35-Bronzeville-IIT plus 15 minutes

I am looking around 33rd & State to find some places to eat on my lunch hour. It looks like the pickings are slim within walking distance. The green line stops right here, as well. Do you have some recommendations that take 15 minutes or less to get to via public transit? Thanks!

Heh, seems we work pretty close to each other (I started working at IIT recently). It is an absolute food desert. People rave about Miller's Pizza, it's ok given the choices, but the pizza there is terrible. I literally debated walking 15 min to McDonald's, but couldn't bring myself to do it. We just got all settled into our new apartment so I'm bringing lunch now. If I wasn't so busy, I'd venture up to Chinatown for lunch.

Both Pearl's Place and Mama Lou's have been up (prime versions of soul food) and down (yesterday's dinner heated up; changes of ownership) for me, and i haven't been to either in a couple of years (The latter also is primarily takeout, although there is some seating at the counter.) But since you're sounding pretty desperate, they might be worth a try, and certainly you're not going to risk much (economically, that is) at either of these places:

Pearl's Place
3901 South Michigan Avenue
(773) 285-1700

Mama Lou's Comfort Kitchen
124 E 35th St
(between Indiana Ave & Michigan Ave)
(312) 326-6400

Be sure to call first for hours and to make sure they're open.

Thirty-third and State, that's right by Crown Hall—one of the most architecturally significant structures of the 20th century. Here are some suggestions within walking distance of Mies's masterpiece.

Ferro's (200 W 31st) has been serving decent Italian beef and lemonade for ages. I've been meaning to get back there to see how much of the Wiviott influence rubbed off.



Mr Spanky's (335 W 31st) is well worth a visit for sandwiches featuring their excellent housemade bacon or the daily special. I need to write something about this fine little place.



A little farther along 31st you can get a Polish or a chop at Maxwell Street Depot (411 W 31st).



There's more along 31st (Scoops Ice Cream, Pancho Pistolas, Freddie's, Northern City, even Pleasant House) but they're more than 15 minutes away.

Or you could head south to 35th. If you walk fast you could get to 35th Street Red Hots (500 W 35th) for some of the city's better minimally dressed dogs and fresh-cut fries.



The place I'm most interested in is Mama Lou's Comfort Kitchen (124 E 35th), a relatively new soul food place. I stopped in one day but the smothered chicken wasn't ready yet.



Heading east on 35th you'll find a Harold's Chicken Shack (321 E 35th). I haven't been to #19 yet but I approve of the artwork



Southtown Sub (240 E 35th) has an extensive menu of classic Chicago bad-for-you foods.



On King, just south of 35th is Mississippi Rick's (3511 S King). I've only been to the old one (now closed) but this place has its fans.



A little farther south is Pearl's Place (3901 S Michigan) for fried chicken and peach cobbler. I understand they've reinstated their lunch buffet.



Pearl's might be a little far (Google tells me it's a 19 minute walk) but you could take the Green Line one stop to Indiana. Also, Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles (3947 S King; I haven't tried it) is only a couple blocks from that L stop.

If you're willing to ride 15 minutes on the L, that opens up a big chunk of the city to you. I won't make a list for you but within your 15 minute limit you can choose from Daley's at one end (Cottage Grove) or Publican Quality Meats at the other (Morgan).

Haven't been to Pearl's in a few years but went with several friends at lunch and the surprise hit was the Turkey Sandwich with a cup of Gumbo. This wasn't pallid layers of thin turkey on bread, this was thick slices of juicy, warm turkey, cut from the whole bird. And the gumbo was good enough that we were passing it around. I ordered the cooked to order with real pie crust topping (no B.S. Phyllo "hat"!) Chicken Pot Pie and it was big enough to feed four. If you can make the trek on foot or via public transpo, I hope you'll still be happy. Besides, a good walk might be in order after the kinds of things we ate. And the service was really warm.

bjt

Rene G wrote:Ferro's (200 W 31st) has been serving decent Italian beef and lemonade for ages. I've been meaning to get back there to see how much of the Wiviott influence rubbed off.

I'll vouch for the Breaded Steak Sammies that are made to order.

mdpilam wrote:Heh, seems we work pretty close to each other (I started working at IIT recently).

No kidding? I just started last Monday.

Rene G wrote:...within your 15 minute limit you can choose from Daley's at one end (Cottage Grove) or Publican Quality Meats at the other (Morgan).

Mama Lou's is actually first on my list. I saw that while walking today. It's a shame there's not a good place to sit, but there are plenty of benches at IIT.

Isn't Publican 30 minutes away on the green line?

From Son #3, a recent VanderCook graduate and Bridgeport resident;

Zaytune. Mediterranean stuff. Always heard good things about Pleasant House bakery, they make meat pies. Bridgeport Coffee House is right there too (all these places I've mentioned are within 2 blocks of other) and they have sandwiches.

And a bit farther over than a walk perhaps, but on Halsted is Nana...not stellar but I always found something interesting and well made.

Pie Lady wrote:Isn't Publican 30 minutes away on the green line?

I glanced at the CTA timetable to confirm 15 minutes to Cottage Grove but kinda guessed about Morgan (the Near West stops aren't listed). Using CTA's Train Tracker it looks like the current (Saturday morning) travel time from 35th to Morgan is 15-16 minutes. It may well take somewhat longer on a weekday. Whether the trip fits into your schedule is for you to determine. In my last paragraph above I wasn't so much recommending specific restaurants or train stops as trying to point out that with a short L ride you have a sizable swath of the city available to graze in.

D.G.Sullivan wrote:Zaytune. Mediterranean stuff. Always heard good things about Pleasant House bakery, they make meat pies. Bridgeport Coffee House is right there too (all these places I've mentioned are within 2 blocks of other) and they have sandwiches.

One of the notable food and drink blocks in the city. I even singled it out several years ago, before Kaplan's morphed into Maria's and Pleasant House opened. Now with Pleasant House (one of the best casual restaurants in the city), 31st & Morgan is a true destination. Unfortunately it takes about double the requested time to walk to (I still mentioned Pleasant House in my list above because it's so damn good).

For a somewhat closer coffee house, I'd consider Jackalope (755 W 32nd).

D.G.Sullivan wrote:And a bit farther over than a walk perhaps, but on Halsted is Nana...not stellar but I always found something interesting and well made.

Another good suggestion but almost exactly one mile away (how fast does Pie Lady walk?). I think only the eastern edge of Bridgeport may be close enough.

Soluri and Sons will deliver to you, the owner told me today he lives "over dere." Very good sandwiches using D'Amato's bread. Dedicated thread here.

Soluri and Sons Italian Deli
3549 S. Halsted
Chicago, IL

773.247.8777

http://www.soluriandsons.com

Rene G wrote:The place I'm most interested in is Mama Lou's Comfort Kitchen (124 E 35th), a relatively new soul food place. I stopped in one day but the smothered chicken wasn't ready yet.

I stopped in today for lunch. I started a new thread here.

Though it is too far to walk to, Panozzo's (http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=14647&hilit=panozzo%27s) near Michigan and Roosevelt is one of my go-to lunches. I think you would probably be able to take a bus up State or Michigan and be back in a reasonable amount of time, especially if you called in your order so it was ready by the time you got there. Their crescentine sandwiches are very well done, with the creminelli salumi and house mozzarella being among my favorites.

Panozzo's
1303 S Michigan Ave

That's 15 minutes on the green line...works for me. And it's cheap!

Just noting that Ferro's is probably the most underrated place in Chicago.

Also the JJ's Fish and Chicken at 43rd and Indiana serves a double cheeseburger topped with gyros meat. Shady neighborhood though.

Isn't there a great restaurant right inside IIT? I remember them having a 3 course prix fixe on Fridays.

Indeed, Pritzker Club. It's very nice but closed during the summer.

Mama Lou's is closed. It's now a Subway. Thank goodness they finally came to Chicago!

Mississippi Rick's (3511 S King) is closed too.

Pie Lady wrote:Mama Lou's is closed. It's now a Subway. Thank goodness they finally came to Chicago!

Did Subway take over Mama Lou's space? They coexisted side-by-side for at least a couple years. I never did get back there to try the smothered chicken.

Pie Lady wrote:Mississippi Rick's (3511 S King) is closed too.

For me, the most notable neighborhood news is Yassa has opened in the old Mississippi Rick's space. I haven't been to the new Yassa (only the original on 79th), but I would consider their Senegalese cooking to be worth a trip from anywhere in the city.

Rene G wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:Mama Lou's is closed. It's now a Subway. Thank goodness they finally came to Chicago!

Did Subway take over Mama Lou's space? They coexisted side-by-side for at least a couple years. I never did get back there to try the smothered chicken.

I believe so, but it's hard to say, since that mall has space codes, and Subway is in F. I haven't walked over there in a long time, so I'll have to report back to say for sure.

Pie Lady wrote:Mississippi Rick's (3511 S King) is closed too.

For me, the most notable neighborhood news is Yassa has opened in the old Mississippi Rick's space. I haven't been to the new Yassa (only the original on 79th), but I would consider their Senegalese cooking to be worth a trip from anywhere in the city.
Praise the lawd! I'll have to try this tout suite. Might be the only thing near campus worth getting out for.

Did Subway take over Mama Lou's space? They coexisted side-by-side for at least a couple years. I never did get back there to try the smothered chicken.

They coexisted. Mama Lou's closed down awhile ago.

The Harold's on 35th is now closed too.

What is this, a mass exodus? Bah!

Yassa is great. I highly recommend trying that place out

Pleased to report that Harold's has reopened on 35th (between Michigan and Indiana) in the old Mama Lou's slot. I think the address is

124 E 35th St, Chicago, IL 60616

Have not tried it yet, but fellow office workers said it opened last Friday.

Bumping. The food situation has not improved much!
Although we got a new Indian place:
https://www.oberoisfood.com/
255 W. 31st St.

I should have posted this awhile ago. this is based on what folks at my office get. I'm too cheap to eat lunch out too often

Bridgeport is probably the best place to get food. Very close if you have access to a car.

Gio's
Sandwich counter at the back of a small Italian grocery store. Good Italian sandwiches. Entrees are fancy and pricey.
2724 S Lowe Ave, Chicago, IL 60616

Ricobene's
It's OK, Italian again and the breaded steaks are never as good as you remember them.
252 W 26th St, Chicago, IL 60616

Fabulous Freddie's
Decent Italian/hot dog stand. Soup is a good option. The hot dog special is a very filling cheap meal. I like Freddies the best of the Italian place listed here.
701 W 31st St #1, Chicago, IL 60616

Punky's Pizza and Pasta
Kind of the same thing as the above. Like all the places listed here, very good, reasonably priced and the same basic menu of pizza, sandwiches, etc.
2600 S Wallace St, Chicago, IL 60616

I'll have some more places when I get better organized.

Nice! Thanks! Is that Gio's the same as the one on 31st?

Antique Taco on 35th would be the kind of place people around you might chip in for your Uber to bring back (though it also has a parking lot). I'd probably go often to Chinatown from your vicinity, including places like Cafe Hoang, Strings, The Burger Point, and Ahjoomah's Apron were you worried about the Chinese places being slammed, or Slurp Slurp, Xi'an Cuisine, Szechuan Cuisine, or House of Fortune if not.

If you have UChicago colleagues, meeting in the middle at Uncle J's or Uncle Joe's (King Drive, better than the Hyde Park location in my memory) or Peach's on 47th could be a nice way to go. The Mariano's in Bronzeville has good options and is right near Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles (I benefit from the Oak Park location) and not far from Yassa African - I get a craving for their on-site nem especially when I have them limp in a steam tray at a Hyde Park event now and then (still tasty).

From the above original list I retain my soft spot for Zaytune (particularly their pillowy bread. A shame they changed the fettoush recipe). Finally, it would be fun to connect with you or other South Side workers sometime at Love Taco , which I have not yet visited.

Pie Lady wrote:Is that Gio's the same as the one on 31st?

The food is different - Italian at Gio's Cafe and Deli on Lowe, Mexican at Gio's on 31st - but it looks like they have the same owners, based on the fact that the lettering in the logos on their websites (here and here) is identical.