Guidebook for Chicago
Food Scene
Excellent Japanese food and right next door. Great ramen - not just a sushi place. Reservations recommended.
29 locals recommend
Umai
730 S Clark StExcellent Japanese food and right next door. Great ramen - not just a sushi place. Reservations recommended.
Flaco's Tacos
1116 W Granville AveCheap, quick, tasty Mexican.
Great, cozy, Chicago-based coffee shop. Bright, lots of seating. Serves Hoosier Mama pie.
98 locals recommend
Dollop Coffee Co.
4181 N Clarendon AveGreat, cozy, Chicago-based coffee shop. Bright, lots of seating. Serves Hoosier Mama pie.
Great place for lunch. Pressed sandwiches with lots of homemade Latin ingredients (e.g., Argentine chorizo, ropa vieja). Also: Alfajores and Cafe Cubano.
20 locals recommend
Cafecito
7 N Wells StGreat place for lunch. Pressed sandwiches with lots of homemade Latin ingredients (e.g., Argentine chorizo, ropa vieja). Also: Alfajores and Cafe Cubano.
Quality dim sum. Chinatown is an underappreciated neighborhood. Chinatown Square Mall is weird but has great eats. Old Chinatown along Wentworth Avenue is worth a stroll, too.
Cai
2100 S Archer AveQuality dim sum. Chinatown is an underappreciated neighborhood. Chinatown Square Mall is weird but has great eats. Old Chinatown along Wentworth Avenue is worth a stroll, too.
Hoosier Mama Pie Company
1618 W Chicago AveAmazing pie.
Awesome tacos, great outdoor patio, very lively part of town. Great place for afternoon drinking / hanging out.
1176 locals recommend
Big Star
1531 N Damen AveAwesome tacos, great outdoor patio, very lively part of town. Great place for afternoon drinking / hanging out.
Fancy donuts. Cash only. Doors open at 8am. Usually sold out by 10am. Totally worth it.
43 locals recommend
Doughnut Vault
401 N Franklin StFancy donuts. Cash only. Doors open at 8am. Usually sold out by 10am. Totally worth it.
Chicken and waffles in Bronzeville, the historic heart of Chicago's African-American community. Great for breakfast. Recommend staying east or north from here.
67 locals recommend
Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles
3947 S King DrChicken and waffles in Bronzeville, the historic heart of Chicago's African-American community. Great for breakfast. Recommend staying east or north from here.
Argentine steakhouse with great ambience. BYO, so bring a couple of bottles and hang out in their lovely waiting room while you wait for a table.
119 locals recommend
Tango Sur
3763 N Southport AveArgentine steakhouse with great ambience. BYO, so bring a couple of bottles and hang out in their lovely waiting room while you wait for a table.
Original outpost of a Chicago coffee institution. Located on a cute commercial street just blocks from Lake Michigan.
95 locals recommend
Intelligentsia Coffee Broadway Coffeebar
3123 N BroadwayOriginal outpost of a Chicago coffee institution. Located on a cute commercial street just blocks from Lake Michigan.
Chicago's Puerto Rican community invented the jibarito (a sandwich with fried plantain instead of bread). Great place to sample this local treat in the historic heart of the Puerto Rican community.
29 locals recommend
Papa's Cache Sabroso
2517 W Division StChicago's Puerto Rican community invented the jibarito (a sandwich with fried plantain instead of bread). Great place to sample this local treat in the historic heart of the Puerto Rican community.
Small coffee shop has great espresso and great scones, and it's right across the street!
Cafe Press Chicago
800 S Clark StSmall coffee shop has great espresso and great scones, and it's right across the street!
Shopping
One of the last independent booksellers in Chicago and a Printers Row institution.
Sandmeyer's Bookstore
714 S Dearborn StOne of the last independent booksellers in Chicago and a Printers Row institution.
Awesome independent store with a great wine / beer / liquor selection and helpful staff.
7 locals recommend
Printers Row Wine Bar and Shop
719 S Dearborn StAwesome independent store with a great wine / beer / liquor selection and helpful staff.
Good spot for men's clothing, in a very lively part of town. Stop in, then wander north on Milwaukee Ave to see Wicker Park.
12 locals recommend
Mildblend Supply Co.
1342 N Milwaukee AveGood spot for men's clothing, in a very lively part of town. Stop in, then wander north on Milwaukee Ave to see Wicker Park.
Great antique market with lots of mid-century modern offerings. A long train ride away, but just steps from the L.
17 locals recommend
Broadway Antique Market
6130 N BroadwayGreat antique market with lots of mid-century modern offerings. A long train ride away, but just steps from the L.
Edgewater Antique Mall
6314 N BroadwayJust blocks from the Broadway Antique Market.
Great home furnishings store - very unique, lots of reclaimed, one-of-a-kind items. Located in the heart of Andersonville, a cute neighborhood with lots of shops, brunch spots, etc.
24 locals recommend
Scout
5221 N Clark StGreat home furnishings store - very unique, lots of reclaimed, one-of-a-kind items. Located in the heart of Andersonville, a cute neighborhood with lots of shops, brunch spots, etc.
Fun thrift store in lively neighborhood shopping district. Another thrift store (Ragstock) located in the same building
8 locals recommend
Hollywood Mirror
812 W Belmont AveFun thrift store in lively neighborhood shopping district. Another thrift store (Ragstock) located in the same building
Sightseeing
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 S Michigan AveWorld-renowned art museum, only blocks away.
Walking, bus and boat tours of Chicago's amazing architecture. Don't miss an opportunity to learn about skyscrapers in the city that invented them.
114 locals recommend
Chicago Architecture Center
111 E Wacker DrWalking, bus and boat tours of Chicago's amazing architecture. Don't miss an opportunity to learn about skyscrapers in the city that invented them.
Millennium Park
201 E Randolph StBeans, bridges, bands. Enough said.
Willis Tower
233 S Wacker DrViews.
Worth a stroll if it's a nice day and you are already in Chinatown. Cool place to see Chicago's post-industrial transformation as well as its cultural diversity.
39 locals recommend
Ping Tom Memorial Park
1700 S Wentworth AveWorth a stroll if it's a nice day and you are already in Chinatown. Cool place to see Chicago's post-industrial transformation as well as its cultural diversity.
Great destination for architecture buffs. Mies van der Rohe lead the architecture program here for decades. Works by Mies, Koolhas and Jahn.
22 locals recommend
Illinois Institute of Technology
10 W 35th StGreat destination for architecture buffs. Mies van der Rohe lead the architecture program here for decades. Works by Mies, Koolhas and Jahn.
Located in historic Oak Park, home to the greatest collection of FLW homes in the world.
184 locals recommend
Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio
951 Chicago AveLocated in historic Oak Park, home to the greatest collection of FLW homes in the world.
Great people watching on a warm day. Great view of the Chicago skyline.
176 locals recommend
Oak Street Beach
Great people watching on a warm day. Great view of the Chicago skyline.
Beautiful conservatory just steps from the L (Green Line). Easily paired with a trip to Oak Park to tour Frank Lloyd Wright buildings.
258 locals recommend
Garfield Park Conservatory
300 N Central Park AveBeautiful conservatory just steps from the L (Green Line). Easily paired with a trip to Oak Park to tour Frank Lloyd Wright buildings.
Drinks & Nightlife
Great cocktails in a lively, atmospheric part of town.
Randolph St and Fulton Mkt were once Chicago's produce / meat markets, but are now home to trendy bars and restaurants.
59 locals recommend
Maude's Liquor Bar
114 N Green StGreat cocktails in a lively, atmospheric part of town.
Randolph St and Fulton Mkt were once Chicago's produce / meat markets, but are now home to trendy bars and restaurants.
Lost Lake
3154 W Diversey AveTiki bar in a fun, lively part of town.
Awesome basement bar specializing in fancy punch. Located downstairs from Dusek's.
78 locals recommend
Punch House
1227 W 18th StAwesome basement bar specializing in fancy punch. Located downstairs from Dusek's.
Billy Sunday
3143 W Logan BlvdGreat bar for craft cocktails. Particularly great fernet selection.
Small, atmospheric bar catering to a mostly gay clientele. Decent cocktails, rarely crowded. Fun monthly events. Just two blocks from the main gay nightlife district on Halsted.
14 locals recommend
Wang's
3317 N BroadwaySmall, atmospheric bar catering to a mostly gay clientele. Decent cocktails, rarely crowded. Fun monthly events. Just two blocks from the main gay nightlife district on Halsted.
Unpretentious bar catering to a primarily gay male clientele. Located in a cool art deco building, and home to a fantastic art collection.
70 locals recommend
Big Chicks
5024 N Sheridan RdUnpretentious bar catering to a primarily gay male clientele. Located in a cool art deco building, and home to a fantastic art collection.
Soho House Chicago
113-125 N Green StBeautiful building, beautiful people, lively part of town.
Arts & Culture
Vertical Gallery
2006 N Western AveArt gallery specializing in street art.
Galerie F
211 N Milwaukee AveArt gallery specializing in street art and event posters.
Chicago's premier improv comedy troupe, which has launched dozens of comedy career (Dan Akroyd, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, etc., et al). A little touristy, but always entertaining.
433 locals recommend
The Second City
230 W North AveChicago's premier improv comedy troupe, which has launched dozens of comedy career (Dan Akroyd, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, etc., et al). A little touristy, but always entertaining.
Essentials
Best farmer's market in the city. Wednesday and Saturday mornings only.
15 locals recommend
Green City Market - Office Location
3057 W Lawrence AveBest farmer's market in the city. Wednesday and Saturday mornings only.
Trader Joe's
1528 E 55th StConvenient grocery store
Entertainment & Activities
Lincoln Park Zoo
2001 N Clark StSmall, free zoo located just steps from the lakefront.