Nice. I'm down the street.

There aren't any great drinking spots but two promising ones are coming in on my street. Tippling Hall and the one in the old burger joint. Same guys that did Union Sushi I heard. Drink on Franklin. Com no spaces my phone keeps correcting it

GT Fish & Oyster is probably my favorite restaurant in the city. Wells & Grand. I've yet to have a bad dish there.

I like Blackfinn at 65 W Kinzie.

paris club on hubbard is also great value for fine dining imo. ate there once and was pleased with everything.

Loud but not a bad place IMO

I like Boarding House. Should be up wells (north) a few blocks...just south of Chicago st.

Good date spot.

American Junkie is a pretty fun bar imo as well.

And +1 on gilt bar. Their truffle pasta is amazing.

Anyone know a good casual date spot near the beach (for a Wednesday night)?

which beach?

I'm thinking North or Montrose, maybe something in between the two or near downtown

Thanks for the recs guys. Checked out a lot of the spots along Hubbard as well as Gilt last weekend. Man this city is fun (at least this time of year).

Hope you didn't waste your time attending Taste of Chicago

I skipped it last year but I had some family in town over the weekend and they wanted to check it out. I had low expectations from the reviews here and elsewhere but I thought it was decent. We went early on Sunday and spent maybe $40-50 total between 3 people and we were all full. Glad we went early though because it seemed to get really packed after about 2/3pm. Heard it used to be way bigger but I didn't think it was nearly as bad as people say.

Anyone here interested in Billy Joel @ Wrigley tickets for tomorrow nite?

I'm looking to move in a couple months to Chicago. Salary range would be between 60-70K. Moderate debt. 26, male, single. What could I reasonably afford? Would like to have a roommate to help build a network of friends. Every reference I have checked says Lincoln Park is the spot to be. Any other recommendations? I've heard Edgewater is decent also. Also, is a car necessary in the city?

FWIW I would be staying with my cousin for a month or two in Elmhurst (sp?) to get my feet wet as well as make the relocation process easier. I'm told it's about a 30 minute subway ride into city, which isn't bad at all. True?

You can use padmapper to get a general idea of what's available in different price ranges. I wound up picking an area, making a few appointments and walking around a few blocks calling numbers on signs to check out a bunch more. I'm in your range and I live in Lakeview

Metra train from the burbs doesn't come as frequently as the CTA, but during rush hour it's fine. It's a pain in the ass getting back if you're trying to go out in the city. Car isn't needed if you work in the Loop. You probably don't need it if you work somewhere else in the city, but probably do if you work in the burbs

There are a lot of social sports leagues and meetup groups for different activities. Those are better than getting a random roommate imo, but I understand the arguments for roommate.

Burbs suck for young single people. I say make it more like 2-4 weeks to move to the city.

Thanks for the great advice, I will check out padmapper.

Edgewater is decent, but really, it's not what you'd want IMO. Given your income and age, Lakeview would definitely be one of your best bets. Lincoln Park would also have to be high on the list.

If you are working in the city, you probably won't need a car. The red line is 24/7 and the Brown Line runs til any time that you'd really be out (for the most part).

My advice about Elmhurst is: stay there for as little time as possible. Driving will be near WOAT as the Ike may be the most congested highway in Chicago (and that does say something). I've always hated having to use it, and you will too.

hopefully that helps somewhat.

If you are living in the city, I'd really suggest not having a car (assuming use of train is practical for transportation).

A car is just an added expense and a headache and it is extremely easy to just use ZipCar when you need one.

It turns out I am not moving to Chicago. Thanks anyway for the help!

Please recommend somewhere near to Chicago for my parents to go to for a few days. They do not wish to drive. They are thinking of Highland Park. They want somewhere scenic. They enjoy going on walks. I think they are willing to go somewhere by bus/train that would not take too long to get to.

Do they want to be on the North Shore? The Botanic Gardens is a good call if they are basing themselves in HP and obviously Ravinia would be in play as well.

Downtown Gevena is nice too. Right next to the metra station.

Sweet, thanks for the advice. I would 99% sell my car when I get into city. I will take a further look into neighborhoods in the coming weeks, and depending on how far along job process is will report back to you guys for options/advice. Much appreciated!

what are some good restaurants for an anniversary dinner in wrigley/lakeview/lincoln park area?

What cuisine?

My two favorite steakhouses in Lakeview are Tango Sur (Argentinian Steakhouse) and Revolucion (Mexican Steakhouse).

Both have reasonable prices, good food, I assume good drinks (sorry I don't drink), and quick service.

Only knock on Tango Sur is their dining area isn't very big. Revolucion has a huge dining room and diverse menu -- it's one of my favorite place to bring friends from out of town.