The Chicago Traveler Articles
Top 10 Coffee Shops Chicago Relies On To Wakeup
Coffee is the equivalent to an adrenaline shot for the eyes and more importantly, mind. Chicago is a hard working community and some days that need for a little extra boost is more than others. After really digging into the coffee shops Chicago has, you will realize...
Chicago Haunted Houses – Are You Prepared?
Halloween is a time that many people look forward to each year. It is a reason to dress up in ridiculous costumes, get together with friends and enjoy themselves. For others, it is a time for family– and obtaining an absurd amount of candy in the traditional form of...
Chicago Living – Suburbs vs. City
Choosing a style of Chicago living can be tricky for some, and a no brainer for others. Living situations can depend greatly on where you are in your life– young professional or settling down– but it does not dictate it 100%. Some people love city living and the...
Top Stops For A Mens Haircut in Chicago
For some men, getting a haircut is put-off as long as possible others look forward to the experience. Fortunately, for a mens haircut, Chicago offers everything from the classic barbershop experience, to a sophisticated lounge experience that will make you want to...
Chicago Fine Dining On A Budget– It Does Exist
There are a lot of secrets in the dining world, but one of the most well-kept secrets are culinary school restaurants. Since Chicago is a big dining town, there are many. If you are looking to have a Chicago fine dining experience on a budget, these places would fit...
Love Is In The Air or Maybe It’s Roses? Chicago Florists Work Magic
Valentines Day is right around the corner. If your loved one goes crazy over red roses but you are tired of the same boring arrangement, there are so many creative and unique ways to present her with these flowers. Create a beautiful arrangement that is a combination...
Mixed Greens Is Reinventing Fast Food in Chicago
While America may have exported the bulk of its manufacturing jobs overseas, more and more restaurants are adopting the assembly line model such as Chipotle. One of the more recent additions is Mixed Greens, fast food restaurant focusing on organic and healthy salads,...
Flagship Chicago – You Don’t Need To Be A Sports Fan
Flagship, to many, may seem like just another typical sports bar. Upon first glance, I wouldn’t argue with you. However, being that sports games were flooding the copious amount of screens throughout the venue and my table didn’t pay attention to any of them one bit–...
Pizzeria Serio’s New Breakfast Pizza Gives You an Excuse to Eat Pizza Three Times a Day
Chicagoans love brunch so much that more and more restaurants decide to get into the brunch game. However, the results can often be kind of surreal when you wind up at the local dive that’s trying their hardest to deliver an extravagant Lobster Eggs Benedict in the...
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Chicago with these Specials
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo in Chicago typically brings thoughts of satisfying tacos and gulping down margaritas, which is a great start. In addition to the traditional celebration dishes that many of us are accustom to, you can also indulge in American cuisine that has...
Top 10 Chicago Arcades
Chicago arcades seemed to have disappeared long ago. However, if you look close enough there are still a handful in existence. They range from the traditional arcade game focus, to more expansive ones that focus on mini golf, laser tag, and bumper cars. Sometimes we...
Parts and Labor is Logan Square’s Hippest Burger Joint
Burgers are one of America’s favorite comfort foods. Many of us have fond memories of going to the local burger joint with our parents and friends and enjoying some greasy goodness. For a lot of Chicago’s Southside residents, that burger joint was Grant’s Wonderburger...
Boiler Room is Logan Square’s Best Dinner Deal
I almost put the claim in the title as ” Boiler Room Chicago’s Best Dinner Deal ” but that would be a hard claim to fully backup. However, even with Chicago being so expansive and the food scene constantly exploding– Boiler Room remains as one of the best bangs for...
FanDuel Sportsbook Promo Code Illinois IL
Top 10 Things To Do At Shedd Aquarium Chicago
Whether you are just visiting the Windy City or you have lived here your whole life, an afternoon spent at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium will be an experience you’ll never forget. Resting on the outskirts of Lake Michigan, the Shedd Aquarium is as close to Sea World as you...
Top 3 Culinary Arts Schools in Chicago
Culinary arts schools are a great way to master the fine arts involved in preparing and cooking great dishes. Chicago has a wide variety of culinary arts schools that can help teach you about the different aspects of professional cooking. Not all of them focus on the...
Top 10 Casinos In and Around Chicago
Gambling is still not permitted in the city of Chicago, but you'd don't have to go to a seedy backroom controlled by the mafia if you're looking to get in on some Vegas action. There are many casinos not far from the city these days; here are a few of our favorites,...
Top 10 Chicago Distilleries
Chicago distilleries are at the forefront of micro-distillation. With establishments ranging from very traditional to modern influenced, each and every distillery has something unique to offer. On top of just enjoying their bottled spirits, the majority of the...
Couples Massages in Chicago – Relax Together
Relationships have many feels attached to them. Perhaps the best feel is the feeling of relaxation– wait, isn’t it suppose to be love? Yeah, the best is love– then relaxation. Setting you and your number one up for couples massages is a way to experience love and...
13 Essential Chicago Apps To Better Your Life
With our lives seamlessly integrating with technology, it comes to no surprise that there are apps tailored to all forms of lifestyles. With Chicago being so diverse, certain apps can give you valuable insight into the city. 312Go 312Go is your no-strings-attached...
Roscoe Village Burger Fest – Where the Burger King is Crowned
The Roscoe Village Burger Fest is just one more reason to love summer in Chicago. Not only does it give you a reason to hangout in this eclectic neighborhood– but you are able to indulge in some of the best burgers in town prepared by some of the best restaurants in...
Top 10 Party Spots At Rush And Division Streets – Chicago
For years, Rush Street and Division Street in Chicago’s swanky Gold Coast neighborhood has been a popular hangout for all sorts of crowds, especially on the weekends. On any given night, you can count on plenty of partying alongside college kids, bachelor and...
Top 6 Things To Do In Chicago During Christmas
If anyone knows how to celebrate the holidays, it's Midwesterners. More specifically, it's Chicagoans. Every year during Chicago's winter wonderland, visitors are drawn like magnets to the city's festive energy. It seems everyone wants to visit Chicago during...
Top 5 Venues for Outdoor Movies Chicago Area
Chicago in the summer is a fantastic place to be, especially to be outdoors. Cooping yourself up in a traditional theater should be reserved for the winter-time blues. If you are looking for a new experience, the outdoor movies Chicago scene will surprise you. It is a...
Lottie’s Pub : aka 81 Years of Crazy History
On May 16, 2015, Bucktown neighborhood bar Lottie’s Pub celebrated an incredible 81 years in business. While the sports dive now seems like an outlier in the gentrified neighborhood, the pub was packed with people enjoying .81 cent burgers and beers and generally...
Best Burger in Chicago – 15 Mouthwatering Choices
Seeking out the best burger in Chicago can be an overwhelming task. You can scrounge through Yelp, ask your neighborhood shop keeper or start with these recommendations and see if you learn of anywhere else on your travels. The neighborhoods of Chicago that have the...
Riot Fest – the Good, the Bad & the Muddy
Riot Fest is perhaps the oddest duck of the major Chicago summer music festivals. It feels something like a combination of Pitchfork, early 90s Lollapalooza, Warped Tour, and the Gathering of the Juggalos– thanks to its diverse, often random, lineup and collection of...
Imperial Lamian Brings Authentic Chinese Food to Chicago – Move Over Ramen
Chicago has been taken over by a fever for Japanese ramen noodles. Within walking distance from my apartment alone, I can think of four places I could go for noodles. Jakarta, Indonesia-based Imperial Lamian, a restaurant group with more than 20 locations, picked...
Top 10 Chicago Riverside Restaurants – Pub to Posh
The most fitting way to enjoy summer is to spend as much time as possible outside. These riverside restaurants make it easy to enjoy a variety of cuisine and a multitude of beverages. Whether you are on your lunch break, scouring for happy hour specials, have a hot...
Forno Rosso Creates Some of the Best Pizzas in Chicago
Forno Rosso owner, Nick Nitti spent a large part of his childhood in Italy where he fell in love with the simplistic pizza in Naples. That led him to attend culinary school in Italy, study Neapolitan pizza in Naples, and open Forno Rosso back near his home in...
Top Ten Tax Procrastination Cities
Are your taxes done? Or have you been scrambling these past few days (or hours) to meet the deadline? If you're among the latter, you're not alone. Intuit, the maker of TurboTax products, put together a list of American cities that are full of procrastinators when it...
What is the deal with Divvy? Chicago Bike Rental Service
Divvy Review, From a Traveler’s Perspective: The streets are crowded and parking is expensive. Owning a vehicle in the heart of downtown Chicago is not always the most convenient thing. Public transportation and taxis are great, but sometimes being outside is...
Get Sophisticatedly Sloshy This St Patrick’s Day
St Patrick’s Day is a very relevant holiday in Chicago– being the deep rooted Irish community that resides in the city. It is seen by many as a time to wear green or fear being hurt, stuff your face with brats and beef and probably end up blacking-out and waking up...
26 Unexpected Foods For Grilling Other Than Burgers
I most certainly would not consider myself to be a master when it comes to grilling– but I do know a thing or two about cooking in the kitchen. This easily translates to cooking on the grill. Essentially everything that you can fry or bake can also be grilled– even...
Adrenaline Guide to Aerial Extreme Sports in Chicago – Skydiving + More
For some, blasting across Lake Michigan on a jetski– or meeting up with those random Tinder matches that seem like there is a 91% chance that it was not them in their photos– does not quite provide the sense of adrenaline that they crave. For some, they must take to...
I Drank Malort, Iodine and Lake Michigan Water Together
I’ve been traveling outside of Chicago quite a bit lately. That is precisely why I felt the need to tap back into the city a little when I returned from my hiatus in December. I’m that guy that orders friends a shot of Malort if they’ve never had it before– heck, I...
Top 5 Chicago Italian Restaurants
Italian food is easily the most popular style for Chicago restaurants. With so many different options, it can be hard to choose. You'll find everything from restaurants with modern, cutting-edge d'cor to small, quiet discoveries that feel straight out of Italy. Here...
Top 8 Steakhouses in Chicago
Known for some of the finest establishments when it comes to dining out, Chicago is one of the best restaurant cities in the world. Some may say Chicago's claim to fame is the deep-dish pizza, but make no mistake, when it comes to steak, the Windy City knows how to...
Best Donuts In Chicago – Top 12
Chicago may be known for its famous deep dish pizza and Chicago style hot dogs – but now it is time for the donut world to receive its praise. From the traditional buttermilk, to maple bacon, and banana Nutella infused creations – your taste buds will dance with every...
Chicago Winter Activities – Skating, Skiing, Touring
The colder months can force a lot of us into hibernation mode. We no longer have outdoor farmers markets and the beaches, but that does not mean that we must remain indoors. Chicago winter activities are some of the most enjoyable ways to spend your time in Chicago'...
The Chicago New Restaurant Rundown of 2014
This is a city of fierce competition. For a Chicago new restaurant to stand out above other new venues, as well as match or surpass well-established names, is a feat of its own. There were many openings last year, but these 15 restaurants have broken through the mold...
Lent Specials – The Seafood & Veggies Run Strong
Growing up– I participated in Lent as a religious experience. Unfortunately, as a kiddo, I wasn’t the biggest fan of fish and any sort of plant was still foreign matter to me. I settled with a lot of cereal and pb&j’s (somewhat similar to my current meal plan). To...
Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya Overcomes its Competitors in the Chicago Ramen Scene
When we last visited Kizuki Ramen at the end of winter, it was their first night of service. Though Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya is a chain spanning from Japan to the Pacific Northwest, they were breaking in a new staff, trying to get the whole menu together, and concerned...
Top 10 Chicago Walking Tours – Get Fit – See The City
Chicago is one of the most famous cities in America. The Windy City is known for its dynamic past, culture, history, and food. Many visitors come away from Chicago with pleasant memories of the popular deep dish Pizza. Another thing that Chicago is known for is its...
Top 10 Wine Bar Chicago List
Chicago has an explosive craft brewery scene and an upcoming distillery scene, but we must not forget to reap the fruit of our labor – wine. The wine bar Chicago scene provides great venues to enjoy intimate conversations and indulge in some exquisite food options...
Easily The Best Performances of Pitchfork 2015
Chicago's Union Park has hosted Pitchfork Media's music festival for 10 years. Other than some stage banners and festival merchandise noting the anniversary, the festival operated just like it was any other year with a finely-curated selection of new buzz bands, hip...
191 North Wacker Fits Right In
The Chicago Lantern Building at 191 North Wacker may not be quite as famous as its next-door neighbor, 333 Wacker Drive, but it holds its own in the downtown neighborhood. This 516-foot tall (157 m) skyscraper with 37 floors borders the Chicago River, and the...
A Manly Night at the spa at dana – Ultimate Relaxation
I’ve never been to a spa before. The closest I’ve been to a spa is the one I walk by nearly every day that has a picture of an older man hitting another man with a tree branch. Fortunately, my experience at the spa at dana was nothing like that unsettling image. As I...
Jackson Avenue Pub in Naperville – Killer Burgers & Malort
Whenever I find myself in Naperville, Jackson Avenue Pub seems to be my go to spot (followed by Quigley’s Irish Pub). The atmosphere is pretty low-key and their food is spot on– especially if you have burgers on your mind. Atmosphere The interior of Jackson Avenue Pub...
Top 10 Boutiques in Chicago
Specialty boutiques in Chicago provide the fashion-trendy city with the latest styles, as well as unique gift selections for any occasion. Super stores can be great-and-all, but boutiques give you a feel for the city around you – they reflect the people and the...
IVme Hydration Clinic Offers Energy & Hangover Cures
Generally my beat around The Chicago Traveler is restaurants and the occasional concert. The evening started off normally enough at Old Town’s Pomp & Circumstance for an open house at the nearby IVme Hydration Clinic– drinking an Old Fashioned and snacking on sliders....
North Avenue Chicago – Restaurant Row
This strip of North Avenue Chicago, between Oak Park Avenue and Thatcher Avenue, is a vibrant strip of fantastic dining. Lined with some of area’s best restaurants– the dining scene in this part of Chicago and the Western Suburbs is diverse as well as delicious....
Chicago Cigar Bars Have Not Been Extinguished
Over the last almost-decade, it has become increasingly more difficult to enjoy a cigar in the city of Chicago. With bans in bars, hotels, restaurants and virtually any other business that you could think of– cigar smokers were left to long walks on the beach and...
Patios are Starting to Open Up in Chicago
This is a sign– a sign of everything great to come the next handful of months. Sitting outside on a patio just makes food taste better and beer more refreshing. While a few locations are still a few weeks out from opening, others have embraced the weather and opened...
15 Ooey Gooey Grilled Cheese Must Haves in Chicago
Grilled Cheese has come a long way since I was flipping them in a pan, or even worse, a microwave in my younger years. The big question may be, is grilled cheese really grilled cheese once you add vegetables and meat to it? The answer to that is yes, yes it is. The...
15 Ways to Enjoy Chicago Beer & Coffee Simultaneously
When you combine the Chicago Beer scene with the equally phenomenal Coffee scene– great things happen to your mouth. Some coffee infused beers are served year ’round, such as Aquanaut Brewing, but most tend to be seasonal and available in the colder months of the...
Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya Brings Authentic Japanese Cuisine to Wicker Park
A few years ago, most Chicagoans probably thought of ramen as the cheap microwave noodles they ate in college, but now the city is obsessed with the Japanese noodle-soup dish. The latest contender for best ramen bowl in the city is Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya in Wicker...
Top 21 Monday Specials Chicago Can Look Forward To
Mondays seem to be one of the most hated things that have ever existed. Rather than despised, they should be celebrated. Set the mood for the rest of the work week by going out and enjoying these Monday specials Chicago provides to its good patrons. From here on out...
Top 10 Buffets In Chicago – All You Can Eat
Sometimes being unrestricted is much needed. The buffets in Chicago aim to lift limitations and let you choose your own boundaries. Buffets do not always have to be traditional style, as you will see, some of the buffets in Chicago are quite exquisite with their...
Best Family Friendly Restaurants in Chicago
Chicago may be known for its very high-end dining experiences– but that isn’t necessarily the best situation for everyone. In fact, some ritzy locations don’t even allow babies and/or children. Fortunately, for the ones that want to skip the babysitter and treat the...
Porkchop offers Casual & Hearty Barbecue in Chicago
Earlier this summer, the Chicago Traveler visited CHOP just before it opened to serve shoppers and residents of the Roosevelt Collection. This time around we visited CHOP owner Jovanis Bouargoub’s original restaurant concept: Porkchop. Porkchop serves a variety of...
Top 10 Things To See At The Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago is a world-class art museum with some of the finest collections in the country. No matter what your tastes are ' or even if you don’t know a lick about art ' make sure to visit this amazing museum in the heart of downtown Chicago right...
Top 10 Things To See At The Field Museum of Natural History
Get off the couch, gather up the family, and go explore the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. One of the many exciting institutions that makes up the city’s museum campus, the Field Museum offers great attractions for families and school groups. Here are...
Top 10 Chicago Food Tours – Foodies’ Heaven
Chicago is a city known for its culinary diversity, but trying to experience it all can be overwhelming and expensive. Food tours offer a great way to experience the city, and there are a lot of them available throughout our great city. Guided tours will take you...
Municipal Bar + Dining Co. – River North’s Affordable Sports Bar
Open since 2012, Municipal Bar + Dining Co is a sports bar and restaurant located in Chicago’s River North, not far from Merchandise Mart. While the area already has its share of sports bars, Municipal is a bit more upscale than its rivals, quite spacious, and does...
The Best Chicago Bed and Breakfast? – Top 5
Whether you spend time traveling, or are just looking for a little weekend escape from your abode – a Chicago bed and breakfast stay will trump a hotel every time. Great locations, reasonable prices, unmatched hospitality, and some of the best home-cooked breakfasts...
Chicago Photography Guide – Galleries / Shops / Classes
In this large city, there are plenty of opportunities for Chicago photography. You may be an enthusiast, professional, or maybe you just really enjoy looking at photographs. Keep in mind, there are a handful of great options for galleries, shops, and schools – but the...
StarChefs Highlights the Rising Stars of the Chicago Restaurant Scene
Each year StarChefs, an online and paper magazine, visits four cities in the United States in order to recognize the hottest chefs and restaurateurs. Back for the first time since 2011, StarChefs held a Rising Stars awards ceremony and tasting on May 8, 2015 at the...
Chicago 4th of July Weekend Events and Specials
Holidays in the city are nothing short of pure entertainment' that of course includes a Chicago 4th of July weekend! Celebrate this grand country’s independence at any (or all) of these locations around Chicago. Whether you are looking to eat and drink inside or...
Top 10 Chicago Cubs Players Of All Time
For this post I decided I would go over the careers of those who have graced home plate at 1060 West Addison, as my exhaustive research and by that I mean my ability to keep track of a hundred open Google tabs has concluded. The criteria for making this list are...
Velvet Taco is a Welcome Addition to the Gold Coast
Does a Texas-based taco concept have anything to offer Chicago? While Chicago may already have an insane number of incredible taquerias, Velvet Taco in the Gold Coast manages to offer something different with tacos influenced by world cuisine. Whether you’re a fan of...
Twisted Spoke Celebrates 20 Wild Years of Bikes, Beers, Burgers and Brunch
With its rusted metal exterior and a revolving skeleton motorcycle rider atop a 'garden' of motorcycle parts, Twisted Spoke may seem a little intimidating upon first glance. While biker-themed, the bar attracts a wide range of customers to its easily accessible 500 N....
Tapas Tour
There are numerous tapas restaurants throughout the city. How can one decide which one to pick? Well, who says we have to pick just one? Whether you prefer old-world or a modern twist, there’s something out there for you. sangriaHaro is a hot spot in the Little Italy...
Bike Chicago – Your 2-Wheel Guide
Are you the type of person that likes to enjoy life on just two-wheels? Chicago is becoming a model city as far as being bicycle friendly. This guide covers all of the essential to pedaling around the city and surrounding areas. We also provide you will other great...
O’Hare Restaurants – Top 10 Places To Eat At The Airport
Airports can sometimes feel more like a prison than a gateway to the world. Time spent between flights should be well used rather than abused. This list compiles some of the best O’Hare restaurants to spend your time, indulge in some food, and refresh with a drink....
10 Unique Bars Near O Hare Airport
Many times when travelers are visiting Chicago and staying in hotels near O Hare Airport or the Rosemont Commercial District, they wind up visiting bars either at the airport, in their hotels or the commercial district very close by. They never venture out to...
Top 15 Chicken and Waffles in Chicago
Good ole’ Southern cooking has blessed our palates with many unique and favorite dishes? but one of the very most cherished dishes is the simple Chicken and Waffles combination. There is just something about the soft, yet crunchy experience of a waffle matched up with...
The Essentials To Grilling In Chicago – Be A Grill Master
Grilling is one of the most enjoyable pastimes in Chicago while the weather is nice. Good friends, good eats and beer (when permissible) makes for a solid day– especially with all of the summer holidays. There is a thing or two to know before you whip out your grill...
Cocktail Bars Chicago Sips In – Master Mixologists
Wine is good, beer is even better, but sometimes nothing quite does it like a quality crafted cocktail. Fortunately, there are plenty of fantastic cocktail bars Chicago can choose from. Chicago is equipped with venues of ultimate sophistication and class, to dive bars...
10 Best Jefferson Park Restaurants – Poland to Mexico with a Hint of Irish
Chicago’s northwest side is rich in heritage and loaded with flavor. Many Jefferson Park restaurants embrace the Polish side of the community, but you can find quality cuisine from all nationalities in the area. With a true neighborhood feel, many of these restaurants...
West Town Bakery & Diner is a Fresh Addition to the Neighborhood
Part of the Fifty/50 Group— and located right next door to sibling restaurants Roots and Homestead— West Town Bakery & Diner looks like your favorite college town hangout. Walk in and you’ll notice the eye-popping street art and graffiti, colorful seats and stools,...
15 Simple Ways To Reinvent Your Apartment
We all like to be able to come home after a long day and sink into a place that truly feels like our own. We want it to reflect our style and instantly make us feel at ease. In Chicago, you have to be creative to reinvent your apartment. Small spaces are just one of...
Top Chicago Breweries & Their Most Popular Beer
Chicago breweries produce some of the best and most unique beer in the land. Beer is a nectar that has the power to not only tantalize tastebuds, but also to bring people together. These breweries produce some of the most popular in Chicago. While not all of them are...
Complete List of Farm to Table Chicago Restaurants
*This list appears to be a constant work in progress, which is actually perfect! We have been contacted a couple times to have places added to this list. It is great to see that people are passionate about these types of restaurants and will take the time to make sure...
11 Best Chicago Disc Golf Courses – In the City & Beyond
Disc Golf remains somewhat of a niche sport. It has definitely grown in popularity over the years and professional series do exist, but there is still a good amount of people who have never played it or don’t know much about it. Fortunately, for the people that do...
Unique Gifts For The Beer & Whiskey Lovers
Alcohol evokes passion in many people' everyone has their preference, but it all has the same principal behind it. One of the neat things about beer and whiskey, is that people like to have a lot of fun with it. They have fun while they are drinking it, and they try...
On The Border Naperville – Taco Tuesday Satisfaction
I found myself in Naperville on perhaps the most sacred day of the week– Taco Tuesday. With no lunch plans, my own two feet for transportation, a craving for tacos and wide eyes– I spotted the On The Border Naperville location just down the road. This Tex-Mex...
10 Chicago New Years Bashes For $25 or less!
Taking a step into the New Year does not mean that you need to spend your annual salary to celebrate. Chicago New Years bashes are found on every corner at every price range. However, entertainment can be had for very little commitment from you. You can even snag a...