Exterior of Bridgeport Coffee House. Photo by Ddisple on Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Inside of Bruno's Bakery. Photo by deep blue skies on Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Sculpture on the campus of the Illinois Institute of Technology. Photo By Jackie Montalvo / North By Northwestern
U.S. Cellular Field, popularly known as Comiskey Field. Photo by Jackie Mondalvo / North By Northwestern
Sculpture outside U.S. Cellular Field. Photo by Jackie Montalvo / North By Northwestern
Exterior of Chisox Bar & Grill. Photo by Jackie Montalvo / North By Northwestern
Exterior of Rocky's. Photo by Jackie Montalvo / North By Northwestern
L stop as seen from the Illinois Institute of Technology campus. Photo by Jackie Montalvo / North By Northwestern
Nearing the end of the Red Line down south, Sox and 35th is home to another one of Chicago’s Major League Baseball teams, the Chicago White Sox. Who doesn’t like a little rivalry? (I’m talking to you, Cubs fans). Although Sox and 35th is a converging point for primarily residential neighborhoods and a college campus, there are hidden gems that make the trek worth it.
U.S. Cellular Field (or Comiskey Park for you true South-siders)
333 W. 35th St.
Going back in history, the ground that U.S. Cellular now resides was once Comiskey Park. Built in 1910, it was the oldest in-use park until its renovation in 1990. This new diamond was built just before the “retro-classic” fad that was ballparks in the 90s and 2000s. With tickets at $7 for single tickets and $5 per ticket for families, it’s time to gather some friends that look like you and practice your excited family act.
320 W. 35th St.
Couldn’t score a ticket to that Cubs vs. Sox crosstown classic? Not a problem. Chisox Grill, located across from U.S. Cellular’s Gate 5, is open for every White Sox home game. With 65 flat-screen TVs and a state-of-the-art sound system, it’s like sitting right in front of home plate, plus cheaper and better food than what you’d find within the park.
Illinois Institute of Technology
3300 S. Federal St
Turning left off the Sox and 35th stop, you’ll find yourself almost immediately walking on to IIT’s campus where you will see students scurrying around with model buildings. If you’re not about baseball, this is the place for you. The campus is scattered sculptures, ingenious architecture and live music coming from Vandercook College of Music that shares IIT’s main campus.
234 W. 31st St
A little shabby on the outside, Rocky’s looks like the place you’d find your drunken uncle during the holidays, but on the inside it’s the perfect place for a college student. Voted one of Chicago’s top 7 sports bars by The Chicagoist, it has great food at cheap prices and an affordable bar by night. It’s like IIT and Vandercook have their very own La Macchina.
3101 S. Morgan St.
Regular customers are greeted by name as they enter this welcoming little coffee shop just off 31st. That homemade feel not enough for you? Well, Bridgeport Coffee grinds its own coffee beans, and is also organic and fair trade. Their coffee is some of the freshest you’ll find in southern Chicago, and makes Bridgeport one of the most pleasant coffee shops in town.
3341 S. Lituanica Ave.
Everyone loves a good bakery, and Bruno’s is unlike most others. It specializes in freshly baked bread. Skip the Panera for a week and try out the rye bread which has customers raving and rating it 5 out 5 on Yelp reviews. Customers from all over travel to get their bread from this little hidden gem.