If you know me, you know I like, sorry, LOVE, food. I don't know why I didn't do this sooner but I wanted to share my 5 favorite restaurants in Chicago. I quickly realized that most of my top meals at these places are the burgers so if you're not a burger lover, turn away. Just kidding there's other food that'd good there.
Enjoy!
1. Le Colonial
Le Colonial is one of the pricier of the 5 but if you share plates it doesn't end up being that bad. It has that Miami palm tree feel on the inside and outside and the aesthetic is so comfortable. It is a Vietnamese restaurant and the food is amazing. Their menu kind of goes by a numbering system so I always forget what I get there since you order by numbers. Here are the items I get there.
The number 1. Cha Gio, crisp, fried spring rolls of shrimp, pork & asian mushrooms, with chili lime dipping sauce
The number 6. Bahn Cuon- Steamed vietnamese ravioli, of chicken and mushrooms with chili lime garlic sauce
The number 49. Banh Pho Xao- Rice Noodles sauteed with soy sauce, bean sprouts, green onions, red peppers & garlic chili sauce, served with chicken or beef
2. au cheval
The best burger in Chicago. It has won so many awards for it's burger and the wait times really tell all. The best time to go is to sit down at the bar at 4PM and put your name in so that you can sit and eat at 5 PM when it opens back up. (it's closed from 3-5PM everyday.) Otherwise the wait time can be 1.5-3 hours. It is located in the West Loop which you can go get a drink somewhere else while you wait so that's always an option too. If you don't want to deal with the wait, they opened up Small Cheval which is a diner style with a similar burger. I get:
A single Cheeseburger (comes with 2 patties) with an egg (you can add bacon too and they are THICK pieces)
Fries with egg and garlic aioli
3. Giordano's
The ONLY place you should go if you want a deep dish pizza. It is the traditional deep dish and I'm sorry Lou Malnoti lovers but that doesn't even compare! This place is the go to for regular pizza too. So good! You literally eat it with a fork and knife because it's messy. I am also one that eats their pizza with ranch (heart shaped emoji) The chopped salad is also so addicting. I get the smallest size just to myself as an appetizer because it's better to fill up on that then the pizza, right? I get:
A sausage deep dish pizza (you really only eat one or MAYBE two slices)
Garlic Parmesan Fries
Chopped Salad
4. umami burger
I went to Umami for the first time in LA when I did an internship there in 2012. I fell in love with it! (I also am a burger fan and just realized 3 of my fav restaurants are because of the burger oops.) They have the coolest concepts and the ketchup has truffle in it which makes me die of happiness. I get:
Traditional Umami burger
The truffle fries
5. portillo's
I mean if you come to Chicago and don't get Portillos then... I feel bad for you. I come here for of course the cheeseburger and cheese fries but also the Chopped Salad is a fan among many. So many people try to recreate this salad and I've also been one of them. I do get the salad when I'm trying to be good but the burger is so hard to not get. This place is a cheap option and just SO GOOD. They also started delivering which is SO dangerous.
Cheeseburger (I ask them to cut it in half, easier to eat!)
Cheese Fries
Chopped Salad
I legit got SO hungry writing this. I need a burger!!
oxoxo ela