Me and my boyfriend at the Lincoln Park Conservatory

Chicago is a big city and offers a lot of great places to go to and explore. But how do you find out about these places and which places really are the best? In this post, I will document some of my absolute favorite spots within the city (most are mainly food places, because, hey, food is my second passion after making movies).

I couldn’t possibly number the selections listed below in order of worst to best or best to worst, but I will say this, finding yourself and making yourself feel at home in a big city can at times be difficult. For me, I was able to feel like a Chicago native by doing one thing: exploring. It sounds corny, but the best way to make a place feel like your home is to make yourself be a part of it. You won’t get anything out of life if you are sitting in your apartment watching Netflix for hours on end (although I have done this and don’t judge you if you have too). I acclimated to my new location by taking all my possible free time to adventure out into the city, whether alone or with members of my cohort. Trust me, not only is this a bunch of fun, but it is cathartic. You feel at peace with your environment the more you get to know it. So take a look below for some info on my absolute favorite places in Chicago.

1. Ras Dashen (http://rasdashenchicago.com/)

Ras Dashen is an Ethiopian Restaurant located in Edgewater. It is my favorite restaurant in the city. Not only did I try Ethiopian for the first time when I moved to Chicago, I fell in love with it and cannot stop eating it. That being said, Ras Dashen is the place to go for a meal that will not let you down. You can enjoy your meal at either regular table seating or traditional style. The food is outstanding, the staff is outstanding, and the environment is outstanding. I’ve never been disappointed. One of the most exciting things about Chicago is its diversity. I love that I don’t need to travel far to experience various cultures and try new foods.

2. BopNGrill (http://bngrill.com/)

Bavarian Burger, Umami Burger, Cheese Fries, and Kimchi Cheese Fries

Another food place, but like I said, I am a foodie at heart. BopNGrill is a Korean-American fusion burger joint located in Rogers Park. They offer burgers with a twist; my favorite is the umami burger which has truffled mushroom duxelle, sun dried tomato confit, togarashi mayo, bacon, and smoked gouda. You can also get cheese fries, traditional, or with kimchi, a traditional Korean cabbage. They even have Philly cheesesteak eggrolls. Yes. Philly cheesesteak eggrolls (which are so popular that you can only order 2 per order, and they are first come first serve ONLY on weekends). Even though the food is top class, the atmosphere is down to earth and inviting. One thing that turns me off about restaurants is when they make eating a burger an exclusive experience. Not at BopNGrill. At BopNGrill you can eat any type of burger and way you want.

3. The Green Mill (http://greenmilljazz.com/)

An incredible group performing at The Green Mill

Considered the oldest jazz bar in Chicago, The Green Mill was once Al Capone’s choice hang out, and it is right across the street from the famous Aragon theater. The Green Mill is located in Uptown, which is a part of Chicago that is often overlooked, but where one of the first motion picture studios was located (where Charlie Chaplin filmed some of his first films!). Anyway, The Green Mill itself is full of character. They play jazz from 3 pm in the afternoon to 4 am in the morning. There is no talking allowed, no flash photography allowed, and there is no food served. It is place dedicated entirely to the music, and to the old timey feeling of a 1920s jazz club. If you ever go, make sure to order a martini. It just makes the experience all the more authentic.

4. Lincoln Park Conservatory

Beautiful flower at the Lincoln Park Conservatory

Chicago parks are incredible. There are a lot of them, and each has its own form of character. The Lincoln Park Conservatory is a great place to go on a relaxing Sunday. I like to go and bring my camera to take photos of all the beautiful foliage. It is also a great place to just sit, think, and write. The fern room is my favorite room; it transports you back in time, and makes you feel like you are roaming the earth with the dinosaurs (they even have little dino figurines hidden throughout the ferns for young kids to find on scavenger hunts). One of the best parts of the conservatory is that it is entirely free! You can even ask one of the workers for a free tour! I love this place, and I highly recommend it.

5. Logan Square Farmers Market

I love farmers markets for 2 reasons. 1) Going to a farmers market means it is WARM outside. 2) Good produce! I first went to the Logan Square farmers market my second weekend in Chicago. I was able to stock up on some of the freshest, in-season produce grown locally in the suburbs of Chicago. I even bought fresh honey from a bee raiser. Logan Square is great for its dedication to revitalizing the neighborhood, so the atmosphere is youthful and mindful, not to mention there are a lot of dogs wondering around, which is always fun if you want to stop and pet any ;)

6. Next Door Café (https://www.nextdoorchi.com/)

Dirty Chai latte and a script at the Next Door Cafe

Next Door Café almost didn’t make my list, but I changed my mind for many reasons. Reason 1) Dirty Chai Lattes. Their Dirty Chai is one of my favorite, and if you order it to stay, it is huge! The more bang for your buck. They also serve incredible crepes, which are made fresh directly on their crepe grill. Not only are they delicious, but it always smells amazing inside. One of the biggest reasons I love Next Door Café, though, is they offer FREE community space to rent, FREE! I first found Next Door Café to hold auditions for films at, but I continue to return for meetings and just for plain relaxation. There are rooms, pods, tables, and nooks all up for reservation. It’s a great place to hold production meetings mainly because the space is free, the food is good, and there are huge wipe boards throughout for writing and doodling.

I could keep rambling on about my favorite spots in Chicago, but the point of this blog is not to brag about all the cool things I get to do, but rather explain how I became a part of the city. I am so glad to have found my way to such a great city, but I am even happier that I let myself grow within it. Being able to trek throughout the city and feel like I am one with it is a great accomplishment.

Bonus Photo! A weird replica of the leaning tower of Pisa in western Illinois…