In last week’s Three Stars, I discussed things to do in St. Louis when the Royals visited the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. In this edition, I’ve decided to dedicate an entire post to that series, with a focus on Chicago and what to do if you’re visiting The Rate Field for the White Sox series.
The Rate (formerly New Comiskey, US Cellular, and Guaranteed Rate Field) is a very underrated ballpark. It doesn’t have the attractions of its North Side neighbors at Wrigley Field, but it’s a fun stadium that’s great to visit if you want to be around hardcore baseball fans and focus on the game at hand. I enjoyed it way more than I initially thought I would and look forward to revisiting the Rate in late June (when I will be back in Chicago.
Here are five things Royals fans should do if they visit the Rate and Chicago this week.
Dine at Pizano’s Pizza and Pasta (2106 S. Indiana, Chicago, IL, 60616)
We stayed near McCormick Place when we visited Chicago, and we walked to Pizano’s Pizza, which has ties to Lou Malnati’s, a more famous deep-dish pizza place. People have their feelings about Deep Dish pizza (you either love it or hate it), but my wife and I enjoyed it.
In addition to solid pizza (we got the “Hey Hey” Jack Brickhouse Special, which is sausage and mushroom), they have a ton of great Chicago sports memorabilia on the walls. We sat underneath a wall covered with DePaul Blue Demons basketball memorabilia, which was awesome to see, as someone who loved the Quentin Richardson and Bobby Simmons DePaul teams of the early 2000s.
Pizano’s is a great spot if you want to try Chicago-style deep dish pizza and avoid the heavy tourist traffic of Giordano’s, Malnati’s, Gino’s East, or Pizzeria Uno.
Visit the Parkview Diner (2000 W 19th St, Chicago, IL 60608) For Breakfast and ‘L’ Cafecito Jumping Bean (2010 S Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60608) For Coffee.
My wife and I went to Pilsen to spend the day before the White Sox game.
Pilsen is a neighborhood with a robust Mexican-American and Chicano history. For those who live in Kansas City, Pilsen is essentially a combination of KCK, the Westside, and the Northeast. That’s how rich and dense it is, which is fantastic for those seeking a Chicago experience that more accurately reflects the city’s people and cultural diversity.
One of the first things we did was visit the Parkview Diner and Grill, located on the corner of 19th street. It’s a counter-only diner restaurant that’s cash only and run by two tias/aunties who operate the grill, cash register, and take orders. They also had an older gringo/white dude, whom I think was one of the husbands, who also helped with cooking and bussing.
The women were incredibly kind, offering us a pastry after we finished. Their breakfast special, which consisted of two eggs, a choice of meat (bacon, ham, or sausage), and two pancakes, was $10. They also had menudo, which I had (and took a picture of) and was one of the better bowls I’ve had (loved the tomato base).
Afterward, my wife and I grabbed coffee from ‘L’ Cafecito Jumping Bean, which is a coffee shop located in the terminal of the Elevated Train. It’s a small shop, but they produce excellent coffee (my wife had a cold brew, and I had a London Fog, since I’ve given up drinking coffee). It’s also a Latinx-owned business. My wife and I grabbed a coffee and walked around the park and neighborhood, which featured some old-school row houses and some amazing murals on buildings.
Go to the National Museum of Mexican Art (1852 W 19th St, Chicago, IL 60608)
The primary reason we visited Pilsen was to see the National Museum of Mexican Art. It’s located off 19th St. in the heart of Pilsen’s Harrison Park. I had visited the museum back in 2019 and had always wanted to go back. My wife hadn’t been, and she loves museums, so I thought this was a good opportunity.
The museum is an excellent and diverse portrayal of Mexican art from the traditional (Catholic imagery and Día de Muertos) to the modern and political. Their Chicano Political movement gallery is incredible and stuck with me the most, especially the Sun-Maid Raisins box art (it’s in the gallery above). The museum is free and is expansive enough to spend an hour or two in.
If you’re looking for an art gallery that’s a bit off the beaten path in Chicago, this is a great spot, especially on a beautiful day when you can walk around Harrison Park.
Take the L Train to the Game
I grew up in Northern California, so taking the BART Train to Oracle Park for Giants games was a frequent occurrence for my family. It’s crazy to think that the stereotypes people in Kansas City have of public transportation and transit, especially outside of Kansas City. People need to change their algorithms on Twitter or watch less news networks!
My wife and I took the L train from our hotel to Pilsen and then took it from the museum neighborhood to the Rate Field. We had to transfer from the pink to the red line, but it was a relatively easy endeavor that took us no more than 25 minutes. It also only costs us five bucks, which is much better and cheaper than the price of an Uber or Lyft.
The L was a fun experience, not just before the game, but after, especially with rowdy White Sox fans getting road beers on the streets (they sell soda, snacks, merch, and liquor outside the stadium; something you CAN’T do at the K). There were a couple of “Green Bay Sucks!” chants in the line at the turnstiles, which showed that White Sox fans are already looking forward to football season.
Get a Dog with Grilled Onions and a Picture With the Pope
I am Catholic and work in Catholic education. So, I had to take a picture not just with Pope Leo XIV’s mural next to the section where he sat during the 2005 World Series. I also bought a “Pope Chicago” hoodie from a vendor outside the Stadium for 40 bucks—another reason why downtown stadiums are fantastic.
The food options are simple, but done well at the Rate.
They sell Beggar’s Pizza (a South Side staple) by the slice, rather than individual personal pizzas, which I think lends to better pizza quality. They have Buona Italian Beef stands, which are just as good as what you would get at the restaurant (Buona is better than Portillo’s for Beef). And the hot dogs and Polish have the option of grilled onions. That’s right. They not only have onions (which the K said bye-bye to long ago) but grilled ones to boot!
I love the K, but they certainly need to step up their game in the hot dog area.
For easy, affordable riding take the Amtrak Southwest Chief or the Lincoln Service out of KC Union Station or several other Missouri towns to Chicago!
Great suggestion! I love doing the Southwest Chief and the Amtrak. As long as your schedule is flexible, it’s the way to go!