I'm old and care more about food than music now. We've all been missing this thread.

I don't wanna contribute to the demise of any establishments so I won't name names, but SEVERAL places that I would always recommend to visitors and locals without batting an eye have recently gone completely down the shitter. Including a restaurant that provided possibly the most memorable meal of my life. It's pretty heartbreaking. So, what's still great? I'm personally looking for quick, small, relatively inexpensive/no hassle rather than trendy west loop bullshit, but if it's really great, post it here.

I still have yet to have a less-than-great experience at Bar Roma in Andersonville. Plus, the happy hour is a crazy good deal if you can get in.

My current go-to taqueria in my neighborhood is Los Asadores on Foster (near Tre Kronor). No particular taco stands out, but everything has been very good.

The 3 Carnitas tacos and a horchata for 6 bucks at Jimenez market (on Fullerton in Logan) is the best lunch deal.

This is going to sound wild, but there is a taco truck in the Loop near Clark & Lake called Mexi-Taco, that is really incredible. Their pastor, asada, and birria can go toe to toe with any of the places in Pilsen or my beloved Taqueria Moran. I eat there so much, I am going to be putting his kids through college soon. $3 tacos and $10 for a big ass burrito with big pieces of avocado. Can't go wrong.

It’s kind of an unexciting one, but I love Big Star. I don’t go often—we live south of downtown—but when I do, I’ll think of the tacos for days afterward.

My favorite thin-crust pizza place in the city is Flo & Santo’s on 13th and Wabash.

Himalaya (also on Wabash) might be my favorite Indian restaurant outside of Devon and the other Indian and Pakistani neighborhoods. For more upscale Indian, Roo in the West Loop is awesome.

MCCB became my favorite joint in Chinatown after our old favorite joint went downhill. Also, the last time we stopped at the old favorite, a cockroach darted across our table just after we’d been handed menus.

I’m a pescatarian, so I’ve never had the chicken at Harold’s, but their fried catfish is my favorite fast-ish food in the city.

And, I mean, there’s Alinea . . .

I have only eaten at the location in Stone Park, but Cilantro Taco Grill surprised me with some of the bet mexican fast food I have had in town. On par with L’Patron and Atotonilco. They are a chain with about a dozen spots in the city & burbs.

Jimmy’s (Grand & Pulaski) best polish sausages and fries in town. No seating

My last Italian beef at Michael’s (North & Oak Park Ave) had rather stale bread which was kind of a bummer b/c up until recently I would have put them up against the stalwart Johnnie’s (just up the road) any day. Michael’s beefs are bigger, they will put cheese on it, and you can actually eat indoors if those are things you care about.

Maria’s (Harlem location) premium margs are the best and strongest you can ask for. Food is solid.

I have been pretty fond of Old World Pizza since my go-to (Edwardo’s) closed.

When Big Jones first opened, I was pretty jacked to have a cajun/creole place up here, but it was underwhelming.

It's great now. I'll eat anything on the menu anytime pretty much. We just went the other night during their crawfish celebration--fantastic.

eephus wrote: When Big Jones first opened, I was pretty jacked to have a cajun/creole place up here, but it was underwhelming.

It's great now. I'll eat anything on the menu anytime pretty much. We just went the other night during their crawfish celebration--fantastic.

Pretty sure that's the best fried chicken I've ever had, too. IIRC, they fry it in beef tallow. Yikes.

HaiSous in Pilsen for more of a "night out" Vietnamese meal. And I guess in related news, LD Pho for more of a "let's go ham on some fuckin' pho" Vietnamese meal.

I still continue to stan Raisu for sushi.

Community Tavern at 6 Corners in Portage Park, which is always a great meal whenever I go, the people that run it seem like good people, and they get props for being the only place to keep sticking around year after year on that stretch of Milwaukee that has a ton of cool places show up and just fail within a year. They also have a "kids eat free" deal going on like half the week.

tbone wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 8:50 pm HaiSous in Pilsen for more of a "night out" Vietnamese meal.

Love that place.

jeff fox wrote: Tue Mar 28, 2023 5:09 pm

eephus wrote: When Big Jones first opened, I was pretty jacked to have a cajun/creole place up here, but it was underwhelming.

It's great now. I'll eat anything on the menu anytime pretty much. We just went the other night during their crawfish celebration--fantastic.

Pretty sure that's the best fried chicken I've ever had, too. IIRC, they fry it in beef tallow. Yikes.

Yeah, it's extremely good