Bronzeville - Chicago, IL Area Guide

Landmarks like the Chicago Bee Building and the Victory Monument put Bronzeville firmly on the cultural map and make it a haven for artists. You'll also find an interesting collection of Victorian buildings in the mix, many of which sit between newer coffee shops and restaurants. Thanks to a lively, community-driven renaissance, Bronzeville blends it history with a selection of modern influences to create a fascinating environment for both new and existing residents. Bronzeville hosts the Bronzeville Historical Society to help preserve area history with free exhibits. The South Side Community Center and Mark Yee Gallery provide places for emerging artists to exhibit their work.

Bronzeville has a wealth of culinary choices among its restaurants, which are primarily located along East 35th Street. There you can find new American, Chinese, pizza, barbecue, and more. Miller Pizza Company serves the city's signature deep-dish pizza along with pasta and entrees in a casual environment. Locals tend to order before big sporting events, such as White Sox and Bears games, and chow down on sausage and pepperoni pies. Miller Pizza is great for take-out or delivery, too, if you're having people over to your Bronzeville home. Pritzker Club, located on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology, provides locals with balanced and nutritionally sound American meals served in a casual environment. Although it's closed on weekends, Pritzker Club offers lots of convenience and great service. Pearl's Place is a Chicago gem and one of Bronzeville's most popular restaurants. Southern comfort food, also known as soul food, is the specialty here. Traditional sides such as black eyed peas and hearty collard greens complement the fried-to-perfection chicken fried steak. For dessert, indulge in the creamy homemade banana pudding. Since Bronzeville has two college campuses nearby, its nightlife can get going on nearly any night of the week and tends to be focused around the bar scene. Good Time Sports Bar has friendly, welcoming service and lots of big screen TVs to watch important sporting events. Between innings, you can listen to music, dance or even play a little pool. The area's only live music venue lies at its northern border with Chinatown. Feeltrip Studios has a smoking cat head above the stage and live, DIY-inspired bands booked most weekends.

Most residents choose to get around via Chicago's great public transportation system. Common methods of traversing the neighborhood include the Chicago Transit Authority Green or Red Line, or the Metra line to 27th Street. Several bus lines also run in this area, including the 3 and 4. Parking is normally inexpensive and easy to come by in Bronzeville. The area's accessibility to Interstate 90 along the western border and Route 41 to the east makes it easy to get anywhere in the city if you want to drive. You'll find it easy to hail a cab on the street in Bronzeville, arrange a pickup with Uber, or walk to your destination. There are some bike lanes, making it mostly safe for cyclists.

Dunbar Park provides hours of fun for local kids and families. With a huge swath of grass to run and play on, plus play structures, tennis courts and more, this has become to the go-to spot for birthday parties, family reunions, and picnics. Exercisers love this place for its pleasant walking and jogging paths, while kids are happy to be playing and socializing. Admission is free and dogs are welcome, too. While Bronzeville doesn't currently support any annual events, neighboring University and talented local chefs host Bacon Fest each April to prove bacon's supremacy over all things and help end hunger with the money they raise. Guaranteed Rate Field hosts baseball's White Sox from April through October each year and has some of the best views of the Chicago skyline in a friendly yet boisterous environment.

Bronzeville's cost of living sits slightly higher than both the Chicago and national averages, with a typical one-bedroom apartment renting for $899. It costs $2.25 to get from Bronzeville to the downtown area by train. A beer at a local pub will run you around $5, and gas prices sit around 6 percent higher here than the national average.

The Lake Meadows Shopping Center provides most of Bronzeville's shopping with stores such as Radio Shack, Subway, and Walgreens. City Fashion in Lake Meadows Shopping Center supplies residents with used, vintage, and consignment goods. Items include clothing for the family, shoes, accessories, and jewelry. Locals love the friendly service here, as well as the super-low prices. Tai Handcrafted Jewelry features jewelry made from vintage buttons, pearls, and other costume accents. These pieces reflect the style and personality of the shop's owner and make a one-of-a-kind fashion statement. Milwaukee Furniture provides the public with quality furniture, beds, and mattresses. Here, you can shop for a couch, dining room set, or furnishings for your entire place. The store also features free delivery. For grocery shopping, you need to travel outside the neighborhood to an ALDI supermarket. The Cermak Fresh Market features a variety of international foods, including Mexican, Greek, Italian, Polish, and Russian fare. Bronzeville's closest farmers' market is Pilsen Farmers Market on W. 18th Street. It opens Sundays during the season with offerings such as produce, baked goods, meat, tamales, honey, cheese, and eggs.