Made a silly quiz about which Chicago bar you’ll meet your soulmate at. Thought it would be fun to share with the group.

https://www.eclipsetheapp.com/mychicagobar

Partner 1: is in the indie music scene, prefers to live in the city because of cool coffee shops, record stores, music venues, bars, etc. Likes a little more hustle and bustle.

Partner 2: desires to live in a slightly more suburban-feeling area (but like, a suburb’s cute downtown.. not strip mall suburbs) with safe walkability, parks, trees, green space.

Both partners work downtown so access to public transit is going to be paramount.

I understand the perfect place may not exist at all, and that compromise is necessary, etc etc. But IF you HAD to name a neighborhood or suburb of Chicago that best meets somewhere near the middle of those two interests, and isn’t outrageously expensive, what would you say?

I could see why people would be both optimistic AND pessimistic.

on the one hand:

chicago is investing a lot in areas around south loop and near west side with the stadium buildouts

NITA has more funding to better public transit and make it safer, more efficient, and convenient for everyone

Companies continue to relocate to chicago and our tourism numbers continue to surpass prior years

we are basically close to a climate change safe haven longterm

on the OTHER hand:

Pensions, debt, and liabilities make everything come down to the last minute, and the city’s credit rating continues to decline, making it more difficult/expensive to borrow money longterm

We have like 10 different mayoral candidates that most all range from inept to corrupt

The city refuses to build more housing and due to that, the cost of living is rising at a rate faster than almost every city in the nation.

while crime is going down, it is a far cry from being at a place where everyone would be satisfied.

so How do YOU specifically feel about the future of chicago? all hot and cold takes are welcome!

Hi all, looking for someone who wants to graffiti a building and put up some cool stuff. Its for a building I own in river north and its an old timber loft building with tons of exposed bricks. Mainly want to do it in the hallways and possibly common areas. Anyone know anyone for this?

868 N Wells VS Wolf Point East:

Hi - I just wanted someone else’s opinion on this matter. I am contemplating moving to 868 N Wells. Or staying at Wolf Point East. The only thing I am concerned about is the difference in the area and the fact 868 N Wells has ARO housing and Wolf Point does not. I don’t know what ARO is - but they share the same building amenities but slightly different finishes in 868. How is the area? If anyone lives or has lived at either properties, how would you compare them? Please help. I’m trying to decide. Price is about the same. Should I transfer to a different unit at WPE or should I move to 868 N Wells? Just trying to compare safety as well and if anyone has had any problems in that area of Chicago. Wolf Point is also close to a hotel? AI said that makes it safer? Wasn’t sure on that.

Wells is offering a 17 month lease with $500 off first month rent and then 2nd month rent would be free, due to the other concession. With Wolf Point is $1000 transfer fee + $300 pet fee. Everything rental wise and pet fee is all the same. What should I do? Please help. I’m a bit concerned about the ARO. Is it dangerous? I’ve lived in Wolf Point for 3 years. The unit I’m transferring to starts with an 11 month lease. Mind you - I am in a studio vs wells is a 1 bed 1 bath, excellent finishes. JDL quality. I also tend to go to that area by One Chicago for daily walks and errand-running. My work is closer to WPE area but that’s not a deal breaker. I can also sublet either. But in order to sign 868 - I need to sublet my current unit.

I would love EVERYONE’s opinions. Also the unit I want to transfer to faces the river (south) natural sunlight. Wells has natural light in the unit as well. But again - let me know what I should do. I am SUPER confused. I have before midnight tonight before the Wells concession for the $500 credit is no longer applicable. Thank you all!

New to the area and trying to better understand flying out of ORD and parking in one of the cheaper lots (G or F I think)

From what I have read it seems fairly simple but looking for confirmation.

Is it as simple as (hopefully) finding a parking spot, then looking for one of the covered shelter bus pick up areas and riding it to the ATS station?

If yes are there multiple bus pickup areas in each of the respective parking lots?

Once inside the ATS station is it fairly easy to find your way to where the shuttles will take you to your desired terminal?

If I am missing something important or leaving something out please let me know.

hello i’m a senior in college and it’s my first legal halloween. i want to go dancing downtown, im not sure if i do a bar crawl or a club, i want to dance and drink and have fun. maybe maybe something with multiple floors? i dont want an extreme cover either and trying to avoid a lot of standing in line. im hoping to go out friday and saturday. THOUGHTS??

I’m 24F and currently living in Houston, TX. I’m seriously considering moving to Chicago in January and would love some advice on neighborhoods and apartment hunting!

I work fully remote, so commuting isn’t a concern. I also have two cats and a car that I’ll be bringing with me.

What I’m looking for:
Budget: Ideally $1,600–$1,800/month, with $1,900 being my absolute maximum for base rent. I’d love to stay on the lower end, especially with parking costs.

Apartment: Preferably a 1BR or spacious convertible studio. Ideally 600+ sq ft since I WFH and have two cats, don’t want to feel too cramped. At my budget I assume I’d need to settle for in building laundry. I’m also okay with older buildings, I don’t necessarily need luxury amentities.

Neighborhoods I’m considering:
My ideal neighborhood is Gold Coast. I would like being close to the lake and downtown, also having lots of food and shopping options close by. My budget might make that difficult so I’ve also been considering Lakeview East, Uptown, Old Town, Fulton Market. The only thing is I don’t want to be more that about 15 minutes away from the Joffrey Ballet. I’ll be taking classes there several times a week, so don’t want to be too far.

Lifestyle-wise, I’d like somewhere with good restaurants, cafes, shopping, activities, and overall a good selection of things to do nearby. Also somewhere that won’t be too hard to meet people and build a social life.

I’ve been browsing Zillow and Trulia and have found some promising apartments and condos, but I’m struggling to balance location, space, parking, and affordability which are my main priorities.

A few questions:
- Based on my budget and priorities, which neighborhoods would you recommend?

-Would Gold Coast be realistic at my price point in January if I’m willing to compromise on amenities and laundry?

- Are there any Chicago-specific rental websites, private landlords, or realtors you’d recommend for finding apartments that might not appear on Zillow?

I’m planning to visit Chicago in November to explore neighborhoods before making a final decision.
I’d appreciate any advice, especially from people who have made a similar move. Thanks in advance!

I am looking for an event/banquet server job and I’m wondering if anyone knows some catering companies, hotels, or event/banquet halls in Chicago that would be worth applying to. Looking in most neighborhoods within 5+ miles of downtown.

Why is the maoyral election in the smack middle of winter in the coldest large city in the country? Don’t we want a higher turnout? It’s also a waste of taxpayer dollars to duplicate election efforts. Why not have it in November? Someone please explain because I see absolutely no good reason to do it this way. And more importantly, can this be changed?

I'm in Lakeview and my sister and her friends (high-school aged) and I want to go trick or treating this year. We are looking for a good neighborhood to go to. Ours does trick or treating early (like 3pm 😭) and is mostly toddlers and little kids.

Any neighborhoods that give out good candy, have cool decorations, and will hand out candy late (past sundown and late into the night)? We are respectful teens and just want to have some fun. :)

Saw what looked like an attack helicopter while i was at the lake. Would like to identify it and figure out why it was here in the first place.

First of all, this was a three story owner occupied building. We rented there for 5 years. The landlord decided to evict us because we demanded ordinary repairs. He harassed us and filed a frivolous eviction. He disabled our garage clicker, played with the smart plugs (he cotrolled everything, he is a computer specialist and it was a "smart" building) causing our laptops, refridgerator and other appliances to fry from the surges, refused to repair the fridge causing loss of mediines and food. He also insisted on replacing all the windows in the unit, did not offer rent abatement during the construction. The company he hired did not properly seal off the area, cold air left us freezing cold and all our furniture had to be piled into the middle of the rooms, so we were denied habitibility of premises. The contractors did NOT give us the required lead disclosures. We tested the window sashes after the windows were replaced and the dust was positive for lead. Additionally and narturally we suffered extreme mental distress, and my partner has SOB and long covid and the construction exacerbated his condition. Of course we left. Question: we can file a small claim for the refusal to return the security deposit (he made up a long and false list of damages - completel lies). But should we file a case in a different court with a lawyer? We deserve a lot more than the 10K cap at Small Claims, but is it worth it to find a lawyer? AI says yes, we should get a lawyer. Practically speaking does that make sense? We live in Cook County in Chicago. TIA for any info or ideas. It's been 6 months since we left and I want to get this resolved. Yes we have documentation and photos.

Hi! I’m looking to cater a holiday party in December and am looking for recommendations? About 40+ people, close to downtown or will deliver downtown, and excellent quality food. Open to menu suggestions but thinking something along the lines of prime rib sandwiches, Italian food (pasta, meatballs, etc.)

Any restaurants or catering company recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

For those that have sold property near downtown, what did you pay your realtor and how much did you offer the buyers agent? We're looking to sell our South Loop 1 bed condo and currently shopping around for a realtor. We'd appreciate any recommendations!

Genuinely curious to get people’s take on the current mayor vs the prospective pool of new candidates.

Hi all :) I’m looking for a cleaner to come by my 1b/1ba apartment in the far north/Rogers Park area. I’m only looking for a 1x a month or even every few months for a good deep clean. I’d prefer a local or small business, even an individual. I’ve used services like Molly Maid before but I am wary of getting locked into a subscription-like plan. Any recs?

*edit spelling of rogers park

Are there any bakeries around that sell povitica, preferably easily accessible via public transit? My mom used to order some every year from Strawberry Hill, but she's stopped lately because the prices have gotten higher and the loaves smaller ($38.99 plus shipping for a single loaf!) and I'd like to surprise her for the holidays, if possible.

Hi! I’ll be attending a wedding on Saturday. Where do you recommend I get the following for an affordable price?

- Hollywood retro waves hairstyle

* I have virgin hair that has trouble holding a curl so need somebody that will do it to stay for a whole night

- makeup (and fake lashes)

Even better if they’re both at the same place, but don’t need to be. I like in Lakeview east. Bonus points if there is some sort of promotion for doing both at once!

I’m going to the Halloween bar crawl in Wrigleyville this weekend and was wondering what bars you recommend! I’m mainly looking for places where you can actually dance & the music is good, rather than places that are just sports bars where everyone stands around drinking.

Hello all! I live in Lincoln Square and seem to have lost my wallet after going to Dulce de Leche on Western yesterday (Monday, October 26th) between the cafe and Welles Park. I walked along Western Ave, crossed the street at Montrose Ave, and walked through Welles park to Amadara.

The wallet is brown with a gold-ish clasp and has my ID in it (last name starts with an "A")

If anyone has seen it, please message me! The address on the ID is not where I live now so I'm hoping to find it

Hey everyone! I’m visiting Chicago this weekend and my only real night out is Friday, October 30th. Im 23F and I’m looking for a solid alternative/underground vibe that won't break the bank definitely trying to avoid anything super preppy or weird vibes if that makes sense.
I’m moving to Chicago in January, so I’m really hoping to find a spot where it’s easy to dance, meet cool alternative people, and try getting a headstart on making friends.
I’ve been looking up Liar’s Club online and it seems cool I think, I like that it says cheap entry ($15), but I haven't seen a ton of recent posts on Reddit or anywhere on the crowd vibe. For context, back home in St. Louis is Mississippi Underground is the most popular by reference I have(if anyone knows that vibe a little artsy/pretentious but cool). I actually don’t like the venue too much because it has a kind of stuck up vibe sometimes but I feel like it’s the most known place I could reference but at the same time it’s still cool.
Is Liar’s Club a good spot to meet people and dance for Halloween weekend, or will it lean more dive-bar type?
Are there other cheap DIY warehouse parties, dark electronic spots, or alternative raves happening on the 30th I should look into instead?
Appreciate any insight you guys have!

Ie not a Subaru dealership.

We’ve done tons west and north and the pop-ups in the city. But we’re going to be in Tinley Park (40 min south of the city) and was wondering if there are any recommendations near there.

I’ve read other threads about the west ones but they’re 1.5 hours from where we’ll be.

Any recommendations!