Best Western

A GRAND AVENUE Western at Eastwood Avenue

Let the tourists have Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive—we’ll take Western Avenue, thank you very much. Yeah, we know there isn’t exactly a surplus of architectural gems between all of the car dealerships and minimalls. But if you live in the city, chances are you find yourself on Western at least once a week, getting from A to B. Western has its own claim to fame, too: It’s the longest continuous street in the city—some say in the whole country—at 27.3 miles. That isn’t why we love it, but it did inspire us to walk the distance (we’ve got the blisters to prove it). We ate the famous five-flavor cone at Original Rainbow Cone, ogled bikini-clad servers at Crabbby Kim’s and had some of the city’s best thin-crust pizza a stone’s throw from Evanston. So come on, travel the distance with us.

	Eclectic Avenue: From homemade hooch to top-notch Thai, Western’s got something for everyone.
	The long and short of it: If you lined up beloved Chicago icons over the 27.3 mile distance of Western Avenue, it would take….
	Bikini battle: Crabbby Kim’s is one of those places: You either love it or hate it. We arranged a faceoff between a Kim’s hater and a Kim’s fan, but in the end, you’ll have to decide for yourself.
	She’s gotta Ave it: A TOC editor strolls the length of Western Avenue and soaks in the street’s charms, pitfalls and exhaust fumes.
Plus:
Evanston or bust: Read more about the sights and shops of Western Ave. in a minute-by-minute account of our writer's 27.3 mile trek
Photo gallery: See the sights of Western Ave without having to leave your chair.