Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
evening is great for parents, too—
they get a short break while their
kids play chef to enjoy their meal
and some grown-up conversation.
Make a reservation, because your
window of opportunity is small:
The restaurant runs the program
on Sunday only, from 5 to
6:30pm. See p. 126.
•
Best Kids' Menu:
How many
times have you seen the big three
on kids' menus? Burgers, chicken
fingers, and buttered noodles are
great, but when you want to
expand your horizons (just a lit-
tle), head for
Wishbone,
1001
Washington St., at Morgan Street
(
&
312/850-2663
), or 3300 N.
Lincoln Ave. (
&
773/549-2663
).
You'll find a little Southern flair to
the kids' menu, with hoppin' John
(black-eyed peas over rice), grilled
ham, corn muffins, and home fries
among the offerings. See p. 115.
•
Best Burgers:
The hamburger at
Mike Ditka's Restaurant,
100 E.
Chestnut St. (
&
312/587-8989
),
tastes more like chopped steak and
can easily feed two. Sports fans
will be entertained by football
memorabilia and Bears fans can
relive the glory days of former
Coach Mike Ditka, who owns the
place. Take your kids to the main
dining room, though, because the
bar vicinity tends to get a little
foggy with cigar smoke. See p. 117.
•
Best Barbecue:
At longtime city
favorite
Carson's,
612 N. Wells
St. (
&
312/280-9200
), $20 gets
you a full slab (nearly 2 pounds'
worth) of incredible baby back
ribs, accompanied by a bowl of
Carson's almost-as-famous cole-
slaw and a choice of potatoes. See
p. 125.
•
Best Breakfast:
Although the
restaurant is located in the young
professional haven of Lincoln
Park, parents report that the man-
agers and staff at
Toast,
746 W.
Webster St., at Halsted Street
(
&
773/935-5600
), are baby-
and kid-crazy. The pancakes and
waffles are pretty crazy, too: Stacks
arrive covered in fruit, yogurt,
powdered sugar, and more. Go for
brunch starting at 8am on week-
ends. See p. 137.
•
Best Family-Style Dining: Mag-
giano's,
516 N. Clark St. (
&
312/
644-7700
), is a mecca for Italian
family-style dining. Heaping
plates of pasta meant to be shared
make Maggiano's a good choice
for a budget-conscious family. In
fact, everything on the menu is
supersize. Most steaks are more
than a pound, and the full pasta
dishes weigh in at over 25 ounces.
(You can also get half-portions,
which are still plentiful.) You're
expected to share dishes, pass
things around, and try a little bit
of everything. See p. 126.
•
Best Asian Food:
If you eat at
Big
Bowl,
6 E. Cedar St., at Rush
Street (
&
312/640-8888
), at the
beginning of your visit to
Chicago, I guarantee you will
make a repeat visit before you
leave. The food here is addictive.
From noodle soups to pad Thai
(try the tofu and veggie version),
your kids will find tons to love
here. Each child gets a small bowl
of white rice and crayons upon
being seated. The restaurant bus-
tles and kids will blend right in
with the other activity. Make sure
to grab a handful of individually
wrapped fortune cookies on your
way out! See p. 120.
•
Best Hot Dog: Gold Coast Dogs,
159 N. Wabash Ave. (
&
312/917-
1677
). This River North fast-food
stand serves up the authentic
item, meaning a Vienna All-Beef
Frank slathered with mustard,
green relish, chopped onion,
sliced tomato, hot peppers, and
