Where to stay in Chicago?

southernfriedcj · #1 (**permalink**) 07-21-2004, 06:47 PM

I may be spending the weekend in Chicago with the wife. Where is a good safe area(neighborhood you can walk around in after dark) with pizza places and Blues Clubs? Any recommendations on decent hotels would also be appreciated.

Thanks, Jim

casaleenie · #2 (**permalink**) 07-21-2004, 07:04 PM

Jim,

My wife and I stay at the Willows on W. Surf St. in Lincoln Park.
Wonderful hotel and right in the center of things.. A short cab ride to Michigan Ave. Tons of shops and great restaurants nearby and very safe. Never had a problem...
Highly recommend it.

We love Chicago...

ToyCollector · #3 (**permalink**) 07-21-2004, 08:41 PM

Go to Precinct 31, ask for Sgt. O'Shaughnessy and get his dibs on the best pizza place . Might as well get acquainted with them and check out your accomodations for the night beforehand.

Do what I did, ride the L from the airport fearing for your life and hear Polish, Russian and other languages every 3 stops, go hunting in stores to buy the jacket you forgot to bring (that you need in the middle of the summer BTW), and just aimlessly wander through downtown. It's an adventure!

Sizzler · #4 (**permalink**) 07-22-2004, 06:08 AM

When we do weekends downtown, the SwissHotel works well for us. Along the river, great views of the river and lake (until they replace the golf-course with more buildings anyway

). At the south end of Michigan Avenue, so easy walk up Michigan Avenue, walking distance to the new Millenium Park. Don't really know what you consider walking distance though. Most blues clubs and such are better gotten to by cab, there AND back. No shortage of bars or places to eat. The concierge can direct you better once you get in town.

Have fun.

snake oil · #5 (**permalink**) 07-22-2004, 02:26 PM

Just saying pizza places in Chi town will likely start an argument.

Thin crust? Deep dish? Oven hearth baked?
Southside vs northside?

Then you wanna walk around after dark and be safe?

woooooooooohhhhhhh!!!! That's a tall order!

Just kidding with you, actually what sizzler suggested will probably work.
You just need to jump a cab from the pizza place to
House of Blues.

Unless you wanna go down to da southside and then you might be singing DA BLUZ YU SELF.
Stick with the Michigan Ave thing the wife will probably like that.
Just bring your checkbook!
Lotsa expensive shops and stores.

Good luck and enjoy Chi is a great town.
You might also want to check out Halsted street or Lincoln ave.

southernfriedcj · #6 (**permalink**) 07-22-2004, 06:06 PM

Hey guys, thanks for the tips. The "safe neighborhood" thing was not a knock on Chicago. I worked the West and SW sides of Atlanta, as an Atlanta Firefighter, I know what happens to folks when they stray into the wrong part of town.

Sizzler · #7 (**permalink**) 07-22-2004, 06:26 PM

Everything's relative.

You'd be pretty safe anywhere downtown, though you may hit some empty streets. How late are you planning on roaming around?

Someone who likes pizza places and sedentary blues clubs doesn't sound like too much of a walker-type person, and if he's got a wife in heels, I don't think you'll be walking around much at all.

Just plan on taking cabs.

I can help a little with pizza, though I don't think you'll go really wrong anywhere in Chicago. Can't help with blues clubs...never got into it.

Pizza joints are all over. Virtually every corner. We even have Wolfgang Puck trying to do pizza here. Pizzeria Uno is still good, but crowded, and if you don't get in, go a little north, maybe a little east and there're plenty of other choices.

Take a cab to N. Halsted street and walk along restrauant row.

Whatever, be sensible, be safe.

southernfriedcj · #8 (**permalink**) 07-22-2004, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sizzler

Someone who likes pizza places and sedentary blues clubs doesn't sound like too much of a walker-type person

Sizzler, did you give TC your password?

snake oil · #9 (**permalink**) 07-23-2004, 02:22 PM

Yeah but then there's the pizza that we in Chicago like to eat.

La Villa the best pizza hands down for the moey.
if you like regular crust sauage pizza they will be hard to beat.

Then again theres Barnaby's Ahhhhh!!! Acold stein of Lienenkugel Red and a Large sausage? yeah I could do that!

But if your staying downtown?

Maybe Uno's, or Giordano's?

Man I'm getting hungry.....................

Texas-Saluki · #10 (**permalink**) 07-23-2004, 08:07 PM

Well when I up there to visit (I am from Schaumburg and a saluki) I stay at the Marriott on Michigan.. it is nice and close to most of the fun

The swissotel is awesome and a classy place.... there are a number of nice places and as other have mentioned and it is just what do you want to do...

Chicago is a big place, I like to stay near the lake, but that is a preference.

Make sure you have all the good stuff: Pizza, Hot Dog, Italian Beef, Gyro... so much to eat... so little time.

Now I have to plan a trip home

Good luck and have a fun time

SnakeBitt · #11 (**permalink**) 07-23-2004, 08:10 PM

Jim: Well, NOW you're talkin' MY language! You helped me out with my Southern Hospitality thread so I thought I would help you out here. Everyone pretty much listed the "regular" places to go for pizza. That's probably your best bet. Stay away from the Southside if possible. Especially at night (they can smell an "out of towner" there as fast as the rednecks in GA and SC can sniff out a Yankee!). The wife would like Michigan Ave. Plenty of places to stay around there as well. If you want to spend some $$$ head to the Drake Hotel. Get up to the Sears Tower if you get the chance. Beautiful view of the city. Head over to Rosebuds, Magnums, or Sullivans if you're interested in the best steak around (actually I can name quite a few steak places, but those are good). If you have time, take in a Cubs game. You've never seen greener grass in your life. Beautiful old fashion park, and always a great time for out-of-towners (heck, a great time for anybody). Blues clubs? House of Blues is the most popular place, but there's a blues club and a pizza joint on every corner. Another must do (if you guys are into bars / nightlife) is head over to RUSH street. Wall to wall bars on both sides of the street and they're open until 4 am.........and BUSY until then too.
I wish I was there to show you around. I left SC a couple days ago and I'm up in Ohio today. Won't be back in Chicago for a couple more weeks, then I head back down to your neck of the woods for some more building (well, heading SOUTH anyway).
Just park your car in a garage (if you're getting a car while there) and take cabs everywhere. Easy to get around that way.
Have fun and be safe!

southernfriedcj · #12 (**permalink**) 07-27-2004, 05:45 PM

Chicago was outa sight! What a great town! I bet we walked 20 miles in just two days. Having never been there, I always thought Chicago was just a smaller version of New York. Man was I wrong. The lake front and the river running through the middle of town were beautiful. I never seen a cleaner town, either. The freakin' cab drivers were even nice.
The high temps were in the mid 70's both days. If it wasn't for the winter I would be tempted to live there.
Resturants and pubs on every corner, great lookin' broads, awesome July weather, a big freakin' lake and a river(wish I had my boat with me), great water front parks(that new millineum parks is tits), two airports, whada town.
All Chitown needs is a little global warming, and she'd be perfect!
I'll be back.

Jim

snake oil · #13 (**permalink**) 07-28-2004, 06:51 AM

Jim what did you think of the huge chrome bean they put in the new millineum park?

I had often thought about chromeplating different things but a huge gigantic bean?

Glad you enjoyed the new park it only cost somewher like 475 million and took 4.5 years to complete.

But thats Chicago !