Restaurant near Union Station, Chicago

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Everydaymatters

Everydaymatters

Engineer
Joined
May 15, 2006
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3,406
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Just North of Normal, Illinois
Berghoff's in Chicago had closed. It is now reopened. I just called there to verify that it is indeed open.

How far is Berghoff's Restaurant from Union Station? Do I take the escalator by the Metra tracks to get to Adams?

How far is it to State Street from Berghoff's?

My friend is changing trains in Chicago and we're going to have just enough time to get together for lunch....if the train is on time.
 
Everydaymatters said:
Berghoff's in Chicago had closed. It is now reopened. I just called there to verify that it is indeed open.
How far is Berghoff's Restaurant from Union Station? Do I take the escalator by the Metra tracks to get to Adams?

How far is it to State Street from Berghoff's?

My friend is changing trains in Chicago and we're going to have just enough time to get together for lunch....if the train is on time.
Click to expand...

How long is his layover?

It is less than a mile to State street. I would take the exits to the street level that is near the tracks since the tracks, platforms, and Amtrak waiting area are on the east side of the Union Station complex. The great hall is on the west end.

Greek town might be a little closer, and if you have a car, parking is less of a hassle there. I would recommend Pegasus.

Good luck

Steve4031
 
Everydaymatters said:
Berghoff's in Chicago had closed. It is now reopened. I just called there to verify that it is indeed open.
How far is Berghoff's Restaurant from Union Station? Do I take the escalator by the Metra tracks to get to Adams?

How far is it to State Street from Berghoff's?

My friend is changing trains in Chicago and we're going to have just enough time to get together for lunch....if the train is on time.
Click to expand...
Correct name is The Berghoff Restaurant.....I think if you do a Google search, you'll find a map. According to Wikipedia, the downstairs cafe & the bar have reopened but the main dining room is open for banquet business only. Anyway, looks like you might have to take a taxi to max out your time there. Oops, looks like it's now called The Berghoff Cafe.....berghoff.com is still up but announcing the closure, no info about the new operation.

How about Lou Mitchell's, only a couple blocks from the station?
 
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We've had quite a bit of discussion about great Chicago Pizza and one of those places is very close to CUS, at 223 W. JACKSON BLVD., GIORDANO'S. The green arrow on the map shows where it is located.

87540634-L.jpg
 
There are Metra tracks on one side and Amtrak tracks on the other side and the Great Hall I believe is on the Clinton side. I get so twisted around in the station that I can never get it straight. If the great hall is on the west side, Adams would be on the north side - right? So I would take the escalator by the Metra tracks? I think the Amtrak tracks are on the Jackson Blvd. side.

Thanks for the map. I'll print it to help me get my bearings.

Where is Lou Mitchell's? I've heard of that before. How are the prices? We're retired and counting pennies.

Her layover is from 8:30 a.m. until around 2:15 p.m. I won't have a car. I'll be driving about 40 minutes from my home to the Elgin train station and then taking Metra to Union Station.

Thanks for your help, everyone. You've already answered so many questions for me and I keep asking more!
 
Everydaymatters said:
There are Metra tracks on one side and Amtrak tracks on the other side and the Great Hall I believe is on the Clinton side. I get so twisted around in the station that I can never get it straight. If the great hall is on the west side, Adams would be on the north side - right? So I would take the escalator by the Metra tracks? I think the Amtrak tracks are on the Jackson Blvd. side.
Click to expand...
The great hall in that picture is where it actually says Union Station. Where one boards the trains is actually the grey box right next to the river. So yes, Adams in on the north side and Clinton runs right along the west side of the Great Hall.

As for the trains themselves, both Amtrak and Metra leave from both sides (north & south) of the station. Amtrak trains usually use the highest numbered tracks, those closest to the river, while METRA uses the lower numbered tracks those furthest from the river.

Your train from Elgin would come in on the north side of the station. Now depending on just where you met up, it really doesn't matter which up escalator you use, as long as it's not the one going up to Canal St. Those escalators are right in front of the Amtrak ticket windows and point west. You need to find an east pointing escalator and once you are up on the food court level, you can walk to the southeast corner to exit onto Jackson. If you're by the McDonalds, then you are in the northeast corner. You want to be by the Pizza Hut and the newsstand for the southeast corner.

Another way to tell while your downstairs is by the track numbers. If all the numbers are even, then you are on the north side of the station, if they are all odd numbers then you're on the south side.

This station map might also help to make things clearer.
 
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AlanB said:
Another way to tell while your downstairs is by the track numbers. If all the numbers are even, then you are on the north side of the station, if they are all odd numbers then you're on the south side.
This station map might also help to make things clearer.
Click to expand...
its actually the other way around, from the many times i've used that station. the even-numbered tracks are actually on the south side, and the odd # tracks are on the north side. but you were right-on about the description of the food court and the exits, and that the higher-numbered tracks are closer to the river, and moreso generally used by Amtrak(and w/Metra using lower-numbered tracks).
 
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boratwanksta said:
AlanB said:
Another way to tell while your downstairs is by the track numbers. If all the numbers are even, then you are on the north side of the station, if they are all odd numbers then you're on the south side.

This station map might also help to make things clearer.
Click to expand...
its actually the other way around, from the many times i've used that station. the even-numbered tracks are actually on the south side, and the odd # tracks are on the north side. but you were right-on about the higher-numbered tracks being closer to the river, and moreso generally used by Amtrak(and w/Metra using lower-numbered tracks).
Click to expand...
And you are quite correct, somehow in between looking at the map since I didn't remember and typing things up, I reversed it.

The odd #'s are indeed on the north side of the station, while the even #'s are on the south side.
 
:)

Everydaymatters said:
Where is Lou Mitchell's? I've heard of that before. How are the prices? We're retired and counting pennies.
Click to expand...
Lou Mitchell's is at 555 West Jackson Blvd.........Prices would be considered "inexpensive" I'd say......It gets very busy so try to get there after the breakfast rush or after the lunch crowd. Hours are 530A-300P Mon-Sat & 700A-300P Sun. Enjoy! :D
 
GG-1 said:
AlanB said:
This station map might also help to make things clearer.
Click to expand...
Aloha

Mahalo for the station map. Where is the Lounge?
Click to expand...
Actually that diagram is slightly wrong, since they modified and reconstructed the Metro Lounge. However, basically the lounge is that unmarked orange area sandwhiched between the north and south boarding areas, nearest the east wall. When they remodeled, they took part of the north waiting area away and gave it to the Metro Lounge.
 
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OK, I've got it now. I know there is an escalator by the metro boarding area and I'm almost positive it goes up to the river front by Adams Street.

Alan, your map of the station showed areas I didn't know existed!

I think we'll probably give Lou Mitchell's a try. Nobody seems too enthused about Berghoff's since they reopened.

Thanks again.
 
Everydaymatters said:
OK, I've got it now. I know there is an escalator by the metro boarding area and I'm almost positive it goes up to the river front by Adams Street.
Click to expand...
Yes, those escalators come up right by the McDonalds. From there you can walk straight forward to the Adams Street exit right on the river. Or you can turn right just past the Corner Bakery, to head for the south exit onto Jackson.

Now if you look at the map for the concorse level, there is an area just south of the tracks marked Eastern Newstand. In the top left corner of that box, there are two white rectangular outlines. That's the escalator's going up to the mezzanine level by the McDonalds. Head for the orange box marked Amtrak Ticketing/baggage checkin, and again in the bottom left corner you can see the outlines for the escalators that come up by Chinese resturant near the Connie's Pizza. Connie's by the way is long gone and now there is a Pizza Hut in it's place.
 
Depending on what time you use the escalators will determine which way they are going. In the Am they all go UP and vice versa in the afternoon. I spent 15 minutes trying to figure out how to get down during the morning rush when everything was going up!
 
MrFSS said:
Depending on what time you use the escalators will determine which way they are going. In the Am they all go UP and vice versa in the afternoon. I spent 15 minutes trying to figure out how to get down during the morning rush when everything was going up!
Click to expand...
There is one "reverse commute" escalator which goes down during the AM rush, and up at all other times. The "up" end is along the hallway across from that bar (between the Pizza Hut and the nuts shop). The "down" end is just across from the end of the Amtrak ticket counters (head south from the entrance area to the Amtrak info desk/boarding lounges).

Failing that, use the elevator or the stairs.
 
rmadisonwi said:
MrFSS said:
Depending on what time you use the escalators will determine which way they are going. In the Am they all go UP and vice versa in the afternoon. I spent 15 minutes trying to figure out how to get down during the morning rush when everything was going up!
Click to expand...
There is one "reverse commute" escalator which goes down during the AM rush, and up at all other times. The "up" end is along the hallway across from that bar (between the Pizza Hut and the nuts shop). The "down" end is just across from the end of the Amtrak ticket counters (head south from the entrance area to the Amtrak info desk/boarding lounges).

Failing that, use the elevator or the stairs.
Click to expand...
I've been going to CUS for 60 years and I still get lost. I ended up using the elevator. In June of this year I always came and went from Clinton Street as I had been on the Blue Line, so it was real easy that way.
 
I rather like the cafeteria with included bar right off the main hall. I can’t recall its name, but it is on the left side of the short passage connecting the great hall to the sliding doors that take you to the Metra ticket counter and eventually to the Amtrak ticket counter. It's not fancy but it's nice and the management is good at keeping the bums out.
 
The cafe with the bar off the main hall always looks dirty to me. I've been in there once or twice, but wasn't too thrilled with it. I think maybe we'll head to Lou Mitchell's, take a look at it, see if there's a menu posted on the window outside, and then decide.

My friend is a bit anxious about even leaving the station at all, so if I can get her outside, I don't want to take her too far. I'd really like to take her to the Sears tower, but since she's already apprehensive, I'll just hope for lunch.

Too bad there aren't any sidewalk cafe's along the river walkway right outside CUS.
 
Lou Mitchells is OK. It has lost some its charm after the original owner died. Breakfast is quite good there. Be aware that the syrup for the waffles, pancakes, etc is not real maple syrup desipite what your are told. You will enjoy the egg platters, and the Oatmeal is especially good. Also, try the greek toast and let the waitress butter it.

Try to go on Wed. Thursday or Friday. You will get better service on those days. Ask for Donna. She is one of the best waitresses . . . and tell here Steve sent you.
 
Everydaymatters said:
The cafe with the bar off the main hall always looks dirty to me. I've been in there once or twice, but wasn't too thrilled with it. I think maybe we'll head to Lou Mitchell's, take a look at it, see if there's a menu posted on the window outside, and then decide.
Click to expand...

Not to worry, just go to http://chicago.menupages.com/

Enter "lou mitchells" in the search box & you'll get lots of reviews, plus a clickon for menus, even shows the daily specials!

From all the replies, looks like the hardest part is getting out of Union Station.

Enjoy! :D
 
I checked out the link for the menu and reviews. Lou Mitchell has no reviews and I couldn't come up with a menu. That's ok. I know where it is since I worked at 600 W. Jackson years ago. That was in the Otis Elevator Building back then. I wonder if it's still there.
 
Everydaymatters said:
I checked out the link for the menu and reviews. Lou Mitchell has no reviews and I couldn't come up with a menu. That's ok. I know where it is since I worked at 600 W. Jackson years ago. That was in the Otis Elevator Building back then. I wonder if it's still there.
Click to expand...

HERE is the menu link.
 
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