Late Night Coffee Houses (Chicago, Cicero: how much, living, shops)

[paytonc]

Chicago seems to fall somewhere between LA (early to bed) and NYC/SF (never sleep), but in a strange way: many of the 24-hour establishments, from diners to bus routes, stay open for third-shift blue-collar workers. The white-collar workforce here skews pretty early, especially as many financial types start work at 8AM (=9AM Eastern Time). People here seem to think that 7:30AM breakfast meetings are acceptable. (My body might be at such a meeting, but my brain won't be there.)

Most coffee shops and restaurant kitchens close by 10PM. Shops close by 7 or 9PM in the summer. Bars are open to 2AM (3AM on Saturday night, aka Sunday morning), with "after hours" bars closing at 4AM/5AM -- but I'll warn you that the crowds after the bewitching hour can get rowdy.

(A thought: it might be interesting to compile statistics about the hours that different cities keep. When is the peak hour for dinner reservations? Movies? Morning-rush transit rides? Last call? Median hours that Starbuckses are open?)

I live in what one of the city's nightlife hubs, but there's honestly little to do after 10PM except get drunk. There used to be several coffee places open until midnight or later, but as yuppies replace artists they're shutting early or entirely.

Another factor: we're at the leading edge of the Central Time Zone. Thus, the sun rises/sets earlier here than in, say, Indianapolis, which is at the trailing edge of Eastern Time.

[coldwine]

I used to be up at all hours of the night. You can always find something to do =)

,ost of the 24-hour stuff that I can remember was either a)gay or b)lounge/club type stuff.

As I happen to love both my gays and bands in the genre of Bonobo or Thievery Corporation, this obviously worked for me.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by paytonc

...Most coffee shops and restaurant kitchens close by 10PM...

I have to disagree here. While there are a certain number that close around 10pm or maybe even before-it certainly is not a vast majority.

Of course part of it depends on where you are in the city. Some areas do not have many places that keep late hours.

Lake View for example has plenty O' places that are open past 10pm. Many bar and grill's kitchens are open until midnight and some much much later...

Just a couple examples:

Caribou Coffee at 3025 N. Clark is open until 11 pm Sun to Friday and Midnight on Saturday.

Pick Me Up Cafe (They have food as well as coffee) at 3408 N. Clark St:
11 a.m.-3 a.m. Monday-Thursday; 24 hours a day from 11 a.m. Friday-5 a.m. Sunday

Starbucks at 3184 N. Clark:
5:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Friday; 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday

Clarke's Diner at 930 W. Belmont is open 24 hours every day.

Windy City Gyros at 3932 N. Broadway:
10 a.m.-4 a.m. Sunday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-5 a.m. Friday-Saturday

Risque Cafe at 3419 N. Clark :
5 p.m.-2 a.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m.-3 a.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Sunday. Food served until one hour before close.

[paytonc]

Lakeview does have more coffee available after 10PM than Wicker Park, but considering the number of coffee places out there (around 150 Starbuckses just within the city limits!) I'd readily wager that "most" have closed by 10PM.

A lot of bar kitchens do stay open until midnight or 1AM, which is usually just a ploy to sell more drinks.

[Venom]

I always get stopped so I try not to go out at night.
I know this one guy who gets stopped like everyday after work.

[ajolotl]

Originally Posted by Venom

I always get stopped so I try not to go out at night.
I know this one guy who gets stopped like everyday after work.

good to see the police doing their jobs ...

[prairiestate]

Super Wal-Mart is open all night! Denny's, Dunkin Donuts, lots of cool things to do.

[rockinrolla]

I dunno about now, but a few years back, there were still bars that closed at 4 am...mostly dives, but hey, beggars can't be choosers when it's 2 in the morning, and you're drunk, but not drunk enough.

[Venom]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

good to see the police doing their jobs ...

n00b.

[rockinrolla]

Originally Posted by Gioobag

Ravens and Frank's come to mind.

Holy fushnickens, there's still a buttload of em: Chicago! 4 AM Bars Bars on Centerstage Chicago - Chicago City Life in Chicago, Illinois