Best place to eat...... in Illinois and elsewhere

If in St. Louis you have to make it to "The Hill" for some of the best Italian food in the Midwest. Ted Drewes for desert to get a "concrete".

Soxnole, Thanks for starting this thread. It should be fun.

My entry must be credited to TRatko, who suggested my son and I try this place.

Pinchers Crab Shack Restaurant
Located in Ft. Myers, Fl for those who are planning on getting to a PG Showcase or just visiting.

Restaurant located overlooking the Caloosahatchee River and in the Best Western Ft. Myers Waterfront Hotel. Much better than staying at the Radisson. Bar and restaurant serving fresh seafood, raw bar with shrimp, clams, oysters and stone crab claws. Very Reasonable. I think my son and I had every lunch and every dinner there during our stay. Indoor/outdoor eating and drinking. Great bar. Mingle with the locals.
Located right next to Woody's Barbeque Restaurant.

My Rating ****

soxnole- can we add Phoenix to the list?

Been to plenty in tounaments in Kenosha and some of my favorite places are up there since I also went to college there. Try Renzo's on 52nd St for the best pizza tournovers...ever. And the Spot Drive-in on 75th St has great burger, fries as well as old fashioned car hops.

It was mentioned in the other food threads but a stop at Ricobene's after playing at IIT is always a must for our family.

A few of my favorites:

Ft Myers: Smokey Bones BBQ(coldest beer in town and great food)

Milwaukee: Saz's Statehouse features all things Milwaukee.
Kopp's is a custard place that has some of the best (and messiest) hamburgers anywhere.
Serb Hall For Milwaukee’s best fish fry on Friday nights (go early).
Bartolata Restaurants Any of this family of restaurants is a good bet.

New Orleans: Snooty Commander's Palace-sit down, great atmosphere and outstanding food but bring your wallet.
Casual- Mother's-The polar opposite of Commanders atmosphere wise but the best food in the Big Easy.

Beaux Bridge, LA (Home of Jake Delhomme)-Mulates (as authentic a Cajun restaurant you'll ever find) great food...just don't ask what you're eating.

Memphis: Charles Vergos Rendezvous- Best BBQ anywhere...it's hard to find but follow your nose. (it's near AutoZone Park)

blazer, A great list indeed. I've never been to Memphis but for my taste, Jim & Nicks at 5 points in Birmingham, Ala. for the best BBQ I've ever eaten. Cheese bisquits, great ribs (St. Louis and Baby Back) pulled pork, etc. Finding this restaurant was the only good thing about my son needing TJ Surgery and going to Birmingham.

IN & OUT Burgers on the west coast, Great Burgers

I think I remember those IN & Out Burgers as a kid...had lots of fun with the name. And in Portland,OR they had Whizburgers...lots of fun with that name too...the burgers were just ok...but so were we!

Being a former St. Louisian, I concur with Silver Bullet..."the Hill" is great homestyle Italian food...Cunetto's House of Pasta (long wait, but great food, reasonably priced), Guissepe's (there is a Ted Drewes across the street on South Grand). Also, Culpeppers for great wings and sandwiches, Blueberry Hill or O'Connells for great burgers.

Blazer25,

I think that the Casino steak house is deserving of mention as well as ....can't remember the name. West of Marquette several blocks, tough neighborhood, original 1950's theme...great steaks.

boris,

Cunetto's House of Pasta is truely the best.
Try the fried ravioli available everywhere in St. Louis. Slingers and Devils delight is a different experience and tougher to handle as I get older. A great drive-in just south of 44 on Kingshighway serves such fare.

1. Vito & Nicks Pizzeria on Pulaski
2. Beth's Kitchen in Seattle
3. DUE's Pizzeria on Ontario
4. Nick's in Lemont
5. Any Jimmy Johns
6. UNO's on Ohio
7. Tuscao's in Florence, Italy
8. Jack Gibbon's Gardens in Oak Forest
9. Sunshine Restaurant in Talkeetna, Alaska

jarthur:

Jimmy Johns...from downstate?

How do the sandwiches compare to Subway or Quizno's?

I'll try and chime in occasionally with what is imo the very very best.

Best 2 steak houses in the U.S.

1)Lochobers on winter street in Boston.
2)Sanibel Steak House on Sanibel Island.
do not confuse this with the others in the chain...eat at the Sanibel location only.

Best 2 restaurants anywhere.

1)Commander's Palace in New Orleans.
2)The Tadich grill In San Francisco.

Best chain restaurants.

1)Ruth's Chris
2)Pappadeaux
3)Ralph and Kacoo's..the one in NO is the best bang for the buck with fabulous food.

Unfortunetly, I'm addicted to their bread.

It's now a chain sub shop and one is convienetly located right next to my school.

Jarthur,
What were we talking about the other day? Do I have to remind you? How are you today?

Blue's in Kankakee

Ruth Chris's -steak
Vitto and nicks - pizza
Ralph's (Lake Geneva)- fish fry
Freddie's -sandwich (Berwyn)
China Grill -Atmosphere (South Beach)

Harris Pizzain the Quad Cities. Best pizza that i have ever had. Also serves a great menu to go along with it.

Also Arthur's Deli. Great soup and sandwich place.

If ever in the Quad Cities, strongly suggest these.

Lsc59,

You're thinking of Butch's Old Casino Steakhouse on James Lovell and Michigan...it is very good...

I like Eddie Martini's (in Wauwatosa) better...


Sox,

Gotta agree on Ruth's Chris and Pappadeaux...two of my favorites in any city!

Soxnole,

I second the Sanibel Steak House and agree about the one on Sanibel being by far the best!

Best steaks ever from the expensive KOBE (Saki fed, hand rubbed) steak to the 38 oz. petitte Porterhouse. Also the best Shrimp Cocktail on Earth! Colossal Shrimp!

Thanks, for the reminder.

I'm sure everyone knows how lucky we are to have more than a couple good steak places in Chicago. My favorite is Gene & Georgetti's.

Cincinnati. Chili dogs anyone? I am going there for a Legion tournament this summer, pretty excited, if only for the food.

Sorry "FastballDad", the Chicago Chop House on Ontario with their signature 'bone-in' ribeye!!!!!

Steaks - Chop House
Pizza - Vitto and Nicks

I gotta go with Gibsons and the Chop House

Soxnole, as i mentioned in the beef stand string, Lochober's is not what it used to be. Top steak houses in Boston now are Grill 23, Abe & Louie's and Capital Grille.

You can’t beat the “atmosphere” in the bar while waiting for your table at Gibson’s, give it a 10 for “circuses”! For a chain… The Capital Grille is excellent! In Chicago, it’s just off Michigan Avenue on St. Clair.

PG just made this thread famous

Here is a chain suggestion - Morten's Steakhouse. I have eaten at steak houses all over the country and Morten's is my all-time favorite - chain or not.

Smokey - Did you say there were some good steak houses in Omaha?

While at the coaches convention last weekend we ate at Keefer's, directly across the street from Harry Carry's. I had the best steak that I'd ever eaten.

quote:

Originally posted by mhsballer1:
Cincinnati. Chili dogs anyone? I am going there for a Legion tournament this summer, pretty excited, if only for the food.

Mhsballer,

When in Cincinatti and you're done with the Skyline chili dogs, take the team to Ryan's Buffet. Be careful, it's easy to overdo it.

Also get to the Montgomery Inn for ribs. Best rib sauce I've ever tasted (I buy bottles whenever I'm in Cinci...if I run out, I buy them online).

In general...

First restaurant that served me a NY strip steak that I couldn't finish was Ruth's Chris. It left me with a warm spot in my heart (took a couple of Rolaids for that). Still a personal favorite.

Perhaps my favorite restaurant of all is Nick's Fishmarket in Chicago (Rosemont location is also good). I've had great meals every time I've been there.

Mike F

CD, you bet, this is where were chowin’ when we go to the CWS in June. Best steak I ever had. We were told that the cattle are raised on a ranch 30 or so miles north of Omaha specifically for this restaurant. A bit pricey for those on a budget but well worth it.

http://www.omaha-prime.com/

For a chain steak place, Smith & Wolinsky. The best steak in Chicago is the bone-in-filet at Joe's (the stone crab place from Florida). EJ's in Skokie is a little know but excellent steak place.

Sarkis cafe-evanston,IL
worlds best omelette

Not as universal as others but some good choices when out and about.

Best Steaks

Chop House - Chicago
Gibson's - Chicago or Rosemont only
Del Frisco - Ft. Worth only
Jack Gibbon's Garden - Oak Forest

Best Pizza

Vito and Nicks - Pulaski Ave only (The mean old lady who lived just east of the building is my Grandmother-in-Law. No longer lives there and at 95 years old not as mean)

Village Pizzaria - Rosemont

Vito and Nicks - Lemont (not as burnt on the sides and bottom . Need the ovens to break in a bit better)

Best Beefs

Al's on Taylor
Carm's in Westchester.

Best Dog

O'Malleys on 35th Street
The Kosher Best Factory (Deli) - Pershing Ave

Best Italian

Bruna's Restorante - Chicago (Oakley Street)
Cunneto's House of Pasta - St. Louis (The Hill)

Best Seafood

Joe Lees Seafood - Kemah, Tx
Nick's Fishmarket - Chicago

Best BBQ

Heavenly D's - Houston
Reynold's BBQ - St. Louis

Best Wings

Duff's - Buffalo
Anchor Bar - Buffalo
My Wives special receipt

Best Burger

Porterhouse - Burr Ridge
Crystal Tree Golf Club - Tinley Park
Prophetstown Golf Club - Prophetstown,Il

Smokey - We have a Tournament June 22/26 in Omaha. Any other places you would suggest?

Detroit, I'm amazed how many people know about Vitto & Nicks! Dave Otto former Cub even had his rehersal dinner there. I was there a month ago and the same waitress at our table was the same waitress we had 20 years ago.....

The places that are mentioned over and over must be as good as advertised.

I really like the Bridgeport info and the hidden gems posted by Sultiger and wudworker.

Holden....hate to hear that about Lochobers. How about Kelly's in Revere (clams)...or one of the best deals of all time in Boston @ the wharf....the NO NAME DINER!???

Soxnole

If you go to that place in bridgeport, make sure you go at lunchtime. I think they close down at dinnertime .

NO NAME--Still there, still good. I don't know Kelly's. Never been to Revere.

CSG,

WOW, great time to be in Omaha for a tournament! The D1 College World Series runs from June 16 trough June 25/26. You absolutely must take your team, at the very least your son/family, to Rosenblatt Stadium for a game and/or to just walk around the park. There are lots of things to do. NCAA puts on events and lots of vendors, t-shirts/hats, bats, balls, gloves, Muzuno, Wilson, Rawlings, Easton, Louisville Slugger. Hope you get the idea. Lots of baseball stuff going on! You will not be disappointed! Some of my favorite (now ratty) t-shirts came from the CWS. We would play tournament games and then head down to Rosenblatt Stadium, still in our uniforms covered in dirt. The kids would run around during the game bugging participating college players to sigh a ball and/or a CWS program. These are some of my son’s prize possessions. For example he has a 1999 program signed by Mark Prior, along with many other players, when he was pitching for USC (that’s University of Southern California for those in the southeast ). Parking can be tough, so get there early if possible. You can find reasonable parking in the residential area just west of the stadium and if lucky maybe find something on the street (come early).

After the game……..

South 13th Street runs north & south right in front of Rosenblatt Stadium, where the College World Series is played, intersection of 13th and US80. Head north on 13th Street about 2 miles, past the railroad tracts to an area of Omaha called the Old Market, about 6 to 10 square blocks just east of 13th past the tracks, lots to do here as well, shops etc… Omaha Prime is in this area. There is a micro brewery called Upstream Brewing at the corner of Jackson & 11th that is more reasonable than Omaha Prime and has something for everyone, burgers and such, the beer isn’t bad either. However, this area has a lot of other dinning opportunities. Below are several links that should help you out. Good stuff….

http://www.oldmarket.com/

http://www.cwsomaha.com/html/home/index.asp