Chicago, IL Reviews


270 Reviews



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United States / Illinois / Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Metro Area / Cook County / Chicago / Zip Codes
What BestPlaces Users Say about Chicago

Chicago, Illinois is a diverse and bustling city known for its iconic skyline, deep dish pizza, and rich history. With a population of over 2.7 million people, living in Chicago offers a unique and vibrant experience. From the hustle and bustle of downtown to the charming neighborhoods scattered throughout, this city has something for everyone. To gain a better understanding of what it's like to live in this popular destination, let's take a look at what some users have to say about it.

1) "Chicago is an amazing city to live in. There's always something going on and the people here are so friendly. I love exploring all the different neighborhoods and trying out new restaurants. Plus, the public transportation is so convenient." - Emily M.

2) "I've lived in Chicago my whole life and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. The cultural diversity here is unmatched and there's always something new to discover. However, the cost of living can be pretty high, so be prepared for that." - Michael S.

3) "I moved to Chicago for a job opportunity and I have to say, I'm loving it so far. There's always something to do on the weekends and the food scene is incredible. The only downside is the harsh winters, but the summers make up for it." - Sarah B.

4) "I've lived in Chicago for 10 years and I have mixed feelings about it. The city has a lot to offer, but there are also some major issues with crime and safety. It's important to do your research and choose a safe neighborhood to live in. Overall, it's a love-hate relationship with this city." - John P.

Overall, it seems that Chicago offers a dynamic and exciting lifestyle, but it also has its challenges. The diverse culture and endless entertainment options are praised by many, but the high cost of living and potential safety concerns are valid points to consider. It's important to do thorough research and choose the right neighborhood for your needs when considering a move to Chicago.

 based on 270 Reviews
Get to know Chicago with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Chicago
Low quality of life. City & state broken. - 10/10/2018
I was unfortunate enough to live in Chicago for several years. First of all the weather is horrible. People know the winter is bad but the summer is the worst season, disgusting humidity combined with many 90+ degree days.
Chicago is known for it's violent crime which is true but there are parts of the city that have very little crime. I'm not sure where I heard this & can't take credit but here is a great summery of Chicago: It's like Detroit and San Francisco had a baby. Similar to Detroit with horrible climate all the rust belt problems like violent crime, outdated infrastructure, old pollution/remnants of heavy industry, corrupt government. It's like San Francisco in that there are some great urban neighborhoods with access to transit, parks, culture, grocery stores but only people in the wealthiest 5% can afford to live in these neighborhoods. Chicago has a relatively diverse economy even more diverse than strictly tech based SF or auto based Detroit.
It's odd, in Read More
Eric | ,  | Reply | 2 Replies
Agree 300   Disagree 340

Start Your Review of Chicago

Sweet home Chicago. - 8/11/2018
I’ve lived in several major cities and although Chicago is far from perfect, I will always love it there. I highly recommend living here/visiting here. Culture, history, art, food, public transit, and (relatively) bike friendly. The biggest downside... The winter temperatures. Read More
Tim | Houston, TX | Reply | No Replies
Agree 271   Disagree 227
Most corrupt city in the USA - 6/22/2018
The city is loosing people everyday. The taxes will eat you up alive. The crime rate is out of control. It's safer in Iraq.
Winters are long and dreary.
Little if any job growth. Unemployment is a big issue.
The City and State is bankrupt, so they are desperate for more tax Read More
Ed | Chicago, IL | Reply | No Replies
Agree 316   Disagree 306
Why - 6/14/2018
Why you vote people in that hate us. Illegals kill us poor. Illegals they don’t even arrest here. Rich or rich and used to just keep the poor poor...they we afraid for our Read More
Greg | ,  | Reply | 1 Reply
Agree 228   Disagree 290
Calm down - take a chill pill - 12/30/2017
Chicago is a world class city with economic and political challenges like nearly every other part of the United States. If you can get your mind to accept that reality, then maybe you can move on to embracing the cultural and historical impact this city has had and continues to have on the world. Universities with Nobel prizes, architechectural leadership, ethnic diversity, musical and theatrical excellence, numerous athletic accomplishments, world class cuisine, and many other things to get excited about. All of this wrapped in a neighbor friendly, humble, midwestern environment.

Some other comments.

Weather: The legend of the Chicago winter is far worse than the reality. Yes the entirety of the Midwest has some tough winter days, but Chicago is far from being America’s Siberia. The sun shines 54% of the time in Chicago, which is consistent with most major cities (typical range is bewtween 50-60% for cities outside of the Southwestern US). The average Read More
Jeffrey | Burr Ridge, IL | Reply | 3 Replies
Agree 271   Disagree 274
Hidden Gems of Bronzeville - 11/4/2017
I'm from Chicago and I love Chicago. We have our hiccups in the road, yes its a lot of division here, but there is a huge amount Chicagoans who support one another. In some way shape or form. The Absolutely Anything Essential Gift shop is a retail incubator of artists from across Chicago. We welcome those with Positive Vibes Only. 3521 S. King Drive. Read More
kenya | Chicago, IL | Reply | No Replies
Agree 154   Disagree 191
Urban and culturally rich, not for everyone - 10/22/2017
Move to Chi if you want:

* A walkable, urban environment with distinctly city-like streetscapes
* Coffee houses, jazz joints, blues bars, comedy pubs, greasy spoons and similar that are open till 4AM
* Bookstores and so on that are open till midnight or thereabouts
* Other stores open till ten or thereabouts
* Great symphony, opera, ballet, galleries, museums and theaters all concentrated near each other, or located in convenient, walkable parts of town
* Grand and beautiful architecture
* Metro transit running twenty four hours (busiest two lines) or twenty hours (the other lines)
* A decent, second-tier concentration of creative culture
* Decent professional-class opportunities
* A city with immense civic pride, fascinating history and a strong, unique, cohesive sense of place. There's no mistaking you're in Chicago -- this ain't Anyplace, USA.

If you're seeking these things, move into a loop-adjacent Read More
Will | Chicago, IL | Reply | No Replies
Agree 244   Disagree 176
Best City - 9/27/2017
Awesome city w/ the most friendly people Read More
Jen | Chicago, IL | Reply | No Replies
Agree 148   Disagree 163
Stay away from this school - 6/5/2017
Stay away from this school. It is run by a bunch of people whose main goal is to make money. My son is currently in 8th grade and for high school, he will be going to Walter Payton. The British school made us sign a contract 3 weeks before the results of the magnet school comes up, to secure your place at the school. Now that my son is not going to the British school, not only do they keep your downpayment ($2k), we now have to pay for the full fall semester which is $10k.
I understand this was stated in the contract but the British school purposefully made us sign the contract before the magent school results because they know some students will leave. Now that I am doing my research, I found out that this has been going on for years now and a lot of parents have tried suing them but they all failed because of the contract. And if you don’t sign the contract, you lose your spot so we had to and we were ready to lose the 2k but to pay for the full fall semester is just so Read More
ayyamani | Darien, IL | Reply | No Replies
Agree 191   Disagree 192
Fun city. High crime rate and cold winter - 2/13/2017
I've lived in Chicago for about 3 years.
It wasn't bad at all. The city as pros and cons.

Pros:
Good public transportation. You basically can survive without a car.
A lot of opportunities for professional growth.
A lot of fun places to visit.
Beautiful downtown, Lake Shore, Boystown.
Gorgeous Fall.

Cons:
High crime rate and a lot of shootings.
Cold, long, gloomy winter with a lot of snow.
Parking during the winter almost doesn't exist.
The city is pretty expensive.
Lack of nature.

After living there for 3 years I can't say that it's quite my place to live. I had a lot of fun there, yes but the lack of sunshine and the nature affects you in a negative way.

The city left a negative impact on my personal life but it really no the city's fault.

You can save a lot of money on not having a car and using public transportation.
 Read More
Eugene | Clearwater, FL | Reply | No Replies
Agree 289   Disagree 296
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