Eat well in Chicago without overpaying: the locals'-budget edition.
Eat well in Chicago for under €15 a plate: the places locals on a budget actually use.
Lem's Bar-B-Q in Chicago is the Chatham South Side aquarium-smoker barbecue counter on 75th Street since 1954, with rib tips and hot links wrapped in butcher.
TryRib tips, hot links
TipCash and counter only; open until 02:00 most nights. The tip-and-link combo on white bread is the canonical Saturday-night order.
Honey 1 BBQ in Chicago is the South Side aquarium-smoker BBQ counter on 43rd Street from the Henry family, with the rib-tip-and-link plate for under $12.
TryRib tips, smoked links
TipClosed Sundays. The brisket sandwich is the under-the-radar order; sliced thick and dressed with the sweet-vinegar sauce on the side.
Uncle John's BBQ in Chicago is the South Side aquarium-smoker BBQ counter on Cottage Grove, with the rib-tip plate locals send out-of-towners to first.
TryRib tips
TipCash only and the wait is long; arrive 16:30 to beat the 18:00 rush. The link-and-tip combo is the all-the-way order.
Borinquen Lounge in Chicago is the North Center Puerto Rican kitchen on Western Avenue from the family that invented the jibarito in Humboldt Park.
TryJibarito, mofongo
TipOrder the steak jibarito with garlic-mayo. The mofongo is the second visit; the jibarito is the first.
Staropolska Restaurant in Chicago is the Avondale Polish dining room on Milwaukee Avenue, with handmade pierogi, kielbasa plates and hunter stew (bigos).
TryPierogi, kielbasa, Polish hunter stew
TipLunch is the cheaper visit; the daily $12 plate with pierogi, kielbasa and stew is the menu's value benchmark.
Ghareeb Nawaz in Chicago is the West Ridge Pakistani halal counter on Devon Avenue, with the $7 chicken biryani that feeds two and runs from 11:00.
Try$7 chicken biryani special
TipCash only and large portions. Bring a container for leftovers; the biryani plate is at least 2.5 portions for the price.
Irazu in Chicago is the long-running Bucktown Costa Rican BYOB on Milwaukee Avenue since 1990, with the casado plate (rice, beans, plantain, salad.
TryCosta Rican casado
TipBring your own wine or beer; the casado is the under-$15 dinner. The horchata in oat-milk is the house drink.
El Faro in Chicago is the Little Village family-run Mexican kitchen on 31st Street near Pulaski, with three-taco combo plates and a $9 lunch chilaquiles.
TryCombo plates, taqueria classics
TipCash only. The breakfast chilaquiles plate runs from 09:00; arrive 10:30 to land a table without waiting.
Papa's Cache Sabroso is the Humboldt Park Puerto Rican kitchen on Division Street that locals send first-time jibarito eaters to: BYOB, green chilli sauce.
TryJibarito, lechon, pollo a la brasa
TipOrder the jibarito de bistec with the homemade green chilli sauce on the side; ask for extra garlic. Cash and card both fine, but bring your own beer.
La Bomba is the Humboldt Park-to-Logan Square Puerto Rican counter on Armitage, jibaritos and a deep seafood list of camarones al ajillo, closed Tuesdays.
TryJibarito, mofongo, Puerto Rican seafood
TipSteak jibarito first visit, camarones al ajillo over rice the second. Closed Tuesdays; weekend lunches are the calm window.
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