What is YOUR favorite neighborhood in Chicago and why? (Lincoln: apartments, big house)

[Gaylord_Focker]

Printer's Row, Wrigleyville, Gold Coast, West Loop?

This is about you, not me. Yes, I'm doing research, but just want your opinion.

[Kmanshouse]

That's a loaded question. I don't think I can name a favorite. I have a favorite in different categories, though.

Favorite for street shopping: Andersonville
Favorite for art: Pilsen
Favorite for food: Lakeview
Favorite for everyday living: Lincoln Square/Ravenswood
Favorite for beauty: Lincoln Park
Favorite for baseball: Bridgeport

[Kmanshouse]

I remember you were considering moving to Chicago....

Wrigleyville is a section of Lakeview that is choc full of bro bars and people in their 20s who still think it's fun to get as hammered as possible on Miller Lite. Fun to visit, but would never live there.

Gold Coast has a lot of old money, NYC style buildings with doormen, but not much soul. Whenever I'm walking around there, I'm admiring the beautiful architecture as I watch 75 year old multi-millionaire ladies get out of cars driven by their "drivers" carrying a random shopping bag.

West Loop is cool. It's gotten very expensive. It's also touristy on weekends.

Don't know anything about Printer's Row.

[DaBears02]

I live in Lincoln Park right now and I generally like it. It’s a very nice and walkable neighborhood with great access to good bars, restaurants, and shops. I like nightlife here as it’s fun and vibrant while feeling feels fratty and ”broish” than the neighboring Lakeview/wrigleyville area. It’s also very nice being a few minutes walk to the park and the lake. Definitely the biggest shock for me though was there not being as much diversity as I’m used to. That’s not to say there’s no diversity but if you’re used to being in a very diverse area then just know that the main crowd is rich white yuppies. All in all it’s still definitely one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city. I am also considering the West Loop/Fulton Market area for when I get a little older.

[Gaylord_Focker]

Originally Posted by Kmanshouse

I remember you were considering moving to Chicago....

Wrigleyville is a section of Lakeview that is choc full of bro bars and people in their 20s who still think it's fun to get as hammered as possible on Miller Lite. Fun to visit, but would never live there.

Gold Coast has a lot of old money, NYC style buildings with doormen, but not much soul. Whenever I'm walking around there, I'm admiring the beautiful architecture as I watch 75 year old multi-millionaire ladies get out of cars driven by their "drivers" carrying a random shopping bag.

West Loop is cool. It's gotten very expensive. It's also touristy on weekends.

Don't know anything about Printer's Row.

Yep. But didn't want to make it about me necessarily. Some parameters have changed. I have to stay out west for a bit but am considering a second place in or around downtown Chicago. Again, don't want to make it about me, but budget under 500k for a 2 br, schools don't matter now. Would like to be near downtown. Walkability is important this time.

[Master Jay]

Milwaukee guy here, but I recently shared a post on a Chicago group on Facebook with the same question/answer:

Edison Park
Lincoln Square
Armour Square
Heart of Chicago
Norwood Park

and then some honorable mentions:
Dunning
Montclare
Galewood

North Park
West Ridge
Forest Glen

[personone]

Probably Lincoln Park for living. Walking distance from parts of "downtown" depending on how that's defined (i.e. Gold Coast). But still right next to the park for nature, running/walking trails, etc. More mature nightlife, Trader Joe's/Grocery options, nice local restaurants, gyms, local shops, bars, etc.

West Loop is nice for trendy bars/restaurants and nice apartments. Obviously right next to the downtown core.

Gold Coast is maybe the best compromise if you are going for strictly "downtown." It's right in the middle of the transition zone between downtown and the north side. You can easily get to the Loop/River North (which in my opinion is the Epicenter of the universally accepted "downtown"), but you are also close to Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View.

Other cool neighborhoods of Ravenswood and Andersonville, albeit farther from downtown. More mature adult crowd, but still lots of nice local restaurants, bars, shops.

[Avondalist]

I like Andersonville because it's relatively "undiscovered" being so far from the Loop, yet it has polish and good eating and shopping. If money were no object I'd live in a big old house in Lakewood-Balmoral.

I wouldn't recommend Andersonville for someone looking for a pied-a-terre in a walkable neighborhood. Andersonville is walkable but it's kind of isolated. The bigger attraction is that it's a "forever neighborhood".

[GWoodle]

No south southwest siders on here? Chicago Lawn, Elsdon, West Lawn Clearing to Midway.

[Hiruko]

I am torn between Wicker Park (West Town, more broadly), Buena Park (Uptown), and Lincoln Park. Most likely, I would opt for a big house in Buena Park because of its location near the lake, under-the-radar status, proximity to other attractive areas, and architecturally significant homes and buildings. However, I do think that Wicker Park and Lincoln Park have a greater quantity of things that are interesting and appealing to me. I do like River North (Near North Side) and West Loop (Near West Side), however, I don't like the complete lack of neighborhood aspect.