OT: Visiting Chicago 2 - All Pizza, All the Time

[Crow]

Best seats at Allstate are upstairs.

Oh really? Thanks for the advice. I’ve never been. Now I live like 5 min away.

 

[Il Stugotz]

Oh really? Thanks for the advice. I’ve never been. Now I live like 5 min away.

I like to sit in 103, but in one of the last rows up. Sight lines are perfect once you’re above the penalty boxes. On the other side (110/111) the player benches and standing coaches block your view

I grew up nearby but now I’m closer to Rockford, so I want to check out our kids!

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Oh really? Thanks for the advice. I’ve never been. Now I live like 5 min away.

100%. The angles downstairs are terrible, the place was so poorly designed. I guess if you're on the glass that shouldn't matter, but if you're even a few rows up it's tough to see the near side.

The 1st few rows of the upper level are right around the height of the 200 level at the UC, if not closer. Much better seats for my money.

 

[Crow]

Oh here it is. I’m an idiot.

 

[shakes the clown]

100%. The angles downstairs are terrible, the place was so poorly designed. I guess if you're on the glass that shouldn't matter, but if you're even a few rows up it's tough to see the near side.

The 1st few rows of the upper level are right around the height of the 200 level at the UC, if not closer. Much better seats for my money.

doesn't sound any different than the Hawks games at the UC if you are in the lower bowl. A vender gave me tickets last year, I think they were 8th row even with the top of the circle in one end. Couldn't see half the ice. Ever since then he has offered me the seats a bunch of times including the opener Thursday, but I always turn them down. Would rather watch at home than sit in the 8th row and only see half the ice.

 

[black hawks matter]

Be in town for Christmastime to visit my daughter. Shes 18 so not looking for little
Kid stuff. Haven’t explored the river walk since that was put in. Dont want to sit on a boat so planning a stroll through there. Already checked out the museums by the north shore except the planetarium and art institute. Doing those. Of course I need a good recc for some of that delicious bastardized round shaped lasagna the folk of your city swear to me is actually a pizza. I’ve already tried Rosatis, Giardanos, Illuminati’s. All great but I want to know where to find the super secret hole in the wall joints only the locals know about with the choicest Chicago style pies. And most importantly I’d like to find a good bar to watch the hawks. Ideally somewhere with people who go to actually watch the hawks. Last two times I visited and the so called “official blackhawks bars” I had to ask to put the game on and it was just me and my daughter. How am I supposed to properly indoctrinate her this way. Woman tend to follow the herd and ‘lo thy herd is possibly sheltering from these dark times.

 

[Paul Allen]

Be in town for Christmastime to visit my daughter. Shes 18 so not looking for little
Kid stuff. Haven’t explored the river walk since that was put in. Dont want to sit on a boat so planning a stroll through there. Already checked out the museums by the north shore except the planetarium and art institute. Doing those. Of course I need a good recc for some of that delicious bastardized round shaped lasagna the folk of your city swear to me is actually a pizza. I’ve already tried Rosatis, Giardanos, Illuminati’s. All great but I want to know where to find the super secret hole in the wall joints only the locals know about with the choicest Chicago style pies. And most importantly I’d like to find a good bar to watch the hawks. Ideally somewhere with people who go to actually watch the hawks. Last two times I visited and the so called “official blackhawks bars” I had to ask to put the game on and it was just me and my daughter. How am I supposed to properly indoctrinate her this way. Woman tend to follow the herd and ‘lo thy herd is possibly sheltering from these dark times.

Vito and Nick’s would be the spot for pizza. Just so you know, deep dish is for tourists. The Art Institute is typically ranked as the best museum in the world, so you should go there. Hawkeyes on Taylor is a good Hawks bar.

What part of the city is your daughter?

Also, it’s Lou Malnati’s

 

[GIADF]

Just so you know, deep dish is for tourists.

I haven't lived in the Chicago area for close to 20 years now but go back a few times each year.

At least once a year I get a deep dish for old times' sake and enjoy the hell out of it. Call me a tourist, I don't care, it's still tasty even if thin crust is 1000 times better.

 

[GIADF]

I could use a hotel suggestion in the city if anyone happens to have one. Looking for a hotel that would have a comfortable reception area for a group of 6 with an infant to hang out at and have a few drinks so we're not stuck cramming into someone's room.

River North or Loop area would be preferred but we're just using Chicago as a place to meet up at so we don't exactly need to be in a specific area.

 

[Paul Allen]

I haven't lived in the Chicago area for close to 20 years now but go back a few times each year.

At least once a year I get a deep dish for old times' sake and enjoy the hell out of it. Call me a tourist, I don't care, it's still tasty even if thin crust is 1000 times better.

Not hating on it but you aren’t going to find a hole-in-the-wall deep dish spot. Once a year is on par for most Chicagoans. Pizzeria Uno has good deep dish pie. Some people say Pequods is deep dish and I vehemently disagree.

 

[TJBrocker]

Not hating on it but you aren’t going to find a hole-in-the-wall deep dish spot. Once a year is on par for most Chicagoans. Pizzeria Uno has good deep dish pie. Some people say Pequods is deep dish and I vehemently disagree.

Pequods is pan pizza, even I know that as a non-native Chicagoan

 

[Paul Allen]

Pequods is pan pizza, even I know that as a non-native Chicagoan

Exactly. It’s more Detroit style tbh.

 

[IU Hawks fan]

Be in town for Christmastime to visit my daughter. Shes 18 so not looking for little
Kid stuff. Haven’t explored the river walk since that was put in. Dont want to sit on a boat so planning a stroll through there. Already checked out the museums by the north shore except the planetarium and art institute. Doing those. Of course I need a good recc for some of that delicious bastardized round shaped lasagna the folk of your city swear to me is actually a pizza. I’ve already tried Rosatis, Giardanos, Illuminati’s. All great but I want to know where to find the super secret hole in the wall joints only the locals know about with the choicest Chicago style pies. And most importantly I’d like to find a good bar to watch the hawks. Ideally somewhere with people who go to actually watch the hawks. Last two times I visited and the so called “official blackhawks bars” I had to ask to put the game on and it was just me and my daughter. How am I supposed to properly indoctrinate her this way. Woman tend to follow the herd and ‘lo thy herd is possibly sheltering from these dark times.

Check out Finley Dunne's, off the Paulina Brown Line stop, for a game (assuming they have DirecTV and still get them). Used to be thee spot for Hawks games, might still be.

Michael's Pizza in Uptown is a lesser known spot with pretty decent deep dish, but better thin crust and a great place to watch sports.

 

[Crow]

Used to be a lot easier to make a recommendation when the games were broadcast everywhere.

 

[ChiHawks10]

Be in town for Christmastime to visit my daughter. Shes 18 so not looking for little
Kid stuff. Haven’t explored the river walk since that was put in. Dont want to sit on a boat so planning a stroll through there. Already checked out the museums by the north shore except the planetarium and art institute. Doing those. Of course I need a good recc for some of that delicious bastardized round shaped lasagna the folk of your city swear to me is actually a pizza. I’ve already tried Rosatis, Giardanos, Illuminati’s. All great but I want to know where to find the super secret hole in the wall joints only the locals know about with the choicest Chicago style pies. And most importantly I’d like to find a good bar to watch the hawks. Ideally somewhere with people who go to actually watch the hawks. Last two times I visited and the so called “official blackhawks bars” I had to ask to put the game on and it was just me and my daughter. How am I supposed to properly indoctrinate her this way. Woman tend to follow the herd and ‘lo thy herd is possibly sheltering from these dark times.

Pizano's is a fantastic "secret spot" for deep dish. Their deep dish and their thin crust are both fantastic. Also more than just a pizza joint, it's an all-around Italian restaurant, and has a super quaint dining area in the basement. The location we regularly went to pre-covid was the one on Madison, about a block and a half west of Michigan, right by the Bean. The owners are descendants of the Malnatis of the original Pizzeria Uno fame. Highly recommend going there if you're looking for somewhere outside the marketed "tourist" places like Lou Malnati's and Pequod's.

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Deep dish recommendations always make me chuckle. In the city or the suburbs there's an Italian joint nearby serving way tastier lasagna.

 

[shakes the clown]

Be in town for Christmastime to visit my daughter. Shes 18 so not looking for little
Kid stuff. Haven’t explored the river walk since that was put in. Dont want to sit on a boat so planning a stroll through there. Already checked out the museums by the north shore except the planetarium and art institute. Doing those. Of course I need a good recc for some of that delicious bastardized round shaped lasagna the folk of your city swear to me is actually a pizza. I’ve already tried Rosatis, Giardanos, Illuminati’s. All great but I want to know where to find the super secret hole in the wall joints only the locals know about with the choicest Chicago style pies. And most importantly I’d like to find a good bar to watch the hawks. Ideally somewhere with people who go to actually watch the hawks. Last two times I visited and the so called “official blackhawks bars” I had to ask to put the game on and it was just me and my daughter. How am I supposed to properly indoctrinate her this way. Woman tend to follow the herd and ‘lo thy herd is possibly sheltering from these dark times.

It's not a secret place, but Lou Malnati's still makes the best deep dish in the city. make sure you order it with butter crust.

I haven't lived in the Chicago area for close to 20 years now but go back a few times each year.

At least once a year I get a deep dish for old times' sake and enjoy the hell out of it. Call me a tourist, I don't care, it's still tasty even if thin crust is 1000 times better.

naw, he's wrong. Locals eat deep dish too, we just don't get it all the time. It's a once in a while type of order.

 

[Paul Allen]

naw, he's wrong. Locals eat deep dish too, we just don't get it all the time. It's a once in a while type of order.

I said that in a follow-up post as well.

Once a year is on par for most Chicagoans.