Guidebook for Chicago

Ian
Guidebook for Chicago

Drinks & Nightlife

Great little bar with patio. Has delicious vegan/vegetarian food and their brunch is great. And it's right across the street from the apartment!
140 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Handlebar
2311 W North Ave
140 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Great little bar with patio. Has delicious vegan/vegetarian food and their brunch is great. And it's right across the street from the apartment!
Pre-Prohibition-era Speakeasy with no sign. It's a pretty cool place to stop in for a very fancy cocktail. Talk to me for an explanation on how to get in.
355 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
The Violet Hour
1520 N Damen Ave
355 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Pre-Prohibition-era Speakeasy with no sign. It's a pretty cool place to stop in for a very fancy cocktail. Talk to me for an explanation on how to get in.
A rooftop bar located at the top of the tallest building in this area has great views and decor with really inventive and creative cocktails.
37 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
The Up Room
2018 W North Ave
37 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A rooftop bar located at the top of the tallest building in this area has great views and decor with really inventive and creative cocktails.
A great bar on the second floor of the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel. They've got all kinds of games like billiards, foosball, shuffleboard, and bocce. The drinks are good and they've got a few local beers. A fun spot!
49 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
The Gage
24 S Michigan Ave
49 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A great bar on the second floor of the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel. They've got all kinds of games like billiards, foosball, shuffleboard, and bocce. The drinks are good and they've got a few local beers. A fun spot!
A fun place where you can play full-sized shuffleboard! A rarity in any city. Great bar scene, too.
12 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
The Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club
1750 N Milwaukee Ave
12 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A fun place where you can play full-sized shuffleboard! A rarity in any city. Great bar scene, too.

Food Scene

Some of the best tacos in the city with one of the best street patios in the city.
1176 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Big Star
1531 N Damen Ave
1176 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Some of the best tacos in the city with one of the best street patios in the city.
Awesome little ramen joint. Get the delicious Furious Ramen with pork, chicken and a poached egg! Open late!
52 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Furious Spoon Wicker Park
52 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Awesome little ramen joint. Get the delicious Furious Ramen with pork, chicken and a poached egg! Open late!
Awesome late-night pizza spot. They've got a huge unique variety of pizza flavors by the slice along with a lot of vegan options.
25 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Dimo's Pizza Wicker Park
1615 N Damen Ave
25 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Awesome late-night pizza spot. They've got a huge unique variety of pizza flavors by the slice along with a lot of vegan options.
Fun New Haven-Style pizza brewpub with award-winning beer brewed onsite!
488 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Piece Brewery
1927 W North Ave
488 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Fun New Haven-Style pizza brewpub with award-winning beer brewed onsite!
Cozy coffee shop with delicious coffee and good food menu.
109 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Ipsento Coffee
2035 N Western Ave
109 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Cozy coffee shop with delicious coffee and good food menu.
Nice little bakery with good hot and iced coffee.
16 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Bake
2246 W North Ave
16 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Nice little bakery with good hot and iced coffee.
Perfect location to score that classic Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich! The original!
Jay's Beef
2255 W North Ave
Perfect location to score that classic Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich! The original!
This is the best fried chicken in the city, hands down. A little off the beaten path but worth the trip.
99 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Honey Butter Fried Chicken
3361 N Elston Ave
99 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
This is the best fried chicken in the city, hands down. A little off the beaten path but worth the trip.
A local favorite and a unique take on deep dish. The pie has a caramelized crunchy crust and is more bready than the cracker-crust you might get at the more well-known deep dish purveyors. If you can make it to 2 deep dish places on your trip, this is a must get.
536 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Pequod's Pizza
2207 North Clybourn Avenue
536 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
A local favorite and a unique take on deep dish. The pie has a caramelized crunchy crust and is more bready than the cracker-crust you might get at the more well-known deep dish purveyors. If you can make it to 2 deep dish places on your trip, this is a must get.
Classic American diner fair but elevated and made very unique! This place doesn't take reservations so if you're trying to find a good spot without a crazy wait in Fulton Market, your best bet is to stop in here and put your name in. Then if the wait is long you can walk around and if you happen to find another restaurant you'd rather try out without a wait, then go for it! But at the very least you've got a really good restaurant to try our in your back pocket.
159 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Little Goat Diner
3325 W Randolph St
159 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Classic American diner fair but elevated and made very unique! This place doesn't take reservations so if you're trying to find a good spot without a crazy wait in Fulton Market, your best bet is to stop in here and put your name in. Then if the wait is long you can walk around and if you happen to find another restaurant you'd rather try out without a wait, then go for it! But at the very least you've got a really good restaurant to try our in your back pocket.
Great burgers extremely close to our apartment. Au Cheval offers perhaps the best burger in the country and they have come up with a more "fast food" version of it and only sell it at their neighborhood locations of Small Cheval. It's worth getting along with their fries and a shake. Oh, and don't forget to get a shot in your shake; my favorites are a shot of whiskey in the chocolate shake or a shot of fernet in the vanilla shake.
161 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Small Cheval
1732 N Milwaukee Ave
161 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Great burgers extremely close to our apartment. Au Cheval offers perhaps the best burger in the country and they have come up with a more "fast food" version of it and only sell it at their neighborhood locations of Small Cheval. It's worth getting along with their fries and a shake. Oh, and don't forget to get a shot in your shake; my favorites are a shot of whiskey in the chocolate shake or a shot of fernet in the vanilla shake.

Sightseeing

Don't pay for a ticket to the Hancock observatory, skip most of the lines and get an expensive drink at The Signature Lounge instead!
525 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
The Signature Room at the 95th®
875 N Michigan Ave
525 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Don't pay for a ticket to the Hancock observatory, skip most of the lines and get an expensive drink at The Signature Lounge instead!
Awesome Ledge attraction you can see through and great views
324 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Willis Tower
233 S Wacker Dr
324 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Awesome Ledge attraction you can see through and great views
Great zoo near the lake and it's free!
1117 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Lincoln Park Zoo
2001 N Clark St
1117 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Great zoo near the lake and it's free!
This is my favorite way to see the city. A great 90min boat tour through a couple branches of the Chicago river gives you a really unique perspective of the city and it's amazing architecture. This one is hosted by a volunteer docent from the Chicago Architectural Foundation so you'll be getting the real scoop on Chicago's buildings and history. They have coffee and alcoholic drinks at the bar, too!
55 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
First Lady Architecture Tour
112 E Wacker Dr
55 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
This is my favorite way to see the city. A great 90min boat tour through a couple branches of the Chicago river gives you a really unique perspective of the city and it's amazing architecture. This one is hosted by a volunteer docent from the Chicago Architectural Foundation so you'll be getting the real scoop on Chicago's buildings and history. They have coffee and alcoholic drinks at the bar, too!
This bar/restaurant at the top of the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel has one of the best views of Grant Park and Lake Michigan in the city. Head up here for a drink and the view. The food is good but overpriced, unsurprisingly. Don't sleep on the Game Room bar on the second floor of this hotel, as well!
139 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Cindy's
12 S Michigan Ave
139 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
This bar/restaurant at the top of the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel has one of the best views of Grant Park and Lake Michigan in the city. Head up here for a drink and the view. The food is good but overpriced, unsurprisingly. Don't sleep on the Game Room bar on the second floor of this hotel, as well!
Chicago's famous sculpture colloquially known as "The Bean." It's worth seeing and won't take you long to experience and take your bean reflection photos. And best of all, it's completely free!
473 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Cloud Gate
201 E Randolph St
473 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Chicago's famous sculpture colloquially known as "The Bean." It's worth seeing and won't take you long to experience and take your bean reflection photos. And best of all, it's completely free!

Shopping

Huge mall near the historic Water Tower.
327 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Water Tower Place
835 Michigan Ave
327 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Huge mall near the historic Water Tower.

Arts & Culture

This is a fantastic museum in downtown Chicago. The Modern Wing is my personal favorite area but they also have some really historic and famous paintings in their collection throughout the museum.
1159 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 S Michigan Ave
1159 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
This is a fantastic museum in downtown Chicago. The Modern Wing is my personal favorite area but they also have some really historic and famous paintings in their collection throughout the museum.

Neighborhoods

Logan Square is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the city. It's a quick Blue Line train ride away, just 2-3 stops. There are tons of bars, restaurants, art galleries and coffee shops.
174 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Logan Square
174 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Logan Square is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in the city. It's a quick Blue Line train ride away, just 2-3 stops. There are tons of bars, restaurants, art galleries and coffee shops.
Also known as "Restaurant Row" there really isn't a place in this area that I would hesitate to recommend. A good amount of nightlife can be found here but there is absolutely no shortage of great food.
54 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Fulton Market
54 lokalinvånare rekommenderar
Also known as "Restaurant Row" there really isn't a place in this area that I would hesitate to recommend. A good amount of nightlife can be found here but there is absolutely no shortage of great food.