<p>Some nice, cute restaurants I’ve been to in Chicago include:</p>
<p>JoYee Noodle in Chinatown Square Market. Oh my goodness, they are good. You gotta try out their Chap Chae noodles as well. Priced reasonable, super fast service, and very nice atmosphere. Authentic Asian food here: Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese,…you name it. I’m a huge fan of this place.</p>
<p>Edwardo’s Pizza in Hyde Park. A nice, small sit-in for some good ole chicagoan deep dish pizza. Only problem is that you have to wait 45 min for deep dish, since they make it fresh and organically. But I believe you can call in early and then arrive on time for the pizza. Compared to other pizza places in Chicago, though, they’re relatively okay, but only because there’s so much goddamn good pizza around. I still think their pizzas taste solid.</p>
<p>Gino’s East in Downtown. Better than Edwardo’s and Giordano’s, imo. Also a 45 min wait for fresh deep dish, but all worth it, I tell you. Great restauarant, high in demand, but long lines out the door. Chicago pizza in general ought to be experienced, at Giordano’s, Pizzaria, Uno’s, or wherever, the pizza there is definitely better than any pizza I’ve tasted in my hometown (including the badly named “Old Chicago” pizza, a chain founded in Colorado in fact). Their pizza sauce is beast.</p>
<p>Medici. Pizza, sandwiches, fries, etc. Nice atmosphere, good service, and pretty decently priced food. Kind of too “cutesy” for me.</p>
<p>Rajun Cajun. Fusion Indian food, you line up in a buffet style and they serve your food and then you get cozy in their booths in this local restaurant northeast of campus. Great place if you like Indian food. It has a cozy little atmosphere that isn’t too high-maintenance.</p>
<p>Thai 55th/ The Snail/ Siam’s/ Noodles Etc.
All of these places are Thai (except Noodles Etc., which serves noodles from all across Asia; if you go here, gotta try the drunken noodles I tell you), and they are all within walking distance of campus. Some are even right next to each other (on 55th st, somewhat by the shore) Personally, I’ve tried all of them but the Snail, and in my experiences, Siam’s and Noodles Etc. have been solid whereas Thai 55th has only been okay for me. Siam’s is cozy and priced within $7-11ish? A good sit-in place. Noodles Etc is pretty solid imo and I heard the Snail is pretty schmancy.</p>
<p>Cafe Florian. It’s another pizza/cafe place on 57th street. They serve italian soda (!! peppermint!), great small little individual pizzas, and in my experiences their food and service have been great. Very cute place with nice lights. It’s also a short walk from campus, somewhat east.</p>
<p>Cedars. It’s a cute restaurant with a nice atmosphere and serves greek food. It will be packed that day, I tell you. Personally, I thought that Cedar’s was more cute than it was delicious the several times I’ve been there. Low lights, wine glasses and all. But the food is okay.</p>
<p>Somewhere I WISH I went to last year was Oysy in Downtown (South Loop), which is a sushi place with great atmosphere and ambiance. They’re supposed to have really great maki. I am going there once I arrive on campus, though, I must…</p>
<p>Woo! Man, I love food in Chicago. Anywho there’s my 2 cents! =)</p>