Presented by Jarrell Davis
River North has always had a funny way of dragging you into a life you’re not sure you signed up for. When I first moved here, it wasn’t for stability — it was for the nightclubs. The velvet ropes, the bottle-service sparklers, the DJ sets that made me believe I was the main character in a music video every Friday night. My dog and I would stumble out for late-night walks past Hubbard Street, him trying to pee on everything in sight while I tried pretending I wasn’t still wearing a club wristband. I wasn’t slowing down; if anything, River North poured premium fuel on my chaos. And of course, because I was young, loud, and wildly overconfident, I brought multiple girlfriends into this glittery disaster of a lifestyle — women I thought might last forever until they realized forever shouldn’t smell like tequila and fog machines.
These girlfriends deserve medals. Truly. One dated me during my “I know the bouncer” phase, when half our Saturdays involved skipping lines and the other half involved me pretending I wasn’t jealous when she got more free drinks than I did. Another stuck around for what I now call my “Hubbard Street romanticism period,” where I told her rooftops counted as culture and that brunch at RPM was basically an emotional investment. The worst was my “River North influencer era,” where I insisted on taking photos of us at every restaurant and she patiently endured it until she realized dating me meant being a supporting character in my own Instagram story. Dumping these women wasn’t my proudest achievement — each of them was a 10, and I was a man operating at a solid… let’s call it “work in progress.”
But something shifted. Maybe it was my dog giving me the same disappointed look every time we walked past Tao. Maybe it was the mornings when I’d wake up and realize the city looked different when you weren’t hungover. Or maybe it was meeting her — the girlfriend who didn’t care about bottle service, wristbands, or rooftop clout. She cared about long walks down the riverfront, quiet dinners on Wells Street, and not dating a man whose personality depended on which nightclub he got into that week. Slowly, River North stopped being a playground and started becoming a home. The kind of home where my dog actually enjoyed the routine, and where my girlfriend didn’t feel like she needed to wear heels just to go out for tacos.
Looking back now, it’s almost embarrassing how long it took me to realize everything I was chasing in River North — excitement, connection, purpose — was never inside a nightclub. It was in the slow mornings at our favorite coffee shop, the late-night walks with my girlfriend and my dog, the feeling of belonging that didn’t require a guest list. After cycling through every neighborhood and every version of myself, I finally settled into the one chapter that felt real. River North didn’t just calm me down; it turned me into someone worth staying with. So here I am, hand in hand with my long-time girlfriend, dog trotting along happily, finally able to say with full honesty: River North is home — forever this time.
What Makes River North So Special?
You’ve likely heard of River North, but what exactly makes it so enticing? Situated just north of the Chicago River (hence the name), this neighborhood is a cultural melting pot with a mix of old-school charm and modern innovation. River North is famous for its upscale condos, buzzing nightlife, world-class art galleries, and proximity to the Loop. It’s the place where Chicago’s business elite rub elbows with creatives and anyone looking to enjoy the finer things in life.
- Art and Galleries: River North is home to Chicago’s largest concentration of art galleries. If you’re into contemporary art, you’re in for a treat with spots like the Zg Gallery and Gallery 1028.
- Architecture: The neighborhood features a dynamic mix of modern skyscrapers and classic loft buildings. Expect soaring glass towers next to old warehouses converted into trendy lofts.
- Proximity: The neighborhood’s strategic location just steps from the Magnificent Mile and easy access to public transportation make it perfect for both business and pleasure.
River North Real Estate—What Can You Expect in 2023?
Real estate in River North continues to boom in 2023, with a variety of options for both renters and buyers. Expect sleek, high-rise condos with jaw-dropping city views, as well as stunning lofts and townhomes in some of the city’s most desirable buildings.
River North Apartments for Rent
If you’re eyeing an apartment here, be prepared to pay a premium—but it’s worth it. The area is home to some of the best luxury apartment complexes, offering everything from 1-bedroom units to sprawling penthouses.
- Pricing:
- Studio/1-bedroom: $1,800 to $3,200 per month
- 2-bedroom: $3,500 to $5,000+ per month
- Luxury Penthouses: $6,000 and up
- Amenities: Expect rooftop pools, fitness centers, pet-friendly policies, and 24/7 concierge services.
Buying in River North
For those ready to put down roots, River North offers a wealth of real estate options. From luxury condos to sophisticated townhomes, the market has something for every lifestyle.
- Condo Prices:
- 1-bedroom: Around $300,000 to $550,000
- 2-bedroom: $500,000 to $800,000+
- Luxury Condos & Penthouses: Over $1 million
While property values have seen steady increases, the investment is generally considered a solid bet due to the area’s ongoing popularity and proximity to Chicago’s business district.
River North in 2023—Is It Right for You?
River North is the neighborhood where Chicago comes to misbehave — and no one knows that better than anyone who has spent a Saturday night sprinting down Hubbard Street in shoes they regret wearing. The moment the sun drops behind the Merchandise Mart, the entire district transforms into a neon-lit playground. You feel it first outside Tao Chicago at 632 N Dearborn St, where velvet ropes stretch down the block and someone inevitably pretends they “know the owner.” Across the street at Underground Cocktail Club, 56 W Illinois St, couples take shots like they’re trying to erase all memory of their work week, and the DJs act like they’re conducting an orchestra of poor decisions. If you go out in River North, you don’t go out to behave — you go out to make Monday morning HR emails more interesting.
The venues come at you fast here, each with its own personality disorder. El Hefe at 15 W Hubbard St is where you’ll find bachelorette parties, men who call themselves “entrepreneurs,” and tacos that taste suspiciously better after 1 a.m. Howl at the Moon at 26 W Hubbard St is where you end up when the original plan fails — or succeeds too hard — and suddenly you’re scream-singing 90s hits with strangers who become best friends for three hours. The line outside Bottle Blonde at 504 N Wells St looks like the casting call for reality TV, and the inside feels like someone plugged Scottsdale into a Chicago outlet. Meanwhile, Joy District at 112 W Hubbard St just waits patiently for the moment you tell yourself, “Let’s do one more,” knowing it will not, in fact, be just one more.
But River North isn’t just a nightlife gauntlet — it’s a buffet of temptation. Zouk, 632 N Dearborn St, pulls in the international crowd with bass so heavy it rearranges your skeletal structure. Tunnel, 151 W Kinzie St, hides behind an unmarked door and pretends it’s a secret even though half of Chicago has blacked out in its booths. Just down the street, Celeste at 111 W Hubbard St offers three floors of progressively questionable decisions, capped by a rooftop where people behave like they’re on a European vacation despite being one block from a 7-Eleven. And if you ever find yourself at Disco, 111 W Hubbard St (inside Celeste) sober, congratulations — you’ve discovered the rarest experience in River North.
Of course, River North also knows how to deliver romance… in its own chaotic way. Couples flirt over cocktails at RPM Italian, 52 W Illinois St, pretending to be classy until one of them suggests bar-hopping. First dates escalate at Three Dots and a Dash, 435 N Clark St, where the tiki drinks are so strong they should come with a relationship disclaimer. And nothing says “This was a mistake, but a fun mistake,” like splitting late-night sushi at Sunda, 110 W Illinois St after accidentally running into your ex outside Smith & Wollensky, 318 N State St on the riverwalk. If love doesn’t work out in River North, at least the lighting is flattering enough that you look good while being dumped.
What makes River North unforgettable is its commitment to excess. This is the neighborhood where the dog walkers, the brunch crowd, the financial bros, the bachelorettes, the nightclub regulars, the suburban thrill-seekers, and the actual locals all collide nightly like some sort of anthropological experiment hosted between LaSalle St, Kinzie St, and State St. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s dramatic. But it’s also the beating heart of downtown Chicago — a place where you can have the best night of your life, the worst morning of your life, and a deep-dish pizza at Gino’s East, 162 E Superior St in between. And if you survive long enough to appreciate it, River North stops being a phase and becomes a lifestyle — one full of stories you probably shouldn’t tell your grandchildren, but absolutely will.
Dining in River North isn’t just a meal — it’s a full-blown personality test. This is the neighborhood where every restaurant feels like it was designed by someone who believes dim lighting can fix your life, cocktails should cost more than your phone bill, and dinner should always feel like an event. You don’t just “go out” in River North — you enter a living, breathing nightlife ecosystem where sushi flies across tables, steak arrives with candlelight theatrics, and someone at the next booth is inevitably celebrating a promotion, a breakup, or both. It’s a place where you can spot a financial bro, a tourist, and a celebrity all waiting for the same bathroom stall, each pretending not to notice the others.
And yes, I’ve eaten my way through almost every corner of this district — sometimes on dates that went well, sometimes on dates that ended with me fake-texting an Uber driver so I could escape gracefully. I’ve shared martinis at RPM Italian, lost my dignity at Three Dots and a Dash, and emotionally healed via Firecakes Donuts more times than I’ll ever admit publicly. Each restaurant comes with its own personality, its own love language, and usually its own line out the door. So whether you’re trying to impress a date, treat yourself, celebrate a Chicago milestone, or simply survive another week in this city, these are the River North restaurants that will never let you down — even if your date does.
Here are my top 10 Restaurants in River North
1. RPM Italian — 52 W Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60654
RPM Italian is the polished jewel of River North — sleek, sexy, and somehow always filled with people who look like they’re celebrating something important. The minimalist black-and-white interior practically whispers, “You are not as attractive as the waitstaff, but we support you anyway.” Their burrata and truffle garlic bread have ruined other Italian restaurants for me permanently. I once brought a date here who spent the entire meal pretending she wasn’t stalking the Kardashians on Instagram because she knew they loved RPM; she ordered the spicy king crab pasta solely because she saw it in a Kim K story. The relationship didn’t last, but my loyalty to RPM absolutely did.
2. Sunda — 110 W Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60654
Sunda is the kind of modern Asian restaurant where you walk in and immediately wonder if your outfit is good enough. It’s chic, loud, confident — basically the River North personality in restaurant form. The crispy rice, the signature sushi rolls, the oxtail pot stickers… everything hits. I once had a date here pretend she wasn’t terrified of chopsticks, then panic-grabbed a piece of sushi so aggressively it shot across the table. The server didn’t blink. Sunda is used to chaos, glamour, and every flavor of couple on the romantic-spectrum — from “first date” to “we broke up an hour ago but still showed up.”
3. Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf — 218 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654
If a candlelit speakeasy and an old-school Chicago steakhouse had a baby, it would be Bavette’s. This place has gold lighting, leather booths, jazz in the background — everything you need to pretend you’re starring in a 1930s mob movie. The bone-in ribeye? Legendary. The service? Impeccable. The vibe? Dark enough that no one will notice if you check your ex’s Instagram mid-meal. I once came here for a “serious talk” with a girlfriend, but the steak was so good we decided to postpone breaking up for two more weeks. Bavette’s saves relationships, or at least delays their expiration dates.
4. Three Dots and a Dash — 435 N Clark St (enter through the alley)
Three Dots and a Dash is River North’s tropical fever dream — a hidden tiki bar serving cocktails so strong they should come with a permission slip. The drinks arrive in skulls, coconuts, treasure chests, and once — I swear — a pirate ship. It’s the kind of place where a first date becomes a third date by drink two. In my younger years, I once tried to impress a girl by ordering the “Treasure Chest No. 1” — complete with fireworks. The entire bar cheered, the bill made me question all my life decisions, and the girl ghosted me anyway. Still worth it.
5. Ema — 74 W Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60654
Ema is Mediterranean heaven — smooth hummus, fluffy pita, saffron chicken, seafood you’d cross an ocean for. The space is bright, airy, and feels like Instagram itself designed a restaurant. I once brought a business meeting here and accidentally turned it into a mezze feast that lasted three hours because no one wanted to leave. Ema is classy without trying too hard, flavorful without being fussy, and perfect for dates, meetings, or nights when you pretend you’re healthier than you actually are.
6. Beatrix — 519 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654
Beatrix is the Swiss Army knife of River North restaurants — perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks, dates, breakups, reconciliations, “we’re just talking,” and “let’s pretend we’re productive” laptop sessions. Their pastries are dangerously good. Their coffee is elite. Their salads let you pretend your life is together. I once met a girlfriend’s parents here, and her mom ended up liking me more than her daughter did. Beatrix has main-character energy — wholesome food, chill ambiance, and a menu that always keeps you safe even when your social life isn’t.
7. The Smith — 400 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654
The Smith is vibrant and loud — in a good way. This is where brunch becomes a full-contact sport. The mac and cheese is famous, the burgers are phenomenal, and the cocktails go down dangerously easily. I once witnessed a couple get engaged here at brunch and then get into a full argument 20 minutes later over whether to invite their coworkers to the wedding. That’s The Smith experience: emotional chaos paired with exceptional food.
8. STK Steakhouse — 9 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654
STK isn’t just a steakhouse — it’s a nightclub with ribeyes. The music bumps, the lights glow purple, and the servers all look like they were recruited from Miami. The steaks are actually fantastic, and the atmosphere is… well, exactly what you think it is. I once went on a date here where the girl said, “This feels like eating dinner at a Vegas pool party,” and she meant it as a compliment. If you want dinner and a vibe, STK delivers.
9. Firecakes Donuts — 68 W Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60654
Firecakes may not be a sit-down restaurant, but it’s a River North essential. Their donuts deserve their own episode of Chef’s Table. The Tahitian vanilla donut alone has solved more of my emotional problems than therapy. I once took a girl here after a disappointing dinner elsewhere, and she said, “Why didn’t we just come here from the start?” We dated for six more months purely because of that donut.
10. Siena Tavern — 51 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654
Siena Tavern is the cool kid of River North dining — upscale but approachable, elegant but fun, and home to dishes that make you question why you ever eat anywhere else. The truffle tagliatelle and wagyu meatball are life-changing. I brought a date here once who was vegan, and even she admitted the pasta smelled so good she briefly reconsidered her lifestyle choices. Siena Tavern has that effect on people — it breaks down emotional walls with carbs.
Top 10 Bars and Night Clubs in River North
If you’ve followed any part of my journey through Chicago, you already know I’ve lived at least nine different lives in nine different neighborhoods — and I burned through almost as many girlfriends in the process. God bless each of those women; they dated me during what scientists would classify as my transitional feral years. I was overserved on a regular basis, the kind of regularity usually reserved for utility bills or jury duty. Bartenders knew my drink, bouncers knew my phases, and my dog knew to brace himself every time I staggered in after last call. Between the clubs on Hubbard, the patios on Wells, and whatever fever dream was happening on Dearborn every Saturday night, River North became the backdrop for my greatest poor decisions and my most ambitious attempts at pretending I had my life together.
It wasn’t until I met my fiancée — a woman patient enough to endure my “just one more drink” era — that things started to shift. Suddenly, stumbling home at 2 a.m. wasn’t cute anymore, and waking up on a couch that wasn’t mine became a red flag I could no longer ignore. She basically mounted a one-woman rescue mission to civilize me, the same way you’d rehabilitate a raccoon that keeps getting into the wrong dumpsters. And somehow, she succeeded. These days, instead of blacking out at Joy District, I black out at Costco buying candles I don’t remember putting in the cart. It’s personal growth, Chicago style.
But even with all that maturity (we’re using that word loosely), I still have a deep appreciation for the bars that raised me — or at least tolerated me. So as a man who survived the River North nightlife ecosystem long enough to earn a fiancée and a semi-respectable bedtime, here are my Top 10 Bars in River North, ranked by vibe, drink strength, likelihood of overserving you, and overall ability to ruin or redefine your life in a single night.
1. Bub City — 435 N Clark St
Bub City is River North in cowboy boots — loud, rowdy, and aggressively committed to over-serving the population. It’s a whiskey-fueled honky-tonk where line dancing breaks out for no reason and the pulled pork tastes better at 1 a.m. than it has any right to. This is the place where friendships strengthen, relationships crumble, and someone always ends up shouting the lyrics to a country song they learned 15 minutes ago. If you walk out of Bub City without questioning your life choices, you didn’t stay long enough.
2. Hubbard Inn — 110 W Hubbard St
Hubbard Inn is the gateway drug of River North nightlife — classy enough to lure you in, chaotic enough to keep you there until you forget you have responsibilities. With chandeliers, moody lounges, and cocktails that should come with a medical warning, this place turns even the most rational adult into the star of their own scandal-filled reality show. Every River North love story, heartbreak, and plot twist has passed through Hubbard Inn at least once.
3. Three Dots and a Dash — 435 N Clark St (Alley Entrance)
A Polynesian underworld of rum, tikis, torches, and questionable decisions. The alley entrance sets the tone: once you go down those steps, your credit card and dignity are at risk. Drinks arrive in flaming skull mugs and pirate treasure chests, which is perfect because you will absolutely need to blame the drinkware for whatever choices you make afterward.
4. The Berkshire Room — 15 E Ohio St
A cocktail lounge that makes everyone look hotter. The Dealer’s Choice menu is a fun way to pretend you’re adventurous while secretly praying the bartender doesn’t hand you something with absinthe. This bar has hosted every kind of date: first dates, last dates, accidental dates, “this isn’t a date,” and “I think we broke up but we’re still here together for some reason.”
5. The Bassment — 353 W Hubbard St
Low lights. Velvet booths. Live music. Drinks that encourage confessions. The Bassment feels like the place you’d go to have a mysterious affair in a noir movie — or to try and win back your partner after you embarrassed yourself at Joy District the night before. If River North had a soundtrack, The Bassment’s house band would be playing it.
6. Celeste — 111 W Hubbard St
Celeste is a four-story emotional arc.
• Floor 1: “Let’s keep it classy.”
• Floor 2: “Okay, maybe one more drink.”
• Disco floor: “WHO WANTS TEQUILA?”
• Rooftop: “We should move to Europe.”
Every floor raises the stakes. Celeste doesn’t just host your night; it develops your character arc.
7. Rossi’s — 412 N State St
The dive bar that makes River North feel like Chicago again. No pretense, no influencers filming their drinks, no velvet ropes. Just cold beer, strong pours, and a clientele that has absolutely seen some things. If you’re here before midnight, you’re starting strong. If you’re here after 2 a.m., you’re either thriving or spiraling — and Rossi’s supports both paths.
8. The Boss Bar — 420 N State St
An iconic late-night melting pot. Everyone ends up here eventually — the financial bros, the bachelorettes, the line cooks, the lost tourists, the guy who peaked in 2016, the couple who shouldn’t get back together but absolutely will. Boss Bar is River North’s after-hours confession booth, where the lighting is dim and the decisions are dumber.
9. Barstool River North — 200 W Ontario St
Barstool has the energy of a sports bar, a college bar, and a frat house that somehow grew up and got a Loop job — all at once. The TVs are enormous, the crowd is loud enough to shake the walls, and the drinks flow like they’re sponsored. This is where you bring a crew, lose your voice, accidentally join a chant, and convince yourself your ex would be jealous if they saw you here. They wouldn’t — but you’ll believe it anyway.
10. The Clark Street Ale House — 742 N Clark St
A Chicago institution with the greatest sign in the neighborhood: “Alcohol & Poor Decisions.” This is the bar you trust. Dark, moody, straightforward, and consistently filled with people who just want a good beer and a little peace from the River North circus outside. A perfect end-of-night (or start-of-night) refuge.
And theres much much more….
For all the nightlife chaos, River North is also home to some of Chicago’s most fascinating daytime attractions — the kind you swear you’ll visit “one of these weekends” and then actually do once you start dating someone responsible. The Chicago Riverwalk, stretching along the water from Lake Shore Drive to Franklin Street, becomes an entirely different world from the nighttime scene above it. Joggers, dog walkers, Instagram couples in matching athleisure — everyone floats peacefully along the river while the skyline reflects like it’s trying to show off. Taking my dog here on quiet mornings became one of the few rituals that genuinely made me feel like I had my life together.
Just a few blocks away sits the Mart (the Merchandise Mart, 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza) — a building so enormous and powerful that it used to have its own ZIP code. Inside, it’s a maze of design showrooms, offices, cafés, and people who look like they spend $4,000 on lamps without blinking. In the summer, the Mart becomes a canvas for massive light projections along the Chicago River. I once pretended I planned a date night around the show — in reality, my dog dragged us there unexpectedly — but the girl thought I was spontaneous and cultured. The Mart owes me one.
Then there’s The Museum of Broadcast Communications (360 N State St), which feels like stepping into a time capsule of TV, radio, and comedy. The exhibits are quirky, nostalgic, and deeply Chicago. It’s the kind of museum where you realize how many of your childhood memories came from shows produced in this city. I once dragged a girlfriend here because she said she wasn’t “really into museums.” Thirty minutes later, she was narrating the history of Chicago radio like she was auditioning for NPR. River North has that effect: it turns skeptics into enthusiasts without them realizing it.
Even fitness in River North has personality. You don’t just “go to the gym” — you join a tribe. From East Bank Club (500 N Kingsbury St) with its see-and-be-seen energy, to CycleBar (221 W Hubbard St) where instructors act like they’re leading a motivational TED talk on bikes, this neighborhood somehow makes sweating look glamorous. I once joined a Pilates class directly after a night at Bottled Blonde, thinking it would “fix me.” It absolutely did not. But it did make me appreciate how River North caters to every version of you: the chaotic one, the disciplined one, the hungover one, and the one who finally gets it together.
Why River North is Absolutely my FOREVER favorite neigborhood
Looking back on everything — the nightclubs, the restaurants, the dog walks along the river, the girlfriends who survived different eras of my Chicago evolution — River North feels less like a neighborhood and more like a character in my life. It challenged me, humbled me, and eventually softened me. My dog learned to navigate the crowds, my girlfriend learned to tolerate my phases, and I learned that love, food, nightlife, and chaos can somehow coexist in a few square blocks between Illinois Street, Kinzie Street, and Wells Street. River North isn’t perfect — but neither was I. And maybe that’s why we fit so well.
Now that the dust has settled, I’ve realized this place isn’t just where I partied, or dated, or ate too much sushi, or pretended to be more sophisticated than I was. It’s where I grew up. It’s where I finally chose a forever home — with the woman who stuck through my “recovering nightlife enthusiast” phase and a dog who now knows half the bartenders on Hubbard by name. The restaurants, the memories, the messiness, the magic — it all blends into a single truth: River North didn’t just give me nights to remember. It gave me a life worth staying for.
And now, standing here with my fiancée and our little Frenchie, I’m grateful for the chaos that shaped me and the neighborhood that finally felt like home. River North gave me more than late nights and wild stories — it handed me my future. My hope is that the next generation of young men wandering these streets carries on the legacy: that they find their own unforgettable nights, their own best friends, their own great loves tucked between the river and the skyline. Because this neighborhood isn’t just a place you go out — it’s a place that stays with you, long after the music fades.
-Jarell
