Home / Neighborhoods / River North
River North, after dark
Corncob towers, a building that was once the biggest in the world, beef sandwiches and late jazz. River North is downtown's playground, and it's best on foot.
River North is the chunk of the Near North Side sitting right above the Chicago River, west of Michigan Avenue. A lot of visitors stay here and a lot of locals end up here after dinner. Galleries, jazz rooms and some of the most famous cheap food in the city, all inside a short walk.
Weekends get loud. Plan the night right, though, and it's one of the easiest parts of town to wander with a buzz and a stomach that's about to start talking.
The River North vibe, and how it got here
A hundred years ago this was factory land, coal bins on corners and smokestacks along the river. People called it Smokey Hollow because the smog just sat there. In the 1920s it was gangland too. Dean O'Banion ran a flower shop at State and Superior that fronted his bootlegging, and he got shot in it in November 1924.
The comeback started with art. Roy Boyd moved his gallery here in 1979, and by the 1980s Superior and Huron were lined with galleries. A big fire in April 1989 wiped out dozens of them and plenty of artists drifted to Wicker Park. Enough stayed that River North still has one of the biggest clusters of private galleries in the country.
Today it's a mix of old brick lofts, glassy towers and nightlife. Go at night. The river, the bridges and the lit-up buildings are the whole point.
Things to do in River North
Most of this is walkable in one loop. Wear real shoes.
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River North / Loop (south bank of the river)
Chicago Riverwalk
About a mile and a quarter of path along the south bank, from Lake Street out to Lake Michigan. Bridges chop it into little rooms. The River Theater has big stair-ramps where people sit and watch boats, and The Jetty has small piers poking into the water.
It's the front porch of the neighborhood. Stroll it after dinner and look back at the north bank skyline.
TipSunset to dark is the move. The buildings light up and the boat traffic calms down.
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River North
Marina City
300 N State StBertrand Goldberg's twin round towers, the ones everybody calls the corncobs. They went up in the 1960s and they still look like the future somebody drew in 1961. The lower floors of each tower are open parking, close to 900 spaces apiece, so you can see cars stacked right up the sides.
You can't tour the apartments, but you don't need to. Best views are from the Riverwalk or the State Street bridge.
TipStand on the south side of the river at night and just stare for a minute.
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River North
House of Blues Chicago
329 N Dearborn StLive music venue inside the Marina City complex, in the space Goldberg originally planned as a movie theater. The fall 2026 calendar is packed with touring indie, punk, K-pop and hip hop acts. Catch a band, then spill out onto the river.
TipCheck the calendar before you go. Shows get postponed sometimes.
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River North
The Merchandise Mart and Art on theMART
222 Merchandise Mart PlazaWhen it opened on May 5, 1930, the Mart was the biggest building in the world by floor area, about 4 million square feet. The Kennedy family owned it from the mid 1940s until 1998, and it helped bankroll their political careers.
Since 2018, the river side of the building turns into a giant projection screen called Art on theMART. It starts about 15 minutes after sunset and loops for a couple of hours. Free, huge, and kind of hypnotic.
TipWatch from the Riverwalk across the water. Bring a jacket, the wind off the river is real.
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River North
The River North gallery district
Superior St and Huron St, around Franklin and WellsThe blocks around Superior and Huron still hold a big cluster of galleries in old brick lofts. Walk in, look around, nobody's going to make you buy anything. Opening nights and gallery walks are the most fun.
TipOpenings are usually on Friday evenings. Keep an eye out for fall gallery walks.
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River North
Andy's Jazz Club
11 E Hubbard StOpen since 1951, when Andy Rizzuto started it as Andy's 11 E. Lounge. It became one of the city's main jazz rooms, and the first Chicago Jazz Festival was planned here. The early evening set, Jazz at Five, is a Chicago tradition.
Most nights there are multiple sets and a full dinner menu, so you can sit, eat and let the band carry you. It's a big room with real players.
TipEach set has its own cover, so pick your set and settle in.
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River North
Green Door Tavern
678 N Orleans StThe building went up in 1872, the year after the Great Chicago Fire, built of wood right before the city banned that downtown. It leans. You can see it. It became a restaurant in 1921 and ran as a speakeasy during Prohibition, then picked up the Green Door nickname in the 1930s.
Inside it's crammed with old signs and junk on every wall. Downstairs is The Drifter, a tiny speakeasy-style cocktail bar that opened in 2015 with a menu printed on tarot cards.
TipGrab a drink upstairs, then ask about getting into The Drifter.
Where to eat in River North
River North has fancy steakhouses for days. You want the classics. More late night spots on our munchies guide.
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River North
Mr. Beef on Orleans
666 N Orleans StStarted as a stand in 1979 and became the real life model for The Bear. Order the Italian beef, pick hot or sweet peppers, and eat it right there before the bread gives up. It's two doors from Green Door Tavern, which makes for a very efficient night.
TipExpect fans of the show taking pictures out front. Just get in line.
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River North
Portillo's
100 W Ontario StThe chain started in Villa Park in 1963 and it's mostly a suburban thing. This one in River North is the city spot most people end up at. The Chicago dog comes on a steamed poppyseed bun with thick tomato, onion and a big pickle.
Get a dog and a beef and split them. This is the move when the group can't agree.
TipGo late afternoon to dodge the tourist rush.
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River North
Pizzeria Uno
29 E Ohio StClaims the first deep dish, back in 1943. The original is still at the corner of Ohio and Wabash, and it still bakes slow. Plan for the wait.
Come for the history, stay because you already ordered.
TipOrder the minute you sit down. Deep dish takes a while.
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River North
Lou Malnati's
439 N Wells StThe family's first shop opened in Lincolnwood in 1971, and the Wells Street spot is the easy one from downtown. Buttery, flaky crust and a lot of cheese. Sausage is the order. Good backup if the Uno wait is brutal.
TipOrder ahead for pickup and skip the line.
A perfect River North night
Sesh at home base first (here's our where to smoke guide), then head out before sunset. Walk the Riverwalk west toward the Mart and post up on the steps at the River Theater as Art on theMART starts. Cross the State Street bridge, look up at Marina City for a minute, then cut over to Hubbard for a set at Andy's. Afterward, walk north to Orleans. Beer at Green Door, a beef at Mr. Beef if they're still open, and slide into The Drifter downstairs if there's room. If you're still hungry at the end, Portillo's is a few blocks away. Grab a ride home. Do not drive.
Neighborhoods next to River North
Walk north and you hit Old Town and then Lincoln Park, where the zoo is free and the hot dog stand yells at you. Head west over the river and you're in the West Loop, Chicago's restaurant row. A quick ride northwest is Wicker Park, where a lot of the old gallery crowd landed. All the guides live on our neighborhoods page.
Questions about River North
What is River North Chicago known for?
River North is known for nightlife, restaurants, and one of the biggest gallery districts in the country. It's also where you'll find Marina City, the Merchandise Mart, and classic cheap eats like Mr. Beef, Portillo's and Pizzeria Uno.
Is River North walkable?
Very. Most of the spots on this page are within a short walk of each other, and the Riverwalk sits right across the water. Wear comfortable shoes and you can do the whole thing on foot.
Where can you see Art on theMART?
It's projected on the river-facing side of the Merchandise Mart. The best view is from the Riverwalk on the south bank, around Wacker Drive between Wells and Franklin. It starts shortly after sunset and loops for about two hours.
Where did deep dish pizza start?
Pizzeria Uno at 29 E. Ohio St. in River North claims the first deep dish, in 1943. Lou Malnati's on Wells is the other big name nearby. Both take a while, so order early.
Can you smoke weed on the Chicago Riverwalk?
No. Public use is illegal in Illinois, and that includes the Riverwalk, parks and the lakefront. It's technically a ticket. Sesh at home base and come down after.
Is there live jazz in River North?
Yes. Andy's Jazz Club at 11 E. Hubbard St. has been around since 1951 and runs multiple sets most nights. The early evening Jazz at Five show is a Chicago tradition.