The vibe
Andersonville and Uptown sit next to each other on the North Side, and they're very different. Andersonville, along Clark Street, was settled by Swedish immigrants and still has the blue-and-yellow pride to prove it. Today it's independent shops, cozy restaurants, a big LGBTQ community and one of the most walkable strips in the city.
Uptown, to the east, is grittier, louder and more diverse: old entertainment palaces, music halls, Argyle Street's Vietnamese restaurants and some of the best lakefront in town. The Red Line runs all night through both.
Best munchies
Argyle Street, sometimes called Little Saigon, is the North Side's pho strip. Tank Noodle and Pho 777 are long-running favorites, and a giant bowl of pho after a sesh is pure healing. TAC Quick near the Sheridan Red Line stop is a beloved Thai spot for people who like real heat.
In Andersonville, Ann Sather is famous for its giant cinnamon rolls, and Hopleaf is the Belgian beer bar with excellent food. Clark Street has bakeries, delis and cozy spots to settle into. See the Chicago munchies guide.
Things to do baked
Browse Clark Street. Women and Children First is one of the country's great independent bookstores. The Swedish American Museum tells the neighborhood's story. Then walk east through Uptown to look at the old entertainment palaces, including the massive, shuttered Uptown Theatre, a giant 1920s movie palace that's been closed for decades and still stops you in your tracks.
Movies and music
The Green Mill on Broadway is a jazz club that's been open since the early 1900s, with a booth that Al Capone supposedly liked because it watched both doors. Live jazz, dim lights, a strict quiet-during-sets vibe. High, it's transporting. Down the block, the Riviera Theatre and the Aragon Ballroom host big touring shows. For film, Chicago Filmmakers in Andersonville shows experimental and independent work. See the movie theaters guide.
Best lake or park spot
Montrose Beach is bigger and calmer than North Avenue, with a dog beach and the Magic Hedge, a bird sanctuary on the point that birders love. Walk out on the harbor point for skyline views. The lakefront path runs right through.
A perfect baked day in Andersonville
Start in Andersonville with a cinnamon roll and coffee, then browse Clark Street: the bookstore, the little shops, the Swedish museum. Grab lunch, then walk east into Uptown. Stop at Argyle Street for a huge bowl of pho. Keep walking east to the lake and spend the late afternoon at Montrose Beach, wandering out toward the bird sanctuary and the harbor point. Head back for an early dinner of Thai near Sheridan, then end the night at the Green Mill for live jazz. Sit quietly during the sets, they mean it. The Red Line is right there to get you home, all night.
This corner of the North Side covers a lot: neighborhood strolling in Andersonville, some of the best Southeast Asian food in the city on Argyle, the big music halls on Broadway, and a calmer, wider beach than the ones downtown.
Getting there and getting around
The Red Line stops at Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr through Uptown and Edgewater, with Andersonville a short walk west. Sheridan and Wilson are on the south end. The Red Line runs all night. The Clark and Broadway buses run north and south, and the lakefront path is a quick walk east from anywhere in Uptown.
Sesh notes for Andersonville
Andersonville is courtyard buildings and two-flats with a strong neighborhood feel, and Uptown has big vintage apartment buildings and high-rises by the lake. Courtyard buildings carry sound and smell, so be mindful. Montrose Beach and the lakefront are public, so sesh at home first and head to the water after. In winter, pho on Argyle and jazz at the Green Mill are two of the best cold-weather moves in the city.
the Green Mill is the best bar in Chicago to be quietly, happily high in, as long as you respect the no-talking-during-sets rule.
The good and the annoying
The good
- Argyle Street pho.
- The Green Mill.
- Montrose Beach and the bird sanctuary.
- Clark Street for a slow walk.
The annoying
- Uptown's big shows mean big crowds on Broadway.
- Some blocks feel rough late at night.
- Andersonville brunch lines.
- The Uptown Theatre is still closed, which is a tragedy.
Next door
The neighborhoods that border this one, or are one quick ride away.
Before you go, read the Chicago munchies guide, best movie theaters in Chicago, things to do high in Chicago, best late night food in Chicago. And see all twelve neighborhood guides.
