Where to Go if You’re Stuck in Chicago and Can’t Cook
You’re bummed because you’re stuck in Chicago for Thanksgiving, but good news is you love your Habitat Corporate Suite. We’ll help you make the best of the holiday by showing you how the locals spend it.
Useless in The Kitchen? These Places Make a Mean Bird
Restaurants throughout the Chicago area have Thanksgiving meals going on. Here are a few of our top picks.
If You’re Staying At Presidential Towers: Lockwood Restaurant & Bar(17 East Monroe Street) – Lockwood is one of the top rated restaurants in Chicago, and they have a special Thanksgiving menu for those who haven’t mastered turkey basting. A set six course menu will be offered, with main entrees of maple honey molasses roasted turkey and butternut squash ravioli for vegetarians. lockwoodrestaurant.com.
Details: 11am-7pm. $60 for adults, $50 for seniors and $25 for children (children under 6 are complimentary). Reservations highly recommended.
How to Get There: Walk to the Clinton Green Line stop. Take the train towards Ashland/63. Hop off at Madison/Wabash and walk to 17 East Monroe. Travel Time: 14 minutes
If You’re Staying At 400 N. LaSalle: Fulton’s on the River (315 North LaSalle Street) – How about eating your bird right on the river, with a spectacular view of downtown? Fulton’s on the River has a Thanksgiving feast fit for the pilgrims and Indians. Chef Kevin Schulz prepares a traditional buffet style Thanksgiving feast (turkey, mashed potatoes, you get the picture) with a few added twists (Brioche stuffing and prime rib are on the list as well). Fultonsontheriver.com
Details: 11am-9pm. $49.95 for adults and $15.95 for children. Reservations required.
How to Get There : Walk North on LaSalle towards West Kenzie. Turn left at West Kenzie, and then right back onto North LaSalle. Fulton’s will be on your left. Travel Time: 3 minutes.
If You’re Staying At Iroquois Club: SugarToad (2139 City Gate Lane, Naperville)– SugarToad puts a unique twist on everyday, fresh ingredients served in four to eight course meals. On Thanksgiving, the restaurant will offer a three course menu, which includes pork belly romaine salad, organic turkey and cranberry sorbet as some of the choices. The best part? SugarToad staff members are experts at finding the perfect wine for your meal. Sugartoad.com
Details: 11:30am-5:30pm. $40 per person.
How to Get There : Via car or cab, head west on Iroquois Avenue toward Spring Garden Court. Take a right onto North Washington Street, then turn left on Warrenville Road. Continue onto Ferry Road and turn left on City Gate Lane. Travel Time: 5 minutes.
McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (Don’t Get Your Hopes Up – There’s No Candy)
We know it’s typical and touristy, but one of the best parts of Thanksgiving is the parade. It may not be New York, but Chicago throws one heck of a party. Who doesn’t love giant inflatable turkeys, marching band music, baton twirlers and Ronald McDonald? The McDonald’s Chicago Thanksgiving Parade kicks off at 8:30 a.m., starting at State and Congress and ending at State and Randolph. Get there early – it will be crazy.
Getting to the Parade: One word of advice: stay off the road in any motorized vehicle. Car scooter, cab, motorcycle. Traffic will be insane. You can, however, take the CTA Red Line to any stop along the parade route — Jackson, Monroe or Washington. Alternately, CTA Brown Line to the Library stop, Orange Line to the State stop or Green line to the Van Buren stop work as well.
Make Those Pilgrims Proud
Why not spread some cheer this holiday season? There are many soup kitchens and food drives throughout downtown Chicago and the surrounding suburbs during this time of year. Check the Chicago’s Food Bank site as well as the Warm Wishes site for a full list of locations.
*Dun Dun Dun* Black Friday
Even if you have to get trampled and verbally harassed, Black Friday is the best day of the year to get a cheap start on your Christmas shopping.
If You’re Staying At Columbus Plaza or AMLI Evanston: Macy’s(111 North State Street/4999 Old Orchard Center, Skokie, IL) – Macy’s is intense about Black Friday. Go in on a mission and get out as soon as possible. Men, grab the lady a pair of half-carat diamond studs in 14-karat white gold for $199. Ladies, with any $65 fragrance purchase, you receive a free digital video camera (fragrance for you, video camera for the man in your life).
State Street: How to Get There From Columbus Plaza — Walk to State/Lake and take the Orange Line towards Midway. Hop off at Randolph/Wabash and walk to 111 North State. Travel Time: 13 minutes.
Old Orchard: How to Get There From AMLI Evanston — Walk to the Merchandise Mart Purple Line stop. Take the train towards Linden and hop off at Davis and Benson. Take the 205 bus towards Skokie Courthouse and jump off at Golf Road and Lamon. walk to 4999 Old Orchard. Travel Time: 1 hour.
If You’re Staying at Kingsbury Plaza or Hawthorn Estates: Old Navy (1596 North Kingsbury Street/1498 East Golf Road, Schaumburg)– Free camera with a $40 purchase? Don’t mind if we do. Employees will be passing out wristbands to those waiting in line, and only those with wristbands qualify for the free $100 camera bundle. So morale of the story? Get there early.
Kingsbury Street: How to Get There From Kingsbury Plaza — Walk to the Grand Red Line stop and take the train towards Howard. Hop off at North/Clybourn and walk to1596 North Kingsbury Street. Travel Time: 20 minutes.
Schaumburg: How to Get There From Hawthorn Estates — Via car or taxi, head south on Prarie Square towards Song Sparrow Court. Turn right on Prairie Wind Lane, left onto Thoreau Drive North and left onto North Meacham Road. Take the next left onto East Golf Road and Old Navy will be on the right. Travel Time: 5 minutes.
If You’re Staying At Cityfront Place or MetroLoft: Best Buy (2650 North Clark Street/ 615 East Palatine Road Arlington Heights) Movie buffs and electronic nerds alike will delight at Best Buy’s Black Friday deals. Blu-ray movies and DVDS are on sale for $9.99, Samsung 15.6-inch Laptops for $299.99 and a 24-inch LCD television for $79.99. Oh, and while you’re waiting in line, you get to watch Harry Potter.
North Clark Street: How to Get There From Cityfront Place — Walk to the Grand Red Line stop and take the train towards Howard. Hop off at Fullerton and walk to 2650 North Clark. Travel Time: 40 minutes.
Arlington Heights: How to Get There From MetroLoft — Drive north on South Dunton Avenue towards East Campbell Street. Take the third right on US-14 E. Turn left onto North Arlington Heights Road and then take a right onto East Palatine Road. Travel Time: 10 minutes.