chicago recommendations

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# live performance

Theater, comedy, jazz. Below are some great venues.

• The Annoyance. (Belmont Red Line) Good + weird improv
• iO Theater. (North/Clybourn Red Line) Good improv (usually less weird, fwiw)
• Neo-Futurists. (Andersonville) Go see the Infinite Wrench
• Court Theater. (Hyde Park)
• Jazz Showcase. (South Loop) Best jazz club in the city AND comfy couches
• Kingston Mines. (Lincoln Park) Great live blues

Below are some particular good groups/shows.

• My favorite independent improv comedy groups: Bridal Darty, Super Human, Swim Test, Peggy, Deep Schwa.
• Improvised Shakespeare. Improv in couplets
• The Infinite Wrench. 30 plays, 60 minutes

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# food

Woefully incomplete list of some of my favorite restaurants around the city.

• Asia on Argyle. (Argyle Red Line) Tons of great (mostly Vietnamese) restaurants. Especially recommend a banh mi from Ba Le and pho from Tank Noodle.
• Green Street Smoked Meats. (West Loop) BBQ
• Lao Peng You. (West Town) Unbelievable Chinese food.
• Valois. (Hyde Park) The steak omelette absolutely rips – cash only!
• Taqueria Moran. (California Blue Line) Best carnitas tacos in the city
• Demera.(Uptown) Great Ethiopian food.
• Fiya. (Andersonville) Great middle-eastern brunch and dinner
• The Gundis. (Lakeview) Fantastic Kurdish food, especially good for brunch.
• Cafecito. (Loop, South Loop, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park) Very good Cuban food.
• North Buena Deli & Wine. (Buena Park) Good deli sandwiches for under $10!
• m henry. (Andersonville) Great brunch.
• Allende. (Lincoln Park) Very good tacos, open late so go post-Kingston Mines.

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# activities

Even more woefully-incomplete list of fun things to do around the city…

• Graceland Cemetery. Wrigleyville. Try to spot a coyote.
• Brick of Chicago. Architectural walking tour. Choose your neighborhood!
• Andersonville Wine Walk. They somehow pick the two most beautiful weekends of the year to do this.

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