lincoln square

with a european-style square as its central meeting place (and eating and drinking place), the lincoln square enclave is uniquely german -- or, at least, it used to be. lincoln square is a bustling little village with enough variety to keep you busy just about any night of the week.  there's a healthy variety of restaurants and boutiques, and a conveniently located el stop just a block off the main drag.

the oh-so-spacious welles park covers enough territory to accommodate several baseball diamonds and a playground, and a gigantic branch of the chicago public library sits across the street.  the old town school of folk music can be found here, which explains all the guitar-toting pedestrians, as can the chopping block, which likens itself to a "professional cooking school without the commitment.

the brunches at 42 north latitude are amongst the best in the city, the sushi at tank is sensational, and the italian fare at la bocca della verita is always delicious, but many of the area’s best-known venues work it german-style, just as you'd expect.  the 42-year-old chicago brauhaus, with its nightly oompah band, serves up mountains of wiener schnitzels, knackwursts, und steins und steins of bier.  you’ll also find a wide selection of german breweries at hüettenbar and the glunz bavarian house (where you can order the “jaegerpfandl,” or pork tenderloin, just to say “jaegerpfandl”).

during oktoberfest, lincoln square explodes with leiderhosen, little feathered caps and, yes, steins und steins of bier.  but even in october, the residential streets are quiet, the better to hold its old mansions by.  there are hundreds of vintage apartment buildings, many renovated, and the neighborhood is dense with loyola students, young professionals, and the occasional family with kids.