Hey folks, coming to Chicago in June for the first time

My wife and I are celebrating our 10th anniversary with a 5 day trip to Chicago, June 23-27, Thursday through Monday. We're staying at the Days Inn-Gold Coast which it looks like is right on Lincoln Park. Although living in central Virginia now, I'm originally from NYC and lived in DC for 8 years. We love to explore cities by foot and eat/drink in local, non-touristy places (unless the touristy places are very good ) We'll be hitting used bookstores, cool bars/pubs and moderately priced restaurants (entrees $20 and under). The bars we're looking for are friendly, interesting places where we can have a microbrew or 2 to get the book and sidewalk dust out of our mouths. Definitely not interested in loungey, martini bars.

So far, the only definite plan we have is our big splurge on our anniversary, dinner at Chilpancingo on Friday night. Being a pizza hound, I'm thinking about Lou Malnati's or Pizzeria Due for Thursday dinner and I suppose at some point we'll need to try an Italian beef. Also, Nuevo Leon looks intrigiung, although kind of out of the way and we'll be without a car.

What are the neighborhoods that might have used bookstores, are great for exploring on foot, and have good choices for incidental beers and eats? We're willing to use the buses and el, just not quite sure where the iffy areas are. If need be, we'll first visit used bookstores (we're in the business) and then go to the fun neighborhoods if they are not in the same place. Any thoughts?

You've picked a nice area to stay in... except for a lot of the things you want. I don't mean that as snide as it sounds, the Lincoln Park neighborhood is very pleasant to stroll around and has good shopping, and besides there are only hotels in a few parts of the city anyway, but the used bookstores are, so far as I can recall offhand, completely gone by now (somebody will probably be able to think of one survivor) and the restaurant scene in the immediate vicinity is pretty chain-y and whitebread. So you'll want to travel a bit for both. Anyway, I'm going to post about books and figure that others will bring this back on topic for food soon enough.

A couple of miles northwest of you on Lincoln Ave. (walkable or busable) is your best nearby bet for books close by, Powell's. Beyond that you'll want to head to the area of the University of Chicago, Hyde Park, on 57th street which has the strongest concentration of antiquarian shops remaining in the area, including another Powell's, O'Gara & Wilson, and 57th Street Books as well as its parent, the Seminary Coop which is only new books but such a rambling, Borgesian labyrinth that it's well worth a visit. Consult CTA maps for how to get to Hyde Park by bus (don't be fooled by the subway stop at "University" near there, as it's a mile or more west of the area you want to arrive in, and a bit rougher area). Hyde Park is also a nice, if not exceptional, area for walking around to find food and drink, but I'll let someone who knows it better say where to go.

The only other shop in the city I hit regularly is Myopic Books, but if you are moneyed (or willing to act as if you might be) there are some other high end dealers worth checking out such as the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop.

A Sheanchai, failte romhat!

• Neighbourhood with books (1)
Hyde Park is ca. 7 miles south of the Loop, reachable via bus (#6 Jeffrey) and Metra train (station at Randolph and Michigan).

On 57th Street, just a few steps west of the Metra station are two excellent used bookstores: Powell's (southside of street, southeast corner with Harper) and half a block further west (northside of street, between Harper and Blackstone) O'Gara's. One of the finest academic bookstores in the country is at the corner of University and 58th Street, right by the entrance to the main quad of the University of Chicago, the Seminary Coop Bookstore. If you like to read and don't visit this bookstore, you're really missing out. Walk down 57th Street west to University, turn left (south) on University. Chow in the neighbourhood is not especially wonderful but along the walk down 57th Street you'll pass an excellent bakery, Medici Bakery (the adjacent restaurant is nothing special at all), mid-block between Kimball and Kenwood. On that same block with the bakery is a branch of the Seminary Coop (at the further corner of the block), 57th Street Books, which also is a swell bookstore with a more popular and less academic orientation than the flagship store on University and 58th has.

More anon.

Antonius

Seanchai wrote:What are the neighborhoods that might have used bookstores, are great for exploring on foot, and have good choices for incidental beers and eats? We're willing to use the buses and el, just not quite sure where the iffy areas are. If need be, we'll first visit used bookstores (we're in the business) and then go to the fun neighborhoods if they are not in the same place. Any thoughts?

Hyde Park, and 57th Street adjacent to the campus of the University of Chicago, in particular are excellent hunting grounds for used books. Here's a link that provides a quick list of bookstores in the U of C environs: Hyde Park Bookstores

The U of C campus itself is great for on foot exploration, with acres of faux-gothic limestone buildings, Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, the the Oriental Institute Museum, and other museums and galleries of interest.

Medici on 57th Street has decent coffee and baked goods and O.K. (not great) lunch items.

Access to this area is very simple via the Metra Electric Line train: Metra.

Enjoy your trip!

. . . and if you're interested in a Hyde Park bar where you're more likely to engage the bartender in a conversation on Heidegger's affair with Hannah Arendt than on the Bear's quarterback prospects, there's always Jimmy's Woodlawn Tap at 57th & Woodlawn.

For more on Hyde Park eating establishments search "Hyde Park" or "Museum of Science and Industry" on this and the chowhound site, where there's been some recent discussion.

Another thing to see in Hyde Park.

Right out your front door in Lincoln Park will be the Green City Market, the city's best farmer's market. Admittedly you won't be buying a lot of produce on vacation, presumably, but there's lots of other stuff going on there. It has been Wednesday mornings but I just heard that it will be running Saturday mornings, too, this summer.

Yes, the state of used bookstores in Chicago has been in decline for ages. It is a near miracle that any remain (it seems). Lincoln Ave, angling from Halsted/Fullerton, back in the day when Wax Trax was the coolest record store in town, was filled with used bookstores. They are all gone. Likewise, Clark Street between Fullerton and Diverey had several good bookstores. There is, however, one used bookstore left on Clark, near Wellington. I never remember its name, but it has a distincive look--extreme mess, and a mildly witty sign: "books, rare, medium and well done." The best chow near this place is Weiner Circle (2622 N. Clark). Known as much for its late night abuse, I think it is one of the best hot dog/hamburger/french fry places around. This area is most accessible from the frequently running Clark St. bus (22).

A bit more up Clark, in the shadows of Wrigley Field, at Clark and Newport, is another holdout--that I've always liked but cannot remember its name. They have a large stock of albums, especially old jazz albums, for those who like that kinda stuff. Note, if the Cubs are playing that day, you may or may not wanna be around. Once upon a time, I lived in Wrigleyville, and I continue to have a special place in my heart for that area, even if others knock it. GWiv reminded me the other day of the excellent Japanese fish place Matsuya (best for grilled fish) at 3469 N Clark. Another cool option in that hood, a true link to the past, is Hamburger King (3435 N. Sheffield--right across the street from the used bookstore.) Hamburger King serves both highly delicious, ultra thin "30's style" burgers and wierd hybrid Sino-Japanese fare. If your tastes run to the Hopperesque, you might enjoy Hamburger King. You can get to Wrigleyville via the 22 bus, but it is also very accesible to the red line--Addison stop.

Lastly, there is Shake Rattle and Read at Broadway just north of Lawrence. Much more a repository for used magazines and pulp paperbacks than used books, it is still a fun place to poke around. Right next door is the famous but sadly boarded up, Uptown Theater (and two other classic venues are nearby, the Aragon and the Riviera.) The highly cool Green Mill Lounge is right there but may be useless during the day. For chow, the Hong Kong style, Silver Seafood, which is the subject of mixed opinions (I've always liked) is right across the street (4829 N. Broadway), but a few blocks north is the Argyle neighborhood with a full range of great chow: beef noodle soup (pho); iced coffe, excellent spicy Thai, even traditional Cantonese BBQ. Plus tons of food shops. There are el stops at Argyle and Lawrence and buses on Broadway and Sheridan.

Rob

A Sheanchai,

• Neighbourhood with books (2)
Printers' Row/South Loop
Printers' Row, my (alas) former home for many years is not quite as rich in books as Hyde Park but a lot better for bars. A branch of Powell's is located a couple blocks outside of Printers' Row itself (I follow the narrow definition), over on the 800 block of (#828) South Wabash, adjacent to an excellent independent chocolatier, Canady at 824 S Wabash (see link). This branch of Powell's has a good cookbook section and in general has more 'cut-outs' than used books and definitely fewer used books than the Hyde Park branch (there is some overlap of stock between the two branches in the cut-outs). Up at the northwest corner of 8th and Wabash is Buddy Guy's blues club.

In the heart of Printers' Row, on Dearborn between Harrison and Polk, you can admire the view of old Dearborn Station. An excellent small, independent bookstore, with a nice selection of books on Chicago, is Sandmeyer's, on the west side of Dearborn (#714 S. Dearborn) at the corner just before a little square with a fountain (Piazza Lucantonio, named after my son, at least according to me ).

Almost directly across the street from Sandmeyer's, over on the eastern side of Dearborn, about halfway between the two bars mentioned below, is a higher end used bookstore, Printers' Row Fine and Rare Books (lots of first editions and old editions with neat dust-covers, etc.).

Two great places to stop for one or more libations are Kasey's Tavern (east side of Dearborn, #701), and just south of Kasey's, at the northeast corner of Polk and Dearborn is the South Loop branch of Hackney's, which has lots of excellent beers on tap, generally decent bar food, and some very good items, at least according to some (I love their buffalo burgers). Kasey's is these days occasionally a little too busy for my tastes on certain evenings but it's a great example of an old Chicago neighbourhood bar, though in this case with a much broader and more interesting selection of beers (lots on tap, more in bottles). They serve sandwiches and snacks in the evening too.*

Not far from there is another interesting bookstore, the architectural bookstore, Prairie Avenue Bookshop; it's at 418 S. Wabash, just a little north of Congress on the west side of the street.

The central municipal library, the Harold Washington Library, is on Congress (north side of street), between State Street and Plymouth Court, and is an interesting piece of architecture with its immense gargoyles. It is, unfortunately, not an especially great library but it does contain some good special collections.

For me, a fine way to spend an afternoon is to visit Powell's and Sandmeyer's, then go over to Kasey's to look over the new purchases and have a few beers.

Antonius

* There are several other bars in this neighbourhood which I think are less interesting or pleasant for one reason or another than the two I mention above: The South Loop Club (corner of Balbo and State), the Butcher's Dog (Clark, between Polk and Harrison), Tantrum, (900 block of State), Bar Louis South Loop (corner of Plymouth Court and Polk).

Seanchai,

It's too bad your wedding anniversary isn't just a bit earlier -- your trip could then have coincided with the Printers Row Book Fair, which this year is June 11 and 12 (see link). During that weekend the main street in Printers Row will be closed to traffic and there will be a couple hundred booksellers exhibiting, with both used and new books.

Hmm, maybe next year? (Maybe come as a vendor? )

Antonius and I have filled up our house with books from the places he describes above, and I'd only add that Seminary Coop/57th Street Books has another branch, closer to your hotel, in the Newberry Library. New books, not used, but the Newberry building is impressive,* and it's on a very pleasant square just west of the "Magnificent Mile" section of North Michigan Ave:

The Newberry Library Bookstore
60 West Walton
Chicago, IL 60610
312-255-3520
http://www.newberry.org/nl/general/L3abookstore.html
Closed Sun & Mon; 9-6 T-Th; 9-5 F-Sat.

Amata

*The holdings of the Newberry are spectacular, but you need to apply for a reader's card to have access to them.

Just as a bit of (not quite) self-promotion... the Prairie Avenue Bookshop has a very good selection of used, rare and out of print architecture material. My wife or my brother would be happy to help you shop.

Outside of downtown/Lincoln Park I'd highly recommend the Hopleaf as a good bar to visit in a very pleasant neighborhood.

Other non-loungey spots would be the Rainbow and the Inner Town Pub, although people either think the neighborhood's too "iffy" or too yuppified.

You folks have given me much more on the used books then I had hoped for. After we're done booking for the day, what are the can't miss neighborhoods of Chicago where we can walk around, people/building watch, imbibe in good company and get great value eats? We do want to hit a blues club and also some Irish pubs for some traditional Irish music, if possible. I know about Chief O'Neill's in that regard.

Also, I'm having a hard time figuring the general opinion of Lincoln Park on this board. What is the NYC or DC equivalent neighborhood (or closest approximation)? It seems like LP has been described almost as a bit of surburbia in the middle of the city. Well, we're looking forward to jogging in the park in the morning and we're certainly not scared to walk during the day (definitely willing to walk to anything within 3-4 miles). Aside from Hyde Park, which we'll probably hit on Saturday morning, are there are any neighborhoods near lincoln that we should be leery of walking through during the day or at night?

Oh yeah. What exactly is a "trixie"? Is that the female equivalent of a frat boy? Is this species native to Chicago and should I be afraid?

I realize I'm asking a million questions, but you guys brought it on yourselves with your great responses!

O

It's too bad your wedding anniversary isn't just a bit earlier -- your trip could then have coincided with the Printers Row Book Fair, which this year is June 11 and 12 (see link). During that weekend the main street in Printers Row will be closed to traffic and there will be a couple hundred booksellers exhibiting, with both used and new books.

Hmm, maybe next year? (Maybe come as a vendor? )

I know, this killed us when we started our research! Unfortunately, aside from being a used book dealer I'm also a school administrator, so that time of June will never work for me

You will have fun just walking around Old Town. North of you is Lincoln Park and you are staying in Old Town, Gold Coast is south of that. I can see the place you are staying from my house. I do love Chilpancingo. I recommend Topo Gigio for a place to walk to. The price might be right on or above your budget, but the portions are so ample you should just split the entree. This is a neighborhood hangout, always a wait on weekends, but the people watching is priceless. Another place to walk to is Twin Anchors, for ribs. Frank Sinatra used to hang out here, the place hasn't changed in 30 years - classic chicago. And of course, Adobo Grill is great Mexican food. If you afraid of overdoing mexican food, stop in for just a margarita and the guacamole they make in front of you, well and maybe a soup, too.
http://www.topogigio-restaurant.com/the_hosts.htm
http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dini ... 2737.venue
http://www.adobogrill.com/oldtown/

Seanchai wrote:Also, I'm having a hard time figuring the general opinion of Lincoln Park on this board. What is the NYC or DC equivalent neighborhood (or closest approximation)?

I'd say it's most similar to Greenwich Village. Similar to the village, there was a height restriction on buildings in the area for a long time, there's a lot of college kids and wealthy yuppies, lots of smaller restaurants, bars, and shops, compared with the mostly large spaces in the rest of the city.

Also be sure to check out the Green City market, across from your hotel in the park on Wednesday mornings from ~7-1.

Seanchai wrote:Also, I'm having a hard time figuring the general opinion of Lincoln Park on this board. What is the NYC or DC equivalent neighborhood (or closest approximation)?

As a former resident of Adams-Morgan, I'd say Lincoln Park is like Georgetown, except with fewer *good* restaurants. Some very beautiful old townhomes; lots of bars catering to the post-collegiate crowd.

What is a trixie? I think you may unleash a lot of sharp descriptions on this one! I'll leave it to others to paint the picture, but I believe the male counterpart to trixie is "chad".

Hmm, Georgetown? Adams-Morgan? Or what Adams-Morgan will be in another ten years? LP is a love-to-hate-it kind of neighborhood, one of the earliest urban areas to gentrify in the 60s and 70s (along with its neighbor Old Town), now yes mostly (or at least most visibly) populated by frat boys and the trixies with whom they plan to produce the punks and Goths of tomorrow. Parking is terrible, but walking around is very nice, as you have a lot of turn of the century brick and stone housing stock in good shape, not too much of it torn down during the bad times, unlike in neighborhoods where smaller wood frame houses routinely fall to developers planning 5-story condo buildings (or worse).

Foodwise, I actually owe my serious chowing habits to a stint one of my kids had at Children's Memorial Hospital in the area. Eating out was one of the few diversions, so I pretty much tried everything within several blocks at least once and quickly decided that even what didn't belong to a chain tended to be a relatively tame version of what you could find elsewhere in the city. A determination to eat better soon led me to another board where I met many of the folks here and ramped up my dining exploration considerably. That said, here are some places that are certainly all right, even if there is better to be found elsewhere in the city in most cases:

Hema's Kitchen (overrated but decent Indian)
Icosium Cafe (middle eastern/crepes)
Austrian Bakery
Aloha Grill (Hawaiian-- and this you can't find elsewhere, apart from the upscale Roy's)
The Pasta Bowl (so shoot me)

About a block or so West of your hotel, on the NE corner of Diversey and Orchard sits somewhat of a landmark watering hole called the Half Shell. The Half Shell is located in the basement of the building and is an old time Chicago tavern, which just happens to serve excellent shellfish (hot & cold). They feature king crab dinners at relatively low prices and they shuck & cook all of the food in their postage stamp sized ktichen located beyond the bar in the back. The place can get crowded and noisy, but it's pretty unique to Chicago.

Disclaimer: I have not been in the Half Shell in at least 15 years, so it may have gotten yuppified with the rest of the neighborhood. Others will chime in, I'm sure, if they have more recent info.

Also, in answer to your pizza quest, there is a Lou Mzalnati's close to your hotel on the corner of Lincoln, Wrightwood & Sheffield. I've not eaten at that particular one, but I assume they make a good example of a Malnati's pizza (my current favorite for deep dish, when I get a craving for one). They probably even deliver to your hotel.

Lastly, I heartily second the recommendation for a visit to the Wiener's Circle to sample the archtype Chicago Dog (or Polish) & Fries. It's good anytime, but it's especially special late at night after hitting the bars, when the staff will heap abuse on you along with your food.

Half Shell
676 Diversey Pkwy
Chicago, IL
773-549-1773

Lou Malnati's
958 W. Wrightwood
Chicago, IL
773-832-4030

Wiener's Circle
2622 N. Clark
773-477-7444

P.S. I have been made aware that this is my 1000th post to LTH. In the spirit of post counting, I say
Thank You! For H (R.I.P.)

Seanchai,

For a good Irish bar, within walking distance of your hotel, try Celtic Crossings at Clark and Chicago. Music several nights a week, traditional session on Sundays.

Beyond the fact that it is generally unwise to be stumbling drunk in any major city with which you are unfamiliar at 3am, there's really nowhere in the area around Lincoln Avenue that should give you any pause day or night.

With respect to Lincoln Park, probably similar to Georgetown in DC--young, white, affluent. (Although with increase in property values, it ain't as young as it was only 5-10 years ago.) I like the neighborhood--the location on the park and lake is beautiful, transportation is great, and as far as "Trixies" go, I've never had an objection to attractive young women.

Seriously, based on your post, you seem like you want to see a lot that Chicago has to offer. I think you'll enjoy staying in Lincoln Park, just as I think you'll enjoy exploring Hyde Park.

Amata wrote:What is a trixie? I think you may unleash a lot of sharp descriptions on this one! I'll leave it to others to paint the picture, but I believe the male counterpart to trixie is "chad".

Is that hanging Chad or bulging Chad?

stevez wrote:About a block or so West of your hotel,

I just realized I was thinking of the wrong Days Inn. When you said it was in Lincoln Park, I wrongly assumed that it was the Days Inn on Diversey. Evidently there is another one further South on Clark. I stand by my recommendations, but they are not as close to your hotel as I originally thought.

Seanchai wrote:Also, I'm having a hard time figuring the general opinion of Lincoln Park on this board.

Seanchai wrote:Oh yeah. What exactly is a "trixie"? Is that the female equivalent of a frat boy? Is this species native to Chicago and should I be afraid?

Here is a website that should answer all your questions

Lincoln Park Profiled by the National Geographic Society

Unfortunately it appears the long-running official Website of the Lincoln Park Trixies Society is down for repairs (http://www.lptrixie.com).

What, no one finds Lincoln Park closer to Dupont Circle? Georgetown has a preppiness that is pretty much absent in LP (except for certain patches of the North Shore, that kinda preppiness is otherwise absent from Chicago) and Adams Morgan has, surely suppressed at this point, but an ethnic element, that is also missing from Lincoln Park. I think that even some of the buildings on 17th and 18th Ave have certain similiarity to some of the older/cooler buildings in LP (but note, FWIW, Chicago's gay community is a bit north of LP in the area once called New Town, but now, pretty universally, Boys Town, think the area emminanting from Halsted and Belmont.)

The thing about Lincoln Park, is as noted in my post above, most people cannot think of the area without thinking of what it once was. It was, like, the first gentrified neighborhood in Chicago. It was a combination of amazing homes and working class buildings. Artsy-fartsy and classic Chicago. It defines the cliche, victim of its own success, as pretty much every cool shop, bar, restaurant, club, etc. that was there is gone either due to higher rents or issues with people who moved in. And the thing is, it has hardly been replaced. The main commercial streets of Lincoln Park, Lincoln and Clark are filled with empty storefronts. It might be fashionable to complain about the corporate takeover of Lincoln Park, but I find it is mostly devoid of anything. It's like Dupont Circle on life support.

Rob (who once lived in DC, the city not the neighborhood)

Thanks again to everyone who replied. I'm sure I'll be back before our trip as I check my research against the collective expertise of this board. You guys rock.

OLD TOWN HAS MUCH MORE CHARACTER THAN LINCOLN PARK!
I highly recommend that when you get into your hotel go downstairs past Bar Louie and walk south on Wells street to get a sense of the neighborhood, walk as far as Schiller Street and walk East towards the lake. If you can't cross to the lake there via stairs that go under the "outer drive" of Lake Shore Drive, walk a little north and you can cross just north of the 1550 N Lake Shore Drive building. Don't overlook getting a drink at the boathouse on North Avenue Beach - you are right there.

Here is a map of Old Town
http://www.oldtowntriangle.com/

Call the Chicago Historical Society - ask about walking tours
Clark Street at North Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60614-6071
Phone 312.642.4600

A tip: Unlike DC, Chicago is a city planned on the grid system.
Every 4 blocks is a major street where public transportation exists. North Avenue is an east- west street at 1600 North. The train system is great.
http://www.transitchicago.com/maps/maps/F2004N.html
http://www.transitchicago.com/maps/maps/F2004D.html

Check out this map of your hotel
http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll?qs ... ty=&from=f

Also, you will not pass empty storefronts. Unfortunately the lady with the store that only carried items made of hemp is now a men's clothing store. You will pass Second City (it is not so good anymore), Zanies Comedy Club, 3 flower shops, a bunch of restaurants - two I mentioned, Adobo Grill, 1610 N. Wells St, & Topo Gigio, 1516 N. Wells St. http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/sear ... 5093.venue - Hey entrees are cheaper than I said earlier. Twin Anchors is at Eugenie at 1655 N. Sedgwick St.

A word about the people in my neighborhood, there are a lot of hippies who came and never left. You can do crosswords in the morning with some characters and get some opinions on what to do in Chicago. http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/sear ... 9004.venue Savories has moved across the street and is south of Eugenie.

http://www.chicagoreader.com/

Yes, I am procrastinating doing my taxes!

Sounds like the Days Inn described is the former Hotel Lincoln. I lived just down the street for many years - it's a great neighborhood (I remember when what is now Zanie's Comedy Club was Club Amore - a strip joint - not that I ever went there ...)

I take extreme exception to the comment about Second City “(it is not so good anymore)” – I think they’ve evolved and gotten more thoughtful – not just a series of unrelated sketches, but much more involved and even convoluted. Plus, they’re pumping out a lot more material than they used to. It’s not all excellent, but the Mainstage and ETC are usually very good (although – full disclosure – one of the directors there is a friend).

And for an interesting used bookstore, I’d suggest getting on the Purple Line El at Sedgewick just south of North Ave. (or take the Brown line from there -> Red Line at Fullerton -> Purple Line at Howard – it’s not as tough as it sounds) and get off at Davis St. go a block north and a block east, into the Alley, and visit Bookman’s Alley – one of the most fascinating I’ve ever been in.

I'd avoid Myopic Books in favor of the others mentioned; books are way overpriced and the staff is unamusingly irascible. Mark Eitzel named a song after the store on the new American Music Club album, but, though he shares my opinion, apparently he enjoys the ambience.

a few suggestions for food and drink...
The Adobo Grill, on Wells & North. (Very close to your hotel.) Get the guacamole as a starter--they make it right at your table. The margaritas too! Definitely make a reservation for a Friday or Saturday night, as it's in the same building as Second City and gets the before/after show crowds.
Le Creperie: A good local option for brunch. Probably about a 20 minute walk from where you're staying, straight up Clark. Service is super slow, but the crepes are delicious. Atmosphere french and convivial, albeit a bit dirty.
The Village Tap: In Roscoe Village, a very cute small area of Chicago with a few small shops and restaurants. Great bar food and beer selection.

Drinks/Bars
The Clark Street Ale House is right up the street from your hotel, and is beautifully decorated. Get there early for a beer or three before the chads and trixies arrive. Great microbrews. A good stop before dinner.
The Duke of Perth on Clark, north of Diversey, has all you can eat fish and chips on wednesdays and fridays--with peas! And the peas are fantastic. Lots of micros on tap too. Casual.
Guthrie's Tavern: If you're looking to just have a beer and hang out doing something besides just talking--like playing a board game--go to Guthrie's. Also, you can ask your waitperson for some pretzels. They offer them for free. With mustard! Getting there early is key so you can play a good boardgame, and not one of the lame leftover ones.
The Old Town Ale House: On North, across from Second City, sort of. Dirty, dirty place. But fantastic juke box playing real 45s. Ella, Etta, etc.

Overall neighborhood to walk around: I always recommend Armitage to visitors. This is pretty close to where you're staying. Walk north to Armitage, then go west. Cross Halstead, and that's where the good shopping starts. (Your wife will love Lori's Shoes.) The shops trickle out after Sheffield. If you go north on Halstead from Armitage, there are quite a few shops and restaurants. Walk north to Fullerton and then go east--beautiful mansions on Fullerton.

Overall walking rec: The Lincoln Park Zoo! It's free, and it's fun. Great place to jog through! Or just hang out in.

Have fun!

One of the best, weirdest, places for a tourist in Chicago is the International Museum of Surgical Science -- 1524 North Lakeshore Dr. It is exactly what it claims to be, lots of creepy old medical instruments and such. This is their site.

Also I would recommend wandering through the Ukranian Village -- a well preserved formerly workingclass neighborhood bordered by Division on the north Damen on the east, Western on the west and Chicago on the south. This is still an enclave of Ukranians and other Eastern Europeans. Unlike many classic Chicago neighorhoods it has retained a lot of its character despite gentrification. For excellent cheap beige Polish food and no atmosphere (i.e. classic Chgo Polish atmosphere) Andrzje Grill at about 1100 North Western. Nothing on the menu is more than $6.95. For a drink in the early evening the Rainbo Club -- former speakeasy, now very peasant before 8 pm -- at about Division on Damen. I assume Nelson Algren drank there.

Enjoy

Ouch. Some of the reverse snobbism is so deep here you almost have to fight to wade through it. As a Lakeview neighborhood resident, I can assure that there are many more art and educational opprtunities than some would have you believe in both Lincoln Park and neighborig Lakeview.

Granted, Lincoln Park and Lakeview aren't the best of chow neighborhoods. But, there are still some pretty good options. As VI noted, Weiner Circle is a bit of an institution. Cafe Erwin on Halsted is a great place to have a reasonably price quality brunch, lunch or dinner. If you head North to the upper edges of Wrigleyville (about four blocks north of the ball park on Sheridan) you'll find Thai Authentic Cuisine, one of the city's best Thai Places. There is a wonderful new cheese and artisan bread shop on Broadway around 2800 N. Chicago's Red Hen Bakery has an outpost on Diversey, two blocks east of Clark. The bread is among Chicago's best there. On Clark, nearly Wrigley Field is Goose Island Brewery which serves Chicago's most popular microbrewed beers. At Addison and Southport, you can have decent pastry and coffee at Julius Meinl.

As for books, music and art, there are still many more options in the neighborhood than some would have you believe.

Chicago's used record stores usually sell or specialize in one specific genre of Music. You'll find numerous used vinyl and stores on Clark between Wrightwood and Diversey and then again on Broadway between Diversey and Belmont.

For new books, there is an huge Borders at Clark and Diversey. OK, so that's nothing special. You can find Borders anywhere. Down in Boystown at 3257 N. Broadway, you'll find Unabridged Books which sells an unusual assortment of books spanning such broad choices as gay erotica to its fantastic children's book section. Unabridged is truly a reflection of what this neighborhood was and is all about.

Used Book choices still abound in the neighborhood. Here are some of your options:

Powell's
2850 N. Lincoln

Bookleggers
2907 N Broadway

Selected Works
3510 N. Broadway

Bookman's Corner (the place VI wrote of)
2907 N Broadway

And that's just what comes to my mind immediately.

For artwork, there are several intersting shops and galleries in the area:

Billy Hork Gallery with its colorful Keith Haring posters in the window is located at 3033 N. Clark.

Art D Triumph, which shows more traditional Art is a couple of blocks south of Billy Hork on Clark.

The Gallimautry Gallery is located at 3345 N. Halsted.

Hopefully, this will be enough to keep you occupied for a day or two. Enjoy your stay. Don't believe the naysayers. This is a great neighborhood in the same vein as Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope.

A couple of people have alluded to this, but let me be explicit. In reality, the Days Inn Gold Coast Hotel, 1816 N Clark Street, is what most people will know as the old Lincoln Hotel and it isn't really in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, although it is adjacent to the park itself. It is actually at the northern end of Old Town. Really, if you go south from there you're in Old Town and if you go North you're in Lincoln Park. Not a big difference, but if you say "The Days Inn in Lincoln Park," almost everybody is going to think you mean the one on Diversey.

With that settled, you might want to put an evening at Second City on your agenda, which is just a hop and a skip from you on Wells.

Corcoran's, the bar that is right across Wells from Second City, is a nice, comfortable joint.

One good, little diner-y place close to your hotel is Nookies. In fact, that area is rich with good breakfast-brunch places.

Further south on Wells is Kamehachi, which claims to be Chicago's first sushi bar. I like it, but it is a bit pretentious.

Clark Street Ale House isn't too terribly far from there, closer to downtown, easily reached by cab or bus. Comfortable, not fussy, good selection of beer on tap and a good whiskey selection. Nearby are two good blues bars, both called Blue Chicago (same ownership).


Nookies
1746 N Wells
Chicago
312-337-2454

Corcoran's Grill & Pub
1615 N. Wells
Chicago
312-440-0885

Kamehachi
1400 N. Wells
Chicago
312-664-3663

Clark Street Ale House
742 N. Clark
Chicago
312-642-9253