jsg723

Being my gf's partner in her quest for Elite Yelp! status has taught me a few things when recommending the best places to eat in Chicago. Don't suggest places that hurt the wallet (nothing more than "$$" on Yelp!) and don't be afraid to wait through lines (lines mean good food, learned that from TimeOut Chicago).

So I recommend the most line heavy but oh so worthy places in the city.

Please get here early for any of these places or bear the wait. 

1) Hot Doug's (Tip: Cash Only, only open 10:30am-4:00pm and check the website for the weekly specials)

2) Kuma's Corner (Tip: If you already had the some of the burgers, got to try the Mac & Cheese)

3) Great Lake (Tip: Neapolitan Pizza that makes me question my loyalty to deep dish at "Burt's Place")

4) Urban Belly (Tip: Noodle soup and pot stickers w/ unique ingredients, line doesn't start till the evening)

5) XOCO (Tip: The Hot Chocolate tastes like nectar from the gods and goes well with the tortas)

6) Smoque BBQ (Tip: Best Brisket in the city w/ some serious mac & cheese)

7) Burt's Place (Tip: Technically in the burbs (Morton Grove), but the man used to own 2 legendary pizza places (Gullivers & Pequod's) now this is his 3rd and he has refined his deep dish recipe even further. Cash Only and call before hand)

And I always cross reference Yelp! w/ Chicagoist and TimeOut Chicago to weed out the hype from the real.

Use the new TimeOut Chicago Eat Out Awards 2010 as a good reference to try places.

http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/restaurants-bars/84645/eat-out-awards-readers-choice/20.html

P.S. I love Revision3, can you mention how much Chicago would love to have Diggnation live......and iFanboy of course. I will take TRS attending C2E2 next year as a consolation.

Hope the tips sway your food choices.

See you at C2E2, long time listener/watcher first time commenter.