LOCAL INFORMATION | Restaurants

Welcome to Chicago for ABCT's 49th Annual Convention! We hope that you will enjoy your visit to our wonderful city. We have put together a list of some of our favorite restaurants that may appeal to you during the conference. Because of the amazing food offerings in Chicago, it was impossible to come up with an exhaustive list. As fellow ABCT-ers, we will not be offended if you do your own research! Open Table and Metromix Chicago are good websites to get recommendations and see restaurant reviews. Reservations are strongly encouraged, especially for Friday and Saturday nights. Many of these restaurants are booked weeks ahead of time (hopefully the foodies among us already made reservations), but many of the them offer a full menu at the bar.

We have organized our suggestions by location. In general, restaurants in the South Loop/Printers Row will be within walking distance or a quick bus/cab ride away. Restaurants in the Loop area will be north of the hotel-also within walking distance and an easy cab/bus ride. There are many buses that run along Michigan Avenue that will take you either north or south. Basic bus fare is $2.25. Restaurants in the River North/Gold Coast/Streeterville area will entail a longer walk or ride. The West Loop area is part of Chicago's newest and hottest food scene, but you will probably need to take a cab. Please let us know if you have any questions about where to eat or what to do.

Chicago Favorites:

Deep Dish Pizza:

Try any of the following - just remember that they take 45 minutes to cook - you can call it ahead and then go to the restaurant a lot of times. Many of these have multiple locations across the downtown area.

Gino's (521 S. Dearborn-walking distance from the hotel)

Giordano's (1340 S. Michigan-walking distance from the hotel)

Lou Malnati's

Pizzeria Uno

Pizzeria Due

Pizano's

Oven Grinder (Gold Coast/Lincoln Park)

Harold's Chicken Shack (behind the Hotel)

636 S. Wabash Ave.

Chicago, IL 60605

(312) 362-0442

Fried Chicken at its best

Buddy Guy's Legends (right behind the Hotel)

700 S. Wabash Ave

Chicago, IL 60605

(312) 427-1190

Blues Bar - drinks, food, music

Chicago-style Hot Dogs

A Chicago Style hot dog is an all beef hot dog (often a kosher dog) with Yellow Mustard, Neon Green relish, chopped onions, a dill pickle spear, tomato wedge, sport peppers, and celery salt. Delicious!!!. Local favorite hot dog places:

Gold Coast Dogs

Portillo's

America's Dog

Downtown Dogs

Italian Beef:

An Italian beef can be just the beef on a roll, or you can get it wet where they dunk the sandwich in the juices of the beef (the best way to eat it) and you can get sweet peppers or giardiniera (hot peppers) and cheese on it as well. If you are really brave, order a combo, which is the above sandwich with an Italian sausage as well. This might be of the best sandwiches you will ever eat! Check out some of these places:

Al's Beef

Buona Beef

Luke's Italian Beef

Prepared by: Patrick McGrath and Shona Vas (Local Arrangements Committee Co-Chairs)

Nancy Beckman, Lindsay Brauer, Pooja Dave, Daniel Fridberg, & Daniel Goldstein (Committee Members)