[loopy]

I'm going to be flying up to Chicago tomorrow, staying downtown with meetings and the like in the old chicago mercantile exchange building/tradefloor for a few days.  Any must check out places in the area?  food/beer/music suggestions?  Any cool historic places worth making a trip to?  thanks. 

[capozzoli]

Get a hot dog. Oh, and an Italian beef.

[BrewingRover]

My favorite spot for a beer downtown is Clark Street Ale House, which is a block or so from the Chicago and State Red Line station. It's walkable from the Financial District, maybe 25 minutes, but it's getting hot and humid here so the El is preferable. Rock Bottom is close by and is decent but I haven't been there since their brewer left to open his own place. That won't open for a few months. The Publican has gotten great reviews but I haven't made it there yet.
http://thepublicanrestaurant.com/

Goose Island's Brewpub is very good and is 20 minutes or so by El from downtown.
http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/clybourn_brewpub/65.php

Hopleaf is my very favorite but it's a $20 cab ride north. They specialize in Belgians and have all the right glassware
http://hopleaf.com/

Check out the Chicago Architecture Foundation for historical stuff. They do walking tours downtown and their river cruise is outstanding. You do need to buy in advance for that in summer.
http://www.architecture.org

[brewmasternpb]

I just got back from Chi-town... Hopleaf is a great beer bar, but The Map room is a classic.  We stopped at Goose Island in Wriggleyville before a cubs game, they had some great beers.
As far as Food... Do you ever watch Man vs. Food?  It's my favorite show because he goes places that I appreciate.  In the Chicago episode he went to:
Al's Italian Beef
Genos East (great Deep Dish Pizza)... We went there, it was fantastic. I'm pretty sure this is near your hotel, but I could be wrong.
Lucky's- This place is near Wrigley Field and is on the same block as a bunch of great bars, not the least of which is Goose Island.  They specialize in stuffed sandwhiches, check out the clip: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eor2ke62oJU

That's all I got!

[piszkiewiczp]

Sounds like you'll be at the Merchandise Mart on the Chicago River. If you only have a couple of days, check out Navy Pier (about one mile due East), Millenium Park / Grant Park is also solid tourist fair - "Taste of Chicago" starts this weekend - it's like a big city county fair, About 1½ miles south east is the museum campus: Adler Planetarium, Field Museum & Shedd Aquarium. Historical site is 1½ north east: the Water Tower and Pumping Station.Two of the few structures to survive the great Chicago Fire.

Gino's East os great for deep dish pizza. Uno's and Due's are a little closer and the originators of Chicago Deep Dish. I recommend a sausage or a deluxe (sausage, pepper, onion, mushroom ...) but be sure you order it as "patty" not "crumbled" That will get you a layer of Itallian sausage that covers the whole pizza - HEAVEN..     

[beerocd]

Eat this:
Gyro Plate in Greektown (the greasy joints on the corner, not the real restaurants)
Maxwell Polish (don't go alone)
Mario's Italian Ice (Little Italy hangout)
Giordano's Stuffed Pizza (deep dish pizza with another crust and sauce on top)
Damenzo's Pizza (get the "pizza puff" monstrous calzone, real cheap) (don't go alone)
Pompei Pizza (totally not typical chicago pizza, they make sammichez rolled in pizza dough)

Drink this:
Intelligentsia coffee - awesome stuff!

Beer:
Map Room - Chicago Beer Society has their monthly meetings there, so how bad can it be? 200 brands, 26 taps, cask beer.

Go to Navy Pier for free music, expensive so-so beer, and Fireworks!

OK, outta ideas. Have fun!