things to do near Rosemont (ANA)

secondrepublic · June 4, 2011 6:32AM

On another thread there's been some consternation about the ANA convention being held in Rosemont, Illinois, which is not exactly Chicago.

I thought it would be helpful to start a thread listing interesting things closer to Rosemont, i.e., not in downtown Chicago, AND which are not the usual "business expense account" or "national chain" experience. Things which are within a $10 to $20 cab ride.

--Red Apple Restaurant (Czerwone Jablusko) - an excellent Polish buffet. They have two locations. The one at 6474 N. Milwaukee Ave. is about five miles from Rosemont, about fifteen minutes by car. Here's the website and a link to reviews on Yelp.

--Central Gyros - an excellent Greek place at 3127 N. Central Ave. in Chicago. MUCH more than gryos - although the gyros are excellent too. Here's a link to the website and to reviews on Yelp. This one is little further from Rosemont, about nine miles, but worth the trip! (And right across the street is - what else? - a large, mainly Eastern European bar/nightclub called Martini Club)

MrEureka · June 4, 2011 8:02AM

Sounds like you pretty much covered it.

dragon · June 4, 2011 8:03AM

If you don't mind a 5 - 10 minute cab ride there's a ton of places, everything from Super Dawg (best hot dogs on the planet), to awesome stuffed pizza, to famous high end steak places, and everything in between.

PawPaul · June 4, 2011 8:07AM

Gene & Jude's Hot Dogs

in Melrose Park on River Rd ;

aprox. 15 min. by car from the convention center ;

Hands down the greatest tasting dog and fries in the world , bar none

dragon · June 4, 2011 8:21AM

The Yellow Pages lists something like over 1000 restaurants in Rosemont alone. In addition, downtown Chicago is maybe a 25 - 30 minute drive and you have every restaurant conceivable including world class museums, the Sox and Cubs, more nightclubs then you could visit in a lifetime, the lakefront, the Magnificent Mile, 5 or 6 different casinos all within 30 - 40 minutes (including a brand new casino opening just a few blocks from the convention center) and the list goes on and on.

WTCG · June 4, 2011 8:29AM

Anything else?

If that's it then I'm beginning to feel really depressed. It sounds like if you don't have access to a vehicle and you don't want to ride the subway for 50 minutes to downtown Chicago you're screwed.

Rosemont is now reminding me of the problem Santa Clara and San Jose in California have in relation to a world famous city less than an hour away. The unofficial tourism slogan for San Jose has always been " we're only an hour away from San Francisco". The same parallel is apparent with Rosemont.

dragon · June 4, 2011 8:41AM

There's tons of places to eat and things to do without going to downtown Chicago or even into Chicago at all.

I would think the best idea for out of towners would be to simply rent a car at the airport for the week and maybe split it with a couple friends, and it would be quite inexpensive and you could then go anywhere you want whenever you want.

Edited to add: You know Rosemont and the Chicago outlying burbs are not exactly Death Valley with tumbleweeds blowing by.

speety · June 4, 2011 8:42AM

When we were there for CSNS we tried Giordianos, a smaller italian restraunt located off W. Higgins (tucked in behind the Mobil and McDonalds), and it was very reasonably priced and pretty dang good.

TPRC · June 4, 2011 8:49AM

I only know this area from about 20 years ago. Not exactly a vacation hotspot. Is it near a train or would I need to rent a car to go anywhere (other than to the Convention Center or to eat)?

WTCG · June 4, 2011 8:54AM

<< There's tons of places to eat and things to do without going to downtown Chicago or even into Chicago at all.

I would think the best idea for out of towners would be to simply rent a car at the airport for the week and maybe split it with a couple friends, and it would be quite inexpensive and you could then go anywhere you want whenever you want.

Edited to add: You know Rosemont and the Chicago outlying burbs are not exactly Death Valley with tumbleweeds blowing by. >>

We don't expect tumbleweeds but it seems the whole area isn't much more than a giant patch of generic suburbia indistinguishable from one suburb to the next.

It definitely sounds like if you don't have access to a vehicle you're out of luck.

JapanJohn · June 4, 2011 9:44AM

Holiday Inn in Rosemont has a restaurant down below that is just packed at any given moment. Harry Cary's. (Cubs announcer).

Excellent greek chicken and they have homemade bar chips that are highly addictive. I was just there a couple weeks ago and I dropped $50 on a meal for myself and I'd have paid double for what I got.

John

secondrepublic · June 4, 2011 11:20AM

There's a lot of stuff in the neighboring suburbs like Park Ridge - also very close - anyone else want to chime in?

Edited to add: Here's a link to a foodie website thread entitled "Help - I'm stuck in Rosemont". This covers a lot of bases.

Aegis3 · June 4, 2011 11:21AM

<< I only know this area from about 20 years ago. Not exactly a vacation hotspot. Is it near a train or would I need to rent a car to go anywhere (other than to the Convention Center or to eat)? >>

It's a half mile from the convention center entrance to the L platform. Not the most exciting work, half is by a expressway interchange. But I took it many times when I lived in Chicago (proper) to go to the shows out that way.

Coinosaurus · June 4, 2011 1:28PM

<< When we were there for CSNS we tried Giordianos, a smaller italian restraunt located off W. Higgins (tucked in behind the Mobil and McDonalds), and it was very reasonably priced and pretty dang good. >>

This is a quite good suggestion, one of the "deep dish" pizza chains in Chicagoland. A full tummy at a cheap price.

Giordano's recently filed for bankruptcy, but the restaurants are supposed to remain open.

To keep it coin related, you can rub a copper penny in tomato sauce and see whether it looks any different at the end of your meal.

lava · June 4, 2011 1:50PM

I love Chicago, but the Rosemont is a peculiar choice for a coin show, even if the food was delicious and complimentary.

messydesk · June 4, 2011 1:57PM

Rosemont is just plain a peculiar place.

Another good place for eats is Smoque Barbecue, which is just a couple blocks from the Irving Park Blue Line station. Small and can be very crowded, though. Just walk up River Rd. from the convention center to the CTA station and go about half way to downtown.

Justacommeman · June 4, 2011 2:11PM

I'm still freaked out by the giant gerbilesque habitrail that contects the convention centre with the hotels and parking structures.

I think the best way to mix things up for eats is taking a shuttle to the airport. Plenty of establishments at O'Hare. Sad but true. MJ

WTCG · June 4, 2011 3:34PM

<< I'm still freaked out by the giant gerbilesque habitrail that contects the convention centre with the hotels and parking structures.

I think the best way to mix things up for eats is taking a shuttle to the airport. Plenty of establishments at O'Hare. Sad but true. MJ >>

Remember the absurdly hot temperatures in those tunnel habitrails during Central States when it was 45 degrees outside? Now imagine how much of a sauna your walk will be when it's a humid 90 degrees outside. You could roast a ham in those tunnels.

Justacommeman · June 4, 2011 3:41PM

<< 

<< I'm still freaked out by the giant gerbilesque habitrail that contects the convention centre with the hotels and parking structures.

I think the best way to mix things up for eats is taking a shuttle to the airport. Plenty of establishments at O'Hare. Sad but true. MJ >>

Remember the absurdly hot temperatures in those tunnel habitrails during Central States when it was 45 degrees outside? Now imagine how much of a sauna your walk will be when it's a humid 90 degrees outside. You could roast a ham in those tunnels. >>

I'm sweating just thinking about this. I just hope I don't get lost this time as well

.

MJ

wildjag · June 5, 2011 2:57AM

Something more offbeat, but should be of interest to coin collectors.

A few years ago I discovered the Lizzadro Museum in Elmhurst, IL right below the end of the airport. Link to website

I went on a Friday and all I can say is wow. If you like gems, ancient stone crafting, carvings, etc. Seriously check it out. Its a small non-descript building in a park and I would say its an hidden gem. Take your camera.

Coinosaurus · June 5, 2011 3:33AM

<< Remember the absurdly hot temperatures in those tunnel habitrails during Central States when it was 45 degrees outside? Now imagine how much of a sauna your walk will be when it's a humid 90 degrees outside. You could roast a ham in those tunnels. >>

Yup. I've walked through there for summer trade shows, and they are as toasty as advertised. And the walk from the parking lot is tres long. Dress cool.

things to do near Rosemont (ANA)

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