Where else to go in Chicago?

Joyce M. wrote:
>
>I am going to downtown Chicago in July and would like some restaurant
>suggestions, in addition to the pizza places previously mentionned.  Am
>interested in places we could walk to and places that are not too
>expensive.  A friend tells me there is a "little Thai place" near the
>Lenox.  Any ideas what he is referring to?  Thanks!

The place near the Lenox (a nice, inexpensive hotel, BTW) is Thai Star on Hubbard (three blocks south of Lenox House) just east of State (two blocks west of Lenox).  It's pretty good Thai food.  If you have to stay in that area, there are tons of restaurants serving all sorts of food.  Ed Debevic's is an "authentic" re-creation of a 50's diner about 4 blocks west of your hotel that's lots of fun.  Across from Ed Debevic's is Carson's, a great place for ribs (you can eat free chicken-liver pate in the bar if there's a wait).  The Hard Rock Cafe/Chicago is also near your hotel, but it's really not very good or very fun.

The diner in your hotel (_not_ Houston's, another restaurant in your hotel), is actually pretty good.  Over on Michigan Avenue, just south of Ontario (the street your hotel's on) is Croissant & Co., which has great croissants and cappucino, latte, etc.  Just up Michigan, in the mall where Sak's is located, is a fast-food-style place on the top floor called Healthwise or Heartwise or something like that.  Their seating area overlooks Michigan and gives you a nice view of that part of town.  (If you go up there, look across Michigan to the Niketown building and you'll see a small, isolated courtyard of townhouses that haven't been lived in for years.  It's some- thing most people in Chicago don't even know about.)

If you can afford a $5 cab ride, or aren't intimidated by the bus system, Greektown isn't too far from you.  The best restaurant there is Courtyards of Plaka at Halsted and Van Buren.  (Via bus, walk south of your hotel to Grand two blocks take the Grand bus west to Halsted ask the driver to tell you when you get there and transfer to the #8 Halsted bus, south- bound to Van Buren.  Full fare with a transfer is about $1.50 each way) If you're going to the Sears Tower, you can walk to Greektown from there (it's about 5-6 blocks straight west of the Sears Tower).

There's a great coffee-house and restaurant called the 3rd Coast at Wabash and Delaware (about 6-7 blocks north of your hotel and one block west) where you can have a full meal or just a cup of coffee and linger as long as you like.

I guess this is more information than you were looking for.  Have fun while you're in town.