Chicago/South Chicago Shore

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The University of Chicago's gothic campus seen from Midway Plaisance Park

The South Chicago Shore is a district in Chicago's South Side, which includes the Oakland, Kenwood, Hyde Park, and Woodlawn community areas.

[edit] Understand

The South Chicago Shore is the "flagship" district of the South Side and has a wealth of stuff to see and do. Architecture fans will have their hands occupied by the many Victorian mansions and Prairie School houses, anyone with an intellectual bent should be delighted by Hyde Park's independent bookstores and overawed by the University of Chicago's intensity, and just about everyone will enjoy a trip to the stimulating Museum of Science and Industry or relaxing Jackson Park. The district is predominantly African-American, with the notable exception of the area right around the University of Chicago and along 57th St.

[edit] Neighborhoods

This district is really a agglomeration of distinct neighborhoods and it is useful to think of it as such:

Oakland and Kenwood (the areas north of Hyde Park Boulevard/51st St) are basically residential "mixed-income" neighborhoods with almost shockingly spectacular Victorian mansions and several homes by Frank Lloyd Wright and other "Prairie School" architects.

The Hyde Park neighborhood is the main attraction for most tourists in the South Chicago Shore district. The neighborhood is dominated by the rather awesome presence of the University of Chicago. During the 1950s—when African-American immigration to the South Side sparked a massive "white flight," which transformed the racial make up of nearly the entire South Side from all white to all black—the University of Chicago used its financial power, political clout, and social engineering brainpower to muscle through the city's first "urban renewal" project. This project, unflatteringly referred to by many neighborhood residents as "urban removal," used eminent domain powers to demolish urban housing developments, to remove nightclubs and bars, and to make the neighborhood more suburban in character.

The end result of the University-driven "renewal" project is that Hyde Park is to this day one of the nation's most durable mixed-income, mixed-race neighborhoods, and is home to one of the only significant white communities for miles on the South Side. Hyde Park seems to employ "buffer zones" to maintain its unusual characteristics: giant Washington Park to the west, frigid-in-the-winter Midway Plaisance to the south, and persistent redevelopment projects in Kenwood to the north.

Today, Hyde Park is full of amazing bookstores, the siren song of cheap greasy food, museums, and more Nobel Prizes per square kilometer than any other neighborhood on Earth.

Woodlawn (south of the Midway) is the neighborhood within this district that is really suffering from urban blight. Characterized by high levels of violent crime and generally deficient in commercial activity, Woodlawn is well off the beaten tourist path. But don't let that keep you away from perfectly safe Jackson Park! 63rd St still has a few remaining businesses from its salad days and the area right near the Skyway has a few good places to eat and drink, if you are not shy about spending time in the ghetto.

[edit] Get in

South Chicago Shore street map

[edit] By bus

You can get to Hyde Park by taking several CTA buses from downtown Chicago. Routes #6 (Hyde Park Express) and #2 (Cottage Grove) are common choices. The 55/Garfield bus is a very cheap and efficient way to travel between Midway Airport and Hyde Park. It passes by the University of Chicago and terminates at the Museum of Science and Industry. To get from place to place within the area, CTA offers several useful neighborhood routes between the University and other points in the district.[1]

[edit] By train

The Metra Main Electric Line is the most efficient public transport between the Loop and the South Chicago Shore. It is a quick 15-20 minute ride and costs just $2 for a one way trip. Be sure to check the train schedules[2] ahead of time, however, because it runs infrequently during off-peak times. Key stops are at Kenwood/47th St, Hyde Park 53rd St, 55th-56th-57th St, Univ. of Chicago/59th St, and 63rd St.

Alternatively, the CTA Red and Green Lines link the Loop with Garfield Avenue in Washington Park and are a better option for late night travel since they run more frequently, and operate 24 hours a day. The two stops are, however, too far from Hyde Park to walk (and you probably wouldn't want to be in that section of town late at night), but the 55/Garfield bus will take you straight from either of them to anywhere along 55th St.

[edit] By car

A car is not a bad way to see the South Chicago Shore, especially if you plan to cover a lot of territory. Free on-street parking is reasonably easy to find. The most difficult area to park is without question the area around the University of Chicago, where the street parking is limited and policed with an iron fist by the University Police. Even in this area, however, it is usually possible (if a bit frustrating) to find free parking, or to just pay at one of the big university or hospital lots. Try looking on the west side of Cottage Grove Ave or in the less safe area south of the Midway. It can also be difficult to find parking right by the Museum of Science and Industry during tourist season, but if you are willing to walk a few blocks from the north, you should do just fine.

[edit] See

The Statue of the Republic in Jackson Park

[edit] Kenwood architecture

These impressive structures are all privately owned and unfortunately closed to the public. The one exception is the Nation of Islam mosque, but you should be sensitive to the fact that it is a place of worship and is not accustomed to tourists.

• 4944 S Woodlawn, : 4944 S Woodlawn Ave. An enormous 8,000 square foot Tudor mansion once owned by Muhammad Ali.
• Elijah Muhammad House, : 4855 S Woodlawn Ave. The former home of Elijah Muhammad, the founder of the Nation of Islam, and the home to the NoI's current firebrand leader, Louis Farrakhan.
• Isidore Heller House, : 5132 S Woodlawn. One of Frank Lloyd Wright's earliest distinctive buildings (1897), often credited as the turning point in his early career when he shifted to the Prairie School.
• Masjid Al-Faatir, : 1200 E 47th St, : +1 773 548-3624. Masjid Al-Faatir is the largest and most impressive of Chicago's 20 African-American mosques. It was built by one of Elijah Muhammad's sons with generous support from local Muhammad Ali (the boxer).
• McGill Mansion, : 4938 S Drexel Ave. Easily mistaken for a French Castle, this mansion was built in 1893 for the Scottish McGill family, which founded the famous [[Montreal]] University of the same name. The mansion was converted into 34 condos in 2000.

[edit] University of Chicago

, : 5801 S Ellis Ave (Centered around the main quad between Ellis Ave and University Ave, 57th St and the Midway), : +1 773 702-1234, Website: http://www.uchicago.edu. One of the world's great universities, the University of Chicago's Gothic campus exudes academic rigor and intellectual intensity. Its astonishing buildings make it a must-see for architecture fans. Prospective students and parents and curious visitors alike may take advantage of its free campus tours.

• David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art, : 5550 S Greenwood Ave, : +1 773 702-0200, : smart-museum@uchicago.edu, Website: http://smartmuseum.uchicago.edu. T W F 10AM-4PM, Th 10AM-8PM, Sa-Su 11AM-5PM. The University art museum has a wide and large collection of art. Free

• Joseph Regenstein Library, : 1100 E 57th St, : +1 773 702-8740, Website: http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/reg/. If you are not a student and are not on a tour, you can't enter the gigantic collection of over 4.5 million volumes, but you can marvel at the exterior architecture, which is one of the world's best examples of the Brutalist movement, which emphasized the structural materials (rough concrete in this case), as well as striking repetitions and irregularities of angular forms.

Massive Regenstein Library

• Nuclear Energy Statue, : 5700 S Ellis Ave. This Henry Moore statue marks the area where Enrico Fermi and his team of scientists successfully produced the first controlled nuclear chain reaction. Although probably unintended, it looks a lot like either a human skull or a mushroom cloud.
• Oriental Institute Museum, : 1155 E 58th St, : +1 773 702-9514, : oi-administration@uchicago.edu, Website: http://oi.uchicago.edu/museum. T Th F Sa 10AM-6PM, W 10AM-8:30PM, Su noon-6PM.. The University of Chicago Oriental Institute has one of the best collections of ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern archeology in the world, which is moreover free, small, very well exhibited, and basically started by Indiana Jones. Some highlights include: much of the Assyrian "Fortress of Sargon," a colossal statue of King Tutankhamun, and the Mummy and Coffin of Meresamun. Visitors with a strong interest may want to devote several hours to pore over the exhibits, but the small museum can be quickly "skimmed" in 15 minutes. Free, suggested donation $5 adult, $2 child
• The Renaissance Society, : 5811 S Ellis Ave, : +1 773 702-8670, : info@renaissancesociety.org. T-F 10AM-5PM, Sa-Su noon-5PM. A small, excellent gallery of avant-garde painting. Free
• Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, : 5850 S Woodlawn Ave, : +1 773 702-2100, Website: http://rockefeller.uchicago.edu. 8AM-4PM, tours of the carillon: M-F 11:30AM and 5:30PM. This giant Gothic church is named for the University founder, John D. Rockefeller, who intended it to be the "central and dominant feature" of the University. It may not be that, but it is impressive, with a huge organ and the second largest carillon in the world. Free

[edit] Other attractions

• Jackson Park, : 6401 S Stony Island Ave, : +1 773 256-0903. 7AM-11PM daily. Named for President Andrew Jackson and the site of the World's Columbian Exposition in 1890. The most prominent monument remaining from the event is the fully gilded "Statue of the Republic." Other sites include the Osaka Garden on the Wooded Island and a series of lagoons designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.

• Osaka Garden (Japanese Garden) (On the northeast side of Jackson Park's Wooded Island). Sunrise-sunset, daily. The Osaka Garden grew out of the Pavilion for the Japanese Government at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition and was planned by Olmsted as well. During WWII, the gardens suffered from repeated anti-Japanese vandalism and arson, culminating in the sites abandonment to those unsavory types who inhabit abandoned urban parkland. Chicago's sister city, [[Osaka]] (which is [[Japan]]'s second city, after all), donated the money in the 1980s to restore the gardens, prompting a name change from the Japanese Garden to the Osaka Garden. Today, the gardens are one of Chicago's finest secret places and a wonderful way to relax after harrowing tourist adventures. Free

• Midway Park, : 1130 Midway Plaisance North (Located between 59th and 60th Streets). A large grassy park, which mostly just serves to give visitors a good view of the University of Chicago. But the Winter/Summer reading gardens just south of the University's main quad are quite beautiful and a nice place to relax from touring; the statue right next to the gardens is of Swedish botanist Carl von Linné.
• Museum of Science and Industry, : 5700 S Lake Shore Dr & E 57th St (Take CTA buses 2, 6, 10, 28, 55, or the Metra Electric Line), : +1 773 684-1414, Website: http://www.msichicago.org. Summer and holidays M-Sa 9:30AM-5:30PM, Su 11AM-5:30PM, other seasons M-Sa 9:30AM-4PM, Su 11AM-4PM. No tour of Chicago's museums is complete without a visit to this one. Spend hours upon hours looking at really cool stuff you never even knew you didn't know about. So much to do, so little time. You can return for free the following day if you take your ticket to "Will Call" on the way out on your first day. Great for kids, with many hands-on exhibits and the famous Coal Mine; adults will enjoy the display of the German U-boat 'U-505'. $11 adult, $5 child
• Robie House, : 5757 S Woodlawn Ave, : +1 708 848-1976, : info@wrightplus.org, Website: http://www.wrightplus.org/robiehouse. Tours: MW 11AM, 1PM, 3PM; Th F 11AM, 1PM, 3PM, 5PM, 6PM, Sa-Su 11AM-3:30PM every 30 minutes. This fabulously impractical house was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and is one of the most famous examples of the Midwestern "Prairie School" of architecture, which aimed to create buildings with prominent horizontal lines evocative of the prairie landscape. The interior is bizarre, intended to remind its inhabitants of a ship, and is surrounded by stained art glass windows. You must take an official tour to see the interior, which lasts about an hour. Tours of the surrounding historic neighborhood are offered as well—it is best to inquire by phone beforehand. Be sure to take a gander at the University of Chicago's Business School across the street, which was designed to emulate the style of the Robie House in a more modern fashion. $12 adult, $10 youth, $5 child

[edit] Do

Skyline view from Promontory Point

The University of Chicago hosts some truly world class performing arts. The U of C Presents' classical music performances are particularly excellent. If you are looking to relax, head to the huge area parks for 18 holes of golf, a sunset at Promontory Point, or ice skating on the Midway. Or if you are into film, the University's nightly Doc Films screenings and regular director visits are a treasure.

• Chicago Theatre Company, : 500 E 67th St (Parkway Community House), : +1 773 493-5360. shows: Th-Sa 8PM, Su 3PM. African-American community theater company. $15, $3 for students and seniors
• Court Theatre, : 5535 S Ellis Ave, : +1 773 753-4472, Website: http://www.courttheatre.org. performances: W-Th 7:30PM, F 8PM, Sa 3PM & 8PM, Su 2:30PM & 7:30PM. Excellent drama theater on the University campus. Student $8-20, general $25-50, half-price tickets available one hour before the show
• Doc Films, : 1212 E 59th St (Inside Ida Noyes Hall), : Office: +1 773 702-8574 Hotline: +1 773 702-8575, : docinfo@cs.uchicago.edu, Website: http://docfilms.uchicago.edu/. Check the website's calendar for screenings, nightly during the school year and W-Sa during the summer. Those zoning laws are again to "blame" for the total absence of any movie theaters in this section of Chicago. But their absence clearly benefits the longest-running student film society in the country, which puts on an impressive number of independent documentaries, art-house films, and other socially relevant movies throughout the year, all in a state-of-the-art cinema. And for less than admission to a commercial movie theater! Doc Films attracts a very knowledgeable crowd (perhaps because the students and neighborhood residents have no other movie options!) and it is a good place to eavesdrop on some intense, intellectual conversations. $5 general admission, tickets go on sale 30 minutes before screenings and credit cards are not accepted.
• Jackson Park Golf Course, : 6300 S Hayes Dr, : reservations: +1 312 245-0909, lessons: +1 847 480-4853, management: +1 312 755-3579, Website: http://www.cpdgolf.com. Sunrise-sunset. 18 holes of golf and a driving range, all in the middle of Jackson Park. No golf carts available. M-F $22.75, Sa-Su $25.75
• Midway Plaisance Ice Skating, : 1130 Midway Plaisance North (E 59th St at Woodlawn Ave), : +1 312 745-2470, : Midway@chicagoparkdistrict.com. Su-Th noon-7PM, F noon-4:30PM & 5PM-7PM, Sa 1PM-9PM Free
• Promontory Point Park (The Point), : 5491 S Lake Shore Drive, : +1 312 747-6620. Promontory Point in the Hyde Park section of Burnham Park is a beautiful spot to take in the great [[Chicago skyline guide|Chicago skyline view]], watch summer fireworks, or take in a (technically illegal) swim. The point was constructed under the depression era Works Progress Administration in the style of the Prairie School of park design. For some demented reason, the Chicago Park Administration wants to encase this work of art in concrete (over the passionate protests of Hyde Park residents), so be sure to enjoy it while you can.
• University of Chicago Presents, : Mandel Hall: 1131 East 57th Street, : +1 773 702-8068, : concert-office@uchicago.edu, Website: http://chicagopresents.uchicago.edu. Performances usually on F 8PM or Su 3PM. The University of Chicago Presents hosts numerous classical music performances in Hyde Park, usually featuring big-name national and international performers for relatively low prices. Student $10, general $30-35

[edit] Buy

The University has had a big hand in zoning regulations designed to keep chain stores, and really any stores, out of the district. As a result, this large urban district actually lacks a single clothing store. Book lovers and collectors, on the other hand, will be thrilled with the multiple independent and used bookstores along 57th St and the awe-inspiring Seminary Co-op.

• 57th St Books, : 1301 E 57th St, : +1 773 684-1300, : fiftysev@semcoop.com, Website: http://www.semcoop.com. M-F 10AM-9PM, Sa-Su 10AM-8PM. A branch of the University's Seminary Co-op that has frequent literary events, including poetry readings, author talks, and writing workshops.
• Art Werk Gallery, : 5300 S Blackstone Ave, : +1 773 684-5300. M-Sa 11AM-7PM, Su 1-5PM. Gallery of African-American Art. $50-10,000
• Artisans 21 gallery, : 5225 S Harper St, : +1 773 288-7450. T-F noon-6PM, Sa 10AM-6PM, Su noon-5PM. A gallery cooperative selling everything from ceramics to paintings to jewelry.
• The B Side, : 1303 E 53rd St, : +1 773 288-2820. M W-F 12:30PM-7PM, Sa 11AM-7PM, Su noon-5PM. Tons of jazz on vinyl and CD.
• Borders Books, : 1539 E 53rd St, : +1 773 752-8663, Website: http://www.bordersstores.com/stores/store_pg.jsp?storeID=549. M-Th 10AM-10PM, F 10AM-11PM, Sa 9AM-11PM, Su 9AM-9PM. Borders has a location in Hyde Park, which causes a bit of controversy in this independent bookstore-loving neighborhood.
• Boyajian's Bazaar, : 1305 E 53rd St, : +1 773 324-2020. 10AM-6PM daily. Tiny store full of oddities from all over the world.
• Dr Wax, : 5225 S Harper Ave, : +1 773 439-8696, Website: http://www.drwax.com. M-Sa 11AM-7PM, Su noon-6PM. Used records and new and used CDs. All sorts of music.
• Hyde 'N' Seek Antiques, : 5211 S Harper Ave, : +1 773 684-8380. M-Sa 10AM-6:30PM. Full of antiques, vintage clothes, jewelry, etc., much of which was left behind as wealthy residents moved from their South Side mansions to the North Side. Good prices and very friendly, helpful staff.
• Hyde Park Records, : 1377 E 53rd St, : +1 773 684-3375, Website: http://www.hydeparkrecords.net. M-Th 11AM-7PM, F-Sa 11AM-8PM, Su noon-6PM. A huge selection of vinyl and a smaller selection of CDs.
• O'Gara and Wilson, Ltd, : 1448 E 57th St, : +1 773 363-0993. M-Sa 9AM-10PM, Su noon-10PM. An impressively atmospheric used book store with a wide selection acquired mostly from Hyde Park estate sales, students, and professors. $1-2,000
• Powell's Books, : 1501 E 57th St, : +1 773 955-7780, Website: http://www.powellschicago.com. 9AM-11PM daily. Used books overflowing the shelves, all over the place.
• Seminary Co-op Bookstore, : 5757 S University Ave, : +1 773 752-4381, : orders@semcoop.com, Website: http://www.semcoop.com. M-F 8:30AM-9PM, Sa 10AM-6PM, Su noon-6PM. The world's largest academic Bookstore has an awe-inspiring collection on ''every'' topic.

[edit] Eat

The odd "Thai Row" on 55th St deserves a mention. These are definitely not the best Thai restaurants in Chicago, but they serve tasty, greasy food in large portions on the cheap. No one seems to know why these Thai restaurants congregated in this one spot. In general, though, the center of dining in the South Chicago Shore area is along 53rd St and Harper Ct.

[edit] Budget

• H & A Restaurant, : 432 E 63rd St, : +1 773 684-8214. 5AM-10PM daily. Very good soul food and chili, ''the'' place to eat around 63rd St. $3-$8
• Harold's Chicken Shack, : 1208 E 53rd St, : +1 773 725-9260. 10AM-11:30PM daily. The great South Side fried chicken chain is cheap, usually a little dirty, and always delicious. Crowded at meal times. $2-$5
• Istria Cafe, : 1520 E 57th St, : +1 773 955-2556. M-F 6:30AM-7PM, Sa 7AM-7PM, Su 8AM-6PM. Premium coffee and an assortment of panini, pastries, and gelato. $3-5
• Ma King's Soul Food Restaurant, : 6607 S Martin Luther King Jr Dr (just off the Skyway at the St Lawrence Ave exit), : +1 773 995-4800. 7AM-8PM daily. Come to this great family-run soul food restaurant with a ''big appetite.'' $4-8
• Mellow Yellow, : 1508 E 53rd St, : +1 773 667-2000. M-Th 6AM-9PM, F-Sa 6AM-11PM, Su 6AM-10PM. Great chili served over pasta, also serves good crepes. $3-10
• Noodles Etc, : 1460 E 53rd St, : +1 773 947-8787, : pattie@noodlesetc.com, Website: http://www.noodlesetc.com. M-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11:30AM-9:30PM. A cheap Thai noodle shop that is notably less greasy than the Thai Row restaurants.
• Rajun Cajun, : 1459 E 53rd St, : +1 773 955-1145. M-Sa 11AM-9:30PM. A hole-in-the-wall that, interestingly enough, serves a combination of Indian food and soul food. Probably the only place around where you can sip a mango lassi while eating collard greens and fried chicken. $5-10
• Ribs 'N' Bibs, : 5300 S Dorchester, : +1 773 493-0400, Website: http://www.hydeparkrecords.net/ribs&bibs.htm. Su-Th 11AM-midnight, F-Sa 11AM-1AM. A true Hyde Park institution that (despite the listed hours) doesn't seem to close at night. Great BBQ sauce over everything, from the $2 Bronco Burger to more expensive rib plates. The sauce-drenched french fries are a real favorite. Food is smoked in a wood-burning stove, which you can often smell around the neighborhood. Be sure to check out the photographs showing the who's who of the rib joint's patrons. Not much room to sit. $2-20
• Tai Sam Yon, : 1318 E 63rd St, : +1 773 684-1062. 11AM-8:30PM. Just a few blocks south of the Midway, this place is a true hidden gem. It has arguably better food than any of the 55th St Thai restaurants and is dramatically cheaper. It is, however, located in a less-than-delectable neighborhood full of abandoned buildings and lots. $4-7
• Third World Cafe, : 1301 E 53rd St, : +1 773 288-3882. M-Th 7AM-8:30PM, F 7AM-10PM, Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 9AM-8:30PM. "Fair-trade" coffee, panini, vegetarian fare, and pastries. Has art for sale by local artists. $2-6
• Valois, : 1518 E 53rd St, : +1 773 667-0647. 5:30AM-10PM daily. Cash only diner/cafeteria institution for about 80 years. Breakfast served until 4PM. $5-8
• Wok 'N' Roll, : 1408 E 53rd St, : +1 773 643-3500. Su-Th 11AM-midnight, F-Sa 11AM-1AM. Huge portions of Chinese food for dirt cheap prices. No ambiance, but the food is tasty and an excellent option if you are on a budget and don't mind fattening food. $3-5

[edit] Mid-range

• C'est Si Bon, : 5225 S. Harper Ave, : +1 773 363-4123, : mike_csb@sbcglobal.net, renb@aol.com, Website: http://www.cestsiboncatering.com/. T-Sa 10:30AM-6:30PM, Su 11AM-4PM. Cajun cuisine and no pressure to end your conversation early. All you can eat Sunday brunch. Try the sweet potato cheesecake. $9-15
• Caffe Florian, : 1450 E 57th St, : +1 773 752-4100. Su-Th 11AM-11PM, F-Sa 11AM-midnight. An Italian cafe popular with the students that serves good pizza, sandwiches, salads, pasta, desserts, and coffee. $5-8
• Calypso Cafe, : 5211 S Harper Ave, : +1 773 955-0229, Website: http://www.thecalypsocafe.com. Su-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-11PM. All sorts of Caribbean food in one of the area's nicer restaurants. Has a full bar. $10-15
• Cedar's Mediterranean Kitchen, : 1206 E 53rd St, : +1 773 324-6227. 11:30AM-10PM daily. The Lebanese cuisine here is quite good and reasonably priced. $8-15
• Dixie Kitchen & Bait Shop, : 5225 S Harper Ave, : +1 773 363-4943. Su-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-11PM. Definitely one of the best restaurants in the district, Dixie Kitchen serves "pan-Southern" cuisine on checkerboard tablecloth with a 1930s eatery ambiance. This transplanted bit of 1930s Mississippi is one of the best places in the city to get a nice meal of southern food. $8-10
• Edwardo's Natural Pizza Restaurant, : 1321 E 57th St, : +1 773 241-7960. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-10PM. Come here specifically for its famous stuffed spinach pizza and you won't regret it—well, you may regret the weight-gaining aftermath, but you won't regret the taste. $8-15
• Giordano's, : 5309 S Blackstone Ave, : +1 773 947-0200, Website: http://www.giordanos.com. Su-Th 11AM-11PM, F-Sa 11AM-midnight. This particular location of the Chicago pizza chain is especially good. One of the better places in the city to try Chicago stuffed pizza. The thin crust and pasta entrees are also good choices, if not as famous. $10-23
• Kikuya, : 1601 E 55th St, : +1 773 667-3727, Website: http://kikuyaonline.com. T-Sa noon-10PM, Su 4:30PM-9PM. Hyde Park's one Japanese restaurant serves tempura, sushi, sashimi—basically what you would expect. $10-15
• Medici, : 1327 E 57th St, : +1 773 667-7394. M-Th 11AM-11PM, F 11AM-12PM, Sa 9AM-12PM, Su 9AM-11PM. Popular Italian place with a good bakery. $8-18
• Nile Restaurant, : 1611 E 55th St, : +1 773 324-9499. M-F 11AM-9PM, Sa 11:30AM-9PM, Su noon-8PM. Good Middle Eastern food and a comfortable setting, but the restaurant is a bit overshadowed by the more popular Cedar's on 53rd St. $7-13
• Original Pancake House, : 1517 E Hyde Park Blvd, : +1 773 288-2322. M-F 7AM-3PM Sa-Su 7AM-5PM. When you see the length of the line on weekends, you'll understand how great this place is. Simply wonderful pancake house with an exhaustive pancake menu. $5-10
• Pizza Capri, : 1501 E 53rd St, : +1 773 324-7777. M-F 10AM-11:30PM, Sa-Su 9AM-midnight. Good upscale Italian cuisine and excellent stuffed pizza. Try the gourmet ingredients like feta cheese and fine sausage on a stuffed pizza for a deliciously fattening night. ''Great'' bread. $11-20
• Ramada Inn Lake Shore Cafe & Lounge, : 4900 S Lake Shore Dr (located in the Ramada), Website: http://www.ramada-chicago.com. Restaurant: 6:30AM-10PM daily, bar: Sa-W noon-10PM, Th-F noon-11PM. Offers nice views of Lake Michigan and a seafood brunch on Friday nights. $10-15
• Salonika, : 1440 E 57th St, : +1 773 752-3899. Good diner with greasy food and a constant flow of coffee. Has good Greek and Mexican entrees. $5-10
• Siam Thai Restaurant, : 1639 E 55th St, : +1 773 324-9296. Good spot for cheap but delicious pad thai. $5-12
• Snail Thai Cuisine, : 1649 E 55th St, : +1 773 667-5423. Weird name yes, but this is the most popular and brightly lit of the three Thai places on Thai row. $5-12
• Thai 55th, : 1607 E 55th St, : +1 773 363-7119. Probably the least popular of the three Thai row locations, but the best bet for pad see ew and bubble tea. $5-12

[edit] Splurge

• La Petite Folie, : 1504 E 55th St, : +1 773 493-1394. lunch: T-F 11:30AM-2PM, dinners: T-Su 5PM. A very good French restaurant on the south end of the Lake Shore shopping center. A popular place for dates. Prix fixe menu available daily 5PM-6:30PM. $15-25

[edit] Drink

One of the University's many powerful Hyde Park legacies is the general lack of nightclubs and bars. Jimmy's (a.k.a. Woodlawn Tap) is really the place to go for a beer. And fortunately, the current University president happens to be a jazz pianist; one of his more notable neighborhood ventures was to get the Checkerboard Lounge reopened in a new location in the Harper Ct strip.

• Bar Louie, : 5550 S South Shore Dr, : +1 773 363-5300. Su-F 11AM-2AM, Sa 11AM-3AM. A fairly upscale bar with plenty of food.
• Flamingo Cocktail Lounge, : 6644 S Cottage Grove Ave, : +1 773 684-0600. 10AM-2AM daily. Quiet neighborhood bar with an older crowd.
• New Checkerboard Lounge, : 5201 S Harper Ct, : +1 773 684-1472. 11AM-2AM daily, live music usually starts after 9:30PM. A new location for the newly reopened legendary jazz and blues club. Serves an eclectic crowd. Cover $3-20
• Seven Ten Lanes, : 1055 E 55th St, : +1 773 347-2695. M-Th 11:30AM-1AM, F-Sa 11:30AM-2AM, Su 11:30AM-midnight. Beer, bowling, shuffleboard, and an art deco ambiance.
• Woodlawn Tap (Jimmy's), : 1172 E 55th St, : +1 773 643-5516. If we're being honest here, this is '''the one and only real bar in Hyde Park.''' A good place to be served beer by PhDs and to listen in on the intense intellectual debates about topics you didn't know existed. Some famous writers used to frequent the bar, including Saul Bellow and Dylan Thomas. Live jazz on Sunday nights and you might catch a University improv comedy group during the week. Cover $3-20

[edit] Sleep

The South Chicago Shore is oddly devoid of hotels. Certainly the nicest options are the Ramada (which is a bit far from anything), one small Bed & Breakfast, and the short term apartment rentals. If you have always dreamed of crashing in a transient hotel, the Hyde Park Arms is the place for you, as it is far cleaner and safer than its peers elsewhere. But most visitors to this district stay downtown; the Loop along Michigan Ave has the best accommodation options, as they are very close to the downtown Metra stops.

• Abode, : 5412 S Blackstone Ave, : +1 773 955-4561, : ltb.abode@gmail.com, Website: http://web.mac.com/ltb.llc/iWeb/ABODE/. Check in:3PM. Check out:noon. Short term apartment rentals located near Hyde Park's "downtown" area. 15-20 minute walk to the University. Kitchens fully stocked. $150
• Carolan Apartment, : 5480 S Cornell Ave, : +1 773 324-7400. Short term apartment rentals, unfurnished. Per month, $590-$675 studio, $725 one bedroom. building pays water, gas, and heat, while tenant pays electric, phone, and cable
• Hotel Toledo on Kimbark, : 6324 S Kimbark Ave, : +1 773 324-5300
• Hyde Park Arms Hotel, : 5316 S Harper Ave, : +1 773 493-3500. Hotel rooms leased weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. The 70 rooms include standard hotel furnishings and a fridge, but no stove or microwave; all utilities are paid by the building, unless you want cable. Not a lot of transient hotels left in the USA, but this one is a decent option for week-long to month-long accommodations for anyone visiting the city. Per week $145-$155
• Ramada Lakeshore Chicago, : 4900 S Lakeshore Dr, : +1 773 288-5800, Website: http://www.ramada-chicago.com/. Check in:noon. Check out:3PM. This is the only major hotel in the area. It is unfortunately far from anything in the area of interest, but its rates are low and it has plenty of free parking and a downtown shuttle. $125-140
• University Quarters B&B, : 6137 S Kimbark Ave, : +1 773 855-8349, : reservations@universityquarters.net, Website: http://www.universityquarters.net. Comfy and close the University, albeit awkwardly south of the Midway. Rest assured the owners will take good care of you. $150-165

[edit] Contact

The following public libraries offer free public internet access:

• Blackstone Branch Library, : 4904 S Lake Park Avenue, : +1 312 747-0511. M-Th 9AM-9PM, F-Sa 9AM-5PM
• Bessie Coleman Branch Library, : 731 E 63rd St, : +1 312 747-7760. M-Th 9AM-8PM, F-Sa 9AM-5PM

[edit] Get out

• The famous museum campus and McCormick Center are just to the north of Oakland in Chicago's Near South district.
• Chicago's Bronzeville, the historic Black Metropolis, is just a stone's throw away from the South Chicago Shore, and well worth a visit for its huge role in African-American history, rejuvenated nightlife, and soul food. Washington Park and especially the DuSable Museum of African-American History (which is just across the street from the University of Chicago) are very easy to visit when in the University area and should not be missed.
• The Southwest Side is the home of Chicago's "Black Belt", a huge urban residential area that is home to much of Chicago's African American population and an important Civil Rights history; the Oak Woods Cemetery in particular is nearby attraction worth a visit.
• If you are looking for a good beach on the South Side, you absolutely cannot do better than Rainbow Beach in South Shore, located just south of Jackson Park.