Guidebook for Chicago
Food Scene
Fab brunch spot! Best food in the 'hood for brunch! Cutesy atmosphere, great coffee, and wonderful if you're tired and want to just hop across the street rather than walking too much.
94 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Milk & Honey
1920 W Division StFab brunch spot! Best food in the 'hood for brunch! Cutesy atmosphere, great coffee, and wonderful if you're tired and want to just hop across the street rather than walking too much.
Best coffee shop in area. Great treats, adorable creative cakes in window display, and they'll let you sit here and work for hours on end. Coffee's good, too. Conveniently on the way to the "L" stop.
75 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Alliance Bakery
1736 W Division StBest coffee shop in area. Great treats, adorable creative cakes in window display, and they'll let you sit here and work for hours on end. Coffee's good, too. Conveniently on the way to the "L" stop.
The service here is inconsistent (much better service on weeknights), but the authentic, savory Italian flavors, the wine flights, and the intimate, laid-back atmosphere make it my fave Italian go-to!
31 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Enoteca Roma
2146 W Division StThe service here is inconsistent (much better service on weeknights), but the authentic, savory Italian flavors, the wine flights, and the intimate, laid-back atmosphere make it my fave Italian go-to!
Beautiful employees, absolutely authentic, flavorful Argentian... Order la lengua for your first melt-in-your-mouth vinegar-y! cow-tongue experience. Chill, atmospheric vibe.
63 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Folklore | Argentine Restaurant
2100 W Division StBeautiful employees, absolutely authentic, flavorful Argentian... Order la lengua for your first melt-in-your-mouth vinegar-y! cow-tongue experience. Chill, atmospheric vibe.
Fresh, creative sushi, sushi chefs that seem like they'd make for good drinking buddies, just down the street, open til 11p on weeknights!, adorable waitstaff, great environment.
27 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Seadog Sushi Bar
3344 1500 W Division StFresh, creative sushi, sushi chefs that seem like they'd make for good drinking buddies, just down the street, open til 11p on weeknights!, adorable waitstaff, great environment.
Ignore the exterior, b/c this place has "emulsions" for dipping skewers into that put it up there with fine cuisine! Open late!
Skewerz
1560 N Damen AveIgnore the exterior, b/c this place has "emulsions" for dipping skewers into that put it up there with fine cuisine! Open late!
This Italian restaurant has amazing pastas, soups, appetizers, etc. Its deep history goes back to the '40s... It has an urban 50s aesthetic, excellent cocktails, and a laid-back vibe.
54 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Club Lucky
1824 W Wabansia AveThis Italian restaurant has amazing pastas, soups, appetizers, etc. Its deep history goes back to the '40s... It has an urban 50s aesthetic, excellent cocktails, and a laid-back vibe.
This is the spot for French. Hands down. Relaxed. Friendly. Unpretentious. Delicious.
56 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Le Bouchon
1958 N Damen AveThis is the spot for French. Hands down. Relaxed. Friendly. Unpretentious. Delicious.
Arts & Culture
Legendary music venue, open for 20 years. We rarely pay more than $15 to see live shows in Chicago, b/c the music in our 'hood is so inexpensive and high-quality!
62 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Double Door
Legendary music venue, open for 20 years. We rarely pay more than $15 to see live shows in Chicago, b/c the music in our 'hood is so inexpensive and high-quality!
It's a great music venue. Some really good live bands come through here.
208 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Empty Bottle
1035 N Western AveIt's a great music venue. Some really good live bands come through here.
For a good peek into our stellar theater scene, this small stage has high-quality plays, usually at around $20/ticket, and has a good reputation for putting on good shows.
40 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Chopin Theatre
1543 W Division StFor a good peek into our stellar theater scene, this small stage has high-quality plays, usually at around $20/ticket, and has a good reputation for putting on good shows.
Teeming with art galleries (especially fun every 1st Friday night), this historic building has served as Wicker Park's center for creativity for decades!
18 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Flatiron Arts Building
1579 N Milwaukee AveTeeming with art galleries (especially fun every 1st Friday night), this historic building has served as Wicker Park's center for creativity for decades!
Legendary comedy theater. Many Saturday Night Live actors have come out of Second City. It's impossible to come out of one of their shows without aching abs from all of the laughing.
433 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Second City
230 W North AveLegendary comedy theater. Many Saturday Night Live actors have come out of Second City. It's impossible to come out of one of their shows without aching abs from all of the laughing.
If you go to ONE museum while you're here, this has to be it. They've just added a huge modern wing. Block out a few hours, though, b/c it's gigantic and you'll want to see everything...
36 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
36 S Wabash AveIf you go to ONE museum while you're here, this has to be it. They've just added a huge modern wing. Block out a few hours, though, b/c it's gigantic and you'll want to see everything...
Drinks & Nightlife
Great for dancing to the '80s! (Michael Jackson, Madonna, Lionel Richie, Prince...) Packed on weekends for good reason... and fun late-night spot on weeknights!
24 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Innjoy
2051 W Division StGreat for dancing to the '80s! (Michael Jackson, Madonna, Lionel Richie, Prince...) Packed on weekends for good reason... and fun late-night spot on weeknights!
It's a bar with great cocktails and good food and cool bartenders! Pad your stomach if you're seeing double, then make your way next door to InnJoy to dance off the calories!
23 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
SmallBar Division
2049 W Division StIt's a bar with great cocktails and good food and cool bartenders! Pad your stomach if you're seeing double, then make your way next door to InnJoy to dance off the calories!
On a weeknight, it might just be you, the bartenders, and maaaaaybe another patron... and the lights are bright. This dive bar's jukebox is awesome... and this place is super-fun! (It's busy wknds.)
63 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Happy Village
1059 N Wolcott AveOn a weeknight, it might just be you, the bartenders, and maaaaaybe another patron... and the lights are bright. This dive bar's jukebox is awesome... and this place is super-fun! (It's busy wknds.)
Open since the '30s (yes, the 1930s), it's a meet-market for guys with handlebar mustaches & girls dedicated to 365 bicycling. Amazing people-watching & legendary MUST. Strong, cheap drinks!
81 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Rainbo Club
1150 N Damen AveOpen since the '30s (yes, the 1930s), it's a meet-market for guys with handlebar mustaches & girls dedicated to 365 bicycling. Amazing people-watching & legendary MUST. Strong, cheap drinks!
PB&J Cocktails! Oh, my! Good bartenders, delicious food, black-n-white movies... oh, yes, and the cocktails! And the beer!
36 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Blue Line Lounge & Grill
1548 N Damen AvePB&J Cocktails! Oh, my! Good bartenders, delicious food, black-n-white movies... oh, yes, and the cocktails! And the beer!
Dance the night away! A tiny spot with a dj and a long history, it's the place to go in the 'hood when other spots have closed.
76 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Dannys
Dance the night away! A tiny spot with a dj and a long history, it's the place to go in the 'hood when other spots have closed.
It's standing room only on wknds, but weeknights are very pleasant. Amazing food. Stunning wine. Friendly bartenders.
12 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Bluebird
1749 N Damen AveIt's standing room only on wknds, but weeknights are very pleasant. Amazing food. Stunning wine. Friendly bartenders.
The hipsters have taken it over like a weed... but it does have a niche: really delicious Tex-Mex fine cuisine. Only Tex-Mex liquors, sodas, etc. The bartenders, though, are cranky & it's packed.
53 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Five Star Bar
1424 W Chicago AveThe hipsters have taken it over like a weed... but it does have a niche: really delicious Tex-Mex fine cuisine. Only Tex-Mex liquors, sodas, etc. The bartenders, though, are cranky & it's packed.
Everything Else
Bob Jones has been my piercer for a couple of years now... and Insight Studios is a clean, professional tattoo & piercing salon that also provides tattoo removal. Excellent spot, close to our house.
Insight Studios
1062 North Milwaukee AvenueBob Jones has been my piercer for a couple of years now... and Insight Studios is a clean, professional tattoo & piercing salon that also provides tattoo removal. Excellent spot, close to our house.
The groceries here are more expensive than those at Jewel-Osco, but you're more likely to find upscale brands, hard-to-find foods, and it's just shinier and prettier.
21 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Dominick's
2021 West Chicago AvenueThe groceries here are more expensive than those at Jewel-Osco, but you're more likely to find upscale brands, hard-to-find foods, and it's just shinier and prettier.
This is our local post office... and the people here are actually friendly! Weird.
41 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
United States Postal Service
2339 N California AveThis is our local post office... and the people here are actually friendly! Weird.
Essentials
This is our local grocery store, just about 10 min's walk from the house. It's in a shopping center... and it has a decent amount of cultural supplies b/c of the diverse neighborhood population.
675 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Jewel-Osco
3531 N BroadwayThis is our local grocery store, just about 10 min's walk from the house. It's in a shopping center... and it has a decent amount of cultural supplies b/c of the diverse neighborhood population.