Gold Coast & Old Town Food Tour

Overall we enjoyed the tour. We had a great guide who was entertaining and informative. The walk thru the neighborhoods along with interesting and fun facts about the buildings and people was fun. I would have liked MORE places with food tasting. With that said the spice house was very interesting and the tasting at the olive oil shop was surprisingly good. Too bad there is not enough time to buy goodies. We were visiting from out of town and won't be back for awhile. Of course buying on line is an options but it is not the same. On the negative side I think the last place was too far from the start and there should be a place closer or looping back towards the start. Having to cab back was an added expense I would have liked to avoid.

I took a group of 4 young women from my church group on the Near North Side Walking Tour. Our tour was on Oct. 11, 2009. Although we all live in the South Suburbs of Chicago...none of us have been to these spots. Everyone really enjoyed the tour. There was just enough time between walking and 'seeing'. The places we visited were great. There was only one thing that the ladies wanted, and that was to have time to shop! I'm not sure that this tour would make that possible however, maybe you could have a tour with less places and more shopping. At the Spice Shop they said that they would have rather looked at the spices more and not had the talk about cinnamon. But there were also some that felt that they learned a lot from the talk...so it is a draw. Our tour guide Kent was really good. He was considerate of the entire group, some were older than others! He also had quite a bit of knowledge of the stores and landmarks that we came in contact with. He spoke clearly and loud enough that we could all hear him. I will be taking our group on this tour again in the Spring. I would suggest doing this type of thing in other neighborhoods as well! Great Job. Sandy M

I took a group of 4 young women from my church group on the Near North Side tour. Everyone really enjoyed the tour. There was just enough time between walking and 'seeing'. The places we visited were great. There was only one thing that the ladies wanted, and that was to have time to shop! I'm not sure that this tour would make that possible however, maybe you could have a tour with less places and more shopping. At the Spice Shop they said that they would have rather looked at the spices more and not had the talk about cinnamon. But there were also some that felt that they learned a lot from the talk...so it is a draw. Our tour guide Kent was really good. He was considerate of the entire group, some were older than otheres! He also had quite a bit of knowledge of the stores and landmarks that we came in contact with. He spoke clearly and loud enough that we could all hear him. I will be taking our group on this tour again in the Spring. I would suggest doing this type of thing in other neighborhoods as well! Great Job. Sandy M

We really enjoyed our guide, Kent, and the food samples were wonderful. The only stop that I might suggest deleting is catering <> chocolate. It was okay, just not up to par with other stops and seemed out of the place by comparison.

Jessie, our guide, was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and fun. Every place we visited was outstanding except Catering *Chocolate which I expected more from.

This was a fun activity for my husband and me and our 20-yr-old son in college in Chicago. We went in October, and the weather was brisk but lovely. I wanted a tour for our college student son that was not too academic (he gets enough lectures!). He really liked this, even more than my husband and I did; he now knows a new part of the city, and can re-visit it with friends. The food shops range from very luxurious to ones that you can use routinely.

Seeing the neighborhoods of Chicago (which you might miss on your own) was great! Nice tour if you have never been to Chicago before. Go early in the morning if you can so you can return to the neighborhoods to explore more on your own. Thank you from Art and Karen in Arizona.

I am a transplant from Balto, MD. Every time I have company from my hometown, I bring them on this tour. One of my guests had taken the food tour last year on his yearly visit to Chicago, but wanted to take it again with another friend of ours who was also visiting. I pointed out that the food tour company had another tour we could try (Bucktown/Wicker Park), but he said that he wanted to repeat this one. He loved Old Town Oil and the Spice Shop and wanted to stock up again on oils, vinegars, and spices on the tour! So, that, of course, means that I have been on this exact same tour several times including the previous month in September when I had a visitor from Baltimore. I LOVE this tour. Jenn was my guide both times and she was excellent - so much energy, passion, and knowledge about the city and the food. The merchants that we visit are welcoming and have outstanding, quality products. I am looking forward to taking the Bucktown/Wicker Park tour in November. I have no doubt that it will be awesome.

This was a great tour. This was my first trip to Chicago and I was here for the marathon and this was a great way to be introduced to the city. Not only was the food great, but the insights into Chicago were wonderful too. I can not wait to go back and do the other tour.

We recently went on a 3 hour walking food tasting tour around 3 neighborhoods in downtown Chicago and I just have to say that it was the highlight of my short stay. Our tour guide Jessie, was sensational! What a great personality along with wittiness and knowledge of the city! She spoke very clearly and had such charm. I learned so much about Chicago, which I might add, was unexpected seeing that we were on a food tasting tour. The food was fabulous and I tried things I would have never tried. From the reuben's to the chocolate to the famous Chicago pizza, it was simply delicious!