Summer is in full swing in the Chicago food mediasphere, with the Taste, hot dogs and pure, unadulterated fire dominating the headlines.

• Top five Taste deals, including Original Rainbow Cone's Patriot Cone: blueberry, vanilla and strawberry, the bounty of America on its birthday [Tribune]

• Mini-reviews of all the Taste items, as first seen on the Stew, featuring Vettel's famous "meh" [Tribune]

• Ice cream plus espresso (a.k.a affogato) is good; ice cream plus espresso plus cognac is better [Tribune]

• But our are there a lot of words on hot dogs today! The issue contains pieces on a bunch of classic hot dog stands around Chicagoland, plus a look under the hood of the dog and the always contentious ketchup conundrum. Is your favorite grease pit included in the roundup? You'll have to click to find out! [TOC]

• The pull quote from the entire series is: "Despite many complaints from mustard-faced customers, Gene & Jude’s didn’t even offer napkins until the ’70s. 'People would ask for napkins and Gene would hand them a hot-dog wrapper,' Joe says." [TOC]

• We will still never understand the endless, juvenile, largely irrational hatred Chicagoans have toward ketchup on their hot dogs. Does the red stuff really throw the balance of ingredients that far off? Hasn't anyone ever tried putting ketchup and mustard on their hot dogs? We can't think of a single analog in, New York, say, where a condiment-food item combination is so reviled that it's practically embedded in the city's core DNA. We're all for purism, but the extreme level of this ketchup thing is kind of a deranged application. We're not going to win any friends for this, but get over it! [TOC] (Then again, we have trouble being friends with people who order red meat well done. Or put peanut butter on their blueberry bagels)

• Wrapping up the frankfurter files, Hot Doug's is doing a design-your-own hot dog contest, and the winner gets their dog on the menu for a week. Which is actually not the world's most impressive prize, but it's really about the glory, right? [TOC]

• In other news...a scrappy pastry chef-turned-gelato maker...heavy metal vs. R Kelly in the kitchen...more Mexican than French at Mexique, which is not to say the tacos aren't tasty...progressive-sounding healthy concept Freshii falls flat with confusing ordering practices and mediocre salads

• Finally, in this week's Omnivorous, Mike Sula talks to the last guy delivering coal in Chicago (really?) and his two remaining customers, D'Amato's Bakery and Coalfire, the much-ballyhooed New Haven-style pizza place on Grand St. It's a nice story about the decline of one major Chicago industry that alludes to the rise of another major Chicago industry (restaurants).

Also, this reminds us of one our first targets for hypocrisy, Carbon. The name of the taqueria and their promotional literature imply that they cook with charcoal, and last April, we were appalled to discover that they actually run a gas-based operation. And we just called them again and it's still gas, and presumably forever more. But, as natural gas prices skyrocket and we remember that we're sitting on a few hundred years of coal reserves...who knows.

[Photo: an affogato avocado, best, via bigiain/flickr]

Two weeks ago, we wrote a post on some findings from a day of processing menus, including Mothers-In-Law (tamales in buns with chili) on the North Side and Mexico City-style tortas at La Baguette on the South Side.

All this piqued the interest of Peter Engler a.k.a. Rene G, one of the superstars of LTHForum, and the MIL expert we quoted about the no-MIL-on-the-North-Side thing. Turns out what he meant was, no one on the North Side calls it as such, but the component ingredients of the Mother-In-Law are on plenty of North Side menus. We stand corrected!

Engler also had insight into the torta chilanga (milanesa, chorizo, ham and queso fresco), one of the Mexico City-style tortas we mentioned in the post. He wrote:

Tortas chilangas are not too uncommon in Chicago. Doña Torta Chilanga (2152 W Cermak) sounds like a good place to begin. A large window sign also advertises tortas guapachosas (I had no idea what those were until today). BomBon Café (38 S Ashland) makes an upscale version with ham, salami, Serrano ham and queso Chihuahua. On the north side you can get them at Cardona's (3537 W Lawrence), filled with milanesa, queso Oaxaca and chiles poblanos. Although there are some common features, the ingredients tend to vary.

The conspiracy theorist in us didn't get very far along in its investigation because neither restaurant has English-speaking staff, but that could be a ruse! Incidentally, Dona Torta Chilanga's menu doesn't resemble Dona Torta's menu in the slightest. Go figure.

Anyway, there's still a mystery surrounding the tortas guapachosasa, which appear on both menus. La Baguette's has milanesa, queso y pierna (i.e. breaded steak, brick cheese & sliced pork shoulder), while Dona Torta Chilanga's contains milanesa, pierna, queso amarillo, jamon y salchicha (i.e. breaded steak, flank steak, cheddar cheese and a hot dog). What makes this all the more strange is that "torta guapachosa" receives virtually no hits on Google, while "torta chilanga" has several thousand (although the top two are Yelp's page for DTC and our previous blog entry on the subject, so take it with a grain of salt).

The way we want to imagine it is, two brothers from Mexico City were up late one night with the munchies and they each constructed a torta that, under the circumstances, they named "groovy." And then they came to Chicago and opened competing torta shops, and one did quite well (La Baguette has a dozen locations, it seems), while the other has had to languish in his brother's shadow. Isn't this narrative more entertaining than the truth?

Because the truth would have to encompass an explanation for why there's a hot dog in DTC's guapachosa, an addition truly beyond the bounds of rational behavior and certainly good taste. We would, nevertheless, eat this sandwich in its entirety.

Dona Torta Chilanga [MenuPages]
La Baguette [MenuPages]
La Baguette [Official Site]

[Photo: Dona Torta Chilanga's guapachosa torta, via Peter Engler]

• Above-ground underground tasting menu at Bonsoiree keeps 'em coming back for more, Saturday after Saturday [TastyBeat]

• Everyone who's gone to graham elliot, which has only been open a week and a half or so at this point, has raved (or at least mostly raved). We're excited to see who has the first formal review [Chicagoist]

• In the summer, it's hard to turn down one of Karyn's Raw sandwiches; they're the right temperature, the vegetables are fresh, and they'll wash down all that BBQ you've been inhaling [Chicagoist]

• What do you make of Kuma's Corner's foie gras burger that comes with a donation to MADD? Also, this reviewer thought the fries were a little overseasoned [Drive-Thru]

• The classic American bar food at Midtown Kitchen + Bar isn't very good, but it beats the service by some distance [Gastronomic Bypass]

• At Shaw's Crab House, portions are generous, flavors are solid but bold, and the service is classy [Gastronomic Bypass]

• Another whole-hearted endorsement of Take Me Out's super-spicy Asian hot wings [Chicagoist]

[Photo: Grant Achatz wins!!! via AP]

Because of Memorial Day (which we spent remembering Trapped in the Closet scene by scene), here are two weeks' worth of blog reviews for your consideration

• Brunch generally a good bet at New Southern Big Jones, but make sure your beignets are freshly fried [TOC Blog]

• Despite all the promise of organic/local/seasonal ingredients at the newly-reworked Cafe at Wild Things! at the Lincoln Park Zoo, most of the food is conventionally sourced, and crappy to boot [The Stew]

• The only thing worth eating at Deta's Cafe is the burek, but it's so worth eating, wow [The Stew]

• A vegan can survive at Epic Burger on the hot, oily fries. Also, they make mushroom burgers [Drive-Thru]

• At not-too-expensive Frontera Grill, you can sample what made Rick Bayless famous without feeling like you bought the farm [Gastronomic Bypass]

• Fondue is romantic per the obvious sexual symbolism, and Geja's Cafe continues to be up to the task of providing that kind of atmosphere [Chicagoist]

• Despite being in soft opening, graham elliot churns out a flawless haute comfort experience [Chicago Foodies]

• Hard to do better than Hai Yen for casual Vietnamese south of Argyle [Gastronomic Bypass]

• Seafood temple L.2O is successfully bridging the gap between haute and molecular gastronomy (and worth the money) [Hungry]

• A largely positive assessment of chef-driven Mado recommends the antipasti and chicken dishes [Chicagoist]

• Many mixed reviews for Mundial Cocina Mestiza (although this one's positive), but the one thing they all agree on is the BYOB policy [Gastronomic Bypass]

• Another vote for the "Park 52 is fine by Hyde Park standards, so-so by Jerry Kleiner standards, and not worth the trip in either case" ticket [Food Chain]

• South Side culinary school restaurant The Parrot Cage is tasty and affordable, but the 9/20 rating from Bridget and Tammy means it won't change your life [Chicago Bites]

• Cell phone-free Perry's Deli in the Loop makes an excellent classic sandwich with turkey, ham, and the undersung Russian dressing [Chicagoist]

• New American bistro Tallulah gets 11/20 from Bridget and Tammy, but the potential for greatness is there [Chicago Bites]

[Photo: R. Kelly pretending to be ice cream in a waffle cone; "pls lik me?" via TheBestGossip]

You'll want to lick your plate but don't
Hotties make you come for more
I want it to be this good every time!

Wait, what? These are the review titles for writeups on Shanghai Terrace, Take Me Out and Sunrise Cafe, respectively. Lines one and three make sense on their own, but the middle one needs a bit of explanation.

Take Me Out is the Sino-Korean wings spot that opened recently in Pilsen. It's a familial spin-off of cult favorite Great Sea in Albany Park, and has been garnering rave reviews, including the one referenced in the poem:

I would definitely go back for their chicken hotties. Too bad they don't deliver or I guess better for me or I'd eat these wings at least once a week. Their Kung Pao taste good but they're light on the chicken.

By the way, the chicken crack we were referring to is the three chili chicken at Lao Sze Chuan and its brethren in Chinatown. But there's room enough for two preparations of addictive Asian chicken in the Chinatown/Pilsen area, if not four or five.

Shanghai Terrace [MenuPages]
Shanghai Terrace [Official Site]
Take Me Out [MenuPages]
Sunrise Cafe [MenuPages]

[Photo: a blurry likeness of the progenitor to the hotties, Great Sea's chicken wings; via design_drafter]

It is your patriotic duty to eat barbecue at some point this weekend. Perhaps you'll do so at a party with friends and family, but failing that, we've compiled a slideshow of worthy barbecue from around the city, and nearby parks where you can picnic. The park photos are from Microsoft's new Live Maps "Bird's eye" feature; hopefully they won't sue us for using them!

Rib tips from Honey 1 BBQ, via andrewc:

Humboldt Park is a short drive away:

Three more pairings, after the jump...

Continue reading "Viewing Pleasure: Barbecue And The Parks In Which To Eat It" »

• Attached to Ada's Famous Deli in the Loop is 14 Karat Lounge, which features the deli's full menu, and booze! [Drive-Thru]

• If you like Eastern European breadstuffs, try the khachpuri cheese bread at Argo Georgian Bakery on Devon [Drive-Thru]

• Cheap, wonderful soul food secretly available at Doggy's S.S. Soul Eatery on the West Side, if you don't mind flying under the radar [Food Chain]

• Still somewhat new Just Indulge is very obliging with its vegan ice cream cones [Drive-Thru]

• Despite the kitsch, Harry Caray's Restaurant is not a tourist trap and has good service [Gastronomic Bypass]

• River North Middle Easterner Kan Zaman does not bring it on the hummus, forcing Bridget & Tammy to assign it a 7/20 [Chicago Bites]

• So far, nothing but unbridled ardor for L.2O, the new seafood restaurant so surpassingly good that you can't even snark on its LEYEness [Hungry, Stew]

• Don't let its modest setting fool you; La Gondola is some seriously hearty and decidedly tasty Italian [Chicago Foodies]

• Another condonation of Lao Sze Chuan's xiao long bao, and also their short ribs [Chicago Foodies]

• Reviews go both ways for Mundial Cocina Mestiza, but this one is pretty positive. Extra points for BYOB [Gastronomic Bypass]

• Fax-machineless and much-liked brunch spot Over Easy certainly impress Bridget & Tammy, who give it a 15/20 [Chicago Bites]

• Embattled New American Sweets & Savories totally drops the ball on its Kobe burger for one reviewer [Chicago Burger Project]

[Photo: geese in a Chicago parking lot, fearless and ignorant, via beartnow/flickr]

It's Friday afternoon, and that means a slew of new reviews:

Pat Bruno visits an old favorite of his that recently had a face life — Cape Cod Room. The food is just as good (or at least the same) as always, although Bruno admits that he "doubt[s] if the twentysomething crowd would dig this restaurant at all." Feh. On the contrary, sometimes we crave historical authenticity! Especially when it just had a face lift. Meanwhile, Pat felt the need to put scare quotes around the "points" in toast points, because...what, are toast points newfangled all of a sudden? Oh well.

Nevertheless, we're happy to see Bruno pointing his audience toward Army & Lou's, one of the city's most estimable soul institutions. But here's a paragraph we don't understand:

The buzz words at Army & Lou's are "scratch cooking." I don't get to go into the kitchens of the restaurants I review, but I will take it as gospel that A&L is making a lot of its food from scratch, simple food that is prepared with care.

On the Reader side, Mike Sula has two reviews: he enjoys Mercat a la Planxa as much as everyone else has and highly recommends the order-in-advance pigfest, and provides some nice background on Take Me Out, a Northeast Asian fried chicken joint in Pilsen of all places. Anne Spiselman doesn't think nearly enough has been said about Ukrainian baked goods wonderland Shokolad, whose delicious pastries should not stop you from trying their savory offerings.

[Photo: deep blue skies/flickr]

Last Friday, we wrote about our sticker shock when we saw the price of a certain (tasty-looking) main course at Szalas on the Southwest Side. We argued that we've come to expect Polish food in Chicago to be cheap, and we're somewhat suspicious when it's not.

This generated the slightest pique of ire from Louisa of Movable Feast, who was concerned we were reopening the X-food-is-meant-to-be-cheap message board war (veterans of which are currently suing for more generous meal stipends).

But we never meant to imply that there's a reason inherent to the cuisine itself for it to be universally inexpensive, or that we would not be willing to pay a lot for imaginative, high quality Polish food served in a sophisticated restaurant. It's just that, since such a venue empirically does not exist in Chicago, and because the overwhelmingly vast majority of Polish restaurants in the city are conspicuously inexpensive, that we've come to view Polish as a "value" option. In fact, we think there should be a temple to fancy Polish food in Chicago, and that there's a market for it.

However, commenter "Bart" disagrees:

There are no good Polish restaurants in the Chicago area, and I doubt you would find one in the US at all. Simply this kind of cousine doesn't sell, and is not existent except withing old country. For real taste of Polish cuisine try some more upscale restaurants in Warsaw, Krakow. But don't expect the bill to be running under $40-$50 per dish.

But truth is, Szalas is still serving it right, even if their menu is bit on a countryside - but you are served a traditional stuff.

The set menu (like a prix fixe except you don't have any options) includes pierogi, sour soup with smoked bacon, beef roulade in mushroom sauce with buckwheat and warm beetroot salad, "cream cake on the mirror of strawberry sauce" (!) and a glass of cherry vodka, and is 175 zloty, or $80, a person. That's not insignificant in a country with a per capita GDP of $16,600, around half that of the United States.

But only tourist eat set menu, yes? Should we ever find ourselves in Krakow, we are ordering: foie gras in wild rose and apple preserves ($42), crayfish soup with sour cream and dill ($16), and the roe deer and quail duet served with wild rice
and many-colour pepper sauce for $50. Ooh! Or maybe the veal leg stewed in dark mushroom sauce, served with roasted potatoes and sweet pea, a hefty $57. And we can't say we're not intrigued by the apple strudel with linden tree ice cream for $15. All this comes to upwards of $130 or so before beverages (tax and tip are mostly included, in all likelihood), which is nothing to sneeze at.

While an opulent, 650 year old Polish restaurant that regularly plays host to visiting foreign dignitaries may not be in the cards for Chicago, surely there's still room for something special, eh? Something with foie gras...

Szalas [MenuPages]
Szalas [Official Site]
Wierzynek [Official Site]

[Photo: Daniel Matysiak/flickr. That "GRILL" awning is atrocious]

Last we checked in with Szalas, it was because an Omnivorous feature was designed specifically to accommodate the restaurant. To whit:

The restaurant round-up that follows Omnivorous this week is "Twenty-four restaurants south of 52nd Street," so themed because Gary is...south. But why 52nd street in particular, we wondered? A quick check of the addresses reveals the northernmost restaurant to be Szalas, a Goralean restaurant in Brighton Park. Come again? They're Polish highlanders, they eat veal goulash, and on the weekends, they dance. If the column was named to accommodate this particular restaurant, you know it must be good.

Right or wrong, Polish food is simply not a cuisine we expect to pay a lot of money for; Chinese and Mexican are also in this category. Thai and, say, Greek, are not anymore, because the gentrification of Thai and Greek food have inured us to $15 and up entrees. Which is not to say there aren't plenty of places to get delicious and cheap Thai and Greek food! But we're fine paying a little or a lot for either. Of course, Chinese and Mexican have been making inroads, too — witness Shanghai Terrace and Topolobampo.

As for Polish food, though, there's really only one "expensive" Polish restaurant in the area (Lutnia). This doesn't need to be the case! Any cuisine can be elevated to gourmet heights; all it takes is one enterprising and aesthetically gifted chef. But that hasn't happened yet in Chicago, which is why a $15.50 entree at Szalas is jarring. But hey, if they can get away with it — and again, this looks pretty tasty — more power to them.

Okay, have a good weekend then!

Szalas [MenuPages]
Szalas [Official Site]

[Photo: cohodas208c/flickr]

Three little ethnic restaurants opened recently, and we got their menus!

1) Kam Fung, in Chinatown. Exciting menu item: Chinese-style fried chicken, $15 for the whole bird

2) Snow Spice Thai, in Ravenswood. Exciting menu item: avocado fish salad, $7. And they deliver!

3) Tacos Erendira in Bridgeport. Exciting menu item: chiles rellenos burrito, $4.50. Exciting menu quirk: menudo is $5.50, but menudo to go is $6.50. Those plastic containers don't come cheap, we suppose.

Okay, have a good weekend. Try someplace new!

Chicago's intrepid food bloggers were all over the damn place last week, in alphabetical order by restaurant

• Do you think Avec, with its artisanal meat-heavy menu, would have any problem delighting a fussy vegan? No, of course you don't think that [Drive-Thru]

• Torta-type sandwiches at Bombon Cafe are worth the stomach space during lunch; try the chicken milanesa version dubbed "Clasica" [Chicagoist]

• Hearty chili, unfortunately still necessary this time of year, is available at Cooking Fools with ethical seitan instead of evil beef [Drive-Thru]

• Little Andersonville pizza shop Great Lake may only serve a few different varieties of pie a night, but they're all delicious. Also, BYO [Drive-Thru]

• Apparently picking up steam from its previous round of hopeful but disappointed reviews, La Cocina de Frida now impressing diners with its grandmotherly Mexican cuisine [Metblogs]

• So far, mostly great reviews for Mercat a la Planxa, the new Catalan restaurant in the South Loop. Mention "pan tomate" and Chef Jose Garces will come out and kiss you on the forehead [The Stew, Gastromic Bypass]

• Fancy Vietnamese on Argyle Street? Yes, at Pho Xua, where the decor won't scare your lily-white grandma, if you have one [The Stew]

• Is the stripper pole at Rockstar Dogs functionally unusable? Mike Sula's strip-o-philic friend and Monica Eng say yes. The hot dogs themselves are decent enough, but overpriced [Food Chain, The Stew]

• Jerry Kleiner's Room 21 serves the same upscale comfort food in the same atmosphere as all his other places. Why not a menu from the Prohibition era for your fancy location, Jer? [Chicagoist]

• New Chinese fast food spot in Pilsen, Take Me Out, has tiny but solid menu that features Chinese fried chicken [Hungry Mag]

• Bahena production Tepatulco serves decent authentic Mexican food that warrants a visit, if not an obsession [Chicagoist]

[Photo: pick your poison, Hilary74]

I think this restuarant has gotten more buzz than it really deserves they're food isn't all that great. It looks lot a fun spot to be in but it's alway so crammed up with people. The waiters have little experience and you're always trying to get their attention for a drink. The first time I was there my steak was so tough it was just not a good piece of meat. They never offered to replace it or give me something else. I think if you want some good mexican food head down to Nuevo Leon or Cebollita they've got the good grub in pilsen!

Despite other mixed reviews I've read, I decided I had to try Mundial for myself today. I went for brunch where I had the Mexican Omelet and my father had Topados. Both were excellent!!! I was actually surprised by how good everything was (and let me tell you I am beyond picky)! Large portions, wonderful flavor, comes with beans, awesome potatoes, sour cream and chiles. Can't forget the homemade tortillas too. Perhaps other patrons went on a bad day, because my service was excellent. I think they treat kindness with kindness. My coffee was filled 5 times before it was empty, and the same for my water. Perhaps my genuine please and thank you was very much appreciated because other patrons did have to ask for refills, but they were always quite rude to the staff. I love this place and I can't wait to go back for more brunch and dinner. I highly recommend it and don't be fooled by other's complaints of bad service- being nice truly does get you a long way in the restaurant world! Besides the place is very small with a very small kitchen, if you go there on the weekend and order your food at the same time as 20 other people you're going to have to wait!

This restaurant obviously has read its reviews and has improved its service. Had I not read the dismal reviews on service, I never would have thought Mundial had had a problem with it. We were served professionally, quickly, and thoughtfully. Our reservation was honored and we were seated quick as a wink. The ambience was pleasant and comfortable enough for an incredibly popular place (sat in the back room). The food was fantastic, though maybe a little light on portion size. (Order some sides or salads to fill it up.) This is not a typical Mexican restaurant, so if you ARE looking for tacos and refried beans and low prices, then you probably should go down the street to Nuevo Leon (as another reviewer suggested). I lose my patience with people who think if it's Mexican, it's got to be cheap. It's not a Mexican restaurantit's kind of Mediterranean-Spanish. Something fusion's going on, and I liked it! I thought the prices were right on the money (excuse the pun), and with the BYOB, it was a bargain. Can't wait to return!!

This place has wonderful pan pizzas with great deals on the coupons im only writtig about what i kno and there tortas ive ordered are great i recomend a sope de carne a pastor really versitille and delicious and only 2.50.

El Tapatio is the best Mexican food on the Northside. The food is yummy, the service is excellent, and the margaritas are strong! The food and drinks are a great value and I love the street side patio opened during the summer.

We stop here all the time on the way home to pick up dinner. It's always very fast, very fresh, and really tasty. Not the best Mexican food in the world, but I've enjoyed everything I've ordered... although I admit I'm a little afraid of the pork+chicken+pork+beef+cheese torta. Their tortas are huge, and you can get them even huger if you think you can handle it. I recommend this place for anybody in the 'hood looking for a good, cheap, fast meal.

My family went to Mundial last night for an early dinner (we arrived there at 5:30 p.m.) and will probably not go back there. Although the food was good, the overall lack of customer service to the patrons and length of time it took to get our food are not worth it. Arriving at 5:30 p.m., even on a Friday night, is still early, but still took forever to get our food.

Mundial is a B.Y.O.B. which not only stands for “Bring Your Own Beer” but also stands for the following:
- “Bring your own beverage” (in the 2+ hours we were there, not once did someone come by and fill our water glasses)
- “Bring your own book” (took over 25 minutes to get our appetizers and over 35 minutes to get our entrees. If you plan on going to the restaurant, bring some books to pass the time)
- “Bring your own blackberry” (same comment as above. Maybe if we had some books and our blackberrys, it would have distracted us from being frustrated at the length of time it took to get our food)
- “Bring your own bisquits” (as we were starving, from the length of time it took to get our appetizers and entrees, it would be best if you brought your own bisquits or a granola bar….the restaurant doesn’t give you anything (i.e. bread, etc) when you sit down)
- “Bring your own blanket” (was freezing in the restaurant. Had our down filled long coats on the entire 2 hours we were there)
I’m pretty patient when it comes to food (being an avid foodie), however, although Mundial’s food was good, it was not worth the length it time it took to get our food, the sub zero temperatures, the unbalanced speaker system, pricey (were 3 adults and a 3 year old: ordered 2 appetizers, and 3 entrees, and the bill was $100, with 15% tip, although I wanted to tip 10% but was vetoed), and that’s without any drinks) and the overall lack of customer service and attention to the patrons. I may be persuaded to go again, but only under one circumstance….that I be the first patron in the restaurant when it opens so I could get my food before I start looking at my dinner companion’s arm like it was a pork chop.

Coco has great fish, baked chicken burgers, and side dishes. It's the closest that your going to come to soul food in the downtown area. The service is slower than most fast food joints but the food is better. The talapia special w/ sides of Cornbread stuffing and Macaroni is my favorite. The fried lobster is worth trying.

My office frequents this restaurant for lunch. Most the time we do carry-out. The staff has always been very friendly, the food is ready within 20 minutes and the portions are HUGE! There is nothing bad on the menu as far as we can tell and have tried almost everything at one point or another. I have only been here once in the evening and we played pool and had a great time. Fantastic food and great fun atmosphere. I highly recommend it.

I was very surprised by the delicious seafood at King Crab. The crab cakes and oysters are excellent. We usually overlook this restaurant when were are in the neighborhood, but we will definitely go again. We sat at the bar because we had theater tickets and wanted to get in an out quickly. However, we had ta liitle trouble getting our bill.

i was so sick of the tomato head, and here comes nonna's, right off the l. i love the pizza from the garden. their pizzas are like artwork.

Skylark Burgers are delicious. Good choice of beers on tap and reasonably priced drinks. Chill low key bar with a hipster crowd!

Tried their tacos. Carne asada > chicken >> tongue tacos, which were dry and not as tasty as I expected. Their super burrito is o.k. but not that flavorful and not as big as I've had them elsewhere for the same price. Their rib-eye torta was decent, but once again, there are much better places for the money. Service is a hit or miss. Hygiene questionable at times if you sit at the counter long enough and watch the employees handle your meal. There food is definitely better after you've had a few beers and it turns out that this is closest "Mexican" place around. Please try Pilsen or La Villita for better food.

if you want to know how a hamburger can also be a tour de force, eat this food. sometimes, you waste money on "peer" hamburgers here or there, but in this case, even the absurdity of paying more than pocket change for a hamburger is zenned out in the fattastically tasty burger zone that you will find yourself in after eating hop haus.

Eating at this pizza place is like playing craps. Each roll you have a chance to win big or lose big. For the most part I have had no complaints but the quality is not consitant(Sometimes overcooked or undercooked). They have great sammy's and a very good calzone and the people are right out of an independant film. Tatas is worth a shot. When the pizza is good it's really good.

I was here on a holiday luncheon. I told the waiter I was vegan and would like any of the side dishes (mushrooms, corn, tomatoes, rice, potatoes) as long as they could be made vegan (no animal products used). I was offering to be very flexible with my meal, knowing that I was with a group and that this is a steakhouse.
Unfortunately, I was brought a plate of asparagus and corn. A large misconception is that vegans only eat vegetables, and I had not mentioned any asparagus. The vegetables were overcooked and had little flavor. I was very disappointed that the chef could not accommodate a bit more creatively.

the old men seem like millesters the way they stare at us, the food is awesome, the hookahs pretty good too. the service is so slow in the american side of the cafe. it was so last year to go there. they should consider remodeling or something so it can be the hot spot again