Before, during and after the conference, make some time to experience Chicago. From opera to Off Broadway, museums to the Mag Mile, Chicago in March is filled with things to do and sights to see. For more information and ideas, visit the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau to make the most of your time in Chicago.
Restaurants | Nightlife | Shopping | Museums | Tours & Attractions | Sports
Takashi Restaurant
1952 North Damen Avenue
773/772-6170
(Laren’s favorite restaurant.)
Salpicon
1252 North Wells
312/988-7811
(As good as Frontera Grill, without the wait.)
The Gage
24 South Michigan Avenue
312/372-4243
(Gastropub. Upscale yet down to earth. Across from Millennium Park.)
Pelago
201 E Delaware Place
312/280-0700
(Master with fish. He used to be Exec Chef at Felidia in NY but he got smart and came to Chicago.)
Mindy’s Hot Chocolate
1747 North Damen Avenue
773/489-1747
(The most fun menu ever. Can eat a seriously delicious meal here, not to mention the desserts which have to be good with a name like that.)
Rosebud Steakhouse
192 E Walton Pl
312/397-1000
(Never took anyone here who didn’t like it. Classic Chicago Steakhouse)
Piccolo Sogno Restaurant
464 North Halsted Street
312/421-0077
(Best authentic Italian food in the city. Great wines too.)
Publican
837 West Fulton Market
312/733-9555
(Hipster restaurant of the moment. Temple of pork, beer and seafood.)
Mercadito
108 W Kinzie Street
312/329-9555
(Tacos are their specialty but ceviche is equally good.)
Meli
301 S Halsted Street
312/454-0748
(Best breakfast in the City. In Greektown, but not your daddy’s Greek coffee shop.)
For more suggestions, visit Metromix Chicago.
Bull and Bear (bar and grill)
431 N Wells Street
312/527-5973
(Bull and Bear is fully equipped with state-of-the-art viewing capabilities, a complete lunch, dinner & bar menu, extensive wine and cocktail list and first-of-its kind drinking amenities, The Personal Table Tap.)
Crobar (dance club)
1543 North Kingsbury Street
312/266-1900
(Legendary dance club. The swirling crowd on the dance floor, however, remains the club’s real focal point. The floor is framed above by a balcony lined with booths that offer a great view of what’s going on down below.)
Excalibur (bar and dance club)
632 North Dearborn Street
312/266-1944
(Excalibur is one of the largest nightclubs in the city. With more than 60,000 square feet of partying space, this late-night, early-morning, prime-time groove palace gives party-goers much more than they can chew.)
Howl at the Moon (piano bar)
26 West Hubbard Street
312/863-7427
(This unusual saloon-like club features a rowdy atmosphere complete with dueling pianists who encourage diners to belt out familiar tunes.)
Hub 51 (lounge)
51 West Hubbard Street
312/828-0051
(Look for an “urban and industrial space” and a broad menu covering everything from seafood and sushi to tacos and burgers. Head downstairs to Sub 51, a reservations-only, DJ-fueled lounge space.)
Kitty O’Sheas (Irish pub)
Hilton Chicago, lobby level
312/294-6860
(If you don’t feel like venturing out, enjoy a bit of old Ireland in this authentic Irish pub located in the Hilton. Irish spirits and live Irish entertainment nightly.)
Lumen (dance club and lounge)
839 West Fulton Market
312/733-2222
(This lounge boasts an innovative multimedia system blending LED lights, video and sound for a cutting-edge experience. Housed in a former meat packing factory, the 5,000-square-foot space has been turned into a contemporary nightlife venue with custom-built, low-slung modular seating filling nearly 75 percent of the lounge.)
Rockit (bar and grill)
22 West Hubbard Street
312/645-6000
(A large first-floor dining area reflects the space’s past life as lamp factory: exposed beams, brick walls and a 75-foot skylight. An upstairs lounge softens things with rich browns and creams, pool tables and plasma TVs.)
Sound Bar (dance club and lounge)
226 West Ontario Street
312/787-4480
(This 20,000-square-foot space is decorated in a minimalist style and divided into two levels, two dance floors and nine separate bar areas. Aiming to attract a diverse crowd, Sound Bar’s downstairs lounges and upscale wine and champagne selection appeal to an older clientele, while the hard house music and bottles of light beer satisfy the younger set.)
Spybar (dance club)
646 North Franklin Street
312/337-2191
(This 4 a.m. spot continues to focus on top-notch house DJs. Beats will pump through a state-of-the-art sound system.)
Theory (sports bar and lounge)
9 West Hubbard Street
312/644-0004
(This modern sports-focused lounge fancies itself one step above your standard sports bar. Comfy barstools and chairs are fit for extended game watching, and a casual menu of American and Mexican eats has a touch of barbecue by way of pulled pork and ribs.)
The Underground (dance club and lounge)
56 West Illinois Street
312/644-7600
(This subterranean space aims to live up to the hype with unmarked entrances “guarded” by beefy bouncer-types and a sexy staff outfitted in military uniforms. Huge celebrity hang out.)
Lasalle Power Company (restaurant and club)
500 N. La Salle Drive
312/661-1122
(Tri-level River North rock bar and music venue. Shoot pool or order up comfort food classics on the first and second floors, or watch a concert on the top floor, outfitted with a stage and room for 450. The focus is on indie rock/alternative music, with local bands on the weekends and at least one national act per month.)
Y-Bar (lounge)
224 West Ontario Street
312/274-1880
(This spot is a more intimate concept that puts less focus on beats and more emphasis on lounging.)
Gay and Lesbian Scene
Hydrate
3458 North Halsted Street
773/975-9244
(The bar’s blue-hued front room serves as a lounge, while the club’s rear turns into a full-blown dance club after 11 p.m. and stays going until the wee hours thanks to Hydrate’s late-night license.)
Minibar/Winebar
3339 North Halsted Street
773/871-6227
(Bartenders with model looks, Minibar focuses on flavor-infused spirits and cocktails, and Winebar serves a selection of panini, bruschettas, salads and cheese to compliment your vino. The two contemporary spaces are joined by a rear hallway, and when the music’s turned up late at night and the party vibe pervades, you won’t be able to tell the difference.)
Sidetrack
3349 North Halsted Street
773/477-9189
(Gay bar catering to a predominantly male, fun-seeking clientele. The bar includes four rooms, including an airy front patio that looks onto Halsted Street, plus a multi-level, rooftop deck for 350 people.)
- The Magnificent Mile along Michigan Avenue — just a short cab ride (or a long walk from the Hilton). In this eight-block stretch, 460 stores offer luxury items, beautiful bargains, and everything in-between.
- State Street Retail Historic District (a short cab ride or a nice walk from the Hilton) and surrounding Loop stores — including the historic Macy’s (formally Marshall Fields) covers a full city block
- Oak Street is an international style center with high-end stores and salons just steps off Michigan Avenue. Art and antiques collectors hunt for treasure in the 60-plus galleries of nearby River North Gallery District.
- Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum, the world’s only museum with two full-size planetarium theaters
- The Art Institute of Chicago, whose permanent collection of paintings, drawings, photography and textiles includes the largest compilation of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works outside the Louvre
- The Field Museum, 20 million biological and anthropological specimens, including Sue, the largest and most complete T. rex ever found
- The Museum of Science and Industry, the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere offers over 800 captivating interactive exhibits including the U-505 submarine, a working coal mine, a Boeing 727 airplane, and much, much more
- Shedd Aquarium, 22,000 aquatic species
- The Museum of Contemporary Art
- The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
- The Museum of Contemporary Photography
- Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies
- DuSable Museum of African American History
- The Oriental Institute
- Chicago Children’s Museum
- Navy Pier, the Midwest’s top tourist destination and its boardwalk with countless dining or shopping options
- Millennium Park offers dazzling music, art, landscape design and architecture including the mammoth stainless-steel Cloud Gate sculpture and ice skating in the winter
- Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) 103rd floor of Skydeck Chicago
- Hancock Observatory 94th floor
- The city’s 29 miles of lakefront paths are just one reason Chicago is one of the world’s most walkable and beautiful cities
- Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago's Architectural Showplace for the Lively and Visual Arts and the city's official Visitor Center
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Phoenix Coyotes
Tuesday, March 23, 7:30 pm
United Center, 1901 West Madison Street, Chicago
Purchase Tickets
Chicago Bulls vs. Houston Rockets
Monday, March 22, 7 pm
United Center, 1901 West Madison Street, Chicago
Purchase Tickets