Cheap Places to Eat in West Chicago

"UptownGather up your pandemic pod and prepare to sink your collective teeth into this Uptown fixture’s not-so-secret signature dish: a gut busting, multicourse bonanza showcasing an entire duck, freshly roasted and sporting a layer of ultra succulent, crispy skin, carved tableside for your mouthwatering pleasure by the family-run spot’s expert staff. If you don’t know, now you know.How to book: Call 773-769-1254 for reservations and take-out orders."

"The best restaurants in Chicago leave you eager to come back soon, and Sun Wah — a James Beard award-winning family eatery — is no exception. Delicious Chinese BBQ and Hong Kong specialties practically leap off the menu at hungry diners eager for an authentic Chinese dining excursion. Sun Wah BBQ | 5039 N."

"Peking duck served three ways and carved tableside, $30 for a meal for four is virtually unheard of in this day and age. Just remember you must preorder at least 24 hours in advance. Also Try: Duck Duck Goat, literally anywhere in Chinatown"

"Shanghai Terrace is a top-voted principal Chinese Restaurant in Chicago according to Zagat Survey. The restaurant in the premises of hotel ensures to provide and serve freshly made Cantonese sandwiches aboard the 1930s supper club décor, or out on The Terrace with spectacular skyline views and beverages. Diners can measure into the enchanting surroundings of this restaurant and savor identifying cookery, always honored together with the AAA Four Diamond Award."

"Chinese is perched curiously atop the list of cuisines that seem to resist the high-end treatment. Maybe it’s the long association with greasy delivery dishes and Chinatown dives, who knows, but it’s a shame, because the bevy of flavors seem like they would be perfect in the hands of a sophisticated chef. At least Chicago has Shanghai Terrace, which sports a luxurious atmosphere atop the Peninsula Hotel with a sublime view of city."

"Along with promising some of the best Chinese food in Chicago, Shanghai Terrace also boasts some of the best views. From both the seasonal terrace and main dining room on the fourt..."

"Italian beef sandwiches and hot dogs are almost as important as pizza in Chicago, and the Portillo’s in River North does both very well. And yes, Portillo’s now has multiple locations, but it started here - so as far as we’re concerned, it’s a must-stop. Make sure you get both a hot dog and an Italian beef, and if you know to order a chocolate cake shake, too (which now, you do), you’re basically a Chicagoan already."

"Could I really make a Chicago's best list without including Portillo's?. Even if it's a bit "too suburban," it's still a Chicago classic with some pretty dank food. The extra soft poppy seed bun on the Chicago dog, crinkle-cut cheese fries, chopped salad, croissant sandwiches, the famous chocolate cake shake and other must-orders really have no competition."

"It’s been admired by the likes of Chefs Grant Achatz, Rick Bayless and the late, great Anthony Bourdain. Now is your chance to try the Chicago-style hot dog, the dish that truly captures the hearts of locals and visitors alike. Don’t sleep on this dog:"

"Restaurants Pan-Asian River North. You've likely heard about Tao because of its 1,000-person capacity club, but the venue's posh restaurant is not to be overlooked. Snag a table in the dining room or saddle up at the sushi counter, where you can order sea-kissed treasures a la carte or through a decadent omakase menu."

"WOW. And that’s exactly what you’ll get in this high-end, posh Asian nightclub. Dance the night away in this 1000-capacity dance club in Chicago featuring a 10-foot Japanese bell, world-famous DJ sets, and funky lights. Make your VIP request here."

"The New York outpost of this trendy Asian fusion restaurant made a splash because of their gorgeous interior and their incredible food..."

"If your ideal vision of a Chinatown eatery is small, authentic, and here to knock your socks off with one signature dish, look no further than Xi’an Cuisine. The décor is sparse, the drinks are BYOB, and the TVs are always on. This all matters very little though when the flavors are so big."

"The views of the Chicago River from the outdoor decks of both Pizzeria Portofino and its upstairs neighbor (and fellow Lettuce Entertain You hotspot) RPM Seafood allow you to heckle the kayakers below as they drift by, but you won’t even be tempted as you soak up the sun — or admire the night time twinkling of office tower lights in the water. Whether you’re feasting on RPM’s Red Snapper Seviche and Tuna au Poivre or Portofino’s fennel sausage- and rapini-laden Pugliese Pizza and twirling strands of Cacio e Quattro Pepe bucatini on your fork, you’ll be living your best Chicago life. Pizzeria Portofino: Open daily at noon."

"Restaurants River North. It might not be the Cinque Terre, but Pizzeria Portofino's airy patio, decked out with white wicker couches and plenty of sunlight, does its best to bring the Italian coast to the riverfront. Order one of the restaurant's hand-stretched pizzas and an Aperol-spiked cocktail to complete the effect."

"Patrons enjoy lunch at Pizzeria Portofino on the Chicago River on Aug. 13, 2019. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune). The Riverwalk is a fun place for curious Epicureans, but along the way, many riverside restaurants have patios with delicious bites to boot."

"When Melvin & Carlo Vizconde were working at various sushi restaurants in the Chicago area, they both had regulars often asking them to make “something special.” So expect something special at Kai Zan, the twin brothers’ first restaurant of their own. For example, one of their popular dishes, scallops wrapped in salmon, is lightly seared with a citrus glaze and when you bite into it, the contrast between fatty salmon and lean scallop makes perfect sense. Also, there’s a Do-It-Yourself uni and toro hand roll, which comes with a quail egg yolk, as if the uni and toro were not rich enough already."

"KAI ZAN, with modern and classic cooking methods, the twins, sushi legends Melvin & Carlo Vizconde, will make an Omakase dinner experience you may return for repeatedly. With more than a decade of experience, both Melvin and Carlo Vizconde ventured outside to begin their particular establishment, a location where they are able to express their imagination from the domain of creating yummy snacks of Japanese motivated food. Customers can say their personal preference preferences upon birth and after that take joy from the individualized maki and sushi inventions."

"For an incomparable Omakase experience, KAI ZAN is a Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant in Chicago specializing in wholly authentic and traditional Omakase dining. The restaurant is the brainchild of the notable sushi twins Melvin and Carlos Vizconde, who wanted a creative space to invent intricate dishes."

"The list of great Chicago parks is long but we’d be remiss if we didn’t include: Washington Park, one of the cities biggest and best parks, which is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places; Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe; Ping Tom Memorial Park (originally a railroad yard) in Armour Square; the 55-acre Horner Park in Albany Park; Portage Park; Northerly Island, where many concerts are held in the summer; and Oz Park in Lincoln Park, a kid-friendly sculpture park featuring "The Wizard of Oz" creations."

"Photo courtesy of Choose Chicago photo courtesy of Ranvestel Photographic. Located just east of Millennium Park, the new park recently opened the ribbon ice rink this winter. The rest of the 25-acre park, which will feature a playground for kids and many picnic tables and benches, is slated to open in 2015."

"Maggie Daley Park is one of the most fun things to do in Chicago. It’s basically a gigantic, all-ages recreation area that resulted from the crazy visions of an architect who never said no to any idea. As a result, the park offers a million different amenities in delightfully clashing ways."