Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Kids
Family-Friendly Restaurants
One of the city's first “theme” restaurants,
Ed Debevic's,
640 N. Wells St., at Ontario Street (
&
312/664-1707
), is a
temple to America's hometown lunch-counter culture. The
burgers-and-milkshakes menu is kid-friendly, but it's the
staff shtick that makes this place memorable. The wait-
resses play the parts of gum-chewing toughies who make
wisecracks, toss out good-natured insults, and even sit right
down at your table. It's all a performance—but it works.
The Southern-style restaurant
Wishbone
(p. 59) is
one of the best all-around options, and a homegrown
place as well. Children can be kept busy looking at the
large and surrealistic farm-life paintings on the walls or
reading a picture book,
Floop the Fly,
loaned to diners
(written and illustrated by the parents of the owners). The
food is diverse enough that both adults and kids can find
something to their liking, but there's also a menu geared
just toward children.
At
Gino's East
(p. 71), the famous Chicago pizzeria,
long waits can be an issue during the prime summer
tourist season. But once you get your table, the kids can let
loose: patrons are invited to scrawl all over the graffiti-
strewn walls and furniture.
food is good rather than great, but what sets The Village apart is the
bordering-on-corny faux-Italian atmosphere. The service is out-
standing, from the Italian maitre d' who flirts with all the ladies to
the ancient waiters who manage somehow to keep up with the non-
stop flow. The staff here are pros at handling pretheater dining.
71 W. Monroe St. (between Clark and Dearborn sts.).
&
312/332-7005.
www.italian
village-chicago.com. Reservations recommended (accepted for parties of 3 or more).
Main courses (including salad) $9-$23 lunch, $13-$24 dinner. AE, DISC, MC, V.
Mon-Thurs 11am-1am; Fri-Sat 11am-2am; Sun noon-midnight. Subway/El: Red Line
to Monroe.
INEXPENSIVE
Heaven on Seven
BREAKFAST & BRUNCH/CAJUN
& CREOLE/DINER Hidden on the seventh floor of an office
building opposite Macy's, this is truly an insider's spot (you'll find it
by following the office workers who line up for lunch during the
Finds
