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Just got a membership and want to get recs for places around there in case we don't want to pack a picnic. Thanks.

I think back in Chowhound days I posted about the old school pizza place a couple of doors in from the SW corner of Mannheim and Cermak aka 22nd... entirely solid, if not Vito & Nick's level. Or at least it was in about 2003, but it's the kind of place that probably doesn't change.

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D's Little Italy has a gift cert on restaurant.com. When you get them at 80% off, it's worth it. (I've never been to D's yet)

Tamale Hut Cafe on 1st and Cermak would get a vote from me.

Las Asadas in Brookfield as well.

There's another Italian joint that has a weekday lunch buffet right on 31st street, not too far W of the zoo on the N side of the street. Name escapes me right now, but they advertise the lunch buffet prominently on their sign, you'll see it. I went for dinner once, not overly impressed at all, but it wasn't BAD.

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Our family favorite when visiting the zoo is Freddy's in Cicero

1600 South 61st Avenue
Cicero, Illinois 60804
www.freddyspizza.com

708-863-9289

Which direction are you coming from?

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Emilio's for tapas on Roosevelt just west of Mannheim is a nice choice, in addition to the others already listed.

Rocky's Pizza & Restaurant
10421 W Cermak Rd
Westchester
(708) 562-3501

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Thank you.

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i am coming by 294s to 290e then s on 1st.

I'll second the Tamale Hut - very bright and pleasant, super friendly service, and tasty food. They open early in the morning, so you can grab a bag of tamales for an in-zoo picnic, or you can make a quick run there when it is time for lunch. As you head south on 1st, take the crazy left turn lane that is marked for east bound Cermak. When that connector street meets Cermak, take a right, and the Tamale Hut is right there...easy.

If you ever wanna bypass the strangler (or the Ike altogether) simply take 294 south to Cermak, head east to Wolf, south to 31st street, E to the zoo. You'll pass a Panera, an Arby's, a Buona Beef, next to the Panera is some newer "fresh mexican grill" type place - never been. You'll also pass a buncha places right on 31st including D's Little Italy, and the other place I couldn't remember. There is also a strip mall with a nice Dominick's, a few other FF chains, a joint named Pauls Beef or maybe it's Paul's Hot Dogs, which a few ppl here are fans of.

You could also bypass the strangler by getting off on Mannheim S, and heading straight to 31st, then E to the zoo.

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Seebee, is that the place just down the block from the landscape business?

We tried it once and won't go back. The Caprese salad was terrible, and everything else was just average.

Cheers,
Brian

Yes, I'm pretty sure it is. I was not impressed, either, but nothing was bad. I would go back and try their "lunch buffet." The regular there who told me I should try the place told me that when I went, the husband was cooking - something about a divorce, blah, blah, blah, but now, the wife is back in the kitchen, and the food is back to normal. fwiw.

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If it were me, I would go to Westchester Inn, in the strip mall at 31st and Wolf. Great Bohemian food (yes, I know for some that is an oxymoron, but it isn't for me)...and among the best of its type in the Chicago area.

It's at the far east end of the strip mall and is easy to miss.

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Pi r round.

Thread revival time.
Any new ideas for this?
Xni-pec - Check
Las Asadas - Check (Brookfield location has been on fire lately)
Fine Thai - Check.
Empanadus - Check. (New entry, just down the street in Riverside. Handful of empanada flavors and chimichurri. GET THE CAPRESE.)
Paul's, and Westchester Inn are on the short list. I'd really love to find some edible Chinese, though I'm thinking that's just crazy talk.

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Autre Monde cafe is about 4-5 miles from the Zoo. That's where I would eat.

6727 W Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn IL
http://autremondecafe.net/