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[title]Every city has its own lingo, so if you're spending some time in Chicago, you might as well get acquainted with the local vernacular. From unique Chicago delicacies to nicknames for interstates, there's plenty of Chicago slang that might elicit a bit of confusion if you haven't spent much time in the Midwestern metropolis. While most folks are familiar with “The Bean” and nicknames for other iconic Chicago attractions, we've gathered some more essential Chicago slang—including terms you can use during your next visit to a Chicago hot dog stand or pizza joint.
Boystown (n.): A Lakeview neighborhood technically named Northalsted. It was the first officially recognized gay village in the U.S.
Bungalow (n.): One-story, single-family homes with sloped roofs that are found in neighborhoods throughout the city, primarily in the "Bungalow Belt," an arc-shaped zone containing almost 80,000 of the unique houses.
Chicago handshake (n.): The local version of a boilermaker, typically comprising a pint (or can) of Old Style and a shot of Malört.
Chicago Mix (n.): The salty-sweet combination of cheddar and caramel popcorn. You'll find it at Garrett Popcorn Shop (where the scent usually wafts into the street) and pretty much every popcorn shop worth its salt in the city.
Coach house (n.): A small, separate dwelling located in the rear of a property. The construction of new backyard houses was formerly prohibited under Chicago's zoning ordinance for nearly 70 years, but the ordinance was amended in 2026 to allow construction of them once again.
Comiskey (n.): When the original Comiskey Park (the home of the White Sox) was demolished in 1990, the team's new ballpark went by the same name until it was rechristened U.S. Cellular Field in 2003, then renamed Guaranteed Rate Field 13 years later, then simply Rate Field in 2024. Many fans still cling to the South Side stadium's original title, though.
Concrete beach (n.): A strip of concrete between DuSable Lake Shore Drive and the lake. Many Chicagoans prefer lounging on concrete rather than the grass or sand.
The Dan Ryan (n.): Named for former Cook County Board president Dan Ryan Jr., this southern section of I-94 and I-90 runs from the Jane Byrne Interchange to 95th Street.
Dibs (n.): The unofficial method of claiming street parking spots during the winter. When Chicagoans need to leave their parking spot after digging their cars out of snowbanks, they'll reserve the empty spot with lawn chairs, tires, cinder blocks, stuffed animals and other assorted junk in observance of this winter ritual. It's technically illegal, but that's none of our business.
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“Drag it through the garden” (adj.): Language used when ordering a Chicago-style hot dog, indicating that you want all of the traditional toppings—typically this includes yellow mustard, chopped white onions, neon green relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices, sport peppers and a sprinkle of celery salt.
The Eisenhower (n.): Named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, this section of I-290 runs from the Jane Byrne Interchange to Schaumburg, Illinois. It's also referred to as “the Ike.”
Gymshoes (n.): Athletic shoes also referred to as "tennis shoes" or "sneakers" outside of the city.
John Hancock Center (n.): The world's first mixed-use skyscraper on the Mag Mile named for former tenant John Hancock Insurance. The company requested its name be removed in 2018, and it's since not been renamed.
Joint (n.): An establishment, usually referring to a restaurant.
The “L” (n.): Short for “elevated,” like the train lines it refers to. It's now used as a blanket term for the CTA's train system, including the lines that run at or below ground level.
Frunchroom (n.): The front room of an apartment or house, where guests are usually entertained.
Gangway (n.): The narrow walkway between two buildings. Historically, gang members have used these passages for evading law enforcement and demarcating turf.
Garden apartment (n.): A word used by realtors to gloss over the fact that the apartment you're looking at is in a building's basement (or, at the very least, partially below street level).
Grabowski (n.): A colloquialism referring to a hard-working, blue-collar worker. The term originated from Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka calling players on the team “Grabowskis,” a reference to former Bears running back Jim Grabowski.
Jagoff (n.): A term used to describe corrupt politicians, bad drivers, lousy tippers and anyone else that Chicagoans generally dislike.
Kickback (n.): A casual get-together or house party with close friends.
The Kennedy (n.): Named for President John F. Kennedy, this northern section of I-94 and I-90 runs from the Jane Byrne Interchange to O'Hare International Airport.
Mild sauce (n.): A delectable combination of ketchup, hot sauce and barbecue sauce that is usually served with fried chicken. You'll find it on the menu at places like Harold's Chicken Shack and Uncle Remus Saucy Fried Chicken.
Pedway (n.): The five-mile network of underground pedestrian passageways that connect several buildings in the Loop.
Prairie (n.): A vacant lot where kids play, typically overgrown with weeds.
Pop (n.): A sweetened, carbonated soft drink also referred to as “soda” or “Coke” in other parts of the country.
S-Curve (n.): A portion of DuSable Lake Shore Drive at North Oak Street where the drive path rapidly curves west and then quickly straightens back northward. The current iteration is, however, gentler than the infamous “Z-Curve,” a section of the lakefront highway that had two near-90-degree turns and was abandoned in the 1980s.
Sears Tower (n.): Originally named for its builder, Sears, Roebuck & Co., the third-tallest building in the U.S. was renamed Willis Tower in 2009. Even though it's been nearly two decades since the change, most Chicagoans still refer to it by its original name.
Six Corners (n.): The intersection of Irving Park Road, Cicero Avenue and Milwaukee Avenue in the Portage Park neighborhood—a popular shopping and retail district. Not to be confused with the three-street intersection of North Avenue, Damen Avenue and Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park.
Slashie (n.): A bar that sells beer and liquor to go. Sometimes the beer and booze is sold through an attached liquor store; other times—in the case of Go Tavern and Liquors in Logan Square—you'll find retail coolers and shelves in the bar itself.
Steppin’ (n.): A rhythmic partnered dance that was popularized on the South and West Sides in the 1940s and ’50s.
The Stevenson (n.): Named for former Illinois governor Adlai Stevenson, this term refers to Cook County's portion of I-55, which connects Chicago to St. Louis.
Thin crust (n.): The style of pizza preferred by most Chicagoans, also referred to as "tavern style" in other parts of the country.
Two-flat (n.): A two-story apartment building found in many Chicago neighborhoods, typically with one tenant on the first floor and another on the second (and sometimes a third tenant in the garden unit). You'll also find three- and four-flats throughout the city.
Viagra Triangle (n.): A triangle-shaped area of the Gold Coast between Rush, State and Oak Streets known to be a popular spot for older men to pick up younger women.
Wet (adj.): A common descriptor used when ordering an Italian beef sandwich, indicating that you want a liberal amount of the gravy—also referred to as au jus—the meat was cooked in, drizzled on top.