river north or downtown hotel?? (Chicago, Lincoln: neighborhoods, university, restaurant)

[pclark8]

I'll be in Chicago in 2 weeks exactly, i'm trying to decide between hotel 71 down town or a hotel in River north. I'm in my 20s and want to explore the city, I also want to go out and enjoy the night life scene. I hear down town gets pretty dead at night, but the area looks like it would be nice to stay at! What are your thoughts? Would I be traveling to far to go out at night if I stayed down town?

[RingWalk]

Which hotel in River North? Hotel 71 is pretty nice. They have a good new restaurant down there and remodeled rooms. Downtown certainly does NOT get 'dead' at night?!? Huh? Maybe certain parts of the Loop but not where you're at. Certainly not River North.

Probably the biggest nightlife scene downtown these days is Hubbard Street. It's in River North but only about a 5 minute walk from Hotel 71.

If you're in your 20s avoid Rush Street. It's stupid.

[pclark8]

Im not sure which hotel in River North. I've never been and want a good experience. Hotel 71 is the only one that I really liked from online.. Inn of Chicago seemed pretty cool too? So if you are telling me the best nightlife is a 5 min walk from Hotel 71 maybe I should just book there. I thought River North was a little farther commute.. any bar/club suggestions?? Maybe some 'chill' places but would like to check out some dance clubs as well.

[Drover]

While there's more going on in River North than downtown proper, you'll have better transit access to other parts of town and other nightlife districts from downtown. At any rate, the only thing separating downtown from River North is a river with a thousand bridges over it, so the river doesn't really hamper access from one to the other.

[pclark8]

which other districts do you recommend?

[Drover]

Depends on your interests. The typical 20-something nightlife scenes are found in Lincoln Park and Lakeview, particularly along Lincoln Avenue and Clark Street through both neighborhoods. The club district is just south of the North/Clybourn stop of the Red Line. Other nightlife areas in increasing order of sedateness are Southport corridor (basically west Lakeview), Wicker Park/Bucktown, West Loop, University Village/East Pilsen, Andersonville, Logan Square, North Center/Lincoln Square, South Loop, Roscoe Village, and Edison Park.

[RingWalk]

Hotel 71 is exactly three blocks away from Hubbard Street, which is the heartlife of nightlife in River North. I've never heard of Inn of Chicago but it looks nice...Hotel 71 is pretty nice but not all the rooms are remodeled. The ones not remodeled are kind of dusty. They have a gym that seems okay. But the restaurant is very good and the location is good.

Sure, come down to Hubbard Street and hit Hubbard Inn, Hub 51, Rockit, Paris Club, those are pretty much the big places like that though they are "barstraunts."

More night/dance clubs would be Manor, Lumen, the Underground, Cuvee, Tzar...

Personally the only "club" I have ever been able to tolerate is Debonair in Wicker Park or Smart Bar at the Metro but I am not a big club person. That being said, the above named places are fairly nonoffensive. I've never been to Tzar but that's a big new one. Board Room's another new one.

Dark Bar is cool if you're kind of indie but it doesn't sound like that's the case...

Those Hubbard Street bars are pretty solid though.

[pclark8]

Thanks a lot! Ill be there two nights so im sure ill check out a few places. Being in a unfamiliar city it sounds more appealing to drink closer to where im staying at night. Any other suggestions for the area? I Wanna try some good pizza, hotdogs, and I love sushi.

[RingWalk]

Ha...my opinion: Lou Malnatti's, Portillo's and, for sushi, Japanese is right near there...pricey but good. Oysy is less expensive but still there.

That's all in River North. Have fun!

[emathias]

Originally Posted by RingWalk

...
Japanese is right near there...pricey but good. Oysy is less expensive but still there.

That's all in River North. Have fun!

FYI, RingWalk, "Japanese" means anything from or related to Japan. i.e. all sushi, etc.

I think you probably meant Japonais, a Japanese restaurant on the northwest edge of River North.

I'm not a grammar nazi, but sometimes spelling really does matter.