Chicago/Lakeview-North Center

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Lakeview is a neighborhood of Chicago with a lion's share of the city's nightlife in Wrigleyville, the long-time home of the Chicago Cubs baseball team, in Boystown, one of the largest and most vibrant GLBT communities in the United States, and on the scruffy Belmont strip, where teen punks flock to shop and show off in the Dunkin' Donuts parking lot.

Further west, North Center includes the trendy neighborhoods of Roscoe Village and St. Ben's with fun, laid-back bars and restaurants.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By train

The CTA Red Line makes stops in Lakeview (Belmont) and Wrigleyville (Addison, Sheridan). The Brown Line, further west, connects with the Red Line at Belmont, but makes additional stops in Lakeview (Wellington, Southport - closed til 2008), Roscoe Village (Paulina), and North Center (Addison - closed til 12/2007, Irving Park).

[edit] By bus

• 8 Halsted travels through Boystown. Be warned, though, that a recent poll named this the worst bus route in the city. It's late when it shows up and goes nowhere fast.
• 22 Clark runs the length of the north side, but it slows to a crawl through Wrigleyville, particularly on weekends and on days of Cubs games.
• 36 Broadway comes in from Uptown and carries on to the Loop.
• 152 Addison travels east/west through the edge of Boystown, Wrigleyville, and on to North Center.

[edit] By car

Lake Shore Drive has exits at Belmont and Addison. Again, beware of driving on Clark Street on weekends and during Cubs games. The taxis are a menace, the drunks are wandering, and progress is somewhere between slow and nil.

[edit] See

• Graceland Cemetery, : 4001 N. Clark St. (Sheridan Red Line), : 773-525-1105, Website: http://www.gracelandcemetery.org/. 8AM-4:30PM. A stunner. Chicago history lies in rest here, from the major names (Burnham, Sullivan, Field, Pullman, Mies) to the footnotes (Charles Dickens' brother Augustus). Some credit Sullivan's 1890 design for the Getty Tomb as the opening act of modern architecture. Unfortunately, there are no guides, and the grounds are quite large. Come with a few names in mind and time to wander. Free

[edit] Do

• Dennis' Place for Games, : 957 W. Belmont (Belmont Red/Brown/Purple Line), : 773-528-8616. M-Th,Su 12PM-2AM, F-Sa 12PM-4AM. Old-school video arcade with old-school prices for old-school machines (and a few more recent ones). The rules are strict — bouncers check for hats and offensive t-shirts, and they require patrons to buy game tokens or leave — but it's a necessary response to the gang violence that used to plague the arcade. Some would have given up and closed down, but Dennis' ate a power-pill, turned around, and started chasing after the problem; if ''Pac-Man'' had a lesson for living, what else would it be?

• Music Box, : 3733 N. Southport Ave. (Southport Brown Line), : 773-871-6604, Website: http://www.musicboxtheatre.com/. Evening shows on weekdays, matinees and midnight movies on weekends. Chicago's foremost source of cinematic delight, with classic and world-premiere independent movies and the occasional mini-festival in a classic old theater. Tickers $7.25-$9.25

• Timber Lanes, : 1851 W. Irving Park (Irving Park Brown Line), : 773-549-9770, Website: http://www.timberlaneschgo.com/. M-F 11AM-2AM, Sa 3PM-3AM, Su 1PM-2AM. If you like to sample the bowling culture of any city you visit, this is a fine choice; there are eight well-kept lanes (no smoking), a cash bar, a good jukebox, and a few references to ''The Big Lebowski''. Might be wise to call ahead for availability in the early evening, though, as there are a few leagues. $2-$2.50 per game, except F-Sa at night, when it's $20/hour per lane

• Wrigley Field (Addison Brown Line), Website: http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/. Ernie Banks, Harry Caray, that damned billy goat, and the 1908 world champions; yes, this is the home of the '''Chicago Cubs''', the North Side's beloved, relentlessly unsuccessful baseball team. Among ballparks, only Fenway in [[Boston]] can match the old-time beauty of Wrigley and its famous ivy-covered walls. Today, it's a rare thing: a genuine neighborhood ballpark, surrounded by streets that amplify the Cubs fandom into frenzy on game day. If you'd like to see Wrigley without attending a game, '''tours''' [http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/ballpark/wrigley_field_tours.jsp] are occasionally offered ($25). Tickets can be as low as $8 for 'value dates', but the prize seats in the bleachers are usually $32, and certain dates wind up in scalpers' hands long before regular folks get a shot at them. 'Associations' host 'guests' on the rooftops around Wrigley, usually with unlimited beer and burgers, for upwards of $100

[edit] Music

• Metro Chicago, 3730 N. Clark Street, +1 773 549-0203 [1] - Chicago's most obvious venue for indie music, including electro, hip-hop, and rock alternative.

• The Vic, [2] - Accessible by Belmont El stop. This place hosts the Brew and View, a BYOB movie theater

[edit] Theaters

• Briar Street Theater Home of the Blue Man Group.

• IO (formerly Improv Olympic), [3] - If the downstairs show is full, don't waste your time on the upstairs show.

• The Playground

• Stage Left Theater

[edit] Buy

Needless to say, on game days, the streets of Wrigleyville are packed with vendors selling Cubs gear.

• The Alley, : 3228 N. Clark St. (Belmont Red/Brown/Purple Line), Website: http://www.thealley.com/servlet/StoreFront. ''The'' rock 'n roll shop in Chicago. Styles extend into punk, mod, emo, rockabilly, and goth; offerings range from clothes, shoes, and jewelry to bondage gear. It's the kind of edgy that is loved by no one as much as teenagers. Look for the skull and crossbones logo.

[edit] Eat

[edit] Budget

• Bobtail Ice Cream Company, : 2951 N. Broadway, 3425 N. Southport, : 773-880-7372 (Broadway), 773-248-6104 (Southport), Website: http://www.bobtailicecream.com/. Oct-Mar Su-Th 11am-10pm, F-Sa 11am-11pm; Apr-Sept Su-Th 11am-11pm, F-Sa 11am-midnight. Terrific locally-made ice cream at half the price of Cold Stone. The Broadway location has a small, retro soda fountain ambiance, while the Southport is roomier and more modern.

• Lincoln Restaurant, : 4008 N Lincoln Ave (Irving Park Brown Line), : 773-248-1820. M-F 6AM-10:30PM, Sa-Su 6AM-11PM. The food is average/above average diner fare, and the decor hasn't changed for more than thirty years, but a certain kind of person will feel compelled to enter by the giant head of Abraham Lincoln hanging out front, and perhaps you are that person. There's no accounting for the Civil War-themed menus, though. (There's a bar inside if Abe makes you want to drink instead.)

[edit] Mid-range

• Ann Sather, : 929 W. Belmont (Belmont Red Line), : ''773'' 348-2378, Website: http://annsather.com/restaurants/locations.shtml. M-F 7AM-3PM, Sa-Su 7AM-4PM. This Swedish standby is a can't-miss for one of the city's best breakfasts, served all day, including warm, fresh-baked cinnamon rolls dripping with sugary icing. Now a bona-fide chainlet with five locations around Chicago, but try the 50-year-old Belmont branch.

• The Chicago Diner, : 3411 N. Halsted, : ''773'' 935-6696, Website: http://www.veggiediner.com/. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F 11AM-11PM, Sa 10AM-11PM, Su 10AM-10PM. Serving vegetarian and vegan food, the Diner's emphasis on quality has kept it around for more than 20 years. 773-935-6696

• La Creperie, : 2845 N. Clark St. (Diversey Brown Line), : 773-528-9050. Tu-F 11:30AM-11PM, Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-9:30PM. Big, tasty crepes for breakfast, dinner, and dessert, with plenty of wine and beer. The outdoor seating is especially nice.

• Leona's, : 3215 N. Sheffield (Belmont Red Lune), : 773-327-8861, Website: http://www.leonas.com/. Su-Th 11:30AM-11PM, F-Sa 11:30AM-12:30AM. The original location of the Chicago chainlet, serving good Italian and American fare. They serve plenty of meat, but the menu is especially friendly to vegetarians.

• Nookie's Tree, : 3334 N. Halsted St., : 773-248-9888. M-Th, Su 7AM-12AM, F-Sa all night. Casual, unpretentious diner that has been in Boystown for a long time. It's great for brunch, late-nights on weekends, and people-watching.

• Que Rico!, : 2814 N. Southport, : 773-975-7436. M-Th 5-11PM, F-Su 12-10PM. Great Mexican/Argentinean food with comfortable indoor and outdoor seating that can turns one hour into three before you ever think to look at your watch. There's a '''second location''' at 2301 W. Roscoe (tel. 773-248-7426) in Roscoe Village.

• Satay, : 936 W. Diversey Ave. (Diversey Brown Line), : 773-477-0100. Tu-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su-M 4PM-10PM. Decent Thai, Chinese, and Japanese food directly under the Diversey station. (It's never too loud, though.) The menu is surprisingly long for the size of the place, and while the food is just a notch above 'good', it's a lot more flavorful than the more trendy Thai place a couple doors down. They tend to do tofu notably well.

[edit] Splurge

• Erwin, : 2925 N. Halsted, : 773-528-7200, Website: http://www.erwincafe.com/. Tu-Th 5:30-9:30PM, F-Sa 5:30-10:30PM, Su 10:30AM-2PM (brunch), 5-9PM (dinner). Billed as "an American cafe", Erwin has a short menu of original creations and a few stand-bys, supported by a sizable bar, and cute, family-friendly decor. Valet parking available ($8).

[edit] Drink

• 404 Wine Bar, : 2852 N. Southport, : 773-404-5886. M-F 5PM-2AM, Sa 5PM-3AM. Comfortable atmosphere and a wide variety of wines. It may not be the first thing you think of when you think about a wine bar, but they serve a chicken pot pie that is ''delicious''. Connected to '''Jack's''', which is more of a sports bar.

• Abbey Pub

• The Ginger Man, : 3740 N. Clark St. (Addison Red Line), : 773-549-2050. M-F 3PM-2AM, 12PM-3AM, Su 12PM-2AM. Guaranteed the only bar in Wrigleyville with Joy Division and Public Enemy on the jukebox. If you want a drink after a Cubs game and you don't want to be surrounded by frat boys, this is the place. Next to the Metro and Smart Bar.

• Johnny's Tavern, : 3425 N Lincoln Ave (Paulina Brown Line), : 773-248-3000. About as far from the Wrigleyville bar scene as you can possibly get; this legendary, straight-outta-1974 tavern is owned by an old man, Johnny, who is well into his eighties. If he chooses to let you in — after you've rang the doorbell, and waited patiently for admittance — you'll enjoy cheap Czech beers and a time-warp.

• Katerina's, : 1920 W. Irving Park Road, : ''+1 773'' 348-7592, Website: http://www.katerinas.com/. M-F 5PM-2AM, Sa 5PM-3AM. A small and intimate setting for jazz, funk, blues, and Greek music most nights, and poetry, performance and movies when there isn't music. Southern European cuisine served along with the drinks.

• Schuba's Tavern, : 3159 N. Southport Ave., : 773-525-2508, Website: http://www.schubas.com/. Shows start 9-10:30PM. One of Chicago's landmark venues for cool music. The building was built over a hundred years ago by the Schlitz beer company, a heritage that is acknowledged by countless plastic cups serving that and other cheap beers for indie kids. Tickets $10-$18

• Smart Bar, : 3730 N Clark (Addison Red Line), : 773-549-0203. W-F,Su 10PM-4AM, Sa 10PM-5AM. Partner of the Metro, which is next door. Smart Bar features touring DJs and a stable of high-caliber DJs-in-residence. Tickets may be necessary, depending on the event; if so, they're on sale at the Metro, and usually cost about $10

[edit] Sleep

[edit] Mid-range

• Old Chicago Inn, : 3222 N. Sheffield Ave. (Belmont Red/Brown/Purple Line), : 773-816-2465, Website: http://www.oldchicagoinn.com/. Reasonably priced bed and breakfast in a turn-of-the-century greystone building, not far from Wrigley Field. Amenities include internet access in the lobby, continental breakfast, and a complementary lunch or dinner at Trader Todd's restaurant two doors south. Rooms from $99

• Villa Toscana Bed & Breakfast, : 3447 N. Halsted (Addison Red Line), : 800-404-2643, Website: http://www.thevillatoscana.com/. Closest accommodations to Wrigley Field, in a turn-of-the-century building. Rooms from $99/$109 off and on-season

[edit] Splurge

• Best Western Hawthorn Terrace, : 3434 N Broadway St. (Addison Red Line), : 773-244-3434, Website: http://www.bestwesternillinois.com/hotels/best-western-hawthorne-terrace-hotel/. Close to Wrigley Field and the bars on Clark Street, and also to the lake. Rooms from $189

• City Suites Hotel, : 933 W. Belmont Ave. (Belmont Red/Brown/Purple Line), : 800-248-9108, Website: http://www.cityinns.com/citysuites/. Art Deco interiors and elegant furnishings, close to the entertainment on Belmont. Among the amenities are wi-fi, afternoon cookies and access to Bally's Fitness Club. Rooms from $189

• Majestic Hotel, : 528 W. Brompton (Belmont Red/Brown/Purple Line), : 800-727-5108, Website: http://www.cityinns.com/majestic/. Boutique hotel in a residential neighborhood, with olde worlde touches like poster beds and butler pantries. Similar amenities to the City Suites Hotel, which is under the same management. Rooms from $209

• The Willows Hotel, : 555 W. Surf (Belmont Red/Brown/Purple Line), : 800-787-3108, Website: http://www.cityinns.com/willows/. European decor in a city-designated landmark building, two blocks from the lake. Same management as the City Suites and Majestic hotels. Rooms from $179

[edit] Contact

• Computer Network Source, : 2917 N. Broadway (Wellington Brown Line), : 773-755-5225, Website: http://www.compnetsource.com/browse.html. Scanning, printing, CD-burning available. Remarkably cheap at $3/hour