Yeah, it gets mobbed for brunch on the weekends, but the black-bean cake and eggs is a winning breakfast any day of the week.
On Sundays, the venerable music venue delivers the best of Chicago's rockin' kids' music scene to little scenesters, with names like Jeanie B and the Jelly Beans and Mr. Singer & The Sharp Cookies.
An eclectic musical appetite, commitment to community building and friendly staff keep this cozy bar in a class of its own. Don't leave without ordering a Wooden Leg.
While cute, this new space is by no means hip. Should you care? Not really—the sandwiches (serviceable), chili (robust) and shakes (heavenly) taste the same no matter where you have them.
Anybody who says it's expensive to eat organic has never been to Stanley's. This market is crazy cheap—typical finds include a pound of organic carrots for a buck.
We’re believers in the French toast slathered in peach butter, or the pesto-laden free-range scrambled eggs in the Satisfaction Promise, which comes with crispy potatoes and crusty bread.
This Andersonville plant mecca is known for its warm, quiet nursery, where you can stroll among the vibrant cyclamens, orchids and begonias, and the fountain filled with colorful koi.
his city-sponsored venue hosts world-music and jazz shows in a beautifully designed bandshell in Millennium Park. The city curates indie gigs in the summer in its killer Downtown Sound series.
Every dish (sliced flat iron steak with kimchi; pork loin paired with candied peanuts) is at home in the renovated space, which transformed the cramped bar into an expansive, light-filled room.
This jazz institution is legendary for three things: it was once a Capone hangout, it’s haunted, and the no-nonsense staff will shush you and the friends who dragged you in during jazz sets.
Not only has iO churned out legendary folk like Mike Meyers and Amy Poehler, but it consistently puts the art of improv first. The shows are cheap and the classes a must for budding improvisers.
We wolf down the manti (Turkish ravioli stuffed with bits of lamb in a creamy yogurt–and–chili oil sauce), whole slabs of juicy, salt-crusted bream and some of the best hummus around.
From the outside, this place looks like a gallery. On the inside, it’s open and loftlike and behind the bar, bartenders skillfully make cocktails like a rosemary Collins.
Superb cakes, cream puffs, rustic sandwiches and insane brownies make this bakery crucial in Chicago’s culinary scene. Evening hours bring opportunity to enjoy Holl’s creations with wine and beer.
The Tur-Dawgen is the juiciest turkey sausage imaginable: The fact that it’s smothered in chewy-crisp duck confit should make it too rich, but every bite is cut with relish and pickled carrots.
One of Chicago’s Always Free Attractions, the museum has a collection of treasures from the Middle East such as a 5,000 year old mummy, a 40-ton Assyrian sculpture & a 17-foot tall statue of King Tut. Read more.
The park stretches along the lakeshore and contains the Lincoln Park Zoo, the Lincoln Park Conservatory and the Lincoln Park Cultural Center.
Burgers are cooked to a nice medium. Opt for aged cheddar, bacon and egg toppings, and be sure to add the rustic, skin-on fries. Try the Lemon Squeeze, a blend of fro-yo, strawberries and lemonade. Read more.
Opening in 1924, it has played host to Army-Navy & Notre Dame-USC football; the Chicago Bears moved here in 1971. The field has been featured in films, including Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers.
If you like art and/or architecture don't miss The Bean in Millenium Park. It is truly fantastic!
The Bungalows By Bus Tour features the Chicago bungalows built between 1910-1940, & the Frank Lloyd Wright Bus Tour shows samples of his unique architecture in the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District
You have to make time for the little things in life. However the deep dish pizza is a big deal. MAJOR!
The wow-worthy mystical water and lights show can be seen after dusk from late Spring through mid-Fall.Powered by ParentsConnect.com Read more.
Chicago: Any park that plays host to a Barack Obama victory speech and a Radiohead show in the same year deserves to be at the top of this list. -IFC Viewer
Don't miss the U-505 Submarine exhibit, the first enemy warship apprehended by the US Navy since 1815. -- Green Guide Editor
If a lounge with a lot of low, comfortable couches, lovely-looking scenesters and a beautiful lighting system that wraps everybody in soft, moving colors sounds like fun, get there early. Read more.
From electro DJs such as Justin Dahl and funkateers like Sadie Woods—plus live jazz in the evenings—the high-end spot is covering all the bases. Read more.
This long, modern room is decked out with sleek, low-lying furniture, and is the perfect spot for bottle service and canoodling with other Euro-minded audiophiles. Read more.
Must-try cocktail: Creole Cocktail. A seldom-seen classic (bourbon, sweet vermouth, Bénédictine, Amer Picon) done exactly right.
Must-try cocktail: Weston. This drink’s components read like a snapshot of its creator’s day off: Four Roses bourbon, strong coffee syrup, and pipe tobacco.
Must-try cocktail: Rum Manhattan. Pillow pretense aside, this is one of the smoothest sippers in town, if not the world.
Must-try cocktail at the lounge: Dead Meadow. Named for the seminal stoner-rock band, this combination of bourbon and rye goes psychedelic with walnut bitters and apple whiskey.
Must-try cocktail: Victorian Pimm's Cup. The best of three Pimm’s Cup variations at this bar, with pink peppercorn tincture and rose water.
Must-try cocktail: Henri Presse. "The classic sidecar subs Pineau des Charentes for cognac—with an unexpected wash of Old Overholt rye."
Must-try cocktail: Carlisle. An abstract tribute to the Manhattan, with a base of applejack and delicate bittersweet vermouth and finished with peach bitters.
Must-try cocktail: Tom Collins. The best Tom in town (and we’ve tried them all), anchored by real Old Tom gin, as it should be.
Must-try cocktail: Cognac. Unfamiliar ingredients (tonka bean, quassia, smoked black pepper) delicately complement the queen of cordials.
Must-try cocktail: Transfinite Induction. A complicated blend of rum, apricot brandy, allspice dram, and bitters; pairs well with heady conversation.
Must-try cocktail: Eve's Answer. Reposado tequila, mezcal mist, raisin syrup, cider, and cinnamon. It makes margaritas jealous.
Must-try cocktail: Hush & Wonder. The classic daiquiri, all dressed up and perfumed with violet liqueur.
Must-try cocktail: Wood-Burning Stove. As cozy as it sounds: New Holland amber rum, Koval ginger liqueur, and almond syrup, sprinkled with nutmeg.
FREE and fabulous -- you'll find everything from gorillas and lions to penguins and polar bears.
According to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium tied for home of the best stadium hot dog in 2008. Read more.
It's the world's largest indoor aquarium with over 8,000 aquatic animals representing over 700 species. The Marine Mammal Presentation features staff interacting with whales & dolphins as they dive.
The museum was incorporated in 1893 as the Columbian Museum of Chicago, but the name was changed in 1905 to Field Museum of Natural History to better reflect its focus on the natural sciences.
Gold Coast Dogs splits the ends of their hot dogs before char-grilling them to crispy perfection, giving a unique blooming flower-petal look to their otherwise classic Chicago style dog. Read more.
The first Ferris wheel made its debut in Chicago at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Today, Navy Pier is home to a 15-story Ferris wheel, modeled after the original one. Read more.
Try the “Bib im Bop,” a play on bibimbap, the Korean casserole of rice, veggies and egg; organic corn arepas topped with organic eggs and avocado; and biscuits and gravy made with Amish sausages. Read more.
The Sunday brunch at Nightwood—featuring fried-chicken-and-waffles and ricotta griddlecakes—is well on its way to cult status. Read more.
