These 26 on the map
The 26 spots on this page, pinned where they actually are. Tap a marker to see which one it is — all 75 are on the map in the Whosly app.
26 of the 75
Calumet Fisheries
East SideSmoked-fish shack$Smoking fish on the 95th Street bridge since 1948, and a James Beard America's Classic since 2010: get smoked shrimp and salmon or the fried perch. Takeout only with no seats, so eat by the river on the car hood.
Jim's Original
Near West SidePolish sausage stand$The Maxwell Street Polish stand (1939), now on Union Avenue: grilled onions, mustard and sport peppers on a griddled sausage, or the pork chop on a bun (mind the bone). Open daily from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Superdawg Drive-In
Norwood ParkDrive-in hot dogs$A carhop drive-in since 1948 at Milwaukee and Devon, under the two hot-dog figures on the roof. The Superdawg comes boxed with crinkle fries and a pickled tomato. Or try the Whoopskidawg, its char-broiled Polish.
Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen
South LoopJewish deli$$A cafeteria line since 1942: grab a tray, point at hand-carved corned beef, and add a potato pancake and matzo ball soup. Breakfast and lunch; closed Sundays.
Valois Cafeteria
Hyde ParkCafeteria diner$A Hyde Park cafeteria since 1921 under its 'See Your Food' sign, opening at 6 a.m., and a regular stop for Barack Obama when he lived nearby. Know your order before you reach the counter: omelets in the morning, meatloaf later on.
Tank Noodle
UptownVietnamese pho$The big, bright pho house at Broadway and Argyle, open since the strip's early days: order a combination pho with brisket, tendon and meatballs, or a banh mi to go.
Demera
UptownEthiopian$$Uptown's Ethiopian standby since 2007: order a messob platter of stews and vegetables to share over injera, plus tej honey wine. First time? The Vegetable Bayanetu puts nine vegetarian dishes on one platter.
Irazu
BucktownCosta Rican$$Family-run since 1990, Chicago's Costa Rican standby: casados, gallo pinto, plantains and the oatmeal shake, best on the big patio.
Hing Kee
ChinatownHand-pulled noodles$Family-run in Chinatown since 2007, rolling soup dumplings and pulling noodles where you can watch. Order the xiao long bao and a bowl of lamian soup.
Old Town Ale House
Old TownDive bar$A dive since 1958 across from Second City, its walls hung with the owner's satirical portraits, and a bar Anthony Bourdain loved. Cash only (there's an ATM); comics drift in after shows.
California Clipper
Humboldt ParkCocktail lounge$$A 1937 Humboldt Park lounge bathed in red light, with a long bar and a lineup of jazz, soul and DJs. Out back, the Lil Clip turns into a late-night dance room on Fridays and Saturdays.
Simon's Tavern
AndersonvilleDive bar$A Swedish-flavored Andersonville tavern pouring since the 1930s, with a fireplace lounge in back and house glögg every winter. Beer-and-shot prices and a great jukebox. Watch for trivia and karaoke nights.
Map Room
BucktownCraft beer bar$A self-described travelers' tavern in Bucktown with a deep beer list, maps on every wall and beer-education classes. An easy day-drinking spot; ask the bartender to pick. Look for the Beer of the Month.
International Museum of Surgical Science
Gold CoastMedical history museumFour floors of surgical history in a 1917 Gold Coast mansion on the lake: antique instruments, early X-ray and anesthesia displays, and some genuinely grisly artifacts. Not for the squeamish. Groups can schedule a tour.
Stony Island Arts Bank
Greater Grand CrossingArt & culture centerTheaster Gates restored this 1923 South Side bank as a gallery and archive, home to Frankie Knuckles's record collection and the Johnson Publishing library. Han Cha serves tea dinners, and Yunomi is a bar. Open Thursday to Sunday.
Chicago Cultural Center
LoopFree arts centerThe old central library, crowned by two stained-glass domes, one of them the world's largest Tiffany dome, with free concerts, films and exhibitions through the week. Admission is free; start in Preston Bradley Hall.
Robie House
Hyde ParkFrank Lloyd Wright houseFrank Lloyd Wright's 1910 Prairie-style house on the University of Chicago campus. Tours run Thursday to Monday, 10 to 3. An outdoor audio tour comes in eight languages.
Montrose Point & Beach
UptownBeach & bird sanctuaryA wide North Side beach with a dog beach, and the Magic Hedge out on the point, where migrating birds stack up each spring and fall. Open sunrise to sunset.
Music Box Theatre
LakeviewHistoric cinemaA 1929 movie palace on Southport with stars twinkling across the ceiling, showing repertory, foreign and cult films. October brings a horror marathon; sing-alongs and 70mm series turn up through the year.
Devon Avenue
West RidgeSouth Asian districtThe city's South Asian main street, roughly Western to California: sari and jewelry shops, Indian and Pakistani sweets, and biryani and kebabs late into the night.
Maggie Daley Park
LoopPlay & climbing parkNext to Millennium Park: climbing walls, a play garden with a ship and a lighthouse, and a looping skate path that's iced over in winter. Free to wander.
North Avenue Beach
Lincoln ParkCity beachThe city's busiest beach: volleyball, the ship-shaped beach house and the skyline at your back. Lifeguards are on from late May through Labor Day; bike in on the Lakefront Trail.
Chinatown (Wentworth Ave)
Armour SquareChinatown districtWalk Wentworth from the Chinatown Gate past bakeries, dim sum halls and the Nine Dragon Wall, then cut over to Chinatown Square for noodles and bubble tea. The Red Line stops right there.
Ping Tom Memorial Park
ChinatownRiverfront parkChinatown's riverfront park on a former rail yard: a pavilion under a pagoda roof, river paths and summer kayak rentals at the boathouse. Arrive by water taxi in summer.
Jackson Park
Hyde ParkLakefront park & Japanese gardenOlmsted and Vaux's lakefront park, home of the 1893 World's Fair, with the Garden of the Phoenix and Yoko Ono's SKYLANDING on Wooded Island. The Museum of Science and Industry anchors its north end.
Museum of Contemporary Photography
South LoopPhotography museumColumbia College's free photography museum on Michigan Avenue, with a deep permanent collection (Dorothea Lange's work among it) and rotating shows. Closed Sundays.
The other 49
The 75 are spread across 38 neighborhoods. Uptown (5), Lincoln Park (4), Pilsen (4), Ukrainian Village (4), Andersonville (3) and Avondale (3) have the most; the other 32 have 1 to 3 each.
+49 more in the app
A Pilsen pub built on savory pies, a Gilded Age mansion, a 1920s soda fountain, a BYOB sushi counter, and more.
Add all 75 to your Whosly mapEvery one lands on your own map in a tap — save them, rate them, plan around them. City Packs are included with Planner Pro.
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Common questions
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Where can I see all 75?
All 75, on your own map
This page is 26 of them. The Chicago Local Favorites pack in Whosly has all 75 — add it and every one drops onto your map, ready to save, rate and turn into a plan your friends RSVP to from a text, no app needed to answer. The pack is included with Planner Pro.
Get Whosly — free on iPhoneOr search “Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs” on the App Store
“Whosly: Plans, Places & RSVPs”.
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