Eating well doesn't mean you have to shell out a lot of cash and in these times you don't need to resort to fast food either.
Here's some more deals around town where you can eat well but won't break the bank either.
Cucina Paradiso
814 North Blvd
Oak Park, IL 60301
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Half price wine bottles every Monday and $5 signature martinis every Wednesday
Enjoy $3 appetizers at the bar only Tuesday
Cafe Selmarie
4729 N Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
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Enjoy a three-course meal for only $20 every Thursday Night at Cafe Selmarie. 4pm until closing.
Sushi X
543 W Diversey Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614
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Half price on all sushi rolls Sunday through Wednesday from 5:00pm - 7:00pm.
Mirabell Restaurant & Lounge
3454 W Addison St
Chicago, IL 60618
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Drink specials Monday thru Thursday
Va Pensiero
1566 Oak Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201
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High end North Shore Italian available at a discounted price beginning Friday January 2nd through Saturday January 31st, 2009- Four Course Berkshire pork tasting menu.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Primos Chicago Pizza and Pasta Review
816 W Van Buren St
Chicago, IL 60607
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Short Review: Friendly owner, good food and some great Tomato and Basil Pizza. Just go for lunch and thank yourself later.
Long Review: I decided to go to Primo's for lunch one day to check it out as I heard good things about it from others.
I walked into Primo's and right away this place has a very neighborhood feeling to it. I stepped up to the counter as their was no one their and took a look up at the chalkboard to see what I might be interested in.
"5 dollar Pizza Special with drink"
Sounds good to me, I got it knowing that it was a pretty good deal. I got the tomato and basil pizza. I stepped to the side and noticed the man behind the counter (the owner) was very friendly to the customers and seemed like a friend of regulars, or those who seemed like regulars.
I got my pizza and went to take my seat. The slice is enormous and it had to be cut up with a pizza slicer for me to eat it properly.
I bit into the a piece. It was some of the best pizzas I've had. The tomatoes are sweet and a little hint of tangy, the cheese is creamy and greasy.
I devoured the entire piece in about 10 minutes and was contemplating stealing the entire tray from under the heat lamp. It's that good.
I've been going back on a weekly basis for lunch and am exploring their menu of tasty lunch offerings. Go if you're in the area. Good service, good food, good prices and some great tomato and basil pizza.
Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
Chicago, IL 60607
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Short Review: Friendly owner, good food and some great Tomato and Basil Pizza. Just go for lunch and thank yourself later.
Long Review: I decided to go to Primo's for lunch one day to check it out as I heard good things about it from others.
I walked into Primo's and right away this place has a very neighborhood feeling to it. I stepped up to the counter as their was no one their and took a look up at the chalkboard to see what I might be interested in.
"5 dollar Pizza Special with drink"
Sounds good to me, I got it knowing that it was a pretty good deal. I got the tomato and basil pizza. I stepped to the side and noticed the man behind the counter (the owner) was very friendly to the customers and seemed like a friend of regulars, or those who seemed like regulars.
I got my pizza and went to take my seat. The slice is enormous and it had to be cut up with a pizza slicer for me to eat it properly.
I bit into the a piece. It was some of the best pizzas I've had. The tomatoes are sweet and a little hint of tangy, the cheese is creamy and greasy.
I devoured the entire piece in about 10 minutes and was contemplating stealing the entire tray from under the heat lamp. It's that good.
I've been going back on a weekly basis for lunch and am exploring their menu of tasty lunch offerings. Go if you're in the area. Good service, good food, good prices and some great tomato and basil pizza.
Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Cheap Eats in Chicago: Dining Deals
With the economic crisis one of the first luxuries to get crossed off your budget is eating out. Though, you can find some great places in the city to eat cheaply; some for under ten dollars or even five dollars.
Sopo
3424 N Southport Ave,
Chicago, IL
$2 burgers on Monday nights.
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Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba
2024 N. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL
$3 Tapas Mon.-Sun. 4-6pm and Friday and Saturday from 10pm-midnight
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Friendship Chinese Restaurant
2830 N Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL
Tuesday- $8.95 special on all entrees
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Sola
3460 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL
$30 Prix-Fixe Menu (Monday-Wednesday)
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Marche
119 N Peoria St
Chicago, IL 60607
Monday and Wednesday from 5:30 to 10pm, choice of any appetizer, entrée, and dessert for $28.95.
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N9NE Steakhouse
440 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL
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Everyday from 5:00-6:30pm complementary buffet- free- no drink purchase necessary for complementary buffet!
Duke of Perth
2913 N Clark St
Chicago, IL
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Wednesdays and Fridays all you can eat fish and chips for $9.25
There you have it. Some restaurant deals in Chicago so you can dine out despite the economy.
Sopo
3424 N Southport Ave,
Chicago, IL
$2 burgers on Monday nights.
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Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba
2024 N. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL
$3 Tapas Mon.-Sun. 4-6pm and Friday and Saturday from 10pm-midnight
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Friendship Chinese Restaurant
2830 N Milwaukee Avenue
Chicago, IL
Tuesday- $8.95 special on all entrees
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Sola
3460 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL
$30 Prix-Fixe Menu (Monday-Wednesday)
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Marche
119 N Peoria St
Chicago, IL 60607
Monday and Wednesday from 5:30 to 10pm, choice of any appetizer, entrée, and dessert for $28.95.
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N9NE Steakhouse
440 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL
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Everyday from 5:00-6:30pm complementary buffet- free- no drink purchase necessary for complementary buffet!
Duke of Perth
2913 N Clark St
Chicago, IL
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Wednesdays and Fridays all you can eat fish and chips for $9.25
There you have it. Some restaurant deals in Chicago so you can dine out despite the economy.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Lunch at Panes Bread Cafe
3002 N Sheffield Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657
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Short Review: Headed over to Panes Bread Cafe after a much anticipated (and delayed) visit. I was excited to make my way down Sheffield and into the door of Panes because I heard some great things about it. Thankfully, the hype is the truth after one bite of a certain sandwich.
Long Review: I stood in front of the sandwich board (pretending to) think about what to order. I already knew what I was going to order, the Turkey Club Sandwich. It was our turn to order and I was given a plastic number after I ordered. We sat outside and waited for our sandwiches to arrive. We were talking about what a nice little neighborhood cafe this was when rowdy and drunk Cub's fans drove by on Sheffield. Should have remembered to sit inside when a Cub's game is letting out.
No problem because our sandwiches had arrived. I took a bite of my Turkey Club. It was okay, not as good as I was expecting but still better than average. The thing I didn't like about the sandwich was it had American cheese on it (I'm not much of a fan of American cheese) and and it was something I could make at home. It cost $5.50, a little on the expensive side for what I got.
Uh oh, was I expecting too much from Panes?
I took a bite of my lunch companions Turkey, Turkey sandwich (playfully named after the Little Cesear's slogan "Pizza, Pizza") to make sure it was just my sandwich that was slightly below my expectations. It was good- really good. I was tempted to wolf down the rest of that Turkey, Turkey sandwich but refrained from doing so, but it was very good and I wanted more.
I went back in to order one of their famous Monster cookies (and partially to get out of sight of my lunch companions delicious sandwich that I wanted to snatch out of her hands and finish the rest of) They were all out of Monster cookies so I go a regular chocolate chip cookies. It was ok, but probably not as good as the monster cookies. Though, after trying Carol's Cookies I'm a bit of a cookies snob now.
I'll be back to order the Turkey, Turkey sandwich and it has me too signing the praises of Panes Bread Cafe.
Rating 5/5 stars
Chicago, IL 60657
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Short Review: Headed over to Panes Bread Cafe after a much anticipated (and delayed) visit. I was excited to make my way down Sheffield and into the door of Panes because I heard some great things about it. Thankfully, the hype is the truth after one bite of a certain sandwich.
Long Review: I stood in front of the sandwich board (pretending to) think about what to order. I already knew what I was going to order, the Turkey Club Sandwich. It was our turn to order and I was given a plastic number after I ordered. We sat outside and waited for our sandwiches to arrive. We were talking about what a nice little neighborhood cafe this was when rowdy and drunk Cub's fans drove by on Sheffield. Should have remembered to sit inside when a Cub's game is letting out.
No problem because our sandwiches had arrived. I took a bite of my Turkey Club. It was okay, not as good as I was expecting but still better than average. The thing I didn't like about the sandwich was it had American cheese on it (I'm not much of a fan of American cheese) and and it was something I could make at home. It cost $5.50, a little on the expensive side for what I got.
Uh oh, was I expecting too much from Panes?
I took a bite of my lunch companions Turkey, Turkey sandwich (playfully named after the Little Cesear's slogan "Pizza, Pizza") to make sure it was just my sandwich that was slightly below my expectations. It was good- really good. I was tempted to wolf down the rest of that Turkey, Turkey sandwich but refrained from doing so, but it was very good and I wanted more.
I went back in to order one of their famous Monster cookies (and partially to get out of sight of my lunch companions delicious sandwich that I wanted to snatch out of her hands and finish the rest of) They were all out of Monster cookies so I go a regular chocolate chip cookies. It was ok, but probably not as good as the monster cookies. Though, after trying Carol's Cookies I'm a bit of a cookies snob now.
I'll be back to order the Turkey, Turkey sandwich and it has me too signing the praises of Panes Bread Cafe.
Rating 5/5 stars
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Pizza at the Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder Co.
2121 N Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614
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Quick Review: A classic place to get pizza in Chicago and one of the best in the city.
Long Review: This is a good place to get a good slice of pizza in Chicago.
Tucked away in a niche on the street stands the Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder. The building is easy to miss if you're driving down the street.
Though, once you step inside you step foot into an intimate dining space, low ceilings, small booths and low level lighting. The space can get a bit crowded on busier nights and especially on the weekends and the intimacy can transform into a cramped feel.
It seems like there are only two things on the menu though as everyone that goes there get the same thing- the pizza bread for an appetizer and the upside down pizza which they're famous for. Though, there's a reason they're famous for it.
The pizza bread is very good and can be made into a meal itself. There's been times when I wanted to order more but had to prevent myself because you'll need to save room for the pizza.
The pizzas aren't traditional pizzas that come out on pans, instead they have small individual pizzas that are very good, but just because the pizza is small doesn't mean it's not filling- it is. The pizza is cooked upside down in an oven and served similar to a pot pie and needs to be eaten with a fork.
If you never gone this is place go on a weekday during the day as it won't be that crowded and you won't have to wait for a table that long. It can get crowded on weekends around the afternoon so be prepared for a little bit of a wait if you'd rather go on the weekend.
Rating 4/5 stars
Chicago, IL 60614
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Quick Review: A classic place to get pizza in Chicago and one of the best in the city.
Long Review: This is a good place to get a good slice of pizza in Chicago.
Tucked away in a niche on the street stands the Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder. The building is easy to miss if you're driving down the street.
Though, once you step inside you step foot into an intimate dining space, low ceilings, small booths and low level lighting. The space can get a bit crowded on busier nights and especially on the weekends and the intimacy can transform into a cramped feel.
It seems like there are only two things on the menu though as everyone that goes there get the same thing- the pizza bread for an appetizer and the upside down pizza which they're famous for. Though, there's a reason they're famous for it.
The pizza bread is very good and can be made into a meal itself. There's been times when I wanted to order more but had to prevent myself because you'll need to save room for the pizza.
The pizzas aren't traditional pizzas that come out on pans, instead they have small individual pizzas that are very good, but just because the pizza is small doesn't mean it's not filling- it is. The pizza is cooked upside down in an oven and served similar to a pot pie and needs to be eaten with a fork.
If you never gone this is place go on a weekday during the day as it won't be that crowded and you won't have to wait for a table that long. It can get crowded on weekends around the afternoon so be prepared for a little bit of a wait if you'd rather go on the weekend.
Rating 4/5 stars
Monday, September 15, 2008
Out to Oak Brook for McCormick & Schmick's
3001 Butterfield Road
Oak Brook Promenade
Oak Brook, IL 60523
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Quick Review- I went out to Oak Brook for my grandma's birthday and I'm sure grandma liked it but I thought was it just just trying to stay one step ahead of Red Lobster. It wasn't bad but it wasn't that great either. An average dining experience.
Long Review- We went out to Oak Brook to celebrate my grandma's birthday. Greek Island's was packed and the wait was about 40 minutes so we headed over to McCormick & Schmick's. Like most of the restaurants in Oak Brook it was in a mall along a bustling street (more like a highway).
The interior is nice for a national chain. Wood paneled walls and thatched patterned rug that tries to invoke impressions of an old steakhouse combined with a fishing lodge with prints of fish everywhere. The combination of themes work- sort of. That is if you can ignore the corporate, standardized undertone of the space.
Though, when we were waiting for the host to show us to our table I glanced to my left and notice the bar area. Overweight frat types sitting at the bar watching a Cubs game. I guess grandma didn't know this was half a sportsbar, and neither did we. The bar area didn't match the impression the restaurant is trying.
We sat down at the tables that had white table cloth on them to give the impression of an upscale restaurant. I was starting to get confused of how McCormick & Schmick's and upscale could be used in the same sentence. It seems nice be upscale it isn't.
We ordered mussels as an appetizer to start. They were alright. The server got my mother's wine order mixed up when she brought the drinks out. Pink wine was served to her instead of white. The server was very nice about the mix up and apologized promptly bringing out the correct wine.
We ordered the main course. I had the stuffed salmon. I love salmon- but not here. It was alright. Though, it came with mashed potatoes, carrots and asparagus. The mash potatoes were heavy and starchy and a bit unflavored, the vegetables were undercooked and tasteless.
We got the check and left. It was a generic and average experience. I wouldn't go McCormick & Schmick's again unless I was meeting someone for a business lunch there.
Overall rating 2/5 stars
Oak Brook Promenade
Oak Brook, IL 60523
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Quick Review- I went out to Oak Brook for my grandma's birthday and I'm sure grandma liked it but I thought was it just just trying to stay one step ahead of Red Lobster. It wasn't bad but it wasn't that great either. An average dining experience.
Long Review- We went out to Oak Brook to celebrate my grandma's birthday. Greek Island's was packed and the wait was about 40 minutes so we headed over to McCormick & Schmick's. Like most of the restaurants in Oak Brook it was in a mall along a bustling street (more like a highway).
The interior is nice for a national chain. Wood paneled walls and thatched patterned rug that tries to invoke impressions of an old steakhouse combined with a fishing lodge with prints of fish everywhere. The combination of themes work- sort of. That is if you can ignore the corporate, standardized undertone of the space.
Though, when we were waiting for the host to show us to our table I glanced to my left and notice the bar area. Overweight frat types sitting at the bar watching a Cubs game. I guess grandma didn't know this was half a sportsbar, and neither did we. The bar area didn't match the impression the restaurant is trying.
We sat down at the tables that had white table cloth on them to give the impression of an upscale restaurant. I was starting to get confused of how McCormick & Schmick's and upscale could be used in the same sentence. It seems nice be upscale it isn't.
We ordered mussels as an appetizer to start. They were alright. The server got my mother's wine order mixed up when she brought the drinks out. Pink wine was served to her instead of white. The server was very nice about the mix up and apologized promptly bringing out the correct wine.
We ordered the main course. I had the stuffed salmon. I love salmon- but not here. It was alright. Though, it came with mashed potatoes, carrots and asparagus. The mash potatoes were heavy and starchy and a bit unflavored, the vegetables were undercooked and tasteless.
We got the check and left. It was a generic and average experience. I wouldn't go McCormick & Schmick's again unless I was meeting someone for a business lunch there.
Overall rating 2/5 stars
Thursday, September 11, 2008
The Bagel- The Lakeview Location Lowdown
3107 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60686
Quick Review- The Bagel is a pretty decent chain but this location isn't worth visiting- and it's not because of the food.
Long Review- I decided to go the Lakeview location of The Bagel, after all The Bagel is a decent local chain to get some deli style fare. We walked in and sat down in a booth. The waiter came promptly to our table with some bread after we mulled over the menu and decided what to get. The bread was good, not great and there was a variety of different breads to choose from.
I finally decided to get the Lox on a bagel. Lox is one of my favorite types of sandwiches to get in a deli. I ordered the Nova Lox and our server looked at me for a second and said "Are you sure? The Nova is very salty..." I looked at the menu again and noticed the Atlantic Lox was twice the price. I stuck by my decision, regrettably. I ordered Dr. Brown's soda to go with it, I can't pass up the chance to get it when I see it. It's a hard soda to find in the Midwest.
The food arrived and I took a bite of my Lox, it was nothing I couldn't handle right? The waiter warned me it would be salty and he was not kidding or trying to upsell me. It was the same taste as dumping a tablespoon of salt in your mouth.
I immediately took a drink of my Dr. Brown's. Why would they have something this salty on the menu? I was going to have to finish the sandwich because I paid for it and I was hungry. Things went downhill from there. A few minutes later the manager goes up to our server as he is behind the diner counter and reprimands him for something. It was bad enough that she was loudly barking out orders to the servers behind the counter and that I was eating the saltiest thing in my life but now she was getting angry with him- in front of customers.
She went on for a couple of minutes with him and people started to turn in their seats to see what was going on. She followed him into the kitchen like a nagging mother.
"Good, take it behind closed doors and try to keep it professional." I thought as I tried to eat as much of my salty lox as I could. It isn't professional to get after workers in front of customers.
She re-appeared still on his back and visibly upset. A couple more minutes of getting after him for something went on. I thought she was going to fire him on the spot and we'd be left without a server. A couple that had just sat down got up and left. They probably know all about this manager and her temper tantrums.
Finally after many, long tense moments she finished reprimanding him and sat a table at the back of restaurant and sulked and stewed in her anger. I don't know what was worse the salty lox sandwich I was eating or having the restaurants dirty laundry aired out in-front of me.
Our waiter came back to our table when we were done eating. He surprisingly didn't seem to phased by her and appeared to shrug the occurrence off.
Is this something that happens often?
I ordered plain Cheesecake to get the salt taste out of my mouth. While waiting for my dessert to arrive the owner showed up and sat with the manager in the back of the restaurant. The cheesecake was good, it had a lemony taste to it. It wasn't that bad but it wasn't that great either.
I went to go to the bathroom in the back of the restaurant. I passed the owner and the manager, the owner gave me a death glare as if I was interrupting their private conference, even though they were standing right near the bathroom doors.
I paid the check after that and we got the heck out of there. I won't be coming back to this location until they get new management. I don't appreciate unprofessional temper tantrums from the manager or death glares from the owner.
If you do go to any of The Bagel restaurants don't get the Nova Lox, go with the Atlantic.
1.5 out of 5 stars
Chicago, IL 60686
Quick Review- The Bagel is a pretty decent chain but this location isn't worth visiting- and it's not because of the food.
Long Review- I decided to go the Lakeview location of The Bagel, after all The Bagel is a decent local chain to get some deli style fare. We walked in and sat down in a booth. The waiter came promptly to our table with some bread after we mulled over the menu and decided what to get. The bread was good, not great and there was a variety of different breads to choose from.
I finally decided to get the Lox on a bagel. Lox is one of my favorite types of sandwiches to get in a deli. I ordered the Nova Lox and our server looked at me for a second and said "Are you sure? The Nova is very salty..." I looked at the menu again and noticed the Atlantic Lox was twice the price. I stuck by my decision, regrettably. I ordered Dr. Brown's soda to go with it, I can't pass up the chance to get it when I see it. It's a hard soda to find in the Midwest.
The food arrived and I took a bite of my Lox, it was nothing I couldn't handle right? The waiter warned me it would be salty and he was not kidding or trying to upsell me. It was the same taste as dumping a tablespoon of salt in your mouth.
I immediately took a drink of my Dr. Brown's. Why would they have something this salty on the menu? I was going to have to finish the sandwich because I paid for it and I was hungry. Things went downhill from there. A few minutes later the manager goes up to our server as he is behind the diner counter and reprimands him for something. It was bad enough that she was loudly barking out orders to the servers behind the counter and that I was eating the saltiest thing in my life but now she was getting angry with him- in front of customers.
She went on for a couple of minutes with him and people started to turn in their seats to see what was going on. She followed him into the kitchen like a nagging mother.
"Good, take it behind closed doors and try to keep it professional." I thought as I tried to eat as much of my salty lox as I could. It isn't professional to get after workers in front of customers.
She re-appeared still on his back and visibly upset. A couple more minutes of getting after him for something went on. I thought she was going to fire him on the spot and we'd be left without a server. A couple that had just sat down got up and left. They probably know all about this manager and her temper tantrums.
Finally after many, long tense moments she finished reprimanding him and sat a table at the back of restaurant and sulked and stewed in her anger. I don't know what was worse the salty lox sandwich I was eating or having the restaurants dirty laundry aired out in-front of me.
Our waiter came back to our table when we were done eating. He surprisingly didn't seem to phased by her and appeared to shrug the occurrence off.
Is this something that happens often?
I ordered plain Cheesecake to get the salt taste out of my mouth. While waiting for my dessert to arrive the owner showed up and sat with the manager in the back of the restaurant. The cheesecake was good, it had a lemony taste to it. It wasn't that bad but it wasn't that great either.
I went to go to the bathroom in the back of the restaurant. I passed the owner and the manager, the owner gave me a death glare as if I was interrupting their private conference, even though they were standing right near the bathroom doors.
I paid the check after that and we got the heck out of there. I won't be coming back to this location until they get new management. I don't appreciate unprofessional temper tantrums from the manager or death glares from the owner.
If you do go to any of The Bagel restaurants don't get the Nova Lox, go with the Atlantic.
1.5 out of 5 stars
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