North or South Chicago???

Travel Info
I just got a job with U.S. Steel in Gary, Indiana which is more south of downtown Chicago...but I heard that Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville are the places to be for a 23 year old straight college grad who wants to booze, find hott chicks, and enjoy the nightlife. Problem is that they are north of Chicago which makes the commute to Gary a pain in the u know what. I was wondering if South Chicago had any hott spots for nightlife and what areas would they be in??? Also, which place is better in your opinion, north or south and why? All advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Travel Tips

Yeah, that is kind of true. If you're 23 and single, the neighborhoods you want to be in are Lincoln Park, Lakeview / Wrigleyville, or Bucktown / Wicker Park, but all of those are on the north side (though Bucktown's a little further south.) The South Loop is a possibility, but it's still a lot emptier than Lincoln Park, and while there are young people there, they're usually more like late 20's and buying condominiums.

Given that you're only talking about ten extra minutes down Lake Shore Drive, and your weekends would still be free, I probably would stick with Lincoln Park or Lakeview, and try to be on the south end of those neighborhoods (Lincoln Park is further south than Wrigley, for example) - maybe look around Fullerton Parkway or so, and near Lake Shore Drive so you can get on the freeway quickly. It's not that South Chicago is so bad, it just doesn't have the nightlife of the north side.

Others
all of chicago is cool
For what you are looking for - 20 somethings and nightlife, you are going to find much more of that on the North Side in Lincoln Park, Lakeview (Wrigleyville). Or you could try Bucktown - a great neighborhood, that is a little closer to your work and a little more convenient to the expressway.

You could also check out the West Loop or South Loop, but they are not going to have as much of what you are looking for.

On the South Side, you could check out Hyde Park or maybe Bronzeville. These are good neighborhoods, but you will probably enjoy Lincoln Park or Bucktown a lot more.

Also, you will do far better on your rent if you can find a roommate. 2 BR are much more affordable (per person) than 1 BR or Studios.
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South side would be easier for your commute but as you said the perfect spot for a 23 year old wanting to cruise and booze for chicks then the north side is the spot for you. People always say the south side has more crime but north side has quite a bit too so don't be fooled by that. If you were a girl I would tell you to not walk home alone from your bar.
South Chicago (the parts that aren't inner city) generally is tamer than the northside. You will, however, have an incredibly long commute if you go all the way from Lincoln Park or Wrigleyville. Your best bet is probably to look in the Hyde Park/Kenwood area near the University of Chicago (in the 50s and 60s, between Lake Shore Drive and MLK). The collegetown atmosphere makes that a bit more interesting, and you have the added advantage that you can catch a South Shore train straight to Gary, making your commute easier. You might try looking between Roosevelt and 35th Street (Chinatown, the South Loop, or Bronzeville), as the whole area is rapidly gentrifying.
The north side of Chicago has all of those things you mentioned you're looking for. South Chicago has... I dunno, steel mills and a couple of old-man bars that probably still sell Hamm's beer. There's a cute chick here and there in South Chicago but she'll probably kick your azz if you look at her funny ("What da fcuk are you lookin' at? Hey, Becky, hold my baby while I kick dis guy's azz..."). But there is a strip club or two out that way, but you'll probably get bored with that after a few months...

Anyway, South Chicago, from what I've seen, hasn't got much in the way of nightlife.