Why does the average person have no clue what is good on the South Side? (Chicago: sales, transfer)

[chicagocubs]

I'm a northsider (now living in Charlotte, NC). Was never allowed to go on the south side. The few times that I have been there since moving just a little further south (have a friend that is from Cicero & we usually drive home together) it just looks pretty much the same....however, don't hang around down there as I am headed north to see family.

Irish Tom, yes, I remember 18th St. Spent quite a few summers down there to reinforce my Spanish language abilities while studying at "Day House" at Circle... (probably nobody remembers that)...

[lenniel]

Originally Posted by StarsandStripes79

The average person on the street acts so clueless when it comes to what is good on the South Side. There are some really good bars and restaurants in the Bridgeport neighborhood. People don't even know where to go before and after a White Sox game either.

Its as if the South Side is a completely different city.

Your thoughts?

People value their safety more than trying to find some hole-in-the-wall in the hood. Plus, you probably have to pay a street tax to the Daley family just for passing through Bridgeport.

[lenniel]

Originally Posted by mas23

I don't blame N. Siders and suburbanites for not knowing about thhe South Side. Especially since most everything is up north.

There's Chinatown and museums on the S.Side but other than that, unless you know someone, there's not much of a reason for a Northsider to go.

"there's not much of a reason for a Northsider to go"
Unless you're buying drugs.

[Jandur]

Originally Posted by lenniel

"there's not much of a reason for a Northsider to go"
Unless you're buying drugs.

Nah they deliver.

[StarsandStripes79]

LOL some of these comments are just cracking me up big time.

Armour Square for example is a perfectly safe neighborhood, and its on the South Side. They have some great bars such as Rocky's and Turtles. Some of the best Italian Beef places also that serve some really great breaded steak sandwiches as well. Bakeries? They got some of the best bakeries in the city. Want great Italian? Go to Franco's or Bertucci's Corner. I mean what more do you need? Plus the bars attract some really good looking women as well.

[aragx6]

^But why would most people want to go 12 miles from their home in Edgewater for this? It's just an example, but the point is the same. All those places sound like nice neighborhood haunts, but not necessarily something most people are going to go out of their way for.

[urza216]

Originally Posted by lenniel

"there's not much of a reason for a Northsider to go"
Unless you're buying drugs.

No, that would be the same old story. There are pleanty of drug dealers on the north side so why go to the south side?

[Chi-town Native]

I think a major issue from a North Sider perspective is the South Side is extremely low-density and spread out.

When your time is limited, it doesn't really make a lot of sense to travel a substantial distance to go to a single bakery or restaurant, when you can do a few things in a single trip by going to a more dense area.

It doesn't help that our area's transportation structure is very Loop-centric, so getting to say the SW side means a very inefficient trip. It's - seriously - faster to get to Wisconsin for me than to get to even the South Loop on a busy weekend. So as much as I'd like out check out say, the famous Rainbow Cone place, it's a serious haul and doesn't lend itself to an "impulse trip" on a Saturday afternoon.

The far NW Side is probably as unknown to most North Siders - definitely those who live along the red line - as the South Side is for the same reason.

[jonnynonos]

Originally Posted by StarsandStripes79

LOL some of these comments are just cracking me up big time.

Armour Square for example is a perfectly safe neighborhood, and its on the South Side. They have some great bars such as Rocky's and Turtles. Some of the best Italian Beef places also that serve some really great breaded steak sandwiches as well. Bakeries? They got some of the best bakeries in the city. Want great Italian? Go to Franco's or Bertucci's Corner. I mean what more do you need? Plus the bars attract some really good looking women as well.

I agree that all of those places are well worth a visit. But some people are going to get a kick/see what's cool about visiting a place like Bertucci's Corner, while some people really won't get it.

I've taken friends there who have loved it and I've taken people there who are utterly baffled why we just traveled 5 miles to go to an 80 year old bar with ancient "Chicaga" guys hanging out at the bar.

I would say you should be grateful that the word isn't out about a lot of those places.

Last thing you want is a bunch of d***bags suddenly thinking it's "hip" to go to Geo's Deli.

[ChicagoMeO]

On the Channel 11 station, they have Check Please. They featured a few restaurants on Archer St (theres a Polish one somewhere on Archer), that looks like would drive me there one day. There was also another featured restaurant on Roosevelt Rd too, but closer to Harlem. Darned if I remember that one but I may drive down Roosevelt Rd one day toward Harlem and see.

Bridgeport is nice for historians to see what Lakeview looked like before gentrification, they have some cool older homes that are interesting if you like architecture.

Chinatown is another good south side area.

Englewood - no, i did visit my friend's church there a couple years ago,but since the gangbangers seems to have taken over, I will refrain from visiting again, sorry to the good Englewood people that have to live there.

Madison St has another good restaurant on Check Please, 1400 block, its a diner, I have to try there, but that might be considered west side.

Hyde Park has a few restaurants, and there is the Green Parrot in South Shore that might be good to visit, especially with the restaurant architecture.

Thats all i can think of. I guess I enjoy visiting restaurants, architecture the best when i go somewhere.