If you ask us, we would say that Chicago is one of the best cities to date somebody and find love. The city offers so much to experience and there is never a dull moment you will find yourself in. With more than 30% of the population single and ready to mingle, here are 7 best dating sites in Chicago according to us which we have compiled for you to help you find other singles:

1. Match

One of the most popular online dating sites for singles, Match.com enjoys immense popularity in Chicago and is used by thousands of singles to find dates. With more than 20 million members, the site sends customized matches to you of people who are looking for someone like you. The site is free to browse but you need a paid membership to take things forward with your date. You can also sort through your matches using the advanced search function that is designed to make things easier for the members of the site. You can take a monthly membership of one month to six months depending on your requirement. The member pool of the site is great and since Chicago is a big city, it is very easy to find a match in your area.

2. Elite Singles

This is a dating site for professionals who are looking to meet some like-minded individuals who are as committed to their career and commitments. This website has a very elite member pool with 80% of its members having a professional degree. Most of the members on the website are aged 30 and above so they are mature enough to understand the whole dating game with job responsibilities and other commitments. It is a dating site for busy people so you will never hear any complaints of not giving enough time to your date because he or she will be as busy as you are. The male to female ratio is also good and you can meet some great people through this site.

3. Zoosk

With 38 million members, Zoosk is a casual dating site that is great for finding somebody to date in Chicago. A lot of its members are from this city and you can even sync your account with your Facebook profile to find people in your area who are interested to date. It even takes your profile information from Facebook and creates a new profile for you on the app in just a few seconds. The app sends customized matches for you every day on the basis of your chosen attributes and there is a carousel feature also for selecting matches yourself. The user interface of the app makes it very easy to find singles in Chicago as you can search for matches according to their location.

5. Adult Friend Finder

If you are looking for a website which allows you to meet singles in your area for a casual hook-up, Adult Friend Finder is a good option to consider. This is a adult hookup site where you can meet millions of singles. you can search members using their location and interests. The site gets more than 25 million visits a month and the number of male members on the site is higher than female members. The site is free to browse but you have to pay for a basic membership in which you can interact with other members. The cost of the membership is worth it if you want to hook-up with someone in Chicago. You can use this dating site to find someone who is interested in the same thing as you and can take things forward from there.

6. Black People Meet

Designed especially for black and biracial people, Black People Meet is a great website to meet some fellow black singles. The site has more female members as compared to male members. You can sort your matches by location and almost all the members of the site are quite genuine and active. There are members from various ethnic groups and diversities and it is very easy to find someone similar to you. Chicago has a lot of black population and this site has been quite helpful for some of us in finding a date. The site has more than 5 million members and also allows you to send virtual gifts to other members using the token system that it uses.

7. Our Time

A dating website for senior citizens of Chicago, Our Time is very popular among people above the age of 50 who are looking for somebody of their age to spend their time with. With an easy layout and lots of attractive features, senior people find this website very helpful. It also has more female members as compared to male members and gets more than 9 million visits a month. You can chat with members in real time and also add photos and videos to help attract more matches. The site sends you daily matches but you can also search for matches on your own using the simple yet effective search option on the app. You can browse profiles and interact with other members for free but the full-access membership needs to be purchased. The paid plans are quite affordable too.

8. Plenty of Fish

This dating website is well-known for its chemistry-based matching criteria. It is quite commonly used in Chicago by singles who are looking for something more than a random match and want to date someone who has similar interests and preferences. The site also offers video chat and audio chat options to its members so that you can interact with fellow Chicagoans before actually meeting them. You can view profiles on the site without even signing up on the platform and can check out the forums to see the kind of people this site attracts. The site has both free and paid versions and the personality matching system makes it a very credible dating site to find singles in Chicago. The website is quite easy to use and sees a lot of visitors from the windy city.

While dating in itself can be a very thrilling experience, dating is Chicago is considered to be a different game altogether since this windy city makes you see love in a different light. Always happening Chicago events make dating even more fun. We have compiled a list of 12 reasons why dating in Chicago is thrilling:

1. The city experiences 3 months of freezing temperatures that give you a chance to cuddle up.

Chicago winters are very cute and residents of the city are busy cozying up to each other in their blankets rather than freezing outside. This gives you and your date ample time to Netflix and chill at home while warming up to each other and your date also agrees with it completely.

2. Summertime is for endless parties and no-commitment dates!

Summers, on the other hand, are a series of endless parties for Chicagoans and people of the city do not leave it and go on vacations like in other cities. This is a no-commitment season and dating becomes all the more fun during summertime when the sun shines bright and the drinks flow freely.

3. You can get a great meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant without emptying your wallet.

With so many luxury as well as budget restaurants in town, you and your date are never going to feel a lack of good food in Chicago. If not these restaurants, going to a hot dog stand to get some lip-smacking hot dogs is considered completely normal and is one of the preferred dating styles of Chicagoans. The number of food trucks in the city is a proof of the fact that Chicagoans love their food and are not ashamed about it.

4. You can go on a date wearing anything as the city is quite down to earth.

Turn up on a date in a short tee and some yoga pants and you will even receive compliments for your casual dressing style. The city is very laid back in terms of dressing up and everything is considered attractive and pretty if it is comfortable. You can find a ton of places to go to if you want to dress up or dress down.

5. Your date depends on whether you support Sox or cubs.

People of this city are quite passionate about sports and the first topic of discussion on many dates is whether you support Sox or Cubs. This can be a make or break in the relationship as far as we have seen. If you are not a Packer’s fan and your date is, chances are that this date is not going to end well.

6. You do not have to pick up your date and she is cool with it.

Chicagoans are extremely cool when it comes to being practical. Your date doesn’t expect you to come halfway across the city to pick her up. You both can actually decide to meet at a common point or at the restaurant you have decided and this is considered absolutely normal. In other cities, picking up your date takes half your time but it is not the case in this city.

7. People do not rush into commitments in this city and are generally nicer.

You will not be asked if you want to move in or confess your love for your date anytime soon in this city. The residents are a very casual and practical bunch and they love their dates without putting in the pressure of commitment. People of Chicago are also generally nicer to each other and are not rude enough if the date doesn’t go as well as they had planned.

8. The Riverwalk is buzzing with new bars and craft breweries all the time.

The city has more craft breweries than you can think and the people here love to drink and celebrate life. The Riverwalk area always has something new to offer and you can actually make a day out of exploring this side of the town and tasting beers. The breweries are a great place to hang out if you and your date are up for drinking some great locally-made beers along with some amazing food to accompany them.

9. The city is quite affordable which means your date will have no roommate disturbances!

Living in Chicago is affordable and your date can afford to live in an apartment all by himself. This means that you two will not be disturbed by pesky roommates while having a date and can even sleep in if you don’t feel like going back. This also means that the residents of the city do not date just so that they can get somebody to move in and share the rent.

10. Obama had his first date at Hyde Park and you can too.

Recreate Obama’s first date at Hyde Park and experience the same thrill with your date too. This park is an ideal dating place for couples who love quaint and serene surroundings and long walks. We have seen that people of Chicago love their walks and this is the ideal dating place for them. There are a few other parks and lakes as well which are considered to be great dating spots for nature-loving people.

11. Dating beyond the subway lines is actually possible in this city.

Unlike other cities where people do not date across city lines because of such far distances, Chicago dating scene is pretty chill about dating across the subway lines as people find more options to date and do not mind traveling a bit to meet their date. Traveling in the city is so easy and convenient that you will not even feel that you are going across the city for a date.

12. People of Chicago are very funny and take everything in good spirit.

In general, when you compare Chicagoans with people of other cities, the people of Chicago have a great sense of humour and love cracking jokes to lighten up the mood. They do not take offense on every little thing and love making other people laugh too!

Are you one of those people who like to meet others using the traditional way rather than through online dating sites which everyone is using these days? Most singles register themselves on online dating sites but there is still a large percentage of singles who do not like meeting people online. We have compiled some tips on how to meet singles in Chicago without online dating:

1. Go to that party you always avoid.

The best way to meet singles in Chicago is to attend the summer parties held in the city. A lot of singles attend these parties and it is a sure shot way of meeting someone you might be interested in. Chicago hosts a lot of summer festivals and it is time to attend all those parties which you earlier avoided due to work commitments or just plain laziness. You can also attend music festivals which are a goldmine when it comes to meeting singles. Chicago has so many places you can go to if you like a certain kind of party and don’t like some other types and you will always have a party of choice to go to in this city.

2. Join the Chicago Runners Association.

If you are fond of training and running, join some activities conducted by Chicago Area Runners Association or the Chicago Triathlon Club to meet like-minded individuals who are as fond of the activity as you are. If you are an adventure enthusiast, connect with The Adventure Run to take part in some fun runs conducted monthly. You can even enjoy a cold beer with your friends after the race and get a chance to meet other singles taking part in the event. Nike also holds regular training events in the city if you want to attend those and we loved these particular training sessions.

3. Register for some fun activities or sports at Sports Club.

The Chicago Sports & Social Club comes up with many interesting activities each month and you can participate in indoor and outdoor sports as a way of staying fit while working on your dating game. The events attract many young singles of Chicago and you can meet many new people through this club and some of them might even chat up to you and end up dating you. If you are a sports buff and want to date somebody with similar interests, this is the place to be.

4. Attend street festivals.

Chicago is known for its festivals and if you are not attending these happening fests, you are missing out on a lot of chances to meet singles in your area. From music festivals to shopping fests, the city has something to offer for everybody. The city is also famous for its food scene and loves hanging out by the hot dog stands to enjoy their favourite street food. These festivals are a great place to meet somebody and you can even connect with people effortlessly by chatting about the festival. The Chicago Beer festival is an amazing place to go to meet singles as the place is flowing with great food and even better beers. You can also go to the Chicago Randolph festival which is a street fest where sellers come to display their wares.

5. Ask your committed friends to help you find a date.

This might sound clichéd but asking your committed friends to set you up on a date can help you find a partner very easily since they might have a lot of single friends and can help you connect to them. Go on double dates with your committed or married friends and find a common ground to talk about to take things further. Do not sound clingy or needy but ask them to facilitate the meeting just so that the other person does not feel awkward when you approach them. Having common friends around will also make you feel comfortable and people of Chicago are quite down to earth and sweet so they will feel good if you ask their common friends to connect you to them.

6. Volunteer for a cause at Paws or Habitat for Humanity.

A great way to meet other singles in Chicago is by volunteering at local organisations like Paws, Habitat for Humanity, or other organisations. These organisations are run by active professionals and a lot of them are singles. This way you will be helping homeless animals and people to get a new life and meet other driven singles in the process. You never know who you might end up meeting during one of your volunteering sessions and you both will also connect on a human level through these sessions.

7. Cook up a storm at Read It & Eat It cookbook club.

If you are fond of cooking, attending some cooking clubs or classes can not only serve as a stress buster but can also help you find your life partner. Since people who have a passion to cook would only be a part of these clubs, there is a great chance that you will find someone who connects to you and your passion for food and drinks. Run by professional chefs and food fanatics, these groups have monthly sessions which you can attend and make the most of your opportunity. The Read It and Eat It club holds monthly reading sessions every month and the participants read the recipes of a particular cookbook before trying one of the recipes at home and sharing their experiences.

8. Sign-up at MeetUp.com for finding single groups.

MeetUp.com is a social website which is designed with a sole aim of making like-minded people meet through fun activities and interests. You can find other singles with the same interest as yours using this site and attend those activities to meet up with singles. Young Professionals of Chicago is another organisation which has many career-driven members. They host monthly events where you can enjoy some live music and network with other individuals to be a part of this amazing community.

Dating in Chicago is galvanizing to say the least. The windy city offers so much for singles and has some great dating spots you can hang out at to take your relationship to the next level. If you are still struggling with converting your first date into subsequent dates, here are 12 dating tips to single Chicagoans which will help you get successful in your dating endeavours:

1. Do not make your date choose between their love for you and love for food.

Chicagoans love their food and if you make them choose between their hotdog and you, chances are that you will end up single again as this city loves its hot dogs. Take them to their favourite hot dog stand and see how this date magically turns into one of the most successful dates of your life. The city also has many Michelin-starred restaurants so you can go to one of those if you want a fine dining experience.

2. Cozy up with your date in a romantic café during winters.

Chicago has a bad reputation for its chilly winters but this can be the perfect time for you and your date to snuggle up to each other at home or at an outside café which offers bonfires and hot coffees. Chicagoans love their winters and staying at home with your partner will only spice up the things further.

3. Take them down to the lake for some quality time together.

Summer season in Chicago is one endless party but if you both want to spend some quality time alone, head down to the lake or to the Riverwalk area to check out the new cafes or for simply taking a walk together. You can take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the food pop-ups along the lake also. Chicago has many craft breweries which can be visited if you want to sample some locally made beers with your date.

4. Show true love and respect for their family.

Chicagoans love the city and many generations of one family can be found living in the same city. It is very important that you show interest in your date’s family and interact with them also to score some brownie points. Respect your date’s grandma and you will surely be asked to stay for dinner.

5. Offer to take them back to your place for a coffee.

Most singles in Chicago have their own place to stay since the cost of living in the city is affordable. This eliminates pesky roommate issues so you can invite your date in for a cup of coffee and take things forward from there if you both find each other interesting. Chicagoans are generally great at being frank and funny so there is nothing you would not like.

6. Do not date someone with different sports preferences as you.

This city takes its sports seriously and legit breakups have happened when the favourite teams did not match. Whether you are a Cubs or a Sox fan, make sure that your date is on the same page as you otherwise it will only lead to screaming matches during the games and your dates would be ruined. Having the same favourite team also means that you will have a great time during matches and have someone to rejoice with if your team wins.

7. Work for getting Lollapalooza passes arranged for them.

Chicago residents do not like missing the biggest music festival their city hosts and they will only get angry if you turn up without passes. Make efforts to arrange for the passes for this music festival to impress your date and increase your chances. Chicago also hosts some other music festivals but the Lollapalooza is the one festival you should not miss.

8. Do not plan an outing when the football season is on.

There is no point going out when the football season is on as everybody who is living in Chicago loves watching football and prefers to stay indoors or attend the match. If you can get the tickets for a football match then nothing better but if you can’t, make plans to stay indoors and enjoy the match.

9. Be upfront with them about your intentions.

There is nothing that singles in Chicago hate more than a person who is not upfront about his or her intentions. People here are very sweet and talk straight about their preferences. They also do not have any problem with sleeping together on the first date so if you are up for it and your date it ok with it, why not have some fun on the first date itself.

10. Get a couple selfie at The Art Institute.

Dating a single Chicagoan means that you can get entry into the legendary Art Institute easily. This museum has been termed as the best art museum in the world by TripAdvisor so it can be a great date if you both love arts and culture. From Van Gogh to the Duchamps, this museum offers something that cannot be experienced anywhere else in the world.

11. Profess your love for Chicago as much you can.

If you love this city, be vocal about it. Chicago residents take pride in their city and they will love hearing it from you too. Professing your love for this wonderful city will only get you closer to your partner and will make them treat you like one of their own. Since the city gives you so much, it is an easy task to love it.

12. Do not make them travel alone from Logan Square to Loop.

Accompany your partner when travelling on the L route to protect them from weird people hanging out on the route. Not only with you spend more time with your partner but you will also make them feel safer and protected. Chicagoans do not expect you to pick up and drop them home but this is a nice way of telling them that you care.