We love it when we get a lot of reviews from the same person. Sometimes someone will leave lots of reviews over a long period of time (shout out to Steve from Roscoe Village!), and sometimes an out-of-town visitor or someone on a review-leaving kick will hand us a half-dozen in the space of an hour. Such is the case with user alias Jersey Girl, whose Loop-centric dining calendar for her Lollapalooza weekend is (charmingly!) chronicled herewith.
Her first review, and the one that made us start to love her. Atlantic City? Win. Jersey Girl on Shaw’s Crab House:
We first visited Shaw’s last year and ate in the formal dining room – it felt a bit stuffy, by the service and food were superb! This year we couldn’t wait to return for another delicious meal, but we felt we weren’t dressed properly (having taken a break from Lollapalooza), We went anyway and discovered the fabulous Oyster Bar with the same great food and service in a relaxed, fun atmosphere. I can’t recommend the crab cakes highly enough – sauteed, creamy, delicious Maryland style. The food and the place remind me of the places my dad took me to in the 60’s – places like Captain Starns and Dock’s Oyster House in Atantic City. We went back two days later and enjoyed our meal just as much. They have good beer on tap too – love that Anchor Steam! Can’t wait to go back to Chi-town and this place! The servers are super-friendly and helpful also.
Later on, Jersey Girl and family visit Mike Ditka’s Restaurant:
My husband wanted to go here, and I wasn’t expecting much. Was I pleasantly surprised. The food was ample and delicious. My husband and I had the Prime rib sandwich which came with a choice of fries, chopped salad, soup, or fruit (as did the other lunch sandwiches). We chose the salad. My son had a barbeque bacon burger with a cup of soup. All were delish! The prime rib sandwich was lean and tasty. It came with cup of au jus for dipping. The hostess and waiters were all very friendly – we had a great experience. Can’t wait to return on our next trip to Chicago.
We, too, are a sucker for a good chopped salad. But on to Sluggers Bar & Grill, where she doesn’t have as great an experience:
This place is dark, dingy, and noisy. We thought it would be fun to eat here before the game, but I am sorry we did. The waitress asked us if we wanted to pay by credit card when we ordered our beers. When she returned with the beers, she told us that their policy is to hold the customers’ credit cards until they were ready to leave. We told her we wanted our credit card back immediately, and we would pay cash. I never hear of such a practicethey must have a lot of low-life people that run out on their tabs. I don’t like my credit card out of my sight for any length of time and I am not a low-life. Will never return!
We’re actually a little surprised that she’s never heard of holding a card — at a bar like Sluggers, we’re not surprised by starting a tab. In fact, we have had tabs started on our credit cards in New Jersey, so we are doubly surprised. But we’re in love with the phrase “low-life people that run out on their tabs,” so all’s good.
Up next? River North’s own Carmine’s:
This is the second year that we came to Chicago and had lunch here. We ate outside both times (last year along the sidewalk and this year on the side of the restaurant under the awning), and the service and food are wonderful. I especially enjoyed the chicken marsala, pasta, and chopped salad. We had an excellent red wine with our meal also. We will return next year and hope we can again have a nice day to eat outside.
Chopped salad again! We’re totally feeling you, Jersey Girl.
And finally, unclimactically, Su Casa:
The food was good, but I felt unwelcome from the moment we asked to change our table because there was a draft blowing right on my neck. The host told me it was the same in the rest of the restaurant (not true) and let us change our table to one in the front room, but we had to go back and retrieve our menus ourselves. The waitress was nice enough, but she brought me the wrong margerita even after I pointed out of the menu exactly which one I wanted. I didn’t realize the mistake even though I thought the margerita tasted funny(it had Grand Marnier in it) until she brought the bill and charged an extra $1. A good restaurant and server would have acknowledge the mistake and fixed itshe didn’t. Oh well, smaller tip.
We’ve all been there, Jersey Girl. We’ve all been there.
