Quiet place to go after work (Chicago, Lincoln: apartment, rentals, transfer)

[jonnynonos]

Sip Coffee House on Grand tends to be pretty sedate, at least the times I've been there.

I used to hang out at the Harold Washington Library a lot. Get a practice room--it is totally, totally quiet.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by rparz

AWWW MAANNNNN, I wish I knew about this place when I lived in the city. Well, the chillout aspect of it, anyway.

I love it up there. I used to go all the time, but not as much anymore. Kind of depends on the music they'll play, but it's always lounge or chill/trip hop or something. The first time I ever went there they played Thievery Corporation all night. They'll play a lot of the Hotel Costes volumes, but it's always stuff in those realms. It's not a huge space or anything. Half of the upstairs is tables, and the other half is the bar/couches. I've seen Tyra Banks, Channing Tatum, Lawrence Fishbourne, etc up there and it's awesome because everyone leaves them alone.

It can definitely get busy, but 66% of the time it's people who are waiting for their tables via their reservation to clear up, so they go to the bar area until it's ready. It's hilarious because one minute it'll be dead, then all of a sudden its busy, then 30 minutes later it's dead again because of what I mentioned before. Even when it's busy though, people leave you alone.

They actually have a Le Colonial in San Fran by the way....


Check, Please! visits Le Colonial | Chicago Business Today - YouTube


Their Pho is awesome by the way. You can order anything at the bar too. You could easily go up there and order Vietnamese Coffee and a bowl of soup or something and nobody would think anything of it.

[rparz]

Originally Posted by marothisu

I love it up there. I used to go all the time, but not as much anymore. Kind of depends on the music they'll play, but it's always lounge or chill/trip hop or something. The first time I ever went there they played Thievery Corporation all night. They'll play a lot of the Hotel Costes volumes, but it's always stuff in those realms. It's not a huge space or anything. Half of the upstairs is tables, and the other half is the bar/couches. I've seen Tyra Banks, Channing Tatum, Lawrence Fishbourne, etc up there and it's awesome because everyone leaves them alone.

It can definitely get busy, but 66% of the time it's people who are waiting for their tables via their reservation to clear up, so they go to the bar area until it's ready. It's hilarious because one minute it'll be dead, then all of a sudden its busy, then 30 minutes later it's dead again because of what I mentioned before. Even when it's busy though, people leave you alone.

They actually have a Le Colonial in San Fran by the way....


Check, Please! visits Le Colonial | Chicago Business Today - YouTube


Their Pho is awesome by the way. You can order anything at the bar too. You could easily go up there and order Vietnamese Coffee and a bowl of soup or something and nobody would think anything of it.

Yeah, that's pretty much the vibe I was looking for. Someplace a washed up clubber can go to chill and not feel a need to crank it up to 12 every night in a place that isn't a sportsbar.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by rparz

Yeah, that's pretty much the vibe I was looking for. Someplace a washed up clubber can go to chill and not feel a need to crank it up to 12 every night in a place that isn't a sportsbar.

HAH yep, that's why I love it. Not to say that pretentious people don't go there or anything, but yeah completely different vibe. You can actually have non sports conversations there. You should check out the one in San Fran. I think they have a bigger space and a cool outdoor space.

I REALLY wish more places like it existed in town. If I ever have a few million in cash I have nothing to do with, I might consider something like that, with a twist. I have some friends who want to do the same thing.

[Wonderlandless]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

Sip Coffee House on Grand tends to be pretty sedate, at least the times I've been there.

I used to hang out at the Harold Washington Library a lot. Get a practice room--it is totally, totally quiet.

I live on Grand. Cheers! I like the library, but I feel really unsafe walking from there at night. Its sketchy as hell outside.

Originally Posted by marothisu

It's not a cafe or coffee house, but if you want somewhere dark, quiet (usually), where nobody will bother you..2nd floor of Le Colonial near Rush & Oak. On like the weekends it'll get busy sometimes, and maybe some Thursday nights, but really....it's dark, can be quiet, and people will not bother you usually. Some celebs will pop in for this very reason - people leave you alone and don't care even if you are a celebVery cool, chill place. If you go there, just walk inside and take the stairs up. There's a bar area (you can order whatever you want there. Dark wood. candles and miniature trees all around) and some couches too. Again though, it's dark, but it's good for unwinding when it's not busy. They have music playing but it's usually lounge type of stuff or chillout/trip hop.

You just kind of have to learn when not a ton of people will be up there.

Thank you. This is exactly what I am looking for.

Originally Posted by rparz

Yeah, uhh, welcome to the big city. Stimulation 24/7. There's silence where I'm at now and I'm about to blow my brains out. I find it hard to sleep without the soothing sounds of traffic outside my window.

But, go to the park or lake or something.
You live in the middle of the biggest urban area in the region.


Perhaps you should consider relocating out to the suburbs for the quiet you desire.

I don't care about the city sounds, I care about my annoying loud roommate and being forced to deal with the public and not having a place I can unwind afterward where I'm not forced to interact with others.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Wonderlandless

Thank you. This is exactly what I am looking for.

Cool. Try it out on a weekday night sometime since you never know if it'll be busy on a weekend. There's a Scotish bartendress there, Nikki. She's cool.

[glass_of_merlot]

Library

[jonnynonos]

The area around the library isn't dangerous. A lot of transients just hang around that park.

I wouldn't necessarily advise wandering around there really late, or most places in the loop late, because it tends to get veeeeery empty, which of course opens you up to trouble.

But before midnight there is not really anything to worry about. If you are walking home I might make an effort to stay on the busier streets, i.e. State to Grand.

[udonsoup]

Rooftops.....I haven't explored the rooftops of Chicago yet but many sky rises have parks and beautiful gardens up top. I've been on malls that have full blown forests on the roof. I would study or party with friends.

There is some noise but the view makes up for it. I used to take dates up to city rooftops too!

Key is finding a good one AND easy access(not locked).

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by udonsoup

Rooftops.....I haven't explored the rooftops of Chicago yet but many sky rises have parks and beautiful gardens up top. I've been on malls that have full blown forests on the roof. I would study or party with friends.

There is some noise but the view makes up for it. I used to take dates up to city rooftops too!

Key is finding a good one AND easy access(not locked).

There aren't a TON of rooftops here. The ones with parks and gardens up top are usually private (part of Daley's "Green Roof" Initiative or whatever it was called). There are some rooftop bars/clubs in the city, but it's really not a ton..and they're usually loud/annoying anyway.