Finding Our Chicago Home: An Insider’s Guide to Apartment Hunting in West Loop, River North, and Lincoln Park

The past week marked a truly monumental chapter for us – a whirlwind adventure to Chicago with the singular goal of finding our new apartment and, ultimately, our new home! We arrived in the Windy City on a sunny Sunday morning, allowing ourselves a full week to dive deep into the apartment search, explore various neighborhoods, and discover the perfect place that resonated with our vision for life in Chicago.

This trip was filled with a potent mix of excitement and definite nervousness. It was only my second time visiting Chicago, ever. While my initial visit in November had enchanted me, I hadn’t returned since. This time, the stakes were incredibly real. There was no room for speculation, no uncertainty, no “maybe if we move to Chicago…” This move was officially happening. The pressure was undeniably on, and I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to a slight worry that the city might not charm me as much the second time around, especially with such a crucial task at hand.

In the weeks leading up to our trip, right after our wedding, we began laying the groundwork for our apartment hunt. We connected with several apartment brokers (whose services, thankfully, are free for renters!), reached out to friends of friends living in the area, and started vaguely browsing online listings. However, we knew the most significant portion of our search would unfold during our dedicated week in the city. There’s simply no substitute for experiencing neighborhoods firsthand and walking through potential homes.

Our week-long journey in Chicago perfectly balanced productivity with pleasure: approximately 50% apartment hunting and 50% indulging in the city’s incredible culinary scene. While the apartment search could be quite exhausting at times, the sheer joy of exploring Chicago’s food landscape more than made up for it. For those curious about our delicious adventures, I’ve compiled a comprehensive list of all the fantastic places we visited at the end of this post!

Given that Connor and I weren’t intimately familiar with most of Chicago’s diverse areas – beyond a general idea of which neighborhoods piqued our interest – we devised a unique strategy. We decided to stay in three different Airbnbs, each located in a distinct neighborhood: Lincoln Park, River North, and West Loop. This idea, which came to me before our wedding, proved to be invaluable and something I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone relocating to an unfamiliar city. It offers a genuine chance to interact with locals, provides a more “home-like” feel than a hotel, and, most importantly, allowed us to explore and experience various neighborhoods as if we were already living there, truly getting a sense of their daily rhythm and atmosphere.

Kicking Off the Search: River North and Culinary Delights

Upon our arrival in Chicago mid-Sunday, we opted to delay the official start of our apartment search until Monday morning. Our first Airbnb was ideally situated in River North, placing us right in the vibrant heart of the city. This area boasts an incredible array of shops, countless restaurants, and, to my particular delight, my absolute favorite: Eataly.

In fact, Eataly was our very first stop once we settled into the city. Having visited the New York City location multiple times, this was my inaugural experience at the Chicago branch. We celebrated our arrival and toasted to the upcoming apartment hunt with a delicious platter of charcuterie and cheese, a simple yet perfect salad, and house-brewed Saison beer (which was absolutely fantastic!). While Chicago is teeming with a million amazing food destinations, the thought of living within arm’s reach of this mecca of Italian cuisine and impeccable ingredients immediately filled me with excitement. The trip was off to a truly promising start.

Navigating the Intense Apartment Market

Bright and early the next morning, our intensive apartment search officially commenced. We started by looking at a few owner-listed apartments before transitioning to viewing a wide variety of apartment buildings across the city. For those familiar with Chicago, our search radius was quite expansive, covering areas between Lincoln Park (the furthest north we considered to minimize Connor’s commute) and South Loop – a significant territory to explore within just a few days. Our goal was to maximize our options, understand what our budget could afford in different locales, and thoroughly experience various neighborhoods to find the best fit.

We dedicated nearly 100% of Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to apartment hunting – either physically touring units or frantically searching for last-minute listings online. We quickly learned that apartments in Chicago disappear from the market at an astonishing speed, often within mere hours, especially during this peak season. Multiple people advised us that if we genuinely liked a place, we needed to submit an application promptly and make a decision with swift confidence. It was either commit right away or be prepared to lose out. Talk about pressure!

By the end of this whirlwind period, we had worked with four different brokers and collectively viewed over 20 apartments. Some of these were within the same building, showcasing various floors or floorplan options, but the majority were in entirely different buildings and neighborhoods. We encountered a vast spectrum of living spaces: from a unit within a charming two-story townhouse to an apartment on the 57th floor of a towering skyscraper. Modern, traditional, incredibly dark, spectacularly well-lit – you name it, and we likely saw it. We even toured one apartment situated directly above the ‘L’ track, which, as you can imagine, was incredibly loud (a definite no-go). Our cat, Max, would have likely spent the rest of his life cowering under the bed. The entire process felt a little insane, necessitating countless phone photos to keep track of every single apartment we saw!

The Almost-Chosen Home in River North

After touring numerous places and gaining a much clearer understanding of our preferences, we discovered an apartment in River North on Tuesday evening that felt promising. We went as far as filling out an application to reserve it, and excitedly shared the news with our families that night. The hunt, it seemed, was over. Connor and I felt good about our choice, but a nagging thought persisted: should we look at a few more places the following day, just to be absolutely certain? Especially since we already had an appointment with another broker scheduled for Wednesday morning to explore additional neighborhoods.

Discovering Our Dream in West Loop

The next morning, we woke bright and early, heading to a neighborhood we had heard countless positive things about – one that had been recommended to us for a while, but we hadn’t yet had the chance to explore ourselves: the West Loop. I had been in touch with this particular broker for several weeks leading up to the trip, and I had a strong feeling she had a good grasp of what we both liked and what we were seeking.

We first saw a nice, albeit smaller, unit in a West Loop building. However, we quickly ruled it out due to an ongoing high-rise construction directly in front of the unit’s windows. This would inevitably block nearly all natural light, a crucial element for us. No, thank you.

Following that, we headed to what would be our final option in the West Loop. At this point, we still hadn’t had much opportunity to walk around the neighborhood or get a true feel for the surrounding area. However, we were immediately captivated by the next unit. It was noticeably larger than the apartment we were considering in River North, and the natural light was simply incredible (southeast exposure – a dream!). It was also significantly more reasonably priced, the building offered fantastic amenities, and it featured a standard-size gas stove (a major upgrade from the electric, apartment-sized oven in the River North unit). Even better, it was within comfortable walking distance to both Whole Foods and Mariano’s, essentials for any food lover.

At that precise moment, we quickly realized this was a far superior option for us, regardless of our initial familiarity with the neighborhood. We filled out an application, feeling a profound sense of rightness. To help us truly familiarize ourselves with the area, our broker then took us on an impromptu walking tour. Within minutes of starting, both Connor and I were incredibly excited. Greektown, brimming with amazing family-owned restaurants and charming small Greek grocers, was just steps away. Our apartment was only a 5 to 10-minute walk from Chicago’s infamous ‘Restaurant Row,’ an area packed with an abundance of incredible dining establishments, old-school butcheries (a nod to the area’s history as a meat-packing district), and various restaurant supply stores. It was about 2 o’clock in the afternoon, and the streets were bustling with people enjoying lunch outdoors. The area felt incredibly vibrant yet maintained a distinct neighborhood feel, slightly quieter than River North – a preference we both shared.

Within a block of ‘Restaurant Row,’ we stumbled upon a tiny alley transformed into an outdoor Texan BBQ joint called Green Street Smoked Meats. This single alley also harbored a hidden ramen spot and a tucked-away champagne bar. Across the street from this vibrant alley stood Chicago’s SOHO House, an industrial warehouse reimagined, with its first two floors open to the public. These floors were filled with delightful little cafes, including a chicken shop, a pizza place, and on the ground floor, The Allis – a beautifully appointed lounge and cocktail bar, perfect for bringing a laptop, reading a book, or getting some work done. All of this, literally within arm’s reach of the apartment? We were completely sold. To make a long story short, we officially chose the West Loop apartment and are set to move in on June 10th, giving us ample time to settle before Connor begins his residency a few days later.

Embracing Our New Chicago Chapter

Neither of us anticipated feeling this level of confidence and excitement about our new neighborhood or the upcoming move! The West Loop’s surrounding area is incredibly vibrant, and I know its renowned food scene will be an endless source of inspiration for me and my work. Not to mention, it’s simply a fantastic and fun place to live. I’m also eagerly looking forward to cooking in our new kitchen. With direct sunlight, I’ll be able to capture even more process shots for the blog, and perhaps even start experimenting with cooking videos! Plus, I’ll finally have a much-needed dedicated space to focus and work, a real office of my own.

Of course, we are still sad to say goodbye to our family and friends in the DC area (if we could bring them with us, we absolutely would!). However, I have an undeniable feeling that we are going to fall completely in love with Chicago. Here’s to many exciting new adventures, and a lifetime of incredible food experiences ahead!

Our Chicago Culinary Guide: Unforgettable Meals

During our trip, we embarked on a culinary exploration, and I’m thrilled to report that we didn’t have a single bad meal! Here’s a curated list of the places that truly stood out:

West Loop Delights:

• Little Goat Diner: This lively diner, located directly across the street from Stephanie Izard’s acclaimed The Girl and the Goat, serves breakfast, dinner, and everything in between. Their menu is incredibly creative and packed with amazing options. We especially loved the ‘Little Piggy Went to China’ breakfast dish, featuring a cheddar-scallion biscuit, perfectly cooked sunny-side eggs, Szechuan pork sausage, chili garlic chive sauce, and fresh blackberries! I can already envision this becoming our favorite weekend breakfast spot.
• Parlor Pizza Bar: A fantastic, casual everyday pizza joint known for its excellent beer selection and ample outdoor seating. We celebrated finding our apartment here with the ‘Burrata Be Kidding Me’ pizza – a delicious white pizza topped with fresh arugula tossed in a bright lemon-truffle oil vinaigrette.
• Soho House: While we haven’t officially dined here yet, I’m already utterly obsessed. My fascination stems from its stunning interior design, the expansive space, and the beautiful food displays in The Allis. The fact that I can bring my laptop and work there is a huge bonus! Plus, I’ve heard rave reviews about their avocado toast topped with poached eggs. This place could very well become a delightful (and frequent) indulgence.
• Vivo: Nestled in the heart of Restaurant Row, Vivo is a beautiful Italian restaurant. It offers wonderful homemade pasta dishes and simple, yet elegantly prepared Italian food. It’s notable as one of the oldest dining establishments in this culinary district.

Lincoln Park Gems:

• Kameya: Our Lincoln Park Airbnb hosts recommended this tiny, hidden 10-seat sushi restaurant, and it turned out to be some of the best sushi I’ve ever tasted! The fish was exceptionally fresh, and their yellowtail ponzu starter was incredibly delicious. They also craft very creative rolls. I’m already yearning to go back.
• Butcher & the Burger: This casual, yet incredibly creative burger joint offers a diverse range of patty options, from pork and bison to salmon, grass-fed beef, and vegetarian choices. You get to customize everything – the patty, spice seasoning, bun, toppings, and all the extras! Their hand-cut fries are among the best I’ve ever had. An interesting bonus: they also offer pig butchering classes!
• Annette’s Italian Ice: A classic walk-up counter serving ice cream, frozen custard, and Italian ice, tucked alongside an old brick building. They feature classic flavors alongside local favorites, including the unique Chicago Pothole (chocolate ice cream with chocolate fudge swirls and chocolate chunks).
• Strings Ramen: With locations in Lincoln Park and Chinatown, Strings Ramen serves truly excellent ramen. All their noodles are handmade. We particularly loved the Tonkotsu Ramen, which boasts a rich 48-hour slow-boiled Berkshire pork bone broth, topped with incredibly tender pork belly, crushed garlic, nori, scallions, and a medley of other delicious ingredients. It’s a rich and deeply satisfying bowl.

Gold Coast Discovery:

• Velvet Taco: A newer, casual taco joint in the Gold Coast (which actually originated in Texas). They craft some of the most delicious and creative tacos I’ve ever tasted, including an amazing Ahi Tuna Poke lettuce wrap taco. I could honestly eat ten of those in one sitting! Plus, any place that hand-presses their corn tortillas with each order earns high marks in my book.

River North Favorites:

• Gilt Bar: A fun and very reasonably priced restaurant in River North, known for its excellent craft cocktails (their Pimm’s Cup with ginger beer was fantastic!) and a great ambiance. Connor enjoyed a delicious gnocchi with pork belly, while I savored a wonderful charred octopus main course with garbanzo beans.
• Eataly: We somehow managed to visit Eataly at least three times during our Chicago trip. Need I say more? I could literally spend hours in their cheese department alone – it’s a paradise for foodies.
• Osteria la Madia: An inviting Italian restaurant that serves truly great pizzas. It’s unpretentious, easy to get a table at on a weekday, and embodies the kind of place you can imagine returning to time and time again for a reliably delicious meal.

Beyond Dining:

• Lincoln Park Zoo: This zoo has quickly climbed to the top of my list of favorite zoos! It’s completely free and open to the public, just steps away from Lake Michigan, and features some of the best animal exhibits I’ve ever seen, including many unique animals. Plus, they currently have an adorable two-month-old baby gorilla – ridiculously charming!