Overnight Chicago trip

February's a great time to visit Wrigley Field.

No lovable losers on the field, and no selfie-taking losers in the bleachers!

 

It doesn't look like they're offering tours in the off season, maybe because of the construction:

Ballpark Tours - Daily Tours

But, if you've got to see it, you've got to see it. You can still get a feel for how it fit into the neighborhood, have a quick beer at a bar and get out of there.

It's not far from downtown, so it's not much of a side trip.

Unless you want to check out Boystown -- not that there's anything wrong with that -- there's not much else to do around there.

Can't really recommend anywhere nearby to eat.

I've never been, but this joint was on Man vs. Food, for those so inclined:

Lucky's Sandwich Company - Chicago's Best Sandwich Shop

 

Let us know what they've done to ruin Wrigley this winter after turning it into Jerry's World last winter.

 

LOL. Do you have some affection for the old Wrigley Field?

Besides, after a spaceship landed in Soldier Field, they can't do anything worse to ruin a landmark.

 

I had more affection for Wrigley Field, as an architectural landmark, than I did for the team that players there and, in particular, for the idiots who fill the seats.

As far as the OP's question: I live in the suburbs, and I'm not really a foodie, so I've been kind of frozen out of the culture of the city I grew up near at this point. It's too bad my brother isn't on this board. He's a big-time yuppie, like YF, and could give you every last haunt where the trendy gather. I've had good luck with steakhouses, particularly David Burke's Primehouse. Sable is a great cocktail bar I discovered recently. It's pretty close to downtown, and we got some seats at the bar the other night stopping in at around 7.

Though it isn't traditional Chicago deep dish, people go nuts for Piece pizza, in Wicker Park. It's a brewery, as well. Good luck getting a seat, though. I love Longman & Eagle. It has a huge whiskey list - like 700 - and a quirky single-floor hotel upstairs. Serves breakfast, too.

The Rick Bayless restaurant I'm familiar with is Xoco. Very casual atmosphere. I think you line up for your food like a cafeteria.

 

Sable is a great place for a drink or dinner. Really one of my favorite places to take someone for a drink.

Piece is excellent. For a cheap meal, it's one of the best places to go in the city, especially if you like beer.

Longman and Eagle is great. A bar with a Michelin star. Lots of good places nearby too. (Billy Sunday and Yusho to name a couple.) Longman and Eagle can be a tough place to get a seat too though. Try it for lunch maybe. My only complaint would be the portion sizes can be a little small.

 

Not for breakfast, though. The portions were huge.

 

When my wife and I were in Chicago this past summer, we had a really good deep-dish pizza at the Giordano's on Irving Park Road. I suspect the locations are pretty much interchangeable.

 

It's worth a visit. Just make sure to order fries so you can hear them yell "No fries! Chips!" Can be a bit tricky to find. As somebody else said, it's under the bridge but there are steps there.

Also had good luck at Blue Chicago the couple of times I've been there. Music was great.

 

There's one near the United Center, too.

 

See if these guys are playing anywhere:
Three Blue Teardrops [official]

 

Is the Checkerboard still open?