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When reviewing the strip of bars on Madison Avenue in Forest Park, Doc Ryan’s is the biggest and arguably most party-friendly of them all. On any given weekend, you’ll get an eclectic mix of...
When reviewing the strip of bars on Madison Avenue in Forest Park, Doc Ryan’s is the biggest and arguably most party-friendly of them all. On any given weekend, you’ll get an eclectic mix of regulars, office-party attendees, post-game softball players, and young yuppie types from Oak Park, River Forest and other nearby communities. The place boasts a two-level set-up; the upper level features an open skylight that works well during the summer as well as a suite of pinball, arcade and dart games. The atmosphere is generally unpretentious and very laid back, so I like hanging out here with friends whenever we need to just relax and take a break from the standard Chicago bar-hopping scene. If I didn’t live closer to Poor Phil’s (see my other review), I’d probably wind up drinking here more often.
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Run by the same folks that brought you Scratch ‘n’ Sniff nearby, Pumpkin Moon is one of those wonderful unique toy and gift stores that I love to check out on a regular basis. It is definitely a...
Run by the same folks that brought you Scratch ‘n’ Sniff nearby, Pumpkin Moon is one of those wonderful unique toy and gift stores that I love to check out on a regular basis. It is definitely a pop-culture driven store, with a great selection of T-shirts and Bobblehead figures to look through. The front of the store is lined with baskets filled with cheap but unique plastic trinkets that you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else, as well as lots of novelty items such as magnets and toys—basically a hodgepodge of knick-knacks and goodies kids would love. The back of the store is filled with unique greeting cards and more “grown-up” gift stuff like stationery or keychains. For those who like collectibles (especially old-school toy robots and wind-ups) this is definitely a place to visit. Overall, if you’re looking for a wacky gift or greeting card for an immature adult in your life, this is the first stop in Oak Park.
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Are you a cat or dog lover? Do you like discovering cool, trendy and unique gifts? If you said “yes” to both, Scratch ‘n’ Sniff will totally be up your alley. On the one hand, the store is filled...
Are you a cat or dog lover? Do you like discovering cool, trendy and unique gifts? If you said “yes” to both, Scratch ‘n’ Sniff will totally be up your alley. On the one hand, the store is filled with everything special (and just as arguably useless) you could ever want for your pet: clothes, shoes, greeting cards, bowls, organic food and treats, toys, leashes, gifts, and so forth. On the other hand, the store also has an eclectic mix of knick-knacks and one-of-a-kind items for two-legged folks: Everything from shower curtains to barware. The product uniqueness comes at a price, of course—meaning the “healthy” sales prices. The good news is that there’s so much stuff to discover, you’ll be able to find trinkets at a variety of price points (and save your credit card from disaster). I come here whenever I’m at a loss for a gift idea for either a friend or my pets.
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Having moved to a newer remodeled location, Tasty Dog in Oak Park reminds me of the teen-age hangout in “Saved By the Bell”—especially when it’s packed with students from the nearby high school...
Having moved to a newer remodeled location, Tasty Dog in Oak Park reminds me of the teen-age hangout in “Saved By the Bell”—especially when it’s packed with students from the nearby high school (mainly during lunch and after school). Don’t expect a quiet dining experience when it’s crowded. But when it’s not so loud, it’s a fairly nice place to eat—the new location is definitely a step up from its former (now torn-down) site.
Of course, Tasty Dog is all about the hot dog, and the basic model (ordered with everything) is definitely different than what you might be used to seeing. Basically, everything includes ingredients you’d normally see underneath a hamburger bun: round tomatoes, shredded lettuce (that’s right, lettuce), round pickle slices, spices, mustard, etc. Despite the unusual “construction,” it’s still a pretty good hot dog, which I prefer over their burgers. I also recommend their twister fries for a nice change of pace. Overall, I don’t know if I’m a big enough fan to endorse Tasty Dog over some other fast-food options in Oak Park, but as hot dogs go, it lives up to its name well enough.
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My last Super Bowl party was “catered” by Spizzico, meaning that I ordered pizza and buffalo wings in advance and brought them home to serve to guests. I actually showed up early to pick up my...
My last Super Bowl party was “catered” by Spizzico, meaning that I ordered pizza and buffalo wings in advance and brought them home to serve to guests. I actually showed up early to pick up my order, and snacked on a slice of regular crust spinach pizza—very good stuff. The dining area was fresh and looked clean well maintained. At the party, people were definitely thumbs up on the pizza (you can choose from a variety of crust types such as wheat, but I just got the standard) but so-so on the wings (again, they have a variety of wing sauces to choose from; we chose hot and spicy). It’s not that the wings were bad, mind you, but that the guests said they’ve had better. But aside from the wings, I heartily endorse Spizzico to other pizza fans.
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Personally, Michael's became a favorite when I was remodeling my condo. You can build up a big appetite from all the hard work, and then satisfy that appetite with a very good Italian combo...
Personally, Michael's became a favorite when I was remodeling my condo. You can build up a big appetite from all the hard work, and then satisfy that appetite with a very good Italian combo sandwich, Italian beef or gyros (my top three picks on the menu). While the food may be greasy (and therefore good in my book) and not too unique when compared to other places that serve up the same fare, Michael’s gets a big plus for its french fries. They’re clean-cut fries that have their skin still intact, which I personally really like the taste of. More importantly, when you order a dinner platter (basically a sandwich plus fries), they heap a mountain-sized serving of fries on your order—enough to share between two people or to fill up the hungriest of stomachs. On the minus side, I’m not really sold on their burgers (they’re a bit plain), so I generally stick to the Italian sandwiches. Overall, Michael’s is a carb-watcher’s worst nightmare, but if you’re starved for good budget-friendly grub in Oak Park, you really can’t go wrong here.
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Metro
Category:
Night Clubs
3730 N Clark St
Chicago, Illinois 60613
(773) 549-0203
As far as live shows go, the Metro is the best live performance venue in Chicago—it’s big enough to attract major big-name acts, but it’s small enough so you can see those acts up close and...
As far as live shows go, the Metro is the best live performance venue in Chicago—it’s big enough to attract major big-name acts, but it’s small enough so you can see those acts up close and personal. I recently saw Jimmy Eat World at the Metro, and it was such a major improvement than when I saw them at the Riviera Theatre (another venue in Chicago)—you’re awestruck at the fact that you can get so much closer to the band no matter where you might be standing. In addition, the booking is sharp, meaning that many up-and-coming bands (especially local talent) play their first “big shows” at the Metro before blowing up nationally—so if you want so say that you saw a band before they became hugely famous, the Metro is often your last chance to do so. One small tip: If you plan on hitting a show during a Cubs night game (Wrigley Field is down the block), forget about finding easy parking—you’ve been warned…
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Puree’s has surprisingly good thin crust pizza, and I say surprisingly because no one in our household has yet come up with a definite reason why it’s better than thin crust pizzas from other places...
Puree’s has surprisingly good thin crust pizza, and I say surprisingly because no one in our household has yet come up with a definite reason why it’s better than thin crust pizzas from other places in the area (my wife claims there’s some blend of spices in the sauce that tastes better, but to be honest, I can’t tell). In any case, the pizza is good enough that we order carryout regularly (there’s nothing wrong with the dining area, mind you—we just prefer eating their pizza at home). I would recommend it to anyone looking for an alternative to the usual pizza-chain options.
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If you are a fan of local punk/rock music and cheap beer, and you aren’t afraid of drinking in what could be considered a “dive bar,” The Mutiny is your proverbial slice of heaven. Tucked away...
If you are a fan of local punk/rock music and cheap beer, and you aren’t afraid of drinking in what could be considered a “dive bar,” The Mutiny is your proverbial slice of heaven. Tucked away between the Interstate 90/94 overpass and Fullerton Avenue on Western Avenue, the establishment isn’t much to look at. Upon entering, you’ll see a thin bar on the left, which extends to the back of the bar, which is the “stage” area for live performances—you can definitely get up close and personal with the band. My recommendation is to find out who’s playing at The Mutiny, and check it out on a weekend when there’s a band you might be interested in seeing. I couldn’t imagine coming there just to drink, but when there’s a good line-up of bands playing, this place can get packed and turn into a rockin’ blast. A final note for guys only: Check out the old-school industrial-strength urinal in the men’s bathroom—it is a one-of-a-kind “fixture” that has gained a bit of notoriety for its uniqueness.
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I’ve been to a number of Mexican restaurants in Oak Park, and while many of them are good, Los Casadores in downtown Oak Park is the one I visit most—mainly because if you’re hungry for Mexican,...
I’ve been to a number of Mexican restaurants in Oak Park, and while many of them are good, Los Casadores in downtown Oak Park is the one I visit most—mainly because if you’re hungry for Mexican, this place will fill you up without destroying your wallet. This is especially the case if you take advantage of their lunch menu, which is reasonably priced yet has a good variety to choose from. I usually get the enchiladas or the grilled steak lunch, the latter of which comes with a spicy bean and bacon soup that I find especially tasty. In addition, the place’s chips (which are served warm) often always come with two types of salsa—red and green—and both salsas are the best I’ve had in any Mexican restaurant.
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