Weddingbee Blog

ohhhh! the best seafood place… is on diversey pkwy called “half shell” it’s not much to look at but it’s 3lbs crab legs for $15!! and a must try is their crab cakes and mussels…. awesome!

If you like tapas, one of the better places downtown is Cafe Iberico on Lasalle Street. It gets crowded fast so early dinner is always good. I would recommend “Wicked” too Also, all the Marshall Field stores are now Macy’s - boo - they got bought out. Everyone in Chicago was bummed. I can try to answer more specific questions if I can, though I am a bit of a suburbanite.

May, it’s the “Magnificent Mile.”

I grew up and am getting married in Chicago, but I haven’t lived there in years…a few ideas from what I remember/have heard from friends and visits home:

Restuarants/Bars:
Green Dolphin Street - jazz club/restuarant
Green Mill - former speakeasy, now lounge
Les Vosges - chocolate to DIE for!
Italian Village - restaurant in the Loop area; there are 3 levels, but the “Village” part is the best for the cheesiness factor!
Ann Sathers for brunch - cinnamon rolls the size of your head!
Gino’s East is the only pizza worth having, period. Uno’s and Due’s are to be avoided! (We Chicagoans are passionate about this topic!)

Sites:
Linclon Park Zoo and the Botanical Gardens are so great, and free! Also look into the Chicago Historical Society and Museum of Contemporary Art. You can try to get tickets for a White Sox or Cubs game, too.

In General:
Neighborhoods like Old Town, Bucktown, and Lincoln Park are worth researching for restaurants and bars.

Inevitably, people will tell you to go the 96th Floor, the restuarant at the top of the Hancock Building - go for a drink and the view, but don’t waste your money on the overpriced and disappointing food! They changed owners a few years ago, and…bleh.

For great ethnic restaurants, Little Italy and Greektown are great - hard to have a bad meal in either ‘hood.

Take an architectural boat tour on the river - spectacular!

There’s a huge ferris wheel at Navy Pier - I’ve never been on it, but it’s a big hit.

Whatever you do, don’t miss the Art Institute. Truly amazing, from the Miniature Rooms (my favorite!) to the Impressionist collection (largest one outside of Paris) to the Stock Exchange room…everything is wonderful!!!

One more thing - bring a jacket!

my favorite romantic/intimate dinner restaurant is called ‘le colonial’ on rush and walton street.
check out this site as well for more tips:
http://www.metromix.com

i’m going to chicago for my minimoon too!!! my FI’s family is from there so we’re having a post wedding reception in chicago. my favorite thing to do is the botanical garden in the suburbs. i’m not sure what it’s called but it’s in the northshore. field museum is great and the “married with children” fountain is also in downtown. hope you have fun!

go see second city. it is a great show! go to little italy and china town! and of course, go to millenium park and see the bean! if you are going in the summer, go wade in the little face pool! Lincoln Park Zoo is also really nice and free. And if you want to be really touristy, go to Ed Debevics!

for after-dinner drinks, i think the john hancock building top floor (signature room) has the best atmosphere and view of the city (the view from the women’s bathroom is best.) http://www.signatureroom.com/

also you have to go on the architectural boat tours.

if you go to the art institute on tuesdays, it’s free.

deep dish pizza is also a must, gino’s east is good but if you’re not near one, the others are ok.

ooh, desserts at ghirardelli’s right across from john hancock is awesome.

the horse carriage rides are also fun ($40) when i went on nye.

greektown is open 24/7 and hits the spot for a night on the town. (i recommend the chicken philly, awesome.)

grand lux on mich ave is good, it’s the cousin restaurant of cheesecake fact.

and of course the shopping on the Mag mile and state (1 block or so east of mich ave).

hope you have fun, chicago is a GREAT city!

i’ve always wanted to try real chicago deep dish pizza. yum!

Chicago gal here…
Definitely skip Navy Pier…blah
Unless “Body Worlds” is still at Science & Industry, I’d skip that as well, it’s really not that exciting.
Thumbs up for the Art Institute, architecture tour on the boat, LP Zoo, and drinks in the Sig Lounge for the view.
For shopping take the Brown Line El to Armitage (Lincoln Park) or Southport (Lakeview/Wrigley) for more “neighborhood flavor” shopping/eating/drinking. They are both friendly safe ‘hoods. Fantastic BYOB Argentinian steak joint on Southport called Tango Sur.

Definitely do not miss Vosges! I used to live back east and would go there often. Now I’m in California, and my boss and I have to go to Chicago on a business trip, and she has already put Vosges on the agenda.