The pride of DePaul University is claiming the city of Chicago as its campus. While we can claim Lincoln Park and the Loop as our campuses, there are hundreds of other neighborhoods, and officially 77 designated community areas in the city, according to University of Chicago researchers.
Although only two of the numerous neighborhoods of Chicago are home to DePaul’s campuses, the university does give students access to the whole of the city, as well as suburbs such as Evanston and Oak Park through our U-Passes.
Many DePaul students—who like to stick close to home in Lincoln Park, Lakeview and the Loop— don’t know about the many neighborhoods in which they can live, eat, shop and simply explore.
Chinatown
Dividing borders: 18th Street to the north, Chicago River to the west, Clark Street to the east, Stevenson Expressway to the south
Best ways to travel: Cermak/Chinatown on the Red Line
After fleeing persecution in California in the 1860s, many Chinese immigrants moved to Chicago and other cities. According to the 2000 census, Chicago had more than 68,000 Chinese residents, and thousands of the Chinese citizens made their home in Chinatown, located off the Red Line. Chinatown has evolved since then and has become a popular destination for visitors to Chicago.
One element that appeals to visitors is a connection to Chinese culture and heritage. The Chinatown mural located in Chinatown Square was painted by Zhou Ping and Yan Dong and depicts the history of Chinese immigrants in the United States. Made from tiles imported from China, the Nine Dragon Wall located on West Cermak Road is a smaller version of a Nine Dragon Wall located outside the Forbidden City in Beijing.
If you are more interested in live music than Chinese history, Chinatown is also home to Reggie’s Rock Club, which features a music venue, restaurant, bar and record store. The venue hosts lesser-known bands touring through Chicago, as well as well-known musicians and bands, such as Black Flag and Title Fight. Reggie’s also offers free shuttle rides to and from its bar to other events throughout the city, such as White Sox games.
Logan Square
Dividing borders: Diversey Avenue to the north, Pulaski Road to the west, Western Avenue to the east, Bloomingdale Avenue to the south.
Best ways to travel: Logan Square and California on the Blue Line.
On the Northwest side, filled with historic boulevards and beautiful homes, Logan Square is a neighborhood fit to entertain DePaul students, and definitely worthy of a visit up
the Blue Line. Logan Square is home to the Logan Theatre, easily visible because of the sign outside that spell Logan in giant lights, directly off the Logan Square Blue Line stop. The movie theater shows current films, as well as hosts special events such as showing the Stanley Cup Western Conference Finals on its film screen in May, when the Blackhawks took on the Los Angeles Kings.The theater also hosts live comedy every Monday at 8 p.m., featuring an open mic night.
If visitors get hungry, they can head to the nearby Chicago Diner, a vegan and vegetarian restaurant on Milwaukee Avenue. The original location, located on Halsted Street in Lakeview opened in 1983, and is still serving meat-free meals. The Logan Square location opened in 2012 to the excitement of Logan Square residents. The restaurant is now an incredibly popular staple for vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters. One of the most popular items on the menu is the assortment of vegan- friendly milkshakes, ranging in flavors from strawberry to chocolate chip cookie dough to carrot cake.
Logan Square is also home to multiple music venues. Township hosts some of the most exciting and up-and-coming touring and local bands, as well as funtioning a restaurant and bar. There’s also Concord Music Hall, one of Chicago’s newest venues, with everything from DJ sets to punk shows almost nightly.
Evanston
Dividing border: Isabella Street to the north, Chicago River to the west, Lake Michigan to the east, Howard Street (city of Chicago) to the south.
Best ways to travel: Purple Line (Davis to be most central).
Evanston is an accessible suburb to U-Pass holders with many attractions of its own. The downtown area is home to many shops and restaurants.
Most notably, Evanston is home to Northwestern University. Situated on 240 acres, the university is a great place to visit for DePaul students who want to experience a traditional college campus. Northwestern is also a hot spot for comedy fans, as the school is home to renowned improvisation groups who have previously featured comedians such as Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Seth Meyers.
The main improv group on campus, Titanic Players, won the College Improv Tournament in 2007 and 2009. Different teams are cast each year, and they specialize in long-form improvisation— where the team gets a suggestion from the audience and explores that suggestion for up to an hour in numerous scenes, all connecting at the end of the performance.
For a bite to eat, head to Hoosier Mama Pie Company, located close to the Main Street Purple Line and Metra stop. Joining together with Dollop Coffee and Tea Company, the restaurant offers a broad selection of pies, sandwiches and coffee. Customers can take whole pies or slices to go, or eat in at the restaurant. Their best pies include Sour Cream Dutch Blueberry, a cheesecake-like pie coated in blueberries, as well as the Chocolate Chess, which is similar to a large brownie.
Evanston is accessible to U-Pass holders through most stops on the Purple Line, but the Davis stop is best for accessing the downtown area and Northwestern’s campus.
East Garfield Park
Dividing borders: Franklin Boulevard to the north, Hamlin Boulevard to the west, Talman Avenue to the east, Taylor Street to the south.
Best ways to travel: Kedzie and Conservatory on the Green Line.
Just a few miles west of the Loop, East Garfield Park is quickly becomming home to new developments, striving to appeal to young Chicagoans. The neighborhood has been plagued by high crime rates, but many residents have instead focused on the positive spots.
Garfield Park is home to the Golden Dome Field House, complete with gymnasium, auditorium, dance studio and boxing center, while the rest of the park hosts a swimming pool, tennis courts, a fishing lagoon and basketball courts, making the park a perfect sunny day destination for all interests.
Another neighborhood gem is Garfield Park Conservatory. The conservatory was constructed from 1906–07, and has remained one of the premier conservatories, consisting of six greenhouses and two exhibition halls. Admission to the conservatory is free, and events are always happening, such as Goats at Work, which takes place the first week of every month from May through September. Goats at Work displays how small farm animals benefit the urban landscape.
West Town
Dividing borders: Bloomingdale Avenue to the north, Sacramento Avenue to the west, Chicago River to the east, Kinzie Street to the south.
Best ways to travel: Morgan/Lake on the Pink or Green lines, Ashland/Lake on the Pink or Green lines.
West Town is more of a collection of neighborhoods than a single neighborhood with a single identity, with East Village, Ukrainian Village, Smith Park and Noble Square all within its boundaries.
While most of the stops on the ‘L’ are located in the southern part of West Town, the buses that travel to other areas are highly accessible. The 66 Chicago Avenue bus, which runs 24 per day, cuts across the center of the neighborhood, and can lead visitors to new restaurants, as well as unique shops, such as Alcala’s Western Wear, a shop dedicated to providing clothing for cowboys, in the heart of Chicago.
West Town is also home to impressive street art that decorates the city. A mural welcoming visitors stands close to the border of the neighborhood and the Near North Side on Chicago Avenue. More street art and commissioned murals line the streets of the community, including a favorite mural of some residents displaying Big Ang from the VH1 series “Mob Wives” with her dog. You can also find plenty of cheetah print located at the intersection Hubbard Street and Hoyne Avenue.
While many Chicago residents have visited more popular neighborhoods, such as Wicker Park and Humboldt Park, all the neighborhoods that make up West Town have their own quirks, and are worth a visit.