What are you looking to do in Chinatown?

If you're looking for a more unique cuisine -- I'd highly recommend either hitting up a Dim Sum restaurant or a Hot Pot restaurant. I love Mandarin Kitchen for Hot Pot (just east of the Archer/Cermak intersection across from the big plaza). There are a few good Dim Sum places too that are just off Cermak (names slipping me at the moment).

Lao Sze Chuan is pretty good but the experience would be much like your normal Chinese restaurant.

Mostly just explore the area for a bit. I have been to the Chinatown in San Fran and enjoyed it immensely. I like to walk through the shops and look at things.

I'm not sure if the Chicago Chinatown is similar at all.

iirc, metra runs through McCormick, but the El does not. McCormick is sort of in the middle of nowhere as far as downtown Chicago goes. Maybe cab it from Union Station? Busses?

Chinatown has some pretty neat things. There's a museum celebrating Chinese Heritage along with a neat little park along the river.

I haven't been to the San Francisco Chinatown so I don't know how they'd compare.

Is Lincoln Park(Park West) much better than the Lakeview area 1000-2000 feet north?

I saw a couple nice 1BR in Lakeview( Roscoe, Briar, and Melrose all b/w Broadway and Sheridan) The 1BR place I saw at Arlington Pl(b/w Halstead and Clark) wasn't as nice but similar price.

Considering one in similar range on North Hampden Court but haven't seen it yet

TBH I prefer living in Lakeview to Lincoln Park. I live about a block from the Southport Brown Line stop, which is huge because I have a car and drive to work. It's just way easier to find parking where I'm at. It's a little quieter comparatively and I think the value on apartments will be slightly better.

It's not a huge difference either way, but as long as you're within walking distance of an El stop or major bus route your location won't matter too much.

I live right near Hampden court. Its a pretty nice area and I like it a lot. But it is pretty far from any train stops. So taking public transportation to the more downtown areas isnt too convenient.

Without being too general, LP is more college aged kids/bars/etc whereas Lakeview is more young professionals/better restaurants/quieter in general. Not saying there are no bars in Lakeview or no good restaurants in LP, but that's the general vibe.

Depends on what you're looking in a neighborhood.

Does anyone have a 65 yr old Jewish mum who loves playing bridge and would be willing to take my mum out of my apartment for a few hours? I just had surgery and my mum wants to fly out but I can't stomach the thought of a week alone with her. I live in Wicker Park. My mum also enjoys theatre, movies etc. I'll pay!!

I signed a lease for a place in Lakeview on Belmont and Sheridan just across the street from Lakeshore Drive/my bus stop to go downtown. Expensive for the size but it has all these amenities that other places in my range didn't have and it felt like a much more modern place to be.

nice, being that close to the lake is pretty sweet in the summer too.

Wife lived exactly next block up on Melrose when we started dating. Liked that area.

I'm jealous at how close you will be to Chicken Hut

Welcome to the hood!

IIRC you were hoping to find a good gym. It's pricey but Lakeview Athletic Club is really nice and easily within walking distance.

Edit: Johnny, yeah, we are ridiculously spoiled with restaurants up here.

Used to live on oakdale and broadway, gained 20 lbs living there. In wicker park now, lease ends this fall, thinking of moving back!

My post makes it sound like I live in Lincoln Square or something. I actually live in Lakeview too -- Fremont and Cornelia-ish. Those places I listed are just a little too far to walk to for me. My food would be cold by the time I got back home. Obviously I could get delivery but I'm referring more to late-night food cravings and most or all of those places aren't open past 9/10/11 pm.

For now, my go-to late night haunts in this area are Taco & Burrito Palace (Halsted and Cornelia), Windy City Gyro (Broadway and Dakin -- girlfriend's area), and Dimo's Pizza (Drunkard Ave).

Meeelllllllrrrooooooosssse Diner!

Also, phillys best cheese steaks imo.

Philly's Best does a better cheesesteak than most places outside of PA...I lived in Philly for a while so I'm qualified to say that.

Does Phillys Best take extraordinarily long to make their sandwiches or am I just really impatient waiting for deliciousness?

Sounds pretty impatient, imo.

Also, I was super surprised when I found out they deliver! (Are on Grubhub, I think.) For all your super lazy artery clogging needs.

Philly's Best confirmed goat cheesteaks in the city. And confirmed slow as hell at all locations.
Worth the wait.

Saw Russian Transport last week at Steppenwolf. The theatre was nice -- small and intimate with seats on both sides of the stage. I enjoyed the plot and thought the male actors were very strong. It's about a Russian immigrant family in America and what happens when the brother of the mother comes to stay with them from Russia. It was a serious story but had a lot of good humor (though some of the humor was a bit dumb/annoying). Also it was 2.5 hours so dragged a little long.

Before that ate at Summer House on Halsted. The decor was very cool and "California-y", which was a nice change from the gross Chicago weather. Started with ahi tuna tostadas, which were very solid. Then had the Arctic Char special, which seemed well cooked, but just wasn't a fish I enjoyed so much. Parents said the turkey burger was very good. Service was good and a choc chip cookie from the dessert cookie station thingy at the front was a great way to end.

Ravinia schedule released today. Quite a few big names it seems.

Went to Eataly this week... really liked it a lot. We went to the pasta and pizza place. The Salsicciotta pizza was very good.

stuffed pizza from DiLeo's in Elmhurst. Good stuff.