Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
410 W. Huron St. (at Orleans St.).
&
312/943-5900.
Kids' menu, high chairs, boosters. Reservations recom-
mended. Pasta $7.50-$11 lunch and dinner; main courses $8.95-$15 lunch, $9.95-$25 dinner; kids' menu
$3.25. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 5:30-9pm; Fri 5:30-10pm; Sat 5-10pm; Sun 5-9pm. Subway/El: Red
Line to Chicago.
INEXPENSIVE
Cafe Iberico
SPANISH/TAPAS Families should arrive early to ensure
getting a table at this wildly popular tapas joint with a festive atmosphere. I'd
recommend this place for older kids and teens with adventurous palates. (Get
them to try
pulpo a la gallega
—the best fried octopus around!) Cafe Iberico gets
very loud, especially on weekends, and on weekdays, crowds begin pouring in at
the end of the workday, so if you arrive around dinnertime, expect a wait. Put a
dent in your appetite with a plate of
queso de cabra
(baked goat cheese with fresh
tomato-basil sauce). When your waiter returns with the first dish, put in a sec-
ond order for a round of both hot and cold tapas. Then continue to order as
your hunger demands. The waiters are pleasant yet can get a little harried, so it
sometimes takes some effort to flag them down. A few standout dishes are the
vegetarian Spanish omelet,
patatas bravas
(spicy potatoes with tomato sauce),
pincho de pollo
(chicken brochette with caramelized onions and rice), and
pulpo
y la plancha
(grilled octopus with potatoes and olive oil). There are a handful of
entrees on the menu, and a few desserts in case you're still not sated.
739 N. LaSalle St. (between Chicago Ave. and Superior St.).
&
312/573-1510.
High chairs. Reservations
accepted during the week for parties of 6 or more only. Tapas $2-$7; main courses $7.95-$13. DC, DISC, MC,
V. Mon-Thurs 11am-11pm; Fri 11am-1:30am; Sat noon-1:30am; Sun noon-11pm. Subway/El: Red Line to
Chicago/State, or Brown Line to Chicago.
Dave & Buster's
AMERICAN Good old-fashioned fun of the coin-operated
variety means that you may have to tear your kids away from the games to get
them to sit down for dinner. At the Chicago outpost of the Dallas-based mega
entertainment and dining chain, you can combine casual dining and an
evening's entertainment. (Don't send teens by themselves: Kids must be accom-
panied by an adult 25 years old or older.) The menu is expansive and features
bar food, including pasta, burgers, steak, and ribs. Before you sit down to eat,
let your kids burn off energy by getting lost in this neon-lit games emporium.
You'll find 1950s-era carnival games, Vegas-style casino games, video games, and
virtual reality tests. The main attraction is the glitzy Million Dollar Midway on
the second level. Do your kids dream of being an Alpine ski racer or driving the
Grand Prix? Video games on the Midway let them simulate the experience.
Grown-ups might try a computerized version of blackjack or swing away at the
indoor golf simulator, a “virtual” golf driving range that uses laser beams to cal-
culate the ball's flight.
1024 N. Clark St.
&
312/943-5151.
Kids' menu. Main courses $9-$20; kids' menu $3-$8. AE, DC, DISC,
MC, V. Mon-Thurs 11am-1am; Fri-Sat 11:30am-2am; Sun 11:30am-midnight. Subway/El: Red Line to Clark/
Division. Bus: 22, 70, or 36.
Ed Debevic's
BURGERS/DINER “Eat at Ed's” is the call to action at this
temple to America's hometown lunch-counter culture. Wherever you sit, in an
upholstered banquette or booth or the lunch counter stools, you'll be sur-
rounded by 1950s nostalgia. Tunes such as “Duke of Earl” and other vintage
oldies fill the air. Food specialties include pot roast, fountain drinks—and meat-
loaf. Ed Debevic's calls itself the place “where meatloaf is king.” There's no kids'
menu, but with the entire menu based on burgers and fries, who needs one? The
