Dottie, I'm not sure what your budget is, but lots of people are giving lots of "nice/cool/hip/yummy but expensive" ideas. If you want to stay near O'Hare, there are naturally tons of hotels out there, and you can take the Blue Line L all the way into downtown and you can stay for cheaper. But having been a tourist in NY last year after a long absence, I totally understand kind of wanting to be in the thick of things downtown. The only issue with that is, lots of the shopping and restaurants either off Michigan Ave or even further into the Loop do cater to the financial or workday crowds, so they may not all be open as late as you might prefer.
I hope you check out other neighborhoods; the L train will get you pretty much wherever you want to go. On the Blue Line L, before the downtown stops, is Bucktown/Wicker Park. Very artsy and becoming very gentrified, with cool restaurants and clubs for every taste. My favorite is Feast, on Damen north of North Avenue--trendy and cozy looking, and DEE-lish food, very reasonably-priced. Also near there, if you want a funky, filling brunch, try the Bongo Room if you'll be here on a Sunday morning. The Red Line, as some mentioned, runs straight north and south from the far north side beginning at Howard Street, can drop you off at a Cubs game and restaurants and bars to hop around at (Addison stop), Boystown if you like (Belmont or Fullerton stops), downtown shopping/eating, a Sox game (35th St. stop), and all the way to 95th. But something tells me you won't have a need or interest to all the way that far south. :)
The north side Brown Line stops at many fun sections of the Lincoln Square, Lakeview, and edge of Roscoe Village neighborhoods. They all have had restaurants and boutique/cafe strips built up in recent years...kind of like Lincoln Park but a tad less snooty and pricey, but still cute stuff, fun atmospheres and good food.
Downtown, there's also Howl at the Moon dueling piano bar, which is a chain now and can get expensive depending on how much you eat or drink there, but it's a blast. There's Harry Caray's steak house right across the street. There are a bunch of steakhouses on Rush St. like Tavern on Rush and Rosebud. Across from Rosebud is Giordano's if you want to go a little cheaper but very tasty and filling! (But my favorite for deep dish once a year or so is Due's, which I think someone else mentioned!) For cheaper eating, there is Dublin's Pub, also off State/Rush streets, which has great food for $10-12 bucks an entree and the bar is open til 4am. Nearby there's also Ditka's, Bistro 110, the Hangge-Uppe if you're in the mood for some cheesy '70's-'80s retro dance club action.
The West Loop has also really been built up and has a ton of great restaurants, including Red Light for Thai-fusion, and...oh...why can't I think of more at the moment!?!? Oprah's studios are right over there, also, if you want to see that sort of thing.
Millenium Park often has concerts at lunchtime, too. If you're here in early September, you might even be able to catch one of many neighborhood street fests, with beer and drinks and bands.
You can pretty much look anything up at Metromix.com and click "Chicago." Welcome and have a great time!!
"There is no use trying," said Alice; "one can't believe impossible things." "I dare say you haven't had the practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." --Alice in Wonderland
Updated On: 8/7/09 at 06:04 PM
