When it comes to restaurant choices, few cities serve up a greater variety than Chicago does. Full of places for haute cuisine, ethnic flavors and just lots of good food, the city offers fare for every taste. You can have the fun of deciding which is your favorite, but if you use a wheelchair or have a sight or hearing impairment, sampling the restaurants will be easier if you do a little homework before going out.
I’m a wheelchair user, and can share with you my own list of restaurants that are either accessible or not. I also have developed a checklist of preliminary questions to ask restaurateurs. But don’t be shy about requesting specific information to suit your particular needs. After all, with the great competition for diners in Chicago, restaurateurs need you more than you need them.
First, do some research
Ask friends. You can rely on the reports from your friends if you’re sure they notice things like steps at the front door or at separate rooms such as nonsmoking sections or bars, and whether a restroom could really be used by someone in a wheelchair.
Contact organizations that serve people with disabilities. The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities prepared a guidebook for the 1996 Democratic National Convention that could give you a good start. You may reach the office at 312-744-6673. You may also call Access Living at 312-226-5900. Be prepared to be patient when you call Access — getting the information will take a few trips through the Voice Mail system.
Scan restaurant listings and reviews. MetroMix includes very basic information about the accessibility of venues, and can lead you to “mini-reviews” of many of them. When you read newspaper and magazine restaurant reviews, you may notice a little wheelchair access symbol at the end of the review, along with dollar or cent signs indicating price and whatever symbols the reviewer uses to indicate his or her judgment of the food. But don’t count entirely on these simple symbols to assure that restaurant is accessible. Call and go through the following points.
What to ask
If you are hearing impaired, you’ll find that most restaurants haven’t installed Telephone Text Devices (TTDs, also referred to as TDDs, TTYs or TTs). But then, the only accommodation you may want is for the waiter to write down daily specials instead of speaking them to you.
If you have a sight impairment, you can request that the waiter read the menu to you. This is a requirement of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Very few restaurants have translated their menus into Braille. This is because menus change frequently and a significant number of people with sight impairment can’t read Braille.
Perhaps you use a “service animal” (the ’90s term for “guide dog”) to pull the wheelchair, pick up objects off the floor or help you rise to your feet from a seated position. If you use a service animal, the restaurant must allow it to stay with you in the restaurant. Again, this is a requirement under the ADA. Enough legal actions have arisen to make this matter commonly understood. Of course, if your pal isn’t trained to nap quietly under the table, you don’t have a usable animal.
The real challenges of enjoying restaurants come for you folks who have mobility limitations and use wheelchairs or power scooters. When you call the restaurant, your conversation should go something like this:
“Hello. My friends and I would like reservations for Friday night. I use a wheelchair. I wonder if you’d mind telling me some things about your restaurant?”
If the person who answers the phone says, “Yes, I would mind,” “I’m too busy” or “I just take reservations,” I’d call another restaurant without a second thought.
Your next questions should be:
“Do you have one or more steps at your front door?”
“Can I roll right into the dining room after I come in the door?”
“Are there any steps to the (choose the appropriate one:) smoking area, nonsmoking area, bar …?”
“Where is your restroom located? Is it on the same level as the dining room?” Careful: Some Chicago restaurants have restrooms that are up a few steps or on a lower level that isn’t served by an elevator.
Finding out if the restroom is truly accessible is tricky. Don’t rely on the favorite answer, “We have people in wheelchairs come in here a lot.” There’s always the chance that those folks can stand up and walk into a narrow restroom stall or choose not to use the restroom while they are there.
More points to cover when calling
“Is there a special stall in the restroom, one where the door opens out and there are grab bars on each side? Oh. You don’t go in the customer restroom. Well, could you ask one of your fellow workers if they’ve noticed one? Perhaps one of you could quickly check. My friends and I are really big spenders.”
This still won’t assure you’ll find a truly usable restroom, but it’s a good start. Some of the surprises I found with restaurant restrooms are:
1. There is a huge stall in the restroom, but the door from the lobby is too narrow to get through with a wheelchair;
2. There’s not room between the door from the public area and the inner door to pull the inner door open if you use a wheelchair;
3. The changing table for infants or a wall-mounted dispenser is mounted so that the door to the wheelchair stall can’t be opened all the way.
It comes down to the fact that you really have to see the restroom — or have a friend who understands life with a wheelchair — scout it out.
Also, how will you arrive at the restaurant? Check to see if there is adjacent parking. Find out if there are spaces reserved for people with disabilities. Many restaurants in busy neighborhoods offer valet parking.
If the restaurant isn’t accessible
There’s not much you can do about that. You could, of course, cite the restaurant with violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but the cost in both money and time for this action is hardly worth it (at least as long as there are many other choices). Even then, the judge might decide that changes would represent an undue cost for the restaurant owner.
Your best hope is to find owners interested in accommodating people with disabilities. The majority of them are willing to make needed adjustments. Meanwhile, you can arrange reasonable accommodations: You could request assistance up steps. You could enter a side or back door. You could even go through the kitchen.
Some recommendations
Ann Sather’s
Swedish home cooking, and lots of it, for not much money. Level access, parking lot with reserved spaces and accessible restrooms at this Lake View location. The line for Sunday brunch stretches way down the street. Address: 929 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60657. Phone Number: 773-348-2378.
Avanzare
Fine Northern and Regional Italian fare. Level access, valet parking and accessible restrooms at this Near North Side location. Address: 161 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Phone Number: 312-337-8056.
Bella Vista
Historic atmosphere and Italian specialties. Main door is a revolving door and the alternate door is usually locked (call ahead or have someone go in and notify the staff); accessible restrooms at this Lake View location. Address: 1001 W. Belmont St., Chicago, IL 60657. Phone Number: 773-404-0111.
Berghoff Restaurant
One of Chicago’s most famous German restaurants. You can get in if you’re persistent. Entry is through the bar, although you can have someone unlock a side door that leads directly into the dining room at this Loop location. The single-person, unisex bathroom is locked and you have to ask for the key. Address: 17 W. Adams St., Chicago, IL 60603. Phone Number: 312-427-3170.
The Brasserie Bellevue of the Sutton Place Hotel
American buffet from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. weekends is worth doing. Easy entry, very accessible restrooms, valet parking at this Near North Side location. Address: 21 E. Bellevue, Chicago, IL 60610. Phone Number: 312-266-9212.
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!
Spanish tapas, or “finger food,” make this place fun. Most wheelchair users must have the service staff choose the goodies because the counters are high. Valet parking and accessible restroom at this Lincoln Park location. Address: 2024 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60614. Phone Number: 773-935-5000.
Como Inn
Now this is Italian. All first-floor dining areas except the Piazza are nicely accessible. Upstairs banquet rooms have to be accessed through the kitchen via a freight elevator; accessible restrooms and a parking lot at this West Town location. Address: 546 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60622. Phone Number: 773-421-5222.
Dick’s Last Resort
Huge portions of ribs, chicken and such are served in buckets at this raucous joint. Tables are topped with rolls of brown paper, and cleared by throwing paper goods and everything but food on the floor. This adds to the atmosphere, but it can be hard to push through the strewn trash. Waiters are known for acting surly (“If we don’t insult you, it’s free”), but very nice to people in wheelchairs. Accessible restrooms are in the North Pier mall. Parking across the street is very, very limited at this Near North Side location. Address: 435 E. Illinois St. at North Pier, Chicago, IL 60611. Phone Number: 312-836-7870.
Hotels
Nearly all of the city’s chain-owned hotels — those of Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton, Fairmont and Omni — are either modern or recently remodeled and meet City of Chicago requirements for access. The Palmer House Hilton and the Swissotel in the Loop also offer several excellent choices for dining. A bonus is that parking is nearly always available and might even be free if you dine in one of these restaurants.
McDonald’s
There’s always Mickey-D’s. Food is consistent in quality and variety. For years, McDonald’s has made an outstanding effort to hire people with disabilities and make the restaurants accessible.
Michael Jordan’s Restaurant
Food is down-home, like you’d get in the Carolinas. But don’t try to finish the massive meal that Michael supposedly eats before Chicago Bulls home games unless you have heavy-duty suspension. Bar and gift shop and upstairs dining room are served by a public elevator right next to the stairways. Valet parking at this Near North Side location. Staff tends to pay extra attention to people using wheelchairs — maybe because of the Bulls’ support of wheelchair basketball teams. Address: 500 N. La Salle St., Chicago, IL 60610. Phone Number: 312-644-3865.
Papagus Greek Taverna
Wonderful Greek dishes. Restaurant is easiest to enter through the lobby of the
Embassy Suites Hotel. Restrooms are in that lobby and are accessible at this Near North Side location. Address: 620 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60610. Phone Number: 312-642-8450.
Scoozi!
Italian food and a favorite place for celebrities visiting Chicago. Main entrance has stairs, but the alternate entrance is marked and unlocked. Valet parking. Restrooms are accessible at this Near North Side location. Address: 410 W. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60610. Phone Number: 312-943-5900.
The Signature Room/Signature Lounge at the 95th
The restaurant is accessible, though brunch service buffet (Sunday) is up two steps. Restrooms are marginally accessible at this sky-high Near North Side location. Address: John Hancock Center, 875 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611. Phone Number: 312-787-9596.
Places with very limited access
Cafe Bernard
Great French food, but beware of stairs and no alternate entrance; no accessible restroom, either, at this Lincoln Park location. Address: 2100 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL.
Club Lucky
Yes, the owner guarantees that his restaurant is accessible — after his waiters carry you up two steps. There is an accessible restroom at this West Town location. Address: 1824 W. Wabansia, Chicago, IL.
Everest
You might be so upset by the time you get to a table that you won’t enjoy the multi-star cuisine at this restaurant on the top floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange. You’ll have to go into the kitchen using a ramp from the street, then climb a steep ramp into the dining room. To use the restroom you must go out of the restaurant and take the elevator down to the 39th floor. Free parking, though, at this Loop location. Address: 440 S. La Salle St., Chicago, IL.
Gene and Georgetti
Specializes in prime aged beef. You may have a beef with the steps to the front door, though supposedly there is an alternate access door. You can have someone find the manager to clear a path from the door to the dining room. Also, some people using very narrow wheelchairs may be able to clear the 29-inch door in the ladies room, but others are out of luck at this Near North Side location. Address: 500 N. Franklin St., Chicago, IL.
Hat Dance
Good food with Latin flair, but the access door can only be opened from the inside. Smoking section is two steps up from the nonsmoking area. (Good incentive to quit smoking!) Restrooms access is questionable at this Near North Side location. Address: 325 W. Huron St., Chicago, IL.
Original Gino’s East
A landmark for Chicago pizza, but even if you could get up the steep steps at the entrance you’d then have to go down a flight of steps to get into the main dining area. You can get in the annex next door. No accessible restroom at this Near North Side location. Address: 160 E. Superior, Chicago, IL.
Perchy’s
It’s fun in the summer when you can eat on the terrace. If it’s not fair weather, there is a flight of steps right inside the entry door at this Near North Side location. Address: Navy Pier, 300 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, IL 60611.
Star of Siam
If you get up the flight of steps at the only entrance, the restroom will challenge you at this popular Near North Side location. If you have a longing for Thai food, try some of the smaller restaurants along Clark Street or Clybourn Avenue in the Near North Side and Lincoln Park communities or along Broadway in Lake View. Owners there usually will go all-out for diners. Address: 11 E. Illinois St., Chicago, IL.
