Lakeview Chicago Neighborhood
Lakeview was once its own township—way back in the 1800s. It has since been incorporated as a neighborhood of Chicago, but aspects of the independent town still linger. Historic entertainment venues and long-established commercial districts thrive in Lakeview attracting North Siders for popular music shows, great shopping and dining, and businesses that serve just about every need you could have in the city. Not to mention Lakeview condo sales provide an excellent place to live amongst all the action.
Downtown Chicagoans used to travel to Lakeview for the nightlife. Well, not much has changed. The neighborhood continues to be an evening hotspot. It has lots of bars, taverns and clubs, plus several of the city’s top concert sites. Two of the biggies are The Vic and Metro. Both regularly book bands touring through Chicago. The converted vintage theaters are used to handling the crush of fans that descend upon Lakeview for shows and it’s not uncommon to see lines of concert-goers awaiting the doors to open for their favorite musical artist.
Other well-attended entertainment destinations in Lakeview include the Mercury Theatre, Briar Theatre (home of The Blue Man Group), Bottom Lounge, Music Box and IO Chicago. Performances range from improv comedy to foreign film screenings. But you don’t have to buy a ticket to have a good time in Lakeview. There is tons of fun to be had at the local watering holes as well. A cluster of sports-themed haunts flank Clark Street near Addison where the tiny neighborhood-within-a-neighborhood of Wrigleyville boasts its namesake ballpark and plenty of related bar & grills. On game days these giant Cub-fan refuges get pretty wild, but don’t worry because the camaraderie far outweighs the rowdy crowds.
Lakeview’s other claim to fame is its remarkable dining scene. There is a bevy of excellent cafés, coffee shops, delicatessens, sushi bars, trattorias, taquerias, pizzerias, steakhouse, bakeries, soda fountains and more. The neighborhood is known for its draw of independent restaurateurs who all afford their own twist on mainstream cuisine. Storefront after storefront along Lakeview’s main drags is filled with quaint places to grab a bite and trendy Zagat-rated eateries with one-of-a-kind menus.
The after-dinner nightcap is never far away in Lakeview. Pop into any of the neighborhood’s dozens of over-21 hangouts. Some Lakeview condos for sale are next door to lively nightlife while others have a low-key local down the block or a few streets away. The options range from martini lounge to dive bar and the clientele varies as much as the ambiance.
Even though Lakeview’s major avenues are bustling, its residential side streets manage to maintain a constant level of peace and quiet. Tall leafy trees shade the homes, which consist mostly of brownstone walkups, converted single-family houses and other low-rise Lakeview condos for sale. The area is highly populated but Lakeview residents happily coexist in the North Side community. In fact, it remains one of Chicago’s most desirable locations to this day.
