Located at the Damen and Division stop on the Blue Line, which runs directly from Chicago’s O’Hare airport to downtown, Wicker Park is notable for being one of the City’s most vibrant hubs. Popular with hipsters and locals from all walks of life, this artsy neighborhood is home to some the city’s trendiest offerings.

 

While chic Michigan Avenue might be populated with internationally recognizable brands and eateries, Wicker Park is the alternative home to trendy boutiques, laidback watering holes, noted art galleries, timeless record stores, funky dive bars, vintage clothing stores, indie music venues, and late-night clubs that go boom well into the wee hours of the morning. This is particularly true in Six Corners area at Damon Avenue, which can classically be described as the heart of the action in this distinctive ‘hood.

 

Here you might start your day with a coffee at one of several cool coffee houses, like the ever-popular La Colombe, nip into the legendary Vintage Underground for a bit of shopping, peruse a local art gallery, and then wind down your evening by popping into the speakeasy-esque Violet Hour for an artisanal cocktail. Alternatively, if you’re feeling a bit more festive at the end of the evening you might explore tacos at Big Star, a self-described “bourbon and beer-focused, taco-slinging, late-night honky-tonk” located in the heart of Chicago’s Wicker Park or tuck into a sophisticated aperitif at the rooftop bar of The Robey Hotel where 180-degree views of the Chicago skyline await.

 

Finally, at Division Street (the other main artery in the neighborhood) head west on Division to find some of the best hidden gems in the city, including dining staples like Bangers & Lace (beer and sausages) and Pub Royale (Anglo-Indian) just inside Ukrainian Village.