Best bustling neighborhoods with character (Chicago, Lincoln: rent, how much, place to live)

[Ashplowe]

Hi y'all,

I'm moving to Chicago this spring and looking for a neighborhood with some flavor. I currently live in Washington DC in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. If anyone here is familiar with the feel of it, you have a good sense of what I'm looking for. :-) Is there anything similar in Chicago?

I'd like a neighborhood that:
-Has energy, doesn't turn into a ghost town after work hours
-Is diverse and has it's own character
-Is reasonably safe for a single female with street sense
-Has a lot of restaurants, stores, things to do right in the neighborhood
-Is close to other cool neighborhoods, not out near the suburbs

I don't mind drunkards on the weekends but I'm not really into bros.

I'm used to paying $1450 per month for a tiny studio in DC so I'd be ELATED to pay ~$1000 for a 1 br. Cost is flexible for the right location.

Whatdya think?

[marothisu]

I'm not that familiar with Adams Morgan (character wise)...but I do know if you're going for look then many of the north side neighborhoods you will find are like it in that fashion like Lakeview or Lincoln Park, but based on what you said, I'd probably recommend Lakeview, Wicker Park, Bucktown, River North...

Lakeview - Basically stay away from Wrigleyville as it's full of bros, but you don't have to stay that far away. My girlfriend lives in Lakeview East which is a half mile from Wrigleyville. The side streets are quiet, but go on Broadway, Clark, Halsted, etc and it's FULL of stores, restaurants, entertainment, etc and it's close enough to the Red Line train, also good buses go through there. Within walking distance to the lake and the beaches, bike/walking paths, etc (of course, Lakeview East is very close to the Lake).

Wicker Park - Used to be edgy, but now is gentrified, but still has character. IMO the best nightlife area of the city is the "6 corners" area, or around there. It's usually bustling on weekends, especially in the summer.

Bucktown - Next to Wicker Park. A little more laid back, but still good.

River North - Basically "downtown", a bunch of high rises, but also mixed in some smaller buildings (<10 stories). Things here more expensive. There are a lot of bars, clubs, restaurants, etc...some full of bros, some not. Within walking distance to the lake and the beaches, bike/walking paths, etc.


Also, I'd say that the ~$1000/month for a 1 bedroom doesn't apply everywhere here. Actually most are over., especially in River North, Bucktown, and Wicker Park. You can find 1 bedrooms for under $1000/month in Lakeview, but I'd say a good one bedroom is at least $1100/month there, and in a few areas (like Southport) it could be $1350+/month. My 1 bedroom in a high rise with security, gym, etc in the Gold Coast (north of River North) is over $1300/month. DC though is without a doubt more expensive than Chicago. My place would rent for over $2000/month in DC.

As a rule of thumb too about the bustling thing - when it's cold out, people are still out but they don't like to stay outside. In the summer, people are out all the time and that means outside. Summer in Chicago is quite awesome.

[ChiNaan]

Those are pretty much the exact reasons I chose Pilsen (energy, diverse, character, reasonably safe, restaurants/stores, close to downtown, close to other interesting/cool neighborhoods like Chinatown, Greektown, Little Italy, Bridgeport). It's possible that it doesn't have enough in the after-hours energy department for you, but "diverse," "energy," and "reasonably safe" are a tough combo to come by in Chicago.

South Loop kind of has that combo, but has less in the character department (IMO), and still not terribly high-energy.

On the north side, maybe somewhere near the border of Lakeview and Uptown would suffice?

*Maybe* Logan Square, though the more hopping parts of it are not so diverse.

It might help if you could you be a little more specific about how much and what type of diversity you're seeking vs. how much and what type of nightlife.

All of those except South Loop (and possibly Lakeview) would be doable on 1000 a month. Well, the outer fringes of South Loop would be, but not so much nightlife/restaurants/shops in those parts.

[marothisu]

^ Forgot about Pilsen. D'oh

[Irishtom29]

26th St. Very busy, lots of shops, taverns and restaurants. Lots of outdoor and street life.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by marothisu

^ Forgot about Pilsen. D'oh

Well, it's probably not as high in the safety department as the ones you listed, but there are plenty of single females who live there and like it. If she has street sense, as she said, she'd be fine.

It also doesn't have the nightlife of the places you listed. For me it's a good balance of all the qualities she says she's looking for, though.

[Ashplowe]

Thanks for the advice guys!

In terms of diversity, I just don't want to live in a racially homogenous place or a place that is full of yuppies, but it doesn't have to feel like the United Nations either. It's nice to hear a little Spanish on the street every now and then but it's not a huge deal.

In terms of nightlife, I do like to go out and get crazy sometimes but I'm 28 now so it doesn't happen every weekend like it used to. I'd like a neighborhood that has at least some good neighborhood bars where you can become a regular and make friends with the bartenders. It doesn't have to be the rowdiest corridor in town although I kind of like being near the crazy atmosphere.

Marothisu, the neighborhoods you listed are the ones I've been drawn to, especially Lakeview. It would be awesome to be so close to the lake during the summer and if it has some energy then it might be perfect. I think I checked out Old Town/Lincoln Park before heading to the lake when I visited this summer and it seemed to be everything I DIDN'T want. Sure the shops were cute but the vibe was so yuppie and even my waitress was a bit stuck up...

ChiNaan, I haven't heard of Pilsen, I'll have to check it out.

[Vlajos]

Andersonville could be good, close to lake with restaurants, bars and shops.

Logan Square also, though not close to the lake.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by Ashplowe

Thanks for the advice guys!

In terms of diversity, I just don't want to live in a racially homogenous place or a place that is full of yuppies,

That rules out the areas Marothisu listed, so it's interesting to me that you're most drawn to those. If Lincoln Park was everything you don't want, I'm fairly confident you would also not be a fan of most of Lakeview, though perhaps some would disagree with me.

Originally Posted by Ashplowe

but it doesn't have to feel like the United Nations either. It's nice to hear a little Spanish on the street every now and then but it's not a huge deal.

You can hear Spanish in lots of neighborhoods in Chicago, but it tends to be places that have more of a working class population than Lincoln Park, Lakeview, or Near North. Not that you would never hear Spanish there, but it would be far more rare than other places.

Originally Posted by Ashplowe

In terms of nightlife, I do like to go out and get crazy sometimes but I'm 28 now so it doesn't happen every weekend like it used to. I'd like a neighborhood that has at least some good neighborhood bars where you can become a regular and make friends with the bartenders. It doesn't have to be the rowdiest corridor in town although I kind of like being near the crazy atmosphere.

The good news is that these type of bars exist in nearly every neighborhood of Chicago. The type of people you'll find at them differs between neighborhoods, of course. When you said you were looking for nightlife I was thinking of large districts full of packed bars. If you just want a couple of neighborhood bars, that need will likely be met wherever you end up.

All of the neighborhoods that have been mentioned here are near enough to "crazy atmosphere" places via public transit. If you want to walk a few blocks to rowdy/crazy places the options become more limited, obviously.

[gomexico]

Originally Posted by Ashplowe

Whatdya think?

There are so many areas which would probably suit you, it's not easy to make a recommendation without knowing you. Where are you going to work? Ease of transport to/from work has always been an important consideration for me when choosing a place to live.