Guidebook for Chicago's South Loop & Downtown Areas
Food Scene
Southern seafood boils, cocktails & beer served in nautical surroundings with a backyard look.
It was a new experience. How you select the food from the menu and how it is presented is slightly unconventional but the food is really good. A big factor in this is the good sauces that they use in their food. If you like garlic you will like their food. Each sauce they have tastes a bit garlicky and their whole place smells of garlic. They have a really good bread and powder sugar dessert. It was extremely delicious. I would go there just to buy that, it was great.
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Lowcountry South Loop
1132 S Wabash AveSouthern seafood boils, cocktails & beer served in nautical surroundings with a backyard look.
It was a new experience. How you select the food from the menu and how it is presented is slightly unconventional but the food is really good. A big factor in this is the good sauces that they use in their food. If you like garlic you will like their food. Each sauce they have tastes a bit garlicky and their whole place smells of garlic. They have a really good bread and powder sugar dessert. It was extremely delicious. I would go there just to buy that, it was great.
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Rustic watering hole with a long beer list, souped-up pub grub, lots of TVs & patio seating.
3 weeks ago-
A popular and large sports bar in the growing South Loop. All the requisite elements a large bar, with a spare one, lots of alcoholic choices, TV's and good food. Atmosphere is conducive to everything. Excellent for a long brunch. Kid friendly. Good for large groups.
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The Scout Waterhouse + Kitchen
1301 S Wabash AveRustic watering hole with a long beer list, souped-up pub grub, lots of TVs & patio seating.
3 weeks ago-
A popular and large sports bar in the growing South Loop. All the requisite elements a large bar, with a spare one, lots of alcoholic choices, TV's and good food. Atmosphere is conducive to everything. Excellent for a long brunch. Kid friendly. Good for large groups.
Once a firehouse, this stylish eatery serves traditional American fare & cocktails.
Very nice Restaurant. Beautiful design, Magnificent ceiling. The food was great, cooked to perfection. I had the creme of asparagus soup, to die for. My Prime Rib, juicy (just to large of a portion for me to eat) we added creamed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes. Dessert we had the Earl Grey Creme Grille and Key Lime Pie.
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The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant
1401 South Michigan AvenueOnce a firehouse, this stylish eatery serves traditional American fare & cocktails.
Very nice Restaurant. Beautiful design, Magnificent ceiling. The food was great, cooked to perfection. I had the creme of asparagus soup, to die for. My Prime Rib, juicy (just to large of a portion for me to eat) we added creamed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes. Dessert we had the Earl Grey Creme Grille and Key Lime Pie.
Shopping
Mariano's
2021 W Chicago AveSouth Loop Market
1720 S Michigan AveJewel-Osco
1224 S Wabash AveTarget
1346 E 53rd StRoosevelt Collection Shops
150 W Roosevelt RdPrinters Row Wine Bar and Shop
719 S Dearborn StArts & Culture
Swedish American Museum
5211 N Clark StFestive events like Got Glögg? and Julmarknad
The store stocks more than 30,000 books by and about women, plus children's titles, and it's considered one of the city's best sources for lesbian and gay fiction and nonfiction. It's also an active location for author readings and community events, and it's the endearing For bibliophiles and Portlandia fans .
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Women & Children First
5233 N Clark StThe store stocks more than 30,000 books by and about women, plus children's titles, and it's considered one of the city's best sources for lesbian and gay fiction and nonfiction. It's also an active location for author readings and community events, and it's the endearing For bibliophiles and Portlandia fans .
The Art Institute of Chicago is filled with masterpieces from every era,.
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The Art Institute of Chicago
111 S Michigan AveThe Art Institute of Chicago is filled with masterpieces from every era,.
Hang out with a mummy at the Field Museum
With 350,000 square feet of permanent exhibitions to explore, deciding what to see at the Field Museum can be a daunting task.
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The Field Museum
1400 S Lake Shore DrHang out with a mummy at the Field Museum
With 350,000 square feet of permanent exhibitions to explore, deciding what to see at the Field Museum can be a daunting task.
Sightseeing
Willis Tower Skydeck
Look down on the city from the Willis Tower Skydeck
Millennium Park
201 E Randolph StCheck out concerts and public art at Millennium Park
Parks & Nature
Sure, you could pay for a ticket to a zoo, but more than 1,000 critters are waiting for you to visit them, free of charge, in Lincoln Park. Highlights include the expansive Regenstein Macaque Forest, where snow monkeys swing from branch to branch, and the historic McCormick Bird House, which showcases colorful winged creatures.
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Lincoln Park Zoo
2001 N Clark StSure, you could pay for a ticket to a zoo, but more than 1,000 critters are waiting for you to visit them, free of charge, in Lincoln Park. Highlights include the expansive Regenstein Macaque Forest, where snow monkeys swing from branch to branch, and the historic McCormick Bird House, which showcases colorful winged creatures.
The gorgeous glass structure houses more than 100,000 plants, and admission is always free (though you're welcome to make a donation). Make sure you take a moment to walk around the tropical paradise of the Palm House, the conservatory's largest room, and take a peek inside the Fern Room, which attempts to recreate the vegetation in Illinois millions of years ago.
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Garfield Park Conservatory
300 N Central Park AveThe gorgeous glass structure houses more than 100,000 plants, and admission is always free (though you're welcome to make a donation). Make sure you take a moment to walk around the tropical paradise of the Palm House, the conservatory's largest room, and take a peek inside the Fern Room, which attempts to recreate the vegetation in Illinois millions of years ago.
The closer you get to the Loop, the more crowded Chicago's beaches can become, which is why it sometimes pays to travel a little farther to lay out on the sand. The crowds at Montrose Beach in Uptown are usually a bit more manageable and the amenities are comparable to the city's most popular stretches of sand. There are volleyball courts, kayak rentals, a separate dog beach and great views of the coast.
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Montrose Beach
The closer you get to the Loop, the more crowded Chicago's beaches can become, which is why it sometimes pays to travel a little farther to lay out on the sand. The crowds at Montrose Beach in Uptown are usually a bit more manageable and the amenities are comparable to the city's most popular stretches of sand. There are volleyball courts, kayak rentals, a separate dog beach and great views of the coast.
Proudly referred to as "Chicago's Front Yard," Grant Park totals 312.98 acres and is a public park located in Chicago’s central business district in the Loop Community area. Grant Park’s most notable features include Millennium Park, Maggie Daley Park, Buckingham Fountain, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum Campus.
A city centerpiece much like New York’s Central Park, Grant Park is home to some of Chicago's most iconic landmarks and attractions. The park includes Museum Campus, the site of world-class museums the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium. Grant Park's centerpiece is the Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain, built in 1927 to provide a monumental focal point while protecting the park's breathtaking lakefront views.
Grant Park is also home to baseball diamonds, tennis courts and breathtaking gardens. The park plays host to some the city's largest food and music festivals, including The Taste of Chicago — a large food and music festival held around the Independence Day holiday — and The Grant Park Music Festival. Grant Park is also the site of the start and finish lines for the Chicago Marathon and Lollapalooza, a popular outdoor music festival.
Grant Park has been the site of many large, historic civic events. In 1911, it hosted the major Chicago International Aviation Meet. In 1968, it was the scene of clashes between Chicago Police and demonstrators during the Democratic National Convention. In 1979, Pope John Paul II delivered an outdoor mass to a large crowd in the par,k, and in the 1990s, championship celebrations for the Chicago Bulls were staged here. The park was also the location for President Barack Obama's Election Day victory speech on the night of November 4, 2008.
Named for U.S. President and Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant, Grant Park was developed as one of Chicago's first parks.
Grant Park offers many different attractions in its large open space. It is crossed by large boulevards and pedestrian bridges are used to connect Millennium Park and Maggie Daley so that patrons may cross S. Columbus Drive with ease. There are also several parking garages underneath the park, near Michigan Avenue.
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Grant Park
337 E Randolph StProudly referred to as "Chicago's Front Yard," Grant Park totals 312.98 acres and is a public park located in Chicago’s central business district in the Loop Community area. Grant Park’s most notable features include Millennium Park, Maggie Daley Park, Buckingham Fountain, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum Campus.
A city centerpiece much like New York’s Central Park, Grant Park is home to some of Chicago's most iconic landmarks and attractions. The park includes Museum Campus, the site of world-class museums the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum of Natural History, the Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium. Grant Park's centerpiece is the Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain, built in 1927 to provide a monumental focal point while protecting the park's breathtaking lakefront views.
Grant Park is also home to baseball diamonds, tennis courts and breathtaking gardens. The park plays host to some the city's largest food and music festivals, including The Taste of Chicago — a large food and music festival held around the Independence Day holiday — and The Grant Park Music Festival. Grant Park is also the site of the start and finish lines for the Chicago Marathon and Lollapalooza, a popular outdoor music festival.
Grant Park has been the site of many large, historic civic events. In 1911, it hosted the major Chicago International Aviation Meet. In 1968, it was the scene of clashes between Chicago Police and demonstrators during the Democratic National Convention. In 1979, Pope John Paul II delivered an outdoor mass to a large crowd in the par,k, and in the 1990s, championship celebrations for the Chicago Bulls were staged here. The park was also the location for President Barack Obama's Election Day victory speech on the night of November 4, 2008.
Named for U.S. President and Civil War General Ulysses S. Grant, Grant Park was developed as one of Chicago's first parks.
Grant Park offers many different attractions in its large open space. It is crossed by large boulevards and pedestrian bridges are used to connect Millennium Park and Maggie Daley so that patrons may cross S. Columbus Drive with ease. There are also several parking garages underneath the park, near Michigan Avenue.
Entertainment & Activities
Before they joined the cast of Saturday Night Live or became big-screen stars, folks like Tina Fey, Chris Farley and Steve Carell practiced their craft on the mainstage at the Second City. The venue's premiere revue features some of the institutions most talented performers in a series of loosely-connected, topical comedy sketches.
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The Second City
230 W North AveBefore they joined the cast of Saturday Night Live or became big-screen stars, folks like Tina Fey, Chris Farley and Steve Carell practiced their craft on the mainstage at the Second City. The venue's premiere revue features some of the institutions most talented performers in a series of loosely-connected, topical comedy sketches.
United Center
1901 W Madison StBike (or walk) along the beach on the Lakefront Trail
Running from the North Side of Chicago to 71st Street on the South Side, the Lakefront Trail provides an 18-mile path along the coast of Lake Michigan that connects neighborhoods throughout the city.
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Lakefront Trail
Lakefront TrailBike (or walk) along the beach on the Lakefront Trail
Running from the North Side of Chicago to 71st Street on the South Side, the Lakefront Trail provides an 18-mile path along the coast of Lake Michigan that connects neighborhoods throughout the city.
Val's Guidebook South Loop & Downtown Chicago
This guidebook covers recommendations for South Loop and Downtown Chicago, ENJOY!
Here is a link to the 2019 Chicago Events Calendar I refer to it all summer long because it is always something happening in Chicago.
https://www.timeout.com/chicago/events-calendar
Checkout reviews from the locals at this YELP link
https://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=nightlife&find_loc=Hyde+Park%2C+Chicago%2C+IL
South Loop
South Loop is very walkable.