O-VER-RA-TED

I won't lie. Chicago has a few places/things that receive a lot of hype, but that I absolutely think are overrated.

Here's a list -- and some reasons why:

Market. I know people loooove Market; I just can't understand why. The food is decent -- but really nothing to write home about. (That's right, even the mac n cheese muffins.) The staff has an attitude and I fail to understand why this is the case. I know I'm not the professional athlete at the table next to me, but that dude just got into a full-fledged domestic dispute with a woman at his table and your security team did absolutely nothing but walk around and observe. His teammate stepped in -- luckily for your sweet staff -- but seriously? You're going to let this go on on your patio and you're going to get the rep for being a place to be seen? Yeah, not my scene.

Neither is the rooftop at Market. It's basically a whole lot of people under the impression they're important trying way too hard to look and act cool. We got a cabana. We got some drinks. And it was fine. And that was about it.

In the future, I'll take a pass and try some of the new rooftop spaces Chicago has to offer. But in the meantime, one I've been to and can recommend is the Vertigo Sky Lounge at the Dana Hotel. Also worth trying is the Terrace at the Trump. You'll pay a pretty penny for drinks, but the view is fabulous and so is the service. You may also consider the rooftop at Bottom Lounge for a gorgeous view with a more laid-back, rocker vibe. That sounds like an oxymoron, but it's not. Go there and you'll see what I mean.

Frontera Grill. I love you and everything you stand for, Rick Bayless. I love your commitment to authenticity. I love that you honor the invaluable truths that are sustainability and locally-sourced food. Your drinks are delicious. But I think Frontera gets more hype than it deserves. I am sorry. I wish I didn't have to say that. Frontera is good, maybe even great. But Frontera is not the gift sent from God everyone thinks it is. Honestly, no matter how good it is, there is no restaurant that could live up to the praise Frontera has received. It's not your fault, Frontera. I still rank your blood orange margarita as one of the absolute best drinks I've ever had.

May Street Market's Cupcake Flight. This is another example of a place that is good, but has received so much positive press that it couldn't possibly deliver. I know cupcakes, and May Street Market, yours are pretty good. But they are dry in comparison to some of the cupcake giants in this town (read: Sweet Mandy B's, Alliance Bakery, Sweet Honeybee Bakery). Just saying. I know you play around with cool flavor combinations, but there's not a lot that can save a dry cupcake. All of that said, go and support May Street Market. It really does have delicious entrees and is another amazing restaurant committed to the mission of serving locally-grown, sustainable food. I just don't get why their cupcake flight gets so much darn press.

Fireplace Inn. Granted, I wandered in unsuspectingly one night when the UFC championships happened to be on TV. For whatever reason, this place is UFC championship headquarters. It was completely packed and the servers were incredibly rude. Ladies, I get that it's a tough night. I've been you. Which means I have a lot of patience until you're ungodly rude to me -- and you manage to get ALL of my drink orders wrong. However, since it's too crowded to bother correcting you, I'll just drink my beer as fast as possible and flee. I have heard great things about their vodka lemonades, so I will be back... but for now, Fireplace Inn is on my list of places that just aren't worth it. Prove me wrong next time. I am begging you.

Perennial. I have to give this place mad props for atmosphere. It's a really freaking cool space. And it's a pretty convenient location. However, the food doesn't deliver. Since it's run by the same peeps that run the much-heralded Boka, I came in expecting the same dining experience. What I got was mediocre food in an awesome space. Since I'm ultimately about substance over style (although I DO love it when you get both -- ahem, Piccolo Sogno), this is a fail in my book. If you serve me food that's just okay, the setting isn't going to make up for it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have...

Spring. Dear Spring, the space you are in feels way too corporate and way too cold to be a restaurant. My friend Jeff likened it to a hotel lobby -- and that's pretty much dead on. Your food is delicious, but the space you've chosen ruins the ambiance it's obvious that you've tried so painstakingly hard to create. If this restaurant only had a more intimate feel, it'd be an exponentially improved experience for diners. However, keep it up with what you've got going on with the food -- fabulous.

That's it for now. What did I miss? Are there any other places you think are crazily overrated? Or did I miss the mark here -- have you had really positive experiences at any of the above places? Let me know!