I worked downtown for 9 months, and still take every opportunity I get to visit the city. I love downtown, but I want this list to explore every neighborhood (as soon as I get to all of them). These are my Chicago favorites!
Map
Sections
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Restaurants
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Coffee/Tea
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Activities
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Bars/Breweries
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Little Treats
Restaurants
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Great tacos, order at the counter place. One of my faves for lunch when I worked downtown.
Taco Lulú
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Pours Guinness the "right way", they have a special tap to get the right carbonation on it... or something like that. Either way, great Guinness and probably the best fish and chips I've ever had. We sat upstairs during our visit next to the fire pla...
Fado Irish Pub
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My favorite lunch spot, they have options for different bowls/stir fry and very customizable, I love the healthy sesame stir fry and I like to add pineapple. You have to try the sweet potato fritter too
Brightwok Kitchen and Catering
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A Chicago classic, one of the oldest in the city. German food, and it's delightful! Last time I went i had the spatzleknödel, egg noodle dumplings with gouda cheese served over an arugula salad. So good!!
The Berghoff Restaurant
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Love their bowls! Very customizable and vegetarian options!
Aloha Poke Co.
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Came here to celebrate a bridal shower and had the best waiter of all time, the food was amazing the drinks were aplenty and we were spoiled rotten by the staff, they were happy to be sharing in our joy. Had a great time!
Victory Tap | South Loop
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Cute michelin star restaurant close to the University of Chicago campus! Loved the pizza I got, and my boyfriend loved the pancakes! Hotspot for brunch
Nella Pizza e Pasta
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Love their sandwiches!! They also have milkshakes and beer. Family favorite!
Voted Chicago's Best Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich – Lucy's | Chicago
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Love their salad bar! (Digital salad bar,all the options none of the germs) My brother had their nachos and said they were great as well.
R.J. Grunts
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A must-go spot in Logan Square, very popular with the brunch crowd. The baked feta is *chefs kiss*
Lula Cafe
Coffee/Tea
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Small shop, but love the coffee and bagels, and their staff is the best. My go-to coffee place when I worked a couple blocks away
Hero Coffee and Bagel Bar
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Black owned, women owned business! Hosted a bridal shower here and the staff was so amazing and attentive,and the drinks were amazing! They have a ton of space, would be great to hang out and work or study here!
Overflow Coffee
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Tea bar with bubble tea!! Really great space, very colorful!
Eli Tea Bar
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The cutest coffeehouse I've ever been in, love their seating options and selection of books. Great coffee too!
The Understudy Coffee and Books
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Cozy coffee spot by Loyola, love their pies!
Metropolis Coffee
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The coffee is good, but i love the art!
Dark Matter Coffee - The Mothership
Activities
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A great welcome to the city in downtown across from millennium park, the dome is incredible and the building is beautiful inside. Love this place so much, my favorite place to take people. I feel like it's a hidden gem for out of city people?
Chicago Cultural Center
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Not an underground recommendation by any means, but i looove walking to navy pier on a nice day and sitting by the water
Navy Pier
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Such a cool shop in Andersonville, oddities and Knick knack galore, weird art and taxidermy
Woolly Mammoth
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Really cool thrift store in historic building, proceeds go to the Howard Brown Health Center
The Brown Elephant - Andersonville
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Book shop focusing on women's and children's literature!
Women & Children First
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Really nice comic shop with other hobby interests as well
AlleyCat Comics
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Love a cute stationary store!! Really cute selection of stickers and notebooks
Paper & Pencil
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free zoo! make sure you go on a day when they're not closing early (made that mistake, all the exhibits were closed even before the early closing time) but when everything is open this zoo is so fun!
Lincoln Park Zoo
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i honestly think the best activity in Chicago is just to walk and see what you see, every time you'll find something new that becomes a favorite. IDK what i'm trying to say here, just that Chicago is a city best seen by walking (hop on a train, get o...
Welcome to the Chicago Riverwalk
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massive park for kids, its so nice having a place like this downtown. a great place for kids of all ages! different activities for different ages
Maggie Daley Park
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my favorite of the museums, if you go on a free day get there EARLY. honestly, if you go on any day get there early.
Field Museum
Bars/Breweries
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Great handheld foods, but known for their drink selection, tons of different beers,whisky, and cocktails
Little Bad Wolf | Order Online or visit us at 1541 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Chicago ...
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Definitely the place for anyone who wants to try something new, lots of unique flavors. The schnitzel sandwich is insane. Great spot for vegetarians too!
Forbidden Root Restaurant & Brewery
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went here after the DNC (i was a volunteer) with our team and had a great night! the bartenders were very patient with our roudy bunch
The Barn Hockey Bar
Little Treats
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A chain, but this is my brother's favorite place to come for a little treat when he visits the city so I had to include it. I do a cheese dog, usually the cherry dog with just cheese :)
Kong Dog Downtown Chicago
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My fave donut place in the city!!
Beacon Doughnuts
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ok i'll admit i was a little startled when i ordered a pistachio latte and they put actual pistachios in the drink (it was good tho), their gelato is the bomb
Amorino
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my work got bagels and salads from here once for a birthday lunch and i'll be thinking about that bagel for the rest of my life
Goddess and the Baker, 33 S Wabash-Millennium Park
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japanese style fluffy cheesecakes, we got these at work when they first opened and it is just incredible, they also have little tarts that i could eat 20 of in one sitting