Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
5
Family-Friendly Dining
C
hicago has come into its own as a
major dining destination, and that's
not limited to the chic, see-and-be-
seen spots. Plenty of options await
families, too. In addition to those styl-
ish restaurants, you'll find an amazing
array of steakhouses, family-style Ital-
ian restaurants, and just about every
kind of ethnic cuisine you could pos-
sibly crave. You'll be surprised at the
number and range of restaurants that
welcome kids in Chicago. Even restau-
rants that don't offer a specialized kids'
menu often will provide half-size por-
tions for children. Whether you're
looking for a restaurant for your fam-
ily's big night out or simply a no-frills
spot to dig in, in this chapter you'll
find places the locals go to when they
want to eat well.
Chicagoans have a passion for two
foods your kids are probably passion-
ate about, too: hot dogs and pizza.
Don't run out to buy a case of antacids
just yet—options for adult stomachs
also exist. And although I've covered
the obvious family-friendly choices
like Rainforest Cafe and Ed Debevic's,
in this chapter I've tried to focus more
on unique dining ideas that are
Chicago's own.
A NOTE ON PRICES
Unfortu-
nately, Chicago is no longer the
budget-dining destination it once was.
(Hipness doesn't come cheap.) I've
divided restaurants into three price cat-
egories: “Expensive” means that dinner
for a family of four will cost $75 and
up; “Moderate,” $40 to $75; and, at an
“Inexpensive” place, you'll pay about
$40 or less. But just because the prices
have risen doesn't mean that the
attitude has. Restaurants in Chicago
might have gotten trendy, but we're
still friendly.
To find out more about restaurants
that opened since this topic went to
press, check out the
Chicago Tribune
's
entertainment website (
www.metro
mix.com
), the website for
Chicago
mag-
azine (
www.chicagomag.com
), and the
entertainment/nightlife website
www.
chicago.citysearch.com
.
1 Restaurants by Cuisine
ALSATIAN
Brasserie Jo
Carson's
(River North, $$,
(River North, $$$,
p. 125)
Charlie's Ale House on Navy
Pier (Magnificent Mile &
the Gold Coast, Lincoln Park,
$, p. 121)
Cheesecake Factory (Magnificent
Mile & the Gold Coast, $$,
p. 119)
Dave & Buster's (River North, $,
p. 127)
p. 124)
AMERICAN
American Girl Place Cafe
(Magnificent Mile & the Gold
Coast, $$$, p. 116)
Ann Sather (Wrigleyville &
the North Side, $, p. 138)
Café Brauer
(Lincoln Park,
$, p. 135)
Key to Abbreviations: $$$ = Expensive
$$ = Moderate
$ = Inexpensive
