Tune into topics that matter to all fellow Chicagoans.
Chicago is a vast city, full of stories and many points of view. Explore the best Chicago podcasts to your ears’ content.
Updated August 20th, 2024
What goes better with good music than good beer? On this podcast, three Chicagoans team up for track-by-track breakdowns of their favorite albums paired with fresh brewed (often locally-made) beers. Past album reviews have included King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, 100 gecs and Charly Bliss. Tune in and drink along!
Listen here.
Image via Facebook/CuriousCity
One of the reasons that WBEZ's Curious City is a great podcast is its method of letting the public decide which stories to cover. Curious City prides itself on being “an ongoing news experiment.” The topics are truly the ones Chicago cares about because they’re the ones asking about them Questions answered on the podcast include “Why does Chicago have so many Thai restaurants?” and “What makes Chicago’s dating scene so distinct?” Tap in for more cool topics like these!
Listen here.
Photo via Unsplash/Blake Guidry
For some Chicagoans, sports seasons go all year. For off-season trade talks, game analyses, player interviews and more, NBC Sports Chicago's podcast lineup covers all the city's pro teams—Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks.
Listen here.
Chicagoans Sara Faddah and Dario Durham are the stars of 77 Flavors of Chicago. These two food adventurers travel around historic places in the city and try different local cuisines while talking about culture, history, and food. These two delve into the lesser-known stories of past Chicagoans and neighborhoods, and their love for the city is apparent in every episode. A must-listen for a local! Catch new episodes every Monday.
Listen here.
Image via Facebook/SoundOpinions
Hosted by longtime rock critics Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot, Sound Opinions is the Chicago-born world's only rock and roll talk show. The weekly podcast features new music, record reviews and exclusive interviews and performances. Other great topics include discussing landmark albums and under-the-radar albums you need to hear now.
Listen here.
Image via Facebook/ABVChicago
The Chicago-based craft beer podcast from two beer enthusiasts/middle school teachers. The pair talks beer and, more importantly, drinks beer—Chicago made craft beer. The hosts drink and discuss local creations from Peanut Butter Cup Stouts to Bourbon County Barrel-Aged You can even find out about the best girl Scout cookie beer pairings!
Listen here.
Image via blurryphotos.org
Winner of The Reader’s Best of Chicago “Best Podcast” in 2017, Blurry Photos, delves into the weird. This podcast explores some of the world’s most fascinating and unbelievable mysteries and legends. The hosts (who may or may not be Legos) and their guests unearth ancient mysteries. If you are into topics that are rarely discussed in popular culture, this is the podcast for you!
Listen here.
Photo via The Axe Files
Tune into a very intellectual podcast from David Axelrod, the founder and director of the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. The Axe Files is a podcast with episodes that feature interviews with key figures in the political world, including Rep. Abigail Spanberger and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang.
Listen here.
Image via Instagram/louisachu1
Chewing is a food and health podcast brought to you by Chicago Tribune's Louisa Chu and WBEZ's Monica Eng, of Curious City fame. Is there really anything more enjoyable to talk about than food? This podcast features food stories, recipes and interviews with chefs including Carlos Gayten, Uncle Remus and more.
Listen here.
Image Via top5chew.com
Join Miguel Lepe, a comedic actor with Escandalo Comedy and Comedy Sportz, and Nathalie Galde as they sit down to chat about the rollercoaster of parenting. Despite coming from different backgrounds in the arts, having kids of varying ages, and experiencing different parenting challenges, they're here to share their stories, laugh about their struggles, and celebrate the little wins in parenting with warmth and honesty.
Listen here.
Image via Facebook/Chicago'sBravestStories
Fans of the TV show Chicago Fire are sure to enjoy Chicago's Bravest Stories. Tune in to listen to thrilling and emotional stories from local firefighters and paramedics. The podcast features episodes that walk listeners through first-hand accounts of the daily experiences of first-responders in the city of Chicago.
Listen here.
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Archived
There are some great Chicago-based podcasts that have stopped uploading new episodes, but that doesn't mean the old episodes aren't great to listen to! Below are the podcasts we haven't moved on from, even if the creators have!
Photo Via WBEZ
WBEZ Chicago’s Podcast “South Side Stories” is a celebration of the real-life people and places that inspired Comedy Central's series, ”South Side.” Hosted by the series creators and executive producers Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin, this podcast proves that what you see on the news is only a small slice of a big city.
*Last Uploaded Episode: 2019
Listen here.
