Chicago Locals

Chicago Locals

IMTS Chicago Locals logo

You may call it the Windy City, the Second City, or the White City. At IMTS, we call it home. As the manufacturing community prepares to come together in Chicago once again for IMTS 2024 from September 9-14, we are looking forward to all the city has to offer. Join us as we tour hotels, preview restaurants, and check out neighborhoods, so you can Chicago like a local.

Hotels

Chicago Athletic Association | History Meets Hospitality

Located right on Michigan Avenue in the heart of Chicago's tourist district, the Chicago Athletic Association is a 240-room hotel featuring historic charm and modern conveniences. The hotel's seven dining establishments range from a tiny speakeasy to a sprawling rooftop restaurant. Take a tour with IMTS+ and book a room for IMTS through Global Housing Solutions, powered by AMT.

Sable at Navy Pier| Views for Days

At Sable on Navy Pier, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, IMTS guests will feel like they are relaxing on a luxury yacht. The hotel is designed so that all the rooms have water views.

voco| Sustainable Luxury

voco Chicago Downtown, an IHG hotel, welcomes guests with a stunning lobby and offers thoughtful amenities that sustainability-minded business travelers will enjoy.

Restaurants

Avec | With Style and Flavor

An open and airy dining room welcomes guests at avec, where the stylish room becomes a backdrop for classic Mediterranean dishes with a Midwestern spin – many of which have been menu favorites for 20 years. IMTS+ sits down with legendary Chicago restaurateur, Donnie Madia, a partner of One Off Hospitality, which owns avec, to learn more about the history of the venue and its menu.

Monteverde | Feels Like Home(made)

Monteverde is a homey space where guests will feel like they are sitting at Executive Chef Sarah Grueneberg's kitchen island, but the star of the show is the delicious food. The focal point of the inviting space is the pastificio, or pasta factory, a station solely dedicated to making fresh pasta for all the restaurant's dishes. Right above that space, wood barrels hold traditional Italian balsamic vinegar as it ages.

Guinness Open Gate Brewery | Guinness in the Windy City

One of only two Guinness locations outside of Ireland, Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Chicago's West Loop offers a wide selection of unique and seasonal beers, as well as the classic Guinness stout. The brewery also contains a restaurant serving everything from snacks to hearty meals and a bakery with fresh-baked goods daily.

More Restaurant Reccomendations

Breakfast

  • Wildberry – They know how to do breakfast. Everything is delicious.

Mexican

  • Frontera Grill – A Rick Bayless signature restaurant with authentic food and a selection of creative margaritas.
  • La Cantina Grill – The opposite of fancy, but awesome! The hardest part is just getting a table. It's a small joint but the word is out on how good the food is.

Steak

  • Chicago Chop House – A restaurant with history. Rumor has it, Al Capone ate there.
  • Chicago Cut – Great location, premium dry-aged hand-cut steak, and an extensive wine list.
  • Kinzie's Chophouse – Small and discreet. It doesn't call a lot of attention to itself but every bite is perfect and the service is top shelf.
  • River Roast – Lively social scene located on the river with roasted meat focus. An unusual take on dinner with everything from wood-smoked poultry to cider brined and apple smoked pork.
  • RPM Steak – Part of the RPM group of restaurants owned by a Hollywood power couple, Giuliana and Bill Rancic, with roots in Chicago, and R.J. Jerrod and Molly Melman of Lettuce Entertain You.
  • Steak 48 – Fine dining with a glass-enclosed open kitchen. The house specialty is steak, but the menu includes chops, salads, seafood, and a raw seafood bar.
  • STK – A rare sight to see a steak house with a DJ and uber cool lounge. Totally out of the mold of the staid, old wood-paneled steakhouse.

BBQ

  • Smoque – Sandwiches and platters of brisket, pork, chicken and ribs. Smoque is BYOB, so bring your own alcohol if it suits you.

Seafood

  • Catch 35 – In a super location on Wacker Drive along the river. It's a long-time Chicago favorite.
  • Lure Fish Bar – (inside 21C Museum Hotel) – Easy to underestimate from the outside but it has extraordinarily good seafood in a sophisticated environment.
  • RPM Seafood – Another RPM group restaurant. Great seafood dishes. The best dessert is their Baked Alaska.
  • Shaw's Crabhouse Chicago – Enjoy a classic seafood offering and great martini bar in old-fashioned wood interior.

Pub & Grill

  • Miller's Pub – Established in 1935, Miller's Pub offers a casual and familiar pub experience with what looks like 50 feet of beer taps to choose from. It's super close to many of the Mile's major hotels and is home to its World Famous Baby Back Ribs.
  • The Publican – Their Fulton Street location is off the beaten path away from the big crowds during IMTS week. The Publican is for foodies who will appreciate the eclectic menu in a European beer hall style setting.

Great Outdoor Dining

  • The Chicago Firehouse – The architecture is breathtaking and the outdoor patio is great for dining in the warmer weather.
  • Gibsons Italia – Another great restaurant from the group that created two Chicago favorites: Gibsons Steakhouse and Hugo's Frog Bar. This time they are serving up great steaks along with fine Italian fair, but what makes Gibsons Italia special is the outdoor bar and patio seating overlooking the river at Wolf Point, the confluence of the North, South and Main branches of the Chicago River.
  • Il Culaccino – Delicious traditional Italian fare, and it's in walking distance from McCormick Place. Their all-weather patio is a must when you dine there.
  • Piccolo Sogno – An outdoor dining area and wide-range of entrees and prices.
  • Tanta – Peruvian fare with unique drinks, ceviche, and unusual but awesome creations. Has a rooftop terrace.

Vietnamese

  • HaiSous – Signature cocktail list full of surprises and progressive Asian cuisine. Nationally-acclaimed, James Beard Family owned for over 60 years. Five locations in Chicago. Voted one of the best in the Chicago Tribune 2022 Food Awards/nominated, and a Michelin Bib Gourmand.

Italian

  • La Scarola – If you are looking for an authentic ‘old school’ Italian experience, La Scarola will not disappoint. You'll be greeted by the owner, Armando, treated like family and enjoy classic dishes in this unassuming Chicago eatery.
  • Monteverde – Homemade and handmade by one of the most decorated female chefs in Chicago. The owner is very visible and always there.

Quick Bites

  • Portillo's – Get a great hot dog loaded with traditional Windy City toppings and other Chicago street food. Multiple locations in Chicago.
  • Manny's Cafeteria and Delicatessen – Drop in at the deli counter for classic sandwiches like reuben and pastrami, or sit down in the restaurant for entrees. Daily specials served until they're gone. Voted best sandwiches in the Chicago Tribune 2021 Food Awards.
  • White Palace Grill – Classic urban diner open 24/7, with a very extensive breakfast menu served all day. Featured on Guy Fieri's “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

Chicago-style Pizza

  • Bella Luna – Legendary deep-dish pizza and family-secret ravioli. Featured on Guy Fieri's “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”
  • Giordanos – A true original pizza place with stuffed pizza, hand-stretched thin crust, and extra-thin crust. Several locations around the city.
  • Italian Fiesta Pizzeria – Family owned for over 60 years. Five locations in Chicago. Voted one of the best in the Chicago Tribune 2022 Food Awards