Most people who don’t live here assume Chicago is a city you experience from the inside: museums, restaurants, architecture, sports. What they might be surprised about is that Chicago has 28 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and about 27 publicly maintained beaches, all of them free.

At the time of this article, 4 beaches are closed indefinitely due to erosion, so it’s important to check the Chicago Park District’s website before heading out.

We find that most Chicagoans stick to one beach and don’t bother exploring all their options. North Avenue gets crowded, Montrose gets discovered, and the entire South Side of the lakefront goes largely unvisited by people who live in the same city. This guide covers what’s at each major beach, not just the well-known ones, so you can pick the right one for your day.

We’re the Ben Lalez Team, and we’ve been helping families buy and sell homes across Chicago for over a decade. Every week, we put out an article about something useful or interesting about the city. Subscribe to our newsletter if you want these in your inbox.

Okay, let’s get into it!

How The Chicago Beach System Works

Beach season runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Swimming is allowed only when lifeguards are on duty, which is daily from 11am to 7pm. Outside those hours, red flags go up, and swimming is not permitted.

Each beach posts a flag indicating current conditions. 

• Green means swimming is allowed and water quality is acceptable.
• Yellow means use caution.
• Red means no swimming, whether due to weather, strong currents, or water quality. 

The Chicago Park District publishes daily swim status online by beach, and it’s important to always check before you leave home. Weather conditions affect access, and after heavy rain, runoff pushes bacteria levels higher near the shore.

The rules are the same across all beaches:

• no alcohol
• no glass containers
• no smoking
• no dogs on the sand except at designated dog-friendly areas
• grilling is allowed only in designated spots, and hot coals go in the metal barrels provided.

Park District staff enforce these at the busier locations, so make sure you know the rules.

Downtown Beaches

The central beaches draw the largest crowds and have the most amenities. They’re what most people picture when they think about Chicago having a lakefront.

North Avenue Beach is the loudest, most active beach in the city. The beach house is shaped like a ship and features restrooms, lockers, and Castaways Bar and Grill, which offers both counter service and sit-down dining with lake views. Volleyball courts stay busy on weekends, and on-site rentals cover jet skis, kayaks, paddleboards, and bikes. If you want energy, activity, and a social scene, this is the beach for you.

Oak Street Beach is in the Gold Coast, just south of North Avenue, and has the most photographed skyline backdrop of any beach in the city. The shot from Oak Street looking back at the Chicago skyline is the one that ends up in travel guides and real estate listings. Concessions are on-site, and the underpass near the beach has a mural by artist Jeff Zimmermann that is popular for photos. The stretch of sand is shorter than North Avenue, but the views are better.

Ohio Street Beach is just east of Navy Pier in a protected cove, which makes the water calmer and the overall experience quieter than the other two central options. Open-water swimmers and triathletes use it regularly for training. The sheltered cove is easy to navigate and connects directly to the Lakefront Trail for running and cycling. If you want a beach close to downtown without the North Avenue crowd, Ohio Street is the one.

North Side Beaches

Moving north from North Avenue, the beaches take on more of a neighborhood character. The crowds shift from citywide social scene to local regulars.

Montrose Beach is the largest beach in the city by area. There are volleyball courts and water sport rentals, but what sets Montrose apart is everything else. The Montrose Dunes and Bird Sanctuary is located directly adjacent, a protected natural area that draws bird watchers and people who want to walk. There’s also a designated dog-friendly section where dogs can run off leash in a fenced area near the water.

Foster Beach at Foster Avenue is the North Side beach for dog owners who don’t want to make the trip all the way to Montrose. It has a designated dog-friendly area, concessions, restrooms, and lifeguards in season. The crowd is mostly local, so you can usually find a spot, even on a busy weekend.

Osterman Beach, known to locals as Hollywood Beach, is further north near Edgewater. It’s another neighborhood beach with sand, lifeguards in season, and lakefront trail access. If you live on the Far North Side, this is likely your closest option. The smaller street-end beaches like Lane Beach in Edgewater follow the same logic: direct lake access, almost entirely local crowd, no concessions, no rentals, just sand and water.

South Side Beaches

The South Side beaches are less crowded than anything on the North Side. Several have better parking, and some are located next to institutions that make for a full day rather than just a beach trip.

31st Street Beach is the most accessible South Side option, at 31st Street Harbor and with skyline views looking north toward downtown. Amenities include concessions, restrooms, parking, a playground, and lakefront trail access toward the Museum Campus.

57th Street Beach is inside Jackson Park, directly next to the Museum of Science and Industry. It’s a good option for families who want to split a day between the museum and the lake. The beach is straightforward, with sand, water, and park facilities nearby, and the Jackson Park has lots of green space to enjoy.

63rd Street Beach has one of the more historically significant beach houses on the lakefront, a Prairie-style structure from 1919 that has been restored. Just south of it is South Shore Beach, which sits on the grounds of the South Shore Cultural Center, a building that was originally a private country club before the Chicago Park District acquired it in 1974. The Cultural Center has a golf course, gardens, a ballroom, and event spaces built into what is now a public park.

Rainbow Beach is further south and combines swimming with one of the city’s oldest public gardens and a natural dune area called the Rainbow Beach Dunes. The amenities are quite good: concessions, playgrounds, restrooms, Wi-Fi, handball courts, and a fitness center. It functions as a full community park with a beach attached, and it draws a consistent local crowd.

Calumet Beach is the southernmost beach in the city, near the southeastern border. It’s uncrowded by any central beach standard, almost entirely local, and not on most people’s radar. For residents of the Far South Side, it’s the neighborhood beach. For anyone else, it’s a reason to explore a stretch of the lakefront that the rest of the city ignores.

Choosing the Right Beach

A few scenarios worth working through before you load the car:

For the most active social scene, North Avenue and Oak Street are the obvious choices. They’re the busiest for a reason, and both offer full on-site amenities.

For open-water swimming or triathlon training, Ohio Street Beach has the protected cove and the cleanest transition to the Lakefront Trail.

For dog owners, Montrose and Foster both have designated off-leash areas. Montrose has more space. Every other beach on the lakefront prohibits dogs on the sand.

For combining a beach with a cultural site, 57th Street is next to the Museum of Science and Industry, and South Shore sits on the grounds of the South Shore Cultural Center.

For a neighborhood beach without downtown energy, Foster, Osterman, 31st Street, and Rainbow all deliver.

For parking, the South Side beaches are generally easier. The North Side central beaches are designed around transit and bike access, and parking reflects that.

One More Thing On Water Quality

Blue-green algae blooms occur in Lake Michigan during warm months and are harmful to both people and dogs. The Park District posts advisories, and the daily swim status includes current conditions by beach. Check before you go, especially after a stretch of hot days when bloom conditions are most likely near the shore.

Final Thoughts

Chicago’s lakefront is one of the things this city has that most American cities don’t: 27 free public beaches, open all summer, reachable by transit from almost anywhere in the city. Most residents pick one and stick with it. So if you’ve spent every summer at North Avenue and never made it to South Shore or Rainbow, go check them out.

And if you’re thinking about buying somewhere close to the shoreline and proximity to the lakefront is important to you, give us a shout. It comes up in almost every conversation about the North Side neighborhoods, and we have a ton of suggestions for you when you’re ready to look.

Make sure to stock up on that sunscreen, and see you out there on the sands!

The post A Guide To Chicago’s Beaches appeared first on Ben Lalez.

Summer is finally just around the corner, and you know what that means – we’re about to enter full-on festival season! There’s a lot going on in Chicago this summer, so we’re going to be breaking down our event articles monthly to make sure all the best and most interesting events are covered.

This week’s article is about what’s happening in June. There are free concerts in Millennium Park, neighborhood street fests, Pride celebrations, art fairs, and food crawls.

Before we get started: if you’re new here, welcome! 

We’re the Ben Lalez Team, an award‑winning real estate team serving buyers and sellers all over Chicago and the suburbs. For more than a decade, we’ve been helping people find the right home in the right neighborhood. Every week, we publish a new article about something interesting, useful, or fun going on around the city. If you’d like these guides sent straight to your inbox every week, make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter.

With that, let’s take a look at what June is bringing to Chicago.

Chicago Blues Festival

June 4 -7

The city’s signature Chicago Blues Festival returns with four days of free performances, opening with a kickoff night at the newly restored Ramova Theatre and then spreading across multiple stages in Millennium Park. Expect tributes to Chicago blues legends, afternoon sets on the lawn, and evening headliners that draw big crowds.

The festival is produced by the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and as always, admission is free. Make sure to plan ahead for crowds, transit, and where you want to sit or stand.

57th Street Art Fair

June 6 – 7

Held every year on the first full weekend in June, the 57th Street Art Fair brings nearly 200 artists to the streets around the University of Chicago campus for what’s billed as the Midwest’s oldest juried outdoor art fair. You’ll find everything from paintings and photography to ceramics, jewelry, and sculpture, with artists on-site to talk about their work.

It’s a great opportunity to spend several hours browsing, talking with artists, and grabbing snacks from pop‑ups and nearby coffee shops, especially if you pair it with a visit to the Museum of Science and Industry or the lakefront.

Andersonville Midsommarfest

June 12 – 14

Andersonville Midsommarfest turns Clark Street into a 3-day celebration of Swedish summer traditions. There’ll be multiple stages of live music, Swedish and global food, kids activities, and local vendors.

The suggested donation of $10 at the gate, along with beverage sales, goes back into neighborhood events and community programs. This is their 60th year, so if you haven’t checked it out in a while, make sure to stop by this year to enjoy the festivities.

Puerto Rican Festival Chicago (Fiestas Puertorriqueñas)

June 11 – 14

Humboldt Park hosts the multi‑day Puerto Rican Festival, a major cultural celebration that features carnival rides and vendors with live music, performances, and of course, tons of good eats. Weekend tickets get you into the fenced festival area where you’ll find stages, rides, and a big selection of Puerto Rican and Latin American food.

And if you’re into running, on June 21st, the annual San Juan 5k Run is taking place at 7:30am.

Taste of Randolph

June 19 – 21

Taste of Randolph turns Restaurant Row into one long block party, with the West Loop Community Organization closing Randolph between Peoria and Racine for a weekend of live music and food from some of the neighborhood’s best-known restaurants. Multiple stages feature national and local acts, while pop‑up booths and beer tents line the street.

There’s a suggested donation at the gate that helps pay for the festival and supports community programming, but once you’re in, you can wander your way down one of Chicago’s most talked‑about dining corridors.

Gold Coast Art Fair

June 20 – 21

The Gold Coast Art Fair features a variety of artists across different media. You can browse paintings, prints, jewelry, ceramics, and more over the course of the weekend.

If you’re thinking about how to decorate a new place, or you’re just looking for something unique to hang on the wall, this is a good event to check out.

Chicago Pride Fest

June 20 – 21

Chicago Pride Fest is a 2‑day street festival in Boystown, held the weekend before the city’s main Pride Parade. Stages along Halsted will feature pop acts, DJs, and drag shows all day, while vendors line the street with food, drinks, and Pride merch.

It’s one of the biggest neighborhood festivals of the month, and you’ll get an up‑close look at the energy along Halsted.

Chicago Pride Parade

June 28

On the last Sunday in June, the Chicago Pride Parade kicks off in Northalsted, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators to celebrate LGBTQ+ life and community. Floats, marching contingents, and neighborhood groups will wind through Lakeview and surrounding areas over the course of the afternoon.

If you’ve never experienced the parade, it’s worth experiencing at least once. If you’re planning on attending, note that there is a long list of prohibited items:

• Alcohol
• Bicycles, scooters
• Coolers
• Drones
• Fireworks
• Folding chairs
• Propane, propane Tanks
• Tents, canopies, or structures
• Tripods, monopods, selfie Sticks
• Vending
• Weapons

Make sure to check the event website to find everything you need to know.

Flavors Of Albany Park

June 24

Flavors of Albany Park is a one-night restaurant crawl that turns one of Chicago’s most diverse neighborhoods into a global tasting route. Your ticket gets you access to a curated path across 60‑plus participating restaurants, with small bites at each stop along Lawrence, Montrose, and Kedzie.

Albany Park is one of Chicago’s most diverse zip codes, and the event reflects this through food from the Middle East, Mexico, the Philippines, Korea, Eastern Europe, and many other cuisines.

Logan Square Arts Fest

June 26 – 28

Logan Square Arts Fest returns this year after a construction‑related pause in 2025, and organizers are calling it “back and bigger than ever.”

Since its launch in 2009, the festival has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors and raised tens of thousands of dollars for local nonprofits, with proceeds supporting neighborhood arts and preservation groups. Expect a mix of local bands, indie touring acts, pop‑up galleries, interactive art pieces, family‑friendly daytime activities, and a beer and cocktail presence from local bars and breweries.

Chicago Taco & Tequila Fest

June 26 – 27

Chicago Taco & Tequila Fest is a ticketed tasting event held in Wrightwood Park that brings together taco vendors, tequila brands, and live entertainment over two days. Tickets are typically sold in tasting sessions, with each admission including a set number of taco samples and the option to add tequila tastings or cocktail samples, depending on the ticket tier.

Roscoe Village PorchFest

June 28

Roscoe Village PorchFest is one of a series of porch‑based music festivals organized by the Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce. Homeowners volunteer their porches as mini‑stages, and local musicians are assigned time slots, with a printed or digital map guiding visitors from set to set through the afternoon.

Genres range widely, and the scale is intentionally small, more like a neighborhood block party than a full‑blown street closure. We highly recommend you check it out.

North Center Garden Walk

June 28

The North Center Garden Walk is a self‑guided tour of residential gardens, organized by the North Center Neighbors Association. Participants receive a map and program listing all featured gardens, along with notes on which locations have extras like live acoustic music, refreshments, or plant swaps.

Gardens range from small parkways with carefully planned perennials to full backyards with vegetable beds, water features, or pollinator‑friendly plantings. If you like seeing how people actually use their outdoor space for container gardens on decks, creative shade solutions, or front‑yard landscaping ideas, this is a good place to get inspiration.

A Few Other Things Worth Keeping on Your Radar

Beyond the big marquee events, June also brings:

• Free Grant Park Music Festival concerts at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, with the Grant Park Orchestra and Chorus performing classical and contemporary works on many Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
• City and neighborhood farmers markets that get busier in June, including long‑running markets like Division Street and Daley Plaza, plus dozens of smaller neighborhood markets.

Final Thoughts

This is it, the few months in Chicago where we can enjoy the summer weather and everything that’s awesome about spending time outdoors in the city. Next month, we’ll cover the events happening in July, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, if you’re checking out an event and find a neighborhood that feels like home and you want to talk next steps (buying, selling, or just getting a sense of what’s possible), reach out to us at the Ben Lalez Team. We’d be happy to help you figure out the right move for you and your family! 

Until next week, break out the sunscreen and enjoy the rest of May!

The post June 2026 Events In Chicago appeared first on Ben Lalez.

We’re back again with another article on the top-rated coffee shops (according to Google reviews), and this week we’re covering Chicago’s West Loop.

Although West Loop is best known for Randolph Street’s restaurant row and Fulton Market’s dining scene, the neighborhood also has a number of really good coffee shops to get your caffeine fix. From hidden matcha bars to Vietnamese robusta specialists and pastry-forward cafes, you’ve got a decent set of options to try out.

In case you stumbled onto our blog for the first time, we’re the Ben Lalez Team, one of the top real estate teams in Chicago and in Illinois. We’ve got over a thousand deals under our belt over more than a decade of helping buyers and sellers in the city. If it has something to do with Chicago, we’re there!

Before we begin, you can check out some of our previous neighborhood articles on coffee shops in Chicago:

• The Best Coffee Shops in Lakeview
• Top Rated Coffee Shops in Wicker Park
• The Best Coffee Shops in Lincoln Park
• The Best Coffee Shops in Andersonville
• Top Rated Coffee Shops in Logan Square

Let’s get started!

Our Selection Criteria

Our selections are based on places that primarily serve coffee, have earned high Google reviews (with a minimum of 100 reviews), and offer something unique to the neighborhood’s coffee culture. Please note that both the ratings and number of reviews are at the time of writing this article. You can always click on the corresponding link to each business page to get the most up-to-date ratings and reviews.

1. Sawada Coffee 

Website: https://www.sawadacoffee.com/chi/home

Read reviews here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QQUWFH36UXTxH6mNA

Sawada Coffee is West Loop’s cult‑favorite espresso and matcha bar, tucked inside Green Street Smoked Meats on Green Street. The space feels like a mash‑up of coffee bar and industrial loft, and you’ll often see line ups on the weekends.

The shop is the first U.S. cafe from latte‑art champion Hiroshi Sawada – make sure to try their signature Military Latte (matcha, espresso, vanilla).

2. La Colombe – Randolph

Website: https://www.lacolombe.com/pages/cafes/randolph

Read reviews here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DZq1dThmSFXKFJ7NA

Coffee is very much the classic La Colombe playbook. Expect draft lattes, nitro cold brew, and straightforward espresso drinks with consistent quality and plenty of grab‑and‑go traffic. Because of its location and reliability, it’s a common recommendation for visitors staying or working in West Loop.

3. Ground Up

Website: https://groundupchicago.com/

Read reviews here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/B4ys7XoK9wCjs67V8

Ground Up is one of the best work‑friendly cafes in West Loop. The coffee menu is a mix of classic espresso drinks and rotating seasonal specials, with a bit of Greek‑influenced items and delicious pastry options. If you want to find a place to bring your laptop and get work done, Ground Up is a good choice.

4. Vietfive Coffee

Website: https://vietfive.com/

Read reviews here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/NSaxCHH16g5fmtYo8

Vietfive Coffee focuses on coffee made from Vietnamese robusta beans grown on the owner’s family farm. Drinks are brewed with traditional phin filters, so the coffee hits rich and strong, especially in classics like cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk). Many people will tell you that Vietnamese coffee hits harder than regular coffee, so don’t drink too many!

5. Groundswell Coffee Roasters – Madison

Website: https://groundswellcoffeeroasters.com/

Read reviews here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/VLNRqRUKJZu1mwDq5

Groundswell Coffee Roasters’ West Loop location brings a local roaster’s presence into the neighborhood. Inside, the focus is on in‑house roasted beans with Oji drip options. It’s also a great place to buy fresh coffee beans to bring home to brew.

6. Good Ambler

Website: http://goodambler.com/

Read reviews here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/cFZWmhbZ6dvZbGGN7

Good Ambler feels as much like a pastry shop as a coffee bar. The cafe is large and stylish, with brick, high ceilings, and plenty of seating. The pastry and chocolate treats are very popular, and go amazing with the coffee. If you’re looking for a place where you can pick up a treat+coffee (instead of just a quick coffee to go), this is a good place to check out.

7. FROTH

Website: http://froth.cafe/

Read reviews here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5jAv3jKwmhSmj1qXA

FROTH operates out of the lobby of a redeveloped apartment building on Monroe that used to be a YMCA. The menu takes a “cocktail approach” to coffee with both classic espresso drinks and more experimental creations like coffee cocktails and Dalgona‑style iced drinks.

8. Drip Collective

Website: https://dripcollective.coffee/

Read reviews here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DMV1HahffZb9qnAUA

Drip Collective’s menu is built around Filipino and Southeast Asian flavors, with pandan and ube lattes, seasonal specials, and signature drinks alongside more traditional espresso options.

Additional Spots For You To Check Out

If you already know these 8 spots or just want even more variety nearby, there are a few additional cafés worth mentioning.

Dark Matter Coffee – Meddle Coffee Bar

Website: http://www.darkmattercoffee.com/

Read reviews here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/w6vLY2mw7LxHtefB9

Meddle Coffee Bar is Dark Matter’s West Loop location, and represents Dark Matter’s “psychedelegant” design – purple swirling floors, mural‑covered walls, and loud music. You’ll find their trademark barrel‑aged coffees, cold brew, and single‑origin offerings. This one is ideal for readers who want a bold, roaster‑driven experience rather than a quiet laptop cafe.

Matcha Cita

Website: http://www.matchacitachi.com/

Read reviews here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PLv5GD18xUrpMWEF7

Matcha Cita is a bright, matcha‑focused cafe designed intentionally “for the gram,” with colorful, tropical‑meets‑retro decor and an all‑matcha menu of lattes, lemonades, smoothies, and sweets. It’s perfect for anyone who loves matcha or wants a highly photogenic spot to work or meet up in West Loop.

Swadesi Cafe

Website: http://swadesicafe.com/

Read reviews here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/A8yV2yzvg3E8vueDA

Swadesi is a South Asian cafe from the Michelin‑starred Indienne team, built around masala chai, specialty teas, and Indian‑inspired pastries. People describe it as a “new Indian cafe for masala chai,” with cardamom‑spiced drinks, savory snacks, and desserts that feel very different from typical West Loop cafés. It’s a must‑try for chai lovers.

Move Along Coffee

Website: http://www.movealongcoffee.com/

Read reviews here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RtndcsxEAJt744cHA

Move Along Coffee features rotating roasters and specialty drinks out of a small storefront. It’s popular with commuters and locals who want a quick, high‑quality coffee without committing to a long sit‑down stop.

Cupitol Coffee & Eatery – West Loop

Website: https://cupitol.com/

Read reviews here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9tsMUyhUmVtLiTvp8

Cupitol’s West Loop location is an all‑day cafe that blends coffee shop, bakery, and restaurant with espresso drinks, pastries, brunch, lunch, and wine/beer all under one roof. It has plenty of seating and is often used as a flexible meeting or laptop space, especially for people who want to transition from morning coffee to a full meal without moving.

That’s A Wrap

What do you think? Did we miss any that deserve to be included in this article?

If you’re thinking about making West Loop your new home, or you currently live there and want to know what your property is worth, make sure to reach out to the Ben Lalez Team. We’d love to meet up with you at one of these spots for a coffee and chat about finding your next home in Chicago.

Until next week, stay caffeinated!

The post Top Rated Coffee Shops In West Loop appeared first on Ben Lalez.

There are many cities where having a dog is sometimes inconvenient due to a lack of pet amenities and stricter bylaws, but thankfully, Chicago isn’t one of them. 

The Park District maintains 33 designated off-leash parks spread across the city’s neighborhoods, and there are plenty of bars, restaurants, and breweries that welcome dogs on their patios. And of course, the lakefront is accessible, walkable, and great for leashed dogs.

If you just moved here with a dog, or you’re thinking about getting one, this guide covers everything from the licensing requirements and off-leash parks to the best neighborhoods for dog owners and local pet etiquette. 

We’re the Ben Lalez Team, and we’ve been helping families buy and sell homes across Chicago for over a decade. Every week, we put out an article about something useful or interesting about the city, so subscribe to our newsletter if you want these in your inbox!

By the way, we’ve previously written about pet-friendly cafes in Chicago, so make sure to read that if you need a good coffee spot to bring your pet.

Okay, let’s dig into everything about dogs in Chicago.

Two Dog Ownership Must-Do’s

Before you take your dog anywhere in Chicago, there are two things you need.

The first is a city dog license (which renews annually). Chicago requires any dog over four months old to be licensed with the city. You get this online here, and you’ll need proof of a current rabies vaccination to apply. This is separate from your vet records and your microchip registration.

The second is a DFA (Dog-Friendly Area) tag, which is required to legally take your dog off leash. You can get one through a participating veterinarian. The vet verifies that your dog is current on rabies, distemper, parvovirus, and bordetella, and has had a recent negative fecal test for parasites. Once that’s confirmed, you get the tag for $10 per dog, and it’s valid through the end of the calendar year.

The tag has to be on your dog’s collar or harness whenever you’re in a DFA. Using a DFA without one can result in a $500 fine.

Once you have a dog license and a DFA tag, you’re set to use the whole system.

The Parks

The Park District maintains the DFA’s across the city. Most have double-gate entries, fencing, and posted rules. Here are a few worth knowing specifically, but you can find the entire list of Chicago DFA’s here.

Montrose Dog Beach is the big one. It’s on the North Side lakefront, just north of Montrose Harbor. Dogs can run and swim off leash on a long stretch of sand with direct access to the lake. Locals call it Mondog. It technically counts as a DFA, so you still need the tag, but the experience is nothing like a fenced park.

Wiggly Field in Lincoln Park is one of the oldest DFA’s in the city and still one of the most active. It’s fenced and is frequently used by residents of Lincoln Park and Lakeview. If you live in that part of the city, it’ll probably be the place you go to the most.

Grant Bark Park near the South Loop is the most central option for people who live and work downtown.

Skinner Bark Park in the West Loop is tied to Mary Bartelme Park and is the go-to for the dense stretch of new apartment buildings in that neighborhood. Given how many dog owners have moved into the West Loop in the last decade, it gets good use.

A word on choosing where to go: not every park fits every dog. 

If your dog is small, easily overwhelmed, or reactive around other dogs, a quieter park on a weekday morning is going to go a lot better than Mondog at a crowded DFA on a Saturday afternoon in July. Matching the park to your dog’s temperament is more important than which park is closer to you.

Dog-Friendly Neighborhoods

West Loop has become one of the more dog-dense neighborhoods in the city, mostly due to the new apartments that have popped up over the last few years. Many of those buildings were specifically designed to attract dog owners, with rooftop dog runs, on-site washing stations, and pet amenities included. 

Lincoln Park and Lakeview are probably the most natural fit for dog owners who want space. The lakefront trail is right there, with multiple DFA’s within walking distance. Montrose Dog Beach is an easy trip north. If having a lot of outdoor options close by matters to you, this is a great neighborhood to be in.

Wicker Park, Bucktown, and Logan Square are worth mentioning together because they offer a different version of dog-friendly living. They have fewer lakefront options than the North Side, but the bar and patio scene is strong, and there are smaller parks scattered throughout. 

If you’re apartment hunting with a dog, building pet policies vary a lot across Chicago. Weight limits, breed restrictions, number of pets, and monthly pet fees are all things to confirm before signing anything. We can help you find the right building to accommodate your pet when that time comes.

Bars, Patios, And Restaurants

For a long time, the rule in Chicago was that dogs were allowed in outdoor patio areas at restaurants and bars that had the appropriate permits, but not inside. This may be changing. 

In September 2025, Alderman Timmy Knudsen introduced an ordinance that would allow restaurants to opt in as dog-friendly establishments, letting dogs inside for the first time under city rules. 

If passed, restaurants could post signage declaring themselves dog-friendly, and the rules would include one dog per table, dogs leashed and vaccinated for rabies, no food served to dogs, and employees required to wash their hands after any contact. Fines for violations would run from $200 to $1,000.

One thing to note: dog policies at individual businesses can change quickly. A place that welcomed your dog last spring might have a new manager this fall with a different approach. Before you load the dog into the car for a specific bar or restaurant, a quick call or check of their recent Google listing or Instagram will save you the trip.

Breweries with large patios and beer gardens tend to be the most reliably dog-welcoming spots in the city.

Seasons In Chicago

Of course, winter is the biggest adjustment, especially if you’re coming from somewhere warmer. Chicago sidewalks get treated with salt and chemical de-icers through the cold months, and those can burn your dog’s paws. 

A lot of owners use booties, or paw wax applied before walks and a good wipe-down when you get home. Short-coated and small dogs may need a jacket for anything longer than a quick bathroom trip. And during the really bad cold snaps, keep walks short and do more indoor play at home.

In the summer, pavement can get hot enough to burn paws, and Lake Michigan occasionally gets blue-green algae blooms during warm months that are harmful to dogs. The Park District posts advisories, so check before a beach visit if conditions look off. Mornings and evenings are the better times to be outside with a dog in July and August.

Don’t forget about thunderstorms and fireworks, because they are terrifying for many pets. The Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve are the obvious ones, but Chicago also has fireworks through the summer festival season. If your dog has noise anxiety, have a plan in place so you’re not managing a panicking pet in the moment.

Dog Park And City Etiquette 

Pick up immediately. There’s no version of dog park culture where it’s acceptable to walk away from something your dog just left on the ground. Some building communities in Chicago have even started using DNA testing programs to identify owners who don’t pick up in shared outdoor spaces, so this is not a risk worth taking.

If your dog is getting too rough, mounting persistently, or bullying another dog, pull them out. It’s on you to manage that, not on everyone else to tolerate it. Dogs in heat aren’t allowed in DFA’s, and aggressive dogs that can’t be controlled shouldn’t be in them either.

On city streets and sidewalks, keep your leash short in crowded areas. Not everyone you pass likes dogs or is comfortable with them coming into their space. Letting your dog jump on strangers is a problem, even when your dog is friendly. And definitely don’t block building entrances or narrow sidewalk passages.

At dog-friendly bars and patios, keep your dog under the table and out of the path of servers. If your dog is having an off day and isn’t settling down, better to come back another time.

Dog Services

Chicago has no shortage of dog walkers, daycare, and boarding options. Rover alone lists thousands of sitters and walkers across the city, and most neighborhoods have at least one or two daycare facilities if you work long hours or travel regularly. Webcam access and daily photos have become pretty standard at the better places, so you can keep an eye on your best friend when you’re separated.

For vets, establishing a relationship with a primary care practice before you need one is worth doing early. Your vet will also be the one who issues your DFA tag each year. It’s also worth knowing in advance where your nearest 24-hour emergency vet is. You hopefully won’t need it, but when you do, you don’t want to be Googling it at midnight.

Final Thoughts

Chicago makes it incredibly easy to live here with a dog. The off-leash park system is great, and the bar and restaurant culture has always been more welcoming to dogs than most cities.

If you’re house hunting and want to think through which neighborhoods (and buildings) make the most sense for your situation, including how close you’d be to a DFA or the lakefront, we can be your trusty real estate sidekick! 

Give us a shout whenever you’re ready, and we’ll take you through all of your options. 

Until next week, give your fur baby some love from the Ben Lalez Team!

The post The Guide To Owning A Dog In Chicago appeared first on Ben Lalez.

Hey Chicago foodies!

Did you know that Chicago is among the top 5 North American cities with the most Michelin-starred restaurants? 

Before 2025, there were 19 in Chicago, but Feld got added to the list in last year’s guide, making a total of 20 restaurants in this city that hold a Michelin star right now. The 2025 guide brought a few changes, including a promotion, a demotion, and the addition of the latest venue.

If you’re not familiar with how Michelin works, here’s the short version:

★ 1 star: “Worth a stop” – Very good cooking. If you’re already in the area, it’s worth making time to try.

★★ 2 stars: “Worth a detour” – Excellent cooking. Good enough that you’d change your route or travel out of your way just to eat there. 

★★★ 3 stars: “Worth a special journey” – Exceptional, world‑class cuisine. The restaurant is so good that it can justify planning an entire trip around that meal. 

Inspectors eat anonymously, multiple times, and they’re evaluating only what comes out of the kitchen.

We put this guide together so you have everything in one place. Whether you’re planning a milestone dinner, a birthday, or you’ve just always been curious about what’s at the top of the Chicago food scene, here’s the full picture. We’ve also included the Google Review rating (as of the time of publishing this article) and a pricing chart as reported by customers.

Before we start, we’re the Ben Lalez Team, an award-winning real estate team in Chicago. We’ve been helping families buy and sell homes across the city for over a decade, and every week we publish an article on something interesting or useful about the city. So if you enjoy this content, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of this page to get these in your inbox weekly.

Okay, we know you’re hungry, so let’s get going!

Three-Star Restaurant

Smyth (3★)
Location: West Loop, 177 N Ada St #101, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.6 (1,322)

Smyth has been Chicago’s only three-star restaurant since 2023, and it held that rating again in the 2025 guide. Chefs John Shields and Karen Urie Shields built the restaurant around seasonal Midwestern ingredients, and the menu reflects years of serious research into flavor, texture, and what’s possible with what grows in this region. The menu does change, so if you love your food, you can come back in the future to try something new.

Price point:

Two-Star Restaurants

Alinea (2★ in 2025)
Location: Lincoln Park, 1723 N Halsted St, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.6 (2,965)

Alinea held three Michelin stars for over a decade and was considered one of the best restaurants in the world during that run. In November 2025, it dropped to two stars, a move that co-owner Nick Kokonas acknowledged publicly. 

That said, two stars in the Michelin system still means excellent cooking, and Alinea is still doing the theatrical, experience-driven cooking it’s always been known for. Scented vapors, sculptural plating, tableside service, the black truffle explosion that regulars have talked about for years. No other restaurant in Chicago comes close to what Alinea does in terms of the overall spectacle of the experience. 

Price point:

Ever (2★)
Location: Fulton Market/West Loop area, 1340 W Fulton St, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.8 (446)

Chef Curtis Duffy runs a contemporary American tasting menu at Ever, and the cooking reflects a level of precision that has kept it at two stars since 2021. Eight to ten courses, proteins from land and sea, seasonal vegetables paired with fruits, grains, and seeds. Ora King salmon, wagyu with braised pistachios. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic pairing options are available. 

Price point:

Kasama (2★ in 2025)
Location: West Town, 1001 N Winchester Ave, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.5 (2,060)

Kasama is one of the better stories in the 2025 guide. Chefs Genie Kwon and Timothy Flores opened a Filipino-inspired bakery and café that also runs a fine dining tasting menu at night. It started with one Michelin star, and in 2025 it got promoted to two. 

The daytime operation is casual, with a line out the door most weekends. For dinner, the menu blends traditional Filipino flavors and techniques with a contemporary fine dining sensibility, and it doesn’t feel like a fusion experiment. It feels like a specific, considered point of view on Filipino cuisine that Michelin has now recognized twice over. 

Price point: None to display

Oriole (2★)
Location: West Loop, 661 W Walnut St, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.8 (632)

You’ll have to enter through a freight elevator to get into a converted warehouse to find the dining room. Chef Noah Sandoval runs a contemporary tasting menu that draws from both French and Japanese influences. Foie gras parfait with pickled strawberries, capellini with black truffle, clean and focused cooking where nothing is there just to be interesting. 

Reservations open on a 90-day rolling calendar. Seating is limited and evenings book up. 

Price point:

One-Star Restaurants

Atelier (1★)
Location: Lincoln Square, 4544 N Western Ave, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.7 (126)

Atelier is in Lincoln Square and stays mostly off the radar compared to the downtown and West Loop scene, which is part of what makes it interesting. Chef Bradyn Kawcak calls it “fine dining folk cuisine.” The menu changes seasonally, draws on Midwestern producers, and reflects global influences. It earned its first Michelin star in 2023 and has held it since. 

Price point:

Boka (1★)
Location: Lincoln Park, 1729 N Halsted St, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.7 (2,030)

Boka has been in Lincoln Park for a long time and has held a Michelin star for years. Executive Chef Lee Wolen runs a contemporary American kitchen with a focus on seasonal ingredients. Brown butter Hokkaido scallops and refined pastas are the kinds of dishes you can enjoy at this venue.

Price point:

Cariño (1★)
Location: Uptown, 4662 N Broadway, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.8 (136)

Cariño earned its first Michelin star in the 2024 guide. Chef Norman Fenton runs an ambitious Mexican tasting menu in an intimate space right near the elevated tracks in Uptown. Huitlacoche ravioli, queso truffle quesadillas, and lamb tartare tostadas. Considered cozy rather than grand, the cooking is delicious, and the menu reflects Mexican cuisine at a fine-dining level. 

Price point:

EL Ideas (1★)
Location: University Village/Little Italy area, 2419 W 14th St, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.8 (403)

EL Ideas runs a single seating per night, no servers, open kitchen, BYOB, and one long tasting menu. The idea is closer to a dinner party than a restaurant in the traditional sense. Guests are encouraged to get up and visit the kitchen. There’s nothing quite like it in the city.

Price point:

Elske (1★)
Location: West Loop, 1350 W Randolph St, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.6 (795)

Chefs David and Anna Posey run Elske with a Scandinavian sensibility and have held a Michelin star for several years in a row. Both tasting menu and à la carte are available, where you can find lamb tartare on rye and a sunflower seed parfait dessert. It’s one of the more relaxed fine dining experiences on this list.

Price point:

Esmé (1★)
Location: Lincoln Park, 2200 N Clark St Suite B, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.4 (345)

Chef Jenner Tomaska and Katrina Bravo built Esmé around an arts collaboration concept. The menu changes every 12 weeks alongside a new artist partnership, and the custom plateware is part of the experience. It’s a tasting menu where the visual and conceptual side is treated with the same seriousness as the food itself. One star in the 2025 guide. 

Price point:

Feld (1★, New in 2025)
Location: Ukrainian Village / West Town, 2018 W Chicago Ave, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.7 (157)

Feld is the newest restaurant on this list. Chef Jake Potashnick opened it in 2024, and it earned its first Michelin star in the 2025 guide, bringing Chicago’s total to 20. It also received a Michelin Green Star for sustainability, which the guide awards separately for environmental commitment. The tasting menu is built around ingredients sourced from within roughly a four-hour radius, and the format can run 20 to 30 small courses with multiple treatments of the same ingredient throughout a single meal. 

Dinner service runs Wednesday through Saturday. 

Price point:

Galit (1★)
Location: Lincoln Park, 2429 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.4 (928)

Galit is one of the livelier rooms on this list. James Beard Award-winning Chef Zachary Engel runs a modern Middle Eastern kitchen with wood-fired pita, salatim spreads, falafel with mango labneh, and a prix fixe format where guests choose their own progression through the menu. It’s been at one star in both the 2024 and 2025 guides. 

The atmosphere is social and the dining room has energy. If you don’t like boring or formal dining, Galit is a good place to start with Chicago’s starred restaurants. 

Price point:

Indienne (1★)
Location: River North, 217 W Huron St, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.6 (774)

When Indienne earned its Michelin star in 2023, it became Chicago’s first starred Indian restaurant. Chef Sujan Sarkar grew up in Kolkata and trained in Michelin-starred kitchens in London before opening here. The tasting menu reinterprets Indian dishes through a contemporary fine dining lens, occasionally borrowing French technique. Vegetarian, vegan, and non-vegetarian menus are all available. 

Price point:

Mako (1★)
Location: West Loop, 731 W Lake St, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.4 (343)

Mako is a 22-seat omakase counter in the West Loop. Chef B.K. Park built it around sushi omakase, a progression of nigiri with a few cooked dishes worked in throughout. Braised abalone and chawanmushi set it apart from a straightforward sushi counter. It’s been at one star in both 2024 and 2025, and it’s intimate enough that you’ll enjoy the quality of each piece.

Price point:

Moody Tongue (1★)
Location: Near South Side, 2515 S Wabash Ave, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.5 (628)

Moody Tongue is located above a working brewery and describes itself as the world’s only Michelin-starred brewery. Brewmaster Jared Rouben and CEO Jeremy Cohn built the fine dining side around beer pairings rather than wine, which makes the tasting menu experience different from anything else on this list. Hokkaido scallop with tempura squash blossom, Australian wagyu with oxtail-stuffed cornbread, and curated beers alongside each course. It previously held two stars and sits at one in the 2025 guide. 

Price point:

Next (1★)
Location: West Loop, 953 W Fulton Market, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.6 (639)

Next is built around the idea that the restaurant reinvents itself entirely multiple times a year, each time around a different culinary concept. One season, it’s Paris in 1906. Or, it might be ancient Rome or Thailand. The menu, the atmosphere, the beverage program, all of it changes with each new concept. Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas have been running it this way since 2011. 

Reservations are ticketed and prepaid, and new concept windows typically sell out.

Price point:

Schwa (1★)
Location: Wicker Park, 1466 N Ashland Ave, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.6 (309)

Schwa is the outlier on this list. No servers or loud hip-hop. Chef-owner Michael Carlson and chef de cuisine Caleb Trahan run a tasting menu that plays with classic dishes in unexpected ways. The gumbo reimagined as a chilled, aerated preparation comes up in reviews quite a bit. 

It’s been earning Michelin recognition since 2011 and has a cult following. If you want a Michelin-starred dinner that has nothing in common with the formal tasting room experience, check them out.

Price point:

Sepia (1★)
Location: West Loop, 123 N Jefferson St, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.6 (1,519)

Sepia has one of the better spaces on this list, a converted 19th-century print shop in the West Loop with exposed brick and warm lighting. Chef Kyle Cottle runs an American kitchen with global influences including Southeast Asian and Mediterranean elements. It’s been a one-star restaurant for years and shows up consistently on the Chicago Michelin roster. Both tasting and à la carte formats are available. 

Price point:

Topolobampo (1★)
Location: River North, 445 N Clark St, Chicago.
Google Reviews: 4.5 (753)

Rick Bayless opened Topolobampo in 1989, and it’s been a Michelin-starred restaurant for years. The kitchen focuses on regional Mexican cuisine, with seasonal tasting menus that reflect Bayless’s long history of documenting and researching Mexican cooking traditions. À la carte options are available alongside the tasting menu.

Price point:

Final Thoughts

Twenty Michelin-starred restaurants across a single city is something to be proud of, because most American cities don’t even have a handful. Chicago has been compiling this list for years, and the 2025 guide is a good snapshot of where the city’s fine-dining scene stands right now. We’re waiting to see if there will be any new additions this year for us to try out!

In the meantime, if you’ve been thinking about making a move in and around the city and need some of the best and most Chicago-informed agents, give us a shout. You can also call us directly at (312) 766-9073. Our team would love to help you.

Keep those bellies full, and we’ll see you next week.

The post Michelin-Starred Restaurants in Chicago (2026 Guide) appeared first on Ben Lalez.

We write about this city every single week (we’re the only real estate team that is committed to weekly articles), and honestly, it’s easy because there is always something new or interesting to cover about Chicago. 

This week, we put together some of our favorite Chicago facts that don’t usually make the standard tourist guides. A few of these might surprise you even if you’ve lived here for years.

If this is your first time here, we’re the Ben Lalez Team, and we’ve been helping people buy and sell homes in Chicago for over a decade. Every week, we publish an article about something interesting or useful about the city. Subscribe to our newsletter if you want these sent to your inbox.

Don’t forget to check our YouTube shorts as well. You’ll find Ben and the rest of us posting videos we’re sure you’ll enjoy.

Now, onto the facts!

There Was A 60-Mile Railroad Under Downtown That Almost Nobody Knew About

About 40 feet below the streets of the Loop, there’s a forgotten network of freight tunnels that once stretched for roughly 60 miles under most of downtown. 

Built starting in 1900, they were large enough to run a railroad that delivered coal, mail, and merchandise straight into the sub-basements of major buildings. The Board of Trade, City Hall, Marshall Field’s, and the Federal Reserve Bank were all connected to this. 

The system ran from 1904 to 1959, and because it operated below the city’s own sewers and utility lines, most Chicagoans had no idea it was there when it was in active use.

One of the stranger details about it: the company vented the tunnels’ natural cool air up into hotels and theaters and sold it as an early version of air-conditioning. When the company went under in 1959, the little locomotives were sold for scrap, and the tunnels were sealed up and basically forgotten.

The reason most people eventually heard about them is a good story as well. In 1992, a crew driving piles near the Kinzie Street Bridge accidentally punched through one of these old tunnels right under the Chicago River. Water rushed in and spread through the whole network, flooding the basements of 24 downtown buildings and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.

You Can Walk Across A Big Section Of Downtown Without Going Outside

This one is for people who haven’t been to Chicago yet.

Just above those freight tunnels and below street level, there’s the Chicago Pedway, a five-mile network of tunnels, underground concourses, and skybridges connecting more than 50 buildings in the Loop, along with CTA and Metra stations, hotels, and government offices. The first section opened in 1951, and it grew piece by piece over the next few decades as different buildings added their own links. That’s why it feels a bit like patchwork rather than a single uniform design.

In the winter, it’s useful to get across downtown to avoid the cold. But it’s poorly signed, easy to get turned around in, and a lot of Chicagoans have never walked the whole thing, even though it’s been there for 70 years.

Wacker Drive Goes In All Four Directions

Downtown Chicago has a system of double and sometimes triple-decked streets built along the river to separate different kinds of traffic. Wacker Drive is the best example. 

There’s an upper level for riverfront traffic and building entrances, a lower level for trucks and through traffic, and in one section, a third level below that for towing and utility work.

Because Wacker follows the river’s bend, it’s the only street in Chicago with addresses assigned in all four directions at different points. North Wacker, South Wacker, East Wacker, West Wacker. That trips people up when they’re navigating downtown for the first time.

The multilevel streets are actually a later version of something the city did even earlier. Starting in the mid-1850’s, Chicago lifted whole blocks of buildings four to seven feet using thousands of screw jacks while people were still inside going about their day, all so engineers could install a sewer system underneath. 

Some older buildings still have what look like half-buried basement doors at street level because of it.

Lincoln Park Is Built On Top Of Thousands Of People

This one surprises people, and it’s a bit morbid. Lincoln Park started as Chicago’s main municipal cemetery in the 1840’s. Tens of thousands of people were buried there, including cholera victims and a large potter’s field for the poor. 

When the city eventually decided to convert the land and ordered remains relocated to cemeteries farther out, the whole process was rushed and inconsistently documented. A lot of graves were never moved. 

It’s estimated that between 6,000 and 12,000 bodies likely still lie beneath parts of the park, including baseball fields. The only visible remnant of the old City Cemetery is the Couch Mausoleum, a stone tomb sitting in the middle of the park near the Chicago History Museum.

Grant Park Was Built On Fire Debris

Before it was a park, the area east of Michigan Avenue was an open, polluted area. After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, rubble from burned buildings was dumped into it and over time, that garbage became new land.

Later lakefill projects continued to push the shoreline further east. In some parts of downtown, the current shoreline sits nearly a half-mile east of where it was when settlers first arrived. Millennium Park is actually sitting on an open lake from the 19th century.

A mail-order businessman named Aaron Montgomery Ward then spent about twenty years suing the city, and winning four separate Illinois Supreme Court cases, to enforce old map language that said the lakefront east of Michigan Avenue had to remain forever open and free of buildings. 

Without those lawsuits, Grant Park would likely be all warehouses and office towers.

Chicago Has 1,900 Miles Of Alleys

Chicago started as a city of alleys. The original 1830 town plat required 18 ft. wide alleys on every block, and that requirement continued for new subdivisions. 

Today, the city has more than 1,900 miles of alleyways, which is the largest alley system in the country. They handle garbage pickup, deliveries, utility lines, and garage access from the back, which is partly why Chicago’s main streets generally look less cluttered than in other dense cities.

Locals call the narrow walkway between two houses a gangway, so if you’re new to Chicago, that’s what they mean when you hear the word.

More Movable Bridges Than Any Other City In The World

Because Chicago is located where river, lake, and rail networks all converge, the city became a committed builder of movable bridges. It currently maintains 37 of them, most of which are bascule drawbridges on the Chicago and Calumet Rivers. We’re described as having more movable bridges than any other city in the world.

You’ll see them during the seasonal bridge lift runs in spring and fall, when boats move to and from storage and traffic stops while the bridges go up. You can check out the bridge machinery up close at the McCormick Bridgehouse and Chicago River Museum. It’s worth a visit if you’ve never been.

There Are Wild Parrots Living On The South Side

Hyde Park and Jackson Park have feral colonies of monk parakeets, small green parrots from South America, that have been there since at least the late 1970’s. 

They arrived through the exotic pet trade, either escaped or were released. Jackson Park now has one of the largest monk parakeet populations in the region.

The River Flows The Wrong Direction On Purpose

Early Chicago dumped sewage into the Chicago River, which originally flowed into Lake Michigan, the same lake the city was drinking out of. Cholera and typhoid followed. Around 1900, engineers reversed the river’s flow entirely through a system of canals and locks, redirecting it toward the Mississippi River basin instead of the lake. It’s considered one of the more significant civil engineering projects of its time and is still in operation today.

Three Things You’ve Probably Eaten That Were Invented Here

The chocolate brownie was invented at the Palmer House Hotel in 1893. They still serve them today using the original recipe.

Twinkies were invented in 1930 in a suburb just outside Chicago. The original filling was banana cream, switched to vanilla during World War II when bananas became scarce. Local media eventually called Chicago the Twinkie Capital of the World.

The first commercially successful automatic dishwasher was invented by an Illinois socialite, who patented the machine in 1886 and debuted it at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. It won an award for mechanical design. Her company eventually became part of KitchenAid.

The Post Office You Can Drive Through

The Old Main Post Office at 433 W. Van Buren Street was built with the Eisenhower Expressway running directly through its base. It’s one of the only major postal facilities in the world that straddles a highway. 

It was a mid 20th-century compromise between needing a massive mail-sorting facility and needing to complete the interstate connection into downtown. If you’ve ever driven the Eisenhower and looked up at just the right moment, you’ve been through it.

Final Thoughts

Chicago has enough official history to fill several libraries, but the stuff we covered here is just the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot more fun facts and cool things that have happened in the past. We’ve previously written about 15 Chicago inventions, so make sure to check out that article.

In the meantime, we’ll be roaming every neighborhood helping buyers and sellers move in and out of the city. If you’re thinking about making a move anywhere in Chicago and want to talk about which neighborhood might be the right fit, give us a shout. We’re always happy to talk.

Until next week!

The post Chicago Facts You Might Not Know appeared first on Ben Lalez.

Spring finally feels like it’s here, and April and May are looking like two of the busiest months of the year. Whether you’re into art fairs, film festivals, outdoor markets, or just getting back outside after a long winter, there’s a lot going on across the city and the suburbs over the next couple of months.

In this week’s article, we’ll cover all the events that are happening around Chicago over the next 2 months.

If you’re new here, hi! We’re the Ben Lalez Team, an award-winning real estate team in Chicago and Illinois. We’ve been helping families buy and sell homes across Chicago for over a decade, and every week we publish an article about something interesting or useful in Chicago. 

Be sure to check back or subscribe to our newsletter to get them sent right to your inbox.

Let’s get into this week’s article.

Events At A Quick Glance

April 2026

EXPO CHICAGO Contemporary Art Fair
Apr 9 – 12

EXPO CHICAGO is back at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall for its annual contemporary art fair, bringing galleries from around the world together with curated talks, on-site installations, and special programming. 

If you follow the Chicago art scene at all, this is the big event of the spring you need to be at. 

Running alongside it is EXPO Art Week, a citywide slate of exhibitions and events that happen in galleries and institutions across the city. So even if you don’t go to the fair itself, you’ll likely notice something happening in your neighborhood that week.

The Other Art Fair
Apr 9 – 12

Running at the same time as EXPO, The Other Art Fair offers a more direct-to-artist experience with up-and-coming creators. If you want to skip the big-gallery atmosphere and buy directly from the people making the work, this is a good option for you. The two fairs together make April 9–12 one of the best weekends of the year for anyone interested in contemporary art, so get ready this week!

42nd Chicago Latino Film Festival
Apr 16 – 27

The Chicago Latino Film Festival is in its 42nd year, running at Landmark Century Centre Cinemas in Lakeview. Nearly 100 short and feature films from Latin America, Spain, Portugal, and the United States are on the schedule.

Chicago Humanities Festival: Bridgeport Day
Apr 18

The Chicago Humanities Festival runs a spring series of neighborhood-focused days, and Bridgeport Day is on Saturday, April 18. It’s a day of talks, tours, and programming in the Bridgeport neighborhood, with authors, journalists, and public thinkers involved. 

Additional spring days in Lakeview and at Northwestern University follow in May (the 9th and 17th). Make sure to check their website for details about these upcoming events.

One Of A Kind Spring Show
Apr 24 – 26

The One of a Kind Spring Show is at The Mart for three days, with artists and makers selling handmade goods, jewelry, homewares, and gifts. Good for a Saturday afternoon if you’re looking for something a little different. Tickets are on sale at their website.

CineYouth Festival
Apr 24 – 26

CineYouth is organized by Cinema/Chicago and takes place at FACETS in Lincoln Park. All the films are made by directors no older than 22 years old from Chicago and around the world, and public screenings are free. 

It’s a genuinely interesting event, and if any of your kids are into filmmaking, this could really inspire them.

Ongoing Through MayGlow Wild: A Lantern Festival Of Hope At Brookfield Zoo
Through May 10

Glow Wild is still running until May 10, and if you haven’t been, you’ll want to pop by. 

It transforms Brookfield Zoo after dark with more than 70 illuminated lantern displays of wildlife and mythological figures, cultural performances, and global music and food. Ticket price includes rides on the Carousel and Ferris wheel, as well as event parking. Adults are $19.95, and children are $9.95.

It’s an after-hours ticketed event, so this is not your typical daytime zoo trip. We’d recommend buying tickets in advance, since it’s been busy on weekends.

May 2026

Division Street And Daley Plaza Farmers Markets Open
May 16 And May 21

The city’s farmers market season gets going in mid-May. The Division Street Farmers Market opens on May 16th, and the Daley Plaza Farmers Market follows on May 21st. Both markets run through October and are free to walk through.

Millennium Park Summer Workouts
Starting May 16

Also kicking off on May 16th, the city’s Millennium Park Summer Workouts happen on Saturdays on the Great Lawn through early September. It’s free, and if you’ve never done a workout with the skyline behind you, it’s a pretty good way to spend a Saturday morning.

Maxwell Street Market Opens For The Season
May, Sundays

The Maxwell Street Market on South Halsted Street reopens for Sundays starting in May and runs through October. Street food, vintage goods, and vendors of all kinds. It’s been part of Chicago’s open-air market culture for a long time.

Memorial Day Parade And Wreath Laying Ceremony
May 23

The city’s Memorial Day Wreath Laying Ceremony and Parade is downtown on Saturday, May 23. It’s a formal civic event and a good way to mark the unofficial start of summer in the city.

Sueños Music Festival
May 23 – 24

Sueños is a Latin music festival in Grant Park that returns for its fifth year on May 23rd and 24th. The lineup includes Fuerza Regida, J Balvin, Kali Uchis, and Ryan Castro across three stages, with local food vendors, art installations, and brand activations throughout the weekend.

A Few Other Things Worth Knowing About

If you’re interested in architecture, the river cruise has just started. The Chicago Architecture Center river cruise is 90 minutes and covers all three branches of the river with a certified docent guiding the whole thing. It’s a great way to see the skyline and understand the city’s architecture.

The Titanic: A Voyage Through Time immersive VR experience at 108 West Germania Place is running through May 31st if you’re looking for something a little out of the ordinary. It lets you explore the Titanic both as a present-day wreck and as it looked in 1912.

And for baseball fans, the Cubs are home at Wrigley throughout April and May with matchups against teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 1. The White Sox also have home dates in April.

Final Thoughts

April and May are the two months when it feels like Chicago starts coming back to life after the long winter, and this year there’s a lot to take advantage of before the bigger summer festivals get going in June and July (we’ll write about those in the coming weeks, so make sure to check back here).

If you’ve been thinking about making a move and want to get a feel for different neighborhoods, there’s no better time than spring to explore! 

Come out to a film festival in Lakeview, check out the markets in the Loop, or drive out to Brookfield for a Saturday night at Glow Wild. You’ll get a real sense of what it feels like to live in these areas.

And if you want to talk real estate while you’re at it, give us a shout. We’d be happy to help. 

Until next week, enjoy the warmer weather and the festivities!

The post Spring 2026 Chicago Events – April And May appeared first on Ben Lalez.

This week, we wanted to talk about the comedy scene in Chicago because it’s something that we’re known for. If you’ve spent any time at all following comedians or watching sketch shows on TV, you’ve probably noticed that a huge percentage of them got their start right here in Chicago!

Before we go any further, we’re the Ben Lalez Team, and we’ve been helping families buy and sell homes across Chicago for over a decade. Every week, we publish an article about something interesting or useful in Chicago, so be sure to check back or subscribe to our newsletter to get them sent right to your inbox.

Although many big cities, like New York and Los Angeles, have comedy scenes, Chicago is where modern improv was invented. Our clubs here have produced some of the biggest names in the industry, and a lot of them are still running shows every night of the week.

Whether you’re someone who goes to comedy shows regularly or you’ve never been to one, this guide covers the major clubs, a little bit of history, and what you need to know to plan a night out.

How Chicago Became The Improv Capital

Back in the 1930’s and 1940’s, a social worker and theater practitioner named Viola Spolin was working at Hull House during the Great Depression. She developed a set of theater games to help immigrant children express themselves and communicate through play rather than scripted dialogue. Those games focused on spontaneity, listening, and working together as a group, and they became the foundation for what we now recognize as improv training.

Her son, Paul Sills, took those techniques and applied them to professional performance. In 1955, he co-founded The Compass Players, which is widely considered the first improv theater company in the United States. Alumni from the Compass Players included Mike Nichols and Elaine May, who later had major success on Broadway and brought national attention to Chicago’s comedy scene.

The Compass Players led directly to the creation of The Second City in 1959, and from there, the entire ecosystem of clubs and training programs grew into what it is today.

If you want to go deeper into that history, WBEZ did an excellent piece on why Chicago became the destination for improv.

Where The Clubs Are

Most of Chicago’s comedy venues are concentrated in a few neighborhoods:

• Old Town and the Near North Side are where you’ll find The Second City and Zanies. 
• Lakeview has the Laugh Factory, The Annoyance Theatre, and a few other spots. 
• Lincoln Park is close to Old Town and has theater spaces and smaller comedy outfits.
• Wicker Park and Bucktown area has newer venues like The Comedy Clubhouse.

The nice thing about this is that you can plan a full evening around a show, because most of these clubs sit in walkable neighborhoods with restaurants and bars nearby. If you’re already going out to dinner in Old Town or Lakeview, adding a comedy show to the night is pretty easy.

The Second City

The Second City is probably the first name that comes to mind when people think about Chicago comedy. It opened in December 1959, and the name is a reference to a New Yorker article that called Chicago a “second city.” The founders took that insult and turned it into a brand.

The alumni list from this place is hard to believe when you see it all in one spot:

• John Belushi
• Bill Murray
• Gilda Radner
• Dan Aykroyd
• Harold Ramis
• Tina Fey
• Steve Carell
• Amy Poehler
• Stephen Colbert
• And many others…

They all came through The Second City before they became household names. The connection between this stage and Saturday Night Live is well documented.

Today, The Second City runs multiple shows each night across different theaters in its Chicago complex. There’s the mainstage revue, the e.t.c. revue, and the UP Comedy Club, which is more focused on stand-up and themed shows. The shows blend satirical sketches with improv, and the content tends to pull from current events, politics, and everyday life.

The rooms are small, so you’re sitting close to the performers, which makes the experience feel more personal. Weekend and holiday performances regularly sell out, so booking online in advance is a good idea. Many of the shows are designed for adult audiences and can include strong language or mature themes. Ticket prices vary by day of the week and the show you’re seeing.

They also run a training center where people at all skill levels can take improv, writing, and performance classes. If you’ve ever been curious about trying improv yourself, this is where a lot of people start!

iO Theater

iO Theater is a different experience from The Second City. Where Second City is built around sketch comedy that originates from improv, iO is all about long-form improvisation.

The theater was founded in the 1980s, and they developed a format called “the Harold.” This is an extended improv structure where performers build interconnected scenes from a single audience suggestion. Instead of short, quick games, you’re watching characters and storylines develop over the course of an entire show. If you’ve never seen long-form improv before, we highly recommend you check it out.

The theater’s alumni list overlaps a lot with Second City. Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Seth Meyers, and Chris Farley all came through iO, and the training program there has influenced improv theaters and troupes around the world.

They also operate a training center with multi-level improv programs. A lot of visiting performers and writers come to Chicago specifically to take intensives at iO.

The Annoyance Theatre And Bar

The Annoyance Theatre pushes boundaries and breaks rules.

Mick Napier founded it in 1989 with friends from Indiana University. Their opening show was a slasher-film parody that covered the white set in staged blood and became a cult favorite. They went on to produce over 250 original shows, including “Co-Ed Prison Sluts,” which was created entirely from improvisation and ran for 11 years, making it one of the longest-running musicals in Chicago history.

Alumni include Jane Lynch, Steve Carell, Aidy Bryant, and Vanessa Bayer.

They do a mix of improv, original sketch revues, full-length plays, cabaret acts, and late-night shows that lean into dark humor, genre parodies, and adult themes. It’s not for everyone, but if you want something more experimental and unpredictable, this is where to go.

Napier also runs improv classes based on his book “Improvise: Scene from the Inside Out,” which focuses on personal voice and emotional commitment rather than following formal structures. It attracts students who are interested in a more experimental approach.

Zanies Comedy Club

Zanies is the stand-up comedy anchor in Chicago. It opened in November 1978 and built its identity around traditional stand-up from the beginning.

The club was founded by Rick Uchwat, and has been a consistent Comics who have performed here early in their careers include Jerry Seinfeld, Tim Allen, and Roseanne Barr.

Shows typically feature an emcee, one or more feature acts, and a headliner. There’s a two-drink minimum and table service. Because of limited capacity, popular shows and weekend dates sell out in advance, so it’s worth buying tickets in advance.

Laugh Factory Chicago

Laugh Factory is a bigger venue than most of the other clubs on this list. The main floor seats around 250 people, and there’s a balcony that holds an additional 60, with some sources putting the total capacity closer to 400 when both levels are in use. It has a full-service bar, a separate lobby bar area, and professional sound and lighting.

The club runs shows seven nights a week with multiple sets on many evenings. The programming mixes national touring headliners with local talent, and they run themed lineups and special series like “Chicago’s Best Stand Up” with rotating rosters of comedians.

There’s typically a two-drink minimum in the showroom, and age restrictions usually require audiences to be at least 18. Coming here gives you the big-room stand-up experience that feels similar to the famous comedy clubs in New York or Los Angeles.

The Comedy Clubhouse

The Comedy Clubhouse is a newer venue that opened in 2015 near the intersection of Wicker Park, Bucktown, and Noble Square. It describes itself as Chicago’s number one-rated comedy club, based on aggregated ratings across Google, Yelp, Facebook, and TripAdvisor, and it regularly appears in online roundups of the city’s best comedy clubs.

The vibe here is a cozy neighborhood club that mixes improv, stand-up, and scripted performances, and it also brings in occasional specialty acts like comedy rappers, jugglers, magicians, and poets. Reviews consistently mention that the seating is intimate and well-designed, with no bad seats in the house.

The club focuses heavily on local performers while also bringing in comedians from New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

Other Good Spots For Comedy In Chicago

ComedySportz Chicago runs a competitive, family-friendly short-form improv show where two teams face off in games and scenes. It’s one of the longest-running short-form improv productions in Chicago, and because the content is kept clean, it’s a good option if you’re looking for something you can bring kids or teenagers to.

The Lincoln Lodge is an independent comedy club known for curated stand-up and variety shows at approachable prices. Reviewers have called it a gem for both locals and visitors.

The Comedy Bar is a stand-up club connected to a Gino’s East pizzeria, so you can combine Chicago-style deep-dish pizza with a comedy show in one stop.

The Revival is a South Loop venue with a focus on improv and sketch that offers both performances and training.

Understanding The Different Types Of Shows

If you haven’t been to many comedy shows, here’s a quick guide to the different types.

1. Sketch comedy is scripted or semi-scripted scenes that usually come out of improv rehearsals. The Second City’s mainstage revues are the most well-known example of this, and they tend to blend political and social satire with character-driven material.
2. Long-form improv is what you’ll see at iO and The Annoyance. Performers build extended, interconnected scenes from a single audience suggestion, and you watch the characters and storylines develop over the course of the whole show. It’s more of a slow build than a rapid-fire experience.
3. Short-form improv is the fast-paced, game-based format that most people are familiar with from shows like “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” ComedySportz is the main short-form venue in Chicago.
4. Stand-up is what it sounds like: individual performers doing prepared material. Laugh Factory, Zanies, The Lincoln Lodge, and The Comedy Bar are your main stand-up options.
5. And then there are hybrid and experimental formats, which is where The Annoyance is good at. Think of improvised musicals, genre parodies, interactive shows, and things that are harder to categorize. Some of the indie productions at iO also fall into this category.

If you’ve never been to a comedy show in Chicago before, our suggestion would be to try an improv show one night and a stand-up show another night.

Final Thoughts

There is a lot of fascinating history when it comes to Chicago’s comedy scene. 

It started with theater games in settlement houses almost a century ago and grew into a network of clubs, schools, and performance spaces that has shaped modern comedy. 

The fact that you can see a show at a legendary institution like The Second City on the same weekend that you check out an experimental late-night set at The Annoyance or catch a headliner at Zanies is part of what makes living here (or visiting) so good!

And if you’re thinking about making Chicago home, or you’re looking to move to a different neighborhood, give us a shout. We’d love to be your real estate connection and help you find the right place.

Until next week, get out there and laugh!

The post Chicago’s Comedy Clubs and Improv Scene appeared first on Ben Lalez.

This week, we wanted to talk about something that is increasingly important to discuss with your agent: what could potentially happen after your offer gets accepted.

We’re the Ben Lalez Team, and over the years, we’ve tracked the outcomes of hundreds of our own under-contract deals to understand exactly why some fall apart. We’re obsessed with understanding the data and what it means for our clients.

According to a recent Redfin report, about 17% of residential transactions in Chicago fall through before reaching the closing table. That’s roughly 1 in every 6, and slightly above the national average of 16%. Chicago runs a bit hotter than average, so it’s important to know how to prevent this from happening to you.

Put Thought Into The Agent You Hire

When we looked at which deals actually fell apart in the marketplace, close to 50% of them came from buyers who didn’t have a strong prior relationship with their agent before going under contract. A lot of those buyers had originally found their agent randomly through a third-party portal like Zillow or Realtor.com.

We’re not knocking the platforms, and it feels convenient to pick someone who looks good on a website, but real estate is ultimately a relationship business. When something goes sideways mid-deal (and something always comes up), buyers who don’t fully trust or know their agent will start panicking.

Some common issues we see include less-than-ideal inspection reports, sellers who won’t negotiate on repairs, and lenders requesting more documentation at the last minute. These happen often enough that our team is not only prepared for them – we’re waiting to spring into action when they do come up.

By the way, we recently wrote about some changes happening with how Chicago listings appear on Zillow. If you use it to search for homes, it’s worth a read before you get too deep into your search.

So our approach is simple. 

We put real time into talking with buyers before we write a single offer. We want to understand what you’re looking for, obviously. But more than that, we want you to understand what’s coming. For us, managing expectations and showing what could potentially pop up down the road helps you prepare.

The First Two Weeks Are Key

Most deals that fall apart will happen within the first 14 days. That’s the attorney review and inspection window in Illinois, and it’s the first stressful stage of the whole process.

Chicago is made up of a lot of old housing stock, a lot of which was built between 1900 and 1940. If you have a 100-year-old building on your hands, you can definitely expect 100-year-old issues. For example, this could mean galvanized plumbing, aging electrical panels, or masonry that needs work. None of these are automatically deal-breakers, but buyers who walk into these kinds of purchases unprepared can easily freak out.

There are two things that could kill the deal, and this is what we watch for.

The “Deep Discount” Danger

If a seller is willing to go 10% or more below asking price, there’s usually a reason. Sometimes it’s a motivated seller who just needs to move on. But sometimes it’s because the seller already knows what the inspector will find, and they’ve priced it in. When the inspection confirms the issues and the seller won’t budge on repairs, the deal dies.

Condo HOA Surprises

When you buy a condo here, you’re entitled to something called the Section 22.1 disclosure, which is essentially a financial health report on the entire building. This report can reveal a lot, such as signs of underfunded reserves, pending special assessments (which can be very expensive), or multi-million-dollar renovations or repairs. We’ve seen all-cash buyers walk away cold after reading one of these documents.

So what does the Ben Lalez Team do?

For homes, we walk through every property with our clients before the inspection and flag what an inspector is likely to find. That way, there are no surprises when the report comes back three days later.

For condos, we’ve bought and sold in every building in the city. We have a running database of which buildings are problematic and which are good buys, and we’ll share our insights with you before you fall in love with the wrong unit.

When The Appraisal Comes Up Short

With rates where they’ve been, a lot of buyers are stretched really close to the limits of what their lender will approve. And because many Chicago neighbourhoods remain competitive, buyers sometimes need to bid above the asking price to win.

Here’s where it can get complicated. 

If you offer $540,000 on a place listed at $500,000 and the bank’s appraiser says it’s worth $510,000, your lender will only loan against $510,000. If you don’t have an extra $30,000 sitting around to cover the difference (a lot of people don’t), and the seller won’t drop the price, the deal falls apart.

How do we protect you?

When we’re writing an offer above asking, we negotiate appraisal gap coverage directly into the contract, just in case.

By the way, there’s a difference between a solid pre-approval from a local Chicago lender and a five-minute online pre-qualification. We’ve seen deals fall apart in the final week because of lender issues that a good pre-approval process would have caught in week one.

That’s why we help our buyers get solid pre-approvals before putting in any offers.

The Importance Of Tight Deadlines

The average Chicago closing takes about 41 to 45 days from accepted offer to keys. Our data showed a pretty clear pattern: every day a contract stays open past that 45-day mark, the chance of it falling apart goes up.

This happens more in the higher-end suburban markets. Longer escrows mean more things can jeopardize the closing, like interest rate swings or changes in life circumstances. In areas like Barrington Hills, 90-day escrows on luxury properties gave cash buyers plenty of time to talk themselves out of deals they would have happily closed on at 30 days.

What do we do?

Our default is to negotiate 21 to 30-day closings whenever we can. A shorter timeline keeps everyone focused, forces earlier resolution of any issues, and closes the window for interest rates, job situations, or buyer remorse to show up.

Making Sure Your Closing Is Successful

Deals that close smoothly don’t just happen on their own. It starts with a buyer who goes in prepared with a fair offer on a well-maintained property, an inspection-and-negotiation focused on real issues rather than cosmetic ones, a strong local lender, and a tight timeline that gets the keys in your hand in 30 days.

That is the discipline we build into every one of our deals.

If you’re thinking about buying in Chicago and want to understand how you can have our experience and strategy on your side, contact us here or call us at (312) 766.9073 before you start looking at homes. 

We have an exact process that walks you through what to expect. Our experience in Chicagoland, along with over a decade of hard data, is here to benefit you.

We’re ready to talk anytime!

The post Why 1 in 6 Chicago Real Estate Deals Fall Through in 2026 appeared first on Ben Lalez.

If you live in the city, you walk past world-famous buildings every single day, and most of us barely even take a moment to appreciate them. This week, we thought it was worth digging into the story behind Chicago’s unique architecture.

Before we get going, we’re the Ben Lalez Team, and we’ve spent over a decade helping people buy and sell homes all around Chicago. One thing we hear all the time from people moving here is that they’ve never been anywhere that feels quite like this city.

A lot of this goes back to how the city was built, so let’s get into it!

It All Started With A Fire

From the Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/ds.14600/

You can’t talk about Chicago architecture without starting in October 1871.

The Great Chicago Fire burned for two days, wiping out 3.3 square miles of the city. Around 17,500 buildings were destroyed, and more than 100,000 people became homeless.

The city had to rebuild 17,500 buildings in a hurry, and instead of using old designs, Chicago decided to try something different. At the time, the city was growing faster than almost anywhere in the country, and it had money to spend. 

The best architects of the era showed up because this was the only place willing to let them actually try things. Paris or Boston wasn’t going to let them experiment. But Chicago had no choice but to figure it out from scratch. That’s why we got the skyscraper and everything that followed.

The Chicago School: Where The Skyscraper Was Born

By JohnPickenPhoto from Chicago, USA – Monadnock Building, Chicago, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=129115846

In 1885, William Le Baron Jenney finished the Home Insurance Building at the corner of LaSalle and Adams. At 10 stories tall, it was the first building in history built on a steel frame rather than thick masonry walls.

At that time, taller buildings needed thicker walls at the base. This meant typically 6 to 8 feet of solid masonry on the ground floor, just eating up usable space. Jenney decided to move the load to an interior steel skeleton instead, and all of a sudden, you could build up without building wide.

Chicago became the birthplace of the skyscraper.

The Monadnock Building on West Jackson is another landmark from this era, completed in 1891. It’s 16 stories high and holds the record for the tallest load-bearing brick building ever constructed. Its walls at the base are 6 feet thick, which is exactly why nobody ever tried to build a masonry tower taller than this one. It was basically the proof of concept that Jenney’s steel-frame approach was the only practical way forward.

The Rookery Building at 209 South LaSalle was finished in 1888 by Burnham & Root. Frank Lloyd Wright later renovated the interior atrium in 1905. The exterior is dark and heavy. The interior is airy and intricate. The contrast is remarkable, and it’s open to the public.

Louis Sullivan And “Form Follows Function”

By Unknown author – https://collections.carli.illinois.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/nby_teich/id/417543, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=67087946

The Chicago School came with a philosophy from one man: Louis Sullivan.

Sullivan’s big idea was “form follows function,” the idea that a building’s design should grow directly from its purpose rather than from decoration slapped on top.

What’s amusing is that Sullivan’s own buildings are covered in incredibly intricate detail. His ornamental ironwork and terracotta are some of the most elaborate you’ll see in this city. We think what he meant was that the decoration should make sense, that it should match the building’s logic rather than contradict it. His Carson Pirie Scott building on State Street is a good example of this. The structural grid is clearly visible, and the elaborate decorative panels at the base frame the storefront in a way that makes commercial sense.

Sullivan mentored Frank Lloyd Wright, and this is where the story goes next.

Prairie Style: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Response To The Midwest

By grego1402 – La prairie house de #franklloydwright #chicago #robiehouse, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=129990075

Wright didn’t stay in Chicago long. He eventually moved out to Oak Park, which is where most of his early work happened, and his thinking went in a direction that was distinctly his own.

Prairie Style is horizontal with low, flat rooflines, wide eaves that overhang way past the walls, and windows in long, continuous bands. The whole idea was that a building should look like it belongs to the Midwestern landscape.

The best example in Chicago is the Robie House at 5757 South Woodlawn Avenue in Hyde Park, finished in 1910. The main floor sits off the ground on a raised base, with the roofline extending past the walls in every direction, and the whole structure running parallel to the street rather than facing it head-on. It’s genuinely unlike anything else built at the time.

If you’re interested, they run 90-minute tours. Wright’s early residential work is easier to understand in person than in photographs, so if you’re a history or architecture fan, it’s a good place to check out. More information can be found here.

Art Deco: Chicago’s Most Photographed Era

By Joe+Jeanette Archie – 1952-CM02019, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52779263

By the 1920’s, the city was growing fast, and money was flowing. That produced some of the most recognizable buildings in downtown Chicago.

The Tribune Tower at 435 North Michigan Avenue was finished in 1925. The Chicago Tribune ran an international design competition in 1922, and the winning entry from architects John Mead Howells and Raymond Hood was a Gothic tower with Art Deco bones. The end result looked like a cathedral that someone decided to turn into an office building.

If you’ve walked past the Tribune Tower, here’s something you might not have known. Embedded in the base of the tower, there are fragments from more than 120 famous buildings around the world. Pieces of the Parthenon, the Great Wall, Westminster Abbey, the Taj Mahal, the Alamo, the Berlin Wall, and Notre Dame are just a few. They’re all mortared directly into the lower exterior walls. Colonel Robert McCormick, who ran the Tribune, asked correspondents around the world to ship him rocks, and they did. If you walk along the base slowly, you’ll find the plaques.

The Chicago Board of Trade at 141 West Jackson, finished in 1930, is the other Art Deco landmark worth knowing. At the very tops sits a  45-foot aluminum statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of grain. She has no face, because the architects figured nobody would ever be high enough to see her features clearly. At the time, no building in the city was taller than the Board of Trade.

Mies van der Rohe: Less Is More, And He Meant It

By Marc Rochkind – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57520545

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe fled Nazi Germany in 1938 and settled in Chicago, where he became the director of the architecture program at the Illinois Institute of Technology. His influence on Chicago, and on modern architecture globally, is hard to overstate.

Mies believed in reduction. That meant stripping everything down to structure and letting the steel and glass be visible. Don’t fake material or add decoration that doesn’t serve a purpose.

His 860-880 Lake Shore Drive apartments, finished in 1951, are twin glass-and-steel towers on the lakefront. They look simple, but they’re actually meticulously precise. He added thin decorative I-beams to the exterior, not for structure, but to reinforce the vertical rhythm of the facade. He felt the glass-only version was too flat.

Walk past those towers, and you immediately get why every glass office building you’ve ever seen in any city looks the way it does. All of it comes from this.

The Corncobs, The X-Bracing, And The Race For The Sky

By DGriebeling – Chicago 169, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=128609914

The 1960s and 70s brought a different kind of ambition to Chicago’s skyline.

Marina City at 300 North State Street was completed in 1964. Architect Bertrand Goldberg designed two circular concrete towers that look exactly like corncobs. That’s what everyone calls them. His idea was a city inside a city: apartments, offices, a marina, a theater, a bowling alley, all stacked into one structure. The wedge-shaped units radiate out from a circular concrete core, which is why the balconies create that unmistakable scalloped pattern. The parking garage in the base has become one of the most photographed spots in Chicago.

The John Hancock Center at 875 North Michigan Avenue went up in 1969 at 100 stories. The most distinctive feature is the X-bracing on the exterior – enormous steel crosses running up all four sides of the building. It’s structural engineering made visible that looks decorative. The X-braces resist lateral wind loads, which at that height are significant, and doing it on the outside of the building freed up the interior floors for more usable space.

Then came Willis Tower, which most of us still call the Sears Tower. Finished in 1973 at 110 stories and 1,451 feet, it was the tallest building in the world for 25 years. Its engineers used a bundled tube system, nine square tubes of different heights sharing the structural loads. Standing at the base and looking up is an experience that photos just can’t capture.

Jeanne Gang And The Aqua Tower

By JohnPickenPhoto from Chicago, USA – Aqua building, Chicago, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=129115726

Chicago didn’t stop innovating. The Aqua Tower at 225 North Columbus Drive, finished in 2009, is proof of that.

Architect Jeanne Gang designed it with concrete balconies that extend different distances on every single floor. No two floors are the same shape. The shape was driven by function: the irregular balconies create shade for the floors below, reduce wind load on the building, and improve views by angling residents’ sightlines past the neighboring towers. The building looks like it’s moving when you move past it.

She won a MacArthur Fellowship (the “Genius Grant”) for it in 2011. At 82 stories, Aqua is one of the tallest buildings ever designed by a woman.

The Best Way To See All Of It

The Chicago Architecture Center runs boat tours on the river that cover most of what we’ve written about here, in about 90 minutes. Departures are from the Michigan Avenue Bridge. It is one of the best tours in the city – we truly believe that. The guides are knowledgeable and the river gives you angles on these buildings that you simply can’t get from the street.

If you’d rather walk, the Loop is the most concentrated stretch of architectural history in the country. Give yourself 2 hours and walk. You don’t need a specific destination, just look up and take in the skyline.

If You’re Thinking About Living Here

So there you have it, a couple hundred years of architecture, from the ashes of 1871 to Jeanne Gang’s undulating concrete. We hope this article has inspired you to learn more about Chicago’s history!

And if you’re thinking about a move to Chicago or looking to buy, give us a shout, and we’ll help you figure out where in this city fits you best.

Stay curious out there, and see you next week!

The post Chicago’s Most Iconic Architecture Styles appeared first on Ben Lalez.