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 | Chicago Taste of Chicago Reviews | Tips 1 - 6 of 6 |  |
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Every summer, over 3 million people gather together over 10 days for the Taste of Chicago at Grant Park. It is a collection of many restaurants from all over Chicago that have samples of a few of their menu items. Let me describe how I see the Taste: Crowded, hot, dirty, messy, many items are overpriced, and the food quality is lower than what you would find at the actual restaurant. $7 will get you a book of 11 tickets, which is hardly enough to buy a meal and a drink. Most meals are 7-9 tickets with sample portions at 3 tickets and drinks at 4 or 5 tickets (beer is 7 tickets). Most portions are not that big to begin with, so you end up spending lots of money quickly. And with the odd amount of tickets you get for each book, you always end up a few short and have to go back for another book. My least favorite part - it ties up traffic that is already terrible to begin with!!!
First of all, if you must go to the Taste, do it on a weekday, because the weekends are ridiculously packed. A few items are worth it - Cheesecake, turkey leg, pizza, rib sandwiches, and the alligator is always popular. There are also some concerts and some pretty good fireworks displays. This is also an excellent place for people watching. I always say I wont go, but end up there when a group of friends persuades me. I usually just get a couple of the above items and watch the crowds.
Avoid it if you can. Do something else. Leave a Comment
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| | | | Taste of Chicago: If you really want a "Taste of Chicago".... | Tip Rating: | | | | |
The Taste of Chicago is held every year in Grant Park around the 4th of July weekend, usually ending the weekend following the 4th of July. Long lines, big crowds, overpriced food, lots of trash. And if you're unlucky enough to be there during a heat wave, add sticky and hot to the mix. The 3rd of July is typically the busiest day, the Independence Day fireworks are held at 9:30 pm on July 3rd around the same area as the Taste and typically over a million people are on the lakefront watching the fireworks. Driving into and out of the city on that day is awful and public transportation after the fireworks is extremely crowded, don't expect to get a seat. On July 4th there is a free major concert of some sort that can draw 100,000+ people and it is usually jammed with people on July 4th also. If you want to see the concert, I think you'd have to get there very, very early and stake out a spot. A few fun facts: The 1st Taste of Chicago was in 1980, held on Michigan Avenue near the Tribune Tower The Taste of Chicago was cancelled in 1983 when then Mayor Harold Washington said it was too expensive. It's now a money maker for the City. Arnie Morton, founder of Morton's steakhouse, was the brains behind the festival
If you do feel compelled to go, do it on a weekday during the day when the crowds are more manageable. The best time to go is at 11 am when it opens and around 3 pm after the lunch crowd. Don't drive, take public transportation. Or ride your bike, there's a free bike valet on Monroe & Columbus where you can check your bike Try the Taste portions (3 tickets) instead of the larger portions so you can try more. And don't waste your tickets on things like corn on the cob (5 tickets!) that you can make yourself. No alcoholic beverages or glass containers are allowed inside the taste so leave the cooler at home. You can bring your own water and soft drinks though. Bring wetnaps. Prebuy tickets at Dominick's grocery stores, they are $5.50 per sheet of 11 instead of $7, usually until the day before it starts.
But my best advice is this-skip the Taste, this may very well be the best time to get into the city's hot restaurants as everyone else is heading to the Taste Leave a Comment
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| | | | Taste of Chicago: Taste of Chicago | Tip Rating: | | | | |
I haven't been to this summertime festival in Grant Park in ages, but recently I've heard various stories about it, both negative and positive. It's a huge, week-long celebration in July, with many of the significant Chicago-area restaurants having foods stands set up with their specialty dishes. While I'm sure the food's good, it's notoriously crowded. There is little room to sit down anywhere, so you'll probably have to juggle your food and drink while standing up, or grab a bench if you're lucky. Just be warned and prepared, or do as I do, and skip it entirely. Get a good recommendation on a couple of the restaurants that reguarly participate, and go to their actual restaurants instead. You'll have a wider variety of food, air conditioning, and a place to sit down! :)
Look here to find more details about the festival: www.chicagotraveler.com/attractions/taste-of-chicago.html Leave a Comment
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on March 9, 2003
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