Rec's for real-deal, authentic, non-tourist-y eats incl. deep dish pizza (Chicago: home, neighborhood)

[bloom]

Any specific recs for authentic, real-deal, non-touristy eats?
Deep dish pizza? I see Bourdain went to Burt's Place.
Besides pizza, what are other must-try Chicago fare?
Thanks in advance.

[pidgeon92]

For pizza, try the Art of Pizza.

Frankly, I can't think of anything else besides a good Chicago hot dog that is really a Chicago staple. Perhaps a good Italian Beef? Mr Beef On Orleans was always my favorite, though I haven't been in a couple of years..... I think they are still cash only.

[marothisu]

Pequod's Pizza in Lincoln Park. Other Chicago fare places? I guess you'd have to get a Hot Dog and Italian Beef...the King of hot dogs in Chicago, Hot Doug's, is closing in October. They are really good, but long lines when it's nice out and especially now that he announced his going away. You can get regular stuff there but they will make sausage out of anything - big time gourmet sausages in a non pretentious atmosphere. Franks n Dawgs is good for that type of thing too. Otherwise there are some downtown if you want just a regular Chicago dog. I can't think of many that do it terribly.


If downtown, then a place like Mr. Beef for Italian Beef. Other than that, you can get a lot of food in Chicago and some of it is near the top in the US if you're into trendy or fine dining too.

[Irishtom29]

Deep dish pizza IS kind'a touristy. I suggest going to Phil's at 35th and Aberdeen and getting a traditional "old neighborhood" thin crust cut in squares. While you're down that way stop at 35th St. Red Hots (just a couple blocks west of Sox Park) for a natural casing Vienna hot dog and fresh cut fries. IMO there's no better hot dog stand in the city.

Stop at Ricobene's on 26th St. for an Italian breaded steak, a South Side treat where they take a skirt steak, best the bejesus out of it until it's about a square foot large, then bread and deep fry it, then fold it up and serve it on an Italian roll with red gravy. Ricobene's also has good pizza and Italian beef. Freddie's down that way also has a good breaded steak.

[bloom]

^ there are other cities for thin crust za

[Longford]

Burt's for deep dish.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by bloom

^ there are other cities for thin crust za

Chicago has it's own style of thin crust; I eat east coast style now in St. Augustine, made by New Jersey and New York people, and it isn't like Chicago thin crust (though it's very good). And Chicago Thin isn't touristy; regardless of it's merits it's the most popular type of pizza in the city. It's what I grew up on in the 50s and 60s; I only ate deep dish when I took girls downtown on a date, I called it date pizza.

Every visitor who goes to the touristy parts of the city is exposed to deep dish, I submit it might be more interesting to go to Bridgeport, an old fashioned ethnic neighborhood, and get Phil's. By the way, Ricobene's, besides thin crust, also makes an excellent deep dish Uno's clone.

But whatever way you go you'll get a good pizza, most of the deep dish recommended here is, IMO, pretty good. My favorite deep dish is Lou Malnati's, they also do a first rate Chicago Thin. You can go to Malnati's and try both types.

[MPowering1]

Since you mentioned Bourdain, I thought I'd throw this out there. It's kind of fun to see which restaurants have been featured on shows. Enter location at the top of the page.



Restaurants on TV, Diners Drive-Ins and Dives, Man vs Food, Best Thing I Ever Ate & more

[It'sAutomatic]

Home Run Inn on 31st has my favorite pizza in the city. It's at the city limits in a Mexican neighborhood called Little Village.

[Army_Guy]

I've always been a Gino's East lover for deep dish.

But if you're talking about other foods, my recommendations are:

Italian beef-Johnny's but it's not in the city. It's near North Avenue and Harlem Avenue just west of the city. Now I've had a lot of Italian beef sammiches from a lot of different places but their spices are just something else. Their Italian ice is also awesome.

Al's near UIC, it's on Taylor Street. Awesome spices they have in their beef and if you go at this time of the year, that little Italian ice stand across the street will be open. I used to go there quite often as a student at UIC. Their Chicago style hot dogs are also pretty good.