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My Chicago list
A comprehensive list that isn't nearly comprehensive enough. If it made the list - it's good and/or famous.
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Food
Lardon
Awesome (in-house!) charcuterie & aperitifs
Logan Square
Pequod’s Pizza
@Burt’s Place
deep dish
Lincoln Park
Lou Malnati’s
If you’re in a pinch & can’t get to Pequod’s. In no circumstances should it be necessary to go to the other chain that starts with “G” and ends with “don’t go there”.
deep dish
River North
Wicker Park
Gold Coast
Jibaritos y mas
Logan Square
Lula Cafe
Very popular brunch spot in Logan Square
brunch
Logan Square
Serai
Pretty good Malaysian spot (has Thai, etc. as well)
Logan Square
Small Cheval
@The 606
burgers
Logan Square
Dove’s luncheonette
Can’t remember if I’ve been here but it’s supposed to be good and a Wicker Park classic
brunch
cocktails
diner
Wicker Park
Wormhole Coffee
I’ll ruin the surprise — it’s famous because there’s a Dolorean on the ceiling. Good coffee, very hipster despite Wicker being gentrified away from the hipsters.
coffee
Wicker Park
Paulie Gee’s
LOVE their Detroit-style pizza. Do not get any other style of pizza here because that is sooooo good. There’s a comparable place in DC called Red Light. You should try their pizza too.
pizza
Logan Square
Wicker Park
The Whale
Could be lit for brunch, fun to watch big groups who are all dressed up for brunch but you don’t need to be.
brunch
Logan Square
Emporium
In Fulton Market, this is a cool spot. The one in Logan is 🤷 — there are a lot cooler spots around.
I do have coins though 👀
barcade
Fulton Market
Logan Square
Wicker Park
Chicago Distilling Company
I’m really into their gin & they have great gin cocktails
cocktails
Logan Square
Cafe con Leche
My sister likes this place
brunch
Logan Square
Beatnik
I’ve only been to the West Town location, so only going to add that to the list for now, but LOVE the vibes at this place. Really cool and interesting and makes for a very fun chill with friends to eat slowly and take in the atmosphere (pricey-ish).
brunch
lunch
West Town
Hoosier Mama Pie Company
Incredible pies — plan in advance so they aren’t sold out of what you want
pies
West Town
Soulé
Awesome soul food — get shrimp and grits, jerk chicken wings, blackened catfish, etc
soul food
West Town
Kasama
Supposed to be really good coffee & pastries
coffee
brunch
bakery
West Town
Jeni’s
The OG. Any location is good.
ice cream
Wicker Park
Fulton Market
En Hakkore Sushi Burrito & Poke Bowl
LOVE their sushi tacos 😍
sushi
Wicker Park
Crumbl
I hate myself for putting this on here because it’s a huge national chain & a huge personal addiction.
cookies
Wicker Park
The Delta
Pretty delish southern dishes
soul food
Bucktown
Crossroads
Some nice vintage pieces to be found, but not cheap for thrifting. But it’s fun to hit up all the thrift stores in Wicker Park! (there are a couple on the same block)
thrift store
Wicker Park
The Budlong Hot Chicken
Good spot for Nashville hot chicken
lunch
Lincoln Park
Jim’s Original
Classic Chicago polish. Polish = Polish sausage. The correct thing to do here is grab one & eat it in your car.
hot dogs
Little Italy
White Palace Grill
Only go here at 3-4am if everything else is closed. It’s great cheap simple diner food with INCREDIBLE people-watching, any time of day. You can get a great feel for Chicago in there.
diner
brunch
South Loop
Qiao Lin Hotpot
Hot pot & it’s sooo gooooood — expensive but worth it
Chinese
Chinatown
Cà Phê Dá - Dang Good Wings
They have the fun Vietnamese coffee, including the egg custard one. Apparently the adjoining restaurant is good too.
coffee
bakery
Vietnamese
Pilsen
Tahoora Sweets & Bakery
Devon Ave is “Little India” and there is no mistaking it. Sights smells & sounds of the real India here. This is one place on Devon where you can get snacks, but there are many and you can definitely enjoy an afternoon going into different stores and having different snacks etc.
indian
Devon (Little India)
Ghareeb Nawaz Restaurant
Known Devon spot that’s 24/7
indian
Devon (Little India)
Bingo Tea
Personally think it’s one of the best milk teas in Chicago, but milk tea is all about one’s own preference. Either way, it’s fun to walk around this Chinatown plaza & go into all the shops etc. — I used to come here all the time when I was in high school, taking the water taxi from the Loop.
milk tea
Chinatown
Summer House Santa Monica
Good place to pretend you’re not in Chicago & also good place to watch large flocks of white ladies brunching
brunch
Lincoln Park
Burt’s Place
Great option for deep dish if you’re in these parts. Excellent cheese curds.
deep dish
Suburbs - Morton Grove
Butcher & The Burger
Great Lincoln Park burger spot — BYOB which is pretty common in Chicago.
burgers
Lincoln Park
Dog Haus
Fun & tasty hot dogs — not necessarily Chicago style so maybe skip this if you’re trying to really experience Chicago
hot dogs
Lincoln Park
Johnnie’s Beef
Johnny’s Beef is my Italian beef of choice — there’s one out in the suburbs by me that’s a bi-weekly guilty pleasure. The proper order is dipped, with sweet & hot peppers on the side (so you can add them at your own pace).
italian beef
Suburbs - Elmwood Park
Gene & Jude's
Very classic Chicago hot dog. Can’t go wrong.
hot dogs
Suburbs - River Grove
Portillo’s
Classic Chicago chain for Italian beef, Polish sausages & hot dogs. If you don’t have time to go out to the serious spots for these things, Portillos is the place to try em. And you must try a chocolate cake shake while you’re at it.
hot dogs
italian beef
River North
Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits
Amazing biscuits!! Big line, though. Haven’t tried the pie but I’m sure it’s fantastic. Quality spot.
pies
soul food
brunch
Logan Square
Split-Rail
Haven’t been but heard good things!
brunch
soul food
West Town
Ukrainian Village
Fatso’s Last Stand
Don’t know if I’ve actually been here but it’s a thing
hot dogs
West Town
Ukrainian Village
Big Jones
Andersonville is the neighborhood of middle aged gay men. You’ll see them out in droves & you may fee a little young. But there’s lots of cool stuff in that neighborhood that anyone can enjoy — including a DELICIOUS brunch at Big Jones.
brunch
soul food
Andersonville
Hopleaf
Good Belgian food & beer — would recommend if you’re in the neighborhood and enjoy Belgian beer
beer
Andersonville
Tank Noodles
Don’t think I’ve been here but this area has a lot of good Vietnamese
Vietnamese
Andersonville
Sprinkles
They’re legit & one of many Chicago cupcake spots — ask for more recs if you want em
cupcakes
dessert
Magnificent Mile
Mercadito
Pretty good, bougie Mexican food
tacos
River North
Firecakes Donuts
Incredible donuts & coffee
coffee
donuts
River North
The Game Room at Chicago Athletic Association
If you’re at Millennium Park which you will inevitably be, this is a great place to stop by and maybe get a drink. Even if you don’t want anything, I’d still stop in, it’s really nice in there & there’s often some wedding photoshoot you can crash.
barcade
cocktails
Grant Park
Bonci Pizzeria
SO GOOD — and you can get as much or as little as you want as they sell it by weight. The other weekend I treated myself to octopus & basil, blueberry sausage and also potato pizza.
pizza
Fulton Market
McDonald’s Global Menu Restaurant
McDonalds is headquartered in the Chicago area, so there are a few fun Mickey D’s, including a huge one and this one which serves a rotating menu pulled from stores around the world.
lunch
Fulton Market
Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio
Fresh pasta, made directly in front of you when you sit at the bar. Need I say more? 🧑🍳👌
pasta
Fulton Market
Au Cheval
Awesome burger but definitely find other stuff to do in Fulton Market while you’re waiting for a table — there will be a wait.
burgers
Fulton Market
Girl & the Goat
Fulton Market
Little Goat Diner
From celeb chef Stephanie Izard
Fulton Market
Sawada Coffee
Hip coffee spot that’s big & good for groups
coffee
Fulton Market
TimeOut Market
Great way to try different stuff out. Same concept as the Timeout markets in other cities like New York.
lunch
Fulton Market
Kurumi
Earl grey tea soft serve is great. If you want, try the gold or silver leaf topping. All pretty pricey but good quality.
milk tea
coffee
ice cream
Little Italy
Xi’an cuisine
Pretty good Xi’an food
Chinatown
Elitea
I think it's pretty great but then again there's a location near me, and I go all the time.
milk tea
Chinatown
Dolo
Apparently good for dim sum (made to order, no carts) — haven't been but seems really good
dim sum
Chinese
Chinatown
Greek Islands
Haven’t been here but it’s supposed to be a good spot in Greektown. At any Greektown restaurant definitely try the flaming Saganaki — I thought this was a thing everywhere but apparently it was invented in Chicago.
Greek
Greektown
Athena Greek Restaurant
Nice patio in Greektown
Greek
Greektown
Athenian Room
Greek
Recreation
The 606
If you’re in the area for a stroll and it’s a nice day, it’s a great place to walk
outdoors
Logan Square
Greetings from Chicago mural
Honestly never been here but might be a nice tourist pic if you’re in the neighborhood
outdoors
Logan Square
Lincoln Park Zoo
zoo
outdoors
Lincoln Park
Chicago Riverwalk
Beautiful place to walk on a sunny day — you can see all the different architecture & enjoy being in the city
outdoors
River North
Buckingham Fountain
This was the Grant Park structure to go take pics by until the Bean was built and everyone started ogling & taking selfies there instead
outdoors
Grant Park
Millennium Park
Overrated but whatever it’s still nice. Walking around Lurie Gardens can be nice & maybe picnicking or hanging around in the grass in front of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion is also nice.
outdoors
Grant Park
Store
Myopic Books
Has the classic Wicker hipster bookstore vibe — nice to pop in if you’re strolling down Milwaukee to get a sense of what the neighborhood is all about
bookstore
Wicker Park
Music venues
Subterranean
Used to go to this music venue all the time in high school <3 nice smaller place for music
music
Wicker Park
The Metro
Where I went to my first concert — great place with notable artists that play here
music
Wrigleyville
Smartbar
Underneath Metro — many of my friends enjoy going here for house / electronic music. House music is from Chicago — this could be a good place to go enjoy it.
music
Wrigleyville
Green Mill
A big part of Chicago history is the blues! Green Mill is a great example — probably better to go earlier when there’s no cover & soak up the vibes, then leave before you get too sleepy
music
Uptown
Buddy Guys Legends
Chicago blues classic place.
music
Grant Park
Entertainment
Second City
This is where Tina Fey, Steve Carrell, Amy Poehler, Jordan Peele, Stephen Colbert, etc. etc. etc. got famous. Definitely fun to go to a show — check website for tickets & times.
improv
Old Town
Nightlife
Estereo
People really like to go here — I think it’s nice & great (pricey) drinks, but not worth a long wait it
cocktails
Logan Square
The Whistler
On my friends’ list of their favorite bars. There’s always dancing but at the same time you can order fancy cocktails. That’s a fun night out. Hipsters & normal people alike, mostly all young, having a good time. This is Chicago.
cocktails
dancing
Logan Square
Cafe Mustache
Now this is that Chicago hipster you’re lookin for — weird place with interesting characters. Might be a good place to try Malort. Could be empty, could be full, who could know.
cocktails
coffee
Logan Square
Beauty Bar
Fun dancing, nice clubby night out without the fancy-ness of a club. I feel like there’s one in New York, not sure.
dancing
West Town
Sidetrack
Boystown is fun! This is one of the dance bars where you can go to have fun
dancing
Boystown
Progress Bar Chicago
Boystown is fun! This is one of the dance bars where you can go to have fun
dancing
Boystown
Roscoe’s Tavern
Boystown is fun! This is one of the dance bars where you can go to have fun
dancing
Boystown
Berlin
Fun & casual place to end the night (closes around 4-5am)
dancing
Boystown
Three Dots and a Dash
Pricey but really cool tiki bar — hot spot so come at an odd hour or make a reservation. The entrance is in an alleyway.
cocktails
River North
Celeste
One of my favorite clubs in Chicago — there are different floors with different kinds of music on each floor. The disco floor is always fun!
dancing
cocktails
River North
Blind Barber
Fulton Market
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