A selection of the top Cheap Eats, where you can eat for less than $13 an entree. Ratings: 4 forks, don’t miss it; 3 forks, one of the best.
Angel Food Bakery
3 forks
1636 W. Montrose Ave., 773-728-1512
If the wedding-cake-bedecked windows of this cheery storefront aren’t a big enough draw, step inside and get a load of the cookies, scones, brownies and other sweets gracing the display cases. Grab a seat at one of the seven or so tables topped with ’60s-style cloths and little vases filled with beaded flowers. The vintage vibe carries over to the kitchen, and fresh, high-quality ingredients are this cafe’s bread and butter.
Recommended: French toast, Waldorf salad.
Hours: 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Fri.; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sun.
Credit cards: A, M, V
Aurelio’s Pizza
3 forks
18162 Harwood Ave., Homewood, 708-798-8050
Aurelio’s is close to an institution in Homewood, where its 600-plus seats are regularly put to use. The restaurant opened here in 1959; several franchises dot the south and west suburbs and Indiana. It’s called Aurelio’s Pizza for a reason: 28 versions of their signature thin-crust are offered, not to mention the combinations customers come up with. Stuffed and thick-crust versions are here, too, along with a few pasta dishes, sandwiches and salads.
Recommended: The thin-crust pizza, antipasto.
Dine-in hours: 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Fri.; 4-10:30 p.m. Sat.; 2-9 p.m. Sun.
Credit cards: A, D, DC, M, V
Beggars Pizza
3 forks
10240 S. Central Ave., Oak Lawn, 708-499-0505
From the street, Beggars Pizza looks like one of those strip-mall takeout joints whose tables are set up more as a courtesy for folks so ravenous they can’t wait to eat at home. In this case, looks are deceiving. The Oak Lawn restaurant makes an extra effort for diners with its cozy, six-table room. Carpeting and paneling absorb the noise generated by the busy counter and kitchen just a few feet away.
Recommended: Lasagna, thin-crust pizza, ribeye steak.
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 11 a.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat.; noon-10 p.m. Sun.
Credit cards: A, D, DC, M, V
Bhabi’s Kitchen
4 forks
6352 N. Oakley Blvd., 773-764-7007
If the turquoise, orange and gold walls in Bhabi’s Kitchen, a 50-seat gem, rev up your appetite, that’s precisely the goal of owner and former fashion retailer Qudratullah Syed. Bhabi’s (it means sister-in-law, a reference to real home-cooked meals) sets a new pace for Indian food in Chicago. Most dishes are cooked to order, so be prepared to wait.
Recommended: Bhabi’s samosas, chicken Qorma, rapini (broccoli rabe).
Hours: Noon-10 p.m. daily
Credit cards: A, D, DC, M, V
Bombon Cafe
4 forks
38 S. Ashland Ave. (near Ogden), 312-733-8717
A literal bright spot on a careworn block of Ashland Avenue. This offshoot of the popular Bombon Bakery in Pilsen features cheery yellow walls, casually mismatched whitewashed wooden chairs and a display case brimming with beautiful cakes, jewel-like tarts and artisan breads.
Recommended: La Cubana sandwich, sopecitos.
Hours: 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; closed Sun.
Credit cards: A, M, V
Cafe Smilga
3 forks
2819 83rd St. (at Lemont Road), Darien, 630-427-0929
Don’t let the sanitized strip-mall setting fool you: If you want to experience Lithuanian cuisine, buy Lithuanian foodstuffs and hear the Lithuanian language spoken, Cafe Smilga is for you. The rustic decor, simple yet comfortable, consists of large wooden-plank tables and benches; the ceiling is covered in fishnet, a reminder that the Baltic Sea rubs part of the nation’s coast. A waitstaff takes and serves orders, but this is a deli too, so lots of folks line the counter to buy meats, cheeses, baked goods and salads to take home.
Recommended: Zeppelin (an oval dumpling made from grated, boiled potato, is filled with meat).
Hours: 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun.
Credit cards: M, V
Feed
3 forks
2803 W. Chicago Ave., 773-489-4600
On a desolate stretch of Chicago Avenue and backed up nearly to railroad freight yards, is this country-cooking joint that looks like a chicken shack. Inside, the rustic barn-red walls and chicken motif give the impression of a well thought-out, tongue-in-cheek scheme.
Recommended: Chicken, corn pudding, fried okra, red velvet cake.
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Sat.
Credit cards: None. Cash only.
Frontera Fresco
4 forks
Marshall Field’s, 7th floor, 111 N. State St., 312-781-4483
Whisk up the express elevator on the State and Randolph side of Field’s to the 7th floor, where chef Rick Bayless has opened his first restaurant in years, a fast-food spot in a food court.
Recommended: Tortilla soup, huaraches, quesadillas.
Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon-Sat.
Credit cards: A, DC, M, V
Glenn’s Diner
3 forks
1820 W. Montrose Ave., 773-506-1720
It may say “diner” in the window of this spot just two doors west of the Montrose Brown Line stop, but inside Glenn’s Diner there’s no chrome, no Formica. Instead, you’ll find dark wood tables, lighter oak wainscoting with creamy white walls above, and a long granite-topped bar where you’re welcome to pull up a stool. The recalculation of expectations continues with diner classics done with more attention to quality than the typical corner dive.
Recommended: Tiger shrimp cocktail, Chicago-style barbecue chicken.
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Tues.-Thurs.; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.; 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat.; 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sun.; closed Mon.
Credit cards: M, V
Go Roma Italian Kitchen
3 forks
28361 Diehl Rd., Warrenville, 630-393-ROMA (7662)
Newbies may be confused at first about how to order at Go Roma Italian Kitchen. Customers walk in and encounter menus on the wall. Stand there and study the menus, and you may feel like you’re holding up people behind you. On the other hand, most of the customers seem to be regulars and bypass the menus. Think hearty Italian fare. The centerpiece is hand-stretched pizza, with eight versions on the menu (such as pizza margherita, smoked chicken, oven-roasted vegetable) plus 20 other ingredients you can order to customize your own.
Recommended: Bruschetta, thin-crust pizza.
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Fri., noon-9 p.m. Sat., noon-8 p.m. Sun.
Credit cards: A, D, M, V
Larsa’s Fine Mediterranean Cuisine
3 forks
3724 W. Dempster St., Skokie, 847-679-3663
This Assyrian family restaurant features calming white walls, tile floors, white tablecloth-topped (then plastic-protected) tables, brass lighting fixtures, all dominated by a mural of an ancient Assyrian feast. The Middle Eastern big three of hummus, tabbouleh and baba ghanoush tops the appetizer list confidently.
Recommended: The Cornish hen, hummus, tabbouleh and baba ghanoush.
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Tue.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 1-9 p.m. Sun.
Credit cards: A, DC, D, M, V
Memories
3 forks
2333 S. Michigan Ave., 312-328-0100
Owners Clarice Grandberry, Earl Grandberry and Louise Williams describe the fare as soul food “with a healthy touch.” But don’t worry if you’re a purist; any break with tradition in preparing such well-known dishes as catfish (a day’s special), short ribs and salmon croquettes seems hardly noticeable.
Recommended: Baked turkey wing, baked sweet potatoes, beef short ribs.
Hours: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon., Tues., Thurs., Sat.; 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.; 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri.
Credit cards: M, V
Minnies
3 forks
1969 N. Halsted St. 312-943-9900
Black-and-white tiled floors lend a retro feel to the front room of Minnies, where a long counter serves as both bar and dining area. Down a hallway lined with another counter, there’s a smaller room with banquettes and tables–and a wonderful two-wall mural circa 1950 of three old dames enjoying cocktails. OK, so the gimmick here is self-evident: Everything is small-scale. The house special is your choice of three Minnie Sandwiches plus an 8-ounce carafe of house rose, red or white wine plus their “infamous frites” (fries) for $13.
Recommended: The Cuban Minnie, beef tenderloin Minnie
Hours: 6 a.m-1 a.m. daily. Takeout window open 24 hours daily.
Credit cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V.
Rhythm & Spice Restaurant
3 forks
2501 W. 79th St., 773-476-5600
This bright neighborhood Caribbean cafe is just off a residential corner on 79th Street. Large, handwritten signs taped to the windows promise “best jerk chicken.” If you’re dining in, order as quickly as possible, then expect to wait up to a half-hour for your cooked-to-order selection.
Recommended: Curried goat, jerk chicken and catfish.
Hours: 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Tues.-Thurs.; 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun.
Credit cards: A, D, M, V
S3 Kitchen
3 forks
814 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, 708-383-7773
A petite storefront in Oak Park seats about 20, with a sleek yet comfortable design that borders on utilitarian. Disposable dishes are used whether you get takeout or dine in. Owner Karl Bader has produced a creative, mouthwatering and adventurous menu.
Recommended: Asian chicken wrap, penne, chicken, prosciutto and sun-dried tomato salad with creamy artichoke dressing.
Hours: 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.
Credit cards: M, V
Spacca Napoli
4 forks
1769 W. Sunnyside Ave., 773-878-2420
It’s hard to miss Spacca Napoli, the only restaurant on this side street in Ravenswood–first, because of its pumpkin-hued facade, and second, because there’s likely to be a passel of hopeful diners spilling out onto the sidewalk most nights. Meals start with a choice of nine antipasti, which include salads, meats and various sauteed vegetable choices, and the pizzas are terrific. The dozen options range from marinara pizza (no cheese) to a tomato-sauce-free white pizza with prosciutto, arugula, provolone and Parmesan.
Recommended: The margherita pizza, four cheese pizza (with gorgonzola, emmenthal, fontina and mozzarella), insalata mista
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Wed.-Thu.; 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; noon-9 p.m. Sun.
Credit cards: A, M,V
