Going to Chicago for a trip - any suggestions? UPDATE: I'm here

The Loop is just a tourist trap. Nobody who actually lives here goes there for anything but work. There's a lot of shit to do, but it's a good thing you aren't staying there. Do go to the Art Institute though. Check out Millenium Park and the Sky Deck.

Try to go to both parks for a baseball game. Go to Pilsen for tacos. Go to Wicker Park to go shopping. Check out Logan Square for the night life. Go to Andersonville for food. There's all kinds of shit to do here. It's a great city in the summer.

Also, everywhere is safe except the south and west sides. It's an incredibly segregated city and most of the crime is contained in black neighborhoods. It's sad, but true.
 
Don't call it deep dish. Just call it pizza. Lou Malnatti's the go-to, but there's also Giordano's. It's a great town. So many hot women saddled to so many fat dudes. People say avoid the South Side, but I think that's where Chinatown is. There's a restaurant converted from a great house called Roseangeli's. Or Rose Angeli's? Tucked away in a sleepy little neighborhood. Nice date place.

Don't ask for ketchup. Especially on your dog. They got strong opinions on that sort of thing.
Nobody who lives here actually eats deep dish. It's tourist shit.
 
If you want deep dish, don't go to Lou Malnatti's or Gino's East or any of that shit in the Loop. You're going to wait hours for subpar pie. Go to Pequod's. You might wait an hour, but the pizza is much better.
 
Nah. Not needed here.

Chicago makes New York look like Disneyworld.

There hasn't been a crime epidemic here for decades now.

Yeah, I'm really not worried about this. Every city has their parts to avoid. It's really not hard.
 
I recommend the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, Navy Pier, Willis Tower, and a Riverboat Ferry.
 
I'd take a 30 minute drive to Three Floyds Brewery in Munster, IN if you want to go to a really good brewery. Laguinitas is a good brewery in Chicago, but Three Floyds is better IMO.

Yeah, I've had some 3 Floyds before, and I've been considering renting a car for the day to go out there. It's definitely on my radar. I'm going to hit up Half Acre too.
 
http://www.arlingtonpark.com/

Arlington Park for some horse racing is a lot of fun. There is also a rail system from downtown.

As far as pizza:

Every restaurant that sells pizza has a sign in the front window that says “world’s best pizza.” Here’s the thing, they make an attempt to make that true. I had pizza 3 different styles while I was there and they were all really good.
That reminds me of a joke - There are 4 pizzerias on the same block, and competition is fierce. One guy decides to put up a sign in the window that says BEST PIZZA IN CHICAGO. Not to be outdone, the guy next door puts up a sign that says BEST PIZZA IN AMERICA. The 3rd pizzeria guy thinks of a way to go one better, and puts up a sign that says BEST PIZZA IN THE WORLD. The 4th guy then puts up a sign that says BEST PIZZA ON THIS BLOCK.
 
Even the West Loop or Mag Mile can be shady at night.

I hope you have street smarts.

And no... this isn't hyperbole talking.
 
I'm not from Chicago, but I've been there several times. Stay away from the South Side. Shedd Aquarium is cool and so is Wrigley Field even if your not a Cubs fan.
 
Thanks for the advice. I'm gonna have to brush up on the loop.

I'm staying near Lincoln Park a little south of Wrigley Field.

I might rent a car for a day only because I want to check out Three Floyds Brewing and Galloping Ghost Arcade, and those are both a distance out of the city.
If you are staying near Wrigley and want pizza, go to Pequod's. The L is a great way to get around but for fucks sake don't take a train too far into the wrong area.
 
Thanks for the tips. I also don't put ketchup on my hot dogs, so I'm a step in the right direction.
Thank God, you might get shot asking for ketchup in a place like Gene and Jude's
 
Mexican, Italian, chinese, thai, good ol' american comfort food, you name it.

Mexican- Go to Arturo's on Armitage and Western, it is open 24 hours a day, and the food is really good! Kitty corner to Arturo's is Maggie's Candies, it is an Old Time Ice Cream Shop it is literally 100 years old, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones used to go for ice cream at Maggie's when they were in town.

Italian- La Scarola- It is one of the best Italian restaurants in the country, and the price is not bad 721 W. Grand Blvd. Celebreties eat at La Scarola whenever they are in Chicago, however you must make a reservation no matter what day of the week. Right next door to La Scarola is Richard's Bar, it is where the head of the Chicago Outfit runs business (kind of like the Soprano's Bada Bing, although Richards is not a strip club.)

Chinese- Ming Hiin for Dim Sum, there is one in Chinatown and one downtown. Best Dim Sum and the prices are not that bad.

Thai- Go to Manee Thai I believe they have three locations. North of Lincoln Park on Argyle street they have a Little Saigon, a really good Vietnamese Restaurant is Pho 777, it is relatively cheap and the food is great. I was once eating there and I turned around and Steven Spielberg was eating behind me. Funny think is, it is not a fancy restaurant, it would be the last place you would think you would see Spielberg.

The best American food in my opinion is L-Woods in Lincolnwood. Very good BBQ.

Someone was asking where are the best Ribs, I would chose L Woods.
 
I'm not from Chicago, but I've been there several times. Stay away from the South Side. Shedd Aquarium is cool and so is Wrigley Field even if your not a Cubs fan.

Yeah, I'm probably gonna go to a game even though I'm not much into baseball. I live in Pittsburgh, and the Pirates are actually going to be playing the Cubs at Wrigley while I'm there, so hey, I might as well.
 
Some of the small restaurants there it's hard for them to get liquor licenses so they have a BYOB policy, where you can just stop in a local store get a six pack and take it in to drink with your meal.
 
Hit up Fulton Market for dinner at least 1 night (Girl and the Goat, Publican, De Cero, Cemitas Puebla, etc.) Everything on that strip is pricey, but well worth it.

I've lived in Chicago my entire life and never really felt unsafe. Stay away from Englewood and the actual West Side. You'll never accidentally venture into either area because they're barren and isolated. Parts of Humboldt Park, Pilsen and Logan Square can be sketchy, but they're full of white people now. Gentrification is real. You'll be fine.
 
Some of the small restaurants there it's hard for them to get liquor licenses so they have a BYOB policy, where you can just stop in a local store get a six pack and take it in to drink with your meal.

Good to know. Thanks.
 
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