Yes, there are a bunch of good restaurants there, and a great Italian Ice stand that has people queuing up to it all summer long. Mafia owned; I used to know the owner casually. Really nice guy (as long as you didn’t cross him, lol). He was locked in a vendetta with another old Italian guy from the neighborhood who was trying to force his lucrative Italian Ice stand out of its location because he wanted the property himself to build his own business on. Occasionally their fight would hit the newspapers. He’d complain about it frequently.
Actually, as long as you stick near Campus, it’s a really interesting Hood, lots of nice buildings with lovely historical architecture. Chinatown is close by, and Greektown is a spit away from the Campus. Chicago, in spite of its negative reputation, is actually a fascinating and very historical City. I used to love exploring it. And the lakefront is beautiful. Glad I’m retired now though, and living in the conservative Western suburbs area.
My dad grew up in Chicago and I have a bunch of aunts, uncles, and cousins in the city and the suburbs. When we go back there’s place right across the street from one of the university parking lot called Tufano’s. Love it.