Chicago: Snub City?

Chicago can't even go by its Second City moniker anymore.

You know those coveted "best cities" lists that magazines craft by using obscure data sets and unscientific ranking systems? Lately, Chicago isn't even clocking in at second, never mind first. We're getting dissed.

Consider this year's lists of best sports bars in North America by ESPN Mobile or the list of 10 bars for beer lovers by GQ. Not one watering hole in Chicago was on either list. And we didn't even grab a spot on October's GQ Top 5 best beer cities in America. How's that possible when Chicago is home to famous breweries such as Goose Island and beer-geek meccas like Andersonville's Hopleaf and The Map Room in Bucktown?

It's enough to make us wonder if we should change our name to Snub City.

 This year, it's insulting not to be ranked higher than No. 12 among America's coolest cities (Forbes), No. 28 among America's best cities (businessweek.com), and No. 37 among America's manliest cities (Sperling's Best Places/Combos).

"Yes, we should be much higher and we are much higher on the lists that matter to us," said Meghan Risch, vice president of communications for Choose Chicago, the official destination marketing organization for Chicago.

The lists that matter, she said, are the ones put out by premier travel publications. Chicago came in second place among best cities in the U.S. and Canada in Travel + Leisure's 2012 World Best Awards readers' survey. Chicago was ranked third among U.S. cities in the yearly Readers' Choice Awards published in Conde Nast Traveler's November issue.

"When it's the readers who are voting for the cities, it's much more meaningful," Risch said. "Once somebody gets here, it's just jaw-dropping. They're so in awe with how clean, how friendly [the city is], how we utilize the lakefront and they go back home raving about how great Chicago is."

Sure, the Windy City has its problems with crime and traffic, plus its bitterly cold winters. No wonder Chicagoans are so miserable sometimes. Yep, we made that list, too, snagging the sixth spot among most miserable cities, according to Forbes.

This year, we also are No. 14 among America's rudest cities and No. 24 on some fattest cities lists.

Despite those issues, Chicago has rightfully been recognized as the third-best burger city (Travel + Leisure), the fifth-greenest (Travel + Leisure) and fifth-most bike-friendly city (Bicycling magazine), and is home to Wicker Park, the fourth-best hipster neighborhood in America (Forbes). Other accolades include AAA's diamond ratings for hotels, and Michelin stars and high Zagat scores for restaurants. Chicago is home to some of the best U.S. hotels, restaurants and pie shops picked by magazines.

Some of the lists tend to be arbitrary and depend on whether Chicago is on the radar of those who rank the cities, said Alexandra Levit, a workplace author based in the Chicago area. Chicagoans shouldn't be alarmed if the city is left off lists, such as the happiest cities for young professionals, she said.

"It's like a horoscope," Levit said. "It's interesting but you wouldn't make any decisions based on it."

The city has so much going for it along with its magnificent skyline, comedic talent and sports titles. Maybe we're biased. After all, we know we're the best.

This is Chicago. We are second to none.

lvivanco@tribune.com | @lvivanco