Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1950s-costumed waitstaff cracks gum at you and dishes out rude comments
along with the food. And when the jukebox strikes up a song, don't be surprised
if your waiter leaps onto the counter (or onto your table, if that's where he hap-
pens to be), to dance along. It's all a performance, but it works. One nice bonus
is a good view of River North and the skyscrapers of the Loop to the south.
640 N. Wells St.
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312/664-1707.
High chairs, boosters. Reservations accepted only for parties of 15 or
more. All main courses under $10. AE, DC, DISC, V. Hours: Mon-Thurs 11am-9pm, Fri 11am-11pm, Sat
9am-11pm, Sun 9am-9pm. Subway/El: Brown Line to Franklin.
Gino's East
PIZZA This famous Chicago pizzeria invites patrons to
scrawl all over the graffiti-strewn booths. Waiting in the frigid cold (or swelter-
ing heat) to get into Gino's at its former location just west of the Magnificent
Mile used to be a Chicago tourist rite of passage. Now that the restaurant has
moved into the vast space formerly occupied by Planet Hollywood, there are no
more lines out front.
Many Chicagoans consider Gino's the quintessential deep-dish Chicago-style
pizza. True to its reputation, the pizza is heavy (a small cheese pizza is enough
for two), so work up an appetite before chowing down here. Specialty pizzas
include the supreme, with layers of cheese, sausage, onions, green pepper, and
mushrooms; and the vegetarian, with cheese, onions, peppers, asparagus, sum-
mer squash, zucchini, and eggplant. Gino's also offers salads, sandwiches, and
pastas, but I've never seen anyone order them. If you want to take a pizza home
on the plane, call a day in advance and Gino's will pack a special frozen pie for
the trip.
633 N. Wells St. (at Ontario St.).
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312/943-1124.
Kids' menu, high chairs, boosters. Reservations not
accepted. Pizza $8.25-$17; kids' menu around $5. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 11am-9pm; Fri-Sat
11am-midnight; Sun noon-9pm. Subway/El: Red Line to Chicago/State.
Green Door Tavern
BURGERS The Green Door is a neighborhood refuge
and a well-needed respite from the many trendy restaurants in River North. At
lunch you'll find the advertising and graphic-design types who work in the neigh-
borhood chowing on burgers in the unpretentious atmosphere. The restaurant's
wood-frame building was put up temporarily after the 1871 fire, presumably just
before the city ordinance that banned such construction inside the newly desig-
nated “fire zone.” The place began as a grocery store with living quarters on the
second floor, and evolved into a restaurant in 1921. Later a speakeasy was estab-
lished in a downstairs room no longer open to the public. Apparently the original
framing crew went light on the bracing timbers in a few places because the whole
building leans to the right. About a decade ago a newly constructed building across
from the Green Door was consumed with fire and burned to the ground. Fire-
fighters sprayed the Green Door, earning undying gratitude and an annual hono-
rarium called the Golden Helmet Awards from the management.
There's no kids' menu, but regular menu items should please, including the
hickory burger, the triple-decker grilled cheese, and the Texas chili. There are even
a veggie burger and a turkey burger, and the menu includes some Cajun fare and
pasta. Specials, including the Wednesday meatloaf offering, are posted daily.
678 N. Orleans St. (at Huron St.).
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312/664-5496.
High chairs, boosters. Reservations accepted only for
parties of 7 or more. Main courses $6.95-$12. MC, V. Mon-Fri 11:30am-2am; Sat 11:30am-3am; Sun
noon-9pm. Subway/El: Brown Line to Chicago.
Hard Rock Cafe
AMERICAN Not just an eatery, Hard Rock Cafe is also one
of Chicago's main tourist attractions. (Don't expect to find many locals or members
of the over-30 age group here.) A regular rock 'n' roll museum, you could easily
