Going to Chicago in April. What to see/do/eat?

[albionmoonlight]

My work is planning an in person training in Chicago in April. On the assumption that we will be between the Omicron and Sigma variants at that time, I have signed up for it.

The hotel is in the Millennium Park area--though I'm happy to Uber or take transit places. I'll be going up a couple of days early with Mrs. A to just enjoy the area.

So, what are the must see/must do/must eat things in Chicago? And, of course, who has the best Chicago pizza?

[Poli]

Listening. I was stationed in Great Lakes IL for years...I'm finally going to take my family there in June. Outside of that neck of the woods, I rarely ventured into Chicago.

I'm thinking we might do a paid tour of Chicago for one of the days.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

And, of course, who has the best Chicago pizza?

Tell me, albionmoonlight, when was it that you decided to start a holy war?

[QuikSand]

Honestly, the cliche Chicago things to do are all pretty worthy, in my opinion. The Field Museum is really good, the Adler Planetarium is really good, Grant Park is high end especially when there are events going on. The smart touristy play is a boat-based architectural tour that I have never done myself, but have been assured delivers if you're into that sort of thing.

I had every expectation that I'd one day live in Chicago, but life threw me a curve and I never made it back to the midwest.

[flere-imsaho]

I actually don't have a strong opinion on Chicago deep dish pizza, perhaps because a) I'm not from here originally and b) my grandfather, who was from Chicago, cooked (from scratch, including the crust) what is, by far, the best deep dish pizza I have ever tasted.

But I believe the general consensus is that it's either Lou Malnati's, Giordano's, or maybe Uno's. There are certainly other Chicago folks on the board with more detailed opinions than mine.

As far as things to do, one of the standard recommendations is an architecture tour. The boat ones might still be a little cold in April.

The museum campus around Soldier Field has the Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium. The Museum of Science & Industry is a bus ride south. Depending where you're from and what's available there these all might have differing levels of appeal. For instance, the Adler is fine, no better or worse than many other planetariums I've been to. The Shedd is also fine, but doesn't really hold a candle to aquariums located on the coasts. The Field is a great natural history museum, but you need to be into that to really enjoy it. I, personally, think the MSI is the best example of its type in the United States (be sure to visit the submarine, which is kinda hidden, to be honest).

If you're looking for fun places to eat, peruse the restaurant reviews in the Chicago Reader for ideas. Just make sure they're not too out of date. The Reader is, IMO, the best source by far for objective takes on Chicago restaurants. There are a ton of good restaurants, from every cuisine. My favorite, by far, is North Pond, but it's pretty spendy and pretty foodie so may or may not fit the crew you're with. Rick Bayliss' Frontera Grill is always good. We have loved Sayat Nova, off Michigan Avenue, for ages, if you're into that kind of cuisine. The Berghoff is still open, and is still an age-old Chicago experience, and is also not far from Millenium Park.

Good music is everywhere. Again, check the Reader. One of the authentic experiences, however, remains the Green Mill, way on the northside (cab it - don't bother with the Red Line)


If you're staying near Millenium Park, you're basically next to The Loop, which is bordered by the Chicago River to the North & West, and, let's say Roosevelt to the South. It's still pretty 9-5 businessy, with stuff closing in the evening, but of course it's still the area with the Museum Campus, the Symphony, the Opera, Berghoff, the Museum of Fine Art (also worth it) etc.... Go to Daley Plaza if you want to relive the final scene of The Blues Brothers. Stay away from Michigan Avenue, as that's where all the touristy stuff is. Millenium Park is in itself fun to walk around.

Just north of the Loop is River North (Sayat Nova & Frontera are here), bounded by, let's say, the river to the south, Lake Shore Drive to the east (Navy Pier is there, but, again, it's pretty touristy), Oak to the north and Orleans to the West. Characterized by a lot of high-end shops & restaurants, plus the bar scene at Rush & Division, there are some gems here, but it's best to look them up first instead of just wandering around.

That's just a start, but I hope it helps.

[flere-imsaho]

Oh, standard recommendation for folks who want to see Chicago from the top of a skyscraper is not to do the Sears/Willis Tower. Go to the Hancock, but not the observation deck. Instead, there's a bar on the 95th floor. Drinks a pricey, but you're also paying for the view. Good experience, IMO. Trump Hotel is technically (I think) the 2nd tallest, but I don't believe there's an observation deck and my understanding is that everything there is horrendously overpriced anyway.

[CrimsonFox]

Ignore everything you hear about "Chicago Style Pizza with the sauce on top". It sucks. It is not interesting. Just don't

[CrimsonFox]

I grew up 2 hours from there and the one field trip I remember most was THe Museum of Science and INdustry. Such a fun place

[Poli]

Flere, how much time would I expect to spend generally in the Aquarium or Planetarium? Is that a full day for both or each?

[Poli]

As of right now, I want to spend a day up around the base and a day of the tour of Chicago. I want to factor in the Aquarium, Planetarium, and the Navy Pier, but I'm not sure how much time to plan for those. I still can't believe I never went to the Navy Pier when I lived up there.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Poli

Flere, how much time would I expect to spend generally in the Aquarium or Planetarium? Is that a full day for both or each?

Of course it will depend how much you're into planetariums or aquariums, but a full day for both (they're literally within a 2 minute walk of each other) and I would think you'd hit most everything. The key thing would be identifying what shows you want to see in both, and when those shows are, and then planning your day accordingly.

[flere-imsaho]

You could do the aquarium & planetarium during most of the day and head up to Navy Pier (walkable, IMO, but also probably a 5-minute Uber) for the late afternoon / evening. I probably wouldn't do dinner on Navy Pier, but happily there are a bunch of great restaurants directly west of it (to Michigan Ave) including Sayat Nova linked above.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

I actually don't have a strong opinion on Chicago deep dish pizza, perhaps because a) I'm not from here originally and b) my grandfather, who was from Chicago, cooked (from scratch, including the crust) what is, by far, the best deep dish pizza I have ever tasted.

But I believe the general consensus is that it's either Lou Malnati's, Giordano's, or maybe Uno's. There are certainly other Chicago folks on the board with more detailed opinions than mine.

I think you'd also want to put Gino's East on that and you'd have "the big four" covered. My preference is Lou's > Gino's > Uno's > Giordano's but I think you're ok with any of the 4. The ones downtown are fun like the original Gino's East or Uno/Due, but they're going to be crowded. Caveat: I haven't been up to visit family since the pandemic started so I can't tell you what accommodations are being made or how they look now.

Personally, you could do a lot worse than just getting a large Lou's Chicago Classic at a number of suburban ones. We often get ours at Schaumburg or Elk Grove on our way from O'Hare to Rockford and call it a day. It's not upscale and you're not getting the "experience" you would downtown. But you'll see it the way most locals do - eating at a neighborhood restaurant after a game or graduation or whatever.

I know most people are pepperoni pizza people - I know I am. But, in this case, get the sausage - it's Chicago and it's what they do. Also, don't go to like some of the trendy "we make artsy pizza" places - you're in Chicago, you came to Chicago to try deep dish pizza, so do it right.

Finally, be aware that good deep dish pizza takes time - usually about 45 minutes to cook. We usually call when we get our rental car squared away so it's already been in the oven for a while when we get there (it's still amusing to me that they have never purged my number from the system despite me putting it in when we lived in Indy over a decade ago and us getting pizza once or twice a year at most). So, just don't expect to roll up and have it cooked quickly. Either order ahead, plan around being there an hour or more, or get delivery/takeout (of course, it will still take a long time to cook but you can do other stuff while you wait).

SI

[flere-imsaho]

Agreed 100% on all of that from si, sorry I forgot about Gino's! And definitely ++ on the sausage part. You're in Chicago, indulge in the meats.

[flere-imsaho]

Of course, if we want a second holy war in this thread, we could argue about what the best steak house is.

Anyway, it's Gibson's. Bavette's is pretty good too.

Here's a comprehensive list of the best eateries: Food & Drink poll winners - Chicago Reader

Damnit, now I'm hungry.

[sterlingice]

I thought I was pretty diplomatic about the pizza thing - no holy wars here . Also, I'm not educated enough about the steak houses. Was going to tackle the tourist thing next but maybe not until this weekend

SI

[RainMaker]

Fun fact, Chicagoans don't eat as much deep-dish pizza as people think. We mostly eat tavern-style pizza and deep dish is more of a special occasion type thing. Tavern style is a crispy thin crust with a little softness inside. Toppings are a HUGE deal in Chicago. A lot of places make their own sausage for instance.

Deep-Dish: Lou Malnatis and Giordanos are the big chains here. They're fine, bit geared toward tourists and suburbanites. But nothing wrong with them. If you want to really dig in, try Art of Pizza or Pequods.

Tavern Style: Art of Pizza again, Aurelios, Michaels, Rosangelas, and Johns. Honestly, if the place has been standing for more than a deacde, they probably make good tavern style pizza.

Non-pizza: Portillos can't be beat for an Italian Beef and Chocolate Cake milkshake. You'll be near the Billy Goat Tavern which is where the infamous SNL skit originated from.

As for what to do, there is so much. If we get baseball, I'd highly recommend checking out Wrigley.

If not, the lake is filled with parks that have stuff going on all the time. Then you have all the museums along a stretch. Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium can be hit in the same day. Maybe even Adler Planeterium.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I know most people are pepperoni pizza people - I know I am. But, in this case, get the sausage - it's Chicago and it's what they do. Also, don't go to like some of the trendy "we make artsy pizza" places - you're in Chicago, you came to Chicago to try deep dish pizza, so do it right.

This a million times. Lot of pride goes into toppings here and all the good places make their sausage from scratch.

If you're a craft beer drinker, there are so many great brewpubs in town too. Crushed by Giants, Adams Street, and Haymarket should all be near the area you're at. Short walk and you can check out the riverwalk too.

[flere-imsaho]

The riverwalk is definitely worth it. Hard to believe there was nothing like it a few years ago.

[weegeebored]

All good suggestions, but when it comes to food it will be a personal preference thing. There is no BEST pizza or BEST steakhouse. You can't go wrong with any of the places mentioned here but people usually prefer one over another. Try them all. If you go to Gibson's make sure to get the Chocolate Mousse pie for dessert. It's big so you can share it -- and have leftovers. The best steak I ever had was a ribeye at Gene and Georgetti's. Not as well known as some of the other restaurants but my experience was great.

I disagree with the Portillo's suggestion. Very popular, but so is Papa John's. Popular doesn't make it good. It's just ok, imo. If you like Mexican food, try one of the Rick Bayless places -- Frontera Grill or Topolobampo for something more upscale.

Aquarium, planetarium, and museums are all great suggestions.

[RainMaker]

I would only recommend Portillos for the italian beef (which they do great) and the chocolate cake shake which is a Chicago thing. Outside of that, it's a pretty generic burger joint.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

As far as things to do, one of the standard recommendations is an architecture tour. The boat ones might still be a little cold in April.

My wife and I did a Frank Lloyd Wright tour out in the suburbs about a decade ago - probably not worth the drive if you have limited time and you're staying in town but it's there.

The museum campus around Soldier Field has the Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium. The Museum of Science & Industry is a bus ride south. Depending where you're from and what's available there these all might have differing levels of appeal. For instance, the Adler is fine, no better or worse than many other planetariums I've been to. The Shedd is also fine, but doesn't really hold a candle to aquariums located on the coasts. The Field is a great natural history museum, but you need to be into that to really enjoy it. I, personally, think the MSI is the best example of its type in the United States (be sure to visit the submarine, which is kinda hidden, to be honest).

If you're staying near Millenium Park, you're basically next to The Loop, which is bordered by the Chicago River to the North & West, and, let's say Roosevelt to the South. It's still pretty 9-5 businessy, with stuff closing in the evening, but of course it's still the area with the Museum Campus, the Symphony, the Opera, Berghoff, the Museum of Fine Art (also worth it) etc.... Go to Daley Plaza if you want to relive the final scene of The Blues Brothers. Stay away from Michigan Avenue, as that's where all the touristy stuff is. Millenium Park is in itself fun to walk around.

Just north of the Loop is River North (Sayat Nova & Frontera are here), bounded by, let's say, the river to the south, Lake Shore Drive to the east (Navy Pier is there, but, again, it's pretty touristy), Oak to the north and Orleans to the West. Characterized by a lot of high-end shops & restaurants, plus the bar scene at Rush & Division, there are some gems here, but it's best to look them up first instead of just wandering around

If I were picking museums based on how good they were versus their peers:
1. Science and Industry
2. Art Institute of Chicago
3. Field Museum
4. Shedd Aquarium
5. Adler Planetarium

I would try really hard to hit the top 2, Field is also good if you have time, Shedd and Adler are decent add on activities if you're looking to spend a little more time.

If they're playing baseball, of course, Wrigley Field.

I haven't done it in years (ok, haven't done most of this in years), but Hancock or Sears (Willis) Tower observation decks are fun unless you live in NYC or somewhere you can do this often.

I'm not a big shopping person but I like Michigan Avenue and the Magnificent Mile and just meandering around the river on the streets downtown. I like how they're teaming with life. Pretty sure I wouldn't be excited about that right now during a pandemic, though. Also, for tourist shopping, I love the old Marshall Fields building (it's now a Macy's). It's a 9 story tall Macy's and they have stuff you can't get anywhere else like the darn tasty mint chocolate Frango liqueur. That said, I like doing all of this while we're up there at the holidays. It would lose some charm being there any other time of year. Navy Pier is nice in the evening but, iirc, it's kindof empty on weeknights but hopping on weekends. I could be wrong, though. Again, been a while for some of these things.

There are some "interesting" parts of Chicago even in the more touristy places. Like down by Wacker Drive (the split level street you see in movies like The Dark Knight), there are about a half dozen McDonalds and at least 4 close by 7 so it gets lightly trafficked pretty quick. I also had my pocket picked getting onto the El about a decade ago, but I stupidly had it in my back pocket, fell for a guy who was very practiced at it, and knew it was gone as soon as I got on the train and doors were closing. Still was annoying. Just be smart where you're going and when, like any big city.

Is it dumb to say that you should watch Ferris Bueller before going? It is basically a love letter to Chicago and might give you some ideas.

SI

[CrimsonFox]

Stick your mouth out the car window and eat a bug!

[saldana]

Originally Posted by weegeebored

I disagree with the Portillo's suggestion. Very popular, but so is Papa John's. Popular doesn't make it good. It's just ok, imo. If you like Mexican food, try one of the Rick Bayless places -- Frontera Grill or Topolobampo for something more upscale.

seconded...i was significantly under-whelmed by the italian beef, but the Choc. Cake Shake is totally worth the heart attack it causes.

and i prefer Giordanos.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

Stick your mouth out the car window and eat a bug!

You're thinking of Wisconsin.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by flere-imsaho

You're thinking of Wisconsin.

Is it coated in cheese and deep fried?

SI

[flere-imsaho]

Best way to eat bugs. So I've been told.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Honestly, the cliche Chicago things to do are all pretty worthy, in my opinion. The Field Museum is really good, the Adler Planetarium is really good, Grant Park is high end especially when there are events going on. The smart touristy play is a boat-based architectural tour that I have never done myself, but have been assured delivers if you're into that sort of thing.

I had every expectation that I'd one day live in Chicago, but life threw me a curve and I never made it back to the midwest.

Lived in Chicago for five years and took frequent visits back, though haven’t been in a while, so take the recommendations with a grain of salt.

I have done the architectural boat tour and it was fantastic. I’ve heard the walking tour is also excellent, so I would go with either of those.

Museum of Science and Industry is my favorite museum in town, tons of interesting interactive exhibits as well as just interesting information about anything. Last time I was there was almost 12 years ago, we were there about five hours and I still didn’t see everything I wanted to. Try and pick a non-weekend , non-half price day to go if you can (I think there’s a day each week where entrance fee is half, in any case, you would prefer to go at a less busy time if possible).

My restaurant info is going to be too out of date to use. When I was there, I tried a lot of places for deep dish pizza and never found better than Giordano’s. Just be prepared for a super dense pizza. I would strongly vote against Gino’s East (sorry folks), I know most native Chicagoans I know prefer Lou’s (the one time I had their pizza I thought it was ok).

EDIT - If you like Ethiopian food and they’re still around (and you don’t mind traveling a bit north of downtown to Uptown), Ethiopian Diamond is the best I’ve ever had and doesn’t seem to be a well known place.

[albionmoonlight]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I am getting excited.

The bummer news is that Mrs. A can no longer come up with me. Her mom (who lives here) was going to be our babysitter for the weekend, but she had knee surgery and based on how her recovery is going, we didn't want to put her through that (and kind of want to keep Mrs. A close by her in case there is a setback).

I'll still go up a couple days before the conference and be sure to hit S&I, Art Institute, and Fields (I'm going through a dinosaur phase right now as part of a nerdy mid-life crisis). I might also catch the planetarium, but I could also see myself being a bit museumed out by that point. I'll play that one by ear.

And, since I will be flying solo, I'd also be fine if some folks wanted to do an FOFC meetup--I'm not really sure how many of you there are up there. I'll be there the evening of the 9th and 10th, and I'll be eating good food and getting good beers either way, so if people wanted to join me, that's all to the good :-)

Thanks again for all the great suggestions.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I am getting excited.

The bummer news is that Mrs. A can no longer come up with me. Her mom (who lives here) was going to be our babysitter for the weekend, but she had knee surgery and based on how her recovery is going, we didn't want to put her through that (and kind of want to keep Mrs. A close by her in case there is a setback).

I'll still go up a couple days before the conference and be sure to hit S&I, Art Institute, and Fields (I'm going through a dinosaur phase right now as part of a nerdy mid-life crisis). I might also catch the planetarium, but I could also see myself being a bit museumed out by that point. I'll play that one by ear.

And, since I will be flying solo, I'd also be fine if some folks wanted to do an FOFC meetup--I'm not really sure how many of you there are up there. I'll be there the evening of the 9th and 10th, and I'll be eating good food and getting good beers either way, so if people wanted to join me, that's all to the good :-)

Thanks again for all the great suggestions.

The Cubs will also be in town that weekend, so that would be an option for you too. As for the pizza, I'm a Lou Malnati's guy, and I agree with whoever said that you need to get the sausage. That layer of sausage is what makes the pizza great. Full disclosure, I haven't been to all the highly-rated Chicago pizza joints, but Lou's has never steered me wrong.

[NobodyHere]

It looks like my meetup group wants to visit Chicago Nov 16-18th. So I'll be reading this thread and asking for suggestions in the near future.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

It looks like my meetup group wants to visit Chicago Nov 16-18th. So I'll be reading this thread and asking for suggestions in the near future.

You gonna shack up with Amber?

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Lathum

You gonna shack up with Amber?

Yes

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

Yes

Nice! I'm sure it won't be awkward when one of you has to poop

[flere-imsaho]

An update to what I wrote earlier: Eater Chicago is now probably a better research vehicle for restaurants than the Chicago Reader. The reviews in the Reader are still good, but there's only like one every 3 months.

The Reader is still good for listings of entertainment.

Ask away as you get closer to the date!