The City of Chicago and its Hot Spots

I wanted to solely stick to Chicago because I already have a foodie post on non-Chicago’s places. I know this city is a hot spot in Illinois, so I thought I’d contribute to its successes already.

I love the fact that you can simply walk around the different loops to experience all kinds of cultures. It’s exciting to me how I also get to meet people in every corner ready to take on the next adventure. Let’s get to it!

1. Bandit

I hadn’t gone out to a bar in what felt like forever, Bandit really impressed me with their spacing and their social distancing rules in place. Their happy hour had a lot of options as well. I loved my smokey drink!

2. Sutherlands

It was a margarita kind of night, so my friend thought this place would be it. It did not disappoint! It was a relatively small bar, but the food was great for our night! Everything we needed for a chill scene.

3. Formento’s (Italian)

Having dinner here for our girl’s night was so much fun. It was a little on the fancy side, which I truly appreciate because I was able to dress up a little and have fun with it. The waiter had amazing recommendations- so I just explored his options. SO GOOD!

4. Beatrix

I had been wanting to go to this market in the Fulton Market area because the vibe was exactly what I needed. It was half market, half restaurant. The market reminded me more of a coffee shop. If you’re looking for either a place to do work or hang out with friends, this market is perfect!

5. PB&J: pizza, beer, and jukebox

Located in the west loop of Chicago, this restaurant was created by two brothers with a dream. I will fully support this dream because the drinks were GREAT, and the music was ON POINT! I missed these kinds of nights– to just hang out with friends, have a good time, and enjoy the music at a place.

6. Burton Place

Very chill bar to pass the time, watch sports, hang out with friends and enjoy the outdoors. It was a cute on-the-go place in the city to enjoy! The staff was very nice too!

7. Cabra

It felt like an outdoorsy-indoor spot in the city. We went for brunch with some friends and ordered shareable dishes. Everyone got to try a bit of everything; from chips and their incredible dip to pita and hummus to steak and eggs. All had an exquisite taste.

8. Harry Carrey’s Tavern

This is one of those places our family goes to every time they’re in town. It’s a staple in Navy Pier at Chicago. It has so much history behind it with the celebrities that have shared a meal or drink here. They have all their memorabilia for everyone to see and enjoy. It’s like a museum with a restaurant in one. And their burgers are SO good!

9. The Pasta Bowl

This place had so many delicious options to choose from, but once I saw the rainbow pasta in the kids menu, I just HAD to HAVE it!!! Who doesn’t want rainbow pasta?! I’m actually glad the waiter let me have it because I’m obviously not 12 years and younger, but I had so much fun with it.

All they really did was add food coloring and butter to the angel hair, but it was normal tasting too. Thank God my mouth didn’t change colors! That would’ve been rough.

10. Azul Mariscos

My friends and I had made a reservation weeks before to come to Azul. It’s a spot that just opened this summer 2021 in Chicago and known for their seafood. A little overpriced for our taste, but the tequila tree was pretty fun. It’s all shareable, but be ready for a hefty bill. Other than that, we were able to take photos by the water and thoroughly enjoy our friend’s company.

11. Paradise Park

We went out with friends in the city and it was such a cute spot. It was actually a pretty large building and there was so much space to work with. The local beers were a hit, as well as the nachos and pizza.

12. Barcocina

Went to this cutie spot in the winter and they had igloos!!! You actually have to reserve them, so I wish I knew that before going. We sat inside and had a girls night out. It was extremely cozy and we loved our quesadillas. The beverages were a tad strong, but absolutely loved the vibe!

13. K Fire BBQ

Korean bbq’s honestly have to be one of my favorite cuisines. I love that someone can mix and match so any foodies in one bowl. I usually prefer dumplings steamed, but these were surprisingly very tasty. Grateful the bowls were filling as well.

14. Russian Tea Time

My friend, Khadeil, introduced me to this spot and it was a MUST GO. I had actually been wanting to go to a place with tea and this just called to us. It was a nice change and escape from the normal restaurant feel. They served the tea quite nicely, the appetizers, and the variety of pastries. We had the peach tea and so many refills. Match made in heaven for sure!

15. Jojo’s Shake Bar

If anyone has a sweet tooth, it’s me! This girl! I feel like I can’t get away from sweets. I’ve also always wanted to come to this place and I finally had the opportunity to. My friends just love to jump on adventures with me, especially for a sweet spot. I thought this spot was a pop up, but I think it’s here to stay for sure. They just opened a location in Naperville as well!

I feel like each restaurant hits in a different way. Each offer exquisite foods and I loved being able to experience them all. I’ll definitely be adding to the list as I go too!

Are there any you recommend I go?

Also, all our covid friendly; meaning you wear a mask, there’s hand sanitizer, they check your temperature, you need reservations, etc. Most of my reservations were made on OpenTable (this is not an advertisement for them).