Information on the various neighborhoods of Chicago and things to do and places to go in those neighborhoods!
Wicker Park’s MAK Fuses Traditional Chinese and Modern Healthy Eating
Division Street in Wicker Park is rich in bar food, but if you just want a quick bite on your way home from work your options are pretty limited and pretty greasy. Thankfully, there’s MAK: Modern Asian Kitchen. MAK is a fast casual, counter-service restaurant...
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...
The Best Things About The North Side Of Chicago
There are many reasons why people love visiting Chicago any chance they get. There’s always something to do. If you’ve been downtown hundreds of times, it never gets boring. Even with all the excitement of the city, there are many reasons why you should...
Get Your Hands Dirty With the Seafood Boil at the Mad Boiler
As if Restaurant Row wasn’t already a foodies dream come true, the West Loop’s dining scene continues to grow and expand beyond the confines of Randolph. Head just a little bit south of Randolph to 1045 W. Madison Street and you’ll find the Mad Boiler, a Cajun seafood...
Chicago’s Little Italy Restaurants – Italian on Taylor Street
Taylor Street is well known as the Chicago Little Italy (also University Village); however, over the years it has expanded from only having Italian influence. Fortunately, in the midst of barbecue and Mexican restaurants, some of the best Italian restaurants in...
Chop Steakhouse Stakes Claim in the South Loop’s Roosevelt Collection
Chop Steakhouse is the First Restaurant at the South Loop’s Roosevelt Collection •Chop Steakhouse Opened July 15, 2015• The Roosevelt Collection is a combination of newer high-end apartments in the South Loop, along with a large shopping area. Despite the gorgeous...
Cochon Volant Adds Full Service Sophistication to the Loop
Our recent list of the best Chicago burgers was not without its share of controversy. After its publication, I was told I had to go over immediately to Cochon Volant and try their Le Cheeseburger Royale. Translated as “Flying Pig,” Cochon Volant recently opened in the...
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...
Mondo Meatball May Replace Your Grandma’s Recipe
During a recent trip to New York City, I walked by multiple meatball-focused restaurants and now Mondo Meatball has come to Chicago’s Wicker Park. Are we in the midst of a meatball revolution? These are not just your classic Italian meatballs, either. Mondo...
Stay Cool and Caffeinated This Summer at Caffè Umbria
Whether headed to the office or coming into town for a day of sightseeing, most Chicagoans get by with a cup, or five, of coffee. With temperatures this summer regularly reaching 90 degrees, it’s definitely iced coffee season. However, if you’re in the River North...
Tasting the Spring Menu at Unite Urban Grill
The West Town area over the past couple years has truly become a hip place to hang out thanks to trendy shops and boutiques and great restaurants. The latter includes Unite Urban Grill, a sleek and chill neighborhood steakhouse concept. I was invited to stop on by the...
River North’s Dough Bros Tips the Scales in Favor of NY Style Pizza
The battle between deep dish and NY style pizza will likely rage on till the end of time, but there’s one thing you’ve got to give to New York City: you can grab a quality slice pretty much anywhere. In Chicago, it takes a little more effort to get an easy pizza fix....
New York Delicatessen Resurrects a Neighborhood Classic
Deli and sub sandwich fans are intensely passionate, even to the point where there are fierce rivalries around massive chains like Subway and Jimmy John’s. New York Delicatessen owner Isaac Work was once such a fan, driving regularly from Bridgeport to the...
L’Appetito Chicago – the Deli You’ve been Looking for
As I’m sitting here reminiscing about my last visit to L’Appetito, which a friend of mine highly recommended, I find myself mowing down a sandwich that I just just whipped together in my kitchen. I’ve always had a deep appreciation for a simple, yet satisfying...
Best Asian Restaurants In Chicago’s NW Suburbs
If you live in the city and love Japanese and Korean food, you may consider visiting the northwest suburbs. Many Japanese and Korean companies have made Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates their North American Headquarters. As a result, neighboring suburbs have a large...
SIP’s Late Night Brunch Menu Reinvigorates the Meaning of Eating Late
You’ve been hitting up the bars for a bit and have a solid buzz going. You’re thinking about calling it a night, but ready for one last stop and there’s got to be food. Pulling up Yelp, there’s not a lot options other than super greasy, but you’re looking for...
Marion Street Market Re-Opened in Oak Park with New Dining Options
Marion Street Market, located at 100 South Marion St., has been a culinary staple in the Oak Park community since 2008. The restaurant closed on New Year’s Day and reopened today, March 7, boasting a new social atmosphere with tasting tables, grab-and-go items and...
Tasting the Wines of Rías Baixas at Little Goat
Up a secretive set of stairs at Little Goat, the casual sibling restaurant of Girl & the Goat, lies a gorgeous private dining space featuring a sleek, modern kitchen, a homey and bright dining area, accompanied by a rooftop area with a gorgeous view of the...
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...
5411 Empanadas is Taking Over Chicago, One Pastry at a Time
5411 Empanadas is one of the fastest growing restaurant groups in the city. Named after the international dialing code for Buenos Aires, the group first opened in 2009 with a quality product and making deliveries to local Chicago businesses. That led to an incredibly...
Southport & Irving Transports the Jazz Age to Modern Day Lakeview
Located in Lakeview’s Southport Corridor, Southport & Irving (SIP) is a classy yet relaxed cocktail bar and restaurant taking inspiration from the days of speakeasies and jazz clubs giving it the feeling it’s been around since the days of Capone and Machine Gun...
App for Free Parking in Chicago – Don’t Feed the Meters
If you are among the minority that own a vehicle of your own in Chicago– then you know the struggles of finding parking, even more so when it comes to free parking in Chicago. Valets and meters can add up very, very quickly– especially if you happen to find yourself...
The Fifty/50 Has Been Renovated and Reinvigorated
Chicago has a vibrant food scene with new restaurants and concepts constantly popping up. But how do you continue to stay relevant when your restaurant has been around for nearly a decade? Case in point: the Fifty/50. The sports bar was one of the first of its kind on...
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...
Emporium Arcade Bar Unites Adulthood With Childhood at 3 Locations
Emporium Arcade Bar fuses retro with modern in a harmoniously entertaining way. Some of you may have been born slightly too late to remember the days when arcades were a place that you wanted to go almost as badly as you wanted to go to Disney World (those commercials...
Revival Food Hall Brings Neighborhood Charm to the Office
It’s noon and time for lunch. You’ve really got a craving for Antique Taco, but there’s definitely not enough time to go to Wicker Park and back on your meager lunch break. I guess you’ll have to settle for Taco Bell again… If this is the sad existence you’ve led as a...
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...
Madison Public House – A Logan Square Essential
Madison Public House has been in business for nearly 3 years. Upon opening, they wanted to create an atmosphere that provided an all-in-one experience; they have succeeded. They may possess a bar appearance, but that is not strictly what they are. Rather than going to...
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...
West Town Pup Crawl – They Have Beer For Your Dog Too
That’s right, your dog and you can now go out for drinks together. Every Tuesday, June 16th through October 6th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m, West Town will welcome two and four-legged friends alike. Mahoney’s Pub & Grille, The Matchbox, Aberdeen Tap, and G &...
The Commonwealth Tavern Brings Fine Dining to the Sports Bar
Have you ever wanted to go out and watch the game without having to eat the same old sports bar food? Sports bars are a dime a dozen in Chicago, but the Commonwealth Tavern (2000 Roscoe Street in Roscoe Village) stands out from the pack by merging your favorite bar...
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...
10 Great Chicago Suburbs
When looking for a new place to live, there s no doubt that Chicago with all of its diversity and urban splendor remains among the most sought after living spaces in the U.S. :: however as a city that is surrounded by six counties, there are many gorgeous Chicago...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Logan Square’s Ugo’s Offers New Takes on Italian Favorites
When I lived near the intersection of Armitage and California a few years ago, the food options were fairly limited and imbalanced. You could have a high-end foodie meal at Table, Donkey and Stick or grab a hot dog at the Tastee Freez. All of that has changed...
Wicker Park Goes Southern at Carriage House
Chicago is a lot more than hot dogs and deep dish pizza, proof of which is the city’s growing love for Southern cooking and barbecue. Evidence of this is Carriage House, which serves modern low country Southern food to Wicker Park at 1700 W. Division Street. We...
Top 10 Chicago Northern Suburbs
Top 10 Chicago Northern Suburbs
Oak Park & Forest Park Restaurants – Madison Street
Madison Street, which runs thru Oak Park and Forest Park, is full of boutiques, antiques, restaurants, bars and anything else under the sun. With the holidays coming up, this street is a festive place to do your holiday shopping, and eat some fabulous food. Their...
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...
North Center’s Kick is a Haven for Spicy Food Fans
Kick, which replaced Sola in late 2015, is a gastropub in North Center focusing on spicy food. Though fiery burgers, sandwiches, and other casual pub food with a kick make up the bulk of the menu, the restaurant takes influence from all around the world. People from...
Forest Park Bars – Madison Street Is Flowing With Beer & Wine
Forest Park, Illinois is known well for neighborhood dining, but in the past it was known for its many Irish pubs. In fact, Forest Park has its own St. Patrick’s Day parade which is quite popular. Some of the Irish pubs and as some like to call, the “old-man” bars...
The Tastes of the New Spring Menu at the Stretch
The last time I was at the Stretch, I was in pursuit of their award-winning Cortland Street Burger and walked away with a very happy stomach. I made a return trip to the Wrigleyville sports bar and grille to sample their new spring menu—launching March 12—created by...
Q-Tine is Your New Favorite Logan Square Fast Food
I’ll admit it: I’ve been there before. As a former resident of Logan Square, there would be many weekends where I’d be out with a group of friends, hopping from bar to bar on Milwaukee Avenue, and end up looking for some food. But, the kitchen at Revolution Brewing...
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...
A Classy Burger Dinner at Weber Grill Restaurant in River North
The red Weber Grill has been a staple of American backyards since the 1950s, but you may not be aware that the iconic kettle was born right here in Chicago. In 1952, George Stephen Sr. was a part-owner of the Weber Metal Works in Chicago crafting marine buoys....