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...
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....
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...
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...
While America may have exported the bulk of its manufacturing jobs overseas, more and more restaurants are adopting the assembly line model such as Chipotle. One of the more recent additions is Mixed Greens, fast food restaurant focusing on organic and healthy salads,...
It seems like, more often than not, when I go out for the night with a group, we end up starting dinner with a heaping plate of nachos. They really are the perfect way to feed a small army if you aren’t counting your calories. That is why we set out to find the best...
The General, in Logan Square, is a hot spot for craft beer and satisfying food. Their focus is on soul food and artisan tacos– which is a mighty fine combination if you ask me. Their daily special is really one of the best in Chicago. For $8ºº you can have yourself...
America’s love affair with bacon runs strong. Bacon doesn’t necessarily need to be the main ingredient for it to shine though. Taking old recipes and revamping them with bacon additions can really add new light. One of these suggestions only has two ingredients!...
Mondays seem to be one of the most hated things that have ever existed. Rather than despised, they should be celebrated. Set the mood for the rest of the work week by going out and enjoying these Monday specials Chicago provides to its good patrons. From here on out...
Chicago is known for its incredible food, but that recognition doesn’t just come from the Windy City’s many fine dining establishments. In fact, some of Chicago’s most memorable food can be found at locally owned and operated hot dog stands. For the perfect lunch or...
Earlier this summer, the Chicago Traveler visited CHOP just before it opened to serve shoppers and residents of the Roosevelt Collection. This time around we visited CHOP owner Jovanis Bouargoub’s original restaurant concept: Porkchop. Porkchop serves a variety of...
There is just something about dining at the food trucks in Chicago that makes this sidewalk dining experience so enjoyable. Maybe it’s a sense of rebellion against sit-down restaurants, maybe it’s quality fast-food service, maybe it’s taking advantage of the...
Going out to eat should be an experience, something that you can make a night of. Small plates of gourmet dishes eaten amongst friends is the perfect reason to check out these tapas Chicago venues. Tapas Valencia Tapas Valencia is an award winning Spanish tapas venue...
The most fitting way to enjoy summer is to spend as much time as possible outside. These riverside restaurants make it easy to enjoy a variety of cuisine and a multitude of beverages. Whether you are on your lunch break, scouring for happy hour specials, have a hot...
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...
I found myself in Naperville on perhaps the most sacred day of the week– Taco Tuesday. With no lunch plans, my own two feet for transportation, a craving for tacos and wide eyes– I spotted the On The Border Naperville location just down the road. This Tex-Mex...
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...
Open since 2012, Municipal Bar + Dining Co is a sports bar and restaurant located in Chicago’s River North, not far from Merchandise Mart. While the area already has its share of sports bars, Municipal is a bit more upscale than its rivals, quite spacious, and does...
Taylor Street is well known as the Chicago Little Italy (also University Village); however, over the years it has expanded from only having Italian influence. Fortunately, in the midst of barbecue and Mexican restaurants, some of the best Italian restaurants in...
Farmers Market season is taking full swing. Produce is growing nicely and the sun is making its appearance more often to give you that much needed dosage of vitamin D and happiness. These markets provide you with a great alternative to supermarket shopping and their...
Going out for a night on the town is what most people look forward to all week. The only thing better than that is a night out above the town! Chicago’s summer weather should be enjoyed to the fullest while it is around. Outdoor seating with a skyline view can really...
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...
Deli and sub sandwich fans are intensely passionate, even to the point where there are fierce rivalries around massive chains like Subway and Jimmy John’s. New York Delicatessen owner Isaac Work was once such a fan, driving regularly from Bridgeport to the...
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,...
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...
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...
As I approached Tradition, I thought to myself ‘oh no, not another sports bar.’ Not that there’s anything wrong about sports bars, but they can be very similar: sports memorabilia, dozens of flat screens, and pretty good burgers. Fortunately,...
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...
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...
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 Spirit of Italy is a group of Italian liquor producers made up of Amaro Lucano, Cocchi, Luxardo, Distillerie Moccia, Distilleria Nardini, Pallini, Toschi and Distilleria Varnelli. They feature a diverse selection of high quality Italian liquors, some of which have...
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 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...
This strip of North Avenue Chicago, between Oak Park Avenue and Thatcher Avenue, is a vibrant strip of fantastic dining. Lined with some of area’s best restaurants– the dining scene in this part of Chicago and the Western Suburbs is diverse as well as delicious....
Marion Street Market, located at 100 South Marion St., has been a culinary staple in the Oak Park community since 2008. The restaurant closed on New Year’s Day and reopened today, March 7, boasting a new social atmosphere with tasting tables, grab-and-go items and...
Chicago has an explosive craft brewery scene and an upcoming distillery scene, but we must not forget to reap the fruit of our labor – wine. The wine bar Chicago scene provides great venues to enjoy intimate conversations and indulge in some exquisite food options...
Chicago is a city known for its culinary diversity, but trying to experience it all can be overwhelming and expensive. Food tours offer a great way to experience the city, and there are a lot of them available throughout our great city. Guided tours will take you...
Typically, when you want to indulge in some tasty food trucks you have to run all over Chicago. It’s like a giant scavenger hunt. Truckin’ Around has changed that. No more must you run amuck through the street looking for that late night treat. Actually, that is a...
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...
A few years ago, most Chicagoans probably thought of ramen as the cheap microwave noodles they ate in college, but now the city is obsessed with the Japanese noodle-soup dish. The latest contender for best ramen bowl in the city is Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya in...
Known for some of the finest establishments when it comes to dining out, Chicago is one of the best restaurant cities in the world. Some may say Chicago’s claim to fame is the deep-dish pizza, but make no mistake, when it comes to steak, the Windy City knows how...
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...
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...
It’s clear with a name like “Coconutz” the owner’s of the Gold Coast’s newest bar don’t take themselves too seriously. Taking influences from traditional Tiki Bars, which has made a major comeback in recent years– and the Caribbean, Coconutz promises fun and the...
These Chicago food challenges are pretty intense. They evoke the feelings of excitement, jealousy, anxiousness, confidence, doubt, competitiveness. There is something uniquely satisfying about being able to finish a dish that was created with the notion in mind that...
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...
While fun in concept, build-your-own burger places like Meatheads or Five Guys have always left me feeling a little let down. Either the toppings are good but the meat hovers around McDonald’s quality, or the toppings are pretty basic. Lincoln Park’s Butcher &...
This is a city of fierce competition. For a Chicago new restaurant to stand out above other new venues, as well as match or surpass well-established names, is a feat of its own. There were many openings last year, but these 15 restaurants have broken through the mold...
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...
Some of Chicago’s best food can be found in ‘ma & pa’ restaurants and even on the sidewalk. To make your evening of dining out a true experience, a magnificent view of Chicago’s skyline is almost a must. These Chicago restaurants should be on everyone’s...
