Guidebook for Chicago
Drinks & Nightlife
Underground Wonder Bar
710 North Clark StreetVaried music and good drinks
Food Scene
Excellent regional fine-dining Mexican food by a chef trained under celebrity chef Rick Bayless.
6 locals recommend
Salpicon
1252 North Wells StreetExcellent regional fine-dining Mexican food by a chef trained under celebrity chef Rick Bayless.
Traditional, mostly Irish food in a finer dining room atmosphere than an Irish pub provides.
O'Brien's Restaurant & Bar
1528 North Wells StreetTraditional, mostly Irish food in a finer dining room atmosphere than an Irish pub provides.
Great late-night Vienna-style cafe with range of wine, beer and cocktails, too. Popular for late-night studying or just a snack.
18 locals recommend
3rd Coast Cafe
West Goethe StreetGreat late-night Vienna-style cafe with range of wine, beer and cocktails, too. Popular for late-night studying or just a snack.
Good, authentic Spanish tapas with good bar seating or table service.
32 locals recommend
Café Iberico
737 N LaSalle DrGood, authentic Spanish tapas with good bar seating or table service.
Great Japanese robata (grilled) food. Japanese, but not a sushi place. Great variety of grilled bites let you pick a meal to fit nearly any budget, from a $15 lunch to a $150 special night out.
Sumi Robata Bar
702 N Wells StGreat Japanese robata (grilled) food. Japanese, but not a sushi place. Great variety of grilled bites let you pick a meal to fit nearly any budget, from a $15 lunch to a $150 special night out.
Great Midwest foods, 25 regional beers and ciders on tap and regional food. Great for after-work, weekend brunches or a casual regional dinner.
32 locals recommend
Farmhouse Chicago
228 W Chicago AveGreat Midwest foods, 25 regional beers and ciders on tap and regional food. Great for after-work, weekend brunches or a casual regional dinner.
Seoul Taco
738 N Clark StTasty Korean-Mexican fusion.
Bistro Voltaire
226 West Chicago AvenueFrench Bistro with the classics you'd expect.
My personal favorite fine-dining restaurant within walking distance. Excellent American-Californian menu by a James Beard-winning, 1-Michelin-starred restaurant. Good lounge bar for eating solo, too.
NAHA
500 North Clark StreetMy personal favorite fine-dining restaurant within walking distance. Excellent American-Californian menu by a James Beard-winning, 1-Michelin-starred restaurant. Good lounge bar for eating solo, too.
Beatrix
519 N Clark StNice, casual spot, especially good for weekend brunches.
Rick Bayless' newest restaurant in River North, perfectly-executed, authentic Mexican food. The take-out pozole is awesome, as are their other caldos and tortas (sandwiches) and churros.
40 locals recommend
XOCO
65 N Clark StRick Bayless' newest restaurant in River North, perfectly-executed, authentic Mexican food. The take-out pozole is awesome, as are their other caldos and tortas (sandwiches) and churros.
Romantic Italian place around the corner from me. Complimentary prosecco to start and excellent specials and menu standards.
9 locals recommend
Prosecco
710 N Wells StRomantic Italian place around the corner from me. Complimentary prosecco to start and excellent specials and menu standards.
Consistent, locally popular Chicago fast food joint. Get Chicago hot dogs, Chicago Italian beef, Chicago pizza, pasta, etc. Convenient, touristy, yet still perfectly executed.
270 locals recommend
Portillo's Hot Dogs
100 W Ontario StConsistent, locally popular Chicago fast food joint. Get Chicago hot dogs, Chicago Italian beef, Chicago pizza, pasta, etc. Convenient, touristy, yet still perfectly executed.
Arts & Culture
Lyric Opera of Chicago
20 N Upper Wacker DrChicago best opera house.
Poetry Foundation
61 W Superior StA beautifully designed new building with shelves and shelves of poetry.
While a mere shadow of New York's MoMA, the MCA is a strong museum with contemporary art that rotates and is great for a couple hours on a rainy day.
532 locals recommend
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
220 E Chicago AveWhile a mere shadow of New York's MoMA, the MCA is a strong museum with contemporary art that rotates and is great for a couple hours on a rainy day.
One of Chicago's most unique museum's, a great, if macabre, museum documenting the history of surgical science.
21 locals recommend
International Museum of Surgical Science
1524 N Lake Shore DrOne of Chicago's most unique museum's, a great, if macabre, museum documenting the history of surgical science.
History and art of Polish peoples in Chicago and around the world. Small, but significant for people interested in Polish history and/or art.
11 locals recommend
Polish Museum of America
984 N Milwaukee AveHistory and art of Polish peoples in Chicago and around the world. Small, but significant for people interested in Polish history and/or art.
Great for anyone interested in Ukrainian history or culture, in the center of Chicago's Ukrainian Village neighborhood.
15 locals recommend
Ukrainian National Museum
2249 W Superior StGreat for anyone interested in Ukrainian history or culture, in the center of Chicago's Ukrainian Village neighborhood.
One of the premier art museums in the world, you could spend days here perusing the art of global cultures. Worth the price of admission for any lover of art.
1159 locals recommend
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 S Michigan AveOne of the premier art museums in the world, you could spend days here perusing the art of global cultures. Worth the price of admission for any lover of art.
One of the best natural history museums in the world, great for families or anyone interested in natural history.
657 locals recommend
The Field Museum
1400 S Lake Shore DrOne of the best natural history museums in the world, great for families or anyone interested in natural history.
A nice, albeit small museum dedicated to Mexican and Mexican-American art and culture.
222 locals recommend
National Museum of Mexican Art
1852 W 19th StA nice, albeit small museum dedicated to Mexican and Mexican-American art and culture.
Sightseeing
National Hellenic Museum
333 S Halsted StChicago's Greek cultural museum, right in Greektown.
In Millennium Park, this sculpture known casually as "The Bean" is beautiful and a "don't-miss" item among Chicago sights to see the skyline reflected in its shiny skin.
473 locals recommend
Cloud Gate
201 E Randolph StIn Millennium Park, this sculpture known casually as "The Bean" is beautiful and a "don't-miss" item among Chicago sights to see the skyline reflected in its shiny skin.
Shopping
Chicago's best spice shop, hands down. Smells great just walking by!
25 locals recommend
The Spice House Chicago
1512 N Wells StChicago's best spice shop, hands down. Smells great just walking by!
Anchored by Nordstroms, this is a good mall anchoring the south end of the Magnificent Mile shopping district.
22 locals recommend
The Shops at North Bridge
520 N Michigan AveAnchored by Nordstroms, this is a good mall anchoring the south end of the Magnificent Mile shopping district.
Anchoring the north end of the Magnificent Mile, close to tourist spots, next door to the Hancock Center, has Macy's and American Girl to anchor it.
327 locals recommend
Water Tower Place
835 Michigan AveAnchoring the north end of the Magnificent Mile, close to tourist spots, next door to the Hancock Center, has Macy's and American Girl to anchor it.
Chicago's premier shopping international shopping district.
598 locals recommend
Hot Tix - Mag Mile Location
Chicago's premier shopping international shopping district.
Parks & Nature
Has great views of the Streeterville neighborhood skyline. Adjacent to Navy Pier, it's less busy and a good place for a quite walk away from most of the crowds just meters away.
18 locals recommend
Milton Lee Olive Park
East Ohio StreetHas great views of the Streeterville neighborhood skyline. Adjacent to Navy Pier, it's less busy and a good place for a quite walk away from most of the crowds just meters away.
If you like zoos, this well-curated, free zoo is a classic in Chicago.
1117 locals recommend
Lincoln Park Zoo
2001 N Clark StIf you like zoos, this well-curated, free zoo is a classic in Chicago.
Chicago's most famous park, with "The Bean," aka "Cloud Gate" sculpture reflecting the skyline.
1243 locals recommend
Millennium Park
201 E Randolph StChicago's most famous park, with "The Bean," aka "Cloud Gate" sculpture reflecting the skyline.
Once known as Bughouse Square, and once Chicago's answer to London's Speaker's Corner of Hyde Park, today it's quiet block with a fountain and benches that belie it's history of social change and disruption.
6 locals recommend
Washington Square Park
901 N Clark StOnce known as Bughouse Square, and once Chicago's answer to London's Speaker's Corner of Hyde Park, today it's quiet block with a fountain and benches that belie it's history of social change and disruption.