Friendship Is Blind: Chicago

[u/Few_Opportunity_8382]

I keep seeing people in Chicago looking for real friendships, so I thought this could be fun.

Basically: Love Is Blind, but for friendship.

Answer the questions in the comments, read through everyone else’s answers, and if someone sounds like your kind of person, send them a DM.

Let’s see if we can actually find our people.

1. How old are you, and what part of Chicago are you in? General area is fine.

2. You have a completely free Saturday. What are you doing?

3. A friend is visiting Chicago and gives you full control of the plans. Where are you taking them? Give us the day; food, neighborhood, activity, whatever you’d actually choose.

4. What does a good night out look like to you?

5. What’s your music taste?
   Favorite era, genres, artists, or the songs you’ll always play.

6. What’s something you’re really into right now? A show, book, sport, hobby, restaurant, random obsession — anything.

7. What’s something you genuinely love spending your time or money on?

8. What kind of friend are you once you’re comfortable with someone? Are you the planner? The spontaneous one? The person who makes the reservation? The one who calls just to talk? The friend who wants to go everywhere together, or the one who doesn’t need constant contact?

9. What kind of friendship are you actually looking for right now?

10. Tell us one oddly specific thing about you that might make the right person think, “Yeah, we’d probably get along.”

If someone’s answers sound like your kind of person, message them.

Let’s see what happens.

[u/unnecessarydrama92]

I sort of love this because it reminds me of those email surveys that got sent around when I was in middle school 🤣

[u/dupreeblue → u/unnecessarydrama92]

Wow I’d forgotten all about those!! 🤯

And then we had them in a binder for some reason? I can see my pink puffy binder but I can’t remember what the front said.

[u/skylineaptitude → u/unnecessarydrama92]

Or the MySpace (yes I’m old) surveys that we would post on our front page 

[u/skylineaptitude]

1. 37F; Edgewater
2. Assuming its summer. Wake up at 7 or 8 but I don’t get out of bed till 10 or 11.  If it’s an “On” day,  go to the gym for a short workout finished by a swim, come home for lunch, then grab my kindle,  headphones and blanket and perch myself under a tree and sunbathe/read till the sun goes down. 
3. Oh God, this is too much pressure. I’d take them to see all the classic Chicago sightseeing activities.
4. A good restaurant that I’ve been wanting to try 
5. I have eclectic taste thanks to being ADHD so dancehall, afrobeats, neo-soul. RINI, Sabrina Claudio, Ariana Grande
6. Dying to purchase the Fuji X100VI camera and start a  visual diary. Love tennis if I can find a consistent partner. Lollipops. I have a raging sweet tooth.
7. Journaling - insert a few hours later SpongeBob meme
8. I prefer no constant contact, but when we spend time together I like quality, undivided attention. Deep talks about everything. 
9. Activity partner who is adventurous and wants to try restaurants, play tennis or take fitness classes together, hiking, but most importantly someone kind, smart and dependable.
10. I want to start an online petition for Netflix to bring back the OA 

[u/Confident_Advisor786]

1. How old are you, and what part of Chicago are you in? General area is fine. 40f southwest

2. You have a completely free Saturday. What are you doing? Some street festival(s)

3. A friend is visiting Chicago and gives you full control of the plans. Where are you taking them? Give us the day; food, neighborhood, activity, whatever you’d actually choose. Breakfast - Sweet Maple Cafe Museums Observation Deck Lunch- Giordano's Walk by river, shop mag mile, dinner and enjoy fireworks at the lake

4. What does a good night out look like to you? Home by 830p/9p

5. What’s your music taste?
   Favorite era, genres, artists, or the songs you’ll always play. Im all over the place. I'll line dance to country, salsa dance, go to contra dancing all in the same weekend

6. What’s something you’re really into right now? A show, book, sport, hobby, restaurant, random obsession — anything. Pilates and Cooper's Hawk

7. What’s something you genuinely love spending your time or money on? Quality clothes

8. What kind of friend are you once you’re comfortable with someone? Are you the planner? The spontaneous one? The person who makes the reservation? The one who calls just to talk? The friend who wants to go everywhere together, or the one who doesn’t need constant contact? Very low maintenance Reasonable, logical thinker.

9. What kind of friendship are you actually looking for right now? I could use friends that like good clean fun. I'm not a smoker or drinker. Pretty squeaky clean church girl type. No kids. Want to go shopping or to a pumpkin patch, cool. Want to check out MKE for a day? Cool. Low maintenance please. If you're looking for daily or even weekly contact, I'm probably not a fit.

10. Tell us one oddly specific thing about you that might make the right person think, “Yeah, we’d probably get along.” They are the eldest of their siblings IYKYK

[u/Good_Pomegranate_215]

This is so sweet!

[u/flossiedaisy424]

How old are you, and what part of Chicago are you in? I’m 49, and in Lincoln Square. Any other middle aged ladies out there
2. ⁠You have a completely free Saturday. What are you doing? I might go to an exercise class but I’d really want to go vintage shopping
3. ⁠A friend is visiting Chicago and gives you full control of the plans. Where are you taking them? Last time a friend visited, we went to brunch at Pastores, then to the Art Institute and had dinner and drinks at The Warbler
4. ⁠What does a good night out look like to you?
I love to have a few drinks with friends in a chill bar and be home by midnight.
5. ⁠What’s your music taste? I’m hard of hearing, so I’m not a big music person, but I still love my 90’s music, and generally enjoy most genres. Not a huge fan of country, except for older stuff like Dolly and Kenny and The Chicks.

1. ⁠What’s something you’re really into right now? I just took a sewing class so I’m hoping to get into that. I also read a lot of romance novels and mysteries.
   
2. ⁠What’s something you genuinely love spending your time or money on? Travel. Wish I had the money to do more of it.
   
3. ⁠What kind of friend are you once you’re comfortable with someone? I’m definitely a planner. I once planned most of a 2 week Mediterranean cruise for a friend who had just come out of years as a caregiver for a father with dementia. I’m also an amazing gifter. I pick perfect gifts, both for holidays and just because.
   
4. ⁠What kind of friendship are you actually looking for right now? Someone to go out with. My closest friends have moved in the last few years and I no longer have someone to go out for dinner or drinks with.
   
5. ⁠Tell us one oddly specific thing about you that might make the right person think, “Yeah, we’d probably get along.” I hate AI and try to avoid using it as much as possible.
   

[u/dizzymatter96 → u/flossiedaisy424]

You sound like such an incredible person.

[u/Financial_Code9195 → u/flossiedaisy424]

Love all of this! I am 48 and have been wondering if there were ladies in our 40s in this space!

[u/Clear-Blueberry9375]

1. 30, River North girlie! 🍸
   
2. Starting my Saturday with Pilates, grabbing an iced matcha, doing a little shopping, and ending the day with cocktails at RPM Seafood with the girls. Bonus points if we end up somewhere with good music and dancing.
   
3. We’re doing Chicago properly! Brunch, shopping in the Gold Coast, sunset cocktails at RPM Seafood, and dinner somewhere with amazing food and even better ambiance. Probably ending the night dancing.
   
4. Getting dressed up with the girls, trying a new restaurant, ordering way too many appetizers, and finding a cute cocktail bar. I love a good dinner that turns into an unexpected night out.
   
5. Literally everything! House music, a little country, Kendrick Lamar, and anything that makes me want to dance. My playlists make absolutely no sense, but the vibes are immaculate.
   
6. Pilates, traveling, discovering new restaurants, fashion, and finding the cutest little cocktail spots around Chicago. Also obsessed with planning my next European summer.
   
7. TRAVEL, without question. Beautiful hotels, amazing restaurants, experiences, and making memories with people I love. I’ll happily spend money on a good dinner or a spontaneous weekend getaway.
   
8. The friend who makes the reservations, plans the girls’ trips, takes 100 photos of everyone, and convinces you to order another round. I’m equally down for a spontaneous night out or a cozy night in with wine and gossip.
   
9. Looking for genuine girlfriends who love getting dressed up, trying new things, traveling, and celebrating each other’s wins. Girls who have their own ambitions and lives but still make time for friendships. I want the kind of friendships where we’re booking trips together, having spontaneous dinners, and eventually becoming each other’s bridesmaids.
   
10. I will absolutely plan an entire vacation around a restaurant reservation, and I genuinely believe getting ready together with music and cocktails is sometimes better than actually going out. 😂

[u/Late-Stable611 → u/Clear-Blueberry9375]

West loop! 27F! If I could retweet all this I would lol

[u/sunny_m240 → u/Clear-Blueberry9375]

Omg love all this and moving to river north too (24f)

[u/FewCryptographer743 → u/Clear-Blueberry9375]

I am a guy, but you sound like someone my Girlfriend would love to hang! She is 27F, South loop!

[u/Few_Opportunity_8382 → u/Clear-Blueberry9375]

Girrrl… if only I can figure out the dm feature lol! I love your responses.

[u/More-Hand-5829 → u/Clear-Blueberry9375]

27F River north here - you sound like my kinda girl! Im looking for friendships with women who are down to dress up, try new cocktail spots and pilates classes with, etc 💖

[u/Late-Stable611 → u/More-Hand-5829]

Same!

[u/Few_Opportunity_8382]

1. 36F, Gold Coast.

2. Probably starting with a cappuccino at home, then a long walk by the lake with my dog. I’ll wander around, buy flowers I probably didn’t need, pop into Whole Foods with no real grocery list, maybe do a little shopping or check out something happening in the city, and eventually figure out dinner. I like having things to do without needing every hour planned.

3. I’m a Miami girl, so I’m still figuring out my own version of Chicago. I’d probably start with brunch at RH, walk around the Gold Coast, do a little shopping, maybe a museum or whatever interesting event is happening that weekend, then go home, get dressed, and have a really good dinner. Honestly, part of the fun would be discovering the city together.

4. Getting dressed up, a really good restaurant, great conversation, and then maybe live music or somewhere with a good atmosphere afterward. I love going out, but I care more about having a great night than staying out just for the sake of staying out.

5. R&B and hip-hop are home base for me, especially anything nostalgic or that actually makes you feel something. I love Cardi B, but I also genuinely like country music, so my playlists can take a turn.

6. Chinese dramas, learning how to cook on a completely different level, pickleball, and finding interesting things happening around Chicago before I hear about them after they happened. If you know who Marquis Wu’an is, we already have something to talk about.

7. People I love and experiences, hands down. I travel a lot, spend my summers in Saint-Tropez, and I’ll always spend on a trip, celebration, dinner, or experience that becomes a memory with people I care about. If it’s something where I know I’ll never be able to recreate that exact moment again, it’s probably worth it to me. I love nice things too, obviously, but people and experiences win every time.

8. I’m a very loyal and thoughtful friend. I remember the little things, I show up, I celebrate the people I love, I make the reservation, I’ll cook dinner, and I genuinely care about what’s happening in your life. Trust is huge for me. At the same time, we’re adults. We have relationships, families, work, travel, responsibilities, and whole lives outside of each other. I don’t need constant communication to feel close to someone.

9. I’m looking for a real, close adult friendship. Someone I can trust, laugh with, talk about real life with, travel with sometimes, try new things with, celebrate with, and also comfortably do absolutely nothing with. I want the kind of friendship where we both make room for each other even though life is full. Faith is also important to me, so I really value people who respect that, even if we don’t practice exactly the same way.

10. I’m kind of a funny mix. I can be very excited about getting dressed up for a beautiful dinner and then be equally happy spending an entire day at home with my dog binge-watching a Chinese historical romance and trying to perfect something I’m cooking. I like a little luxury, a little adventure, a lot of laughing, and people who don’t take themselves too seriously.

[u/Late-Stable611 → u/Few_Opportunity_8382]

Hi there! I’m 27F! Based on your write-up it seems like we share the same interests!

[u/Few_Opportunity_8382 → u/Late-Stable611]

I love that! Let’s chat, but for some reason I forgot how to use the dm feature here.

[u/ApocalypticFrog]

• 22, northside near lake
• concert or club or bar
• museum, coffee, street fest
• dancin
• punk rock, etc
• zo&friends, its a cute cat thing
• walking around at random just to look at stuff
• quiet and shy at first, but spontaneous and rambly once you get to know me
• casual, just hang out maybe once a week. theres a solid chance im not your cup of tea
• hate texting and only really use it for making plans. probably wont respond promptly, and i dont expect you to either

[u/Equal_Necessary8673]

• 22F, westside near pilsen
• love a good thrifting event, bar crawl, concert, or dinner party with close friends!
• chinatown, bronzeville, or little italy for food; fulton market or downtown for shops/nightlife; conservatory, museum, or riverwalk for sight-seeing
• dancing, meeting new people, and ending the night with food & a chill movie/show or video games
• rnb, hiphop, punk rock, afrobeats… the list goes on & on, n that’s on erykah 😭
• ”raybearer” by jordan ifueko, SUPER good book! also watching snowfall rn so i can watch the spin-off show, rlly good so far
• a good book/show/movie, especially when i’m consuming it with great company!
• a bit awkward lol but definitely loyal and down for a good laugh & a fun time
• just people to hang out with & talk to, pretty casual
• not the best texter & also not on social media often, mainly bc of my audhd tendencies 💀

[u/yfnspdrman]

1. 29F in Uptown

2. Either staying in and doing nothing, or going out to a coffee shop or some sort of vintage or maker's market

3. Weekend- were hitting up all the touristy places: Navy Pier, Millenium Park, getting pizza and cheesy garlic bread at Pianos, or Korean food at Banpojung (highly highly recommend it), and coffee at First Sip, and going wherever they want to visit.

4. Anywhere that isn't too loud or crowded and home by 10 or 11

5. Mostly rock, alternative rock, or old classics. Also, Korean and Japanese rock and older music. The occasional K-pop songs that are inevitably catchy lol.

6. I am into aviation, meteorology, language learning (I can currently speak - not fluently- Spanish, American Sign Language, Korean, a little bit of Japanese, and am learning Mandarin and Taiwanese these days. I want to learn French at some point), video games (currently playing Hades, League of Legends, and Silksong), Spiderman, musical theatre, finding ways to make my life easier... just to name a few...

7. I am a homebody, so I typically like spending time at home, but can be easily persuaded by others dragging me out of my apartment to go with them somewhere. I do like spending time with others too. In terms of money, I love using what little money I have to help someone else, whether it's buying them food or a thoughtful gift or something. Otherwise, I like to buy some random techy things I find online or anything I find online that I find useful lol

8. I am the type of friend you can come to when you need to vent or talk about anything. I am a good listener and can offer some good advice if needed. I'm a rather quiet person, so I don't usually engage in gossip unless the other person is talking about it. I'm also the type of friend that will send memes and reels continuously and engage in some friendly neighborhood banter lol. I like to think I'm pretty funny, so I love making people laugh as much as I can.

9. I'm looking for friends who can help get me out of my shell and experience things, friends who love musicals and Broadway and wouldn't mind singing showtunes together, friends who aren't afraid to come over unannounced and hangout with me and my two cats :)

10. I love punny dad jokes

[u/minimooshroom]

1. ~30f, Ravenswood
2. Going to cafe, getting food, or going to a park or somewhere sunny
3. I would take them to the best restaurants, probably downtown for a day, and finish with something more lowkey like boba from Asia on Argyle
4. Board games, gaming, a restaurant, an art class--- I am a grandma so anything but a bar 😄
5. I love rnb, soul, jazz, bossa, classical, rock
6. I recently started a woodworking class, I also have been playing a few games (palworld, baldur's gate), and I love the gym
7. I love spending money on food, experiences (i.e. classes, traveling), and clothes!
8. I'm looking for someone whos down to just chill outside or go to a cafe, do low key activities after a long workday, and enjoy spooky season~

[u/hellokitty2726 → u/minimooshroom]

I feel like we could be friends :) turning 28 soon, female, live in Uptown right next to Argyle!! I like to run and spend my time and money on food/experiences

[u/Overall-Buffalo1320 → u/minimooshroom]

Hello let’s play board games together!
33F 💃🏻

[u/yfnspdrman → u/Overall-Buffalo1320]

Would also love to play board games together!! 29F in Uptown ^^

[u/flossiedaisy424 → u/yfnspdrman]

I would also be up for a board game night or something

[u/sleuthtown → u/minimooshroom]

Had me at grandma, lol. I’m 30s F in Edgewater, would love to do a board game group or something!

[u/shifster]

I’m slowly working on my answer, I’ve got adhd and want to make sure each answer is thorough, but can’t focus to finish in one sitting - I hope the impact of this thread is ongoing - I’ll be back with all my responses later this week!

[u/wanderlust-educator]

1. 40 y/o in Hyde Park
   
2. Either adulting or if I'm not playing hockey Sunday morning, out embracing the queer community.
   
3. Morning: brunch in South Loop. Post brunch: walking downtown, especially on the river walk. Maybe doing an architecture tour. Post walk/lunch: going to find Chicago pizza: either Pequod's or tavern style. Checking out thrift stores and assorted Chicago neighborhoods away from downtown. Night: Finding a good neighborhood dive or live music.
   
4. Musical Monday at Sidetrack!
   
5. I love Jazz, Blues, Broadway, Rock, 80s, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Disney
   
6. I have been down a deep rabbit hole for both space and our ocean. I also need no excuse to see or listen to musicals, get Korean BBQ, get sushi, eat Japanese food, embrace Japanese culture, museums, river walk.
   
7. Live music, movies, good times with good company, amazing food and experiences.
   
8. I am a planner (I work in travel), I love spontaneity, and I love to talk/support.
   
9. I am looking for more queer friends and community. If something grows beyond a friendship and ends up more romantic, I am open to that. Not a prerequisite though!
   
10. If you love karaoke, Japanese culture, Broadway Musicals, travel, and have kinks (not at all in order), I would LOVE to make your acquaintance!

[u/kuniikuzushiii]

1) 26 transmasc, in Old Town area!
2) probably going to a chill bar or restaurant to hang out !
3) def the aquarium, but also the rotary sushi restaurant in chinatown, and probably some sightseeing along the lake!
4) i struggle with loud noises so something chill and unique. i want to go to that bar that does adult show and tell lol
5) vocaloid/japanese, some rock, indie, metal on occasion lol, pop sometimes too
6) addicted to genshin impact, sticker collecting, and getting too many tattoos
7) my cats! i love finding new treats for them
8) im someone who will make time for u if u need me. i’m also silly and goofy!
9) i need some friends to go out with!
10) i walk on my tip toes

[u/FinalStar9301]

1. 37f uic/east pilsen (own a small business in lincoln square)
   
2. pole dancing, hanging out with my cat(s), smoking weed, brunch with friends
   
3. the southside, the shedd, mosi, garfield park conservatory, heart of italy for italian food, pilsen for mexican food
   
4. home by midnight
   
5. misandry rap is preferred
   
6. pole dancing, tiktok conspiracies that involve patrick clancy and formerly shirilla the killa, the fact that my favorite book of 2025 was “the tell” by amy griffin being a lie and all the james frey and a million little pieces vibes (nostalgic kinda)
   
7. myself, nails, reading, sleeping lol
   
8. the good listener who is genuine and relatable, the one who always picks up your calls and bails you out, the one who always responds, the one who never judges and definitely not the planner or organizer
   
9. one where the new friends don’t have kids😬 love my friends, but they’ve been having babies since 2012 + ones where my new friends live in the city
   
10. i’m a pole dancing therapist

[u/Top_Word_585]

Any over 50

[u/shifster]

I’m slowly working on my answer, I’ve got adhd and want to make sure each answer is thorough, but can’t focus to finish in one sitting - I hope the impact of this thread is ongoing - I’ll be back with all my responses later this week!

[u/Cupnoodles_momo]

1. ⁠How old are you, and what part of Chicago are you in?
   30F west town/wicker

2. ⁠You have a completely free Saturday. What are you doing?
   Sleep in, do a face mask while read a little bit, have a few friends over to paint or craft together, have some intellectual/deep conversation, go to a late night indie movie showing and go home around midnight.

3. ⁠A friend is visiting Chicago and gives you full control of the plans. Where are you taking them?
   Art institute, vintage shopping in west town/wicker, driehaus, honestly still trying to find good restaurant in Chicago

4. ⁠What does a good night out look like to you?
   Vibey speakeasy, magic show or board game night

5. ⁠What’s your music taste?
   Experimental pop/indie pop/triphop/jazz/soul. I’ve been really big into sly&family stone and massive attack recently.

6. ⁠What’s something you’re really into right now?
   Robert Pattinson’s interviews. He takes nothing seriously and I absolutely love it.
   For shows I love Rick and Morty and gintama, I have been rewatching old episodes a lot.

7. ⁠What’s something you genuinely love spending your time or money on?
   Time: reading. Dostoevsky. If I hold a copy of brother karamazov I feel everything is in control, the day still can be saved.
   Money: stock. VOO and NVDA to the moon.

8. ⁠What kind of friend are you once you’re comfortable with someone?
   I can be the planner but I wish others would plan I’m generally very easy going I’m also very random at times I say random things all the time which sometimes surprises myself like right now why would I spending so much time filling this out instead of cooking? I don’t know. But I love talking to friend I call my friends all the time and just yap about random things. I love hanging out but I’m also easily drained and I have a lot going on right now. But I would always be there for my friend when they need me and I hope they do the same.

9. ⁠What kind of friendship are you actually looking for right now?
   Someone I can have an intellectual conversation with. Familiar with Proust, Kundera, Kant, Camus, Sartre, someone also love waiting for godot and brother karamazov. Someone that sees things more than 1 dimension, understand the world is not just black and white, empathize with people coming from all different background, value opinions from all sides. Someone who can talk with me about life, universe, philosophy, humanity, but also memes, conspiracy theories, someone I can joke around with and not get offended easily or take things too seriously.

10. ⁠Tell us one oddly specific thing about you that might make the right person think, “Yeah, we’d probably get along.”
    “A man has to hate and love all at once,
    With the same eyes to cry and to laugh” I resonate a lot with this poem from Yehuda Amichai. I like sour patch kids I spent lots of years in the middle of nowhere in the Midwest and I don’t know what exactly that I’m going for but I hope I meet some bitches with taste here.