I finally made it to Chicago this past weekend and oh man I fell in love with this lovely city. There is so much soul and culture in every corner that no wonder it is one of the best cities in America. I stayed for 4 nights at the astonishing Langham Chicago, but I could have easily stayed a week if not more.
Lets start with the hotel; Langham Chicago used to be the old IBM offices, which recently have been turned into beautiful rooms. The first 12 floors are the hotel and rest of the tower is owned by the American Medical Association. You have to go to the second floor to enter the lobby, which is so light and airy with tall windows and soft palette furniture. Many rooms have sweeping views of the river and that is one of the reasons I stayed here, waking up to a gorgeous view everyday was amazing.
First night I went to the oldest Jazz bar in the country, the Green Mill and I felt like I was back in the 1940’s. It is a small and intimate place with such a great vibe. I went on a Thursday night, which supposedly is one of the better nights. If you decide to go make sure to go early and grab a good seat in the house as they fill up quickly. It is only a cash bar without food, but there are plenty around there that you can buy and bring inside to eat.
As you know I am foodie so I tried a good few places while in town. Everybody told me to go to the Girl & the Goat so I did. The food was good, but in my opinion it wasn’t amazing. I think Chicago has such a big food scene and if you don’t eat there you are not missing out, it has very upbeat scene though. However if you still really want to go make advanced reservations or do a walk in. Insiders tip; 65% of the dining area is reserved for walk-ins, just be prepared to wait for at least an hour or so. The great thing however is that it is located where there are so many places to walk into for some drinks or appetizers while waiting for your table.
I went to Maude’s Liquor Bar to kill some time. Fairly busy also, but I managed to find a seat at the bar. Their drinks were really good; I had the smashed vodka that was truly refreshing with couple of really fresh oysters. Their dinner menu looked great so I would definitely go back whenever I am back in Chicago again.
I wanted to experience the night scene of Chicago so found a lounge to go to after dinner. I went to a cocktail lounge called The Aviary and wow this place blew my mind. I waited a few minutes to get in since I didn’t have any reservations. The door guy was super nice which was a big change for me coming from big cities like LA and NYC. I had no clue what I was walking into till I actually walked in. This is a specifically cocktail bar with some small bites to have on the side. They have an open kitchen, which is blocked off with metals and glass. There are some standing tables in the front and comfortable lounge chairs at the back. Every drink on their menu is a creative masterpiece. You are not sure what exactly you are getting until they serve you. Most drinks have a theatrical show that comes with each drink that makes your experience in there even better. I think it is a must for everyone who visits Chicago.
Make sure to go to the Longman & Eagle in Logan Square. They are famous for their whisky cocktails and have a remarkable dinner menu. The beef tartar, grilled octopus and black sesame donuts are to die for.
If you like arts like I do, make sure you dedicate a day to the museums in Chicago. I only had time to visit The Art Institute of Chicago and MCA and I was not disappointed. The Museum of Contemporary Art is on the smaller scale compared to the Art Institute so couple of hours is enough. However the Art Institute is huge and is full of incredible collections. Do not miss the modern wing as it is a separate building but all connected. After the museum take a stroll down the beautiful Millennium Park and visit the music center and the cloud gate AKA “The Bean”. Chicago has so many buildings and it is nice to take an architecture boat tour to get a better feeling of the city and go around the river.
For some quite shopping go to East Oak Street and make your way down to Michigan Avenue where all the hustle and bustle is.
I will make sure to visit this beautiful windy city again and I am sure as Mark Twain has said, it will be another experience as the city is always ever changing.
