RayP
Tf
- Jan 12, 2011
- 94,103
- 17,879
Heya folks!NHL/NBA fan from Europe here, coming in peace..
In some 5 days I'm flying to Mexico with a stopover in Chicago just good for hopefully getting to the Bulls home game with Charlotte (would prefer a Blackhawks game, but happy anyway, and looking forward to see United Center). Got a couple of questions, that if someone local would answer, I would be really grateful for. I will start from the most important to least:
- Best way to get a couple tickets? (I went through most pages in here, and I guess I need to just pick the best option among seatgeek, stubhub, ticketmaster, tickpick, ticket exchange)
- How long before the listed game start do you recommend us to arrive at United Center?
- Is there a luggage room where we can drop our backpacks possibly? (would prefer to go directly to the game and to hotel only after);
- I guess there are places nice to visit (especially for someone from overseas) within the united center with some Bulls/Blackhawks memorabilia etc. - any recommendations?
- When you say Chicago, the only things I can think of are Bulls/Blackhawks, deep dish pizza and the large metal beanSo any recommendations are appreciated, especially those for venues along the blue line and near United center. Unfortunately we have very little time - arriving to O'Hare 3:15pm and departing 7:15am next morning.
- I will be looking for a convenient+cheap-ish hotel/airbnb aling the blue metro line, but if you have some good recommendation, let me know.
Thanks for any help! Cheers!![]()
Added some stuff in bold. Have a good time!Heya folks!NHL/NBA fan from Europe here, coming in peace..
In some 5 days I'm flying to Mexico with a stopover in Chicago just good for hopefully getting to the Bulls home game with Charlotte (would prefer a Blackhawks game, but happy anyway, and looking forward to see United Center). Got a couple of questions, that if someone local would answer, I would be really grateful for. I will start from the most important to least:
- Best way to get a couple tickets? (I went through most pages in here, and I guess I need to just pick the best option among seatgeek, stubhub, ticketmaster, tickpick, ticket exchange) Whatever is cheapest. Game is not sold out, so you could go direct through Ticketmaster or Bulls.com. Be prepared to be gouged.
- How long before the listed game start do you recommend us to arrive at United Center? There is a hat giveaway, if you're interested in getting that at least an hour. If not, 15-20 minutes
- Is there a luggage room where we can drop our backpacks possibly? (would prefer to go directly to the game and to hotel only after); I don't know if they have it anymore, but it was a hassle when they did. It was a hard to find trailer outside the arena. Definitely recommend dropping off your bags 1st.
- I guess there are places nice to visit (especially for someone from overseas) within the united center with some Bulls/Blackhawks memorabilia etc. - any recommendations? Not really. The United Center is pretty isolated, it's not like other big cities where the arena is right downtown. The attached Madhouse Store is your best bet.
- When you say Chicago, the only things I can think of are Bulls/Blackhawks, deep dish pizza and the large metal beanSo any recommendations are appreciated, especially those for venues along the blue line and near United center. Unfortunately we have very little time - arriving to O'Hare 3:15pm and departing 7:15am next morning. Consider having dinner in the Wicker Park neighborhood. Get off the Blue Line at Damon, eat around there, then get on the 50 Damon Bus going southbound, that will take you right to the arena. This will give you a much more local experience than touristy downtown. If you want deep dish pizza they have Lou Malnati's there, but also lots of other bars & restaurants.
- I will be looking for a convenient+cheap-ish hotel/airbnb aling the blue metro line, but if you have some good recommendation, let me know. Recommend staying near the airport. You don't to deal with the Blue Line in the morning trying to get to your flight, get that out of the way after the game.
Thanks for any help! Cheers!![]()
Hey, I'm trying to visit Chicago in late June. Trying to get Wigigley tickets for the 19th, and tickets to see the jays on the 21st. If any of you guys are selling I'd be more than glad to buy, if not, does anyone know a good reliable site for these things?
Edit: Beyond excited to finally see your city, A question. Malnati's/Uno or some other joints? I've booked a diner at metropolitan grill, but I'm trying to stop by the best deep dish and Italian beef spot. Your guys opinion will be much appreciated!
Lou's in my book. Can't go wrong with any of the big names, though.Hey, I'm trying to visit Chicago in late June. Trying to get Wigigley tickets for the 19th, and tickets to see the jays on the 21st. If any of you guys are selling I'd be more than glad to buy, if not, does anyone know a good reliable site for these things?
Edit: Beyond excited to finally see your city, A question. Malnati's/Uno or some other joints? I've booked a diner at metropolitan grill, but I'm trying to stop by the best deep dish and Italian beef spot. Your guys opinion will be much appreciated!
I'll def put Portillo's on my list. Outside of finally seeing Wrigley (and getting to Comiskey for the Jays game), Pizza and Italian Beef were at the very top of my list.Lou's in my book. Can't go wrong with any of the big names, though.
Portillo's for beef.
I'll def put Portillo's on my list. Outside of finally seeing Wrigley (and getting to Comiskey for the Jays game), Pizza and Italian Beef were at the very top of my list.
Likely going to fly into Midway, and stay somewhere near River North.There's a place downtown called Pizano's off of Madison and Michigan Ave that is our favorite for both thin crust, and deep dish. Same family as the original Pizzeria Uno(The Malnatis). While deep dish is traditionally what people think of when they think of "Chicago pizza" it's not the true Chicago style. Thin crust is, cut into squares, not triangles. Get it well-done, so it's super crispy and the cheese is browned really nicely. If you want a taste of what Chicago has to offer with pizza, you should have both thin and deep dish, IMO. I prefer sausage, mushroom, onion, green pepper, personally.
Portillo's, Pop's, or Buona are all solid for beef. That's if you're looking more for chain restaurants.
If you're looking for one-offs, or smaller places, Al's #1 on Taylor Street is my top of the list.
This all depends on where you're staying, also. You going to be downtown, or somewhere out towards the burbs?
Likely going to fly into Midway, and stay somewhere near River North.
This is my order as well.There's a place downtown called Pizano's off of Madison and Michigan Ave that is our favorite for both thin crust, and deep dish. Same family as the original Pizzeria Uno(The Malnatis). While deep dish is traditionally what people think of when they think of "Chicago pizza" it's not the true Chicago style. Thin crust is, cut into squares, not triangles. Get it well-done, so it's super crispy and the cheese is browned really nicely. If you want a taste of what Chicago has to offer with pizza, you should have both thin and deep dish, IMO. I prefer sausage, mushroom, onion, green pepper, personally.
Portillo's, Pop's, or Buona are all solid for beef. That's if you're looking more for chain restaurants.
If you're looking for one-offs, or smaller places, Al's #1 on Taylor Street is my top of the list.
This all depends on where you're staying, also. You going to be downtown, or somewhere out towards the burbs?
Since Chicago is one of my bucket list places to visit ,I probably will make a 5-7might trip probably by sumnervof 2924(since I have a big trip to Israel planned for fall 2023 and am saving money for that to strike off the bucket list first...
Anyway I started liookng at locations to stay and to eat at ...as for Deep Dish pizza ,I doubt I could finish one and doubt I woukd like it anyway...so instead of the usual visitors r must go for deep dish pizzza,I probably would prefer a thin cr medium crist pizza with god topings..
I noticed that Coalfire (2 locations) was recommended ...so I think I might fto the location closest to where I will be staying for my pizza night during my eventual trip there.
Anybody tried Coalfire?
As for burgers...one of the places recommended that I noticed in several blogs on brst burgers vnChicago is Owen & Engine because they apparently use bone marrow in their burger which adds extra softness to the texture ...
Anybody had their burgers?
For Mexican,I have Frontera Grill and Tolopobampo (circled as must go to...
For Israeli or Mediterranean cuisine ,Aba ,Ema,and Galit look interesting ..
Do not know if I would eat hot dogs more than than once during this trip ...probably would do that at Guaranreed rate field when I go to a White Sox game ..
The only problem with such a trip to Chicago is that on top of tge normal expense in eating at some top restaurants is that as a Canadian I will be paying more when converting Cdn dollars saved for this to American dollars..
It really will be expensive...hopefully by sumner 2024 some of the causing inflation will be alleviated and proces can come back down again...but if this inflation continues unsolved ,nobody willbe making many trips at all.