New York City

[Steve9347]

I'd suggest you quit at this point. You're starting to sound like an old man with kids.

Yeah, I mean, the Oak Brook comment is laughable, and that's coming from a dude who lives 5 minutes from there. You can see and do everything in Oak Brook in one boring afternoon.

[RockRaines]

I actually had just amended my post mentioning this about NY and everything being in closer proximity. To you, it would be an advantage...but I am very anti-public transportation. While it can make travel cheap and convenient, and cut emissions, it's also a hub/petri dish that cultivates the spread of germs and illnesses throughout a City. No thanks to sharing rides with that.

You should stay in your basement. So far you hate crowds, hate people and are a germophobe. I envision your perfect setting to be out in the middle of nowhere away from everything unless you make an effort to drive yourself near activity.

 

The Oak Brook comment was pretty funny though. Alot of people like big box chain restaurants, they kill in remote areas, however Chicago is much more well known for our unique eateries.

[Y2HH]

You should stay in your basement. So far you hate crowds, hate people and are a germophobe. I envision your perfect setting to be out in the middle of nowhere away from everything unless you make an effort to drive yourself near activity.

 

The Oak Brook comment was pretty funny though. Alot of people like big box chain restaurants, they kill in remote areas, however Chicago is much more well known for our unique eateries.

 

I'm only a germaphobe when it comes to strange people...but I'm an avid outdoors type...I love being outside and in public places...just not overcrowded public places like, say, Great America.

 

And I live in the city of Chicago.

[Y2HH]

I'd suggest you quit at this point. You're starting to sound like an old man with kids.

 

While not an old man, I do have a kid.

[Y2HH]

Yeah, I mean, the Oak Brook comment is laughable, and that's coming from a dude who lives 5 minutes from there. You can see and do everything in Oak Brook in one boring afternoon.

 

So you can eat at all 500 restaurants in Oak Brook in a single afternoon? I see.

[Steve9347]

So you can eat at all 500 restaurants in Oak Brook in a single afternoon? I see.

Ok, come on, it's Oak Brook. There's nothing there that you can't experience at [insert suburb here] on any given day. Throw a couple of really nice non-chain restaurants my way and we'll start talking.

[Y2HH]

Ok, come on, it's Oak Brook. There's nothing there that you can't experience at [insert suburb here] on any given day. Throw a couple of really nice non-chain restaurants my way and we'll start talking.

 

There is a time and a place for everything. Sometimes the chains are fine, sometimes not. Chicago is just way more dispersed than NY, but it doesn't make it inherently less exciting, it all depends on the person/people in question and what they like. I, specifically, love living in the City of Chicago, BUT, I'd prefer to NOT live in a city with a mass concentration of population like NY. I also do not care for public transportation, however, I will and do use it when it's more convenient than car travel.

 

Yes, you can when it comes to chain restaurants...but for me, Oak Brook is relatively close and I know my way around. That doesn't necessarily make Oak Brook boring or the restaurants bad simply because they're chains...it is what it is, and for some people it's enough for a quiet day.

 

There are a lot of chains that are better than Chicago's little unique eateries...I call food as I see it, expensive or cheap...good is good. If I eat at a unique little overpriced Chicago restaurant people rave about and *I* find the food/service lacking, it gains no points for being small or unique when I know I could have had a better meal, for less, at a chain. But that's not to say there aren't some great hidden little gems in Chicago, either.

Edited April 23, 2012 by Y2HH

[southsider2k5]

This has gotten hilarious.

 

BTW, when I was out there we ate at

 

Old Homestead Steakhouse

Patsy's

Lomardi's

 

plus a couple places for lunch, such as a great truck for Philly steaks up by Central Park, and Langan's Irish bar to watch the Bulls beat the Knicks.

 

Good stuff.

[Chi Town Sox]

Anybody who thinks Williamsburg and Manhattan "suck" is delusional, get out of your shell. There are things going on in both that don't happen anywhere else in the world.

 

I was the biggest Chicago fanatic going into my trip into NYC having not been there in a long time, it is dirty, it is old, it is congested but it is f'n amazing. For how many negatives there are about that city, the positives simply destroy the positives of any town in America and almost any town in the world. Seeing so many different types of people living in the same area is awesome on so many levels. I will never forget walking into a very sketchy part of lower Manhattan (a type of area that if i walked into in Chicago, I would have gotten out very quickly), nobody even looked at us. Very grungy and ghetto but you see older white couples in some random bar drinking wine and walking around like it's nothing. Amazing town

 

I will stay in Chicago though, much much cheaper.

[Reddy]

Anybody who thinks Williamsburg and Manhattan "suck" is delusional, get out of your shell. There are things going on in both that don't happen anywhere else in the world.

 

I was the biggest Chicago fanatic going into my trip into NYC having not been there in a long time, it is dirty, it is old, it is congested but it is f'n amazing. For how many negatives there are about that city, the positives simply destroy the positives of any town in America and almost any town in the world. Seeing so many different types of people living in the same area is awesome on so many levels. I will never forget walking into a very sketchy part of lower Manhattan (a type of area that if i walked into in Chicago, I would have gotten out very quickly), nobody even looked at us. Very grungy and ghetto but you see older white couples in some random bar drinking wine and walking around like it's nothing. Amazing town

 

I will stay in Chicago though, much much cheaper.

 

to be fair, I said midtown, not manhattan. and i do hate williamsburg - primarily because i can't stand hipsters. at all.

 

[RockRaines]

There is a time and a place for everything. Sometimes the chains are fine, sometimes not. Chicago is just way more dispersed than NY, but it doesn't make it inherently less exciting, it all depends on the person/people in question and what they like. I, specifically, love living in the City of Chicago, BUT, I'd prefer to NOT live in a city with a mass concentration of population like NY. I also do not care for public transportation, however, I will and do use it when it's more convenient than car travel.

 

Yes, you can when it comes to chain restaurants...but for me, Oak Brook is relatively close and I know my way around. That doesn't necessarily make Oak Brook boring or the restaurants bad simply because they're chains...it is what it is, and for some people it's enough for a quiet day.

 

There are a lot of chains that are better than Chicago's little unique eateries...I call food as I see it, expensive or cheap...good is good. If I eat at a unique little overpriced Chicago restaurant people rave about and *I* find the food/service lacking, it gains no points for being small or unique when I know I could have had a better meal, for less, at a chain. But that's not to say there aren't some great hidden little gems in Chicago, either.

Yeah, chains are almost always above average in their niche, however they are not nearly as close to as good as really good unique eateries. Oak Brook's best restaurants are steakhouse chains, or another lettuce entertain you spot. I can name single location places that are better in not only quality of food, but preparation and service levels.

 

 

Oak Brook is a tiny, very bland, boring town. I know because I grew up right next to it. Naperville will keep you alot busier than Oak Brook ever would, inside and outside.

 

And you keep saying you wouldnt like NYC, why dont you go there and check it out. There are TONS of areas that feel like the neighborhoods of Chicago. You seem to think people are packed together like sardines, when in fact they are generally only that way in the horrific tourist areas. Kind of like if you spent your entire Chicago trip on Navy Pier and River North. I would say NYC is the most like Chicago in terms of neighborhood's being the identity of the city. Every area is very different from the next.

 

 

[Y2HH]

Yeah, chains are almost always above average in their niche, however they are not nearly as close to as good as really good unique eateries. Oak Brook's best restaurants are steakhouse chains, or another lettuce entertain you spot. I can name single location places that are better in not only quality of food, but preparation and service levels.

 

 

Oak Brook is a tiny, very bland, boring town. I know because I grew up right next to it. Naperville will keep you alot busier than Oak Brook ever would, inside and outside.

 

And you keep saying you wouldnt like NYC, why dont you go there and check it out. There are TONS of areas that feel like the neighborhoods of Chicago. You seem to think people are packed together like sardines, when in fact they are generally only that way in the horrific tourist areas. Kind of like if you spent your entire Chicago trip on Navy Pier and River North. I would say NYC is the most like Chicago in terms of neighborhood's being the identity of the city. Every area is very different from the next.

 

We agree on this.

 

Oak Brook IS boring, BUT, it still has something to offer, such as a great concentration of stores for shopping, decent eateries, etc.

 

And I'm positive there are places in NY that I'd love. To be perfectly honest, if it were just for a visit, I'd be sure to visit/taste some of the highly populated areas...though I *always* prefer less "touristy" stuff, if I can put this into words properly...there are ALWAYS places outside of the tourist zones that are the TRUE flavor of an area, the real gems that everyone hasn't seen/heard of/been too, and finding them is next to impossible if 1) you don't look for them because you never venture outside of the tourist zones/brochure zones, and 2) if someone local doesn't show you the TRUE local flavor.

 

I grew up in Bridgeport, I've lived in Des Plains, and now live in Clearing. I've visited numerous countries, cities and states...but I've still not been to NY. When I do decide to go, trust me, I'll be looking for advice on places to go that I couldn't already read about in a Fromers book.

[Steve9347]

NYC is no Oak Brook.

[southsider2k5]

This has gotten hilarious.

 

BTW, when I was out there we ate at

 

Old Homestead Steakhouse

Patsy's

Lomardi's

 

plus a couple places for lunch, such as a great truck for Philly steaks up by Central Park, and Langan's Irish bar to watch the Bulls beat the Knicks.

 

Good stuff.

 

Also forgot Jr.s Cheesecake and John's pizza in Times Sq.

[StrangeSox]

Yeah, I mean, the Oak Brook comment is laughable, and that's coming from a dude who lives 5 minutes from there. You can see and do everything in Oak Brook in one boring afternoon.

 

You can see most of what Oak Brook offers in lots of other parts of the country anyway since it's mostly chain stores and restaurants.

[StrangeSox]

Oh and LA is garbage. I'll never understand why people like that city. I've liked every part of California that I've ever visited except LA.

[StrangeSox]

I know this is a Chicago-centric board and must of us live there or within close proximity, but come on, you cannot compare Chicago to New York. Chicago feels like one New York block in comparison, it's so small.

 

I've never been to NYC but I flew into and out of Newark last month. It was a bright, clear day, so I got a great view of both the NYC and Chicago skylines. I couldn't believe the difference in size.

[RockRaines]

I've never been to NYC but I flew into and out of Newark last month. It was a bright, clear day, so I got a great view of both the NYC and Chicago skylines. I couldn't believe the difference in size.

I actually prefer flying in and out of Newark because the train is very easy to take in and out of manhattan. Otherwise im in a f***ing cab half the day from Laguardia or JFK. Those guys LOVE taking people for rides from out of town.

[Chi Town Sox]

to be fair, I said midtown, not manhattan. and i do hate williamsburg - primarily because i can't stand hipsters. at all.

 

I am too lazy to go back but someone had said Manhattan

 

[Chi Town Sox]

Also forgot Jr.s Cheesecake and John's pizza in Times Sq.

 

Haven't been to John's in Times Square but I am going to go ahead and say to go to the original on Bleecker. Good stuff

 

[southsider2k5]

Haven't been to John's in Times Square but I am going to go ahead and say to go to the original on Bleecker. Good stuff

 

It was good for what it was. I am not a big fan of the really thin crust pizza. The toppings were very good though.

[Chi Town Sox]

It was good for what it was. I am not a big fan of the really thin crust pizza. The toppings were very good though.

 

I heard from most to get it well done or else it would be soggy, it worked out well. It is still a type of Pizza that one can get at numerous places in Chicago just as good if not better in my opinion

[southsider2k5]

I heard from most to get it well done or else it would be soggy, it worked out well. It is still a type of Pizza that one can get at numerous places in Chicago just as good if not better in my opinion

 

I got a turnover from Lombardi's which was spectacular, all except for the well done/thin crust. The toppings were about the best I have ever had. John's was decent, but not on that level. There are definitely plenty of places in Chicago that do it as well, or better.

[Steve9347]

I actually prefer flying in and out of Newark because the train is very easy to take in and out of manhattan. Otherwise im in a f***ing cab half the day from Laguardia or JFK. Those guys LOVE taking people for rides from out of town.

This is why God invented Google Maps. The joker who picked us up from LaGuardia had an interesting start to the ride, and I corrected him almost immediately and then we got down to business.

[RockRaines]

I got a turnover from Lombardi's which was spectacular, all except for the well done/thin crust. The toppings were about the best I have ever had. John's was decent, but not on that level. There are definitely plenty of places in Chicago that do it as well, or better.

The best pizza I've had in NYC was probably long after 3am from one of those corner spots. THATS where and when the NYC food shines. The Halal cart by the NYC Hilton is fantastic after a night of drinking.