A Guide to Affordable Dining in and Near the O’Hare International Airport
The Chicago area boasts an endless number of restaurants, many of which are in or near the Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Restaurants in and near the airport include almost anything you can think of, from Italian to Chinese to American. Many of these restaurants are inexpensive, and are perfect for the budget minded visitor to the area. Here are five affordable restaurants in or near the Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
- Pizza Strada. This restaurant is located at three different locations inside the Chicago O’Hare airport. You can find it in the Rotunda between Terminals 2 and 3, in Terminal 2 at Gate E4 of Concourse #, and in Terminal 1 in Concourse C at Gate C18. To access some of these locations, you need to have a plane ticket or boarding pass. So, this is a good choice if you are getting off a flight and have a layover or you just arrived into Chicago and wish to dine before leaving the airport. Just don’t leave your luggage too long at the baggage claim area! You can also dine in Pizza Strada if you are waiting to take off for a flight from Chicago O’Hare.
You will get the best service if you dine at the Rotunda location of Pizza Strada, because of the more relaxed atmosphere of the Rotunda compared to the terminals. Otherwise, you will still receive decent service. You can’t expect perfection at a pizza place inside the airport, bustling with hurried travelers. The airport is busy, and pizza is a popular dining choice so be prepared for Pizza Strada to be full of people at busy times in the airport.
But still, if you compare it with Seatac Airport Flights, you will come to the conclusion that Rotunda is far better with pizza and other fast food items, a feat that not many airports can boast about as it is virtually impossible to find a terminal that has the best food court where you will get food akin to five star hotels and lavish restaurants. So this makes Rotunda even more significant due to its services.
The prices at Pizza Strada are reasonable. Two can dine for $20 if you share a pizza. The quality of the pizza is decent. Although this might not be the best pizza you will find in Chicago, especially since Chicago is home to some great pizza locations, you will be satisfied with the taste.
- Chicago Bar and Grill. This restaurant is also located in the Chicago O’Hare International Airport. It is located in Terminal 3, and is open from 6 am to 9 pm. The restaurant has a bar, so you can enjoy a relaxing alcoholic beverage while waiting for your flight. On the menu are burgers, chicken, and salads. The prices are more expensive than Pizza Strada, but still affordable. You will need to tip also when dining here. Plan to spend about $30 for two people plus tip for a burger and salad and one beverage each. The service is good at this restaurant, especially if you dine at times when the restaurants isn’t as full. This would be after about 7 pm or between 2 and 4 pm. The food quality is on the high end, better than a fast food pizza or diner type meal. It’s not five star, but you will be pleased with your selection.
- Johnny Rocket’s. Johnny Rocket’s is located inside the Chicago International Airport as well. It is in the area between Terminals One and Two. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. The atmosphere is a 50’s or 60’s style diner, with diner type foods. Two can dine for about $25 plus tip including a soda for each person. The service is good here, unless it is extremely busy. Most of the staff is usually friendly. The food quality is on the high end for a diner. I usually find diners not to have great food, but I am satisfied with the quality at this diner.
- Allie’s American Grille. Allie’s American Grille is located two miles from the Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The prices are a little higher than the places at the airport, but still affordable. Your best bet is to order sandwiches or salads instead of a steak or seafood to stay in the inexpensive range. It will cost about $35 plus tip for two to eat sandwiches and salads plus a beverage. If you order steak or seafood, plan to spend about $50 plus tip not including appetizers or desserts. This restaurant is well known in the Chicago area, and is inside the Marriott Hotel.
The service is always good at Allie’s American Grille. This might have something to do with the fact that the restaurant is part of the Marriott. You may have to wait for a table if you visit on a weekend during busy times of dinner, but otherwise you can usually find seating. The food quality is high, especially for the prices.
- Lou Mitchell’s express. This is a place inside the Chicago O’Hare International Airport, in Terminal 5. The prices are quite affordable. You can get a sandwich and beverage for about $15. The great thing about Lou Mitchell’s Express is that it is open 24 hours. This means that if you have an overnight flight or late flight, you will be able to choose this restaurant as your dining option. In addition to sandwiches, you will also find baked goods, salads, soups, juices and Haagan Dazs ice cream. The service is always fast. You simply stand in line and order your food at a counter and then take it to a table. This means no tip! The food quality is high for a sandwich shop, and the food is generally fresh. This might be your fastest affordable dining option.
