Katie Elizabeth’s Where to Eat and Drink in Chicago

Hey everyone!  

I’m Katie from the Katie Elizabeth blog where I write about a variety of topics including (but not limited to!) life with my husband and Golden Retriever puppy in Michigan, my favorite recipes and my love for any and all beauty products.  I’m so excited to be here on Journey of Doing today.  Keeping in theme with Sara’s blog and her appreciation of traveling and experiencing new places – one of my favorite things about her 🙂 – I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite Chicago restaurants and happy hour spots.

We called Chicago home for almost five years following college and despite being happily back in our home state of Michigan, we still miss it so much.  Luckily, we’re not too far (only two hours!) and are able to get back quite frequently.  Here are the places that we never miss when we’re visiting the Windy City!

Little Goat • West LoopEat: Fried ChickenWe lived in the West Loop so Little Goat was one of our favorite restaurants.  The ‘diner’ vibe is so cute, and the food – amazing.  You honestly can’t go wrong with any restaurant on Randolph Street, but this one has never disappointed us.  They also have a fabulous rooftop bar in the summer!

Terrace at The Trump • River North
Drink: White Radiance

Speaking of rooftop bars… if you’re visiting Chicago in the summer, you MUST stop at The Trump to grab a drink.  And I mean just one drink, because they aren’t cheap 😉  But the views are beyond worth the steep prices – looking over the Chicago River, Michigan Avenue and River North will have you almost speechless.

Santa Monica Summer House • Lincoln Park
Eat: Pan Roasted Great Lakes Whitefish

Santa Monica Summer House has a super fun, laid back vibe.  The goal of this restaurant is to feel like you’re not in the city, but in Santa Monica, and they’ve definitely accomplished this.  I mean they actually pump fresh air into the restaurant!  The food is delicious, too – especially the seafood.

Big Star • West Town
Eat: Taco de Pescado

If you want the best tacos in town… Big Star is your place!  While the menu may be small, there isn’t a bad dish on it.  We loved going there after playing volleyball, sitting on the patio and just sharing a boatload of tacos.  Yum.  They also have great drinks, make sure to try a jalapeno margarita!

RM Champagne Salon • West Loop
Drink: Sparkling Rose

Think shabby chic French bistro with an amazing wine/champagne selection.  It’s a great place for a pre-dinner drink, especially while on a date as it has a really romantic vibe to it.  Very fun in the summer with an adorable patio (Chicagoans love their outdoor dining), but also really cozy in the winter with the roaring fireplaces.

Bongo Room • South Loop
Eat: White Chocolate & Caramel Pretzel Pancakes

Chicago has so many amazing breakfast spots, but one of the most unusual is the Bongo Room.  If you have a sweet tooth like me, you’ll LOVE this!  I’m talking red velvet pancakes, chocolate tower french toast… are you sold?  So is everyone else, so make sure to get there early since they don’t take reservations and can have long waits!

Bub City • River North
Drink: Back Porch Tea

Bub City has it all – great food, delicious drinks, live country music and a crazy late night scene.  It’s one of my favorite places in the entire city and you’ll never not have an awesome time here.  Make sure to check out the ladies restroom while you’re there, too – that’s all I’m going to give away 😉

And of course, it’s the land of deep dish so I would be remiss to not mention the pizza!  My personal favorite is Lou Malnati’s, but you can’t go wrong with any of the big three: Lou’s, Gino’s East, or Giordano’s.

Have you been to Chicago before?  Or better yet, at you hungry now?!  Make sure to stop by and say hi sometime!  Thanks again Sara!