Wicker Park gets a bad rap and it's really not what people think if they don't actually go there. There are actually a lot of nice places to live there, expensive. There are nice places to eat and drink there too. Go into Violet Hour and tell me that's hipster. It's one of the nicest cocktail lounges in the city. It looks like absolutely NOTHING on the outside as there's no sign. You have to know it's there unless you see the line to get some seats.. but on the inside you'd be blown away. It's beautiful. There are more places like that in the neighborhood.
Wicker Park has more "faux hipsters." If you want to see real hipsters, go to Ukranian Village
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ROFL, right. Keep thinking that. Most hipsters wouldn't even be able to get into most real cocktail lounges based on attire alone.
I live in the Gold Coast, sorry. I live near the Hancock. I don't go to WP much, but it's not a bad area at all. I'm not a fan of some hipsters, but there's more to Wicker Park than that.
lol. I was going to say. But yeah..Reckless there is cool although I prefer the one on Broadway. Myopic Books is sweet too right near there.
I'm a big fan of Flat Iron. So grungy, they will play trash and speed metal, and it's just awesome in a dirty way.
C
CyBer
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While I admit that most graphic designers are, I most certainly am not. I like hunting/fishing too much (and don't dress weird).
Hey check out the long post I made from a few pages ago. There are some things mentioned on there which might not have been already.
Right across MI Ave from the Bean is a Gastro Pub called "The Gage". One of your best bets for a good meal and a drink when down in that area. They have a website, but I'm too lazy to look it up.
When I first moved to Chicago I lived a block from Wiener's Circle and they are open all night. I was still waiting tables just out of college and absolutely exhausted around 1am when I got home.
I ordered some food and the very large black woman at the counter just stares at me for a few seconds and says "You need to get laid dude." Only words exchanged. Heard some other weird stuff there but that was probably the funniest.
I went there with a black friend one time and it REALLY got wild going back and forth cursing each other out. If anyone ever ventures there, just stay away from the "cheese" on anything, everything else is greasy awesomeness but the cheese is the most fake disgusting cheese on earth.
I live in Wicker Park, but it's a pretty eclectic neighborhood to ever pigeonhole anyone. If you like all kinds of people it's great for everyone. If you like everyone who looks and acts exactly the same stay in Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville, not that I don't like those areas.
Rich, poor, black, white, asian, latino, gay, straight, there's no one kind of person. Yuppies with $4000 strollers and multi million dollar homes walking down the same street as a guy with dreadlocks (often a white guy with dreadlocks) smoking weed.
I avoided the skinny jean trend and the much worse, and less widespread, deep cut V neck tshirt trend. Those V neck tshirts would be a guaranteed punch in the face in any Iowa bar.
Take her to the Tavern on Rush for supper or drinks one night. It's not overly pricey (for Chicago) but it's a great place to people watch and the bar downstairs is fairly chic (if she enjoys that kind of thing).
Tavern On Rush - Chicago's Place for Steak and Seafood
If you're looking for places to go out, downtown obviously has Rush St, but that's a little expensive. Bucktown (not to be confused with Boystown... very important.) is an up and coming area that is a little younger/chic. Depends on the night though.
Have fun!
Tavern On Rush - Chicago's Place for Steak and Seafood
If you're looking for places to go out, downtown obviously has Rush St, but that's a little expensive. Bucktown (not to be confused with Boystown... very important.) is an up and coming area that is a little younger/chic. Depends on the night though.
Have fun!
Tavern is good for people watching, but not as much in the winter (though it should be warmer this weekend). Food and drinks are highly mediocre there. IN the summer it's a little different, just because of the atmosphere. IMO if you want to people watch in the area too, you go to the little italian triangular area with the coffee stand and gelato bar with the fountain across the street in the summer, enjoy whatever you want, relax, and take it all in. I might be a little biased because I am a resident of the same area, but you can get better than Tavern in the same area, but don't get me wrong, Tavern isn't a terrible place by any means. Lux Bar next door is not too bad either and if you want to splurge on a 20 ounce steak, go to Gibson's right across the street. If you want cheap mexican margaritas, go to Blue Agave right near there.
The best bar/lounge on Rush IMO is the 2nd floor of Le Colonial on a busy-ish night, but that's probably the "highest class" on Rush, even though the drinks aren't terribly expensive and you don't have to be dressed amazingly to be in there. Great for celeb watching, and especially for a little more intimate atmosphere. Under LC is The Drawing Room, which has cocktails that are out there, but not bad at all. Nice setting down there with food, but I swear it's being overrun by 21 year olds from the burbs waiting to go to the club next door (Privet..formerly Le Passage).
If you want to stay out downtown to drink, head down to Hubbard in River North or a little west-ish in River North for some clubs. Parts of Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville too depending on what you like, Wicker Park and Bucktown are good too. It all depends on what you want afterall. An up and coming area I like too is Old Town.
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Nightlife:
The most obvious choices are the bars and clubs on Rush Street (Viagra Triangle) or Wrigleyville. But if you want to go somewhere a little less obvious with more of an artsy/rock type crowd Wicker Park neighborhood is really lively and vibrant almost every night. Start at the threeway intersection of Milwaukee/North/Damen and you'll see lots of bars, restaurants and music clubs in several directions. There's a blue line stop right there too.[/QUOTE]
Where did the name "Viagra Triangle" for Rush Street come from? I assume it is about all the rich old men who wander over from Michigan Avenue. We moved 8 years ago and I never remember hearing about it during the 20+ years we lived there. And I've returned many times, but I don't think I've ever heard it.
Who coined it? And it is used commonly now? It is a great (and accurate) name!
The most obvious choices are the bars and clubs on Rush Street (Viagra Triangle) or Wrigleyville. But if you want to go somewhere a little less obvious with more of an artsy/rock type crowd Wicker Park neighborhood is really lively and vibrant almost every night. Start at the threeway intersection of Milwaukee/North/Damen and you'll see lots of bars, restaurants and music clubs in several directions. There's a blue line stop right there too.[/QUOTE]
Where did the name "Viagra Triangle" for Rush Street come from? I assume it is about all the rich old men who wander over from Michigan Avenue. We moved 8 years ago and I never remember hearing about it during the 20+ years we lived there. And I've returned many times, but I don't think I've ever heard it.
Who coined it? And it is used commonly now? It is a great (and accurate) name!
Yep. Exactly. All the rich 40+ year old single guys from around the neighborhood come out, and in the summer they drive 2 blocks with their Lambos or Ferraris to show off. Then a bunch of 21-25 year old women from the burbs dress the best they can (which sometimes is not saying much) and gold dig. Fun to watch. Hunt Club, Tavern on Rush, Gibsons, maybe Whiskey are the places to go to see it happen. Pretty funny stuff.
It's pretty commonly used, but more of an underground local name. Like Rush/Division can mean a pretty broad area, but if you say Viagra Triangle, it's a lot more specific.
I can picture a triangular area just a short block north of the Lambo dealer that is a perfect fit for that name. Hilarious.
Would still like to know where the name came from? I have gone to school or worked in that area since the early 1980s, but never heard it until this thread.
Exactly that area. Just 1.5 blocks north of the Lambo Dealership about. What was it like when you were there? There's **** loads of people out there in the summer everyday, especially weekends. I wish I knew where the name came from! Wouldn't doubt it if it was from some random newspaper article.
For a good burger, go to Kuma's Corner on Belmont, just west of California.
For good pizza, hit either gino's east or art of pizza on ashland.
For good bar b que, hit Smoque up on pulaski, smokin woody's up north on lincoln or fat willy's on western.
Bulls games are the most fun pro sports event. Wrigley is a dump.
Check out the zoo in lincoln park. it's free.
taste of randolph is my preferred summer festival. old town art fair is fun too.
If it's warm, check out a roof top bar like Roof or Zed 451. The tug boat on north avenue beach might be worth checking out too.
I don't know much about clubs anymore. Bars open and close/remodel every 3 years.
Carol's way up north is the best bar in town.
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