My girlfriend and I are thinking about moving to Chicago, so lay it on me. I want to hear all the pros and cons. Be as honest as possible.

The pickup in front of me was in a full grocery parking lot. I was 20 feet behind it. The 2nd car on the right of the pickup started to move out. The pickup backed up and parked in the second car spot. Is it my understanding that when 2-3-4 or more cars wait for open spots in the parking lot, nobody should back up and keep their eyes only on the spaces in front of them so the space on the right of pickups belongs to me?

Hi! My friends and I are 21+ college students staying on NYE and New Years Day this year. We are looking for bars/areas to stay in that will have other people our age and hotels that will be somewhat affordable. We also have a group of 7. TIA!

I noticed that monteverde is closed when I will be in Chicago (jan 2-5). Are there any different restaurants that you guys would recommend? They can be Italian places, or restaurants with the similar vibe of casual-fine dining that monteverde has. Thanks!

Is there anywhere in the city where I can literally walk to Lake Michigan and be on the lakefront that is not blocked off by a highway, a private building or a fence? I walked ten miles trying to find something but had no luck. Please don't suggest going to Gary, I am serious.

Looking for a small bar to go to banter and be approached. What’s my best bet?

i travel to chicago from milwaukee pretty often and one thing i love to do whenever im in a different city is wander around and hit up different spots to listen to music + smoke at. my favorite spots ive gone to so far are grant park and/or lakefront trail by the aquarium but theres still so many spots i haven’t seen so im asking for your help. some things im looking for are 1. parks with fields to sit in, 2. a nice spot with a view of the city, 3. a nice spot with a view of the like, 4. hills with views of the city, lake or both, 5. lowkey spots that take a lil effort to get to (don’t mind climbing or crawling i be tr3sspassing lol), 6. spots with cool art (murals, graffiti, etc.) & 7. cool cemeteries. distance isn’t really a problem since the trains are pretty conveniently placed so just tell me your favorite spot and i’ll check em!

I’m looking for fun ideas and maybe a nice brunch spot four a day date. What are some good spots?

Visiting chicago for 4 days, and was wondering if there are any burlesque shows held in safe areas with no drunk people. Also other than the boat rides and towers, what else is there to see/do in chicago?

hey! i will be visiting Chicago in February with my partner. he has been before but it'll be my first time. I'm curious - what are your must go-tos for food/snacks/sweets/coffee? we're personally not into the fine dining scene and are more casual with it. if there's one thing i need on our itinerary, it's where to get a really good deep dish pizza. i would defer to looking up "best deep dish pizza in Chicago" online, but i'd rather ask the community. thanks in advance!

Starting to plan a 30th birthday party in Chicago during the winter. Does anyone have any suggestions of places to rent out/reserve where people can come and go as they please? Want it to be an open house kind of vibe without breaking the bank

Hey all, so I’m a future graduate student at Loyola, and I’m planning on moving to the city fairly soon. I’m from rural Kentucky and went to college in Tennessee (near Chattanooga), and I’ve never spent more than a week in a big city. Obviously I know not to be stupid (I’m a black man, so I know how to keep my wits about me), but are there any quirks or things about Chicago that might surprise me in comparison to other cities? I know it’s vague, but anything would help. I just want to be respectful to native Chicagoans so I’m not completely clueless when I move.

Hey Chicago! My next potential roommate and I (both in our mid-20s males) are planning to move back to the city this upcoming spring after saving some money while living at home. I used to live in Irving Park but moved back to the burbs with my parents to save up. Most of my friends are still in Irving/Avondale, but I’m open to other neighborhoods and would love to hear your suggestions!

Here’s what we’re looking for:

• We both have cars, and I need to commute to the western suburbs (Wheaton/Warrenville) for work. I’m willing to deal with the commute for a few months while I look for a job in the city. Ideally, I’d like off-street parking or easy street parking.
• Portage Park is probably the furthest west I’d go, but I’m wondering if something further west, like Dunning, would make sense for my commute.
• We’re not big on nightlife, so being near bars isn’t a priority.
• We both make music and spend a lot of time indoors, so having a comfortable, functional space is important.
• A yard or balcony for relaxing/entertaining would be a bonus.
• We’re cool with sharing a bathroom.
• Budget: $1950 for a 2-bedroom.
• Ideally, we’d like to be near a coffee shop or grocery/corner store.

I’ve looked at Edgewater, Portage Park, Andersonville, North Center, Logan Square, and Mayfair. Any thoughts on these or other areas? Appreciate any insights—thanks so much!

I’ve joined a bunch of Facebook roommates groups and looked on Craigslists and all I’m finding are scams? How did you find your roommate?

I know it sounds like a stupid question. It mostly likely is a stupid question. But, I grew up pretty sheltered and I possibly have autism. So, for me finding concerts is hard. The last concert I went to was when I was a teenager and I went in a group with adults.

I do want to invest in going to concerts next year. I’ve always liked alternative music. But, I just don’t know where to look online to find concerts.

I would prefer them to be from up-and-coming artists, rather than big names. I also would like for them to be on the cheaper end in terms of price. I can’t afford paying $200 to go to a concert.

Again, please be nice. We’re known as a friendly city. We tend to ghost a lot, but we’re friendly. 😝So, please don’t be mean when answering me. I honestly do not know where people find concerts

Thank you in advance. Have a nice day.

Hello I’m looking into experience gifts for my father for christmas as he really doesn’t care for material things.

A big thing we bond over is our shared love of whiskey.

I would love to treat my dad and brother to a whiskey tasting either in the city or the suburbs.

I’m hoping one of you can recommend a place or at least point me in the right direction!

I’m looking for an actual guided experience, not just a restaurant or bar with a decent whiskey selection.

Thanks !

What are inside jokes or catchphrases that only true Cubs fans would know? Is it possible to do in 6 words or less? The best ChatGPT could come up with is: “We still blame Steve Bartman." That's mid. Can you do better?

Hey guys. I just moved up to Andersonville and I need some ideas to entertain my 2 sons who have endless amounts of energy! There’s only so much wrestling I can do because it’s too cold to go outside. Not that it would stop them going outside, it’s harder on me 😂

Been in Chicago 16 years, semi good looking, have a French bulldog, I’m 39yo, and people are surprised when I tell them I’m 39yo, the genes run good in the family! I’d love to find a place where you can go and grab drinks and talk to people. I can share my instagram if anything, it is Johnny6751

I passed a stalled vehicle around Bucktown, when I realized the reason it was stopped is because it was an emergency oncoming ambulance. I realized too late as I was already passing the vehicle and I squeezed through but obviously I was in the wrong. Cop pulled me over and gave me a ticket and court date. Again I know I messed up, but l'd like to know what is the most probable outcome here in terms of Fines, driving record, demerit points etc... thank you in advance, just would like to know what to expect.

I live up in Madison, WI, and am considering driving down to Chicago to go the markets.

How does it compare to the ones in Europe? I've done Vienna and Munich, and the one in Milwaukee was a let down by comparison. Don't want to waste my time driving down and annoying you all by having one more tourist in your city if it's not that enjoyable.

Edit: a resounding NO! Thanks for the on-the-ground reports, friends to the south. Hit me up if you ever need tea on Wisconsin.

Hi. I guess I am of an age now where I want a bird feeder. We have a ton of squirrels on our block so looking for something semi-squirrel proof that someone has used here in the city. We had one a few years ago and the squirrels destroyed it within a week. Looking for bird seed recommendations also that will attract a variety of local birds. There are a ton of choices so it is a little overwhelming. Thanks!

I have some minor rust on my vehicle and I'm trying to fix the issues. I tried fifth dimension but they did not want to work on my vehicle. Is there any other places around that would do it?

I plan to rush for Les Miserable at Cadillac Palace later this month. I wonder if any one rushed before can share their experience? How long are the lines usually and where did you sit? Do those rush tickets seem to be going out fast?

I was driving down Western ave today and my front passenger tire hit one. A couple of blocks later, my car system tells me the tire lost pressure, and I stopped to put air in it but the valve is releasing it all, the tire or wheel must be damaged. No way for me to swerve, because there was someone on the lane to my left and parked cars on the right. I assume they were doing some road construction recently.

I have no dashcam, and honestly didn’t think about this until I got home. I know it’s a stretch, but I still thought I’d ask.

Any hotels with good views and holiday decorations and family events within hotel?

My family member recently moved to Chicago after his family received green cards- he's a 10th grader with strong academic performance at his previous school. Unfortunately, the local schools in his current neighborhood aren't great due to housing constraints. I'm looking into magnet and selective enrollment high schools as alternatives, and wanted to reach out here and see if anyone could provide any insights into possible actions we could take.

I was wondering if anyone could share:

1. Resources to help find schools that he could apply to
2. Recommendations for specific schools we should consider
3. Any other general advice you may have, regarding the application process

Any and all advice would be incredibly appreciated, however he is already in 10th grade, so time-sensitive advice would be especially helpful! Thank you in advance!

Hello all, heading to Chicago for the Detroit v bears game later in December, and wondering what all you might recommend to do out there? I’m planning on proposing to my girlfriend, and have an idea for that. But things to do to fill our time and experience the city are very appreciated! Thank you!

Hello Chicago members I’m in need of some big help. Who can help me ❌🚫🛑 my dpf on a 2012 maxxforce 4300? ? ? I’m in the Chicago area. It’s such a headache, tryna network when I dont know a lot of maxxforce owners. So if someone you guys can recommend or yourself can help it will be much appreciated it! Thank you.

if you have links to specific mens jackets, would appreciate it