Cosines- I'll bet you checked my ID a couple of times if you worked at Northside all summer.

I also live on the border of Wicker Park and Bucktown (north and wolcott). I'll have to agree that the neighborhood is pretty kick ass. There's just so many good bars and restaurants around, and I'm probably doing myself and injustice because I hardly ever make it to the ones down on Division. Anyway after living here for a year here's my take on some of the nearby places.

Lucia's - Small Italian place on North Ave. They've got some really good sandwiches and all the ingredients they use seem very fresh and high quality. I love their meatball sandwich with cheese and hot peppers. They also serve dinner, but their dinning room is tiny! There's like 6 tables, but its good and BYOB.

Piece - Obviously awesome. Good thin crust pizza, great beer, and if you have room try their dessert pizza.

The Southern - Just replaced Chaise lounge. Only been here once but kinda liked the atmosphere, although the drinks were a bit overpriced. Brunch menu looked amazing though

Aberdeen - Damn good wings that are 35 cents a piece a few nights a week. Also a really friendly staff. Used to be our Wednesday night trivia spot.

Lokal - We live right above them, but its not really my type of place. It tries to be modern and trendy and they're always playing techno and black and white movies...meh. But they've been putting up a sign for $7 bottomless mimosas and bloody marys on the weekends, so I'll definitely have to find out if that deal is too good to be true!

6 Corners - This sports bar replaced Divine, the darkest bar in bucktown. Good drink specials, lotta TVs, and the most ******ed food menu I've ever seen.

Tavern - $1 burger and fries with purchase of a beer... how do you beat that?! Nice thats its open till 5 am

Blue fin - my local sushi spot. above average and BYOB, so good enough for me. Definitely not as good as Mirai

Estelle's - Interesting hipster type after hours bar

Birchwood Kitchen - AWESOME sandwich place. I've tried their grilled gruyere with ham and caramelized onion sandwich and their pork belly sandwich and they were both delicious. Super friendly staff, BYOB, amazing lemon squares - great spot to go for lunch.

Sultan's market - Love me some chicken shawarma dinner after a workout at bucktown fitness.

Northside - one of my favorite bars in the summer

Map room - Probably the best beer bar in the city. If you like good beers this place is a must.

Silver Cloud - A hipster type bar that has really good food

nice review cardshark.

you gotta get down to Division during the Spring/Summer. Everyone sits outside on the double-wide sidwalks. Boundary, Moonshine, 50-50 etc.

Great female scenery, of course

Also, Big Star starts outdoor seating on April 1, or so they say. Whether the weather cooperates is yet to be seen.

While I've never dined at Smoque, every single item I had at Fat Willy's Rib Shack was phenomenal (salad, ribs, cole slaw, fries).

Only been to Southern of those for Sunday brunch. The chicken was really good, as well as the pancakes.

Which areas are the best to live in BT/WP? Someone told me E of Damen, N of North.

Also anyone have thoughts on the newish highrise near Halsted/North? Seems like a cool area, near that Borders, new Apple store going in, etc.

Went to Roy's last night it's a Hawaiian fusion place downtown. Was pretty awesome. The pomegranate mojito's were sooooo good one of my favorite drinks I've ever had. Appetizer's lobster dim sum very good, and the fish trio for entree the butterfish was amazing. Highly recommend.

Anyone ever been to The Silver Palm at 768 N Milwaukee?

http://www.thesilverpalmrestaurant.com/index.php

Anthony Bourdain went there with 'No Reservations' and talked non-stop about this sandwich:





I want to try it so bad....

And here's a Chicago food blog I stumbled across....

http://www.chicagogluttons.com/

I wish I could have a quarter size one of those for breakfast every morning.

Edit: Maybe 5th or 6th size, that thing is beastly.

live live sears tower

?

Yea that thing is a monster. The one time I tried it I maybe made it 2/3 of the way through before giving up. As a big fan of pork I thought the sandwich was delicious, in a fat coursing through my veins kinda way. Although I will admit I got a little grossed out by the egg (I hate runny eggs), but the other people thought it added well to the texture. Anyway definitely worth trying!

[Unsolicited advice from an old, out of touch man]
One of the best things about renting is you don't have to stay there. Worst case scenario you're there for a year. Realistically, with all the tenants rights ordinances in Chicago, you can leave whenever you feel like.

Just because you live in a certain neighborhood or part of a neighborhood doesn't mean you're destined to become a hood rat either. It's easy to get around in the city and you can and should explore lots of neighborhoods while you live there. So if you don't get exactly the right spot, it's not a big deal.

Nevertheless, if you want to know if you'll like an area, spend some time there. Walk around. What someone here suggests and likes isn't necessarily the same thing you'll like. For example: if you like to drive and get panicky if you can't park right in front of wherever you're going then LP, WP, LV Bucktown aren't for you. If you like quiet nights they aren't for you either.
[/Unsolicited advice from an old, out of touch man]

put in an offer on a place in that highrise @ halsted/north- really like the building and it's got good (except for bad traffic) proximity to LP/BT-WP/OT. there's really no building like it in the area and the views are fantastic. also reckon that buying will save me at least 100 hours/year in craigslist search time

Just went to Gilt (230 West Kinzie Street) this weekend. Actually liked it quite a bit. Definitely more of a "scene" place, but the food was also tasty. The gnocchi and the meatballs in particular were great.

fred's at the top of barneys has become my goto spot. it's even better when it gets warm out and they open it all up.

Is this the new place on Rush Street next to Starbucks? My girlfriend lives around the corner from there, and I've been meaning to try it. I didn't realize that it's on the top floor of that building.

Have any of you tried La Colonial (I think that's what it's called), also on Rush Street? I'm thinking of going there this weekend.

Edit-- Oh right, also Pizanos on State street (I think it's like 864 N. State Street) is one of my favorite places. The food is pretty good, but I really like the atmosphere...especially if there's a bunch of games to watch.

a friend of mine has been saying the same thing as well, I really want to go there now

Woman in barneys told us to check that out and we went upstairs then without leaving the elevator hallway decided it was a bad idea for whatever reason. Seems this isn't the case and will have to check it out soon

So I'm currently looking for somewhere to live, was living in Wicker Park but I'd prefer somewhere closer to the lake so my journey to U Chicago in Hyde Park in quicker. Am torn between lincoln park, lakeview, gold coast, would appreciate your advice. One thing with the gold coast is that it seems most if not all of the available apartments are in 'buildings' with doormen etc. which naturally cost a lot more.

I'm also interested in your thoughts on subletting. I am planning to spend a few months out of town during the winterish time and I'd prefer to recoup some of my rent. I have some pretty nice furniture and I'd look to rent it furnished. The main downside of this is a) how much of a hassle will I face trying to sublet it and b) how do I protect against someone wrecking the apartment/my furniture.

Cheers.

Habitat Company

Planned Property Mgmt

They run some high rises in Gold Coast (i've lived in Gold Coast fo 3 years).

I keep trying to talk myself into buying a place (5 percent fixed is hawt) but:

1) I don't want to part with the down payment cash

2) I don't want to lose my life-liquidity (as in if I get fired or want to move I don't want to be stuck trying to sell a place)

3) Assessments on condos are ****ing bull**** ($500/mo.? G.F.Y.)

Anyone else been looking at the chicago condo market lately? I have a friend who's been getting good deals because he is doing caash-only. He's going to rent it out and is looking at like 10 percent and higher cap rates.

Gung-ho "sports bar and grill" types might not like Market since it definitely has trendy decor. That being said, it has standard bar food, TVs everywhere, and they don't stuff you in there like sardines. A group of us were there watching the elite 8 games kicking off a friend's bachelor party; headed to the Pink Monkey afterward. We knew someone who worked there, so a "managing partner" type guy hung out with us for a bit and sent us on our way to the BYOB strip club with a free bottle of Crown. Overall I liked it, but if you're looking to bond with a bunch of 21-25 year old strangers wearing cubs shirts about how good the games are, it's not the place for you.

Another Sports Bar I'd recommend is Jake Melnick's (one block from my apartment). I give the food an A-mother-****ing-plus.

Citizens rooftop is great for chillin after work for some grub and a beer (walking distance from my work in the loop).

Currently my main goal is drinking the full list of drinks at the Beer Bistro. Service is typically okay (most complaints are about it being bad), but that's not why you go there. You go there to scratch more beers off your list and down wings and sliders. Now that the weather is getting nicer I'll be walking there more often after work.

Edit: One more thing about Market... it's a good middle ground to take a girl too since it's trendy but has TVs and stuff.

Edit #2: Shout-out to Rise and Ra sushi. Not cause their food is particularly great or anything but they're very tolerant of people taking sake bombs (daddy loves sake bombs).

One last thing before I go and see if I am finally ready to sleep:

Grocery Bistro is pretty "meh". Went with a huge group of people so it was fun, but I didn't really like much on the menu and the acoustics need some work. Felt like I was yelling to talk to the person across from me.

How much are you looking to spend? Agree that Gold Coast can be expensive but I just moved into a place at 1120 N LaSalle that was $1295 for a one bedroom with one year free parking. Decent deal considering the area.

1120 was my first building. Unless something haas changed they're managed by Planned Property who also own other buildings (one at like 1000 N. Dearborn-ish)

Funny that they're offeing free parking these days, that's a pretty sweet deal. I was paying $200/month for it before I got rid of my car.