Original query:
Need a rec for a nice place to grab a bite. I tend to prefer small places, places off the beaten path, unusual or quirky in some way. Can be a little pricey. Anywhere in the city is fine. Thanks!

And now: the results (the mysterious NING gods gave us the power to edit an OP for eternity so why make anyone dig for this . . .)


Lula Café (Logan Square)
2537 North Kedzie Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60647-2655
(773) 489-9554

Nightwood (Pilsen)
2119 South Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60608-4551
(312) 526-3385

Fonda Del Mar
3749 West Fullerton Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 489-3748

Spacca Napoli
1769 W Sunnyside Avenue
(between Hermitage Ave & Ravenswood Ave)
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 878-2420

Pasta Palazzo
1966 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 248-1400

Andie’s (what is up with a website that doesn’t list your restaurant’s location?)
1467 West Montrose Avenue, Chicago - (773) 348-0654
5253 North Clark Street, Chicago - (773) 784-8616

Dharma Garden
3109 W Irving Park Rd Chicago, IL 60618 - (773) 588-9140

Mado
1647 North Milwaukee Avenue
chicago, IL 60647
(773) 342-2340

Enoteca Roma
2146 W. Division Street
(between Damen Ave & Hoyne Ave)
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 772-7700

La Sardine
111 North Carpenter Street
Chicago, IL 60607-2117
(312) 421-2800

Mart Anthony's
1200 West Hubbard Street
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 421-3477

Zocalo
358 West Ontario Street
Chicago, IL 60654-6269
(312) 302-9977

Bari's
1120 W Grand 312/666-0730

Borinquen
1720 N. California Chicago, IL 60647 Phone: 773-442-8001

Orange
3231 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 549-4400

Ina's
1235 West Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60607-1517
(312) 226-8227

Mirai
2020 West Division Street
Chicago, IL 60622-3154
(773) 862-8500

Jane's
1655 West Cortland Street
Chicago, IL 60622-1119
(773) 862-5263

Alma Pita
4600 North Magnolia Avenue Chicago, IL 60640-5083 - (773) 561-2787


Masouleh
6653 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60626-4016
(773) 262-2227

Lee Wing Wah
2147 South China Place Chicago, IL 60616-1536 - (312) 808-1628

Café Society
1801 South Indiana Avenue Chicago, IL 60616-1308 - (312) 842-4210

Jurys
4337 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 935-2255

Z&H Market Café
1126 East 47th Street Chicago, IL 60653

Avec
615 West Randolph Street, Chicago - (312) 258-8331

Bristol
2152 North Damen Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 862-5555

Publican
845 W Fulton Market
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 733-955

Sunshine Restaurant
5449 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL
(773) 334-6214‎

Glenn's Diner
1820 West Montrose
773/506-1720

(edit- I stopped updating after Don Sorsa's post on page . . . durn, they took the page numbers away . . .on Dec. 7th, so start with Primitive Don's post for further recs).

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H3N3 said:
Stopped in for the first time last night-- tried the beer but decided to skip out on the 90 minute wait.
Will have to find out when the best time to go is. My impression is that they've been pretty much filled to and beyond capacity since the moment they opened their doors? The beer was very good; I'm not generally a huge fan of Microbrews since they tend to be just a little "too much" in some department or other, usually overflavored, but the one I had was fine (forget the name-- something with "cross") and I tried another (some sort of dark coffee/chocolate beer) that I also could have got down.
Cross of Gold I think. A reference to William Jennings Bryan and his famous speech of the same name. I had the opposite reaction to their beer. It was ok, but it didn't have enough in some department or the other, usually flavor. I was also disappointed by the decor. It was far too slick. The tempeh reuben on the other hand - THAT was awesome. As were the fries. And there were some really cool bikes locked up out front - a pair of A Homer Hilson Rivendells, - perhaps the most beautiful bikes I've ever seen locked up anywhere.

I loved how the brewery was visible from our table.
I thought the beers were just OK at Revolution, they weren't bad but nothing to rave about either. The usual thing where "this beer is very similar to Blue Moon and that one is very similar to Dead Guy".

I agree with your take on Simone's, the interior is very visually interesting, and its cool to have a place like that near our neck of the woods.

H3N3 said:
Will be interesting to see how things evolve.
I didn't have much of a reaction to the decor one way or the other, beyond noticing a presumably noticable lack of adornmnet on the walls, but I'd like to note that the most impressive interior I've seen recently is Simone's, with which I'm guessing you're familiar. I absolutely love what they did with the place.

Tony Adams said:
H3N3 said:
Stopped in for the first time last night-- tried the beer but decided to skip out on the 90 minute wait.
Will have to find out when the best time to go is. My impression is that they've been pretty much filled to and beyond capacity since the moment they opened their doors? The beer was very good; I'm not generally a huge fan of Microbrews since they tend to be just a little "too much" in some department or other, usually overflavored, but the one I had was fine (forget the name-- something with "cross") and I tried another (some sort of dark coffee/chocolate beer) that I also could have got down.
Cross of Gold I think. A reference to William Jennings Bryan and his famous speech of the same name. I had the opposite reaction to their beer. It was ok, but it didn't have enough in some department or the other, usually flavor. I was also disappointed by the decor. It was far too slick. The tempeh reuben on the other hand - THAT was awesome. As were the fries. And there were some really cool bikes locked up out front - a pair of A Homer Hilson Rivendells, - perhaps the most beautiful bikes I've ever seen locked up anywhere.

I loved how the brewery was visible from our table.
Vando said:

... I agree with your take on Simone's, the interior is very visually interesting, and its cool to have a place like that near our neck of the woods.

Yes! Simone's interior is a joy to behold. No one ordered that out of a catalog. My problem with the Revolution Brewing decor is not the lack of adornment though. I'm fine with simple and I prefer austere to overdone or kitschy. I hates me a disney Irish bar as much as the next pretentious hipster. But there is something I can't quite define about the Revolution Brewing's interior design that just seems too... I dunno, mainstream? It lacks funk. It has no discernible character. I want a joint in Logan Square to not look like it could just as easily be transported to Lincoln Park or Schaumburg or any generic American tourist strip.

Simone's also gets extra points for installing a lot of bike rack and not just depending on the city to install a couple of racks out front. They also get extra points for selling cans of IPA! And growing their own herbs and honey! on the roof. They lose a point for trying too hard to make clever cocktails. I've had two now which were just about undrinkable. (And I can drink Malort for g*d's sake! so I clearly have almost no grasp on the concept of undrinkable.)
Wow, I love this thread. It is always welcome to find out about new places to sustain my finite energy in Chicago. Would anyone like to organize a ride hitting a couple of these spots?

Personally, I am particularly interested in Simone's...I don't make it to Pilsen nearly enough!
If they do not have a bike rack then then that place should not be on any of our lists

Kramer's Health Foods - 230 S Wabash Ave (at Jackson)

The cafe in the back of Kramer's store just got even better.  Last week they added a few cooks, as their original chefs are now also running their own restaurant elsewhere.  They've expanded the menu and, in my opinion, are making even tastier lunches.  Soups, fresh juices...everything is made from scratch with love.  With so few veggie (let alone, vegan) options in the Loop, this place is reliably good.  There are bike racks on the block.

Holy resurected thread batman!

I guess I'll add a couple of my own favorites:

Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant (Andersonville)

5631 N Ashland Ave
(between Olive Ave & Hollywood Ave) 
ChicagoIL 60660

Best Ethiopian in town and they are in some pretty good company to beat.

-

La Cocina (Avondale)

2901 North Kedzie Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618


What LaBamba used to be like back n the 80's before they got popular and all fast-foody.


I am currently obsessed with Pho Lilly at 5100 N Broadway.  Their spring rolls are awesome! It's time for a shortest ever ride....

lalibela is great. It's in a weird location and nobody knows about it because it's on Ashland versus Clark. I live a couple of blocks west of it, but sadly, I'm the only person in my family who likes any food aside from burgers, wings and dogs.

James BlackHeron said:

Holy resurected thread batman!

I guess I'll add a couple of my own favorites:

Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant (Andersonville)

5631 N Ashland Ave
(between Olive Ave & Hollywood Ave) 
ChicagoIL 60660

Best Ethiopian in town and they are in some pretty good company to beat.

-

La Cocina (Avondale)

2901 North Kedzie Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618


What LaBamba used to be like back n the 80's before they got popular and all fast-foody.


I went to Cafe Marbella last week. Exceptional tapas restaurant, AND BYOB! 5527 N. Milwaukee.

Did anyone mention Irazu?

1865 N. Milwaukee  

Chicago, IL 60647


Awesome food and there is bike parking -but it seems there are so many bikes parked out front that  they could use 3x more. 

+1  Irazu's food is very tasty.

James BlackHeron said:

Did anyone mention Irazu?

1865 N. Milwaukee  

Chicago, IL 60647


Awesome food and there is bike parking -but it seems there are so many bikes parked out front that  they could use 3x more. 

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