Chicago’s apartment market is full of big, familiar names, but some of the city’s most interesting buildings fly under the radar. From a converted vintage hotel in Lakeview to a West Lincoln Park building with an on-site restaurant led by a James Beard Award-winning chef, here are eight Chicago apartment buildings with amenities worth bragging about.
These buildings are presented alphabetically rather than ranked, and span River West to the Gold Coast, giving renters a sense of what’s available across the city rather than in just one neighborhood.
Amenities, availability, and pricing can change. Renters should confirm current details directly with each building.
8 Fantastic Buildings
AMLI 900 Chicago
900 South Clark Street · South Loop · Yoga and spin studio, rooftop fireplace
AMLI 900 sits in the South Loop near Printers Row, Museum Campus, and the Lakefront Trail, with studio through three-bedroom homes and, in select units, loft-style exposed concrete ceilings. The building backs it up with one of the area’s largest dog runs, a private resident garden, a fitness center with a dedicated yoga and spin studio, and a rooftop sundeck with an outdoor fireplace.
Ashland Manor
4874 North Ashland Avenue · Ravenswood · Vintage courtyard charm
Ashland Manor is a brick courtyard building in Ravenswood with one- and two-bedroom homes, hardwood floors, and generous closet space, a classic, homey alternative to the high-rise crowd. It’s steps from the Ravenswood Metra stop and CTA Red and Brown Line service, with the neighborhood’s restaurants, coffee shops, and the annual Ravenswood ArtWalk close by.
Avenir
730 North Milwaukee Avenue · River West · Ori Smart Suites
Avenir’s studio and one-bedroom homes include Ori Smart Suites, transforming furniture that turns a bedroom into a living room in seconds, a clever fit for River West’s smaller footprints. The pet-friendly building rounds things out with a 24/7 fitness center, a landscaped terrace with pool and cabanas, a co-working lounge, and private parking with EV charging.
The Belmont by Reside
3170 North Sheridan Road · Lakeview · Converted vintage hotel
The Belmont by Reside occupies a renovated vintage building in Lakeview that started life as a hotel, and it still shows in the character of the place. Studio through three-bedroom homes come with a rooftop sundeck, a Sky Lounge, a fitness center, and 24-hour concierge, all a short walk from Wrigley Field and the lakefront.
The Elle
801 South Financial Place · South Loop · Two pet parks plus an interior pet spa
The Elle delivers South Loop high-rise living with skyline and lake views, a resort-style pool with cabanas, a multi-screen movie theater, and a yoga and flex studio. Pet owners get an unusually generous setup, two outdoor pet parks plus an interior pet spa, just steps from Grant Park and Soldier Field.
The Ludlow
2032 North Clybourn Avenue · West Lincoln Park · On-site omakase restaurant
The Ludlow turned a historic typograph factory in West Lincoln Park into studio-through-three-bedroom homes, and its amenities lean into that character: an infrared sauna, a private yoga studio, and a co-working lounge. The standout, though, is food and drink built into the building itself, a rooftop craft cocktail bar and an on-site omakase restaurant led by a James Beard Award-winning chef.
One Superior Place
1 West Superior Street · Gold Coast / River North · On-site Aldi grocery store
One Superior Place puts a rooftop pool, fire pits, and a full fitness club with steam rooms right at the base of the Gold Coast and River North. The unusual perk here is downstairs: an on-site Aldi grocery store, so residents can handle everyday errands without leaving the building.
The Residences at NEWCITY
1457 North Halsted Street · Lincoln Park / Old Town · 90-inch theater room
The Residences at NEWCITY sits near Lincoln Park and Old Town with studio, one-, and two-bedroom homes featuring private balconies and skyline or lake views. Building amenities include a resort-style pool with spa, a theater room with a 90-inch screen, and a 24-hour door attendant, with on-site retail and covered parking rounding things out.
That’s eight very different examples of amenities worth bragging about, spread across eight different neighborhoods. Whether it’s a private omakase chef, an on-site grocery store, or a courtyard building with a century of character, the common thread is an owner willing to invest in something renters will actually use. For a broader look at what counts as a standout perk nationally, the National Apartment Association tracks amenity trends across the industry, or keep browsing the Chicago Apartment Building Directory for more buildings with amenities worth bragging about.