By: Emily Bunn × Armon Hayes × Vaughn Lowery
360 Magazine recently visited The Windy City to sight-see, socialize, and of course, enjoy some classic Chicago deep dish pizza. Below, we’ve complied a guide of our must-see stops in Chi-Town. Whether you’re planning your next vacation or prepping for a day trip into the city, 360 is sure to point you in the right direction.
Hornblower Seadog Cruises
Navy Pier, 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
Seadog Speedboat Tours in Chicago provides exciting excursions where tourists can steady their sea legs. Their boat is propelled by two V-12 motors and pushes about 2000 HP. This boat tour venue is a bit cheaper than the other traditional tours in the area. Furthermore, Seadog Cruises are also much more interesting.
Our cruise guide was extremely comical and entertaining, which made for an enthralling trip. He possessed a charismatic and energetic zeal that was infectious to our entire tour group. Yet, the most attractive part of the route was the stunning view of the Chicago skyline.
Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe
196 E Pearson St, Chicago, IL 60611
Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe (established 2004) is one of the most well-known breakfast spots in The Windy City. Their high-quality level of service and ability to produce an impeccable pancake is unmatched.
We dove into many of their dishes and secondary orders– like their turkey bacon, sausages and muffins, as well as fruit cups. If you visit, Wildberry’s fresh-pressed orange juice is a must-try. This fine eatery is handled like a well-oiled machine. Although it took a while to sit down, once we ordered our food came out right away.
Sidetrack
3349 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60657
Sidetrack is a high-energy, alternative discothèque experience. This extremely diversified and non-intrusive venue welcomes all guests. Cheap booze and good music are provided so that customers can get their groove on. The venue hosted a polite doorman and a bartender with access to several rooms.
On Sunday, Sidetrack possessed a highly mixed ratio of men and women of all genders, beliefs and cultures. 360 Magazine strongly recommends this spot for a memorable night of dancing. On the whole, the crowd was friendly, funny and fabulous. Sidetrack is the perfect spot to break the ice.
The Signature Room at the 95th®
875 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
The Signature Room is a premium, fine dining room with 360° views over Chicago’s breathtaking city center. If you’re dressed to impress (since The Signature Room does enforce a dress code), head straight to the restaurant’s living room for an intimate and decadent culinary experience. To pair with your dish, The Signature Room offers many delicious specialty cocktails. As compared to any other top-class steakhouse, The Signature room is moderately prices and provides superior foodie selections. 360 Magazine was waited on by staff who was attentive, professional and amicable.
While their cuisine is amazing, the restaurant’s expansive views take the cake. The elevator pushes you to the building’s 95th floor in minutes–so if you fear heights, think twice. Regardless, The Signature Room is a Windy City staple. A must-visit.
Windy City Nails & Spa
5316 N Milwaukee Ave ste g, Chicago, IL 60630
360 Magazine stayed at nearby Airbnb in this neighborhood and wanted to get a last-minute pedicure. Windy City Nails & Spa saved the day! This nail salon and spa follows all CDC guidelines, and even took our temperature while wearing masks. This no-frills facility offers nail, waxing, and eyebrow services.
When it came time to pay, Windy City’s doting service and pedicure cost us $28. The nail tech took her time to perform the manicure with gentle care and precision. This nail parlor is great option, if you don’t want to go into downtown Chicago and pay the downtown prices.
Gorilla Sushi Jefferson Park
4945 N Milwaukee Ave #2, Chicago, IL 60630
Gorilla Sushi is a hidden gem in Jefferson Park near Merta Station. If you’re looking for Asian cuisine to tantalize your tastebuds, look no further. With tasty selections like gyoza, sushi rolls, and sashimi, even the pickiest eaters are sure to find a dish they love.
For a sushi spot, Gorilla Sushi is very inexpensive. This restaurant provides excellent service paired with picturesque presentation. Fresh, fast, and affordable, this sushi joint is a lesser-known treasure of Chicago.
The Underground
56 W Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60654
The Underground Chicago (15) is one of the most legendary nightclubs in the Midwest. Frequented by A-listers like like Justin Bieber, Usher, LaBron James, David Beckham, Will.I.Am, and Miley Cyrus– The Underground provides unmatched, elevated entertainment experiences. Beats reverberated throughout the energetic club all night, thanks to the state of the art sound system. Paired with pyrotechnics and projections, this nightclub truly knows how to put on a show.
This venue has premium bottle service, welcoming staff, and a fashionable porter. On the day we visited, Lil Jon DJ’d alongside Emmy award-winning TV host, actor and personality, Billy Dec. If you’re ready to party after the pandemic, be sure to visit here.
Beat Kitchen on the Riverwalk
91-95 E Riverwalk, Chicago, IL 60601
Beat Kitchen is the perfect pit stop for a cold can on a hot day. 360 Magazine quickly stopped in at this restaurant, and was impressed by their quick and extremely hospitable service. All of the staff was very welcoming.
While Beat Kitchen is a little expensive, you are paying for quality cooking that is surely worth the price. The restaurant of the atmosphere is lively and hip. Beat Kitchen creates an enjoyable ambience with their eclectic array of Afro Latino music.
H&M
840 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
H&M on Michigan Ave offers a boutique service experience and a plethora of stylish pieces. All of H&M’s clothing at this location is clean and easy to find. The merchandise was well organized and offers fashionable, budget-friendly styles for all sizes and ages.
H&M has a consistent supply of merchandise that is well-outfitted for travel and tourism. For hip adults and teens, H&M has all the trendy styles one could desire. Whether you’re looking for business casual duds or a new swimsuit for vacation, H&M has your back.
Lou Mitchell’s
565 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60661
Lou Mitchell‘s lives up to its prestigious reputation as one of the best diners in Chicago. In 2018, Lou Mitchell’s received a Michelin star. This restaurant and bakery constantly beckons in customers with their excellent service, food and ambience. Lou Mitchell’s does their own baking, so customers can enjoy freshly baked breads and marmalade selections.
360 Magazine loved sitting outside in the sunshine while we enjoyed your meal. However, the inside of Lou Mitchells offers a more retro, vintage diner feel. We recommend their fluffy, delectable flapjacks!
Giordano’s
1340 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605
The legendary Giordano’s is located in Chicago’s South Loop. All other pizza shops pale in comparison when stood next to this iconic pizza shop. Giordano’s stuffed (AKA deep-dish) pizza is truly unbeatable. Layered with fresh cheese, a buttery, flaky rind, mouthwatering tomato sauce and chicken sausage, every bite is meant to be savored.
Giordano’s offers local craft beer selections to pair with their pizza pies. No matter how hungry you come in, it will be extremely difficult to eat all the pizza. The portion sizes here are very generous. However, Giordano’s pizza makes for delicious leftovers that can easily be reheated in the oven. 360 Magazine will definitely be back to enjoy another tasty slice from this iconic pizza shop.
MCCB Chicago
2138 S Archer Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
Modern Chinese Cookbook (MCCB) creates magical dishes that will instantly take you to Beijing. MCCB’s Sichuan and Canton style cuisine is authentic and mouthwatering. This Asian eatery has all the ingredients for a wonderful gastronomic experience: friendly staff, Michelin-starred chefs and carefully designed appetizers. We recommend trying the restaurant’s signature dish, charcoal-grilled whole fish.
Praise for MCCB continues to flow year by year, thanks to their fine food and hospitable service. If we could embrace the owners for creating such a pleasant atmosphere, we would. 360 Magazine will surely come back to MCCB soon!
