Best of Chicago 2014: Sports & Recreation

on June 25, 2014 at 6:00PM

Best Gym for Watching Politicians Spar

GLeonard Boxing Club

by Ben Joravsky on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

1140 W. Jackson, 312-543-6246 In the basement of the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, at the GLeonard Boxing Club, you're liable to run into such pols as state rep Christian Mitchell, Alderman Will Burns, Chicago Teachers Union field rep Joseph McDermott, and Alderman Walter Burnett.

Best Vinyasa Flow Instructor With a Voice That Could Keep You in Shavasana Forever

Dana Fares

by Lisa Schulz on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

Columbia College Chicago fitness studio, 731 S. Plymouth, 312-369-6920 (classes September-December and February-May); Core Power Yoga, 4428 N. Broadway, 773-271-9642, corepoweryoga.com Last summer I thought sinking my toes into the soft sand during down dog as the wind off Lake Michigan played with my hair was equivalent to nirvana.

Best Surf

57th Street Beach

by Kevin Warwick on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

Chicago surfers just have to make do with what's nearby—which means Lake Michigan is their best option for carving waves. Unlike ocean surfing, where waves are built by weather that might be brewing far off the coast, lake surfing occurs in the fetch, with the very wind that creates the waves still overhead.

Best Secret Driving Range

Marquette Park

by Steve Bogira on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

The Chicago Park District also has driving ranges at Jackson Park and near the lake at Diversey, but Marquette Park is the only one with natural-grass tees. The range is tucked away on an island encircled by a lagoon, just east of Kedzie.

Best Peninsula for a Run

Calumet Park

by Mick Dumke on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

OK, it's not technically a peninsula, but it sure feels like it. The 199-acre park is tucked just south of where the Calumet River flows into Lake Michigan, behind a proud old residential part of the East Side neighborhood.

Best Stretch of Protected Bike Lane

Elston Between North and Chestnut

by Julia Thiel on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

Milwaukee Avenue is for suckers. Sure, I bike on it almost daily, but on the rare occasions when I take Elston I'm struck by how much nicer it is, free from the crush of car and bike traffic that you find on Milwaukee when the weather is nice.

Best Bingo Night

Copernicus Center Thursday Night Bingo

by Tal Rosenberg on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

If the Boiler Room's PBR Bingo is your idea of a hard-core game, then you've got a lot to learn, rookie. Copernicus Center Thursday Night Bingo isn't some amateur-hour, rinky-dink distraction for you and your pals at your local watering hole—this is serious bingo for serious people.

Best Rec Center With a Roller Rink and a Bowling Alley

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park & Family Entertainment Center

by Steve Bogira on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

1219 W. 76th, 312-747-2602, mlkskating.com In fact, it's the only place in Chicago with a roller rink and a bowling alley under one roof.

Best Shuffleboard Venue With a Display of Patriotism

Revolution Brewing Tap Room

by Luca Cimarusti on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

Shuffleboard may have been a favorite pastime of King Henry VIII's, but you'll never feel more American than when you play at the Revolution Brewing Tap Room in Avondale while standing in the shadow of a monstrous star-spangled banner. The 15-feet-tall-by-25-feet-wide flag lords over the bar nestled inside the brewery's complex, with the shuffleboard table situated between the two, gamely playing its role as one of the best activities to eat up hours of an afternoon.

Best Men's Volleyball Team—in the Country

The Loyola University Ramblers

by Mick Dumke on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

In May the Ramblers topped Stanford 3 to 1 in their home gym to capture their first NCAA title—just the fifth won by a school outside of California. "It was kind of a storybook ending," says coach Shane Davis.

Best Norm Van Lier-like Effort

Taj Gibson

by Ben Joravsky on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

Norm Van Lier is the second-greatest Bulls guard of all time, a player who gave maximum energy on both ends of the court. And while there are plenty of like-minded players from this year's team—Joakim Noah, Jimmy Butler, Kirk Hinrich—I'm singling out Taj Gibson for his stifling defense, thunderous dunks, surprisingly good midrange jumper, and all-out hustle.

Best Bears Draft Pick That Everyone Hated at First but Eventually Grew to Love

Kyle Long

by Drew Hunt on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

With the 20th pick in the NFL draft, the Chicago Bears selected Kyle Long, offensive guard, Oregon—and the collective response from Bears fans was, "The fuck?" To be fair, Long's story didn't precede him.

Best athlete

Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

Runner-Up Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks

Best Blackhawks bar

West End

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

1326 W. Madison 312-981-7100 westendwestloop.com Runner-Up

Best Bears bar

SmallBar Division

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

2049 W. Division 773-772-2727 smallbardivision.com Runner-Up

Best Bulls bar

Tie

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

Billy Goat Tavern 430 N. Michigan 312-222-1525 billygoattavern.com

Best Cubs bar

Sluggers World Class Sports Bar

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

3540 N. Clark 773-248-0055 sluggersbar.com Runner-Up

Best Sox bar

Bob Inn

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

2609 W. Fullerton 773-342-2309 Runner-Up

Best Chicago Fire bar

Globe Pub

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

1934 W. Irving Park 773-871-3757 theglobepub.net Runners-Up

Best place to watch college sports

State Restaurant & Cafe

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

935 W. Webster 773-975-8030 state-chicago.com Runner-Up

Best neighborhood park

Humboldt Park

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

1440 N. Humboldt 312-742-7549 chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/humboldtpark Runner-Up

Best dog park

Montrose Dog Beach

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

610 W. Lawrence mondog.org Runner-Up

Best alternative to the Lakefront path

North Shore Channel Trail

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

1400 N. Sacramento chicagoparkdistrict.com Runners-Up

Best organized bike ride

Critical Mass

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

chicagocriticalmass.org Runner-Up

Best place to take a stroll

Lakefront Trail

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

Montrose and Lake Shore cityofchicago.org Runner-Up

Best public golf course

Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

3600 N. Lake Shore 312-742-7930 cpdgolf.com Runner-Up

Best billiards

Pressure Billiards & Cafe

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

6318 N. Clark 773-743-7665 pressurebilliards.com Runner-Up

Best bowling alley

Lincoln Square Lanes

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

4874 N. Lincoln 773-561-8191 lincolnsquarelanes.net Runner-Up

Best canoe/kayak rentals

Kayak Chicago

on June 25, 2014 at 3:00PM

Multiple locations 630-336-7245 kayakchicago.com Runner-Up