The ultimate Chicago birthday guide

Plan the best day with our tips on where to shop, what to eat, where to party and how best to say happy birthday, starting with the card

Time Out in association with Hallmark and WalgreensMonday August 8 2016

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We love birthdays here at Time Out. The parties. The people. The gifts. The cards. And we’re here to share that love with our ultimate guide for making the most of yours or your loved one’s special day in Chicago. Together with Hallmark and Walgreens, we’ve scoured the city to find the perfect gifts, activities and places to celebrate the big day, and we’re tailoring them specifically to the people in your life. Got a laugh-loving best friend? A chic mom who demands only the very best? A creative brother with an appreciation for the quirkier side of life? We’ve got you covered. Start with the perfect card—the perfect sentiment, expressed the perfect way—and follow us all the way until the candles are blown out.

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Find the right card

For the BFF who likes a joke—especially one that goes too far

Sometimes edgy, sometimes irreverent, often inappropriate and always hilarious, Shoebox cards offer a unique view on all the occasions that life throws your way. From cats that harness the power of lightning to unicorn poop, you’ll find the funniest selection of oddities you can cram into an envelope. To find out where to get the perfect, or perfectly weird, Shoebox birthday card, click here.

For the showstopper

Hallmark Signature cards make an immediate impression and express your personal style. Each is handcrafted (some are dotted with little gems, others have bows, linen or dimensional paper flowers) and designed for maximum wow factor. To find out where to get the perfect Signature birthday card, click here.

For the true original who likes their roads less traveled

Unexpected. Uninhibited. And oh-so unforgettable. These cards totally get you. They even speak the way you do. Except they can’t talk. Because that would be super weird. So if you’re looking to give someone the realest of the real, the cutest of the cute, or the fanciest of the schmanciest, Studio Ink cards are the perfect way to express yourself to those who know you best. To find out where to get the perfect Studio Ink card, click here.

For the family guy or girl who tells it straight from the heart

Find love, tradition and celebration of family in Hallmark’s VIDA collection. These touching, fun and powerful Spanish-language cards are here for all birthdays, from baby’s first to her quinceañera to mom’s 50th. To find where to get the perfect VIDA card, click here.

For the soulful friend

Got a friend whose perfect birthday involves spending it with good food, fascinating cultural experiences and family? Hallmark’s Mahogany collection has a card for them. Featuring life-affirming and spiritual messages, these cards resonate with big, bold declarations of love and designs that pop right off the shelf. To find where to get the perfect Mahogany card, click here.

Get the right gift

Photograph: Martha Williams

For the BFF who likes a joke—especially one that goes too far

Looking for a one-of-a-kind gift for someone with unique style and a healthy sense of humor? Look into Hollywood Mirror (812 W Belmont Ave). The kitschy Boystown vintage store carries a wide selection of clothing, accessories, toys and gifts; whether you’re looking for a well broken-in jean jacket, a Japanese action figure or a pack of Saved By the Bell trading cards, you’re likely to find it here.

Photograph: Jaclyn Elizabeth Rivas

For the showstopper

Shopping at Madison Hall (71 E Madison St) is like shopping inside a museum, as it’s curated to reflect history in a century-old building. It’s also a bit like being on vacation. Inside the city’s beloved Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, the shop both stocks everything you might need for an overnight stay as well as everything you simply covet. The finest products come from all over Chicago and the world, from locally designed vintage-style Chicago tees to luxurious European jackets and accessories for men and women. For quick gifts, you’ll find ready-to-go flower arrangements, fine stationery and nostalgic candy from all over the world, too.

Photograph: Jaclyn Elizabeth Rivas

For the true original who likes their roads less traveled

If you’re searching for a unique tchotchke that’s fit for displaying on an office desk, you need to visit an adult toy store (no, not that kind). Rotofugi (2780 N Lincoln Ave) has been selling designer toys for more than a decade, stocking its expansive Lincoln Park store with all kinds of cool, molded plastic from manufacturers like Kidrobot and Secret Base. From those dead-eyed Funko figures to quirky keychains imported from Japan, you’ll find something you wish you’d been gifted when you were a kid.

Photograph: Jaclyn Elizabeth Rivas

For the family guy or girl who tells it straight from the heart

Bring the whole crew for a DIY flower arrangement workshop and you may never want to leave. Fleur (2651 N Milwaukee Ave) is filled with the freshest seasonal blooms in exotic and contemporary styles—you’ll smell them the second you open the door. Once you're done drooling over the beautiful flora, you’ll also find a charming selection of fine gifts from brands like P.F. Candle Co. and more.

Photograph: Courtesy Museum of Contemporary Art

For the soulful friend

For a gift that looks like it belongs in a museum, exit through the Museum of Contemporary Art Gift Shop (220 E Chicago Ave). Amid books about the institution’s latest exhibitions, you’ll find a formidable selection of colorful jewelry and eccentric design objects, including cardboard skulls and futuristic mobiles. You don’t have to be an art snob to appreciate the stuff in this shop, though you’ll find plenty of literature and prints fit for all the wannabe curators in your life.

Pick an activity

Photograph: Taylor Bailey

For the BFF who likes a joke—especially one that goes too far

The Neo-Futurists’ signature show is always up-to-the-minute and unlike anything else around. Running continuously since 1988, Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind (5153 N Ashland Ave) has become a rite of passage for adventurous theatergoers in Chicago. The writer-performers' attempt to stage 30 mini plays in 60 minutes is controlled chaos of the best kind, and with the ensemble members performing as themselves and new plays in the rotation every week, it's routinely the most topical show in town.

For the showstopper

Impress your cinephile pals with a private party in one of Chicago’s most beloved small movie theaters. With two screening rooms (ranging from 61–197 seats), the Gene Siskel Film Center (164 N State St) offers up rental packages that include popcorn, wine and beer, so you can stay refreshed while viewing a movie of your choosing. Once the credits roll, you’re perfectly situated for a night out in the Loop or River North, where you can keep the birthday party going at a bar or restaurant.

Photograph: Martha Williams

For the true original who likes their roads less traveled

Ding, ding, ding. That’s the sound of lovingly restored arcade games, including a plethora of pinball machines (they account for roughly half of the games there), at this favorite bar arcade in the heart of hipster haven Logan Square. Of course, Logan Arcade (2410 W Fullerton Ave) also has a fully stocked bar and great local beer specials.

Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas

For the family guy or girl who tells it straight from the heart

It’s pretty much impossible to miss the vibrant murals covering the outside of buildings across Pilsen. The entire neighborhood is a living, breathing outdoor museum. Take a stroll along the tracks on 16th Street or check out the mural on painter Hector Duarte’s studio and soak in some of the best public art in the city.

Photograph: Shutterstock

For the soulful friend

Opera glasses at the ready! Chicago is a hub for musical theater, but have you seen a performance by the South Shore Opera Company (7059 S South Shore Dr)? Think outside the box and surprise the birthday star with a rare performance by top black and lesser-known composers. It will be an experience you won’t soon forget— they have a great youth program, too.

Time to eat

Photograph: Jeremy Bolen

For the BFF who likes a joke—especially one that goes too far

We don’t have any research to back this up, but hot dogs are definitely among the most fun foods to eat (trust us on this one). Going out to dinner at the Wiener Circle (2622 N Clark St) is an experience you won’t soon forget—the food is standard hot dog stand fare, but the insults being hurled by staff (and bold customers) can be shocking at first. Once you’ve been called a few rude names while waiting on your order of fries, you’ll feel like you’re in on the joke—just don’t try asking for ketchup.

Photograph: Martha Williams

For the showstopper

Elizabeth (4835 N Western Ave) is a charming, fascinating restaurant where the birthday girl or boy will get a meal they can’t get anywhere else. The décor—white deer heads, tree branches and wildflowers—is adorable, and diners are in for creative dishes that take fine dining to the next level. Taste foie gras molded into tiny owls, savory dry-aged lamb, seasonal vegetables and desserts decorated thoughtfully with tiny flower petals. Chef Iliana Regan prepares “new gatherer” cuisine, which means many of the ingredients she uses are foraged or grown by her. Every dish is inspired by the natural world, and one thing is for sure—when you dine at Elizabeth you’re in for an elegant, farm-focused menu.

Photograph: Clayton Hauck

For the true original who likes their roads less traveled

This Michelin-starred restaurant is beyond hip but far from pretentious, making it the perfect spot for a celebration, whether you want a three-course meal at a candle-lit table or want to ring in another year sipping top cocktails. You could easily spend a whole night at Longman & Eagle (2657 N Kedzie Ave) when you move to the back bar, OSB (Off Site Bar) for laid-back picnic table–style seating and drinks afterward.

Photograh: Courtesy Carnitas Uruapan

For the family guy or girl who tells it straight from the heart

What says birthday better than having some of the best tacos in town, at Carnitas Uruapan (1725 W 18th St)? Stop by in the early afternoon to pick up a few pounds of carnitas to garnish yourself in a birthday party in the park or stick around the shop to chow down on tacos with two corn tortillas stuffed with your choice of savory, tender and juicy carnitas meat and salsa.

Photograph: Martha Williams

For the soulful friend

Hyde Park is filled with great restaurant choices, but if you're looking for a great overall dining experience in the neighborhood just in time for your best gal or guy's birthday, Promontory (5311 S Lake Park Ave) is a sure bet. It comes from the same minds behind Longman & Eagle, and the food is just as stellar. It's also a restaurant/music venue hybrid, so after your meal you can head upstairs and soak in a fabulous jazz show.

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