We asked the best place to go on a first date in Chicago. Here’s what Sun-Times readers said, lightly edited for clarity:
“Buckingham Fountain. It’s great see on a spring or summer evening. No cost to visit. There are restaurants nearby to get dinner to extend the date. It’s romantic and pretty. My husband and I took our wedding photos there.”
— Erica Coghlan
“Andy’s Jazz Club for happy hour. If it’s a great match; Shaw’s Crab House is next door.”
— Jerry Goldner
“Margie’s Candies, because then you can say to your date, ‘The only thing sweeter than this ice cream and hotter than this fudge is you!’ This line has a guaranteed 100% success rate.”
— Don Anderson
“Our first date over 50 years ago was at Lou Malnati’s. For $5 my husband and I got a pizza with two cokes. I had never eaten restaurant pizza. My husband won my heart that night.”
— Sandy Ritt Anderson
“Kibbitznest. Good alcoholic and non-alcoholic options and lots of conversation starters.”
— Keely Alyssa
“Millennium Park, Blue Chicago, the Chicago Cultural Center, the Jackson Park lagoon, The Riverwalk. Skip the chain restaurants and go for a local restaurant if you want to dine.”
— Michaelene Kelly
“A romantic dinner at Navy Pier or one of my faves, Italian Village.”
— Mark Matuga
“No dinner on a first date! A leisurely drink (alcohol is up to you) for no more than an hour or two. Any place you can carry a conversation. A little nook pub is great.”
— J.R.C.