[SoulPlaya]

As does every city. You judge a city on how you personally experience it and Chicago cannot be beat in that regard.

Well, of course, all cities have their problems, but not all cities have equal problems. I'm on the West and South sides every week. My point isn't to disparage this city, but when I hear someone say that it's the best city in the world, I wonder how can that be when it treats so many of its residents so terribly.

[cuevas, PhD.]

Shit south siders say, let's do it.

[chaostrophy]

Chicagoans never accept me as their own because I'm from NW Indiana. Just jealous because I pay cheaper taxes :P

I'm from NW Indiana and I'm accepted as a Chicagoan...because I got the hell out of Indiana and live in Chicago now. :)

[SolKane]

It's probably got 2-3 things that are actually "Chicago". http://mattyryan.wordpress.com/2012/...hicagoans-say/

lol at this petty and insecure nativism

[planar1280]

Been to both cities NYC and Chicago. Chicago is basically NY without the rush, the garbage and the hectic nature. Be that as they may, I prefer to live in NYC because that rush, the garbage and that crowd, I love it. Chicago is a good retirement town for those who love to live in the city

[cuevas, PhD.]

Been to both cities NYC and Chicago. Chicago is basically NY without the rush, the garbage and the hectic nature. Be that as they may, I prefer to live in NYC because that rush, the garbage and that crowd, I love it. Chicago is a good retirement town for those who love to live in the city

Go live in India then, you'd love it.

[SephCast]

Shit south siders say, let's do it.

You've already got a video, Cuev.

[krypt0nian]

Well, of course, all cities have their problems, but not all cities have equal problems. I'm on the West and South sides every week. My point isn't to disparage this city, but when I hear someone say that it's the best city in the world, I wonder how can that be when it treats so many of its residents so terribly.

I'd love to hear what city doesn't.

[reKon]

I'll be over here in about a year when I start full time work. Can't wait (will miss school badly though). It will be weird not living in the mitten =[

[cuevas, PhD.]

I'm from the suburbs and when people ask me where I'm from I say Chicago, sup?

[sixghost]

I'm hoping none of you found this funny: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofy5gNkKGOo

"did you see that article in the red-eye?"

no one has ever said that.

[SoulPlaya]

I'm from the suburbs and when people ask me where I'm from I say Chicago, sup?

I knew it!

[SephCast]

I knew it!

You, me, Cuev, and Grimm fandango meet up for a Bulls NBA finals party. Sound good?


No TGMP allowed.

[apocalidiot]

Duke's out on Clark just beyonf Best Buy and Weiner's Circle has good burgers.

Dude.. their fries are probably one of the best fries I've ever had in my life. That place is pretty badass

[Wellington]

Headed to Chicago tomorrow night. What's the best place for deep dish pizza? Going to be staying in the Loop.

[SephCast]

Headed to Chicago tomorrow night. What's the best place for deep dish pizza? Going to be staying in the Loop.

Pequods is my favorite.

[DrBaalzamon]

I love Chicago, its one of the few places that felt like home. I used to live in Ravenswood, near the German area. It was beautiful, I made some mistakes and had to rush out of there. I left my heart there to be honest, one day I shall return!

[TheCrow]

Nice to see chicago-gaf get some representation. Born and raised in the Southside.

Anyway, Just got my hair cut and I love my barbershop even though it's a fair ways away from my place. If anyone is looking for a new barbershop check out Pierre's Fade Salon by Foster and Lincoln. It's only $8 for a cut plus razor line ups. They don't force any conversations and they focus on the cut. I can vouch for any of the guys there. Don't know about the ladies but I don't let woman cut my hair except for when I had long hair.

[Phobophile]

Lockdown > Kumas. Less crowded, better beer, on the Westside. Check it out!

Lockdown = poor man's Kuma's. Disingenuous and forced heavy metal atmosphere and it's in the West Side. Would I go back? Maybe on a night with specials and if I'm in Humboldt visiting friends. I'd rather hit up Villains since they're right off the 62 bus.

And seriously the only time you can go to Kuma's nowadays is at fucking 11:30 AM and already there's 30 people in line.

Shit south siders say, let's do it.

"Youse guys." Seriously. In Bridgeport.

[Ryaaan14]

Going back to visit for a week in late April.

Fucking incredible city. Lived in River North for 5 years and it was the best time of my life.

[SoulPlaya]

You, me, Cuev, and Grimm fandango meet up for a Bulls NBA finals party. Sound good? No TGMP allowed.

Shit, why not?

Sorry Poo, lol

[Quick]

Sup, Partner city?

Toronto-GAF checking in. I don't have anything to add to the discussion, except that I'd very much like to visit Chicago one day.

[bggrthnjsus]

Aloha Eats? I love that place! Here's my awesome Spam Loco Moco from when I was there last. [IMG]http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q162/deefuzz/aloha.jpg[/IM]

oh man aloha eats is like the one place i've been to outside of HI or CA that gets the gravy right for hamburger steaks and loco moco

[bggrthnjsus]

i lived in chicago for a good chunk of my life, grew up in the suburbs, went to champaign for undergrad. now i live in new york. they're both pretty great. i'm not sure which i like more. chicago wins hands down for hot dogs and burgers. pizza's a little difficult to compare actually.

[bggrthnjsus]

another good kumas alternative is the bad apple on lincoln near montrose. on weds they have a 90 day aged wagyu beef burger with different toppings every week. one week that i had it was the best burger i've ever had in my life.

[bob page]

My first day in Chicago, a guy let my wife and I into his shop that he had already basically closed, let us browse for a while and sold us some stuff even though he had already closed the register. That would never have happened in NY. EDIT ^^^ yeah, that is a big problem in Chicago though. Lots of disparity.

Something similar actually happened to me today in NYC, how ironic. A taco truck was closed up for about 15 mins before I got there- he saw that I looked disappointed, fired up everything, and cooked up a burrito for me. For free. As stated many times previously, New Yorkers are generally only rude if someone is rude to them.

Anyway, my brother lives in Chicago and I grew up in the midwest so I visited dozens of times during my childhood. It's a great city (the downtown anyways) that unfortunately gets boring with time (just like everywhere else in the midwest). Of all the cities I've been to in the US, it comes in at #2, mainly because its food and culture don't even come close to NYC.

On a side note, there are areas in Chicago that I've felt pretty unsafe in. Downtown is nice and clean, but man, some of the surrounding areas are flat out awful.

[Bullza2o]

I live in Chicago. Best city in America!

[cuevas, PhD.]

On a side note, there are areas in Chicago that I've felt pretty unsafe in. Downtown is nice and clean, but man, some of the surrounding areas are flat out awful.

At a sox game we got separated from our friend and she was wandering around the side side alone for a while(completely wasted). She walked to some cops who were at a murder scene(as we later found out). They called her dad to pick her up.

[Phobophile]

At a sox game we got separated from our friend and she was wandering around the side side alone for a while(completely wasted). She walked to some cops who were at a murder scene. They called her dad to pick her up.

Seriously, Bridgeport isn't that bad.

[bob page]

At a sox game we got separated from our friend and she was wandering around the side side alone for a while(completely wasted). She walked to some cops who were at a murder scene(as we later found out). They called her dad to pick her up.

Yeah, I'm from Detroit so it's a bad sign if I'm scared in parts of Chicago.

[RustyNails]

^ the only big "problem" with Chicago other than the city running a budget deficit despite being taxed out the ass is crime.

2005 data:

[Seraphinianus]

Headed to Chicago tomorrow night. What's the best place for deep dish pizza? Going to be staying in the Loop.

in the loop? Lou Malnati's.

outside of the loop, you have a lot more choices...though I still like lou malnati's the best out of any deep dish I've had.

The only challenger left that I haven't tried is Pequod's, which is north of the loop, about 30 minutes by train or bus. (and a preemptive "don't fucking sue me for not trying Pequod's yet" to other chicagoans because there are about 1000 pet restaurants in chicago with the best [blank] ever which everyone recommends to you and I'm only one man goddamnit.)

[reKon]

Headed to Chicago tomorrow night. What's the best place for deep dish pizza? Going to be staying in the Loop.

Gino's East, thank me later

[IAmtheFMan]

Seriously, Bridgeport isn't that bad.

Han 202 is seriously one of the best deals for dining in the entire city. 25 dollars for a 5 course gourmet Chinese/fusion dinner, that's BYO without a corkage fee.

Amazing.

[Seraphinianus]

Gino's East, thank me later

why do people always recommend gino's or uno's. those places are bad. they're why everyone calls it pizza cake!

[quadriplegicjon]

I love Lou's and pequods. I still can't decide which I like best, but you can't beat pequods lunch deal: 1 personal pizza and a beer/pop for $5.

[reggieandTFE]

Lockdown = poor man's Kuma's. Disingenuous and forced heavy metal atmosphere and it's in the West Side. Would I go back? Maybe on a night with specials and if I'm in Humboldt visiting friends. I'd rather hit up Villains since they're right off the 62 bus. And seriously the only time you can go to Kuma's nowadays is at fucking 11:30 AM and already there's 30 people in line. "Youse guys." Seriously. In Bridgeport.

"I'm going to AXE you a question. "

[nicoga3000]

why do people always recommend gino's or uno's. those places are bad. they're why everyone calls it pizza cake!

Gino's and Lou's are both fantastic pizza.

Fan-fucking-tastic pizza.

In other news, I'm going to be in city this weekend to visit my fiance. Any neat places we can go to eat that a Chicago native doesn't already know? She lives there now finishing her doctorate, and we're both from the suburbs...We've spent our fair share of time in the city when I was living in the area.

We're celebrating Valentine's Day this weekend (since we're long distance and don't see one another much right now), so I want it to be nicer, but not crazy expensive. Thoughts?

[IAmtheFMan]

In other news, I'm going to be in city this weekend to visit my fiance. Any neat places we can go to eat that a Chicago native doesn't already know? She lives there now finishing her doctorate, and we're both from the suburbs...We've spent our fair share of time in the city when I was living in the area. We're celebrating Valentine's Day this weekend (since we're long distance and don't see one another much right now), so I want it to be nicer, but not crazy expensive. Thoughts?

What's your price range?

[nicoga3000]

What's your price range?

I'd like to keep it under $200 after drinks, food, and tip. Good food is worth it to me, and I only see my fiance ~4 days a month, so I splurge for her.

[IAmtheFMan]

I'd like to keep it under $200 after drinks, food, and tip. Good food is worth it to me, and I only see my fiance ~4 days a month, so I splurge for her.

Oh damn then. lol. Well here come my foodie recs then:

Goosefoot JUST opened a month or two ago, and has been getting INCREDIBLE buzz, and is only going to get busier... so getting in now might be a good idea. The chef is Chris Nugent from Les Nomades who wanted to branch out. 90 dollars for an 8 courser, but it's BYO. I'm going next week myself.

Slurping Turtle is great for noodles and opened recently, but probably less romantic, and can get pretty busy.

Also Acadia is a new restaurant that's down in my neighborhood in the South Loop area. It's pretty good... Entrees will run you about 30 or so.

Also I have to put a plug in for Ruxbin... Korean food but made in a traditional french cooking method.

Of course there's a ton of standbys... Girl and the Goat, Frontera, etc.

Hope that helps some. Feel free to PM me for more... I try to stay pretty plugged into the food scene, and go out to eat way more then I probably should.

[timetokill]

True story: I once had to get a connecting flight in flyover country, so we stopped in Chicago. The pilot said, "beware of the smell," as we departed. Dead serious.

[SoulPlaya]

True story: I once had to get a connecting flight in flyover country, so we stopped in Chicago. The pilot said, "beware of the smell," as we departed. Dead serious.

You get used to it, eventually.

[nicoga3000]

Oh damn then. lol. Well here come my foodie recs then: Goosefoot JUST opened a month or two ago, and has been getting INCREDIBLE buzz, and is only going to get busier... so getting in now might be a good idea. The chef is Chris Nugent from Les Nomades who wanted to branch out. 90 dollars for an 8 courser, but it's BYO. I'm going next week myself. Slurping Turtle is great for noodles and opened recently, but probably less romantic, and can get pretty busy. Also Acadia is a new restaurant that's down in my neighborhood in the South Loop area. It's pretty good... Entrees will run you about 30 or so. Also I have to put a plug in for Ruxbin... Korean food but made in a traditional french cooking method. Of course there's a ton of standbys... Girl and the Goat, Frontera, etc. Hope that helps some. Feel free to PM me for more... I try to stay pretty plugged into the food scene, and go out to eat way more then I probably should.

Wow, you DO know your food. These are all places I haven't heard of, haha. This is pretty much exactly what I was looking for. :)

I may shoot you a PM with a few other questions based on location, too. A+

[Zyzyxxz]

Been twice and my recommendations for food are:

XOCO: awesome tortas and the churros are great too.

Maxwell Street Market: tacos are pretty dam good depending on which stand you go to.

Quartino: Italian tapas restaurant, everything is pretty good there.

Hot Doug's: Hots dogs in all forms but go for the awesome foie gras hot dog!

[nicoga3000]

Been twice and my recommendations for food are: XOCO: awesome tortas and the churros are great too. Maxwell Street Market: tacos are pretty dam good depending on which stand you go to. Quartino: Italian tapas restaurant, everything is pretty good there. Hot Doug's: Hots dogs in all forms but go for the awesome foie gras hot dog!

I love me some tapas. I also love me some Italian food.

Italian tapas is a new concept to me, and I love the sound of it.

[Snowblindvictim]

Sup guys, Rogers Park up in this

[apocalidiot]

I just got a hotdog at the Dog House on Fullerton right by the red line stop... it's so fucking good. I gotta try Hot Dougs

[ChiTownBuffalo]

Carnivale is actually pretty nice too.

[Seth C]

Gino's East, thank me later

He won't, because their pizza is the worst I've had in Chicago. Tourist trap shithole. Avoid.