50+ Great Places To Take Your Parents When They Visit Chicago

By Emma G. Gallegos in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 16, 2016 6:01PM

You, reader, are hip, of course. But there will be times you are called upon to show your at least slightly less with-it older relatives and in-laws around. We've come up with a list devoid of sweaty mosh pits, overly fussy cuisine or 90s hipster nostalgia. We want to give you plenty to work with whether you're on tour guide duty for New Yorkers skeptical of Second City's charms, or country mice who might be overwhelmed by the pace of the big city. There are plenty of seasonal options, whether there's a Polar Vortex raging outside or it's warm enough for Dad to break out his Bermudas. We even have a couple very obvious suggestions, because having family in town gives you a good excuse to do touristy, cheesy and un-hip things you might not otherwise admit to wanting to do yourself.

Here's our list of dozens of the best spots to take your out-of-town family around in Chicago. Did we miss something? Comment to let us know, please!

TOURS AND ATTRACTIONS

BEST VIEWS

If you don't spring for one of the famous skyscraper views when relatives are in town, when will you? The Skydeck at Tower Formerly Known As Sears has a really nice view and a dizzying see-through ledge you can step on for $22. You can check out the John Hancock's 360 Chicago for $20, and you can even spring for an even more dizzying tilted view. Or you could head to The Signature Lounge two floors up so that you can spend your money on a drink instead (though be prepared to wait and expect to pay quite a bit for that lovely view). The Chicago Athletic Association has a nice, open-air and less queasy lakefront view.

CLASSIC DESTINATIONS

Wrigley Field has a lot of history and feels like a spiritual center as much as anything, but after that little ol' World Series win, even the most casual sports fan might want to see what the Cubbies are up to this upcoming season. The 606 Trail has also become something of new classic attraction, and it's lovely in autumn. The Garfield Park Conservatory is a nice break from the Loop, and there is a something new to see among the botany for every season. Of course, there are all the world-class museums and attractions in the Loop: the Art Institute of Chicago, the Shedd Aquarium and The Field Museum. Pro-tip from Tankboy: the view of the skyline near the Adler Planetarium is a really nice shot. If you happen to be anywhere near Museum Campus, it's worth the extra effort to get a photo op.

ART BEYOND THE LOOP
You can still take in some great art on a slightly less-well-tread path by sticking to Chicago's neighborhoods. The Hyde Park Art Center has an ever-changing collection of artwork and contemporary gallery exhibitions, for example, and the Stony Island Arts Bank in Grand Crossing offers visitors a rare look inside a historic South Side bank building, renovated by renowned artist Theaster Gates, filled with unique archives and collections, including Frankie Knuckles' record collection and a library from John H. Johnson, founder of Ebony and Jet. If you can nail the timing for this with your family's visit, 3rd Fridays Open Studios, a free event featuring local artists, photographers, designers and woodworkers.

RIVER CRUISE

You probably know this, but you should definitely go on the Chicago Architecture Foundation's River Cruise (or any of the tours put on by them, really!). It's not overrated! If you haven't gone, out-of-towners are the perfect excuse to take a ride. Chicagoans basically invented the skyline (that is, the skyscraper) and still have the best one around. See it from the river with wonderful volunteers who will help you appreciate its beauty and the craft behind it. The docents have the vibe of a popular high school history teacher who happens to be off-duty: smart, bursting with knowledge and enthusiastic to share as much as possible before the bell rings (in this case they have 90 minutes). The tours are very educational, accessible and fun. Pro-tip: Make reservations and get there early! Runners up for appreciating the river: if you don't have the money for a tour, take a trip on the water taxi for $8 to get the view. If you're feeling athletic, go kayaking.

Chicago Architecture Foundation's River Cruise sets sail from the Michigan Avenue bridge during the warmer season. It returns April 2017.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS TOUR

Chicago is a city of beautiful city lights year-round but it's especially lit up around the holidays. The Chicago Architecture Foundation gives a winter tour along Michigan Avenue in a heated trolley that makes only a couple stops. The tour promises you'll "learn how both man and nature impacted the development of the city and hear the stories of the architects, developers and leaders who played key roles in shaping the city." (The Hotel Boom tour might be nice during this time of year since hotels tend to go all out with the Christmas decorations.)

The Holiday Lights, City Lights Tour runs through the end of December. Tickets cost $30.

THE BADASS WINTER TOUR

For those hardy souls that don't mind the chill and putting on long underwear, you can actually take a winter tour of Chicago that kicks off in December. Yes, the tour is outside, with the snow and windchill and everything. Tour guide Margaret Hicks of Chicago Elevated says winter is her favorite time in the city: "It’s pretty and quiet and the steel gray of the sky and the steel gray of the buildings and it’s all just so cool and strong and Chicago."

The tour includes Maggie Daley Park, The Bean and the Lake. Hicks is a friendly, energetic, and knowledgeable tour guide. Of course, if you'd rather stay inside, you can take her Pedway Tour focused on hallways and walkways that allow Chicagoans to stay inside during bitterly cold days or rainy or hopelessly humid days. She calls the network "the unsung hero of Chicago."

The Badass Winter Tour is in the Loop and costs $25

ENTERTAINMENT

COMEDY AND THEATER

Bring your parents to a comedy show at Second City or iO Chicago so that they can brag about seeing someone before they made it big on SNL or landed their own show. But really, theater seems like the ultimate parent outing: You can't go wrong with whatever is being staged at Court Theatre, The Steppenwolf, Goodman and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. If you want to go off-Loop, we have a guide.

BLUES

Chicago is famous for its blues, and long after the Great Migration that brought them here, there are still plenty of places to hear them. Kingston Mines in Lincoln Park has two stages so there's always a steady flow of live music—and there are often some living legends in the mix. If your fam comes in January, right in the dead of winter, you can reward them with tickets to Buddy Guy performing at his own club Legends in the Loop. For summer blues, there's always the Chicago Blues Festival in June. And if your relatives want to take some blues home, hit up Bob's Blues And Jazz Mart before they roll out.

GENE SISKEL FILM CENTER

For a uniquely Chicago film experience, head to State Street. This theater is conveniently located, there's not a bad or uncomfortable seat in the house, and it has extensive programming that runs the gamut from first runs to repertory fare. That means you're bound to find some parent-friendly fare, whether it's the latest Beatles documentary, a classic retrospective or a heart-warming new indie. And, hey, if your parents like B-movies or films from former Soviet bloc countries with long takes and little plot as much as I do, there will be something for them, too. Your parents will give this place two thumbs up! Runner up: the Music Box Theatre has even more crowd-pleasing classics in a theater that has retained its grandeur from the 20s.

Gene Siskel Film Center is located 164 N. State St.

GREEN MILL COCKTAIL LOUNGE

This Chicago institution has everything a Chicago institution should have: a booth once beloved by Al Capone, an ever-flowing font of Jeppson’s Malort and a legendary reputation for jazz that dads across America know about. If you've got one of those jazz-loving dads, he'll for sure be into the music and the speakeasy vibe that is authentic (not hipster): this is one of the country's oldest jazz clubs that predates and survived Prohibition. Bring cash and don't expect this "cocktail lounge" to serve the stuff you find at Violet Hour. Runner up:
Chicagoist's Joel Wicklund recommends a trip to FitzGerald's in Berwyn if you don't mind a jaunt to the 'burbs. He suggests Sidebar Sessions jazz and "classic cocktail" Wednesdays or '40s-style Big Band Sundays. If you really want to go deep into the jazz scene, we've got a list for ya.

Green Mill Cocktail Lounge is located at 4802 N. Broadway Ave. in Uptown, (773) 878-5552

FOOD AND DRINK

TWIN ANCHORS

Lincoln Park's Twin Anchors made our best BBQ list for its ribs but what makes this the ideal place to bring parents is what our own Tankboy calls the "Sinatra vibes." Frank Sinatra href="http://chicago.eater.com/2015/1/27/7919055/twin-anchors-mary-kay-tuzi-lifers-interview">used to make a stop whenever he came into town in the late '50s and '60s, and the restaurant would totally shut down for him. Other times, he'd request to have the ribs shipped. Just as important as Sinatra's actual history with the place is that it feels like the sort of place he'd stop in. It's in a building from the 1880s with wood-paneled walls and a menu that rarely changes. Twin Anchors Restaurant & Tavern is located at 1655 North Sedgwick Street in Lincoln Park, (312) 266-1616.

LEM'S BAR-B-Q

If your family prefers a place steeped in Chicago history over trendier fare, you can't go wrong with Chicago institution Lem's Bar-B-Q. True barbecue fans must put Lem's on their bucket list thanks to the famous spicy-tangy sauce, juicy hot links and rib tips. Lem's has been an icon of the South Side since it opened in 1954, and a host of celebrities have visited the restaurant, including Aretha Franklin and Scottie Pippen. Lem's is located at 311 E. 75th St.

WON KOW

Won Kow boasts the title of Chinatown's oldest restaurant. This is a popular dining destination for people in the know and it should be—the place opened in 1928 on Chinatown's busy Wentworth Avenue, where it serves classic dishes, fresh seafood, tiki-themed drinks and dim sum. As you can see from these photos taken over 50 years apart, Chicago is changing, but really good food stands the test of time. Won Kow is located at 2237 S. Wentworth Ave.

CHICAGO BRAUHAUS

Introduce your folks to the culture that gave the Midwest beer and brats. It's always Oktoberfest at the Bavarian-themed Brauhaus, which plays lots of polka and also has some of the best sausages in town. There is often live bands and dancing, too.

Chicago Brauhaus is located at 4732 N. Lincoln Ave. in Lincoln Square, (773) 784-4444

CHIEF O'NEILL

Chicago isn't a city hurting for Irish pubs, but Chief O'Neill's is one of the most legit. This is a fun place to take out-of-towners for a weekend brunch, live music and a proper pour of Guinness.

Chief O’Neill’s Pub and Restaurant is located at 3471 N Elston Ave., (773) 583-3066

AFTERNOON TEA

All year round, the Drake Hotel offers an hour-long tour of the hotel whose history dates back to the 20's. It's a fun, sensational tour that includes ghost stories, celebrity stories and crime. Afterward you can enjoy a decadent Afternoon Tea Service in the Palm Court. But this time of year it's especially nice. The hotel is fully decked out for the holidays, there are carolers strolling through while a harpist plays. Holiday tea (sans tour) is $49 per person.

The Drake Hotel History Tour & Tea is $65, and you can find more information about making reservations here. The hotel is located at 140 East Walton Place, (312) 787-2200

GREEKTOWN

Eating in Greektown in the Near West Side is one of the best places to bring the family for a theatric eating experience. Food snobs may scoff that there's better Greek food in Chicagoland without the touristy flair, but the flair is the fun. The Parthenon, which was recently shuttered after 48 years in business, is the original home of the famous flaming saganaki—a dish you can now find far outside of Chicago, but wherever you go in Greektown, you can certainly still find it. A waiter will bring out a pan of cheese that is flambéed to the shout of "OPA!" before its flames are doused in fresh lemon juice. It's a little cheesy (no pun intended), but it's also delicious. My family's favorite is Greek Islands, but just about any establish will serve you gyros, magical sauces and spreads (tzatziki, skordalia and hummus) and delicious things stuffed in filo (spanakopita and baklava) and grape leaves (dolmades).

APPROACHABLE TRENDS

It's hard to avoid the craft beer scene in Chicago, but if you want to dive right in Hopleaf in Andersonville is a laid-back bar with an extensive beer selection and a very knowledgeable staff. Its focus in the kitchen and with its beer is decidedly Belgian. The Tasting Room at Moody Tongue is an elegant modern taproom where you can sip on the beers crafted at the brewery. You can also take a tour—or enjoy a decadent slice of German chocolate cake. Mezcaleria Las Flores is a fun place to show off the smoky sibling of the better known Patron (or Jose Cuervo). There are a couple different entry points: you can choose an adventurous cocktail, sip the spirits or put them in a margarita. If they want to check out Chicago's first craft distillery, try the Koval Distillery.

If you're hoping to land a fancy meal while parents are in town, we have a couple suggestions to throw out there: Bad Hunter in the West Loop does meat-free right—veggies are the star, not meat substitutes. Steadfast is a wonderful new fine dining option in the Loop. Parachute, a Korean-inspired restaurant in Avondale, was named one of the best restaurants in the country last year. The Promontory offers nightlife, cocktails and meat cooked over a hearth in Hyde Park. Fat Rice, which shows off the Chinese, Southeast Asian and Portuguese-influenced Macanese cuisine, was named one of the best restaurants in the country in 2013. This "Euro-Asian comfort food" might just hit the spot.

Other Stuff Your Parents Might Like:
If nothing on this list has piqued your interest, you might be able to draw inspiration from some of our other lists of our favorite places to eat in Chicago that your family might enjoy, too: There's the 8 Best Restaurants In Chicago To Take Your Parents, the Best Pizza in Chicago, Best Old School Pasta Spots, the best Classic Chicago Restaurants, and our list of the Best New Restaurants in Chicago: 2015 Edition.

Special thanks to Carrie McGath, Stephen Gossett, Rachel Cromidas, Tankboy, Joel Wicklund, Jessica Mlinaric, Ben Kramer, Tony Peregrin, Laura Stolpman for their suggestions.