Heading to Chicagoland over St Patrick's Day, Recs?

The skinny: I have a work trip booked to Chicago.  Landing ETA at Midway around 4PM on St. Patrick's Day (the 17th), working all day on the 18th and flying back around 8PM the night of the 18th.  I'll have 3 co-workers with me and we're all sharing one car.  I'm the oldest one in the group (I'm 42) and we're all up for some good, clean fun, possibly involving a bit of adult beverages and revelry...but not too much as we have to be up early the next morning.  Our hotel is in Joliet; we'll be working near there.  

Any recommendations for a reasonably magnificent St. Patty's Day evening in Chicagoland?  

Anyone?  Bueller?  My boss is counting on me to be the event coordinator.  

Kingston Mines has darn good live music and an extremely laid back atmosphere. My favorite dim sum place is Phoenix in Chinatown. I did both for my belated wedding reception and had a blast. :D

Good luck parking.

volvoclearinghouse said:

Anyone?  Bueller?  .  

Take in a Parade?  

However, this picture actually from the German, Von Stuben Day Parade

Most of the organized St Patties day stuff will be over by then. Additionally, if you’re in joliet that isn’t really close to Chicago and I don’t have much info on things to do in Joliet. 

otherwise my favorite Irish bar in the city - probably my favorite bar in the city altogether - is The Galway Arms on N. Clark - the type of place that you will hear a few Irish brogues around. However, that will be pretty far from Midway and farther still from Joliet. 

Mt Greenwood neighborhood is on the south side, traditionally Irish, so they probably have a bunch of Irish pubs. I’d head that direction? Sorry; my Chicago heratige is all German/Polish/Austrian, and mostly North Side so I’m not up on the St Patrick’s day celebrations outside of the suburb I live in now. 

In reply to mtn :

Mt Greenwood's sort of close-ish to Joliet, looks like lots of options there.  I'll try to convince the tribe to get up to Galway Arms, if they're up for a drive.  Depends on if we go to the hotel first.  

Any rec's on the best place in Mt. Greenwood?

Do they still dye the Chicago river green?  Is that worth going to witness?  

volvoclearinghouse said:

In reply to mtn :

Mt Greenwood's sort of close-ish to Joliet, looks like lots of options there.  I'll try to convince the tribe to get up to Galway Arms, if they're up for a drive.  Depends on if we go to the hotel first.  

Any rec's on the best place in Mt. Greenwood?

Do they still dye the Chicago river green?  Is that worth going to witness?  

Yes they dye the River, and it is worth it to see once, but it won’t be worth it for you. It will be done on the 14th or 15th, so by the time you see it it would just look like a kinda greenish-brown. 

I’m not qualified to give recommendations for anything on the south side except for pizza (Roseangelas in Evergreen Park on 95th, Vito and Nicks in the same general area - I think on Pulaski) and Chinese if you count Chinatown as southside (Phoenix recommendation above was spot on). 

volvoclearinghouse said:

Do they still dye the Chicago river green? 

The Chicago river is always green.

Nearish to Joliet, I'll recommend Arowhead Ales in New Lenox...We had some fantastic brews there, including some rather unconventional ones. The Imperial Doughnut Stout that was a rich and decadent desert in a glass, and the horchata ale also went great with the churros.

Don't think I've ever been here before, but this looks promising. http://chicagost.com/portfolio-item/st-patricks-day-party/ If your hotel is near downtown Joliet I'd just stick around there. Should be plenty within walking distance.

I really like the Joliet baseball stadium and the not-quite-major league games, but I haven't spent much time out there.

If you're in a hotel that isn't walking distance to anywhere, then my BIL and his friends love Tom Kelly's (TK's) just a hair east of Joliet right off the highway. Its a suburban pub, but they have good food and I'm sure they'll have st patricks stuff going on.

Oh, I forgot TKs does the tent party for St Patricks. Yeah, you should go there.

https://patch.com/illinois/frankfort/where-to-celebrate-st-patrick-s-day-in-the-south-suburbs

I live near Joliet.  Casino, bars, and the usual. 

Partying in Chicago and driving to Joliet is a bad idea - 35 miles apart?   
 

Come to Lockport and get in a fight at Uncle Richies Place (biker bar)

Definitely listen to Robbie. 

In reply to Robbie :

Cool, thanks for the recs.  Yeah, an hour drive from D/T Chitown back to the hotel might be asking a bit much from this crowd, though one person did offer to be the DD (we're a responsible bunch!).  

Looks like the tent party is the weekend before; Chicago St Pub with it's 800 lbs of corned beef may be the winner.  

Stop by & visit Jake at the prison?

Eat at a Portillo's if you can.

But don't forego an awesome dinner for a chain hot dog place.

In reply to BoostedBrandon :

I spent a good deal of time in Chicagoland about 10 years ago.  I'm very familiar with Portillo's.  The Italian beef is one of my fav's.  

While there are other more well known places, if your group gets a hankering for deep dish (or Chicago-style thin) pizza, I would recommend a Nancy's near you in New Lenox or Lockport. They have what I consider the 'ultimate' Chicago style pizza, as it's a deep dish stuffed with Italian beef, giardiniera, and green peppers, with au jus for dipping. It's like Giordano's and Portillo's made an awesomely delicious Chicago baby together.