I'm going to Chicago for new year - What to do?

[cdamm]

Do you live in Schaumburg or Naperville? In seriousness, it's been years since I've dined at Uno's, just not worth it with the wait. Last time I ate there I wasn't really impressed and would've rather had Pequod's.

im talking about the real ones in the city. on ohio. uno and due. the first 2 stores in the chain. everything else is completely different that the chain.

The best chicago pie in all the land here is at louisas in crestwood. its not a full on 4" thick pie, but it compares more to a Sicilian slice.

Pizza casserole just isn't for me. Chicago dogs on the other hand are simply amazing. Vienna beef with the neon green relish and onions is hot dog perfection.

the dogs are great. though i miss the sabret with kraut and red onion from nyc every day.

pizza casserole is what i call it too. there is better pizza, but when people visit thats when you go out for it. its nice from time to time- but its pretty much for the tourists.

 

[ballzdeepx]

The great thing about Superdawg is the presentation.
Buried in a small coffin of fresh crinkle cut fries, under a big pickle slice & pickled green tomato you will eat your way down to a Sinai 48 brand dog (which are much larger and taste better than Vienna imo) topped with the neon green relish, sport peppers, mustard and onion. Wash it down with a root beer or a chocolate shake you are in for a good time. It's last meal on death row type of shit for me honestly. Sadly it's at Milwaukee and Devon so not exactly close if you're staying downtown, worth the trip if you are there for a few days though.

 

[cdamm]

The great thing about Superdawg is the presentation.
Buried in a small coffin of fresh crinkle cut fries, under a big pickle slice & pickled green tomato you will eat your way down to a Sinai 48 brand dog (which are much larger and taste better than Vienna imo) topped with the neon green relish, sport peppers, mustard and onion. Wash it down with a root beer or a chocolate shake you are in for a good time. It's last meal on death row type of shit for me honestly. Sadly it's at Milwaukee and Devon so not exactly close if you're staying downtown, worth the trip if you are there for a few days though.

milwaukee ave bus, yo. sure its an hour each way from downtown, but its worth it.

 

[ballzdeepx]

milwaukee ave bus, yo. sure its an hour each way from downtown, but its worth it.

Preach brotha

 

[cdamm]

Preach brotha

heres the thing. im not a chicago native. but ive been here long enough to know first hand that it is one of the great food towns of this country.

 

[madman]

The great thing about Superdawg is the presentation.

That's about the only great thing. Another hype/marketing/nostalgia machine. It's not a hot dog, it's a superdawg. It's not a Polish, it's a whoopskidawg. They're not chicken tenders, they're superchickenmidgees! More power to em, it's been working for a long time.

Also, Sinai 48 hasn't been around for years, they source their dogs elsewhere now.

 

[ballzdeepx]

That's about the only great thing. Another hype/marketing/nostalgia machine. It's not a hot dog, it's a superdawg. It's not a Polish, it's a whoopskidawg. They're not chicken tenders, they're superchickenmidgees! More power to em, it's been working for a long time.

Also, Sinai 48 hasn't been around for years, they source their dogs elsewhere now.

Shit yeah it's been working , can't hate on em for marketing it well all these years but the food is damn good, I've been going there for over 30 years.
If best kosher is gone I wonder who is making their dogs then because they taste the same.

 

[cdamm]

Shit yeah it's been working , can't hate on em for marketing it well all these years but the food is damn good, I've been going there for over 30 years.
If best kosher is gone I wonder who is making their dogs then because they taste the same.

sourced elsewhere, but the recipe is superdawgs alone. they can send that recipe to anyone and get the same product.

 

[madman]

sourced elsewhere, but the recipe is superdawgs alone. they can send that recipe to anyone and get the same product.

My bet would be Vienna is making them now. Sara Lee killed off the Best Kosher line in like 2009 or 2010, kind of a bummer.

 

[Hikaru Ichijyo]

So again I'll ask, is the Uno's in Chicago considered authentic deep dish or is it just a tourist trap. I know the franchise is mainly a New England thing now, but it's the only place I've ever eaten a deep dish pizza . I want to know if I'll be universally disappointed in it or if I'm missing something.

There's only one Uno's location left here in Cincinnati and it's like 5 minutes away from where I work. I'm surprised it's still open considering it's tucked away behind a B-Dubs and Bob Evans off a nothing happening side of an interstate exit.

More to the point though, the pizza quality is NOTHING compared to the original Uno/Due's. It's like going to McDonald's and expecting it to be Five Guys (or insert your own upscale vastly superior burger joint here). Sure it might look like the stuff they serve at the original locations but it tastes nothing like.

Granted I'm working off of twelve year old memories but I distinctly remember it sticking out to me when we visited a local chain after I had been to the original location and remembering it was a pale imitation of what I had prior.

We need more Portillos talk. When I went there I got an order of their grilled ribs which were fantastic. I've been wanting to go back and get them ever since.

 

[cdamm]

We need more Portillos talk. When I went there I got an order of their grilled ribs which were fantastic. I've been wanting to go back and get them ever since.

portillos real talk: the grilled tuna steak sandwich single handedly gets me through lent every year.

 

[mr_b]

pizza casserole is what i call it too. there is better pizza, but when people visit thats when you go out for it. its nice from time to time- but its pretty much for the tourists.

WHAT!!!! You're taking crazy pills boy. Anyone who eats deep dish with a knife and fork are bunch of bitches. Pick it up and eat it like normal pizza. I don't even crave any other pizza but deep dish anymore.

Anything less is uncivilized.

 

[smokehouse]

I actually live in the city and can offer real advice, unlike smokehouse who pretty much hates everything in life as far as I can tell.

LOL...yeah...I like to bitch, but it makes me happy.

The long of it? I struggle in Chicago...I'm only there 2-5 times a year, often on business, and when that's you exposure to it...it's an expensive, confusing, angry city that is terrible to navigate.

If I could spend real time there...perhaps I'd like it. When one wrong turn on 294 nets you 30 min of your life and $2 in "change only" tolls...it's fucking maddening. When you're knuckle deep in Schaumburg traffic and you settle on a restaurant on your side of the road because it would literally take you 25 min to get to one on the other side of traffic...it's fucking maddening. When you have to pay $65 for overnight parking just to stay downtown, it's fucking maddening. Getting stuck in a 45min traffic stand still because one car has a flat tire 3 miles up the road is fucking maddening.

I love "old" Chicago...but unless you live up there or have a guide...it's horrible trying to find old-Chicago.

Honestly? I go to St. Louis. I live father away from there than I do Chicago...but the drive is the same because the traffic is a fraction. No tolls. No crazy parking fees, little traffic, plenty of good restaurants to eat at...I've always considered it to be "chicago light"...

Don't get me wrong...Chicago can be a neat city...but putting up with the crap to go there is so damn frustrating...

 

[BanishingFlatsAC]

WHAT!!!! You're taking crazy pills boy. Anyone who eats deep dish with a knife and fork are bunch of bitches. Pick it up and eat it like normal pizza. I don't even crave any other pizza but deep dish anymore.

Anything less is uncivilized.

New York Pizza / Boston North End Pizza > All

 

[smokehouse]

Oh...and Chicago pizza? Yeah Gino's East or Lou Malnati's is the way to go. Giordano's is good...but more commercial. I'll eat it if it's what is available...

 

[Naika]

All this talk of Deep Dish is getting me hungry goddammitt!!!

Y'all were talking about Burgers not long ago....have any of you been to a small place called Paradise Pup near O'Hare at all?

 

[roker]

Sinai 48 brand dog (which are much larger and taste better than Vienna imo)

That's some big talk there, ballzdeepx.

Viennas are king in my book.

 

[Some Mist]

I'm just going to leave this here <gene and judes>



right by ohare, but cash only, as well as only hot dogs/tamales on the menu, and don't ask for ketchup otherwise they tell you to gtfo (the mcdonalds next door supposedly hides and charges for ketchup too)

 

[cdamm]

WHAT!!!! You're taking crazy pills boy. Anyone who eats deep dish with a knife and fork are bunch of bitches. Pick it up and eat it like normal pizza. I don't even crave any other pizza but deep dish anymore.

Anything less is uncivilized.

oh, i dont knife and fork it at all. but im an east coast kid. i know how real pizza is supposed to be.

that said- nothing wrong with deep dish, its delicious and all- but pizza it is not.

 

[roker]

real pizza is in NYC

that's not even up for debate.

 

[madman]

Comparing NYC vs Chicago pizza are two different things. Anyway, most Chicagoans typically eat the other Chicago style pizza known as tavern style with a thin cracker crust.

 

[madman]

Y'all were talking about Burgers not long ago....have any of you been to a small place called Paradise Pup near O'Hare at all?

Place is legit, great cheddar burgers there. Poochie's in Skokie is another great choice for a cheddar burger.

 

[greedostick]

Just got in. Haven't had time to read all this yet. But I'm at the royal knickerbocker hotel. Traffic does blow, it's about on part with columbus, except people are just sitting in the road parked all sideways. Other than that very similar to columbus.

 

[madman]

Just got in. Haven't had time to read all this yet. But I'm at the royal knickerbocker hotel. Traffic does blow, it's about on part with columbus, except people are just sitting in the road parked all sideways. Other than that very similar to columbus.

Downtown Dogs, Pippin's and Streeters are all real close to you and cheap. There's also a Lou Malnati's that's less than a 10 minute walk from there. I'm in the area all the time, let me know if you have questions.

 

[greedostick]

I'm at Gino East now. Waiting on a pie. I'll have to wait and see, but it's going to have to be damn good to top mellow mushroom, or hound dogs in Ohio. Ohio secretly has some amazing pizza joints. I ready get my garlic bread with cheese. It's OK.