McCormick Place – Chicago

16 02 2009
  • 2301 S. Lakeshore Drive
  • Chicago, IL 60616
  • (312) 791-7000
  • Website
The entrance to McCormick Place in Chicago.

The entrance to McCormick Place in Chicago.

This is funny.  Last month, when I was writing the review for Cobo Hall after we went to the North American International Auto Show, I mentioned I had never been to the Chicago Auto Show or McCormick Place.  I happened to be home this year during the auto show and I asked my dad if he wanted to go.  You see, he was supposed to drive up for the Detroit show, but snow kept them home.  I figured the Chicago Auto Show was a good replacement…and boy, was it.

 

McCormick Place is on Chicago’s South Side right where I-55 (Stevenson Expressway) turns into the famous Lake Shore Drive.  When you’re on the highway, it’s really tough to see anything other than a massive building.  I had no idea what the front of the building looked like or even how to get to a door from Lake Shore drive, but I have driven by it hundreds of times.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Chicago, Entertainment Venues, Illinois, Live Entertainment, Reviews

Nino’s Pizza – Alsip, IL

15 02 2009
  • 4835 W. 111th Street
  • Alsip, IL 60803
  • (708 ) 423-9100
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
Ninos Pizza on 111th Street in Alsip, IL

Nino's Pizza on 111th Street in Alsip, IL

Valentine’s Day wasn’t the typical Valentine’s Day for J and I.  We had another commitment that took precedentover a romantic night out.  No worries.  We had our night on Friday night instead.  On Valentine’s Day, after we got done with what had to be done, we started thinking of places to go eat that wouldn’t have a huge wait or be swamped with people.  Most of the usual suspects were booked up, but I remembered a place we have driven by many, many times and never stopped at.  The real funny thing is my brother was raving about a pizza he had in Matteson which is about a half hour away.  I finally figured out the name of it and realized there was another location right down the road from J’s parents.  Even though it had been there most of her life, J had never eaten at Nino’s, so thought we’d give them a shot.  To make this even better, a friend of ours from Peoria told us some time ago that her family actually owns the Nino’s in Alsip…still, we had never stopped in for a pie.

Nino’s Pizza is near the corner of 111th and Cicero right on the city limits for Alsip and Oak Lawn.  It’s a rather old building with neon tube signs on the front and side of the building.  It looks like a throwback pizza parlor.  J had called before we left to see if they had a huge wait and they said we’d be ok if we could get there in twenty minutes or so.  I had a feeling a pizza place wouldn’t be packed on Valentine’s Day and I was right for the most part.  The place was full, but there was no wait.  We found a parking spot and headed towards the entrance which is on the side of the building.

Once inside, we were met by a hostess who said she had four tables and we could pretty much just pick.  We took one fairly close to the door so J’s parents, who were meeting us there, could find us.  The decor is very rustic.  There is a lot of those thatched wood panels that you see on patio’s.  They even made a drop ceiling out of them.  There are several old chandelier’s scattered throughout the joint.  The tables are topped with the typical red and white checkerboard table cloths.  There are a number of old, wooden booths scattered throughout, but they looked pretty small like they were meant just for couples. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Alsip, Illinois, Pizza, Restaurant, Reviews

Jedi’s Restaurant – Oak Lawn, IL

15 02 2009
  • 9266 S. Cicero
  • Oak Lawn, IL 60435
  • (708 ) 499-4545
  • Website
  • Menu
Jedis Restaurant on Southwest Highway and Cicero in Oak Lawn, IL

Jedi's Restaurant on Southwest Highway and Cicero in Oak Lawn, IL

It was time for lunch again and we had a hard time deciding where to go.  We knew there would be six of us because J’s uncle and his girlfriend were meeting us as well.  It took a long time to finally settle on a place.  We needed something that would be quick and something that would satisfy a number of different palates.  We finally settled on Jedi’s Restaurant.

Jedi’s Restaurant is on the corner of Cicero Avenue and Southwest Highway in Oak Lawn.  It’s a typical family restaurant with a large menu and a family friendly atmosphere.  The rest of our party was already seated when J and I arrived, so we joined them at a table on the “upstairs” part of the dining room.  We were seated right next to the fish tank which was a pretty big draw for the kids in the restaurant.

I know our party all showed up at different times which can be frustrating for restaurants, but we weren’t that far apart.  There was maybe 10 minutes between the time J’s parents were seated and when J and I arrived.  Once we got there, we waited another ten minutes for our waitress to come over for drink orders.  J’s step dad and her uncle already had drinks.  J ordered a Diet Pepsi.  I ordered a Pepsi and J’s uncle’s girlfriend ordered a Diet Pepsi with no ice and a lemon wedge.  Ten minutes later, the waitress brought back only the Diet Pepsi with no ice but with a lime instead of a lemon.  She then took care of another table behind us and J and I still had no drinks.  J stopped her to ask about our drinks and she rudely informed J that “they” were working on it.  A few minutes later, we finally got our Pepsi’s. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : breakfast, Burgers, Illinois, Oak Lawn, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Mindy’s Hot Chocolate – Chicago, IL

13 02 2009
  • 1747 N. Damen Avenue
  • Chicago, IL 60647
  • (773) 489-1747
  • Website
  • Menu
Mindys Hot Chocolate on Chicagos north side.

Mindy's Hot Chocolate on Chicago's north side.

Valentine’s Day came a day early for J and I.  We have other commitments tomorrow, so we decided to get reservations for a restaurant in Chicago we had heard good things about.  When I called at ten this morning to see if we could get a table, the response I got was, “Ooooh…I don’t know.  Hang on a sec.”  Turns out, the only opening they had was at 5:30 which is when they open.  I told them we’d take it.

Mindy’s Hot Chocolate is locate on Damen Avenue in the north side’s Bucktown Neighborhood.  Coming from the south suburbs during rush hour was a little bit of a challenge.  It’s only twenty miles, but with rush hour traffic, it took a little over an hour.  Once we got to the neighborhood, we then had to find a spot to park.  The only options are valet or finding a spot at a meter on the street.  We actually got pretty lucky and found a spot on the corner just about a block away.

We walked in to Hot Chocolate and were met by a hostess who showed us to our table.  The restaurant is fairly small with a bench along the back wall that acts as a seat for about ten tables.  There are also a handful of four tops, a bar, a small waiting/lounge area and one table near the kitchen for larger groups.  We were seated along the wall and the tables were really crammed in there.  It was alright at first because there was no one sitting on either side of us, but once the tables around us were filled, it was like we were all eating together.  There was just a matter of inches between the tables.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Chicago, Fine Dining, Illinois, Restaurant, Reviews

Cupid Candies – Oak Lawn , IL

12 02 2009
  • 4707 W. 95th Street
  • Oak Lawn, IL 60435
  • (708 ) 423-2729
  • Website
  • Menu
Cupid Candies on 95th Street in Oak Lawn.

Cupid Candies on 95th Street in Oak Lawn.

I sort of get a double whammy on Valentine’s Day.  Getting something for J is not a problem.  She’s got flowers waiting back in Lansing and tickets to a show that I’m pretty sure got lost in the mail.  Not only is February 14th Valentine’s Day, but it’s also my mom’s birthday.  Birthday’s aren’t a big deal in my family.  If we do anything at all, we do something small. 

Since J and I are back in the Chicago area, my mom decided to meet us for lunch tomorrow afternoon at Portillo’s Hot Dogs (review HERE) in Crestwood.  J suggested since we were meeting her before her birthday we should get her some candy or something.  When I was driving around lost this afternoon, I noticed Cupid Candies on the corner of Cicero and 95th.  I suggested we stop in and pick up some chocolates when we went out for dinner. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Chocolate, Illinois, Oak Lawn, Reviews

Deja Brew Bar & Grill- Oak Lawn, IL

12 02 2009
  • 5219 W. 95th Street
  • Oak Lawn, IL 60435
  • (708 ) 423-0484
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
Deja Brew on 95th Street in downtown Oak Lawn, IL

Deja Brew on 95th Street in downtown Oak Lawn, IL

After taking care of some things this morning, my girlfriend, her family, and I headed out for lunch.  Our first stop was Palermos 95th (review HERE), but they were even packed for lunch, so we went to J’s parents favorite bar in downtown Oak Lawn.

Deja Brew Bar & Grill is located on 95th Street in downtown Oak Lawn.  It fronts the busy highway, but the parking and main entrance is actually in the back which is accessible by an alley.  When you walk in that back door, you come into an enclosed courtyard.  From there, there’s another set of doors to actually enter the establishment. 

Inside is a typical sports bar.  There are LCD’s hanging from the ceiling.  There’s a large, odd shaped bar that takes a good chunk of the space.  The shape of the bar is a little hard to describe.  Around the bar are a few pub tables.  Along the opposite wall is a step up with more tables.  We took a table near the windows and waited for a watiress.

The waitress actually came over pretty quickly to get our drink orders, but then took a really long time to come back with them.  She spilled a little bit of J’s mom’s beer and went to get something to clean it up with before taking lunch orders.  It took a good ten minutes for her to come back with a bar towel.  Once we got the spilled beer taken care of, we put in lunch orders.  Another half hour later and we finally got our food.  During the time, J and her uncle both ran out of Diet Coke but there was no refilling until the food came out. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Burgers, Downtown, Illinois, Oak Lawn, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches, Sports Bar

Henry’s Hamburgers

12 02 2009
  • 1832 M-139
  • Benton Harbor, MI 49022
  • (269) 926-6757
  • Website
  • No Online Menu
The last remaining Henrys Hamburgers in Benton Harbor on a cold, rainy February night

The last remaining Henry's Hamburgers in Benton Harbor on a cold, rainy February night

Unfortunately, J and I had to make an unplanned trip home due to a family emergency.  After being back in Michigan for just three days, we loaded up and headed south again.  We left just before dinner, but at the time, weren’t even thinking about being hungry.  By the time we got to Kalamazoo, our belly’s started rumbling.  About a month ago, Corky left a message in comments about a place in Benton Harbor that we should try.  We were still about forty miles from Benton Harbor, but decided to stick it out and go in search of Henry’s Hamburgers.

Henry’s Hamburgers sits on M-139 not too far from the Orchard Mall.  According to this website, the Benton Harbor Henry’s is the last of a chain that was popular in the mid-20th century.  At one time, there were several locations in Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Missouri and Wisconsin.  There were even locations in Lansing on South Cedar Street and East Lansing on Michigan Avenue in the 60’s.

We pulled into Henry’s right at 7:00.  Whenever we travel to Illinois, I set my clock’s back to Central time before leaving, so when we pulled in and the doors were locked, I was a little confused.  The counter closes at 7:00 during the winter but the drive-thru stays open until 9:30.  My clock said it was only 6:00.  Stupid me, I had already forgotten I set the clock back.  Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Benton Harbor, Burgers, Chains, Fast Food, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews, Sandwiches

Twisters Soft Serve Ice Cream – South Cedar

10 02 2009
  • 5620 S. Cedar Street
  • Lansing, MI 48911
  • (517) 272-5015
  • Website
  • Menu
Twisters Soft Serve Ice Creams second location on South Cedar Street in Lansing.

Twisters Soft Serve Ice Cream's second location on South Cedar Street in Lansing.

Boy, as soon as the mercury hits 65 degrees, everyone thinks it’s summer.  Just this morning, I saw a story on WLNS.com about ice cream shops opening up…in February!  My day was spent barbecuing so I guess I’m not any better.  After dinner, J suggested we go get ice cream.  Heck, this might be our only chance at sixty degrees for a couple months yet so let’s take advantage of it.

Twisters Soft Serve Ice Cream has two locations in Lansing.  The original is on South Waverly.  The second location and the one closest to us is on South Cedar Street right next to Taco Bell.  The building is a drive-thru only structure with a little patio area set up out front if you choose to get out of the car and order at the window.

It was a nice night, but not nice enough to eat ice cream outside, so we hit up the drive thru.  When you first enter the driveway, there’s a menu board on the side of the building.  It’s not lit up and J had a hard time reading it from the passenger seat, so we drove around to the order speaker.  Again, no light on the menu board and J couldn’t make out most of what it said.  I went with my normal ice cream treat, a peanut butter cup Flurry.  J eventually gave up and ordered the same thing.  We each got a medium Flurry for a cost of $7 for the two of them. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : Ice Cream, Lansing, Michigan, Restaurant, Reviews

Fat Matt’s Pizza

9 02 2009
  • 986 Trowbridge Road
  • East Lansing, MI 48823
  • (517) 324-7000
  • No Known Website
  • Menu
Fat Matts Pizza in the Trowbridge Plaza in East Lansing.

Fat Matt's Pizza in the Trowbridge Plaza in East Lansing.

I’m still on that quest for the perfect pizza.  We’ve found a couple really, really good ones and some really, really just alright ones.  I had been hearing things about a fairly new place in East Lansing called Fat Matt’s.  Since I was in the area, hungry, and tired, I stopped in to Fat Matt’s to see if they could place on my pizza list.

Fat Matt’s Pizza is located in the Trowbridge Plaza in East Lansing.  It’s a little tough to find at first.  It’s not visible from Trowbridge Road.  There’s a little section of the plaza on the side that has a few stores and Fat Matt’s is the last store in this stretch.  It actually sits right next to Goodrich’s loading docks. 

The store itself is pretty small.  Most of the space is taken up by the kitchen, but they do have two tables should you want to sit there and eat for some reason.  I had heard they did pizza-by-the-slice and they had a display for them, but there was nothing in it.  Instead of questioning, I just ordered a large pizza.  Usually, we get just cheese pizza since J doesn’t really like toppings, but I was in the mood for pepperoni, so I got half cheese, half pepperoni.  I got a little bit of sticker shock when the guy told me the price was $17.  I thought that was pretty expensive for a pizza.  I looked at the menu and a large cheese pizza is $13 then it’s almost $2 more for each topping.  To me, that doesn’t seem like a way to compete with the chains. Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : East Lansing, Michigan, Pizza, Restaurant, Reviews

Quality Dairy – Michigan Ave, East Lansing

9 02 2009
  • 808 Michigan Avenue
  • East Lansing, MI 48823
  • (517) 319-4121
  • Website
The Quality Dairy on Michigan and Harrison in East Lansing.

The Quality Dairy on Michigan and Harrison in East Lansing.

I’m having a hard time driving past a QD nowadays.  I left McDonald’s with two sandwiches and nothing to drink.  I knew I could go back the way I came and find a Quality Dairy and get whatever I wanted to drink.
This Quality Dairy is on the corner of Harrison and Michigan Avenue in East Lansing near the Michigan State University athletic facilities.  Getting in to the parking lot is a little weird.  If you’re on Michigan Avenue, you turn into the lot on what looks like a sidewalk.  It’s so close to the corner, you wouldn’t think there would be a driveway there. 
This QD is really no different from any of the other ones in town.  The building is a little smaller than some and the inside is a little cramped, but you still get all the doughnuts, coffee, and ice cream.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Categories : East Lansing, Grocery, Michigan, Reviews

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