Reviews by SCRA S Own Restaurant Critic, Chris Keys

Chicago Restaurants (Reviews by SCRA’s own restaurant critic, Chris Keys)

Closest to the Conference Sites and Hotel:

Park Grill in Millennium Park – www.parkgrillchicago.com 11 N Michigan Ave (at Madison St) Average main course: $19 Review: A few blocks north of Roosevelt University on Michigan Avenue. Good American fare in the park.

Terzo Piano – www.terzopianochicago.com 111 S. Michigan Avenue (inside Art Institute) (312) 443 – 8650 Average main course: $23 Review: Great spot for lunch; also serves dinner

Russian Tea Time – www.russianteatime.com 77 E. Adams St. (312)-360-0000 Average main course: $20 (dinner) Review: Fun downtown spot for a variety of Russian dishes and afternoon tea.

Heaven on Seven- www.heavenonseven.com 111 N. Wabash, 7th floor (312) 263-6443 (Lunch only) 600 N. Michigan Ave (312) 280-7774 Average main course: $12 Review: A taste of New Orleans in Chicago

El Cafecito 26 E. Congress Parkway (312) 922 – 2233 Review: Delicious Cuban sandwiches and robust coffee. Price range: under $10

Fontano's Subs- www.fontanossubs.com 20 E. Jackson, (312) 663-3061 Price range: under $10 Review: Perhaps the best Italian subs in town. Get plenty of napkins.

Outside the “Loop” but not very far:

NaHa – www.naha-chicago.com 500 N. Clark St. (312)-321-6242 Very classy American gourmet place with complex cuisine to delight your palate and great social values for supporting not-for-profit agencies and schools for low income youth.

Topolobampo – www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/topolabamp.html 445 N. Clark St. (312) 661-1434 Average main course: $37 Review: Upscale Mexican restaurant in Chicago. Book reservations early. Frontera Grill – www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/grill.html 445 N. Clark St. (312)-661-1434 Average main course: $16 Review: Bayless' slightly less upscale restaurant with inventive Mexican regional cuisine. Few reservations on the day of eating. Significant wait at popular times.

XOCO – www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/xoco.html 449 N. Clark St. (enter on Illinois St.) (312)-334-3688 Review: Xoco- "little sister" in Aztec is Rick Bayless' lower priced spot. The best $12 sandwich ever. Try the Barcelona Hot Chocolate.

Girl and the Goat – www.girlandthegoat.com 800 W. Randolph St. (312) 492-6262 Average main course: $14 Review: Stephanie Izard the Top Chef winner of 2008 has opened this winner to near universal applause. Tough reservation; can walk in early. Diverse creative food, especially good with fish.

Veerasway – www.veerasway.com 844 W. Randolph St. (312) 491- 0844 Average main course: $17 Review: Fun inventive Indian cuisine.

Crofton on Wells - www.croftononwells.com 535 N. Wells St. (312) 755-1790 Average main course: $28 Review: Upscale; well-prepared. Reserve ahead.

Reza's near north- www.rezasrestauraunt.com 432 W. Ontario (312)-664-4500 Average main course: $17 Review: Good Persian food in bountiful amounts for midscale prices.

Wishbone – www.wishbonechicago.com 1001 W. Washington Blvd. (312) 850-2663 Average main course: $10 Review: Southern food done well at reasonable prices

Not downtown but still close by:

Francescas – www.miafrancesca.com 1400 W. Taylor St. (312) 829-2828 Average main course: $19 Review: Tasty midscale Italian, Consistently first-rate salads, pasta, gourmet pizza, meat and fish.

Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap – www.tufanosrestaurant.com 1073 W. Vernon Park Place (312) 733-3393 Average main course: $14 (No credit cards accepted; reservations 10+) Review: Home cooking Italian. Try the eggplant.

Chez Joel Bistro Francais – www.chezjoelbistro.com 1119 W. Taylor St. (312) 226- 6479 Average main course: $23 Review: Classic French bistro; outdoor seating available

Nightwood – www.nightwoodrestauraunt 2119 S. Halsted Street (312) 526 – 3385 Average main course: $20 Review: Upscale; make a reservation

Irazu – www.irazuchicago.com 1865 N. Milwaukee Avenue (773) 252-5687 Average main course: $12 Review: Good vegetarian options. Best veggie burrito in town. Tasty meat options.

La Pasadita – www.pasadita.com 1132 N. Ashland Avenue (773) 384 – 6537 Price range: under $10 Review: Cheap eats- tamales done right. Local color and a kick of a website.

Alinea – www.alinea-restauraunt.com 1723 N. Halsted (312) 867-0110 Perhaps the best restaurant in America; 3-4 hour multiple course meals. Three stars from Michelin. Grant Achatz is at his inventive best here. $195 per person was a recent price quote.

Perennial – www.perennialchicago.com 800 N. Lincoln Ave (312) 981-7070 Average main course: $22 Review: Somewhat upscale place with chefs who trained with Charlie Trotter at a fraction of the price.

West Town Tavern - www.westtowntavern.com/ 1329 West Chicago Avenue (312) 666-6175 Average main course: $20 Review: Upscale comfort food hits the spot here. The kind of place every neighborhood should have.

Green Zebra - www.greenzebrachicago.com 1460 W. Chicago Avenue (312) 243-7100 Average main course: $11 Review: Excellent vegetarian place.

A Tavola- www.atavolachicago.com 2148 W. Chicago Ave. (773) 276-7567 Average main course: $23 Review: Upscale Italian looks more like a house than a restaurant. Wonderful atmosphere with food to match. Kendall College Dining Room – www.culinary.kendall.edu/news-and-events/the-dining-room 900 N. Branch St. (312) 752-2328 Review: Tasty upscale food prepared by culinary school students under the watchful eye of wonderful chefs. Always good, sometimes great food; eager student staff.

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba – www.cafebabareeba.com 2024 N. Halsted (773) 935-5000 Average tapa: $6 Review: Many good tastes with small plates. Nice sangria.

Manny’s Coffee Shop and Deli – www.mannysdeli.com 1141 S. Jefferson (312) 939 – 2855 Average main course: $9 Favorite spot for local politicians

Other Suggestions from Chicago students:

Portillo’s Hot Dogs - www.portillos.com 100 W. Ontario St. (312) 587-8910 Chicago style hotdogs, pizza, and Italian beef Price range: under $10

Pizzeria Uno - www.unos.com 29 E. Ohio (312) 321-1000 or Pizzeria Duo 619 N. Wabash Avenue (312) 943-2400 Average Pizza: $16

Bombay Wraps 122 N. Wells Street (312) 739-972 Price range: under $10

Giordano’s Pizzeria - www.giordanos.com 30 N. Rush St. (312) 951-0747 Chicago Style Pizza Price Range: $11-$30

The Weiner’s Circle www.weinerscircle.net 2622 N. Clark St. (773) 477-7444 Chicago style hotdogs Price range: under $10

Al’s Italian Beef www.alsbeef.com 69 W. Ontario St. (312) 943-3222 1079 West Taylor St. (312) 226-4017 Chicago Italian beef sandwiches Price range: under $10

Foodlife www.foodlifechicago.com 835 N. Michigan Avenue (312) 335-3663 Food court at Water Tower Place on mezzanine level * reviews and prices from Time Out Chicago, Fodor’s, and Yelp