The Chicago Traveler

With crazy gas prices and now high sales taxes, Chicagoans and visitors are looking to save money where they can. But don’t let your budget prevent you from going out to enjoy a good meal. Here are eight of the best restaurants (courtesy of Citysearch and Yelp) where you can get a big meal for a small price.

8. Red Apple. This Polish buffet just keeps on going and going and going…
7. Reza’s Restaurant. As if the extensive Mediterranean menu wasn’t enough, the Sunday brunch buffet offers an incredible number of options.
6. Mr. Greek Gyros. Everything from hot dogs to pork …read more

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Your elders probably taught you to clear your plate at dinnertime, not wanting to waste any food. And yet, many restaurants throw out an incredible amount of edible food every day. Mado, a new restaurant in Bucktown, breaks that trend and does its eco-friendly part.
This Italian/Mediterranean eatery with exposed-brick walls is clean, casual, and comfortable. The furnishings are a hodge-podge of recycled materials, including the chalkboard menus and an old, wooden farm table. Mado uses “green” cleaning supplies and serves filtered water, rather than bottled.
However, the kitchen is the area that excels in innovation. Chef Rob Levitt and his wife …read more

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Near the busy intersection of Clark Street and Belmont Avenue, a long line forms on the sidewalk every weekend. The space is small and the wait can be long, but devoted patrons don’t let that stop them from lining up in front of one eclectic restaurant every week. Inside, the exposed brick and high ceilings, normally highlights in any other eatery, are downplayed by the obvious theme. Orange walls, orange pillows, an orange tree… It should be no surprise I’m talking about a restaurant called Orange.
This dedication to citrus offers delicious juices of all kinds of combinations, freshly squeezed to …read more

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Tre Kronor (“Three Crowns”) is a neighborhood Scandinavian place that has been around for 15 years, and the well-worn hardwood floors are testament to all the business the cozy restaurant has received over that time. The crowd usually consists of families, locals from the neighboring North Park, and Scandinavian foodies. On weekends, the two-story restaurant has a line out the door, the handwritten menu attracting hungry patrons who show up before the door even opens.
There’s not much here that you wouldn’t find at similar restaurants, but it’s all in the preparation. You’d swear that your long-lost Swedish grandmother was back …read more

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If you’re familiar with the cartoon dog Scooby-Doo, then you know that he likes his sandwiches piled sky-high with more ingredients than two pieces of bread could ever actually handle. At Manny’s Coffee Shop & Deli, the sandwiches aren’t too far from those animated towers of meat and cheese, and they’ll satisfy even the heartiest of appetites.
This cafeteria-style diner in the South Loop is the palace of pastrami, serving a mixed clientele of white-collar executives, blue-collar workforce, and elderly regulars from the neighborhood. On your first visit, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the wall full of daily specials. Manny’s …read more

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This season of the Bravo Network’s Top Chef was filmed here in Chicago, exposing competing chefs from all over the country to all the culinary treats the Windy City has to offer.
During the last Quickfire Challenge, the competitors took turns working a short-order line at the egg station of Lou Mitchell’s during the incredibly busy breakfast hours. Eggs can be tricky enough to cook well, but the chefs also had to deal with a small cooking space, keep track of multiple orders, and interpret the foreign diner lingo.
Lou Mitchell’s has been well-known for its breakfasts for the past 80 years. …read more

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When you go out for a cup of coffee, you want to be comfortable, right? But too many coffee places expect you to sit on an itty bitty chair at an itty bitty table with no space to relax. Fortunately, that’s not the case with Intelligentsia Coffee.
This Lakeview coffee shop (around the corner from Cupcakes) is full of big plush couches and chairs as well as big wooden tables that you and all your friends can gather around. Low-key music, soft-colored walls, and an exposed ceiling contribute to the soothing atmosphere. Grab a stool at the front windows or even …read more

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Right in the middle of Greektown, Mr. Greek Gyros is open 24 hours, and it’s a good thing too because most of its clientele stops by after a night out on the town. Whether your cravings come at 2 p.m. or 2 a.m., this little restaurant makes up for its bare atmosphere with great cooked-to-order food.
The menu is massive, running the gamut from hot dogs and tacos to pork chops and chicken wings. But this is “Mr. Greek,” so focus on the Mediterranean specialties. Although a few people swear by the pizza puff here, the gyros are where it’s at, …read more

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The Italian Beef is a simple sandwich that is unique to Chicago, and there are several places in the city to find this great dish. Of course, just as is the case with pizza and hot dogs, Chicagoans can debate for hours on who has the best. I’ve tried to be as fair as possible with this ranking order, but I’m sure there will still be contention. Be sure to leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail, and let me know what you think!

8. Roma’s Italian Beef & Sausage. For decades, generations of loyal customers have been enjoying this …read more

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The namesake reigns supreme at the small but popular Tony’s Italian Beef. Since 1975, this quick stop has been serving huge portions of food for cheap. Long lines can be found virtually any time of day, as customers come for the breakfast subs in the morning to the burgers and hot dogs in the afternoons and evenings. Indecisive types may want to go straight for the Italian beef; otherwise, they may find themselves overwhelmed by the massive menu of available dishes, including breaded steak sandwiches and “Chickalinis” (breaded chicken breast deep-fried and smothered with tomato sauce and cheese). Whatever you …read more

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