The League Road Show
Starting a week from today (9/24), I’ll be hitting the road with a friend for a baseball and bourbon trip. With that in mind, I was wondering if the peanut gallery might have any good suggestions for bars and cheap eats in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago (we’ll be staying a bit outside of town here, though), St. Louis, Louisville, and Cincinnati. And, of course, if there’s any interest in meeting up at one of said locales, then I’d be happy to arrange it.
Cincinnatian here. Be sure to check out the chili, of course–love it or hate it, it’s worth tasting. Skyline’s my personal choice. Graeter’s ice cream is worth having as well; for something a bit less well-known (and, IMO, better), check out Aglamecis in Oakley. They’ve still got the original tin ceiling, marble soda counter, and Tiffany lamps. Finally, if you’re into a good burger, drop by Gordos in Norwood. Their burgers are superb, and they’ve got an excellent selection of bottled brews.
My favorite bars are both downtown, Arnold’s and O’Malley’s in the Alley. Both are a bit divey–especially the latter–but that’s how I roll when it comes to bars. Arnold’s lays claim to being the oldest bar in the city, and it’s got that atmosphere that comes only from 150 years of drinking. Fries Cafe in Clifton gets an honorable mention, mostly because they’ve got a shuffleboard table and a solid beer selection as well.Report
As a former STL resident, I heartily endorse Imo’s Pizza and Ted Drewe’s frozen custard. If you’re hankering for some good bar food, particularly wings, head to Culpepper’s. For coffee, Kaldi’s is your best bet. Plus they have some of the best gooey butter cake in the world. If you’re looking for something nicer, I’d head to Duff’s (Central West End) or Jimmy’s on the Park (Demun).Report
Mark – I’d love to meet up while you are in Louisville. As for bars, we have a ton. If you’re doing the bourbon thing you might want to try Maker’s Lounge.
http://www.makerslounge.com/about.php
But honestly every bar in town worth it’s salt will have a good selection. As for restaurants, we also have a lot. Do you have any specific things you want to try? High-end, low-end?Report
Ahhh…just saw your request for ‘cheap eats’. You can get a Hot Brown for a reasonable price at plenty of places. I think Browning’s still has a good one over at Slugger Field. Lots of affordable ethnic restaurants in the Highlands. We have some decent burger joints. We have a local Mexican restaurant (El Mundo) that is really, really good and only serves local-raised buffalo instead of beef.Report
If you’re anywhere near the southwest suburbs while you’re in Chicago, you should check out Brixie’s in Brookfield. They have a spectacular beer selection.Report
Oh, and for good Chicago-style-but-not-deep-dish pizza, try Paisans or Casciani’s.Report
St. Louis: Pizza– Try Fortel’s in Affton. Stay away from Imo’s. It’s some nasty pizza that the locals care for. Not worth having. You’d be better off at Chuck E. Cheese.Report