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From cheap foods to a Lithuanian museum.

Thursday Nov 20, 2008.     By Centerstage Chicago Staff

Travel + Tourism Feed

There really aren't many reasons to hop on the Orange Line to Midway. But these places in and around the airport may just give you a couple more reasons to hop on that train--without the worries of carrying a heavy luggage or booking a flight.

Best of the nightlife
Bohica Bar & Grill
Expect plenty of food and drink specials in this late night bar. Watch your favorite teams from one of the 92-inch screens along the walls. The menu includes standard bar and grill fare, including jalapeno poppers, pizza, Italian sausage and porkchop sandwiches and cheese fries.

Good for groups
Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture
Opening this museum was the life-long dream of proprietor Stanley Balzekas, which is, in-and-of-itself, cuter than a sack of kittens. Inside is his personal collection of Lithuanian art, as well as armor and rare maps that have been donated over the years. Joining the main exhibit, "Lithuania Through Out the Ages" are a language education department, collections of folk art and coins, tokens and medals, a state-of-the-art audio-visual center and a gift shop.

Cheap eats
Zacatacos
Chain restaurants seem to run the gamut of Midway's surrounding streets. Perhaps it has something to do with the comfort of familiarity, especially when traveling somewhere new. Thankfully, most of the chains here are local ones like Zacatacos. This taqueria cooks up all the usual suspects including quesadillas (with meat or cheese), tortas, burritos and tacos. And they cook 'em up cheap. Tacos here are just $1.45 each, which is now almost the price of a plain old Hershey's candy bar. Fillings include a complete carnivorous list of char-broiled steak, marinated pork, steamed beef and homemade Mexican sausage. Zacatacos also offers meatless choices, like potato and beans with rice.

Where to chill
Top View
In spite of the planes that thunder over the rooftop of this quaint diner, Top View is a very cozy place. The tile mosaic of Chicago's skyline on the west wall, for instance, is a pleasant reminder of the nearby horizon that also pays homage to industry. It is a very unique-looking diner that, using that tried-and-true diner magic, still manages to feel totally anonymous. A bottomless cup of coffee is around $1.25 and just about every diner-standard meal waits on the menu. Lest you momentarily forget that you are sitting at the end of a runway, try the 747 skillet: hash browns, sauteed green peppers, mushrooms and onions with bacon or sausage and your choice of cheese and two eggs.

In-the-know spot
Weber's Bakery
This Polish bakery is known, of all things, for its donuts-specifically those of the chocolate variety. But the place makes other donut flavors, too, including a couple of seasonal-inspired treats like the pumpkin spice. On a good day you'll also find coffeecake, cookies, fudge brownies and mini pound cakes. If you don't hit up Weber's this time around, be sure to head back in March, when the bakery sells its traditionally prepared paczkis.

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