Anyone in Chicago....please help!

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Posted By: ctdeano

I have decided to head to the National this year and want to start looking for airline tickets, my first question is.....which airport would be best to fly into for this Midway or O'Hare? My second is, what is the best pizza in town to try while in Chicago that is fairly close to the convention center (with 15 minutes or so). All help/recommendations are appreciated!

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Posted By: DJ

There is a Deep Dish pizza joint about a half mile away from the site. It's located BEHIND a McDonalds in a strip mall next to a gas station* (next to a large hotel whose name escape me but can be seen from the Convention parking lot) on the street of where the convention is held. We actually walked it, not too far if a half a mile isn't too far. The place is amazing. The Deep Dish is amazing and best I have ever had and I've spent some time in Illinois over the years. The place was packed and there was a twenty minute waiting time to be seated and it's one of those establishments where they take your order in advance so the table turnaround is pretty good for the joint.

DJ
edit: * I saw Alan Rosen coming out of the Gas Station.

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Posted By: robert a

Hey there.
Fly into ohare.
For pizza, eat at either giordano's, barone's, lou malnati's, jake's, rosati's, or any other place in town. There's no bad pizza in chicago.

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Posted By: Chris B.

Try Geno's East if you like deep dish pizza; best I have ever had. There are a few throughout Chicago - should be easy to find one that you can get to relatively quickly via the El or a cab.

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Posted By: DJ

Geno's East is legendary and great but I believe what this gentlemen wanted was a Pizza joint that is: fairly close to the convention center (with 15 minutes or so). C'mon Forum Members.



DJ

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Posted By: robert a

All those joints are within 15 minutes.

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Posted By: Rhys

The convention center is basically at O'Hare airport so definetely fly there.

Rhys

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Posted By: ctdeano

Thanks everyone, I am looking forward to the show...first National for me hoping to pick up some 33 Goudey's for my set. I will be staying at the Sofitel and now will have to decide which pizza place to hit. Thanks again!

My 33 Goudey Set

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Posted By: jay behrens

I lived in chicago briefly. My vote goes with Giordano. But I haven't been there in almost 15 years

Jay

I like to sit outside drink beer and yell at people. If I did this at home I would be arrested, so I go to baseball games and fit right in.

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Posted By: Brett Thompson

Giordano's.

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Posted By: Tom Boblitt

another vote for Giordanos.......deep dish is EXCELLENT! We at at Gino's or Geno's East downtown last year and it really wasn't that great. The crust at Giordanos was fantastic. Right down the road from Stephens Convention Center on Mannheim I believe.....

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Posted By: mike

If you're thrifty like me, one of the Elevated train lines ends at O'Hare, and the first stop out from the airport is the convention center, about 5 minutes. You need to have small bills and buy a fare card at a kiosk outside the O'Hare station, which, I think might be under a runway. Follow the signs, which can be confusing. It's quite a walk to the station, you go by a couple of lame tourist stores and one of the Hilton's entrances. The Elevated becomes the subway, and it's about 40 minutes to downtown. I've yet to have a problem, and the airport is on the northwest side of Chicago.

With regard to pizza, I do not know about by the airport, but Rolling Meadows/Arlington Heights is about 20 minutes by local streets, as long as traffic is not bad; there is a Gino's East (or used to be) at or around Golf/New Wilke/Algonquin. I favor Lou Malnatti, but I have no idea where they're located. Your best bet is to go with the place mentioned by the board member, that is close, unless you're adventurous.

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Posted By: Josh A.

Definately fly into O'Hare, right near the Convention Center.

For pizza, I recommend Jake's, it's in Northbrook, about a 20 minute drive, but oh so worth it! However, as another board member said, there is no bad pizza in Chicago.
Great looking Goudey set, I've started one myself, so looks like I will have to beat you to the cards at the show!

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Posted By: warshawlaw

Anyone in with me?

I did some research and found a couple of good potential places. There is one right near the convention center (one of the names already mentioned). A downtown place may be more fun and adventurous though, and train-friendly, so not too onerous a trip unless it is raining. When I have a chance as we get closer to the date I'll post what I found and we can arrange to coordinate a meeting place, etc.

I am also willing to coordinate contact info for attendees as I did last year. Please email me with your cell # and hotel and I will distribute a contact list to all responders via email shortly before the show.

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Posted By: Bryan Long

I arrive on Friday and leave on Sunday. The big dinner is planned for Friday right? Does anyone have dinner plans for Saturday night? I would love to make the pizza route but that is too early in the week for me unless some are willing to put it off until the weekend.
Let me know if possible.