Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Illinois > Chicago Suburbs
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
View Poll Results: Which one of these 2 gems is the better?
Evanston 19 67.86%
Oak Park 9 32.14%
Voters: 28. You may not vote on this poll

Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 07-25-2014, 12:48 PM
 
1,517 posts, read 2,342,298 times
Reputation: 573

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by probablyimnotsure View Post
Well, Evanston sounds better than Oak Park if you want to go to Chicago regularly.
Depends where in Chicago. The Loop is an easier trip from Oak Park, as is nightlife in River North.

Incidences of crime are non-existent driving in on 290 from Oak Park. Literally hundreds of thousands of people do it every day, and nothing significant has ever happened.

Ditto for Metra/CTA from Oak Park.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 07-25-2014, 12:50 PM
 
11,975 posts, read 31,780,988 times
Reputation: 4644
Quote:
Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth View Post
Haven't been to Barone's. Driven by though. My first thought was front organization. Uppity Glen Ellyn has gotta have a couple mobsters, right? "Contributing to the community" ehhh? Didn't realize it was primarily a pizza place. I'll take the family over and try it out. Maybe we'll find Hoffa.
No, it's a really nice family that owns the place. About as far from mobster as you can get. They have a play room for kids. Great pizza. Featured on Chicago's Best:


Chicago's Best Pizza: Barone's of Glen Ellyn - YouTube
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-25-2014, 01:04 PM
 
1,517 posts, read 2,342,298 times
Reputation: 573
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
No, it's a really nice family that owns the place. About as far from mobster as you can get. They have a play room for kids. Great pizza. Featured on Chicago's Best:
Chicago's Best Pizza: Barone's of Glen Ellyn - YouTube
WOW. Ok, pizza night just got bumped up... to right now. A stuffed that is actually stuffed? I think this could be a new favorite -- Giordano's top line is about to take a hit.

Chicago's Best only ever liked our wine and popcorn:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ih3tQPsltk

Last edited by holl1ngsworth; 07-25-2014 at 01:35 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-25-2014, 01:47 PM
 
11,975 posts, read 31,780,988 times
Reputation: 4644
The parking lot is MOBBED on Fridays and Saturdays and has the politeness of a bazaar in Bombay. Park on the street if you go.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-25-2014, 02:39 PM
 
Location: Chicago
6,359 posts, read 8,826,410 times
Reputation: 5871
Quote:
Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth View Post
Evanston is all suburb. Especially the downtown. Regardless, Lake Forest and Winnetka would be your choices for suburban? Have you been to either?

What about La Grange? Arlington Heights? Elmhurst? Wheaton? Glen Ellyn? Geneva? All have way better downtown districts than those two.
well, I've lived on the North Shore a good part of my life, so I sorta imagine I've been to Winnetka andLake Forest. 100's of times. I do like what Arlington Heights has done with its DT, especially with downtown living, although I find it highly disjointed with the metra tacks. Love Geneva, but I think the real charm is not downtown per se, which is pretty small, but in what I believe is 3rd Street with the speciality shops like the Little Traveler.

also, where on earth did I say that the downtowns I listed were the best. I just was trying to give my idea of more true suburban downtowns than Evanston which I still feel has become far more urbanized. and from my perspective, I don't find it very disjointed at all, the way some here see it. I think it forms a rather unified core. I do know that Northwestern students really enjoy the "new" downtown Evanston.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-25-2014, 02:44 PM
 
11,975 posts, read 31,780,988 times
Reputation: 4644
Quote:
Originally Posted by edsg25 View Post
Love Geneva, but I think the real charm is not downtown per se, which is pretty small, but in what I believe is 3rd Street with the speciality shops like the Little Traveler.
I think nowadays people are considering that "downtown Geneva", even though the historical downtown was probably State Street, which is too wide to be a great pedestrian corridor--even though it has some great stuff on it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-25-2014, 03:14 PM
 
1,517 posts, read 2,342,298 times
Reputation: 573
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
I think nowadays people are considering that "downtown Geneva", even though the historical downtown was probably State Street, which is too wide to be a great pedestrian corridor--even though it has some great stuff on it.
The sum of both is "downtown;" they are both the same place. Separated by a block or two. I like the old buildings along the main drag, but 3rd has the advantage of Metra proximity and probably gets a little more pedestrian traffic.

Speaking of, did you know one of Geneva's best spots to eat is relocating to Glen Ellyn?
Geneva Mexican restaurant to relocate to downtown Glen Ellyn | mySuburbanLife.com

I can't wait to try it; never did while it was in Geneva. Read a lot of positive stuff though.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-25-2014, 03:21 PM
 
11,975 posts, read 31,780,988 times
Reputation: 4644
Quote:
Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth View Post
The sum of both is "downtown;" they are both the same place. Separated by a block or two. I like the old buildings along the main drag, but 3rd has the advantage of Metra proximity and probably gets a little more pedestrian traffic.

Speaking of, did you know one of Geneva's best spots to eat is relocating to Glen Ellyn?

Geneva Mexican restaurant to relocate to downtown Glen Ellyn | mySuburbanLife.com
But of course! Super excited to get some energy in our sleepy little downtown. People travel from all over the metro area to eat there (the last time I went we were seated next to people from Lake Bluff). Fire and Wine is great too, though I wish they hadn't added one in Naperville.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-25-2014, 03:27 PM
 
1,517 posts, read 2,342,298 times
Reputation: 573
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
But of course! Super excited to get some energy in our sleepy little downtown. People travel from all over the metro area to eat there (the last time I went we were seated next to people from Lake Bluff). Fire and Wine is great too, though I wish they hadn't added one in Naperville.
The best meals I've had so far between Wheaton and Glen Ellyn have been at Adelle's. Wish it was located in a more appealing part of the downtown, but the inside's still got a good vibe. It'll be great to have a pair of first-class places to eat in the area.

Must-Try Chicago Suburb Restaurants - Zagat << both on here (well, Bien Trucha, which is a toda madre's madre)

Last edited by holl1ngsworth; 07-25-2014 at 03:49 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 07-26-2014, 02:00 AM
 
1,002 posts, read 1,784,889 times
Reputation: 498
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid View Post
One advantage to Evanston is that it gives you great access to the fun North Side neighborhoods of Chicago. But Oak Park is more convenient to the Loop, in spite of having to get across some rough neighborhoods to do so.
I've never had to drive through rough neighborhoods to get to the loop from Oak Park. If I want the loop, or west loop, I take 290. If I want to go to places like Lincoln Square, I'll take Fullerton… I've never felt that I've had to take sketchy streets to go anywhere in Chicago I want to go to, and I'm not increasing my journey either. Oak Park is also closer to Lincoln Square, Wicker Park, West Loop… than Evanston is, to I don't feel like I'm missing out on any of the fun stuff. Both communities have their perks, so I don't particularly see the "fun north side neighborhoods of Chicago" as an advantage, but if someone is dying to live by the lake, or in a college town, then Evanston will be the clear choice.

I personally like both towns, and was considering both when we were moving out of the city, but ended up deciding on Oak Park due to a number of factors that suited my family more.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Illinois > Chicago Suburbs

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top