafting marine buoys....
Since opening in March 2014, Ukrainian Village’s Leghorn Chicken has become a favorite of hipsters, neighborhood residents, and Chicago’s fried chicken enthusiasts. They boldly positioned themselves as the anti-Chik-fil-A with Sunday hours, branded condoms, and...
There are a lot of secrets in the dining world, but one of the most well-kept secrets are culinary school restaurants. Since Chicago is a big dining town, there are many. If you are looking to have a Chicago fine dining experience on a budget, these places would fit...
With our lives seamlessly integrating with technology, it comes to no surprise that there are apps tailored to all forms of lifestyles. With Chicago being so diverse, certain apps can give you valuable insight into the city. 312Go 312Go is your no-strings-attached...
I almost put the claim in the title as ” Boiler Room Chicago’s Best Dinner Deal ” but that would be a hard claim to fully backup. However, even with Chicago being so expansive and the food scene constantly exploding– Boiler Room remains as one of the best bangs for...
The search for the best chicken wing is a never ending journey for wing connoisseurs. Once you think, for that brief second, that you have found the best wings and your appetite is suddenly satisfied in each and every way you are wrong. With the sudden realization...
Chicago has a vibrant food scene with new restaurants and concepts constantly popping up. But how do you continue to stay relevant when your restaurant has been around for nearly a decade? Case in point: the Fifty/50. The sports bar was one of the first of its kind on...
The Roscoe Village Burger Fest is just one more reason to love summer in Chicago. Not only does it give you a reason to hangout in this eclectic neighborhood– but you are able to indulge in some of the best burgers in town prepared by some of the best restaurants in...
Forno Rosso owner, Nick Nitti spent a large part of his childhood in Italy where he fell in love with the simplistic pizza in Naples. That led him to attend culinary school in Italy, study Neapolitan pizza in Naples, and open Forno Rosso back near his home in...
When you think about Chicago food, it s typical for the mind to conjure images of deep-dish (and thin crust) pizzas, hotdogs, and all ranges of Italian fare probably not barbeque. But believe it or not Chicago is knee-deep in a full out Barbeque renaissance these...
