United States
City overview
Chicago pairs world-class architecture, museums and a long Lake Michigan shoreline with one of the largest Orthodox communities in the Midwest. Most kosher restaurants, bakeries, groceries and shuls sit in West Rogers Park and Peterson Park on the city's Far North Side, along Devon Avenue, Touhy Avenue and California Avenue, and continue just over the city line into Lincolnwood and Skokie, home to several large Modern Orthodox shuls and a full kosher supermarket. Downtown, the Gold Coast, River North, the Loop, the South Loop and Lakeview each have a Chabad house, and Lakeview has a Modern Orthodox shul steps from the lakefront. Kosher supervision in the city is overwhelmingly by the Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc).
Chicago, IL
Rabbi
Rabbi Meir Chai and Rivka Benhiyoun
Phone
312-664-7770The Chabad house for downtown Chicago, serving the Loop, the Gold Coast, Lincoln Park and the South Loop since 1987, with Shabbos services and meals, holiday programs and classes open to all.
Getting Around
Public transit
The CTA runs the 'L' trains and city buses.
Tap a contactless bank card or phone at the turnstile or farebox, or use a Ventra card. Rail fare is $2.50 ($5 when entering at O'Hare), bus fare is $2.25, and up to two more rides within two hours are free. Day passes cost $5 (1 day), $15 (3 days) and $20 (7 days) and also cover Pace suburban buses. The Red Line runs from the South Side through downtown to Howard Street at the northern city line; from Howard, the Yellow Line runs to Oakton-Skokie and Dempster-Skokie. West Rogers Park itself is served mainly by buses on Devon, Touhy, California and Western Avenues. Metra commuter rail links downtown with the suburbs, including the Union Pacific North line through Rogers Park.
Rideshare
Uber and Lyft both operate across Chicago and the suburbs and serve O'Hare and Midway.
Licensed taxis can be hailed downtown or found at hotel and airport taxi stands.
Car rental
All major rental companies operate at O'Hare and Midway, and several have downtown and North Side offices.
A car is useful for moving between downtown and West Rogers Park, Lincolnwood and the northern suburbs, but downtown hotel parking is expensive and street parking is metered or permit-only in many neighbourhoods.
Chicago has two airports. O'Hare International (ORD), about 17 miles northwest of downtown, is the main hub; the CTA Blue Line runs 24 hours a day from the terminal straight into downtown, and the drive to West Rogers Park or Lincolnwood is usually 25 to 40 minutes depending on traffic. Midway International (MDW), about 10 miles southwest of downtown, handles mainly domestic flights; the CTA Orange Line reaches downtown in about 20 to 25 minutes. Metra's North Central Service also links O'Hare's transfer station with Union Station on weekdays.
Good to know
Late May through early October brings warm, often sunny weather, while winters from December to March are cold, windy and snowy.
Plan meals around geography: almost every kosher restaurant, bakery and grocery is in West Rogers Park, Peterson Park, Lincolnwood and Skokie, a 30 to 45 minute ride from downtown, and there is no sit-down kosher restaurant in the Loop. Milt's BBQ for the Perplexed in Lakeview is the closest kosher restaurant to downtown. For sports fans, kosher stands operate at Wrigley Field and the United Center on game days. The full-service kosher supermarket is Sarah's Tent on Oakton Street in Skokie; inside the city, Kol Tuv on Devon Avenue is the main dedicated kosher grocery, alongside Robert's Fish Market and Romanian Kosher Sausage Co. Most kosher restaurants close early on Friday and stay closed on Shabbos, and a few pizza and dairy places reopen on Saturday night. Chicago summers are the busiest and most expensive time for hotels, and big conventions at McCormick Place can push prices up at any time of year.
Chicago is a large city where most visitor areas (the Loop, River North, the Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Lakeview and the museum campus) are busy and well patrolled, but the usual big-city care applies: keep phones and bags close on trains and crowded platforms, use ride-hailing or taxis late at night, and check the area before walking long distances after dark. Lake Michigan beaches have lifeguards only in season; swim only at guarded beaches and respect posted swim bans. Winter brings ice and dangerous wind chills, so dress for the conditions. Emergency (police, fire, ambulance): 911 Chicago police non-emergency and city services: 311 Hatzalah Chicago (volunteer emergency medical service covering West Rogers Park, Peterson Park, Skokie and Lincolnwood, 24 hours): 847-504-1500
Local time
4:07 AM
+4 hrs from NYC
Plug
Type A/B
120V
Currency
US Dollar
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