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Lion in the Loop, Art Institute of Chicago

The Loop is the center of Chicago, bounded by the Chicago River to the north and west, Harrison Street to the south, and Lake Michigan to the east. It is the commercial center of Chicago and contains many of the tallest buildings that make up Chicago's skyline.


Get in

Loop street map
The Orange Line running over Wabash, in front of the CNA Tower

By train

In Chicago, all tracks lead to the Loop. Trains are by far the best way to come in from virtually any corner of the city or the rest of the Chicagoland area.

The CTA Red Line spans from Rogers Park at the city's northern border to the Far Southeast Side. In the Loop, it runs under State Street, with key stops at Lake, Washington (closed til 2008), Monroe, Jackson, and Harrison in the Near South.

The Blue Line from O'Hare International Airport, the Far Northwest Side, and throughout the West Side also runs underground through the Loop along Dearborn, offering free connections with the Red Line at Washington (again, currently closed) and Jackson.

Several other CTA lines ride the elevated tracks that travel through the Loop in, well, a loop. The Brown Line comes in from the Northwest, the Purple Line comes in from Evanston and Lakeview, the Pink Line comes in from Pilsen and further west, and the Green Line comes in from the Far West and South.

If you are arriving at Midway Airport on the Southwest Side, the Orange Line goes straight from the airport terminal to the Loop.

The only CTA line that does not directly serve the Loop is the Yellow Line, which is a one-way nonstop shuttle between Skokie and Howard on the northern border of Chicago. The Yellow Line connects to the Purple and Red Lines at Howard.

From the suburbs and further away, Metra and Amtrak connections can be made from Union Station (Canal St. and Jackson Blvd.) and Ogilvie/Northwestern Station (Canal St. and Madison St.), both of which are within easy walking distance of the Loop and the CTA lines.

By bus

Several dozen CTA bus lines travel through the Loop, but only a few are useful for visitors traveling from the rest of the city.

  • 20 Madison heads west down Madison Ave., ideal for reaching the United Center on the Near West Side.
  • 147 Express runs through the Near North before running express on Lake Shore Drive to the Rogers Park.
  • 22 Clark runs along Clark St. throughout the north side.

By car

Do not drive to the Loop if at all possible. It is not a very automobile-friendly place. You're unlikely to relish the memory of having driven through the Loop, but plenty of people do it every day. Michigan Avenue offers a scenic — if slow as mud — trawl through the east end of the Loop, marking the end of the commercial area and the beginning of the parkland along the lake. Lake Shore Drive provides an equally lovely — and equally slow — route through the Loop. I-90 lets out at Jackson Blvd., at the west end of the Loop.

If you do come by car, there are four underground parking garages near Grant Park and Millennium Park. Rates vary by garage and are more expensive for special events, but the East Monroe garage (near Millennium Park) is the cheapest ($13 up to 12 hours, $16 12-24 hours).

See

Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park
File:Chicago Sears View.jpg
View from Sears Tower Skydeck

Along the Magnificent Mile is a one day and night itinerary that connects the Loop with the Near North for shopping, food, skyscrapers, parks, and amazing views of Chicago from high and low.

If you're taking the elevated train around the Loop, the Quincy stop may be worth a look, as it's done up like an old-timey station, complete with vintage advertisements. You can step off the train, have a look around the platform, and get right back on without paying again.

  • <see name="Art Institute of Chicago" alt="" address="111 S. Michigan" directions="Adams/Wabash Brown/Green/Orange/Purple/Pink Line" phone="+1 312 443-3600" email="" fax="" hours="M-W,F 10:30AM-5:00PM, Th 10:30AM-8PM (free 5-8), Sa-Su 10:30AM-5PM except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day" price="Admission is $12 ($7 children and seniors, free on Thursday/Friday evenings)." url="http://www.artic.edu/"> One of the premier museums in the US — definitely not to be missed. Famous pieces include "American Gothic" by Grant Wood (the famous stoic farm couple from Iowa), "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper (the late-night diner), Georges Seurat's pointillist masterpiece "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte", and the world's best collection of Impressionist painting outside of France. But there's a lot more to discover, including a great selection of early 20th-century painting, architecture, and photography – and archaeological finds covering 5,000 years of art and cultural history.</see>
  • <see name="Chicago Board of Trade Visitor Center" alt="" address="141 W Jackson, 1st floor" directions="LaSalle/Van Buren Brown/Orange/Pink/Purple Line" phone="312-435-3590" email="" fax="" hours="M-F 8AM-4PM" price="Admission to the Visitors Center is free" url="http://www.cbot.com/cbot/pub/page/0,3181,941,00.html"> This monumental 1930 building is an Art Deco masterpiece and dominates its surrounding streets like no other in the Loop. The new Visitors Center features high-tech displays and historical artifacts on the history of financial trading. Sadly, the more exciting 5th floor observation deck, which lets you watch the frenzied action on the trading floor, is only open to group tours that have applied in advance.</see>
  • <see name="Chicago Cultural Center" alt="" address="78 E. Washington" directions="Washington Red Line" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="M-Th 8AM-7PM, F 8AM-6PM, Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 10AM-5PM, closed holidays" price="Free" url="http://www.cityofchicago.org/Tourism/CulturalCenter/"> Built in 1897 as Chicago's first public library, the building now houses the city's Visitor Information Center, galleries, and exhibit halls. Worth a visit to see the beautiful interior — the ceiling of Preston Bradley Hall includes a 38-foot Tiffany glass dome.</see>
  • <see name="Chicago Mercantile Exchange Visitors Center" alt="" address="20 S. Wacker" directions="Washington/Wells Brown/Purple/Orange Line" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="M-F 8AM-4:30PM" price="Free" url="http://www.cme.com/about/visit/vc/"> The 4th Floor Visitor Gallery is currently closed, but the lobby level Visitors Center has displays on the history and role of the exchange, and there's a gift shop.</see>
  • <see name="Federal Reserve Bank Money Museum" alt="" address="230 S. LaSalle" directions="LaSalle/Van Buren Brown/Orange/Pink/Purple Line" phone="312-322-2400" email="" fax="" hours="M-F 9AM-4PM, except bank holidays" price="Free admission" url="http://chicagofed.com/about_the_fed/visitors_center.cfm"> Currency wonks can study various denominations and practice counterfeit detections. Guided tours every day at 1PM.</see>
  • <see name="Grant Park" alt="" address="On the east side of Michigan Avenue between Lake Shore Drive and Columbus Drive" directions="" phone="312-742-7648" email="" fax="" hours="" price="Entrance to the park and most events & festivals is generally free, although some concerts do have an admission charge; in that case, admission to other areas of the park will still be free" url="http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/parks.detail/object_id/83AA6305-ADBE-4D8A-B333-004449057EA9"> Right at the center of Chicago, this has been a park space for almost the entire history of the city. Most citywide events and festivals (see below) are held in Grant Park and the Petrillo Bandshell. The centerpiece of the park is Buckingham Fountain (10AM-11PM), which is sometimes accompanied by music and colored lights (8-11PM, May-Sep). There are also tennis courts, softball fields, and a walking trail near the lake. Millennium Park is to the north and the Museum Campus is to the south, so there is a large area to wander.</see>
  • <see name="Millennium Park" alt="" address="On the east side of Michigan Avenue between Randolph and the Art Institute" directions="" phone="312-742-1168" email="" fax="" hours="6AM-11PM" price="Free" url="http://www.millenniumpark.org/"> Long before it opened, Millennium Park had become notorious for delays and cost-overruns, missing its titular date by a wide margin. However, when it was finished, the park provided the biggest shock of all when it actually turned out to quite nice. Aside from plenty of grass and open space, it has modern sculptures in steel and glass, including Chicago's newest must-photo for visitors, The Bean (properly known as Cloud Gate), and the Frank Gehry-designed Pritzker Pavilion for outdoor concerts. Kids will love getting wet in the Crown Fountain (mid-April to the end of summer) at Michigan and Monroe, designed by Spanish architect Jaume Plensa, in which the giant projected faces of Chicago residents spit water into a shallow reflecting pool where everyone is welcome to splash around. Look for tents offering guides to the park near the entrances at Randolph and/or Washington.</see>
  • <see name="Museum of Contemporary Photography" alt="" address="600 S. Michigan" directions="State/Van Buren Brown/Orange/Purple/Pink Line" phone="312 663-5554" email="" fax="" hours="M-F 10AM-5PM, Th 10AM-8PM, Sa 12-5PM" price="Free" url="http://mocp.org/"> A stimulating and innovative forum for the collection, creation, and examination of contemporary image-making in its camera tradition and in its expanded vocabulary of digital processes. Affiliated with Columbia College Chicago.</see>
  • <see name="Sears Tower Skydeck" alt="" address="233 S. Wacker" directions="Quincy/Wells Brown/Purple/Orange/Pink" phone="312-875-9447" email="" fax="" hours="Apr-Sept 10AM-10PM, Oct-March 10AM-8PM, open every day of the year" price="$12.95 adult, $9.50 children, plus $5.50 for audio tour" url="http://www.the-skydeck.com/"> Once the tallest building in the world, the Sears Tower now has to settle for claiming the title in North America alone, and even that's after a semantic battle with Toronto and the CN Tower. The Hancock Observatory (see Near North) is nicer, but again, the Sears Tower has the title. Avoid the worst of the crowds after 4PM.</see>
  • <see name="Spertus Institute" alt="" address="618 S. Michigan" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="Su-W 10AM-5PM, Th 10AM-7PM (Jan-Feb 10AM-5PM), F 10AM-3PM" price="$5 adult, $3 child; free on F" url="http://www.spertus.edu/museum/"> A museum dedicated to Judaica. Closed for remodeling until 2008.</see>

Architecture

The Auditorium Theater

Most of these buildings are not fully open to the public, although some may be accessible through tours by the Chicago Architecture Foundation (below). Security procedures will, of course, vary. For some, you won't be able to make it past the lobby; for others, a purposeful stride can take you anywhere you want to go. Remember, the exterior of a great building is only the exterior of the experience.

<see name="Chicago Architecture Foundation" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url=""> Runs a Loop tour train (Sa 11:35 AM, 12:15 PM, 12:55 PM, or 1:35 PM May-Sep), which is a free tour of the Loop on the El with a guide from the Chicago Architecture Foundation. You go around the Loop three times, taking 40 minutes. Highly recommended if you're at all interested in the El or Chicago architecture. Tickets at the Chicago Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph Street at Michigan Avenue. Departs nearby Randolph/Wabash station.</see>

  • <see name="The Fine Art Building" alt="Beman, 1885" address="412 S Michigan" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""></see>
  • <see name="Monadnock" alt="Burnham & Root, 1891" address="53 W Jackson" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""> The southern half was added by Holabird & Roche in 1893.</see>
  • <see name="The Rookery" alt="Burnham & Root, 1888" address="209 S LaSalle" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""> The lobby was remodeled in 1907 by enfant terrible Frank Lloyd Wright.</see>
  • <see name="The Jewelers' Building" alt="Adler & Sullivan, 1882" address="15-17 S Wabash" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""></see>
  • <see name="The Haskell Building" alt="Van Osdel, 1877" address="18 S Wabash" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""> Originally designed by John Mills van Osdel, the city's first accredited post-Great Chicago Fire architect. The two bottom floors were remodeled by Louis Sullivan in 1896.</see>
  • <see name="The Gage Building" alt="Sullivan, 1900" address="18 S Michigan" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""></see>

Do

The famous (and photogenic) Chicago Theater on State
A giant "flamingo" statue by Alexander Calder in front of the Federal Center
  • <do name="The Auditorium Theater" alt="" address="50 E. Congress Parkway" directions="Library Brown/Purple/Orange/Green/Pink Line" phone="312-431-2389" email="" fax="" hours="" price="$8 per person" url="http://auditoriumtheatre.org/wb/"> Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan's masterpiece, built with apprentice Frank Lloyd Wright, who called it "The greatest room for music and opera in the world - bar none." If the current production isn't worth seeing (and it sometimes isn't), take a tour of this gorgeous, acoustically-perfect theater instead. Tours are available Mondays at 10:00am and 1:00pm by the theater itself, and at other times during the week from the Chicago Architecture Foundation.</do>
  • <do name="Cadillac Palace Theater" alt="" address="151 W. Randolph" directions="" phone="Box office 312-977-1700" email="" fax="" url="http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/planyourtrip.php#direc_palace" hours="Hours vary" price="$27.50-$77.50"> A Broadway in Chicago outlet, this opulent theater was built in 1926 for the vaudeville circuit and is now glossed up for high-profile productions with 2,300 seats per show. The Producers and the mighty Oprah's The Color Purple both enjoyed long runs here.</do>
  • <do name="Chicago Symphony Orchestra" alt="" address="220 S Michigan" directions="Adams/Wabash Brown/Green/Orange/Purple/Pink Line" phone="312-294-3333" email="" fax="" url="http://www.cso.org" hours="Box office M-F 10AM-6PM, Sa-Su 11AM-4PM" price="Student prices can run as low as $10; tickets for CSO events start from $25, but performances by traveling artists vary"> Home of Chicago's renowned orchestra; they spend a lot of time on the road, though, so visiting orchestras and stately jazz concerts can also be found here, as can the occasional curveball like a silent film.</do>
  • <do name="Chicago Theater" alt="" address="175 N. State" directions="Lake CTA" phone="312-462-6300" email="" fax="" hours="Box office M-F 12-6PM" price="Tickets vary by event — generally $27.50 and up. Tours are available Apr-Sept Tu,Th 12PM and Oct-March Tu 12PM, also the third Saturday of every month at 11AM,12PM; $5 per person" url="http://www.thechicagotheatre.com/"> An old Balaban & Katz movie palace, refurbished as one of the city's premier performance venues. It hosts a wide range of events, from spoken word and stand-up comedy to jazz, gospel, and rock. Most people, however, know it for the iconic marquee out front.</do>
  • <do name="Goodman Theater" alt="" address="170 N Dearborn St" directions="Washington Red Line" phone="312-443-3811" email="" fax="" hours="Box office M-F 10AM-5PM, Sa-Su 12-5PM" price="Tickets vary by show, generally starting from $30 adults, $17 children" url="http://www.goodman-theatre.org/"> Non-profit theater company in an extremely expensive space; they pride themselves on new works, but are better known for revivals of plays from the American theater canon. Post-show discussions with the cast are held after Wednesday and Thursday night performances.</do>
  • <do name="Schubert Theater" alt="LaSalle Bank Theater" address="18 W. Monroe St." directions="" phone="Box office 312-977-1700" email="" fax="" url="http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/planyourtrip.php#direc_shubert" hours="Hours vary" price="$27.50-$82.50"> Another Broadway in Chicago theater. Founded in 1906 to attract a classier vaudeville crowd, it saw performances from Harry Houdini, and was run by New York theater impresario Sam Shubert for more than forty-five years. Monty Pyton's Spamalot and High School Musical have been here more recently.</do>
  • <do name="Lyric Opera of Chicago" alt="" address="20 N Wacker Dr" directions="Washington/Wells Brown/Purple/Pink/Orange Line" phone="312-332-2244" email="" fax="" hours="" price="Tickets start at $31 for weekdays and $42 for weekends" url="http://www.lyricopera.org"> Extraordinary productions of major operas, in the impressive Civic Opera House, overlooking the river; local legend has it that the back-story behind business magnate Samuel Insull's decision to build it was the inspiration for the opera scenes in Citizen Kane. That aside, the Lyric Opera is highly acclaimed for the quality of their performances, although there was a minor controversy among opera purists when they began to project English titles above the stage for non-English operas. Aside from extensive outreach and education in the community, performers from the Lyric Opera are also the go-to guys whenever one of the local sports teams needs someone to sing the national anthem.</do>
  • <do name="Oriental Theater" alt="Ford Center for the Performing Arts" address="24 W. Randolph" directions="" phone="Box office 312-977-1700" email="" fax="" url="http://www.broadwayinchicago.com/planyourtrip.php#direc_oriental" hours="Hours vary" price="$29.50-$122.50"> Once Chicago's most ornate movie palace, where Judy Garland debuted, this is now another Broadway in Chicago outlet with an open run of the musical Wicked.</do>

Events & Festivals

Unless otherwise noted, all Loop festivals take place in Grant Park.

  • <listing name="Taste of Chicago" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="312-744-3315" email="" fax="" hours="11AM-9PM" price="" url="http://www.tasteofchicago.us"> 4th of July weekend. An outdoor showcase of Chicago restaurants, vendors, and performers. The specifics of the scheme vary from year to year, but generally, you buy a roll of tickets and then trade in those tickets for beer, drinks, food, and desserts. It's a great chance to sample the range of Chicago cuisine. Also a great opportunity to watch Independence Day fireworks from the park and lakefront, but beware: it gets crowded.</listing>
  • <listing name="Lollapalooza" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="888-512-7469" email="" fax="" hours="F-Su 11AM-10PM" price="$80 one day, $165/$195 early/late three days" url="http://www.lollapalooza.com"> First weekend of August. Formerly a traveling tour, Lollapalooza has now found a permanent location in Chicago and grown quite a bit. It's a massive three day collection of popular and lesser-known national and local rock and hip hop bands.</listing>
  • <listing name="Saint Patrick's Day Parade" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="http://www.chicagostpatsparade.com/"> Takes place on Columbus Drive, the weekend preceding 17th of March each year. The Chicago River is dyed green.</listing>
  • <listing name="Venetian Night" alt="" directions="" address="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url=""> End of July.</listing>

Buy

The Magnificent Mile ends at the Chicago River, but there are still more than a few places to shop in the Loop, particularly on and east of State Street. The two landmark department stores that once anchored the area, Marshall Field's and Carson Pirie Scott, are both gone. The Carson's building, designed by Louis Sullivan, is closed and covered in dust; it's being remodeled to serve as office space. Interior tours are still available through the Chicago Architecture Foundation (above), though.

The fate of Marshall Field's is a somewhat thornier one. Marshall Field himself was one of the original Chicago aristocracy, and his gorgeous store on State Street defined Chicago retail for several generations. In spite of its ties to Chicago culture and identity, when New York retailer Macy's bought the chain, they announced plans to rebrand all Field's stores as Macy's. Amid shock and uproar (among Chicagoans) and dire warnings (among industry analysts), Macy's executives assured reporters that focus group research had suggested people would, in fact, come to prefer the new brand. Today, sales have plunged, workers have been forced to take a sharp paycut, and the interior is like a tomb. Ain't corporate hubris great?

Today, there are a few discount department stores, a few big stores for national chains like Old Navy and H&M, and a few amusingly shady joints on the streets under the elevated tracks.

  • <buy name="Central Camera" alt="" address="230 S. Wabash" directions="Monroe Red Line" phone="312-427-5580" email="" fax="" url="http://www.centralcamera.com/" hours="M-F 8:30AM-5:30PM, Sa 8:30AM-5PM" price=""> As the name suggests, this is a centrally-located place to deal with fussy cameras or upgrade to better ones. They've been in business since 1899.</buy>
  • <buy name="Graham Crackers" alt="" address="77 E. Madison" directions="Washington Red Line" phone="312-629-1810" email="" fax="" hours="M-F 10AM-6PM, Sa 11AM-5PM, Su 12-5PM" price="" url="http://www.grahamcrackers.com/chstore.htm"> Comic book store right off Michigan Avenue, near the Art Institute.</buy>
  • <buy name="Jeweler's Center" alt="" address="5 S. Wabash" directions="Washington Red Line" phone="312-236-2189" email="" fax="" url="http://www.jewelerscenter.com/" hours="M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su closed except four weeks prior to Christmas" price=""> An estimated 185 jewelers in one building by the elevated tracks give this a Wild West atmosphere — you could leave with a terrific deal, or...</buy>
  • <buy name="Nordstrom Rack" alt="" address="24 N. State St" directions="Washington Red Line" phone="312-377-5500" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price=""> The outlet store for the Near North retailer. There's plenty of heavily-discounted merchandise, but shoes are where the serious mania lies.</buy>
  • <buy name="Posters Plus" alt="" address="200 S Michigan Ave" directions="Monroe Red Line" phone="312-461-9277" email="" fax="" url="http://www.posterplus.com/" hours="Su 10:30AM-6PM, M-W,F 10AM-6PM, Th 10AM-7PM, Sa 9:30AM-6PM" price=""> The place to buy Chicago images of all shapes and sizes. Posters Plus works with researchers on the side and singlehandedly keeps a selection of memorable vintage Chicago posters in print. They also partner with the Art Institute across the street. It's worth a stop to have a look around their gallery even if you don't plan to buy anything.</buy>
  • <buy name="Prairie Avenue Bookshop" alt="" address="418 S. Wabash" directions="Library Brown/Purple/Green/Orange/Pink Line" phone="312-922-8311, 800-474-2724" email="[email protected]" fax="312-922-5184" hours="M-F 10AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-4PM" price="" url="http://www.pabook.com/index.asp"> A short, squat bookshop that houses a glorious selection of books on architecture, one of the largest in the world. It's right behind the Auditorium Theater.</buy>
  • <buy name="Sears on State" alt="" address="2 N. State" directions="Washington Red Line" phone="312-373-6000" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="http://www.sears.com"> The other traditional Chicago retail giant opened this store in 2001. It has a few floors of moderately-priced, moderately-fashionable clothing and housewares.</buy>
  • <buy name="Wabash Jewelers Mall" alt="" address="21 N. Wabash" directions="Washington Red Line" phone="312-263-1757" email="" fax="" url="" hours="M-W,F 10AM-5:30PM, Th 10AM-6:30PM, Sa 10AM-5PM, Su closed" price=""> The other bastion of Jeweler's Row, with several stores that specialize in loose diamonds.</buy>

Eat

The Chicago River and S Wacker Dr at night

It's easy to find cheap food during the day — this is where most of Chicago works, so this is where most of Chicago eats lunch. However, most of those places close when the work day ends, so it's more difficult to keep costs down at night, when it's gourmet or bust. In times of budget desperation, try the food court at Ogilvie/Northwestern Station (Canal and Madison).

Budget

  • <eat name="Artist's Cafe" alt="" address="412 S. Michigan Ave" directions="" phone="312-939-7855" email="" fax="" url="http://www.artists-cafe.com/" hours="Su-Th 6:30AM-11PM, F-Sa 6:30AM-12:30AM" price=""> In the beautiful old Fine Arts Building, this is easily the best outdoor seating in the Loop, and the best people-watching spot as well. With eclectic classes of all sorts in the building, and Columbia College down the street, it's popular with students, although beer and wine are on the menu as well.</eat>
  • <eat name="Harold's Chicken Shack #77" alt="" address="39 N. Wells" directions="" phone="312-345-1200" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="$2-5"> People from the South Side work in the Loop, too, so Harold's is here to feed them with cheap, delicious fried chicken. Eat prior to a business meeting at your own peril.</eat>
  • <eat name="Osaka Express" alt="" address="400 S Michigan Ave" directions="" phone="312-566-0118" email="" fax="" url="" hours="M-Sa 11AM-8PM" price="$5"> A counter on a corner of Michigan Avenue with good, cheap seafood and vegetarian sushi. Be prepared for blank stares if you try ordering in Japanese, though.</eat>
  • <eat name="Perry's" alt="" address="175 N. Franklin" directions="" phone="312-372-7557" email="" fax="" url="http://www.perrysdeli.com/" hours="M-F 7:30AM-2:30PM" price="$6-8"> Absurdly huge sandwiches (including nine triple-deckers) and cheerful service. The lines at lunch are long, but you'll notice the way the regulars are content to wait for as long as it takes, knowing what's coming to them. (You'll also notice the prohibition against cell phones on the premises.) If in doubt, try "Perry's Favorite", a corn beer special named for the original owner.</eat>
  • <eat name="The Soupbox" alt="" address="500 W. Madison" directions="" phone="312-993-1019" email="" fax="" url="http://www.thesoupbox.com/default.asp?pageid=38842" hours="M-F 10AM-9PM, Sa-Su 10:30AM-7PM" price="$5-6"> Ten soups of the day, listed in advance on their website, ranging from original creations to old standbys like Clam Chowder and Cream of Mushroom; sizes include 16oz breadbowls.</eat>

Mid-range


Splurge

  • <eat name="Bella Bacino's" address="75 E Wacker Drive" phone="+1 312 263-2350" email="" fax="+1 312 263-4965" hours="" price="" url="http://www.bacinos.com/"> Very good Italian food and simply incredible stuffed pizza.</eat>
  • <eat name="Custom House" alt="" address="500 S Dearborn" directions="" phone="312-523-0200" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="http://www.customhouse.cc/"> Specializes in many varieties of red meat.</eat>
  • <eat name="Everest" alt="" address="440 S. LaSalle St., 40th Floor" directions="" phone="312-663-8920" email="" fax="" hours="Tu-Th 5:30PM-9PM, F 5:30PM-9:30PM, Sa 5PM-10PM" price="" url="http://www.everestrestaurant.com/"> Arguably the best restaurant in Chicago. The "Personal French Cuisine" of Executive Chef Jean Joho is world renowned. The view from the top floor of the Chicago Stock Exchange is magnificent as well. Complimentary valet parking.</eat>
  • <eat name="Russian Tea Time" address="77 E. Adams St" phone="+1 312 360-0000" email="" fax="+1 312 360-0575" hours="11AM-9PM Su-Th, 11AM-midnight Fr-Sa" price="" url="http://www.russianteatime.com/"> This is the place to try Russian cuisine! Easily one of the best Russian restaurants in the world with an inventive menu and excellent management. Ask to be seated in the front section. Afternoon tea runs from 2:30-4:30PM.</eat>
  • <eat name="Trattoria No.10" alt="" address="10 N. Dearborn" directions="Washington Red Line" phone="312-984-1718" email="" fax="" url="http://www.trattoriaten.com/" hours="Lunch M-F 11:30AM-2PM; Dinner M-Th 5:30-9:00PM, F-Sa 5:30-10:00PM" price="$40+"> A gourmet Italian restaurant; dinners are designed to include a primi piatti course of pasta and a secondi piatti of duck, veal, and other seasonal specialties, although they can be ordered separately.</eat>

Drink

If you want a beer in a real Chicago tavern, take the train in pretty much any direction; you won't have to go far, but you won't find it here. By and large, if people who work in the Loop want a drink, they head back to their neighborhood or stop somewhere along the way. The cost of real estate in the Loop means that the truly enjoyable dives are priced out of the area. To relax, try Printer's Row, which is within walking distance; if you want to join the after-work crowd, it's usually in the West Loop and the Near North.

  • <drink name="Elephant & Castle" alt="" address="111 W. Adams" directions="" phone="312-236-6656" email="" fax="" url="http://www.elephantcastle.com/content/locations/240" hours="6:30AM-midnight" price=""> English-ish pub chain with the requisite fish & chips (and other mid-range pub food), long hours, and a second location at 185 N. Wabash. It's a good place for a long stay.</drink>
  • <drink name="Emerald Loop" alt="" address="216 N. Wabash" directions="" phone="312-263-0200" email="" fax="" url="http://www.vaughanhospitality.com/index.php?section=3" hours="M-F 7AM-2AM, Sa 11AM-3AM, Su 11AM-2AM" price=""> Irish-style pub in a elegant setting, with large tables to accommodate business lunches. The food's good, breakfast included.</drink>
  • <drink name="Exchequer Restaurant & Pub" alt="" address="226 S. Wabash" directions="" phone="312-939-5633" email="" fax="" url="http://www.exchequerpub.com/" hours="M-Th 11AM-11PM, F-Sa 11AM-midnight, Su Noon-9PM" price=""> Family-friendly pub with pizza and ribs, under the El tracks and covered in Chicago memorabilia.</drink>
  • <drink name="Miller's Pub" alt="" address="134 S. Wabash" directions="" phone="312-263-4988" email="" fax="" url="http://www.millerspub.com/" hours="Kitchen 11AM-2AM, Bar 10AM-4AM" price=""> Established in 1935 and bursting with faded celebrity photos, Miller's Pub serves ribs, steak, and sandwiches with its list of beer, wine, and martinis. It's a little too formal to sprawl out and relax, but perfect if getting a beer is a task of equal import to dinner.</drink>

Sleep

This guide uses the following price ranges for a standard double room:
BudgetUnder $175
Mid-range$175-$250
SplurgeOver $250

Although this is the most expensive real estate in Chicago, the hotels in the Loop are slightly cheaper than those in the Near North simply because so much of the area shuts down at night. Still, these are some pretty nice digs, and being in the Loop makes transportation to any part of the city easy.

Budget

  • <sleep name="Congress Plaza Hotel" alt="" address="520 S. Michigan" directions="Library Orange/Purple/Brown/Green/Pink Line, Jackson Blue Line" phone="312-427-3800" email="" fax="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Rooms from $129" url="http://www.congressplazahotel.com/"> Built for the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, the Congress Hotel hosted most of the nation's presidents from the last century, and its distinctive neon sign has shined over Grant Park for almost as long. Today, other hotels have overtaken the Congress in the glamor class, leaving it behind as a great deal with a colorful past. Ask for a room with a view of the lake; if Buckingham fountain is running, you will be treated to a magnificent view.</sleep>
  • <sleep name="Hostelling International Chicago" alt="J. Ira & Nicki Harris Family Hostel" address="24 East Congress Parkway" directions="Library Orange/Purple/Brown/Green/Pink Line, Jackson Red Line, LaSalle Blue Line" phone="+1 312 360-0300" email="" fax="" checkin="3pm" checkout="11am" price="Rates start at $27, plus $3 without HI membership" url="http://www.hichicago.org"> Quick and easy access to airports, bus terminal and train stations. Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. No curfew, no age restrictions (under 18 must be accompanied by adult).</sleep>

Mid-range

  • <sleep name="Hotel 71" alt="" address="71 E. Wacker Drive" directions="" phone="+1 312 346-7100" email="" fax="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Rooms from $254" url="http://www.hotel71.com"> Located on the Chicago River at Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue.</sleep>
  • <sleep name="Hotel Allegro" alt="" address="171 West Randolph" directions="Clark/Lake Blue Line" phone="+1 866-672-6143" email="" fax="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Rooms from $209" url="http://www.allegrochicago.com"> This lovely hotel calls itself a boutique, probably in reference to its friendly, full four-star service, designer decorated rooms and prices that are the same, or just a little bit more than you would pay for a blander three-star place just north of the river. Suites and some rooms have a double jacuzzi.</sleep>
  • <sleep name="Hotel Blake" alt="" address="500 S. Dearborn" directions="" phone="+1 312 986-1234" email="" fax="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Rooms from $189" url="http://www.hotelblake.com"> Located in Printer's Row.</sleep>
  • <sleep name="Hotel Burnham" alt="" address="1 W. Washington" directions="" phone="+1 312 782-1111" email="" fax="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Rooms from $239" url="http://burnhamhotel.com"> In a classic building near Millennium Park. A Kimpton Boutique hotel, like the Allegro.</sleep>

Splurge

  • <sleep name="The Fairmont Chicago" alt="" address="200 N. Columbus Drive" directions="" phone="312-565-8000" email="" fax="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Rooms from $269" url="http://www.fairmont.com/chicago/"> Upscale hotel that takes pride in its restaurants and offers a number of tour packages for Chicago attractions.</sleep>
  • <sleep name="Hotel Monaco" alt="" address="225 North Wabash" directions="" phone="+1 312 950-8500" email="" fax="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Rooms from $259" url="http://monaco-chicago.com"> Like Monaco Hotels across the US, the Monaco Chicago provides a bit better than four-star comfort at a bit less than four-star prices, though they are a little higher than at Kimpton sister hotels like the Allegro or the Burnham. What you get for the extra money is a number of specialty services geared for business travelers, so if you are traveling for pleasure go for the Allegro.</sleep>
  • <sleep name="The Palmer House Hilton" alt="" address="17 E. Monroe" directions="" phone="+1 312 726-7500" email="" fax="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Rooms from $259" url="http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/CHIPHHH-The-Palmer-House-Hilton-Illinois/index.do"> The palace built by old Chicago magnate Potter Palmer for his socialite wife Bertha, overlooking State Street. This is actually the third version of The Palmer House — the first was opened two weeks before the Great Chicago Fire. (Can't beat that for timing.) The current hotel was designed by Holabird & Roche in 1920s.</sleep>
  • <sleep name="Swissotel Chicago" alt="" address="323 E. Wacker Drive" directions="" phone="+1 312 565-0565" email="" fax="" checkin="" checkout="" price="Rooms from $339" url="http://www.swissotelchicago.com"> Located close to The Magnificent Mile as well as the Loop, with great views over the Chicago River and the lake.</sleep>

Contact

  • <see name="Harold Washington Library Center" alt="" address="400 S. State" directions="Library Brown/Green/Orange/Purple/Pink" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="M-Th 9AM-9PM, F S 9AM-5PM, Su 1PM-5PM" price="" url="http://www.chipublib.org/"> Chicago’s central library is in a gigantic, impressive, and stylistically bewildering building, named for Harold Washington, the city's first black Mayor. It holds exhibitions and has well-equipped free computer and Internet services which visitors can use on presentation of photo ID.</see>

Guide wikevent:Chicago

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