From Wikitravel

Chatham's Landmark Diner, soul food served to the A-list of African-American history

Chatham-South Shore is a district at the heart of Chicago's South Side, home to the real Chicago blues, some mind-blowing BBQ, and the best soul food in town.

Understand

This side of Chicago does not feature in many travel plans. If you ask a hotel concierge in the Near North to make arrangements for a trip here, the reaction — whether incredulous or simply bewildered — should be a sight to behold. Don't be fooled, though; Chatham and Greater Grand could be the highlight of your trip to Chicago. The best blues clubs are all here.

Greater Chatham (Chatham, Avalon Park, Calumet Heights, Burnside) is a residential stronghold of middle and upper class African-American Chicagoans. No sightseeing to be done, but Chatham boasts some of the best food on the South Side (including the ultimate Harold's), as well as two of the city's best blues clubs.

Greater Grand rivals Chatham for soul food, BBQ, and blues club supremacy. It also has the Oak Woods Cemetery, which is both beautifully laid out and resting place to some of the the most famous residents of the South Side's past.

South Shore is home to a lively arts scene, largely thanks to the ETA Creative Arts Foundation and the magnificent South Shore Cultural Center. It is also home to one of the city's best and least known beaches, Rainbow Beach. Incidentally, many of Chicago's most prominent black politicians call this community home. Its main commercial strip runs alongside Metra's Electric Line on 71st St and is literally lined with kids hanging out when school's not in session.

By car

If you are traveling by car, it is very easy to get into the district — the two major highways on the South Side cut right through it. From the Chicago Skyway (I-90), heading northbound, there are exits at 73rd, Stony Island Ave, 87th, and 95th (there are no exits heading southbound from the Dan Ryan junction to 92nd St, past the tollbooth). Off the Dan Ryan (I-94), the principal exits are at 67th, 71st, 76th, 79th, and 87th. The major relevant east-west routes within the area occur every mile, at 71st, 79th, and 87th. For north-south travel within the district, the most useful routes are Cottage Grove Ave, Stony Island Ave (by far the widest route), and to a lesser extent South Chicago Ave.

Parking is widely available in each neighborhood. It is a relatively poor section of the city, and is far enough away from the city center that on-street parking should be easy to find. The only main streets lacking on street parking are in South Shore, along 71st and Exchange.

By rail

Rail is not the best way to visit this section of the city, as you will need to take bus transfers wherever you want to go.

The one relevant CTA line, the Red Line, passes through the western side of Greater Grand and Chatham, right in the center of the Dan Ryan.

The Metra Electric Main Line runs straight from Millenium Station downtown through the heart of the district and, while the trains run less regularly, can be more convenient than the CTA.

For visiting South Shore, on the other hand, Metra is the best way to go, as the Electric South Chicago Branch runs right on top of the main strip the entire way through the neighborhood, with a very convenient stop right by the South Shore Cultural Center.

Confederate POW memorial at Oak Woods Cemetery

Bus, while certainly less convenient than driving, is the most widely used mode of transport throughout most of the district. Route #4 runs the length of Cottage Grove Ave from Chicago State University through Hyde Park, and all the way to Michigan Ave in the Loop. #28 runs along Stony Island Ave from eastern Hyde Park all the way to 103rd St on the Far Southeast Side.

For traveling east-west, the routes are simple, following the main roads: #71 along 71st St, #75 along 75th, and #87 along 87th.

• Oak Woods Cemetery, 1035 E 67th Street, ☎ +1 773 288-3800. Were it not for the somber atmosphere, Oak Woods would probably be one of Chicago's favorite parks as it is beautifully laid out and has four attractive elongated ponds. The cemetery is the final resting place of many of the South Side's most famous residents, including Olympian runner Jesse Owens, nuclear physicist Enrico Fermi, civil rights leader Ida B. Wells, Mayor William Hale Thompson (perhaps Chicago's most eccentric leader), and the first black mayor of Chicago, Harold Washington Jr. One of the more striking monuments is the memorial to the overwhelming 6,000 Confederate prisoners of war who died at Camp Douglas (on the site of the present day Illinois Institute of Technology in Bronzeville). The mayors' graves are located along the northwest shore of the largest lake (Symphony Lake). If Illinois' ugly political world interests you, you can find "Senator" Roland Burris' ostentatious monument/grave prepared in advance, with a list of his "achievements."  edit

• South Shore Cultural Center (SSCC), 7059 S Shore Dr, ☎ +1 773 256-0149, [1]. M-Sa 10AM-6PM. An enormous South Side landmark, which once served as the private golf clubhouse — closed to African-Americans. Times have changed. The country club went bankrupt, and the golf course and tremendous building were bought by the Chicago Park District, and then converted into a beautiful and extravagant community center with large chandeliers and floor to ceiling windows. The SSCC hosts plays, live music, and dance performances. It's no stranger to fame, having hosted the wedding receptions of countless South Side notables, including the Obamas; the exterior also served as the "Palace Hotel Ballroom" for the Blues Brothers' big gig.  edit

Rainbow Beach has lovely South Side views of the Chicago Skyline

• ETA Creative Arts Foundation, 7558 S South Chicago Ave, ☎ +1 773 752-3955 (fax: +1 773 752-8727), [2]. Box office: M-W 10AM-6PM Th-Su 10AM-10PM, ETA Gallery: M-W 11AM-6PM, Th-F 11AM-10PM, Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 2PM-10PM. A community center housing one top-notch African-American theater company, which puts on an extraordinary number of plays, nearly all of them world premieres. The theater itself is very nice and the community center includes two art galleries featuring mostly local African-American artists. Live music on Music Mondays (second Monday of the month). Admission to the main stage: $25.  edit

• Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago, 6800 S Wentworth Ave, ☎ +1 773 602-1135 (fax: +1 773 602-1134), [3]. Check website for performance times. Muntu is an innovative and highly acclaimed Chicago dance company, which performs energetic interpretations of African and African-American dances and music. This location, their headquarters, is comprised of offices and a stage, although they regularly travel around Chicago's performance venues.  edit

• Rainbow Beach, 7600 South Shore Dr, ☎ +1 312 747-0832. Summers (Memorial Day-Labor Day): 9AM-9:30PM. One of the best and biggest beaches in Chicago, boasting a magnificent South Side view of the Chicago skyline, and it has a free parking lot! Free outdoor movies are often held in the adjacent Rainbow Park. Free.  edit

• The Rink, 1122 E 87th St, ☎ +1 773 221-3290, [4]. T 10AM-2PM (30+) 8PM-midnight (21+), W 5:30-8:30 (families), Th 8PM-midnight (30+), F 7PM-11PM, Sa noon-3PM (pre-teen) 7PM-11PM (teen) midnight-4AM (18+), Su 5-9PM (30+) 9:30PM-1:30AM (18+). Ok, this place is cool. A roller rink oozing with South Side character and home to not a few serious skaters who flaunt their moves to smooth R&B and old school. It has shown up a bit in pop culture, from the movies "Soul Food" and "Roll Bounce" to several nationally-aired music videos. If you are intimidated by the pros on the rink but want to check the place out, there are also arcade games and pool/ping-pong tables. It is open to different age groups at different times, so make sure to double-check the hours before coming here. Usually $7, but varies.  edit

• South Shore Country Club, 7059 South Shore Drive, ☎ +1 312 747-6250, [5]. Sunrise-sunset. Nine holes of golf maintained (somewhat) by the Chicago Park Administration. Great skyline views over Lake Michigan from the course. Weekdays: $11, Weekends: $12.50.  edit

The South Shore Cultural Center

• Angborki Doe Designs, 2650 E 83rd St, ☎ +1 773 731-2650, [6]. Tu-Sa 11AM-7PM. African imports, aimed at home decor from jewelry and artwork to sofas.  edit
• Premonition Fashion, 8159 S Stony Island Ave, ☎ +1 773 374-4472, [7]. M-Sa 11AM-7PM, Su by appointment. A boutique specializing in trendy, very fashionable clothes by local designers for women of all sizes. The prices are outrageously low. All items $10-50.  edit
• The Underground Afrocentric Book Store, 1727 E 87th St, ☎ +1 773 768-8869. M-Sa 11AM-7PM. Books by and about African-Americans. Prides itself on distributing new and controversial publications. Also sells recordings of speeches by African-American leaders, African clothing, and other odds and ends.  edit
• The Woodshop Art Gallery, 441 E 75th St, ☎ +1 773 994-6666 (fax: +1 773 994-6667). M,W-Sa 9AM-6PM. Offers paintings and contemporary furniture by African-American artists as well as Haitian art, all at quite reasonable prices.  edit

Eat

This section of the city is spoiled for terrific neighborhood restaurants. The majority of the city's most renowned soul food is served up here at famous locations like Army & Lou's and Izola's, both of which have served just about every prominent African-American figure who has set foot in Chicago. The city's best Memphis-style BBQ is here, too. Greater Grand is home to the city's best donuts; Chatham to the city's best fried chicken.

Now, if you are looking for something that resembles healthy food, your options are limited. Soul Vegetarian is a very good option, and the various ethnic restaurants are not quite so heart attack-inducing (mostly Jamaican, but with the odd Trinidadian and Senegalese restaurant tossed in for good measure).

• Cafe Nine 17, 917 E 79th St, ☎ +1 773 723-2222. T-W 11AM-9PM, Th-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su noon-9PM. A sandwich shop/eatery with open mic poetry nights T-W. The owner is openly gay and markets the cafe as a safe spot for the South Side LGBT community. $4-8.  edit
• Cafe Trinidad, 557 E 75th St, ☎ +1 773 846-8081. M-Th 11AM-8PM, F-Sa 11AM-9PM, Su 12:30PM-7PM. This is one of the only places to get Trinidadian cuisine in Chicago, and it knows what it is doing with its long list of curries. $3-8.  edit
• Dat Donuts, 8249 S Cottage Grove Ave, ☎ +1 773 723-1002. 24 hours daily, except Su 10PM-4AM. A must for serious donut eaters as it is home to the legendary "Big Dat" — the mother of all donuts. In addition to quantity (i.e., size), the quality attracts devoted foodies from all over the Chicagoland area. $0.25-2.50.  edit
• Harold's Chicken Shack, 100 W 87th St, ☎ +1 773 224-3314. Su-Th 10AM-2AM, F-Sa 10AM-3AM. A restaurant reviewer for the Chicago Reader took on the immense and grave task of finding which Harold's is the best, visiting each and every one of the 50 or so odd locations, and reviewing them on a ten point scale across twelve categories. And he found this location to be the best of them all! While the chicken should be fabulous, it's worth noting that there are more fights going on in that parking lot than is normal — usually between people who know each other, though. $2-5.  edit
• Give Me Some Sugah, 2234 E 71st St, ☎ +1 773 363-9330, [8]. Tu-Sa 10AM-7:30PM. A wonderful South Shore bakery, where everything is made from scratch (the high prices reflect this). $1.50-6.  edit
• That's a Burger, 2134 E 71st St, ☎ +1 773 493-2080. M-Th 11AM-7PM, F-Sa 11AM-9PM. Big to-order burgers at a local favorite. Take-out only, and call ahead well in advance to avoid a long wait. The house specials are the Whammy Burger, which comes with a split Polish on top, and the T.a.B Special, topped with chili, cheese, bacon and egg. Beef or turkey. $4-6.  edit

The reigning king of the Blues

• Army & Lou's, 422 E 75th St, ☎ +1 773 483-3100, [9]. W-M 9AM-10PM. Former city mayor Harold Washington's favorite soul food restaurant is still a good place to spot prominent black Chicago politicians and anyone else who likes their soul food done right in a tuxedoed-waiter environment. If you enjoy your food here, you're in good company — other devotees have included Martin Luther King, Jesse Jackson, Sammy Davis Jr, Muhammad Ali, Cab Calloway, and the most honorable Richard Daley. $10-15.  edit
• Barbara Ann's Barbecue, 7617 S Cottage Grove Ave, ☎ +1 773 651-5300. Tu-Th noon-midnight, F-Sa noon-3AM. All Barbara Ann's offerings are great, but the links stand out — coarse, fatty, spicy — incredible. She also offers beef tips, which you would have trouble finding elsewhere in the city. Order the sauce on the side if you don't want your links to drown. $8-16.  edit
• BJ's Market & Bakery, 8734 S Stony Island Ave, ☎ +1 773 374-4700 (fax: +1 773 374-9200). M-Th 11AM-9PM, F-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11AM-8PM. This dining-hall like eatery offers some of the best soul food in a city full of great southern cooking. Moreover, the chef prides himself on cooking soul food for the heart, meaning that the food is actually healthy and won't sit so heavy in your stomach. $8-15.  edit
• Captain's Hard Time Dining, 436 E 79th St, ☎ +1 773 487-2900 (fax: +1 773 487-3297), [10]. S,T-Th 8AM-11PM, F-Sa 8AM-midnight. Fine dining on the cheap, soul food, steaks, and seafood. Offers a $15 Sunday "Gospel buffet" from 11AM-6PM with Gospel singers performing after 2:30PM. $9-14.  edit
• Izola's Restaurant, 522 E 79th St, ☎ +1 773 846-1484. Th-T 24 hrs. Legend has it that former Mayor Harold Washington began his mayoral campaign at this friendly landmark restaurant serving quality down-home-cookin'. Be sure to sit in the nice back room, which is more comfortable and has more seating than the front room (unless, that is, you're in a hurry). And check out all the huge photos of the famous people who have dined here (the Obama portrait is wall-sized). $8-14.  edit
• Lem's Bar-B-Que House, 311 E 75th St, ☎ +1 773 994-2428. W-M 2PM-4AM. Lem's sets the standard against which all Chicago cue must be judged. That's not to say it is the best — Uncle John's could certainly give Lem's a run for its money on a good day. But it serves the most reliably excellent tips and (charred) links you'll find in the city. Open late, and with a crowded parking lot. $5-13.  edit
• Maxine's Caribbean Spice, 1232 E 87th St, ☎ +1 773 933-0540 (fax: +1 773 933-0500). M-Th noon-10PM, F-Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-9PM. One of the best Jamaican restaurants in town. Features a weekend Caribbean breakfast which comes with sides of fried dumplings and boiled bananas. Note though, like all South Side Jamaican places, service is s l o w. $7-15.  edit
• Soul Vegetarian East Restaurant, 205 E 75th St, ☎ +1 773 224-0104 (fax: +1 773 224-5851), [11]. M-Th 7AM-10PM, F 7AM-11PM, Sa 8AM-11PM, Su 8AM-9PM. This is at once one of the best vegetarian and the best soul food restaurants in town. Occasional events range from spoken word to hip hop DJs. $8-14.  edit
• Three J's Restaurant, 1713 E 75th St, ☎ +1 773 667-1360. M-Th 8AM-11PM, F-Sa 8AM-11:45PM, Su 8AM-10PM. South Side is the place for Jamaican, and this local South Shore establishment gets five stars for the jerk chicken alone. Inside it's a nice, clean, diner-like eatery, with friendly service. Even if you never set foot in the neighborhood, you can indulge in this fine food by delivery as far as the Loop! Just know that it's cash-only, order minimum $15, you will have to step outside your hotel to get it, and call Joseph at +1 773 746-9615 for the delivery (tip him well for that drive!). $6-12.  edit
• Uncle Joe's, 8211 S Cottage Grove Ave, ☎ +1 773 962-9935 (unclejoesjerk@hotmail.com, fax: +1 773 221-0021). Sa-Th 11AM-10PM, F 11AM-11PM. The South Side's legendary Jamaican restaurant serving great jerk meats. It has developed into a local chain, but this is the original, and widely considered the best. $7-13.  edit
• Uncle John's BBQ, 339 E 69th St, ☎ +1 773 892-1233. M-Th 11AM-11PM, F-Sa 11AM-midnight. Uncle John's BBQ is simply the best. The tips and links are perfect, and the spare-ribs (unlike most Chicago ribs) are wonderful. If you make it out here, this place will dispel any notions you previously carried about BBQ north of the Mason-Dixon. $3.50-14.  edit
• Wings around the World, 510 E 75th St, ☎ +1 773 483-9120 (fax: +1 312 326-6935). M-W 11:30AM-10:30PM, Th-Sa 11:30AM-5AM, Su noon-7PM. Wings are the specialty, and they come in several flavors per nation: Canadian maple, Jamaican honey jerk, U.S. buffalo style, Japanese kamikaze, Greek lemon-garlic, etc. The sauces are rant & rave worthy and there's enough diversity to make a large order very worth it — if you're feeling splurgy, try an order of 1000 wings for $450 (call that one in first). All food is cooked to order, and the wings are big, juicy, & meaty. A note about that spicy kamikaze sauce is in order, though, it's aptly named. $7-20.  edit
• Yassa African Restaurant, 716 E 79th St, ☎ +1 773 488-9630, [12]. Su-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-11PM. An authentic Senegalese Restaurant, which has made quite a name for itself (having been featured on the popular foodie TV show "Check Please"). But it remains a low-key, friendly hub for Chicago's Senegalese community. Don't miss the W,F dinner special: cow foot?! $9-12.  edit

• The Parrot Cage, 7059 South Shore Dr, ☎ +1 773 602-5333 (fax: +1 773 994-0021), [13]. W-Sa reservations accepted 5:30PM-8:30PM. An upscale restaurant at the South Shore Cultural Center that offers fine seasonal American cuisine at impressively low prices, nice views of Lake Michigan, and is a great excuse to come admire the SSCC. $16-25.  edit

Jazz and Blues on 87th

Don't be fooled. There are plenty of blues clubs throughout the city, but none hold a candle to the following. Blues clubs are undoubtedly a matter of taste — you could have a great or a bad experience at any one of these, but the risk is worth it. Lee's Unleaded is probably the flagship club. Jazz lovers spending much time in the city should not miss a Tuesday night Von Freeman gig at the New Apartment Lounge.

South Side blues clubs, though, constitute a fragile ecosystem. Try not to descend en masse. The music and atmosphere will adapt to you; you won't get the real experience. Come in couples or trios instead, and immerse yourself in the culture of the real Chicago blues.

• 50 Yard Line Bar and Grille, 69 E 75th St, ☎ +1 773 846-0005. Su-F 11AM-2AM, Sa 11AM-3AM. A cool bar and a South Side steppers' lounge, where people dance like adults. Despite the name, this is about as far from being a sports bar as possible.  edit
• Artis's Lounge, 1249 E 87th St, ☎ +1 773 734-0491. 10AM-2AM daily. Written up in the paper as one of Chicago's coolest "dive bars," although one might wonder whether a local "dive bar" really appreciates such attention. In any rate, that review is dead on; everyone will know your name by the end of the night, and it has fantastic live blues Sunday and Monday nights from around 10PM-2AM. Drink prices are a bit steep, and there's a rule that no one may be inside without a drink—you'll be leaving drunk, so plan accordingly. No cover, accepts credit cards.  edit
• Celebrity Lounge, 2020 E 83rd St, ☎ +1 773 375-1348. Su-F noon-2AM, Sa noon-3AM. A 30+ club, but they'll probably let you in as long as you're polite. Right under the Skyway, soaked in neon, with nightly blues. Music officially starts at 9PM, but don't count on that, and show up after 10PM. Covers F-Sa $5-10.  edit
• Club Escape, 1530 E 75th St, ☎ +1 773 667-6454, [14]. Su-F 5PM-2AM, Sa 5PM-3AM. South Side gay bars are rare creatures. This is a very laid back and exceptionally welcoming bar/lounge frequented mostly by men and women in their 30s and 40s, dancing mostly to soul, house, and smooth jazz.  edit
• My Soul Cafe, 7201 S Exchange Ave, ☎ +1 773 336-8592. M-F 6AM-8PM, Sa 8AM-8PM, Su 8AM-5PM. This airy, attractive, comfortable, stay-as-long-as-you-want cafe is impossible to miss, and you wouldn't want to. Much of the menu is shoddy, but the wraps are worth ordering. The free WiFi should keep you occupied while you sip.  edit
• Lee's Unleaded Blues, 7401 S South Chicago Ave, ☎ +1 773 493-3477. T-F 8PM-2AM, Sa-Su 8PM-3AM, M noon-2AM. Lee's is one of the best reasons to visit the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood as it is a fabulous South Side blues club — definitely one of the best in Chicago. On top of that, this is one of the safer sections of the district and there's a Metra stop one block away. Blue Mondays feature a monster jam session from noon until 2AM. Be careful with the drink orders, as the club does serve a few very expensive brews. No cover, two-drink minimum.  edit
• New Apartment Lounge, 504 E 75th St, ☎ +1 773 483-7728. M-F 3PM-4AM, Sa 3PM-5AM, Su 3PM-4AM. This jazz club is simply extraordinary. It is small, has no cover, and hosts perhaps the best regular jazz show in Chicago. Not all nights see performances, but every Tuesday night Chicago jazz legend Von Freeman shows up with his quartet and enchants those who make it out to this small club from 10:30PM until a few hours before the sun comes up. His show attracts people from all walks of life from all over the city. If you want to sit at the bar, expect to pay for a few drinks. No cover, two-drink minimum.  edit
• Red Pepper's Masquerade, 428 E 87th St, ☎ +1 773 873-5700 (fax: +1 773 873-5701), [15]. M 3PM-2AM, T-F 10AM-2AM, Sa noon-3AM, Su noon-2AM. A Mardi Gras styled bar/restaurant serving Cajun cuisine. There's blues on Wednesdays and stand-up comedy Tuesdays and Thursdays. F-Sa usually see live DJs and lots of dancing. The entertainment is in the back room past the front bar. Dinners $5-8.  edit

Sleep

Know what you're getting into if you are thinking of staying here. The options are pay-by-the-hour flop houses and run-down motels, with all the shady characters, dubious mattresses, and loose security that entails. And, well, cabs might be reluctant to pick you up if you give them one of these addresses. If staying here, though, know that the motels on Stony Island are the most secure.

• Barbara Ann's Motel Two, 7621 S Cottage Grove Ave, ☎ +1 773 487-5800. Offers a bed, dresser, TV, and private bathroom. Attached to Barbara Ann's BBQ, which serves excellent rib tips. Rooms from $40 for 4 hours, $45 for 10 hours, $60 all night.  edit

• Camelot Motel, 9118 S Cottage Grove Ave, ☎ +1 773 488-3100. Rooms have a dresser, table, and television. $40 for ten hours, $55 overnight.  edit

• Lake Motel, 9101 S Stony Island Ave, ☎ +1 773 731-6600. Not far from Chicago State University and the Chicago Skyway/I-90 to Indiana. $40 for eight hours, $60 overnight, plus $2 key deposit.  edit

• Stony Island Motel, 9201 S Stony Island Ave, ☎ +1 773 731-8817. The friendliest looking option in the area, with standard rooms, also close to the Skyway. $55 for eight hours, $70 overnight.  edit

• Zanzibar Motel, 8101 S Stony Island Ave, ☎ +1 773 768-1430. Offers cable television and air conditioning. $40 for ten hours, $55 overnight.  edit

Contact

There are two public libraries offering free wifi and public terminals. The Exchange Cafe above is another good option.

• Avalon Branch Library, 8148 S Stony Island Ave, ☎ +1 312 747-5234. M-F 9AM-8PM, Sa-Su 9AM-5PM.  edit

• Whitney Young Branch Library, 7901 S Dr Martin Luther King Jr Dr, ☎ +1 312 747-0039. M-F 9AM-8PM, Sa 9AM-5PM.  edit

Stay safe

The South Side experiences here can potentially outshine those you could have anywhere else in Chicago. There's one hitch though, and that's violent crime. Alas, the levels of violent crime in this area, especially in the northwest neighborhood of Greater Grand Crossing, are higher than you'd find traveling in much of the world; travel here is not for everyone, and many travelers will find visiting this area of the city to be beyond their comfort level.

Nonetheless, a casual visitor is very unlikely to be the target of crime; you just are not spending enough time here, so the odds are you'll be fine. Avoid side streets, where you can run into unabashed drug trade. On main streets, you might get mildly harassed if you look lost, insecure, or unfamiliar with your surroundings — if it happens, avoid eye contact, and keep walking.

It's a hassle to deal with public transport, especially if you're not staying here, and waiting around in the wee hours of the night at a bus stop, having stumbled out of a bar, is not a great idea. If you're going to be at a club, you're going to have some booze, and you'll need a ride. Arranging a point-to-point taxi ride is a good idea if you are coming from downtown. Arrange that in advance; residents rightly complain about the difficulty of getting a cab at night.

• The South Side's Bronzeville and Hyde Park are just to the north and have a lot to offer a visitor interested in African-American history and culture. They also have far better hotel options, so if you are interested in basing yourself South Side, it may make sense to get a room near a Metra stop near Hyde Park.
• Chatham is often considered part of the Far Southeast Side, and there is ample reason to head further south. More soul food awaits, more blues brothers' filming locations, as well as a host of other South Side attractions like Historic Pullman.

   

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