The area commonly called Lakeview is comprised of several smaller neighborhoods including Lakeview East, West Lakeview, Wrigleyville and Boystown. This guide will largely focus on Lakeview East and Wrigleyville, the areas with the largest concentration of dining, nightlife, theater, shopping and other attractions. For information on the Boystown neighborhood -- also home to great dining and nightlife -- see our Boystown Neighborhood Guide.

Lakeview East is a fun, diverse neighborhood and definitely worth visiting during your stay in Chicago. It's home to numerous bars, restaurants, shops, theater groups and the iconic Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs professional baseball team. The area is easily accessible from the downtown Loop area, and is situated just north of the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Lakeview East is bounded by Lake Michigan to the east, Diversey Parkway to the south, Racine Avenue to the west and Irving Park Road to the north.

A visit to Lakeview East will give you a good feel for the cultural diversity of the city, along with a better understanding of what makes Chicago so livable. The Lakeview East neighborhood is a popular residential area for locals given it's easy access to the downtown area, proximity to lakefront parks and beaches, wide variety of housing stock and vibrant commercial districts.

The two main commercial districts in Lakeview East are along Clark and Broadway Streets. Both are essentially north / south streets, and you'll find an incredible array of bars, restaurants, clubs, theaters along each. The east / west streets of Belmont Avenue and Diversey Parkway are also bustling commercial areas.

Wrigleyville
Famed Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs, is located at the corner of Clark and Addison Streets. As you might have guessed, the area surrounding the park is called Wrigleyville.


The Wrigleyville neighborhood has undergone a revitalization over the past several years. Not only did the Cubs finally (!!) win a World Series in 2016 after a 100+ year drought, but new construction in the area has added hotels and additional bars and restaurants. A nice green space, called Gallagher Way, was also added directly adjacent to Wrigley Field.

One of the charms of Wrigley Field is that it is situated in the middle of a residential neighborhood. (In fact, nearby residents often watched the games from their rooftops! Today, most of those previously residential buildings have been transformed into businesses which sell tickets to their rooftop seating.) Since most of the park is surrounded by housing, the area with bars and restaurants is concentrated along Clark Street. In fact, if you want to hit some of the best sports bars in the country, Wrigleyville is the place to go. While the area is a hub of activity no matter the season, the bars and restaurants are particularly busy on game days. In the evening, the area attracts a casual crowd with DJs and dancing in several of the bars. For live music, Metro, one of Chicago’s best live music venues, sits just north of Wrigley Field on Clark Street.

Given the wealth of dining, nightlife and other activities, you're sure to have a fun time in the Lakeview East and Wrigleyville neighborhoods!

There's much to see and do in Lakeview. Below are some of our favorites.

Getting to Lakeview
Lakeview East is an easy taxi or ride share from the downtown Loop area. To get to Lakeview East via public transportation, take the CTA's Red Line train to the Belmont or Addison Street stops. (Addison is the stop adjacent to Wrigley Field.) You can also take the CTA's Brown or Purple Line trains to the Diversey, Wellington or Belmont stops.