If you go
Getting there
A one-day round-trip flight from Minneapolis to Chicago is totally doable; we found summer weekday fares as low as $87 on Spirit Airlines, with an early-morning departure and a late-night return. Bring just a small backpack to avoid Spirit's bag fees.
At O'Hare International, purchase a daylong transit pass for $10 and take the Blue Line into the Chicago Loop. Plan on about an hour each way.
Where to eat
Frontera Grill: The colorful flagship for chef Rick Bayless' cosmopolitan approach to Mexican cuisine (445 N. Clark St.; rickbayless.com).
Lou Malnati's: Our Chicago friends' pick for the best deep-dish pizza (nine city locations including 439 N. Wells St.; loumalnatis.com).
Smoke Daddy: Chicago-style barbecue in a festive blues bar. Gorge yourself on the rib sampler, with one of the best Bloody Marys ever (1804 W. Division St., thesmokedaddy.com).
Simon Peter Groebner
