Restaurant Recommendations in Downtown Chicago?

<p>Hi everyone, I just have a quick question!</p>

<p>My boyfriend and I will be celebrating our two year anniversary next weekend and we are planning to go to downtown Chicago. We are planning to spend the day at the Museum of Science and Industry, since we both have never been there and really like museums!</p>

<p>But…there is the question of what to do for dinner. We’re college students so we are on a limited budget - aka no fancy steakhouses or pretty much anywhere with entrees above $15. Do you guys have recommendations for restaurants in downtown Chicago, preferably not far or easily accessible by walking/bus/El to the Museum of Science and Industry? And also a restaurant that is still romantic but not too pricey (a big deal!!). I am not picky at all, but my boyfriend absolutely cannot eat spicy food and is pretty picky with “new” types of food (aka food that requires some adventurous eating!).</p>

<p>Thank you so much for all of your suggestions!!!</p>

<p>HiPrestige-my s graduated from college last year and now lives in Chicago.
We discovered a very, hip area along Rush street, and both kids enjoyed dining at
The Big Bowl.
I highly recommend RA Japanese restaurant also in this area.</p>

<p>There is a triangular shaped park, which was great vibe (confirmed by S this summer)-This entire area tranforms at night, very European vibe.<br>
Picture restaurants very upscale restaurants Carmines, and others , with outdoor sidewalk seating, gorgeous lanscaping. This is part of the “gold coast” area of Chicago, at the northern end of Magnificent Mile. </p>

<p>It’s a $2 bus ride down Michigan ave to this area, if the weather is nice, it would be fun.</p>

<p>There is a restuarant bar, with large outdoor seating/ standing for 100 people, most young 20s. </p>

<p>I think this area would be enjoyable for dining , browsing in Borders Bookstore, Anthropolgie store, people watching and would give you more of an experience than just, one meal in one downtown restaurant. Of course, weather permitting! </p>

<p>Chicago Yelpers offer great advice. [Rush</a> triangle Chicago](<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/search?find_loc=Chicago,+IL&find_desc=rush+triangle]Rush”>http://www.yelp.com/search?find_loc=Chicago,+IL&find_desc=rush+triangle)</p>

<p>Museum of Science and Industry is down in Hyde Park, not in the Loop. It’s about a 20 minute cab ride from the Loop. If you want a “downtown” museum, check out the Art Institute or Field Museum (long walk or short cab ride). There are plenty of great restaurants in the Loop - I like Trattoria No. 10. I’m not as familiar with Hyde Park, but I’m sure there are some good restaurants within walking distance of the museum.</p>

<p>You can take the El to the museum, but there is a bit of a walk through a kind of sketchy area at the end (OK, it used to be sketchy when I lived there, it may be gentrified by now!!)</p>

<p>If you end up near the Loop (the downtown area) I’d recommend almost any restaurant in Greek Town: Greek Islands, Parthenon or Santorini. They are a short cab ride or reasonable walk from the Loop, generally quite affordable, and provide a fun atmosphere. Greek food is also neither spicy nor challenging. </p>

<p>As for museums, as mentioned, the Museum of Science and Industry is pretty far from the Loop. The Museum Campus, with the Field Museum of natural history and the Shedd Aquarium are a short cab ride or a healthy walk from downtown.</p>

<p>If you go to the Museum of Science and Industry, there are pretty limited choices for even a semi-romantic dinner in Hyde Park on your budget. Your best bet down there would probably be The Medici, which is 5-6 blocks west of the museum on 57th St.</p>

<p>It is very easy to get to the Museum of Science and Industry from the Loop and back again. The 6 bus runs along State St. (going south) or Michigan Ave. (going north), is express from the South Loop down to Hyde Park, and goes right to the Museum. It’s about a 20-25 minute ride. DO NOT waste your money on a cab for that!</p>

<p>The MSI has a good transportation page on their website - [Welcome</a> to The Museum of Science and Industry](<a href=“http://www.msichicago.org%5DWelcome”>http://www.msichicago.org)
On weekends, you can take the #10 bus from Michigan Avenue or the Loop to the museum’s front door. Be aware that the MSI closes at 4 PM during October. </p>

<p>You should screen the museum’s attractions beforehand via website and have a plan of attack. Since it has a center hall and long corridors, an advance plan will save you many steps.</p>

<p>You’ll save money by eating in Hyde Park, but the choice of restaurants is limited. $15 a person is not going to get you much in the Loop or Rush Street area. Piccolo Mondo is a short walk from the museum, across 57th street in the beautiful block of older apartment buildings. The last #10 bus is at 6:20 PM, so this could work …</p>

<p>Sorry, looks like the last #10 bus leaves at 4:40, not what I wrote above. Where are you coming from?</p>

<p>Where will you be staying that night? It probably makes the most sense to eat in that neighborhood.</p>

<p>We love Quartino on State Street. It is really good food, fun atmosphere. A nice dinner without a huge price. You get a couple of dishes each and share them. It is in the loop area.</p>

<p>[Quartino</a> | Menus](<a href=“Quartino Chicago - Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar”>Quartino Chicago - Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar)</p>

<p>Not sure if it qualifies as romantic but H and I like Heaven on Seven if we don’t do a “fancy” meal.</p>

<p>We ate at Yolks on Michigan when we visited Chicago a few summers ago. I don’t know if it’s still there, but it was a great place for omelets, breakfast. We would stop there on the way walking to the Field Museum, Shedd Museum, from our hotel on Michigan Avenue, the Blackstone.</p>

<p>Thanks everyone so much for the responses!!! Wow, I had no idea that I’ll be getting so many wonderful suggestions. This is so much appreciated!</p>

<p>I do know that the Museum of Science and Industry is kinda out of the way, but we’ll definitely be eating in the Loop area. We’re both NU students, so we’re kinda sheltered from the “scary” parts of Chicago. =P We’re going from the NU obviously, so no housing issues to worry about and transportation into Chicago is pretty convenient on the El (just slow!).</p>

<p>I will definitely have a plan of attack when going through the museum! ^^ I really want to go to the aquarium as well (I’ve been there, bf hasn’t) but the last time I went the line on the weekend was all the around the block!! O__O I hope this isn’t the case with the Museum of Science and Industry, especially now that the weather isn’t as nice. xP</p>

<p>I’ll definitely google the restaurants that everyone has mentioned; hopefully they’ll all have menus listed! ^^ THANK YOU ALL for all the great suggestions!!</p>

<p>are you over 21? tons of young people at the Purple Pig on Michigan Ave. right near the River…</p>

<p>To stretch the dinner budget, you might want to go on restaurant.com and check out the deals on there.</p>

<p>Yes, we are both over 21! I will definitely look into the Purple Pig! ^^ I’ll check on restaurant.com, but we’re definitely on a pretty tight budget…:(</p>

<p>I like the Purple Pig, ironically one of the founding chefs was from Heaven on Seven…a tad more “romantic” menu than Heaven on Seven and if I remember in the same price range.</p>

<p>Just a note on the museum (not the food) :slight_smile: If you haven’t already seen it, we absolutely loved the U-boat exhibit there. It isn’t actually the boat that is so fascinating, but the story of the brilliant capture of it by Dan Gallery and his crew, and its journey that brought it to the museum is amazing. Even if you decide not to spring for the tickets for the actual inside the sub tour (maybe $5 per person?), go through the rest of the exhibit and take the time to watch the movies & read the displays.</p>

<p>When I think cheap and romantic, I always think Italian! The Italian Village in the Loop has a romantic ambiance and pasta entrees under $15. It’s sort of like Disney World in that it looks like an old (what else) Italian village at night, with the buildings and twinkly lights. Somewhere between charming and cheesy! It’s certainly not up there with the top Italian restaurants in Chicago, but is generally decent food and certainly should fit your boyfriend’s preferences. (My second thought for cheap and romantic was crepes, but I don’t know of any such restaurants in the Loop.)</p>

<p>Another option would be to grab a hot dog or burger somewhere, then have dessert and coffee at one of the expensive romantic restaurants (you might want to do this later in the evening).</p>

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<p>I find this statement kind of sad. But you can be assured that, after your trip to the Museum of Science and Industry, it will still be true. You won’t be going anywhere remotely “scary”.</p>

<p>If you don’t mind a bit of time on the el from downtown, catch the Brown Line to Lincoln Square for the Prix fixe at LM. Romantic and inexpensive both.</p>

<p>[LM</a> Restaurant - LM Prix Fixe Menu](<a href=“http://lmrestaurant.com/lmbistro.html]LM”>http://lmrestaurant.com/lmbistro.html)</p>