Best Shopping/Stores in Chicago

[jake431]

It depends on what food you are looking for - I enjoy the asian food that is here. There's a lot of Indian food that's tight, and Chicago has some of the best junk food on the planet - Italian beef, a real hot dog, thin crust pizza (this one separates the men from the boys here) - we're up there with anyone and we smoke LA.

-Jake

I don't think Chicago is up there in terms of food cities; it's ok, but not great. Lacking in proper Asian food, Midwestern locale means stuff gets toned down a bit... I will admit that Chicago has Mexican on lock though...

[isoform]

I don't think Chicago is up there in terms of food cities; it's ok, but not great. Lacking in proper Asian food, Midwestern locale means stuff gets toned down a bit... I will admit that Chicago has Mexican on lock though...

please elaborate on what "proper asian food" is, and where it's done great.

Yea, if you're coming in from the Bay Area or Jersey City, you'll be bored w/ the Asian food in Chicago (e.g. there's no good Filipino restaurant). In terms of quality, S. Asian and Thai are done proper. The two places I choose to go to for Chinese are as good as any other straight up chinesefood place I've eaten in North America. ...and because i don't eat meat or fish most japanese tastes the same to me place to place. But if you want "proper" Japanese food & groceries, think about heading out to Mitsuwa on Arlington Heights & Algonquin Rds

[dismalfuture]

Well, if you're vegetarian, what Asian foods do you eat? Name something east Asian that is truly vegetarian as a constant, besides plain old rice...

I've eaten Chinese in Chicago; I am no authority on Chinese food, but it was all pretty middle of the road and they wanted a whole lot more money for it than what I consider to be normal. Korean food; I've probably eaten at all the Korean places in Chicago that Koreans frequent, and have not been impressed with sides or mains, but then again I've lived in Seoul for the past 5 years. Flavors were watered down, very typical bland Korean-American style Korean food that lacks the garlic/seafood paste flavors that tasted like Korean food you'd find anywhere across America, i.e. Korean food for white people, Chicago Korean food has nothing on LA.

Japanese food, I've had sushi here and there across town, Chicago doesn't have a top flight sushi place as far as I'm concerned, locale is probably playing a part in this. There is also the alrmingly high rate of white and Mexican sushi chefs in Chicago, I don't want to sound sushi elitist, but honestly....

Vietnamese and Thai, I've honestly had much better at hole in the wall places in Wichita or Texas. As for Indian, that is pretty consistent across the world, isn't it? There are the bad and the good, but I find that Indian food remains a lot more consistent than east Asian joints, which range from putrid to divine.

Filipino food I don't really bother with if I'm spending money.

[dismalfuture]

Chicago has some of the best junk food on the planet - Italian beef

Only people in Chicago and northern Indiana eat Italian beef.

[dismalfuture]

^ as do i...

supergay meetup at Weiner Circle in 2008? All the shit talkers are warmly invited, Egpt, constant struggle, and fndmybetterhalf could unite at last...

[jake431]

Only people in Chicago and northern Indiana eat Italian beef.

And it's a crime that it's glory hasn't spread farther afield.

-Jake

[denimfan45]

I wanna go to Weiner Circle

LOL! I just was there on Saturday night! Amazing when you have had a few and just average when you are sober.

[denimfan45]

Well, if you're vegetarian, what Asian foods do you eat? Name something east Asian that is truly vegetarian as a constant, besides plain old rice...

I've eaten Chinese in Chicago; I am no authority on Chinese food, but it was all pretty middle of the road and they wanted a whole lot more money for it than what I consider to be normal. Korean food; I've probably eaten at all the Korean places in Chicago that Koreans frequent, and have not been impressed with sides or mains, but then again I've lived in Seoul for the past 5 years. Flavors were watered down, very typical bland Korean-American style Korean food that lacks the garlic/seafood paste flavors that tasted like Korean food you'd find anywhere across America, i.e. Korean food for white people, Chicago Korean food has nothing on LA.

Japanese food, I've had sushi here and there across town, Chicago doesn't have a top flight sushi place as far as I'm concerned, locale is probably playing a part in this. There is also the alrmingly high rate of white and Mexican sushi chefs in Chicago, I don't want to sound sushi elitist, but honestly....

Vietnamese and Thai, I've honestly had much better at hole in the wall places in Wichita or Texas. As for Indian, that is pretty consistent across the world, isn't it? There are the bad and the good, but I find that Indian food remains a lot more consistent than east Asian joints, which range from putrid to divine.

Filipino food I don't really bother with if I'm spending money.

One of the BEST Korean BBQ in Chicago is Jin Ju in Andersonville. Also, there is some AMAZING Korean BBQ right off Lawrence Ave.

[readytoignite]

we're up there with anyone and we smoke LA.

-Jake

i'm down with chicago and the food there but no chance on being better than LA, even for just junk food.

[jake431]

i'm down with chicago and the food there but no chance on being better than LA, even for just junk food.

Well, I've never met someone from LA who craves something from home (except the occasional In and Out or Fatburger), but I know plenty of Chicagoans who miss Chicago favorites and have it shipped out to them.

But LA does have some fantastic burger joints and Mexican food, no lie.

-Jake

[dismalfuture]

Honestly, I want to give Chicago a chance here, so what is it that makes Chicago so grand? In my lifetime I've met the most rabidly proud Chicagoans, people who defend Chicago to the death; look up at isoform's response to mine (a vegetarian trying to hold on asian food no less) and that is my impression of Chicagoans. People I meet from NYC, LA, SF, London, Paris, Tokyo, Sydney, Hong Kong, etc, they don't rep their cities as hard and could be more easily sold on another city than Chicagoans. But you get to Chicago, and it's just this huge spread out clusterfuck of a lot of sad people living in squalor in the most dismal weather, and then there's the suburbs and the clubroom'y miracle mile, and that's about it. What gives?

[jake431]

Honestly, I want to give Chicago a chance here, so what is it that makes Chicago so grand? In my lifetime I've met the most rabidly proud Chicagoans, people who defend Chicago to the death; look up at isoform's response to mine (a vegetarian trying to hold on asian food no less) and that is my impression of Chicagoans. People I meet from NYC, LA, SF, London, Paris, Tokyo, Sydney, Hong Kong, etc, they don't rep their cities as hard and could be more easily sold on another city than Chicagoans. But you get to Chicago, and it's just this huge spread out clusterfuck of a lot of sad people living in squalor in the most dismal weather, and then there's the suburbs and the clubroom'y miracle mile, and that's about it. What gives?

I'm not even sure you've been to Chicago if you're going to describe it as spread out - The whole thing could fit over maybe a 1/4th of LA - now there's a city that is spread out.

I'm not saying Chicago is the greatest place on earth for Asian food. But I would say that it should be given some credit as having a terrifically wide array of really good foods from many places all over the world. It was ranked the best restaurant city in the country by GQ in June of 2006. And, it does have fantastic foods all it's own. Now you may dismiss it as regional - but to rate Chicago's food worthiness on asian cuisine would be similar to me going to asia and rating their food on their hot dog. And yeah, people don't eat Italian beef or Chicago thin crust pizza far outside Chicago - but I'll assume everyone from a great city can think of some local delicacy that doesn't spread beyond it's borders that they'd rather have than the touristy "must have" foods from their city.

Now, as for what makes Chicago great - you've got architecture that is world class, a street grid that makes directions a breeze, an yeah, inclement weather for part of the year - but summer is not the only time this city is beautiful. I personally find summer oppresive - not a fan of 90+ degree days with 100% humidity. I am proud owner of central air. But you've got the lake, the park system that runs the entire length of the lakefront, not to mention the historical boulevard district and park system on the west side of the city.

There are things Chicago lacks it's true (such as a really world class public transportation system - NYC and SanFran has got us beat there) - but if you want to know why Chicagoans defend their city - it's because many feel that it's never gotten it's due. New Yorkers take their ciy's greatness for granted, and seem to expect that everyone will be similarly enthralled - people from LA love their weather (and murky city suburban-esque sprawl). but Chicagoans feel they need to scrap to get respect sometimes.

And as far as other cities go - of all the places I've been in the US, and I've been to all of the "big" ones - the only one I could really live is SanFrancisco. It feels much more like a city than LA does, and yeah, it does have great weather. Personally, I've had much more fun in Philadelphia than in New York. NYC just leaves me flat, but from everything I've read, or heard from older New Yorkers, I missed it's golden age, so I can't really speak to it.

Hope this wasn't too rambling a post; I'm trying to get ready for work and write a cogent response at the same time.

-Jake

[dismalfuture]

I've been to Chicago plenty of times in the past 20 years or so, but it just doesn't really excite me much compared to any other city I've been to in the world. I guess it is what it is, but I've always had a hard time putting the Chicagoan attitude and Chicago together, they're incongruent.

Not so concerned re: Asian food as that is the same story in most cities in North America barring NYC and LA (could add SF and Vancouver in there if I was feeling nice), but my point was that I am usually confronted by an angry Chicagoan flying off the bat at me whenever I question Chicago's greatness at anything. I've never met so many dislocated people from a city who swear they're moving straight back there once they're finished with their time elsewhere than I have with Chicagoans, so there's either a lot of secrets I'm missing out on, or there's a lot of deluded people living in the same place. I hope it's the former.

Architecture, I can give you that, indeed. Chicago can make for a good architectural tour for a day or two, but is it a pretty city? I've spent most of my adult life in extremely high-built cities and to me, Chicago is spread out. I dislike cities that absolutely necessitate car ownership and then confront you with the nightmare of nonexistent parking and gridlock. Many cities fit that bill, but Chicago is up there with the absolute worst of them in that category.

I was once walking through the El station near Loyola and some guy jumped out from between two Coke machines with a knife and said he was gonna kill me, but nothing came of that, so I like to joke around that Chicagoans can't even mug people correctly, haha.

Anyhow, lots of niggles. I just don't see it though.

[isoform]

Honestly, I want to give Chicago a chance here, so what is it that makes Chicago so grand? In my lifetime I've met the most rabidly proud Chicagoans, people who defend Chicago to the death; look up at isoform's response to mine (a vegetarian trying to hold on asian food no less) and that is my impression of Chicagoans. People I meet from NYC, LA, SF, London, Paris, Tokyo, Sydney, Hong Kong, etc, they don't rep their cities as hard and could be more easily sold on another city than Chicagoans. But you get to Chicago, and it's just this huge spread out clusterfuck of a lot of sad people living in squalor in the most dismal weather, and then there's the suburbs and the clubroom'y miracle mile, and that's about it. What gives?

Haters will hate... :]

Two reasons why lots of ppl from Chicago rep so hard: the ppl on the coasts who rag on everything in between and second city syndrome.

...and I don't even know what the hell you're referring to as the "clubroom'y miracle mile"--wrigleyville? :confused: ew.

Also, again, you don't know what you are talking about. You don't need to own a car in Chicago unless you live on the south side--and even then you don't need a car if you live around a 24hr bus route or the southside red, green, or orange line stations.

Trouble finding parking? Yeah, this is a problem in two general places: Yuppie centers maybe and Downtown obviously.

[dismalfuture]

honestly, why do you take anything I say about Chicago as an affront but post only to say that I'm wrong? Your attitude kills Chicago for me, it really does. Chicago is no second city, BTW, it's more like a third city, if that. Big aspirations?

Re: your first opinion when I mentioned Asian food; do you really think anyone is going to take it with any weight after mentioning you're a vegetarian? Are you an expert on cucumber and tamago sushi and white rice, and after-meal boba? You realize that 95% of things made in an Asian restaurant (barring Indian and Tibetan) are seasoned with meat and fish products, don't you? Well if you didn't before, I hope you enjoyed your meat. Perhaps you should learn more about the food you eat if you're going to wave the banner.

[jake431]

honestly, why do you take anything I say about Chicago as an affront but post only to say that I'm wrong? Your attitude kills Chicago for me, it really does. Chicago is no second city, BTW, it's more like a third city, if that. Big aspirations?

From an outside (well, I live in Chicago, but still) it seems like you two both have strong opinions - dismalfuture, I don't think there is anything I could say that could persuade you to like Chicago, and that's okay. Isoform, I don't think you will be able to persuade him either.

I am curious though, dismalfuture (dismal for short?) - what does clubroom'y miracle mile mean? It's an expression I've never heard before. Also, having owned and not owned a car in Chicago, I have not found you really need a vehicle for anything here, the El and buses provide more than adequate transportation to and fro, though I will admit if you live in the suburbs, you need a car to at least get you to a Metra station in your suburbs downtown area. Chicago has good, but not great public trans - better than the T in Boston, worse than BART in SF and worse than the subway in NYC. But it's still better than most metropolitan areas in the USA.

And just so you know (Who knew that History of Urban Development class I took in College would be useful for anything?), Chicago is called the Second City because it was the second city in the US to reach a population of 1 million people (1890 census, thirty years after New York City). Likewise it's called the Windy City because of our polticians stumping to get the 1893 World's Fair. New York, who also wanted the fair, said our politicians talked so much and were so full of hot air Chicago must be the Windy City. So, the label "second city" has nothing to do with aspirations one way or the other, just like the "windy city" has nothing to do with the fact that it's usually improbably windy downtown along the lake, even on a calm day.

Lastly, Dismal, it sounds like you went to Loyola? Otherwise why would you live up in Rogers Park - so I can understand from that vantage why the city might have a less than rosy hue for you.

Just my 2 cents, for what it's worth.

I'm still looking for someone who chainstitches jeans in Chicago, if y'all know, holla!

-Jake

[raddy]

This is all very emo. I like it here, but wouldn't want to be here forever.

Plus:

great food (Especially Contemp American)

solid shopping

easy to get around (Live near downtown, zero need for car at all)

young/personable crowd inside the city

barney's is least picked over ever

no douchebag bankers

Minus:

stupid cold half the year

doesn't have EVERY type of food you might want

some stuff you really can't get here at all

suburbanite midwestern people

douchebag traders

I really don't get the love for SF tbh; I plan on ditching chi for la or nyc if i stay in the states. (or houston)

[isoform]

honestly, why do you take anything I say about Chicago as an affront but post only to say that I'm wrong? Your attitude kills Chicago for me, it really does. Chicago is no second city, BTW, it's more like a third city, if that. Big aspirations?

...and you were still wrong about commuting. You stated your opinion or impression as if it was a fact. It isn't. Hate on the city because of things you know or experience like how visitors can't get above avg East Asian food in Chicago...

finally, why is it so confounding to you that someone would interpret "Asian Food" as Indian, Thai, and Japanese which can easily be veg friendly...?

[dismalfuture]

ahaha. isoform, from your 3 responses, I gather that you either don't have the reading comprehension and/or you're just a really hostile person. Relax. Don't smash your computer in anger just yet. There is the rest of the world left to see my dear.

Go back and give it another read, find out that I'm asking you why Chicago is good. I also want to know why asking that question usually results in being accused of 'hating on Chicago' everytime I don't agree. This, I'm sorry to say, is not limited to you isoform (sorry to rain on your highly experienced grandeur of 18 years), but all of the people I've ever met from Chicago. There are the more sensible people who can carry out a conversation, like jake431, but the repping of Chicago doesn't stop and I just wanted to know why.

By the way, it isn't hard for me to get my head around the fact that there exists vegetarian Asian food, or that you might happen to think of three countries in Asia. You know what? I've lived in Asia for the past 5 years. I took cookery classes there and have traveled extensively. I eat meat, you don't, and that is fine. However, there is something to be said about food that bases it's flavor profiles on meat/fish products, and their vegetarian subsitutes. Would you bother recommending me any good steakhouses, based on your experience?

I asked, and you haven't answered in your last three angry posts, but what do/would you order/eat at a Japanese restaurant? I'm genuinely curious.

[persephone]

I am a soon to be Chicago resident...In my oh so humble opinion, there is not so much "hating" going on as there is general wonderment...I personally like Chicago due to it being in the midwest (beats Iowa at least right?) and the fact that people still have a midwestern sense of moral value (isn't that what we are supossedly known for?)

As far as midwest cities go, it is the best. Not to say that L.A. and NYC arn't light years ahead but, who can beat a city with good shopping, decent (albeit not fantastic) transportation, and nice people (in general, maybe cuz I'm a girl and don't look white though???)

I love Chicago, I also love NYC but, would never move due to $$$ or L.A. for that matter. I want to live in a city that is cheap and close nit. Chicago is a city that you def. don't need a car in (unless in suburbs but really how SuFu is that?) and I plan on public transit for my travels. Chicago is a great city that is just unfortunate enough to have been settled in the middle of the country.

[readytoignite]

chicago basically has the soul of a midwestern town with all the amenities (and problems) of a city. it's extremely liveable - having moved from there to nyc 10+ years ago, the word that comes to mind is gemuetlich. most of the charms there are regional (blues, barbecue, hot dogs, pizza, wrigley field) and like LA the segregation there extends to both neighborhoods and social circles. so even beyond df's proclivities (as stunningly documented in the seoul threak), i am not one bit surprised that anyone who's lived in a megalopolis would find it a little underwhelming.

df, if you think that chicagoans abroad repping their city hard get annoying, you should talk to a certain mold of brooklynite that can't wait to tell you about how much they don't need manhattan (except for the jobs). in fact certain comparisons could probably be drawn between chicago and a free-standing brooklyn.

[jake431]

I think why Chicagoans have a chip on their shoulders is that those charms are considered regional. Wrigley field and the Cubs, God help me (I am a Sox fan) is every bit as relevant as Fenway and the Red Sox, which, has definitely escaped it's region. Likewise, with pizza from NYC, etc etc. Bbq, blues (we'd not have rock n roll without it, thank you). These types of contributions DO transcend region. Perhaps they have not been exploited to the degree other cities have been, but that does not kessen them, imho.

Also, +rep for making me look up the definition of gemuetlich.

-Jake

[dismalfuture]

haha, I liked that readytoignite. nicely put....

I think I'll check into this thread this last time, for awhile at least, as my original question has been answered thoroughly by now by a couple of people, and completely muddled by the rest.

I do think there's nothing wrong or that there's any shame in keeping your city's charms a bit low key, as opposed to hoping for them to be complete claims to fame or putting them out there to compete; the small hidden charms are what makes a city great to visit for an outsider.

I'd like to say/admit at this point though, that I have moved around all my life, so I don't really put any value on the locality pride thing, I don't really have any equity in a single place. I've held citizenship to three different countries at different points in my life already, and might even add to that number in the future. From my perspective, I think that once you travel and go someplace new that is great, you start to feel silly about having gotten worked up about previous level shit.

Objectively, I just don't really have a taste for Chicago, which is not having to do with its size or number of charms or lack thereof, but I don't expect it to be more than it is either. It is what it is. My whole schpiel that has brought this thread to this point was related to attitudes of Chicagoans that I find a bit disturbing and inexplicable, and that was it. Question was answered.

[denimfan45]

I have lived in Chicago all my life. If you like big name chain stores you will love the shopping. If you are looking for that small cozy shop that carries hard to find brands, you will not like this city at all.

[Originatek]

I don't want to get caught up in this thread too much, but I do want to say The Weiner circle is legit.I don't eat hotdogs or meat, but I'd be willing to attend a supergay meet up there, as the place is something you should experience. And as for famous chicago hot dog placest,theres also http://www.hotdougs.com/

[nhhh]

is there Seven New York type of store in Chicago?

Hahahah!

I wish. I would say that Hejfina is the closest it gets to that. Chicago is way too conservative in terms of fashion, a store like Seven wouldn't last.

And as for famous chicago hot dog placest,theres also http://www.hotdougs.com/

THE ONLY place for hot dogs in Chicago.

[tomenugen]

i would greatly appreciate any chicago'ans input on this. i'm spending 7 days in chicago late may and this is what i've got lined up so far.

eat: avec, hot doug's, johnnie's beef, malnati's, quartino, topolobampo

drink: map room, quenchers, underbar, hopleaf, abbey pub, and any other bar i come across

see: millennium park, sears tower, crown fountain, buckingham fountain, lincoln park zoo (free), wrigley, chicago picasso, navy pier

shop: typical boutiques, not too concerned.

any other pointers regarding seeing/eating/doing/active stuff?

need: jazz/blues bar recommendation

is the artic worth checking out? or the contemporary museum?

[persephone]

need: jazz/blues bar recommendation

Green Mill ( Lawrence stop on redline) or Green Dolphin Street (Fullerton red line is prob closest stop...)

Both are cool, Green Mill is the oldest bar still standing in original location in Chi, Mob affiliations and what not

Some other fun stuffs

-Check out the pool at the intercontinental hotel, its beautiful

-The Tribune builing has pieces built into it from various places in the world, even a moon rock

-Cafe Iberico is my fave cheap restaurant, but, expect to wait a while...great tapas

-Hopleaf is amazing

-Earwax cafe in Wicker park is good for lunch

Will post more later...

[sungrak]

tomenugen,

dont bother with quartino. its really not worth going to.

avec is pretty nice, but instead if youre willing to throw down a little more, check out blackbird next door. if you go, try the suckling pig app. fantastic.

next door to blackbird is meiji. greatly underrated jap rest. their rolls are stellar, fish quality varies (i used to work there and a horde of other places, and i consider myself pretty unbiased).

if youre by quartinos anyways, chicago chop house is for the quintescential fatass midwesterner. GREAT steak.

persephone had it down with green mill. you can even sit at al capone's old booth. its pretty far north though. if youre actually up that far, goto tedino's for deep dish pizza. its one of the underrated neighborhood, and imo is better than malnatis (persephone, check it out). otherwise, buddy guy's legends is closer to downtown and is also a pretty cool joint.

for drinks, underbar is somewhere you go when the other bars have closed at 2am. if you like wine at all, webster's wine bar is my absolute favorite wine bar in all of chicago. the guy who runs it is named tom, and he is absolutely fanatical about wine. their list is well priced and has great variety. hopleaf is also not to be missed.

and of course artic is absolutely worth checking out. millenium park is right there too. MCA, not so much. even though i went when they were transitioning btw exhibits, i was not impressed.

[tomenugen]

blackbird: yeaa, i compared the two, and prefer avec's more casual approach. i'll be going in a medium sized group and blackbird seems more intimate.

meiji: after living in northern and southern california, I want to try my best to avoid sushi places unless the place is literally a "must eat" or "do not miss" restaurant.

webster's wine bar: not into wine, although there are people in the group that might be interested

artic: added

chicago chop house: added

thanks sungrak and persephone. i made note of all the jazz bars : )