<p>If you’re willing to fork out about $40 or so (a bit pricey to some college students), some of these restaurants are so, so worth it: </p>
<p>avec (please get the hanger steak, you won’t regret it)
cafe lula (suckling pig, anyone? good veggie options too)
the gage (gastropub, one of the best)
frontera grill (apparently one of the best mexican restaurants in the country)
rose angelis (they had really good pasta IMO, but I’m not exactly the best judge)
the girl and the goat
purple pig</p>
<p>Also, for less pricier options, Kuma’s Korner is the most obscene burger joint ever, and Pheonix in chinatown is pretty good. Honestly I don’t think Chicago’s chinatown measures up to New York’s. </p>
<p>Options in hyde park are limited after the tragic demise of Calypso Cafe. I would say the only other places worth trying there are harold’s chicken for the sake of familiarizing yourself with an institution and the sit-down. I know there are pricer restaurants but if you’re going to splurge you might as well get out of hyde park. </p>
<p>Also, try to avoid going to thai 55, the snail, the Nile, or any restaurants on 55th for that matter. You’ll probably end up at each of these at least once, and that’s plenty in my opinion. Explore the ethnic neighborhoods - chinatown, Pilsen for tacos, and Argyle for Pho. Good stuff.</p>