Entertainment Districts

Alton, Illinois

Downtown Alton along the Mississippi River presents historic riverfront restaurants and bars, known for its Route 66 heritage and riverboat casino district.

Antioch, Illinois

Downtown Antioch presents restaurants and bars serving the Chain O'Lakes region near the Wisconsin border.

Arlington Heights, Illinois

Downtown Arlington Heights presents a walkable Metra-adjacent corridor of restaurants and bars serving Chicago's northwest suburbs.

Aurora, Illinois

Downtown Aurora along the Fox River presents the historic Paramount Theatre and riverfront restaurants serving Illinois's second-largest city.

Barrington, Illinois

Downtown Barrington presents restaurants and bars serving Chicago's affluent northwest suburbs.

Belleville, Illinois

Downtown Belleville presents a historic public square with restaurants and bars serving the Metro East St. Louis region of southern Illinois.

Berwyn, Illinois

Downtown Berwyn presents the FitzGerald's roots-music nightclub alongside a growing restaurant scene serving one of Chicago's historic western suburbs.

Bloomingdale, Illinois

Bloomingdale presents restaurants and bars serving Chicago's northwest DuPage County suburbs.

Bloomington, Illinois

Downtown Bloomington presents the historic Illinois Wesleyan University-area corridor of restaurants and bars in central Illinois.

Bolingbrook, Illinois

Bolingbrook presents restaurants and bars along the Boughton Road corridor serving Chicago's southwest suburbs.

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Bourbonnais near Kankakee presents restaurants and bars serving Olivet Nazarene University's campus community.

Bridgeview, Illinois

The area surrounding SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview presents sports bars and restaurants serving Chicago Fire FC game-day crowds in the southwest suburbs.

Carbondale, Illinois

The Strip along South Illinois Avenue in Carbondale presents bars and live music venues serving the Southern Illinois University campus community.

Champaign, Illinois

Campustown in Champaign presents Green Street's dense bar and restaurant corridor serving the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus community.

Charleston, Illinois

Downtown Charleston presents restaurants and bars serving Eastern Illinois University's campus community.

Chicago, Illinois

Andersonville is one of Chicago's most beloved neighborhood entertainment districts — a North Clark Street corridor where the Swedish and Middle Eastern immigrant heritage combines with one of Chicago's most vibrant LGBTQ+ communities to create a neighborhood entertainment experience of unusual cultural richness. Andersonville's extraordinary independent businesses, its remarkable neighborhood character, and its genuine community spirit create an entertainment district that captures the essential diversity and warmth of Chicago at its best.

N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640

Chicago, Illinois

Boystown in Lakeview along North Halsted Street is one of the most historically significant LGBTQ neighborhoods in America, presenting nightclubs and bars anchoring Chicago's Pride celebrations.

Chicago, Illinois

Bronzeville, the historic heart of Chicago's African American culture during the Great Migration, presents jazz and blues venues along a corridor once known as the Black Metropolis.

Chicago, Illinois

Chinatown along Wentworth Avenue presents one of the largest and most authentic Chinese dining districts in the Midwest, a vibrant entertainment neighborhood south of downtown Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois

Gold Coast presents upscale cocktail lounges and rooftop bars near Chicago's most affluent lakefront residential neighborhood along Rush Street.

Chicago, Illinois

Greektown along Halsted Street presents flaming saganaki and Greek tavernas in a historic ethnic enclave just west of the Loop, one of Chicago's most celebratory dining districts.

Chicago, Illinois

Hyde Park on Chicago's South Side presents jazz clubs and restaurants serving the University of Chicago campus community and the Obama Presidential Center neighborhood.

Chicago, Illinois

Lincoln Park presents Armitage and Halsted's dense corridor of bars and restaurants near DePaul University and Lincoln Park Zoo, one of Chicago's most popular young-professional neighborhoods.

Chicago, Illinois

Little Italy along Taylor Street presents Italian restaurants and the Chicago original of Mario's Italian Lemonade, a historic ethnic dining district near the UIC campus.

Chicago, Illinois

Logan Square is Chicago's most rapidly gentrifying entertainment neighborhood — a Northwest Side district where James Beard Award-winning restaurants, outstanding craft breweries, and the city's most innovative cocktail bars create a food and drink culture of remarkable contemporary Chicago creativity. Logan Square's extraordinary tree-lined boulevards, its remarkable independent restaurant scene, and its role as the new center of Chicago's culinary and cocktail excellence create an entertainment district of genuine Chicago food culture significance.

Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Chicago, Illinois

Navy Pier is Chicago's most visited lakefront entertainment destination — a beautifully restored 1916 pier presenting the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, outstanding restaurants, the Centennial Wheel (Chicago's most iconic Ferris wheel), and spectacular Lake Michigan panoramas. Navy Pier's extraordinary transformation from a military facility to one of the most visited destinations in America and its remarkable programming depth create a lakefront entertainment complex of genuine Chicago civic significance.

600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

Chicago, Illinois

Old Town presents Wells Street's comedy clubs and jazz bars including Second City and Zanies, one of Chicago's most historically significant entertainment neighborhoods.

Chicago, Illinois

Pilsen is Chicago's most extraordinary working-class arts district — a predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood where muralists, galleries, and excellent restaurants create the most important Hispanic arts community in the Midwest. Pilsen's remarkable combination of authentic Mexican culture, extraordinary street art (the most impressive outdoor mural collection in the Midwest), and a rapidly growing creative arts scene creates an entertainment district of genuine Chicago multicultural significance.

W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608

Chicago, Illinois

Millennium Park's Jay Pritzker Pavilion is Chicago's most celebrated public entertainment space — a Frank Gehry-designed stainless steel band shell with a 4,000-seat great lawn that accommodates 11,000 standing guests for free nightly summer concerts. The park also houses the interactive "Bean" sculpture, Crown Fountain, and serves as the hub of Chicago's entire lakefront entertainment ecosystem, drawing 25 million visitors annually.

201 E Randolph St 60601

Chicago, Illinois

River North is Chicago's premier entertainment and nightlife district — a high-density neighbourhood north of the Chicago River packed with high-end restaurants, cocktail bars, nightclubs, and live music venues. The Magnificent Mile and the growing Chicago casino market (Rivers Casino in nearby Des Plaines, city casino under development) make River North the hub of Chicago's entertainment offering for gaming visitors.

River North, Chicago 60654

Chicago, Illinois

River North is Chicago's most concentrated arts and entertainment district — a former warehouse neighborhood transformed into one of the world's most important gallery districts, with over 50 galleries, outstanding restaurants, and the most vibrant cocktail bar scene in Chicago. River North's extraordinary architectural heritage (it contains some of Chicago's finest converted industrial buildings) and its consistent concentration of world-class dining and drinking create an entertainment district of genuine Chicago cosmopolitan significance.

N Franklin St, Chicago, IL 60610

Chicago, Illinois

Rogers Park on Chicago's far North Side presents a diverse lakefront neighborhood of bars and restaurants near Loyola University Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois

South Loop presents restaurants and bars near Grant Park and the Museum Campus, a rapidly developed residential and entertainment district south of the Loop.

Chicago, Illinois

Streeterville near Navy Pier and Michigan Avenue presents hotel bars and restaurants serving Chicago's Magnificent Mile tourism corridor.

Chicago, Illinois

Ukrainian Village presents craft cocktail bars and Eastern European restaurants in one of Chicago's most architecturally distinctive West Side neighborhoods.

Chicago, Illinois

Uptown presents the historic Aragon Ballroom and Riviera Theatre alongside a revitalizing Broadway Avenue corridor, once Chicago's premier 1920s entertainment district.

Chicago, Illinois

West Loop / Fulton Market is Chicago's most important contemporary entertainment district — a former meatpacking neighborhood transformed into "Chicago's Restaurant Row" where the highest concentration of James Beard Award-winning restaurants in the Midwest, outstanding cocktail bars, and the world's best restaurants (Alinea, The Aviary) create the most critically acclaimed dining and entertainment experience in America outside New York. Randolph Street's extraordinary restaurant density and Fulton Market's remarkable culinary prestige create an entertainment district of genuine global gastronomic significance.

W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

Chicago, Illinois

West Town presents Division Street's growing bar and restaurant scene bridging Wicker Park and the West Loop on Chicago's Near West Side.

Chicago, Illinois

Wicker Park / Bucktown is Chicago's most creative entertainment neighborhood — a North Side district where outstanding independent restaurants, cocktail bars, music venues, and galleries create the most complete neighborhood entertainment experience in the Midwest. Named the "hippest neighborhood in America" by multiple national publications, Wicker Park's remarkable creative energy and its extraordinary concentration of independently owned establishments create an entertainment district of genuine Chicago artistic significance.

N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Chicago, Illinois

Wrigleyville is one of America's most vibrant sports entertainment neighborhoods — a North Clark Street corridor surrounding Wrigley Field (the most beloved ballpark in America) where the Cubs' extraordinary 2016 World Series championship (ending a 108-year drought) created cultural celebrations of historic significance. Wrigleyville's extraordinary combination of authentic neighborhood character, world-class sports passion, and outstanding bars creates a sports entertainment district uniquely shaped by the most loyal fan base in baseball.

N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613

Chicago Heights, Illinois

Chicago Heights presents restaurants and bars serving Chicago's far south suburban Bloom Township community.

Cicero, Illinois

Cicero presents Mexican restaurants and bars along Cermak Road, serving one of Chicago's largest Latino immigrant communities just west of the city.

Collinsville, Illinois

Downtown Collinsville, home of the World's Largest Catsup Bottle, presents restaurants and bars serving the Metro East St. Louis region.

Crete, Illinois

Crete presents restaurants and bars serving Chicago's far south suburbs near the Indiana border.

Crystal Lake, Illinois

Downtown Crystal Lake presents restaurants and bars around Crystal Lake serving McHenry County's largest city.

Danville, Illinois

Downtown Danville presents restaurants and bars serving Vermilion County near the Indiana border in east-central Illinois.

DeKalb, Illinois

Downtown DeKalb presents restaurants and bars serving the Northern Illinois University campus community.

Decatur, Illinois

Downtown Decatur presents restaurants and bars serving Macon County in central Illinois's agricultural and manufacturing corridor.

Deerfield, Illinois

Downtown Deerfield presents restaurants and bars serving Chicago's North Shore suburbs near Ravinia Festival.

Des Plaines, Illinois

Downtown Des Plaines presents restaurants and bars near Rivers Casino serving Chicago's near-northwest suburbs by O'Hare.

Dixon, Illinois

Downtown Dixon presents the historic Ronald Reagan boyhood home tourism corridor alongside restaurants and bars along the Rock River in north-central Illinois.

Downers Grove, Illinois

Downtown Downers Grove's Main Street presents restaurants and bars serving Chicago's western DuPage County suburbs.

Edwardsville, Illinois

Downtown Edwardsville presents a historic Main Street of restaurants and bars serving the Metro East St. Louis region and SIU Edwardsville campus community.

Effingham, Illinois

Downtown Effingham presents restaurants and bars at the crossroads of I-70 and I-57 in central Illinois.

Elgin, Illinois

Downtown Elgin along the Fox River presents the historic Hemmens Cultural Center and Grand Victoria Casino district serving the Fox Valley region.

Elmhurst, Illinois

Downtown Elmhurst presents restaurants and bars serving one of Chicago's most walkable near-western suburbs.

Evanston, Illinois

Downtown Evanston presents restaurants and bars serving the Northwestern University campus community along the Lake Michigan shoreline north of Chicago.

Evergreen Park, Illinois

Evergreen Park presents restaurants and bars along 95th Street serving Chicago's south suburbs near the Evergreen Plaza.

Freeport, Illinois

Downtown Freeport presents restaurants and bars serving Stephenson County near the Wisconsin border, site of the second Lincoln-Douglas debate.

Galena, Illinois

Main Street Galena presents wine tasting rooms and restaurants in a beautifully preserved 19th-century lead-mining town in northwestern Illinois.

Geneva, Illinois

Downtown Geneva along the Fox River presents boutique shops and restaurants in a preserved historic downtown west of Chicago.

Glenview, Illinois

Downtown Glenview presents The Glen Town Center's restaurants and bars serving Chicago's North Shore suburbs.

Gurnee, Illinois

Gurnee presents restaurants and bars near Six Flags Great America and Gurnee Mills outlet mall, a major Lake County entertainment corridor.

Highland Park, Illinois

Downtown Highland Park presents upscale restaurants and bars serving one of Chicago's most affluent North Shore lakefront suburbs, near the Ravinia Festival grounds.

Hinsdale, Illinois

Downtown Hinsdale presents upscale restaurants and boutiques serving one of Chicago's most affluent western suburbs.

Homer Glen, Illinois

Homer Glen presents restaurants and bars serving Chicago's southwest Will County suburbs.

Homewood, Illinois

Downtown Homewood presents a walkable Metra-adjacent corridor of restaurants and bars serving Chicago's south suburbs.

Joliet, Illinois

Downtown Joliet presents the historic Rialto Square Theatre alongside riverboat casino-district restaurants and bars serving Chicago's southwest suburbs.

Kankakee, Illinois

Downtown Kankakee along the Kankakee River presents restaurants and bars serving the southern Chicago metro exurbs.

Lake Forest, Illinois

Market Square in Lake Forest, one of the first planned shopping centers in America, presents upscale restaurants and boutiques serving the North Shore's most exclusive suburb.

Libertyville, Illinois

Downtown Libertyville presents a walkable historic corridor of restaurants and bars serving Lake County's western suburbs.

Lisle, Illinois

Downtown Lisle presents restaurants and bars serving DuPage County near the Morton Arboretum.

Lombard, Illinois

Downtown Lombard presents restaurants and bars serving DuPage County near Lilacia Park.

Macomb, Illinois

Downtown Macomb presents restaurants and bars serving Western Illinois University's campus community.

McHenry, Illinois

Downtown McHenry along the Fox River presents restaurants and bars serving the Chain O'Lakes boating community in northern Illinois.

Moline, Illinois

The Quad Cities riverfront along the Mississippi River presents restaurants and bars serving the Illinois-Iowa metro area centered on Moline and Rock Island.

Morris, Illinois

Downtown Morris presents restaurants and bars serving Grundy County along the Illinois River near Gebhard Woods State Park.

Mount Prospect, Illinois

Downtown Mount Prospect presents a Metra-adjacent corridor of restaurants and bars serving Chicago's northwest suburbs.

Mount Vernon, Illinois

Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mount Vernon presents an outdoor sculpture park, art museum, and concert programming serving southern Illinois.

Mount Vernon, Illinois

Downtown Mount Vernon presents restaurants and bars serving southern Illinois at the crossroads of I-57 and I-64.

Naperville, Illinois

Naperville Riverwalk along the DuPage River presents restaurants and bars in a scenic downtown corridor serving one of Chicagoland's largest and most affluent western suburbs.

Niles, Illinois

Niles presents restaurants and bars along Milwaukee Avenue serving Chicago's near-northwest suburbs.

Normal, Illinois

Uptown Normal presents a revitalized traffic circle of restaurants and bars serving the Illinois State University campus community.

Northbrook, Illinois

Downtown Northbrook presents restaurants and bars serving Chicago's affluent North Shore suburban corridor.

Oak Brook, Illinois

Oakbrook Center presents an upscale open-air shopping and dining development serving Chicago's western suburban corridor along I-88.

Oak Lawn, Illinois

Oak Lawn presents restaurants and bars along 95th Street serving Chicago's south suburbs.

Oak Park, Illinois

Downtown Oak Park presents restaurants and bars serving Ernest Hemingway's hometown, celebrated for its concentration of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture west of Chicago.

Orland Park, Illinois

Orland Park presents restaurants and bars along the LaGrange Road corridor serving Chicago's southwest suburbs.

Ottawa, Illinois

Downtown Ottawa presents a historic town square with restaurants and bars serving the gateway to Starved Rock State Park in north-central Illinois.

Palatine, Illinois

Downtown Palatine presents a Metra-adjacent corridor of restaurants and bars serving Chicago's northwest suburbs.

Peoria, Illinois

Peoria's Riverfront along the Illinois River presents restaurants and bars anchored by the Peoria Civic Center, serving central Illinois's largest city.

Peru, Illinois

Peru and LaSalle along the Illinois River present restaurants and bars serving the Illinois Valley region near Starved Rock State Park.

Plainfield, Illinois

Downtown Plainfield presents restaurants and bars serving Chicago's fast-growing southwest suburbs.

Quincy, Illinois

Downtown Quincy along the Mississippi River presents restaurants and bars serving western Illinois.

Rockford, Illinois

Downtown Rockford along the Rock River presents the historic Coronado Performing Arts Center alongside restaurants and bars serving northern Illinois's second-largest metro area.

Rosemont, Illinois

Rosemont near O'Hare Airport presents the MB Financial Park entertainment complex with restaurants, bars, and the Allstate Arena and Rosemont Theatre concert venues.

Schaumburg, Illinois

Schaumburg's Woodfield Mall area presents restaurants and bars serving the northwest Chicago suburban corridor near O'Hare International Airport.

Skokie, Illinois

Downtown Skokie presents restaurants and bars serving one of Chicago's most diverse inner-ring northern suburbs.

Springfield, Illinois

Downtown Springfield near the Lincoln Home National Historic Site presents restaurants and bars serving the Illinois state capital.

St. Charles, Illinois

Downtown St. Charles along the Fox River presents restaurants and bars in one of the Fox Valley's most charming historic riverfront downtowns.

Sterling, Illinois

Downtown Sterling presents restaurants and bars along the Rock River in northwestern Illinois.

Tinley Park, Illinois

Downtown Tinley Park's Metra-adjacent corridor presents restaurants and bars near the Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre concert venue in Chicago's south suburbs.

Waukegan, Illinois

Downtown Waukegan on Lake Michigan presents restaurants and bars serving Lake County north of Chicago near the Wisconsin border.

Westmont, Illinois

Downtown Westmont presents restaurants and bars serving Chicago's western DuPage County suburbs.

Wheaton, Illinois

Downtown Wheaton presents restaurants and bars serving DuPage County's seat, home to Wheaton College west of Chicago.

Wheeling, Illinois

Wheeling presents Restaurant Row along Milwaukee Avenue, one of the densest dining corridors in Chicago's northwest suburbs.

Wilmette, Illinois

Downtown Wilmette presents restaurants and bars serving one of Chicago's most affluent North Shore lakefront suburbs.

Woodstock, Illinois

Woodstock Square, filming location for Groundhog Day, presents the historic Woodstock Opera House and restaurants around a Victorian town square in McHenry County.