Suggestions for exploring Chicago's neighborhoods?
September 27, 2011 3:39 PM Subscribe
We are moving to Chicago (Hyde Park). We've heard Chicago is a "city of neighborhoods" and we plan to explore a new part of the city each weekend. Suggestions?
Thoughts on restaurants, bookstores, museums, sights, etc. we won't find in anywhere else? We have a car but we like walking and public transit.
Thoughts on restaurants, bookstores, museums, sights, etc. we won't find in anywhere else? We have a car but we like walking and public transit.
As a former student of the UofC and current resident in Hyde Park I can say one of the best things for the neighborhood was that little guide they hand out to all incoming freshmen. I don't know if you can get your hands on it but it at least provided me with a framework to explore the neighborhood.
Eat sandwiches at both Z&H and the Medici bakery so you too can have an opinion on the divisive issue that at least splits my group of friends.
Drink at both the Pub (if you can/affiliated with the University) and Jimmy's for a similar reason to above. Its a split that I don't think will ever be reconciled but everyone seems to have their preference which is of course 'objectively right'.
One of the little gems that I didn't find out about recently is this little grocery store on 55th st. It's between Cornell and Hyde Park boulevard. It's open late AND they have some great produce/specialty items. I love their tonic which I've never had elsewhere and really makes a mean GnT.
A little gem that I don't think gets enough press there is the Chinese Garden in Jackson Park, just south of the Museum of Science and Industry (also a cool place). It's a bit off the beaten path, but really beautiful, I think even in the Winter.
Don't be afraid to go South of the Midway. It's not super scary as you might think plus you'd miss Robust coffee shop which has great soups and Backstory which is a neat little cafe by the metra tracks.
posted by Carillon at 3:59 PM on September 27, 2011
Eat sandwiches at both Z&H and the Medici bakery so you too can have an opinion on the divisive issue that at least splits my group of friends.
Drink at both the Pub (if you can/affiliated with the University) and Jimmy's for a similar reason to above. Its a split that I don't think will ever be reconciled but everyone seems to have their preference which is of course 'objectively right'.
One of the little gems that I didn't find out about recently is this little grocery store on 55th st. It's between Cornell and Hyde Park boulevard. It's open late AND they have some great produce/specialty items. I love their tonic which I've never had elsewhere and really makes a mean GnT.
A little gem that I don't think gets enough press there is the Chinese Garden in Jackson Park, just south of the Museum of Science and Industry (also a cool place). It's a bit off the beaten path, but really beautiful, I think even in the Winter.
Don't be afraid to go South of the Midway. It's not super scary as you might think plus you'd miss Robust coffee shop which has great soups and Backstory which is a neat little cafe by the metra tracks.
posted by Carillon at 3:59 PM on September 27, 2011
Rogers Park! It extends from the Loyola red line stop all the way north to the end of the line at Howard, so it's huge. But it has awesome walkability and is good for exploring. It also runs right along the lake, so you can detour east to the parks/beaches if you get tired of the residential areas.
Cool stuff: Glenwood Arts district right off the Morse stop, which has a couple small theaters, the Mayne Stage music venue and the Heartland Cafe. If you head west from there to Clark street you'll find some good Mexican restaurants.
Also, there's a cozy corner off Jarvis (one stop north), with a cute cafe, a wine shop, an Irish pub, and a pretty decent Italian Restaurant.
posted by swingbraid at 4:17 PM on September 27, 2011
Cool stuff: Glenwood Arts district right off the Morse stop, which has a couple small theaters, the Mayne Stage music venue and the Heartland Cafe. If you head west from there to Clark street you'll find some good Mexican restaurants.
Also, there's a cozy corner off Jarvis (one stop north), with a cute cafe, a wine shop, an Irish pub, and a pretty decent Italian Restaurant.
posted by swingbraid at 4:17 PM on September 27, 2011
Join the Chicago Architecture Foundation. In addition to their more downtown specific tours of Skyscrapers and Historic Architecture, they have a series of neighborhood tours (according to their website they have a total of 58 different neighborhood walking tours. They are generally good but depend upon the expertise/experience of the guide, so it can vary. I don't live there, but one of my closest friends has for several years. She is a member and takes them frequently. It's a good, if somewhat structured way of getting to know the city.
posted by kaybdc at 4:24 PM on September 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by kaybdc at 4:24 PM on September 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
ALbany Park... the Jackson Heights of Chicago. So many ethnic enclaves and restaurants: Middle Eastern, Balkan, Mexican, Korean, Vietnamese Subs, Peruvian chicken, Korean-Chinese, Thai and some pretty housing stock.
posted by sandmanwv at 4:29 PM on September 27, 2011
posted by sandmanwv at 4:29 PM on September 27, 2011
There are a lot of cool south and west side neighborhoods, but public transit into and out of Hyde Park are really difficult. It's one of the more frustrating aspects of that neighborhood.
Definitely check out the Conservatory in Garfield Park.
Definitely spend some time in Little Village (around 26th street west of California). It's about the liveliest neighborhood in the city.
Get dim sum in Chinatown. Or, hit up Lawrence Fish in the Chinatown/Pilsen area. In Pilsen, El Milagro has very good tacos.
Home Run Pizza is all over the south side, I think there's one on Archer around 60th.
Pullman neighborhood is historically interesting, because it was a company town. I think there are housing tours.
Beverly neighborhood is very pretty, and it has Top Notch Burgers which is reputed by some to be the best burger in the city. It's really quite good.
Bronzeville neighborhood is lovely.
Someone was recently telling me that around Englewood, there's a massive party at a park like more or less every weekend. Probably Ogden Park, but I'm not sure, you might ask around. Englewood is a bit of a rough neighborhood, but you should be able to walk around and have no problem.
You might look into the Frank Lloyd Wright tours around Hyde Park and Oak Park.
On the north side, there are tons of places.
Gigio's Pizza in Uptown is excellent, excellent pizza. Don't let the run-down junky vibe scare you off.
Bari, on May and Grand, is very good Italian food deli and bakery. Sort of beyond words.
Carol's Pub in Uptown is a great country bar, with fights and a great, great, really great live band named Diamondback on weekends. They have instituted a cover on weekends, which has made the place a bit less lively, but it's still cool.
Christina's, in Albany Park, is a cool very late night bar.
Noon o Kabob in Albany Park, on Kedzie, is very good.
Korean BBQ options in Albany Park are excellent.
Metropolis Coffee in Edgewater is a favorite place of mine. Some of my favorite little restaurants in that neighborhood have closed in the last several years, but there are other good places still there, if you walk around.
Personally, I'm less partial to the Blue Line neighborhoods on the near north side, especially the Wicker Park/Bucktown area. Logan Square is still really nice to walk around and explore. Humboldt Park is changing so rapidly I have no idea what to say about it anymore.
Ditto on Rogers Park.
Really there are few neighborhoods where you can go wrong. I would not make it a special destination to visit Lakewood, Lincoln Park, and Roscoe Village, because while there are worthwhile things there, you will eventually end up in those neighborhoods no matter what.
posted by kensington314 at 4:36 PM on September 27, 2011 [2 favorites]
Definitely check out the Conservatory in Garfield Park.
Definitely spend some time in Little Village (around 26th street west of California). It's about the liveliest neighborhood in the city.
Get dim sum in Chinatown. Or, hit up Lawrence Fish in the Chinatown/Pilsen area. In Pilsen, El Milagro has very good tacos.
Home Run Pizza is all over the south side, I think there's one on Archer around 60th.
Pullman neighborhood is historically interesting, because it was a company town. I think there are housing tours.
Beverly neighborhood is very pretty, and it has Top Notch Burgers which is reputed by some to be the best burger in the city. It's really quite good.
Bronzeville neighborhood is lovely.
Someone was recently telling me that around Englewood, there's a massive party at a park like more or less every weekend. Probably Ogden Park, but I'm not sure, you might ask around. Englewood is a bit of a rough neighborhood, but you should be able to walk around and have no problem.
You might look into the Frank Lloyd Wright tours around Hyde Park and Oak Park.
On the north side, there are tons of places.
Gigio's Pizza in Uptown is excellent, excellent pizza. Don't let the run-down junky vibe scare you off.
Bari, on May and Grand, is very good Italian food deli and bakery. Sort of beyond words.
Carol's Pub in Uptown is a great country bar, with fights and a great, great, really great live band named Diamondback on weekends. They have instituted a cover on weekends, which has made the place a bit less lively, but it's still cool.
Christina's, in Albany Park, is a cool very late night bar.
Noon o Kabob in Albany Park, on Kedzie, is very good.
Korean BBQ options in Albany Park are excellent.
Metropolis Coffee in Edgewater is a favorite place of mine. Some of my favorite little restaurants in that neighborhood have closed in the last several years, but there are other good places still there, if you walk around.
Personally, I'm less partial to the Blue Line neighborhoods on the near north side, especially the Wicker Park/Bucktown area. Logan Square is still really nice to walk around and explore. Humboldt Park is changing so rapidly I have no idea what to say about it anymore.
Ditto on Rogers Park.
Really there are few neighborhoods where you can go wrong. I would not make it a special destination to visit Lakewood, Lincoln Park, and Roscoe Village, because while there are worthwhile things there, you will eventually end up in those neighborhoods no matter what.
posted by kensington314 at 4:36 PM on September 27, 2011 [2 favorites]
Ah! Chicago is fabulous. A very random, most certainly over-generalized list of some of my favorite neighborhoods in the city (no neighborhood can be adequately summarized up in just a couple of lines, of course, but this is just a starting point, and I apologize to fellow Chicagoans if anything is wrong):
Wicker Park/Bucktown [round the Damen blue line] is my hood! Two of my favorite city bars, very different, are in this area: the Violet Hour is an upscale speakeasy with great cocktails, quiet atmosphere, great place to catch up with friends/have a nice night out. The Map Room, in this area, has one of the largest selections of beers from all over the world.
There is also lots of boutique-y shopping on Damen Ave between North and Armitage, and slightly (but only slightly) less upscale boutique-y shopping on Milwaukee Ave between North and Division.
Devon Ave roughly between Western and Kedzie: Superb Indian food, groceries and shopping; samosas and saris galore! I'd recommend driving here, as the trek up from Hyde Park will be rather time-consuming (it's near the northern border of the city, and you'd have to bus to/from the Red Line on both ends).
Andersonville A somewhat quieter neighborhood, its main drag of Clark St between roughly Lawrence and Peterson is lined with a ton of cute shops and restaurants. Another favorite, Hopleaf, is a gastropub that also has a heavy selection of good beers as well as my favorite moules frites in the city. There is also a LGBT-esque bookstore in this area (which is often described as home to a significant number of lesbian households) which is also quite good.
Roscoe Village has a main drag on Roscoe St with the center roughly around Roscoe and Damen. Also very cute with lots of street-front retail: you could spend a satisfying couple of hours wandering east and west on the tree-lined streets. Lincoln Square, further north and slightly west, at Western/Lawrence/Lincoln around the Lincoln Brown Line stop, has a similar vibe to me and a great used bookstore whose name escapes me for the moment. I'd say the stretch of Lincoln between Lawrence and Leland is perhaps the most European-esque and prettiest stretch of street in the city.
Little Village has a main commercial drag of 26th St, which I believe only ranks after the Magnificent Mile (the high-end shopping district along N Michigan Ave on the Near North Side) in commercial revenue. Almost completely Mexican/Mexican-American, but a very vibrant commercial street with some of the best Mexican food in America. I alternatively hear that it is extremely safe but also seems to attract sporadic gang violence (but, of course, remember that this is a big city and crime is apt to happen anywhere.)
Boystown, which is a subset of East Lakeview, is the city's preeminent LGBT -- well, really gay male neighborhood. Halsted St between Addison and Belmont is the main drag and is full of gay bars and establishments. There are even rainbow-covered pylons on the street. In fact, one of my favorite experiences is taking visitors from Boystown a little bit east to Wrigleyville, which is your very standard fratty, straight, jock-y neighborhood centered around the Wrigley Field ballpark on Clark and Addison. I will leave you to make your own conclusions about the proximity of these two areas...
Logan Square, which is a bit further northwest of where I live, is not as far on the gentrification train of WP/Bucktown. Revolution Brewing on Milwaukee Ave is an excellent brewpub with pretty decent food. Lula's Cafe in the square attracts either reviews that it is one of the best places in the city, or way overpriced and overrated. I've personally only had their brunch, which was very good.
Oh, and my favorite deep-dish place is Art of Pizza, on Ashland and Belmont. I think technically it might be pan- or stuffed pizza instead of deep-dish, but I can never remember the difference anyway, and I think it's worlds better than any of the other famous places. I'd also advise driving here, not because it's in a dangerous area (at all) but because it's a little bit inconvenient to transit lines.
On preview: there are a lot of great suggestions upthread. Chicago is great. Get a warm coat, be prepared to walk and welcome to my home!
posted by andrewesque at 4:41 PM on September 27, 2011 [2 favorites]
Wicker Park/Bucktown [round the Damen blue line] is my hood! Two of my favorite city bars, very different, are in this area: the Violet Hour is an upscale speakeasy with great cocktails, quiet atmosphere, great place to catch up with friends/have a nice night out. The Map Room, in this area, has one of the largest selections of beers from all over the world.
There is also lots of boutique-y shopping on Damen Ave between North and Armitage, and slightly (but only slightly) less upscale boutique-y shopping on Milwaukee Ave between North and Division.
Devon Ave roughly between Western and Kedzie: Superb Indian food, groceries and shopping; samosas and saris galore! I'd recommend driving here, as the trek up from Hyde Park will be rather time-consuming (it's near the northern border of the city, and you'd have to bus to/from the Red Line on both ends).
Andersonville A somewhat quieter neighborhood, its main drag of Clark St between roughly Lawrence and Peterson is lined with a ton of cute shops and restaurants. Another favorite, Hopleaf, is a gastropub that also has a heavy selection of good beers as well as my favorite moules frites in the city. There is also a LGBT-esque bookstore in this area (which is often described as home to a significant number of lesbian households) which is also quite good.
Roscoe Village has a main drag on Roscoe St with the center roughly around Roscoe and Damen. Also very cute with lots of street-front retail: you could spend a satisfying couple of hours wandering east and west on the tree-lined streets. Lincoln Square, further north and slightly west, at Western/Lawrence/Lincoln around the Lincoln Brown Line stop, has a similar vibe to me and a great used bookstore whose name escapes me for the moment. I'd say the stretch of Lincoln between Lawrence and Leland is perhaps the most European-esque and prettiest stretch of street in the city.
Little Village has a main commercial drag of 26th St, which I believe only ranks after the Magnificent Mile (the high-end shopping district along N Michigan Ave on the Near North Side) in commercial revenue. Almost completely Mexican/Mexican-American, but a very vibrant commercial street with some of the best Mexican food in America. I alternatively hear that it is extremely safe but also seems to attract sporadic gang violence (but, of course, remember that this is a big city and crime is apt to happen anywhere.)
Boystown, which is a subset of East Lakeview, is the city's preeminent LGBT -- well, really gay male neighborhood. Halsted St between Addison and Belmont is the main drag and is full of gay bars and establishments. There are even rainbow-covered pylons on the street. In fact, one of my favorite experiences is taking visitors from Boystown a little bit east to Wrigleyville, which is your very standard fratty, straight, jock-y neighborhood centered around the Wrigley Field ballpark on Clark and Addison. I will leave you to make your own conclusions about the proximity of these two areas...
Logan Square, which is a bit further northwest of where I live, is not as far on the gentrification train of WP/Bucktown. Revolution Brewing on Milwaukee Ave is an excellent brewpub with pretty decent food. Lula's Cafe in the square attracts either reviews that it is one of the best places in the city, or way overpriced and overrated. I've personally only had their brunch, which was very good.
Oh, and my favorite deep-dish place is Art of Pizza, on Ashland and Belmont. I think technically it might be pan- or stuffed pizza instead of deep-dish, but I can never remember the difference anyway, and I think it's worlds better than any of the other famous places. I'd also advise driving here, not because it's in a dangerous area (at all) but because it's a little bit inconvenient to transit lines.
On preview: there are a lot of great suggestions upthread. Chicago is great. Get a warm coat, be prepared to walk and welcome to my home!
posted by andrewesque at 4:41 PM on September 27, 2011 [2 favorites]
I'll let other people cover the northside spots and take you a bit south: One thing that always surprises me about Hyde Park is how close we are to Indiana... closer than Roger's Park, and more convenient by train. Or explore scenic Gary or Hammond. Along the way, depending on your tastes, you could entertain yourself in the strangely isolated small-town-within-Chicago's borders, Hegewisch. (it also helps if you like looking at a lot of freight trains). The Indiana Dunes are also quite convenient to escape to, if you are looking for some more natural surroundings.
Just south of us, the 75th street corridor, east and west of MLK, has some nice restaurants (Soul Veg) and the New Apartment lounge, as well as Wings Around the World. I mention this only because I have friends who will give me lifts home to Hyde Park, mainly as an excuse to get within a reasonable range of WAOW and thus glut themselves with wings.
Generally, I find biking to be a very comfortable way to explore down here, except for Englewood... unlike kensington314, that area makes me pretty nervous.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 5:00 PM on September 27, 2011
Just south of us, the 75th street corridor, east and west of MLK, has some nice restaurants (Soul Veg) and the New Apartment lounge, as well as Wings Around the World. I mention this only because I have friends who will give me lifts home to Hyde Park, mainly as an excuse to get within a reasonable range of WAOW and thus glut themselves with wings.
Generally, I find biking to be a very comfortable way to explore down here, except for Englewood... unlike kensington314, that area makes me pretty nervous.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 5:00 PM on September 27, 2011
A lot of people rag on Lakeview/Lincoln Park (because it's not diverse, it's very affluent and lots of ex-frat/soriority type people), but they probably have the most beautiful housing stock, most restaurants, most bars and most people. Please just go there.
posted by sandmanwv at 5:02 PM on September 27, 2011
posted by sandmanwv at 5:02 PM on September 27, 2011
Yes, while it should not be at the top of your list, Lincoln Square is great. As an intro, try a performance at the Old Town School of Music. For dinner, I can recommend either Tank for great sushi or Royal Thai for the bestest, cheapest Thai food around (byob).
posted by Short Attention Sp at 5:09 PM on September 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Short Attention Sp at 5:09 PM on September 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
Short Attention Sp reminds me the main thing you have to remember regardless of the neighborhood you're in: BYOB reigns supreme in Chicago. Not every restaurant, but most neighborhoods give you plenty of BYOB options, with nearby cheap wine. Just sayin'. It's one of the main things I miss about Chicago.
posted by kensington314 at 5:16 PM on September 27, 2011
posted by kensington314 at 5:16 PM on September 27, 2011
When I say "ditto on Rogers Park," I don't mean it's "changing so rapidly I have no idea what to say about it anymore."
I simply meant to echo swingbraid's sentiment that it is a lovely place.
posted by kensington314 at 5:19 PM on September 27, 2011
I simply meant to echo swingbraid's sentiment that it is a lovely place.
posted by kensington314 at 5:19 PM on September 27, 2011
If you're going to Pilsen for tacos as suggested above, definitely check out The National Museum of Mexican Art. It's fabulous, especially if you go while the Dia de los Muertos exhibit is on.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 5:31 PM on September 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 5:31 PM on September 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
All of Chicago is wonderful, but Hyde Park is a particular gem. I grew up there, and I miss it desperately. Don't ignore your home neighborhood!
If you're an outdoors type, Hyde Park is home to one of the most magnificent legs of Chicago's jogging/strolling/biking lakeside path. Go north and it's about a 30 minute bike ride to Grant Park (so nice to sit by Chicago Harbor and work up the energy to turn around and go home). Go south just a bit to the Chicago South Shore Cultural Center and Rainbow beach.
Hyde Park Beach is also really lovely and never as crowded as Oak Street or any of the more northern beaches. At all times of year (except when the lake is frozen) you can usually find a few surfers out there, especially early in the morning.
The Seminary Co-op and its sister store 57th Street Books are among the finest bookstores in the world, let alone Chicago. The SemCoop is moving to new digs soon, so go quickly and check out its current totally idiosyncratic location in the basement of the Chicago Theological Seminary (hence the store's name - it's an entirely secular bookstore), which is a place of legend. (Some people are only semi-jokingly furious that the new location will actually have level floors and natural light.)
Take advantage of HP's proximity to the Metra - the commuter train that runs north to the Loop and south, depending on the line you take, to Indiana or to the far south suburbs (far enough that a smidge of a southern accent comes through — not joking, I used to live down there). The south suburbs of Chicago are a fascinating hybrid of classic suburban sprawl and self-contained small-town identity — before the city grew to eat them alive, many south suburban towns were culturally independent cities. (It's part of why there are so many golf courses down there: back in the day, city residents had "country" homes down there for weekends and holidays.) (**Depending on where you live in Hyde Park, the Metra is also an incredibly efficient way to get downtown. It's about 8 minutes, and the trains run on a regular schedule.)
Pick up a calendar for Doc Films, UChicago's student film society which hosts frequent screenings of fantastic movies.
Dittoing the beauty of the Chinese Garden in Jackson Park, and Jackson Park in general. The Museum of Science and Industry is fun if you have kids, and is probably worth at least one visit even if you don't. It's worth it for the architecture alone.
Sadly, Hyde Park is not really a food destination. Chicago is, to me, the most exciting food city in the world, but very little of that has managed to sneak into the neighborhood, for reasons inexplicable (but probably closely tied to a combination of the economic difficulty of catering to a fluctuating student population, and more than a smidge of southsidephobia on the part of restaurateurs). Dittoing the recommendation for Z&H, and Medici for the atmosphere (the food, alas, is only so-so — think above-average diner — but the squeeze-your-own orange juice during weekend brunch is a lot of fun). Check out the Chicago food blogs: Eater, Grub Street, and the spectacular dining coverage coming out of the team at Time Out Chicago.
posted by firstbest at 6:04 PM on September 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
If you're an outdoors type, Hyde Park is home to one of the most magnificent legs of Chicago's jogging/strolling/biking lakeside path. Go north and it's about a 30 minute bike ride to Grant Park (so nice to sit by Chicago Harbor and work up the energy to turn around and go home). Go south just a bit to the Chicago South Shore Cultural Center and Rainbow beach.
Hyde Park Beach is also really lovely and never as crowded as Oak Street or any of the more northern beaches. At all times of year (except when the lake is frozen) you can usually find a few surfers out there, especially early in the morning.
The Seminary Co-op and its sister store 57th Street Books are among the finest bookstores in the world, let alone Chicago. The SemCoop is moving to new digs soon, so go quickly and check out its current totally idiosyncratic location in the basement of the Chicago Theological Seminary (hence the store's name - it's an entirely secular bookstore), which is a place of legend. (Some people are only semi-jokingly furious that the new location will actually have level floors and natural light.)
Take advantage of HP's proximity to the Metra - the commuter train that runs north to the Loop and south, depending on the line you take, to Indiana or to the far south suburbs (far enough that a smidge of a southern accent comes through — not joking, I used to live down there). The south suburbs of Chicago are a fascinating hybrid of classic suburban sprawl and self-contained small-town identity — before the city grew to eat them alive, many south suburban towns were culturally independent cities. (It's part of why there are so many golf courses down there: back in the day, city residents had "country" homes down there for weekends and holidays.) (**Depending on where you live in Hyde Park, the Metra is also an incredibly efficient way to get downtown. It's about 8 minutes, and the trains run on a regular schedule.)
Pick up a calendar for Doc Films, UChicago's student film society which hosts frequent screenings of fantastic movies.
Dittoing the beauty of the Chinese Garden in Jackson Park, and Jackson Park in general. The Museum of Science and Industry is fun if you have kids, and is probably worth at least one visit even if you don't. It's worth it for the architecture alone.
Sadly, Hyde Park is not really a food destination. Chicago is, to me, the most exciting food city in the world, but very little of that has managed to sneak into the neighborhood, for reasons inexplicable (but probably closely tied to a combination of the economic difficulty of catering to a fluctuating student population, and more than a smidge of southsidephobia on the part of restaurateurs). Dittoing the recommendation for Z&H, and Medici for the atmosphere (the food, alas, is only so-so — think above-average diner — but the squeeze-your-own orange juice during weekend brunch is a lot of fun). Check out the Chicago food blogs: Eater, Grub Street, and the spectacular dining coverage coming out of the team at Time Out Chicago.
posted by firstbest at 6:04 PM on September 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
If I was doing this (and I wish I was), I would center each outing on a restaurant from LTH's list of Great Neighborhood Restaurants. (Also available in Google Maps format.)
posted by Xalf at 6:35 PM on September 27, 2011
posted by Xalf at 6:35 PM on September 27, 2011
I love Lee Diamond's Neighborhood Bike Tours. People know him in the bike community but his affordable and really in-depth architectural tours aren't advertised to tourists. You will see a lot of areas you might not venture into on your own and hear about the history of neighborhoods and cool architectural details you would overlook on your own. BYOB(ike).
posted by Bunglegirl at 6:46 PM on September 27, 2011
posted by Bunglegirl at 6:46 PM on September 27, 2011
It might be fun to get this map and color in each neighborhood as you visit it so you can see your exploration a bit more visually.
posted by BlooPen at 6:52 PM on September 27, 2011
posted by BlooPen at 6:52 PM on September 27, 2011
I'm just going to chime in to add Salonica at the corner of 57th and Blackstone to the list of places in Hyde Park to try. It's a Greek diner with very typical diner food prepared in a completely solid, if unspectacular, way, but you'll never be sorry that you went. Good French Toast, good gyros, great egg lemon soup; a great neighborhood place, in a great neighborhood.
Also, you should obviously go to Jimmy's. Jimmy's is the platonic ideal of a bar, plus they have these delicious little cheeseburgers that are like perfectly formed little grease patties, covered in cheese, and they're super cheap. I miss Hyde Park sometimes, but I miss Jimmy's and Salonica a lot more.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 6:59 PM on September 27, 2011
Also, you should obviously go to Jimmy's. Jimmy's is the platonic ideal of a bar, plus they have these delicious little cheeseburgers that are like perfectly formed little grease patties, covered in cheese, and they're super cheap. I miss Hyde Park sometimes, but I miss Jimmy's and Salonica a lot more.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 6:59 PM on September 27, 2011
Amen to all the suggestions above. You might also try a subscription to Time Out Chicago for ideas of events. The Reader also has current event listings and is free at most bus stops.
posted by slmorri at 8:01 PM on September 27, 2011
posted by slmorri at 8:01 PM on September 27, 2011
The student guide to Chicago / Hyde Park that Carillon mentions is available online here.
kensington314 is partly right about Hyde Park's transit options being terrible - it's a good half hour walk to a direct bus to downtown from some parts of the nieghborhood - but it's as good as anywhere else in the city if you stick within 3-5 blocks of the Lake. Then you'll be close to the Lake (yay!) and also very close to both the Metra (10 minutes to downtown) and the #6 bus (20 minutes to downtown), both of which run from 5am or so to a little after midnight. And a cab from downtown to HP is only about $20, which isn't awful if you're out with other people.
A good resource that might lead to exploration in out-of-the-way neighborhoods (at least if you like movies) is Cine-File, a weekly listing of what's what in the local screening scene.
If you go to a screening at the Music Box, stop by Yesterday, the run-down little collectibles + ephemera shop you'll pass if you're walking there from the Addison Red Line stop and grab a cup of coffee and a piece of cake at Julius Meinl afterwards.
If you go to a screening at the newly-reopened Patio Theater in totally middle-of-nowhere Portage Park (take the Blue Line to Irving Park and then the 80 bus west to get there), be aware that there's a fantastic Polish grocery store right next to it, and also a fantastic lo-fi candy store a little further along on the other side of the street that carries things I've never even heard of, like the "Cherry Mash".
Even the Loop is interesting. Keeping on with the "going to movies" theme, if you go to the Siskel, spend an hour at the amazing amazing Selected Works bookstore before the screening and grab some cheese fries at Beef and Brandy (secretly a diner, in spite of the name) and maybe wander around in Daly Plaza and Millenium Park and Grant Park some beforehand.
posted by bubukaba at 11:01 PM on September 27, 2011
kensington314 is partly right about Hyde Park's transit options being terrible - it's a good half hour walk to a direct bus to downtown from some parts of the nieghborhood - but it's as good as anywhere else in the city if you stick within 3-5 blocks of the Lake. Then you'll be close to the Lake (yay!) and also very close to both the Metra (10 minutes to downtown) and the #6 bus (20 minutes to downtown), both of which run from 5am or so to a little after midnight. And a cab from downtown to HP is only about $20, which isn't awful if you're out with other people.
A good resource that might lead to exploration in out-of-the-way neighborhoods (at least if you like movies) is Cine-File, a weekly listing of what's what in the local screening scene.
If you go to a screening at the Music Box, stop by Yesterday, the run-down little collectibles + ephemera shop you'll pass if you're walking there from the Addison Red Line stop and grab a cup of coffee and a piece of cake at Julius Meinl afterwards.
If you go to a screening at the newly-reopened Patio Theater in totally middle-of-nowhere Portage Park (take the Blue Line to Irving Park and then the 80 bus west to get there), be aware that there's a fantastic Polish grocery store right next to it, and also a fantastic lo-fi candy store a little further along on the other side of the street that carries things I've never even heard of, like the "Cherry Mash".
Even the Loop is interesting. Keeping on with the "going to movies" theme, if you go to the Siskel, spend an hour at the amazing amazing Selected Works bookstore before the screening and grab some cheese fries at Beef and Brandy (secretly a diner, in spite of the name) and maybe wander around in Daly Plaza and Millenium Park and Grant Park some beforehand.
posted by bubukaba at 11:01 PM on September 27, 2011
there are lots of excellent suggestions in this thread but in terms of more general resources, I would recommend the Not For Tourists guide to Chicago and the Chicago City Walks box. My sister gave me both as a present when I moved to Chicago and I found them to be invaluable (the NFT guide especially) when looking for an apartment, navigating (it really helps to see how the neighborhoods are oriented relative to each other), and exploring new neighborhoods. Enjoy your move! Chicago is one of the greatest cities in the world. I really miss living there.
posted by dropkick queen at 3:03 AM on September 28, 2011
posted by dropkick queen at 3:03 AM on September 28, 2011
The city's tourism site actually has a really good neighborhood guide, particularly useful for lesser-known neighborhoods.
posted by me3dia at 8:59 AM on September 28, 2011
posted by me3dia at 8:59 AM on September 28, 2011
If you have a car, getting around is more convenient, and street parking in Hyde Park isn't that difficult. If you don't, make friends with the #6 bus; taking the train from HP is a pain in the butt, but the #6 is classy and reliable. Also get a bike! Chicago is super flat, so it's not that difficult to bike downtown from HP or to cool south-ish neighborhoods like Pilsen & Chinatown. (Looks like no one has mentioned Pilsen yet? It's a cool Mexican neighborhood with lots of good food and a little closer to HP than a lot of the cool north side places.)
East Hyde Park is cooler than West Hyde Park; the closer to the lake you can live, the better. The aforementioned grocery store on 55th is Open Produce, and it is FABULOUS (disclaimer: my friend owns it). Nearby you will also find pretty-good neighborhood dive bar The Cove (not as classic as Jimmy's, but still cool), and excellent neighborhood Thai place The Snail (there's a glut of Thai places on 55th but the Snail is definitely the best).
Also, do not miss going to the Point whenever it is nice out. And sometimes when it's not! I miss you, Lake Michigan!
posted by anotherthink at 10:16 AM on September 28, 2011
East Hyde Park is cooler than West Hyde Park; the closer to the lake you can live, the better. The aforementioned grocery store on 55th is Open Produce, and it is FABULOUS (disclaimer: my friend owns it). Nearby you will also find pretty-good neighborhood dive bar The Cove (not as classic as Jimmy's, but still cool), and excellent neighborhood Thai place The Snail (there's a glut of Thai places on 55th but the Snail is definitely the best).
Also, do not miss going to the Point whenever it is nice out. And sometimes when it's not! I miss you, Lake Michigan!
posted by anotherthink at 10:16 AM on September 28, 2011
Be aware that you can be museum passes with your city library card, and visit them (Shedd tends to be the hardest and MCA one of the easier ones to obtain near me).
posted by ejaned8 at 12:02 PM on September 28, 2011
posted by ejaned8 at 12:02 PM on September 28, 2011
nthing LTHForum, CriticalMass bike tours, and TimeOut Magazine. One of the nicest bike rides is to simply ride along the lake. The view from the top of the John Hancock building is amazing, and will situate you to all the various parts of the city. The view from the top of the Sears Tower on the other hand is very flat and disappointing.
posted by xammerboy at 3:28 PM on September 28, 2011
posted by xammerboy at 3:28 PM on September 28, 2011
Go on some south side adventures out of HP. Two of my favorites have been Old Fashioned Donuts at 113th and Michigan (a fairly troubled neighborhood, but you'll be welcome at the shop), and Uncle John's BBQ at 59th and Calumet (a very nice neighborhood). Seconding the above recommendations of Robust on 63rd St. Lee's Unleaded Blues is another worthy destination south of the Midway. Take a walk through South Shore, which reminds me of a south side Uptown--a couple rough patches, but very much worth exploring. And then there's Bridgeport, which is a blast. Go to the Bridgeport Coffee Co, Han 202, and Nana.
posted by hal incandenza at 4:21 PM on September 28, 2011
posted by hal incandenza at 4:21 PM on September 28, 2011
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posted by perhapses at 3:58 PM on September 27, 2011