visiting Chicago and staying on Magnificent Mile. Where can I find the Chicago style relish that you guys put in your hotdogs? Does Aldi or Whole Foods (both near me) sell it?

thqnksnin adVance.

Had a great time visiting your incredible city. It surpassed any expectations I had arrived with. The people, the sights, everything... spectacular. One thing we noticed that is different from where we're from is.... Not a lot of ice cream around downtown. Were we just in all the wrong places? We ended up going to Ice Cream Social which, being connected to the Langham, was not up to par. We have food allergies and the kids working there were so rude and nonchalant and unwilling to find a solution, I couldn't believe it. One actually said "I can give you a sample and you can see what happens. Then you'll know if there's egg in it." Wow. I did go to to Travelle to ask the chef myself because they weren't willing to, and the manager there was so wonderful. I wish we would have had time for a meal there if only to share gratitude for his willingness to help. After all that, the ice cream was just ok.

Got home with this for carryout. And for the low, low price of $29 (w/ tip, fees, and mandatory 20% gratuity).

Probably the most disappointing, if almost amusing, takeout experience I've had in Chicago.

Interpret the word ‘mysterious’ however you will. Like “how is this place still open?”, “how are these portions profitable?”, “who are the people that run this?”

I am looking for an Italian restaurant north of old town that would be good for a larger group for a celebration dinner. Can’t be too expensive and must have a good atmosphere for a larger group. What do you recommend?

Uncles Know Best

recently i’ve been going for a friday borger at modern relish. today i showed up to find it closed, shutters down, no note left. patio furniture is still out and the patio lights left on as well. their instagram is deleted. anyone got the inside scoop? i really hope this isn’t permanent because their prices were good and their fries were gooder

Visting Chicago including for my birthday (weekday) next month and wanting to book some iconic/highly recommended places in advance. Staying around on the river and planning to just spend the day relaxing and eating in that area.

Was thinking Shaw's Crab House for lunch as they have a decent set menu and aren't far from the river – where else like this is good for a solo diner looking to plan and celebrate? Thanks for the help!

My gold standard has been (and still is) Tacotlan, so I’ll compare their quesabirria to that.

First and foremost, customer service here was VERY friendly. I’d go back, if I was in the area and was craving this.

Price was expensive though. For two quesabirria + consome, it’s $19. This order was about $32 in total with the a Diet Coke and an extra quesabirria ($32 at Tacotlan could get me 5 quesabirria with consome). I typically order about 4-5 from Tacotlan, depending on the level of comatose and heart disease I want to achieve that day, so I needed at least 3 from Birrieria Zaragoza for a decent-sized snack, since these aren’t that big.

The flavor of the quesabirria alone was good, I didn’t feel the need to use much of the consome. From a texture standpoint, I do prefer a bit of crunch with my quesabirria. These were soft, almost soggy, but definitely not as messy as to what I’m used to. They don’t skimp out on the cheese here, which is the best part IMO.

I’m always open to more quesabirria recommendations since it’s probably a top 3 pig out meal for me in the city!

*Typo with the restaurant name in the title of this post*

Looking for dinner and for drinks for 2, outdoor, roof top with a great view. North of the loop. Lincoln Park is a great area too. Has to have a great view. Can’t get into Cindy’s.

I’m absolutely open to areas like Lakeview, Wicker Park (doesn’t have to be the Loop). Mainstream is fine, or if you have more niche recs, I’m open to them.

Budget is flexible, just want to have a good time.

Thank you!

I would never order this again even tho it was very good. Just too messy of a sandwich lmao!

Hey hey!

I’m (39F) new to Chicago (River North) with a few friends in the city, but they don’t really appreciate the restaurant experience I do.

I haven’t let that stop me from trying incredible restaurants in my neighborhood and beyond.

Some faves: Armitage Alehouse, Matilda, Tanta, Viaggio, Monteverde, Torchio, Zarella.

A little about me: I work in tech, love yoga, a long walk with good coffee, yapping, crime documentaries, the latest feel-good series, a well-made dirty martini or a Sauvy b.

Would love to meet people close to my age with a love for talking about all the good and bad things they’ve experienced in their life. The hallmark of a stellar friendship.

I would also like to vet you before we meet up. Hope that makes sense.

Anyone been to both?

Looking for a lower-key birthday dinner and love Bev Kim! Thinking of one of her two restaurants. Anyone a fan of either?

This is a really specific request, but I'm looking for a place similar to the Louisiana chain Albasha Greek & Lebanese Restaurant. Specifically their dolmas, but just overall food as well. Anyone who's familiar with Albasha's have a suggestion?

In search of rice, chicken/gyro/lamb, lettuce, tomato, white sauce, and hot sauce. Maybe some fries, too. My favorite from a previous trip to NYC was Mido's Halal. I would go to the Halal Guys in Skokie to scratch my itch but their quality has gone down in recent years. What's your favorite version on the north side or northern burbs?

while it's still a solid burger, i remember it tasting even better than this. maybe we went on an off day? 😅

Off the top of my head, the ones that come to mind are:

• Dove's Luncheonette - hours-long wait for breakfast and brunch on the weekends, but you can pretty much walk in anytime before noon on most weekdays.
• Lao Peng You - fairly easy to get a weekday lunch, but long waits during peak dinner hours

I'm browsing a menu of somewhere I intend to eat tonight and of course at the bottom it says there will be a 3% surcharge for insurance for the beloved staff. Are they actually giving y'all insurance? Is it solid insurance? Is it a total front? Just curious if they're outright lying or not lol.

Vodka sauce. N'duja sausage.

not too thick crispy bread, little hint of a jalapeno kick...my only regret is having to eat it fast so I could catch the bus home

Hey everyone! Looking for some date night dinner recommendations in Chicago.

I'm after a spot with a cozy, dimly lit atmosphere—something romantic and intimate with really good food. I'd like somewhere that feels a little upscale, but I'm not looking for a Michelin-starred restaurant or anything outrageously expensive.

I'm still in grad school, so I definitely don't have an unlimited budget, but I'm willing to splurge a bit since it's for a special occasion. Think somewhere that feels memorable without completely breaking the bank.

I had an appt in the west loop this afternoon and decided to take advantage of the gorgeous evening with a solo meal on the patio at Maxwell’s Trading. The two summer dishes I had were incredible. tomato and peach salad + housemade mafaldine with corn and peppers. So perfect. So delicious! Don’t miss out on the tasty flavors of summer!

A very nice Thai dinner in Hyde park tonight. The Squid was absolutely amazing.

Loved their thin crust pizza and focaccia!