getting around
chicago transit authority - train + bus systems map + brochure (w/references to common sites)
community areas | neighborhoods
the loop | west loop | west town | logan square | lower west side | north side | lincoln park | lakeview | lincoln square + uptown | south loop | bridgeport | hyde park
note: these are just the community areas i’ve been most drawn to over the last 5 years living here, everyone will have their own unique experience of chicago :)
the loop | “iconic chicago+sites” + downtown (all cta “loops” through here)
“architecture/site seeing”
- millennium/grant park (concerts and movie nights in summer)
- maggie daley park (has pretty walking paths and ribbon with roller skating and ice skating)
- bp bridge (connects maggie daley + milennium)
- lurie garden (within millenium park)*
- the art institute of chicago (gardens are pretty and nice place to chill)
- chicago cultural center*
- chicago athletic association (cafe in entrance + free lounge if you walk up the stairs + need to cool down or warm up)
- chase tower/exelon plaza (pretty mosaic + tulips there - good place to sit + eat takeout in the loop)
- daley plaza
- federal plaza
- monadnock building
- rookery building*
- marquette building
- sears/willis tower - skydeck experience
cafes/bakeries
- venteux (good for brunch + pretty)
- intelligentsia coffee (urban vibe + has pqb pastries)
- dollop coffee (yummy+convenient)
- fairgrounds coffee (a bit pricey vs. quality)
restaurants
- bien mesabe arepas (quick casual bite)
west loop | fulton market | past industrial meatpacking district now trendy millennial food hub | (green line+pink line)
cafes/bakeries
- sawada coffee* (hip matcha+coffee)
- good ambler (cafe + lovely pastries, desserts + chocolates)
- jeni’s ice cream
restaurants
- sepia
- avec*
- girl + the goat
- green street smoked meats*
- au cheval
- momotaro
- the publican
- high five ramen
- gaijin
- timeout market
west town | ukrainian village, wicker park, humboldt park | vibrant arts scene, boutiques, diverse + authentic food+bakeries, historic + modern architecture w/character (green line+blue line+bus)
cafes/bakeries
- metric coffee*
- aya pastry
- dark matter coffee star lounge
- dayglow*
restaurants
- kasama*
- lao peng you*
- vajra
- kasia’s deli
- tortello
bars
- behind the record shop ( speakeasy with live records/dj )
logan square | quieter but hip neighborhood-chicago’s brooklyn? (blue line)
notes: milwaukee + fullerton hub | park has the prettiest peach color leaves in fall
restaurants
- lula cafe*
- giant*
- akahoshi ramen*
- ramen wasabi
bars
- cara cara club (nextdoor to lula cafe)
- cellar door wine + provisions
lower west side | pilsen + little village + heart of chicago | bohemian+mexican-american neighborhood w/authentic food + artwork scattered around like murals (pink line+orange line)
“architecture/site seeing”
- national museum of mexican art
- lotteria doors
- mural walk
cafes/bakeries
- bueno days coffee
restaurants
- ghin kao eat rice*
- carniceria maribel*
- carnitas uruapan
- S.K.Y.
- haisous vietnamese kitchen
north side | river north + streeterville | “mag mile”, riverwalk, shopping, hotels (red line+bus)
“architecture/site seeing”
- tribune tower* (has artifacts from all over the world embedded in facade!)
- wrigley tower
- mag mile
- museum of contemporary art
- eataly
- navy pier (overrated but fireworks every wed + sat in summer-watch from beach)
- the merchandise mart - “art on the mart”
- the riverwalk*
cafes/bakeries
- starbucks reserve roastery (if u haven't been to one definitely check it out)
- blue bottle coffee-wolf point (beautiful view to the river)
- cafe umbria (has aya pastries)
bars
- untitled supper club* (world’s largest american whiskey collection + live music)
- hubbard street bars
lincoln park | tree lined streets + mansions w/lots of shops + restaurants all near lake michigan (red line+brown line+purple line+bus)
notes: clark st (food lined street against the park), armitage(boutique lined street)
“architecture/site seeing”
- wrightwood 659 gallery (tadao ando adaptive reuse building with rotating museum/art exhibitions)
- lincoln park conservatory (amazing to escape cold + grey winter)
- beaches - montrose beach + bird observatory
cafes/bakeries
- cafe deko
- philz coffee
- colectivo coffee
restaurants
- esme
- del seoul* (casual asian fusion - get the bahn mi!)
- broken english taco pub
- the bageler
lakeview | wrigleyville, southport, little vietnam | southport is a charming walkable stretch of boutiques + east lakeview is lively + diverse | (red line+brown line+purple line)
“architecture/site seeing”
- wrigley field
- music box theatre
cafes/bakeries
- bombastic cafe?
restaurants
- crisp* (casual korean fried chicken)
- cafe tola (quick to-go empanada)
lincoln square/edgewater/uptown | andersonville | small town feelings mixing historic + new, european heritage + lgbt+ pride, vintage boutiques (red line+brown line+purple line)
cafes/bakeries
- lost larson bakery
restaurants
- middle east bakery (lunch spot+market)
- spacca napoli pizza* (flavorful + fresh neapolitan)
favorite shops
- andale market
- five elements home
- hawthorne
bridgeport | residential area w/irish-american roots + a growing arts + culture scene | (green line + orange line)
“architecture/site seeing”
- iit crown hall?
- mckinley park (pretty view of the city on the hill)
- zhou b art center
- bridgeport art center
cafes/bakeries
- bridgeport cafe
- jackalope coffee
- sparrow coffee
restaurants
- kimskis (tied to marias)
bar
- maria’s bar (tied to kimskis)
south loop | chinatown (red line+green line)
“architecture/site seeing”
- museum campus*
- northerly island park (nice + quiet beach)
- ping tom memorial park* (beautiful urban park along the river)
cafes/bakeries
- sweet bean cafe
- daboba
- joyee boba
restaurants
- QXY dumplings*
- hing kee (get the soup dumplings)
hyde park | be careful around here, around u chicago + jackson park is good | (red line)
- jackson park (japanese garden + cherry blossoms in spring)
- frank lloyd wright robie house
- university of chicago
- stony island arts bank (every other sunday even, 2pm - 3pm open gallery, 4pm talk until 7 pm dj house session haven't been yet but seems cool) (run by theaster gates)
other places to note outside of these community areas
- the bahai temple of worship | evanston
- the chicago botanical gardens | evanston
- garfield park conservatory | e. garfield park
- frank lloyd wright’s home + studio | oak park
favorite restaurants (all are yummy)
restaurant recommendations (starting with the best) | cuisine | price range | community area /neighborhood
- lula cafe | american | $$$ | logan square
- sepia | american | $$$$ | west loop
- indienne | indian | $$$$ | river north
- avec | mediterranean | $$$ | west loop
- next | global | $$$$ | fulton market
- giant | american | $$$ | logan square
- lao peng you | chinese | $$ | ukrainian village
- spacca napoli pizzeria | pizza | $$ | ravenswood
- kasama | brunch | $$ | west town
- girl & the goat | american | $$$ | fulton market
- proxi | global | $$$ | west loop
- akahoshi ramen | ramen | $$ | logan square
- ramen wasabi | ramen | $$ | logan square
- ghin kao eat rice | thai | $$ | heart of chicago
- gaijin | japanese | $$ | fulton market
- crisp | korean fusion | $ | lincoln park
- au cheval | american | $$$ | fulton market
- galit | middle eastern | $$$$ | lincoln park
- del seoul | korean fusion | $$ | lincoln park
- momotaro | japanese | $$$ | fulton market
- the publican | american pub | $$$ | fulton market
- boka | contemporary | $$$$ | lincoln park
- high five ramen | ramen | $$ | fulton market
- QXY dumplings | dumplings | $$$ | chinatown
- demera restaurant | ethiopian | $$ | uptown
- carniceria maribel | mexican,tacos | $ | lower west side
- vajra | indian | $$$ | wicker park
- kimski | korean fusion | $$ | bridgeport
- robert’s pizza | pizza | $$$ | streeterville
- carnitas uruapan | mexican,tacos | $ | lower west side
- bienmesabe arepas | venezuelan | $ | loop
- S.K.Y. | asian fusion | $$$ | pilsen
- haisous vietnamese kitchen | vietnamese | $$ | pilsen
- aba | mediterranean | $$$ | fulton market
- beatnik on the river | mediterranean | $$$ | loop
- etta bucktown | italian | $$$ | west town
- hing kee | chinese,dumplings | $$ | chinatown
- tortello | italian | $$ | wicker park
- kasia’s deli | polish deli | $ | west town
- time out market | market | $$ | fulton market
- smoque bbq | barbecue | $$ | old irving park
- broken english taco pub | taqueria | $$ | lincoln park
- la josie | mexican | $$ | fulton market
- cabra | peruvian | $$$ | fulton market
- siena tavern | italian | $$$ | river north
- beatrix | american/brunch | $$ | river north
- maxwell street depot | hot dog fast food | $ | bridgeport
- cafecito | cuban | $$ | streeterville
- pequod’s pizza | pizza | $$ | lincoln park
- bagelers coffeehouse | bagel, cafe | $ | lincoln park
- tortazo | mexican sandwich | $$ | loop
cafes
- metric coffee
- sawada
- bueno days
- intelligentsia
- good ambler
- day glow (overpriced but fun seasonals)
- venteux
- blue bottle coffee
- cafe deko
- dark matter coffee
- dollop coffee
- heritage coffee
- bridgeport coffee
- jackalope coffee