What, like an essay test? How many words?
As many as it takes to write something satisfactory.
When last we left our brave heroes, Josh was all like:
So we have Di and Rory, PMP, m. leblanc, and Scudder (I'm counting the "maybes" as "yeses", dammit), plus me and Magpie. I'm guessing that Monday makes the most sense, but I have no clue where to go. (I've been told that we need to go to Kuma's Corner, but I have no idea how appropriate it would be for a meetup spot.) Anyone got any ideas?
And I guess that's specifically Monday during the day because Josh and Magpie are going to a Cubs game that evening. Or something.
Oh, link to previous thread at my url.
Chicago is the 3rd most populous city in the United States. It sits on the edge of Lake Erie. Because of Chicago's enduring love of '80s fashion, it is known as the city with big shoulder-pads. Chicago has a rich history and is well over 100 years old. Historically, Chicago rose to fame by turning pigs into sausage and Irishmen into politicians.
Chicago is a popular place for meetings because it is convenient to Gary, Indiana and because you can freeze your balls off for more of the year than in any other large American city.
It sits on the edge of Lake Erie
Wrong lake.
I don't really follow fashion. Couldn't say.
Kuma's isn't a good place to meet with a big group unless you are all "waiting hours for a table" fetishists.
"waiting hours for a table" fetishists
I don't have anything against brunch in general, but those guys creep me out.
From the dawn of history, Chicago has been a great American
city. It is known as hog butcher for the world, and is also tool
maker, stacker of wheat, has historically been a player with
railroads and the nation's freight handler. Many people describe
Chicago has been described as "Stormy", "husky", and
"brawling".
Okay, so Kuma's is out. And yes, Monday during the day, because we are in fact going to a ballgame that night.
So, uh, where should we meet?
The greatest Mexican restaurant on earth is Los Nopales, located at Western and Wilson. The only question is whether it's open Mondays.
Chicago has been described as "Stormy", "husky", and
"brawling".
Let's not forget "flammable".
The only part of Chicago I know well is the C concourse at O'Hare. I don't recommend it.
Another great option: Ethiopian Diamond, near Broadway & Granville.
18: I used to live a block in from Bway on Granville. Man, was that a crappy apartment.
Eve suggests Reza's on Ontario or Big Bowl (Chinese) or Rock Bottom Brewery or Kan Zaman or Cafe Iberico.
Personally, I'm thinking Cafe Iberico.
Yeah, Cafe Iberico looks good. Anyone else wanna weigh in?
Oh, or did you mean anyone who might make it to the meetup?
23: You shouldn't jam this thread with useless posts.
No restaurant choice limericks, then?
24: You mean "please do not hack up this thread with cafeteria-style one-liners".
No, we should all avoid this thread unless we live in Chicago.
Someone from Pittsburgh suggesting the Burger King on Michigan would be the sort of thing we must strive to avoid.
Big Bowl is horrific. Kuma's is great but Adam is right re: the lines (although I can't imagine it'd be particularly bad during the day). Haven't been to Cafe Iberico.
I, for my part, suggest the greatest restaurant in the world, Feed. Though it is, admittedly, far.
We also should check if places are going to be closed because of the holiday.
Finally, I hereby announce that if I show, I will probably smell bad, as I believe I'm going to move that day.
Also, I don't remember what we're looking for for meetup-criteria (p.s., Feed is BYOB). But if you're looking for restaurant recommendations for the rest of the weekend, I highly, highly recommend Silver Seafood for a group outing. Me and my crew go there for basically every occasion--birthdays, someone's moving away, someone got a job, etc. They've got giant tables with lazy susans and they're open until 1 am. They're BYO AND you can buy alcohol there. Sometimes there's a giant Chinese engagement party.
Other recommendations: Tank Noodle. Habana Libre. And like Adam said, Los Nopales (also BYO).
OR. If you're not looking for a huge menu, but great atmosphere, nothing can beat Moody's Pub, with cheap beer, good burgers (but not much else), and the greatest urban beer garden I've ever seen.
Do other cities have this many BYO locations? It seems like an odd business plan, considering the usual mark-up on booze that restaurants/bars can get away with.
Tank Noodle is awesome. Also highly accessible from public transport (like less than a block from the Argyle red line stop).
34: it's not generally the restaurant's idea; it usually has to do with an inability to get a (heavily limited) liquor license.
Big Bowl is a bad idea. Not that I am or will be anywhere near Chicago. Reza's is decent.
If Rock Bottom is anything like the various Rock Bottom franchises around here, it is also a bad idea. NTIAOWBANC.
34: There are quite a few BYOB restaurants in Pittsburgh. Like in 36, it's a license issue.
Okay, can we call it for Cafe Iberico, 1pmish, Monday? Or alternate plans?
Eve (Tom's mostly-absent-from-Unfogged fiancee) checking in - the recommendations above were based on a request to have the place be somewhere near the Mag Mile. Of course, there are half a billion cheap, yummy (and BYOB) places NOT near Mag Mile, but if we are going by those criteria, then Cafe Iberico or Reza's are most likely to make the most people happy. (And yes, Tank Noodle, Silver Seafood, etc. are also fabulous. Tank Noodle, however, is not so conducive to extended hanging out.)
Someone from Pittsburgh suggesting the Burger King on Michigan would be the sort of thing we must strive to avoid.
How 'bout if I suggest the Black Hawks win something off the Wings if they want to play the Penguins in the Stanley Cup finals. Huh? Huh?
Oops - back to the taxes/Jesus thread.
Chicago Meetup at the Crossroads
From before the dawn of history, Chicago has been a great American city. It is called the hog butcher for the world, and is also tool maker, stacker of wheat, a player with railroads and the nation's freight handler. Chicago has a rich history and is well over 100 years old. I'd write more about Chicago but suddenly I am run over by a truck.
Cafe Iberico's review describes it as "noisy." Noisy sucks for meetups. Moody's, OTOH, had me at "urban beer garden."
My criteria are: a) not insanely noisy b) something to eat besides seafood and c) we won't get dirty looks if we hang out for a while. Close to public transit and having a nice patio are pluses.
Apparently Iberico is not so loud if you go downstairs; a problem with Moody's is if you're coming in from the Mag Mile place you're talking 45 minutes or more via public transport. But you know, whatevs. Y'all are the folks with the transport issues - further north is better for me.
45 minutes on the CTA sounds like an overestimate, barring delays. 30-ish, Red Line all the way. Though maybe walking to/from the stations adds 15?
Cafe Iberico is extremely delicious. Yes, it is noisy, but that generally refers to dinner time especially on Friday and Saturday, when it's utterly packed. On weekday nights and Sunday nights I haven't found it too bad for noise, except for the time we had a super-noisy drunken wedding party next to us.
47: All those places up north are pretty damn far away even by red line. Uptown/Andersonville area are at least 30 minutes, plus any unusual waiting time for trains and walking time. But it seems like most of our Chicago people live pretty far north, as I know Kotsko, M. LeBlanc, and apparently Scudder do.
I live so far north I'm not even in Chicago.
I am run over by a truck.
But then the alarm goes off--it was all a dream!
Then that truck was run over by a *mammoth* truck!
Okay, so it's settled: tomorrow morning, 1AM, by the stockyards. Everybody bring a shovel and a heavy blanket you won't miss.
Okay, contra Tweety, both Magpie and I are in for Cafe Iberico. 1 PM on Monday it is!
54: Your fiendish plan would work, too... If all our stockyards weren't torn up for new condos in the West or South Loop about 5 years ago. Mind you, the newly-built, overpriced condos are just as abandoned as the old stockyards, so it might still suffice.
56: well, look, if we're going to illegally move homeless people into vacant condos they'll need to keep warm and we'll need to check if the foundations have been poured properly.
What the... what did you think I meant? You sicko.
And here I thought you just wanted to play one last game of shovel polo on segways. Pity.
Don't suppose it would be possible to get an approximate head count? I have 4 now (me, Eve, Josh & Magpie) plus a buncha kindas. Oh, and we'll save a place for Sifu, and one for ToS.
Well, I'm guessing there will be no shortage of red wine at the table, anyway.
Pretty sure the classical Stock Yards area is a blighted nothing -- or have you heard of a lot of people building condos around 47th and Halsted?
I'm building a condo there right now.
I believe we cry twice. Then something else happens.
If you have an erection or a meetup lasting more than four hours, please contact your doctor.
66: After factoring in how far from the city I actually live and the likely holiday traffic, I realized I would have a very sullen and irritable 10 year old on my hand unless I came up with some reason this would be great fun for her.
An erection. And all that follows
Unspeakable shame and regret?
An erection. And all that follows.
71, 73: It's true, but I'm not supposed to give them candy anymore. One razor blade spoils the whole bunch...
Yeah, Cafe Iberico looks good. Anyone else wanna weigh in?
21-23: I won't be at the meetup, either, but I concur with Sifu's endorsement of Cafe Iberico as the venue. The food and wine are good and inexpensive, and the seating arrangements (long, shared tables) are conducive to accomodating a party of uncertain or fluctuating size.
Well. I went ahead and made a reservation (under "tom") for 8, on a complete-wild-guess basis.
