hoopsgalore

quote:

---

1. Gene and Georgetti - we wanted to go somewhere that felt local. I am glad we went, but would likely not go back. The old fashioned was excellent. The food was good, but not great.

---

River North and 'local' is an oxymoron. I'm being somewhat hyperbolic, but it very much is a neighborhood dominated with tourists and recent transplants that want a high-rise for a year or two.

That said, I have recommended several River North restaurants in my Chicago thread, including Indienne, Crying Tiger, Tzuco, Bavette's, and Gus' Sip & Dip.

Next time, take the Blue Line to Logan Square or Avondale - Two of the better restaurant neighborhoods outside West Loop.

quote:

---

2. Gibsons Italia - this restaurant is incredible. Should be at the top of anyone's list.

---

Completely agree - For Italian fine dining, Gibsons Italia and Tre Dita set the stage for an incredible ambiance.

quote:

---

1. Sushi San - great sushi spot. wife didn't want to drop straight into a pizza place off the bat. it was good, but would likely try a different place since there are so many options.

---

Sushi-san is fine, for sure. Like you said, plenty more out there, including Noriko, Sushi by Scratch, Kyoten / Kyoten Next Door, KAI ZAN, Jinsei Motto, and Omakase Box. Omakase Box, in particular, may be the best value in the city.

quote:

---

2. Lou Malnati's - great pizza spot. Would recommend going for the nostalgia. I would try other spots out for same reason as others

---

I'm partial to Lou and, admittedly, my wife and I order it once each year or so but a couple other pan / deep dish spots: Milly's, Pequod's, and Labriola are all worthwhile.

Thin crust reigns supreme for everyone that lives here, though - Michael's, Novel, Frank's, Phil's, Pat's, Zarella, Danny's, Palermo's of 63rd, Vito & Nick's, PIZZ'AMICI, etc., etc. The list goes on.

quote:

---

How about stuff within the city? We aren’t that adventurous

---

Casco Viejo is worthwhile for shops, restaurants, and bars. It's very safe with a good amount of police enforcement, but be sure to stay on the 'red brick road.' Gets dicey quick if you venture off. First time I was there with friends, we got a little too drunk and ended up in a not-so-great situation because we didn't know where we were going :lol:

quote:

---

Any food recs for picky kids (they could live off pizza and hamburgers) would be great, especially for atmosphere.

---

The bar forward pizza places are always loaded with kids - Stopalong in Logan Square, Paradise Park in Wicker Park, and Homeslice in Lincoln Park are spots you can hang at for multiple hours.

Guess my question is, with the way thread title is worded, are you planning to just choose one or the other? Most people visit both w/ some stops between (e.g., Camden, Freeport, etc.).

We did Grand Teton the weekend after Memorial Day. Weather was fantastic and, while crowded, was told it was significantly less than the prior weekend.

One of the better day drinking days I've had. It's a ton of fun. Hope you make it!

quote:

---

All I said was I wanted to see a proper Irish league soccer match, and I've got that part planned

---

If you have an opportunity to see a Hurling match, as well, do it.

quote:

---

We’re going to the Museum of Science and Industry tomorrow morning. I’d love to hang out around Hyde Park, do a personal tour of UChicago, and find a nice place for an early dinner.

---

If you're visiting the Museum of Science and Industry, please spend time walking Jackson Park. It's such a space of solitude.

For a nice dinner in Hyde Park, Virtue is one of the very best restaurants in the city right now. You won't get a reservation this late, but walking in at open could be the play. I've been twice and have seen kids both times.

quote:

---

But when I read about Hyde Park online, I see that it’s considered part of the dangerous area of Chicago? But it’s also one of the nicest areas as well?

---

Hyde Park is a fantastic neighborhood. I wouldn't consider it dangerous in the slightest - Trader Joe's, Starbucks, Strings, Small Cheval, etc., being there says what you need to know :lol: I wouldn't venture too west into Washington Park, but probably don't have to worry about this, as that's a more intentional thing to do.

Not just a Houston thing. Five breweries in Chicagoland, which includes suburbs, have closed this year and a couple others are for sale. Decline in consumption has been an obvious factor for awhile, but the recent acceleration of closings was brought by rising operational and production costs, as well as an oversaturated market for what craft beer is in 2026.

Still a shite ton of breweries in Chicagoland, but even the two heavy-hitters, Half Acre and Maplewood, had to merge. Prevailing thought is Maplewood previously had to contract their flagship beers, while Half Acre had a bunch of idle tanks. Helps both issues, but an obvious luxury most breweries don't have.

quote:

---

3 nights Osaka/Kyoto, and 3 nights Singapore next April.

---

Any flexibility to extend your stay in Kyoto/Osaka? Three nights is going to go extremely quick, and both cities offer something very different from one another. If it was up to me, I would consider 4-5 nights.

quote:

---

and 3 nights Singapore next April.

---

My FIL side of the family lives in KL and SG, so I've gotten to know SG extremely well over the years. You'll see differing opinions on duration - Some believe you can work through SG in just a couple days, while others think it takes longer. If your interests are drinking and eating, can definitely extend your stay. Especially on the side of cocktail bars, SG has quickly caught up as one of the better destinations in Asia.