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The Best Chicago Guide
21
items These are the MUST visit places when going to Chicago. Sure, some are touristy, but most are places even locals go it. Check it out for yourself!
Map
Sections
4
Best Places to Eat
Touristing Around the City
Dog Friendly Chicago
Secondhand or Independent Book Stores
Best Places to Eat
You need to get the Chicago staples: Chicago Hot Dog, Deep Dish Pizza, Italian Beef, and the Chicago Mix.
Portillo’s is a chain restaurant that serves delicious food. But if you HAD to pick one item, go for the Italian Beef. Add hot or sweet peppers (or both!) and if you are eating in the restaurant, get it dipped- you won’t regret it.
They do also have...
Portillo's: Order Unrivaled Chicago Street Food
When in Chicago, you need to try the Chicago style hot dog. That means NO KETCHUP. Trust me, you won’t miss it among the different toppings included in ‘Chicago style.’
Flub A Dub Chub’s is located in a little garden unit a little north of downtown....
Flub A Dub Chub's
This one is a little outside the city, but worth the trip! Hands down, one of the best Chicago style dogs ever.
Please don't ask for ketchup here.
Please don't ask for ketchup here.
Gene and Jude's | Voted Best Hot Dog in the United States
Chicago is known for the deep dish and if you ask a Chicago-an where to go, they'll most likely tell you one of two places: Giordano's or Lou Malnati's. If they say Giordano’s, don’t trust them!
I am a Lou Malnati's girlie through and through becaus...
Lou Malnati's, the Best Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Restaurant
Teddy's is a staple in the summer. They have the best soft serve and the best flavor for ice cream.
Double check that they're open because they do close for the winter.
Double check that they're open because they do close for the winter.
Teddy's Ice Cream
Looking for a great date night restaurant? Trivoli has the perfect ambience for date night and D E L I C I O U S food.
Trivoli Tavern | Chicago
Just like the classic rivalries like Coke vs Pepsi, Lou's vs Giordano's, or Cubs vs White Sox, there lives a rivalry in the pop corn world: Garrett's vs Nuts on Clark.
Garrett's wins for me, every time. Go to any of location and get a bag of the Chicago mix.
Garrett's wins for me, every time. Go to any of location and get a bag of the Chicago mix.
Garrett Popcorn Shops® | The Original Chicago-Style Popcorn
Another deep-dish institution in Chicago.
Pequods Pizza | Chicago's Best Deep Dish Pizza | #1 Ranked
“DAMN that's a good burger,” my fiancé, nonstop.
Butcher & the Burger
I've gone a handful of times and I try something different every time. I have not been disappointed ONCE.
HOT TIP: order some crepes to share with the entire table as a dessert.
HOT TIP: order some crepes to share with the entire table as a dessert.
Honeybear Cafe
Touristing Around the City
If this is your first time visiting, check out these places! Heck, check them out even if you live here!
My favorite museum in the city! It's one of the museums that definitely needs multiple trips to really take everything in.
The Art Institute of Chicago
If you are in town during baseball season, make sure to catch a game at the iconic Wrigley Field! And if you get a Chicago Dog, make sure it's from the stand behind section 217, trust me.
Wrigley Field: Home of the Chicago Cubs
This is a cute museum that focuses on American writers. The exhibits are cool but I adore the events they have, like book fairs or game nights. Check them out!
American Writers Museum
This is such a great place to walk around in the summer. There are many events and concerts, so be sure to check out their calendar of events!
Millennium Park
Dog Friendly Chicago
These are the top places in or near Chicago that welcome your furry best friend.
Love to go to this beach and let my pups run around and have fun.
Montrose Dog Beach - Chicago, IL - Tripadvisor
Instereted in how my pups would act on a boat.
Canine Cruise Chicago - Dog Friendly Boat Lake Michigan
Our favorite pet store in the area! They have incredible treats, like freeze dried duck heads or salmon skin.
Cindy Lou and Balto absolutely go crazy.
Cindy Lou and Balto absolutely go crazy.
Ruff Haus Pets
Secondhand or Independent Book Stores
For more than 35 years, Unabridged Bookstore has been Chicago's premier go-to-bookstore for LGBTQ literature and one of the coolest indie bookstores in the United States.
Unabridged Bookstore | The Best Books. Unabridged.
Call & Response is a Black woman-owned bookstore based in the Hyde Park/Kenwood neighborhood of Chicago that centers writings and experiences of Black people and other people of color.
Call & Response Books
Love this place! I just shelves after shelves of new and gently used books. Love to spend a few hours here and see what catches my eye!
Myopic Bookstore
Employee-owned independent book store!
Pilsen Community Books