Edison Park/Norwood Park Neighborhoods & Nightlife (Chicago, Park Ridge: living, restaurants)

[Score04]

Starting a new job in Norridge and considering the NW side.

Basically from what I've heard Edison Park and Norwood park seem like an extension of Park Ridge into Chicago?

Is the neighborhood good to walk around at night? Any parts of these neighborhoods more desirable than others?

Would like to be close to the train, too. How is around the Metra stops vs. around the Blue Line stops?

Also, I miss having bars within walking distance. I live in Highland Park now, and have to go all the way up to Highwood.

How are the bars/nightlife around? Any really good places you woud recommend? I've kind of outgrown the binge drinking phase but still like to have a good time every now and then.

Please let me know if you have any advice/experiences with any of the above.

[Drover]

Edison Park has a touch of nightlife along Northwest Highway. It's pretty sedate and grown-up. Not a big party scene but there are a few nice clean pubs and solid restaurants. Norridge doesn't have much of a nightlife scene at all. About the only thing going on there is Edelweiss restaurant & bar, one of the better German joints in the city. Well, close enough to the city anyway; it's 20 feet from the Chicago border.

The good news is that the CTA Blue Line runs 24/7 and can scoot you to some pretty solid nightlife spots. So if you pick Norridge or something close to it along the Blue Line, you should have convenient access to nightlife.

So the way I see it, you have two choices: a decent but fairly sedate nightlife in Edison Park, or quick access to solid nightlife via the Blue Line if you live close to one of the Blue Line stations.

In either case, I wouldn't bother living near a Metra line since they're only useful for getting people from the suburbs and outer neighborhoods to downtown and don't really stop at many interesting places along the way. And since you aren't working downtown, I don't see that Metra would be particularly useful for you. For someone interested in access to nightlife, it's more important to be near CTA transit connections.

[Drover]

Oh wait, you asked about Norwood Park nightlife, not Norridge nightlife. Sorry. Anyway, Norwood Park's nightlife is pretty much non-existent. But again, nothing access to the Blue Line can't cure.

[Score04]

Drove around there and walked around some in Edison Park. Nice little place it looks like.

Anyone ever been to some of the restaurants/bars there (Edison Park Inn, Emerald Isle, Nick's Pub, Moretti's, Curragh (sp?) ) and have anything to say about them?

[UICJohn]

Of course. Been to them all.

Moretti's is more of a restaurant than a bar. However, on the weekends, the bar is pretty crowded and it's a nice little place. Good specials, good pizza, good food, pretty relaxed nice place.

The Emeral Isle and Nicks are geared more towards the younger crowds. Those are bars. 20 somethings looking to go out and drink. The Isle is a little bit of a nicer place and was just remodeled a little while back and I personally think Nick's is a little trashier but I've been to both many times so what's that say about me? Ha.

The Edison Park Inn is a decent place too. I personally like it but it's not nearly as popular especially with the younger crowds. But I like it because the music isn't cranked up incredibly loud, it's a little more laid back, and they have a huge bar so getting drinks usually isn't an issue.

[johnm68]

I lived in Edison Park for 5 years or so. All the bars you mentioned are decent, although the Curragh opened after I moved. I agree with the comparison above of the Isle and Nicks--although I've been to both numerous times as well, so I'm in the same boat... For what you are looking for, Edison Park would seem to fit your needs. There's also some good restaurants with nice bars there--foodwise, Zia's is excellant, Elliots is pretty good, and Nonno Pino is decent. I always liked Zia's bar--more of a grown up crowd than the Isle or Nicks. And, any night of the week, you have a good chance of running into the alderman propping up the bar in any of these establishments--nothing like access to your elected leaders!

As Drover said, not much in Norwood--I think most of the precincts there are dry.