Tour many of Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods through the eyes of our neighborhood experts on our Diversity Committee, The 77. They shared their favorite restaurants, landmarks, architecture and more; these are just a few reasons Chicago is such a wonderful place to live, work and play.
Central
NEAR NORTH SIDE
Representative: Marla Forbes, @properties
Favorite Restaurant: Francesca’s on Chestnut, 200 E. Chestnut
Neighborhood Landmark: Water Tower, 806 North Michigan Ave.
Most Unique Building: Restoration Hardware, 1300 N. Dearborn
Best Recreation Area: The Lakefront
LOOP
Representative: Lynn Brahin, Corcoran Urban Real Estate
Favorite Restaurant: Ming Hin, 333 E. Benton Pl.
Neighborhood Landmark: Corinthian Columns from Chicago’s 1905
Federal Building, 337 E. Randolph St.
Most Unique Building: Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington
Best Recreation Area: Maggie Daley Park, 337 E. Randolph St.
NEAR SOUTH SIDE
Representative: JT Byrne, Coldwell Banker Realty
Favorite Restaurant: Moody Tongue Brewing Company, 2515 S. Wabash Ave.
Neighborhood Landmark: Monument to the Great Northern Migration,
345 E. Eastgate Pl.
Most Unique Building: Glessner House, 1800 S. Prairie Ave.
Best Recreation Area: 12th Street Beach and Burnham Harbor, 1200 S. Linn White Dr.
North Side
NORTH CENTER
Representative: Linda Hattar, ACO Commercial
Favorite Restaurant: House of Wah Sun, 4319 N. Lincoln Ave.
Neighborhood Landmark: St. Benedict Parish, 2215 W. Irving Park Rd.
Most Unique Building: Lane Tech College Prep, 2501 W. Addison St.
Best Recreation Area: Welles (Gideon) Park, 2333 W. Sunnyside
LAKEVIEW
Representative: Matt Silver, Corcoran Urban Real Estate
Favorite Restaurant: Matsuya Sushi, 3242 N. Clark St.
Neighborhood Landmark: Kwanusila Kwagluth Totem Pole on the Lakefront Trail @ Addison St.
Best Recreation Area: Diversey Harbor
LINCOLN PARK
Representative: Deborah Goldberg, Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty
Favorite Restaurant: Riccardo Trattoria, 2119 N. Clark St.
Neighborhood Landmark: DePaul University
Best Recreation Area: Oz Park, 2021 N. Burlington
LOGAN SQUARE
Representative: Mikus Kins, Be Commercial Realty
Favorite Restaurant: Daisies, 2523 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Neighborhood Landmark: Illinois Centennial Monument, 3150 W. Logan Blvd.
Most Unique Building: The Robey Hotel, 2018 W. North Ave.
Best Recreation Area: The Bloomingdale Trail, 1805 N. Ridgeway Ave.
Northwest Side
MONTCLARE
Representative: Mel Alvizures, ABC REALTORS® Inc.
Favorite Restaurant: Café Prague, 6710 W. Belmont Ave.
Most Unique Building: Shriners Hospital for Children, 2211 N. Oak Park Ave.
Best Recreation Area: Rutherford Sayre Park, 6871 W. Belden Ave.
HERMOSA
Representative: Megan Oswald, Coldwell Banker Realty
Favorite Restaurant: Hermosa, 4356 W. Armitage
Neighborhood Landmark: Walt Disney’s Birthplace,
2156 N. Tripp Ave.
Best Recreation Area: Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Avenue
Far North Side
UPTOWN
Representative: Antonia Mills Wesselink, Antonia L. Mills, Attorney at Law
Favorite Restaurant: Kie-Gol-Lanee, 5004 N. Sheridan
Neighborhood Landmark: The Green Mill, 4802 N. Broadway
Most Unique Building: Bridgeview Bank Building, 4753 N. Broadway
Best Recreation Area: Montrose Beach, 4400 N. Lake Shore Dr.
WEST RIDGE
Representative: Lorenzo Sanchez, Engel & Völkers
Favorite Restaurant: Mi Pueblo Two Restaurant, 2113 W. Touhy Ave.
Neighborhood Landmark: Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave.
Most Unique Building: Indian Boundary Park Fieldhouse, 2500 W. Lunt Ave.
Best Recreation Area: Indian Boundary Park Fieldhouse, 2500 W. Lunt Ave.
NORWOOD PARK
Representative: Rosemary Del Cid, Main Event Real Estate Group
Favorite Restaurant: House of Cakes, 6189 N. Canfield
Neighborhood Landmark: Noble-Seymore-Crippen House, 5624 N. Newark Ave.
Most Unique Building: Norwood Park Train Station, 6088 N. Northwest Hwy.
Best Recreation Area: Oriole Park, 5430 N. Olcott
FOREST GLEN
Representative: Robert Padron, RE/MAX Cityview
Favorite Restaurant: City’s Edge, 5310 W. Devon Ave.
Neighborhood Landmark: Wildwood Park, 6950 N. Hiawatha Ave.
Most Unique Building: Old Edgebrook Historic District, Central and Prescott
Best Recreation Area: Forest Glen Forest Preserve, 5420 N. Forest Glen Ave.
EDGEWATER
Representative: Andre Peloquin, @properties
Favorite Restaurant: Mas Alla del Sol, 5848 N. Broadway
Most Unique Building: Edgewater Beach Apartments, 5555 N. Sheridan Rd.
Best Recreation Area: Kathy Osterman Beach, 5800 N. Lake Shore Dr.
West Side
AUSTIN
Representative: Allison McGowan, @properties
Favorite Restaurant: Coleman’s, 5754 W. Chicago Ave.
Neighborhood Landmark: Hitchcock House, 5704 W. Ohio St.
Most Unique Building: Austin Town Hall Park, 5610 W. Lake St.
Best Recreation Area: Columbus Park Golf Course, 5701 W. Jackson Blvd.
NEAR WEST SIDE
Representative: Sharon Aguilera, Gentium Properties LLC
Favorite Restaurant: Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap, 1073 W. Vernon Park Pl.
Neighborhood Landmark: Jane Addams Hull House, 800 S. Halsted
Most Unique Building: United Center, 1901 W. Madison St.
Best Recreation Area: Arrigo Park, 800 S. Loomis
NORTH LAWNDALE
Representative: Wilonda Cannon, Coldwell Banker Realty
Favorite Restaurant: Lou Malnati’s, 3859 W. Ogden Ave.
Neighborhood Landmark: Nichols Tower, 906 S. Homan
Most Unique Building: All the greystones
Best Recreation Area: Lawndale Christian Health Center, 3860 W. Ogden
South Side
DOUGLAS
Representative: Terry Perdue, House 2 Home
Favorite Restaurant: Two Fish, 641 E. 47th St.
Neighborhood Landmark: The Light of Truth Ida B. Wells National Monument, 3724 S. Langley
Most Unique Building: Swift Mansion, 4500 S. Michigan Ave.
Best Recreation Area: Mandrake Park, 3858 S. Cottage Grove
HYDE PARK
Representative: Erika Finley, eXp Realty
Favorite Restaurant: Chant, 1509 E. 53rd St.
Neighborhood Landmark: DuSable Museum, 740 E. 56th Pl.
Most Unique Building: Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Best Recreation Area: Bixler Park, 5641 S. Kenwood Ave.
BRIDGEPORT
Representative: C.K. Cole, Fulton Grace Realty
Favorite Restaurant: Franco’s Restaurant, 300 W. 31st
Neighborhood Landmark: Palmisano Park, 2700 S. Halsted
Most Unique Building: Ramova Theater, 3520 S. Halsted
Best Recreation Area: Park No. 571, 2754 S. Eleanor
GREATER GRAND CROSSING
Representative: Cassandra Sneed, EXIT Strategy Realty
Favorite Restaurant: Soul Veg City, 201-209 E. 75th St.
Neighborhood Landmark: Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable Statue, Pioneer Court
Most Unique Building: O’Hanley Building, 7705 S. Cottage Grove
Best Recreation Area: Greater Grand Crossing Branch, Chicago Public Library, 1000 E. 73rd St.
Southwest Side
Southwest Side
GARFIELD RIDGE
Representative: Erika Villegas, RE/MAX In The Village
Favorite Restaurant: Danny’s Pizza Chicago, 6021 S. Archer Ave.
Neighborhood Landmark: Veteran Triangle, 55th and Narragansett/Archer Ave.
Most Unique Building: Midway Airport, 5400 S. Cicero
Best Recreation Area: Minuteman Park, 5940 S. Central Ave., Chicago, IL 60638 | Valley Forge Park, 7001 W. 59th St., Chicago, IL 60638 | Vittum Park, 5010 W. 50th St. Chicago, IL 60638 | Wentworth (John) Park, 5625 S. Mobile Ave., Chicago, IL 60638 | Normandy Park, 6660 W. 52nd St., Chicago, IL 60638 | Stars and Stripes Park, 5100 S. Nordica Ave., Chicago, IL 60638
BRIGHTON PARK
Representative: Luis Trejo Martinez, RE/MAX Mi Casa
Favorite Restaurant: Paco’s Tacos, 4311 S. Archer Ave.
Neighborhood Landmark: Kedzie Orange Line Station, 4900 S. Kedzie Ave.
Most Unique Building: The Circle Resource Center, 2648 W. Pershing Rd.
Best Recreation Area: Kelly (Edward) Park, 2725 W. 41st St.
Far Southeast Side
CHATHAM
Representative: Kimberly Offord, Fathom Realty
Favorite Restaurant: Oooh Wee It Is, 33 E. 83rd St.
Neighborhood Landmark: The Mahalia Jackson Home, 8358 S. Indiana
Most Unique Building: The Blue White House, 8401 S. Michigan
Best Recreation Area: Tuley Park, 501 E. 90th Pl.
BURNSIDE
Representative: Crystal Blanton, Fathom Realty
Favorite Restaurant: Aretha’s Dream Restaurant & Catering, 616 E. 79th St.
Most Unique Building: Finkl Steel Company, 1355 E. 93rd St.
Best Recreation Area: Burnside (Ambrose) Park, 9400 S. Greenwood Ave.
ROSELAND
Representative: Michael LaFargue, Coldwell Banker Realty
Favorite Restaurant: Ranch Steak House, 11147 S. Michigan Ave.
Neighborhood Landmark: Reformation Lutheran Church, 11310 S. Forest Ave.
Most Unique Building: Chicago State University Library & Cordell Reed Student Union Building, 9501 S. King Drive St.
Best Recreation Area: Abbott Park, 49 E. 95th St.
PULLMAN
Representative: Sandra Patterson, Coldwell Banker Realty
Favorite Restaurant: One Eleven Food Hall, 756 E. 111th St.
Neighborhood Landmark & Most Unique Building: Pullman National Monument, 111th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue
Best Recreation Area: Gately Indoor Track and Field Center, 11201 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
SOUTH DEERING
Representative: Sharon Averhart, Charles Rutenberg Realty
Favorite Restaurant: Calumet Fisheries, 3259 E. 95 St.
Neighborhood Landmark: Drake Fountain, 2935 E. 92nd St.
Most Unique Building: Royal Savings Bank, 9226 S. Commercial
Best Recreation Area: Marion R. Burns Park, 2200 E. 103 St.
Far Southwest Side
ASHBURN
Representative: Shaun Pinkston, Keller Williams ONEChicago
Favorite Restaurant: Dan’s Soul Food, 2523 W. 79th
Neighborhood Landmark: Ford City Mall, 7500 S. Cicero
Most Unique Building: Luther South High School, 3130 W. 87th St.
Best Recreation Area: Hayes Park, 2936 W. 85th St.
MOUNT GREENWOOD
Representative: Phillip Pippion, Ani Real Estate
Favorite Restaurant: Pop’s Beef, 10337 S. Kedzie Ave.
Neighborhood Landmark: Mount Greenwood Corner, 111th & Kedzie Ave.
Most Unique Building: Chicago Patrolmen’s Federal Credit Union, 10343 S. Pulaski Rd.
Best Recreation Area: Mount Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St.