Plenty of great areas inside the city as well, complete with the "suburban" feel. Ravenswood Manor and Lincoln Square (not to be confused with Lincoln Park) are two fantastic neighborhoods ridiculously family friendly with great schools, and I would move there in a heartbeat if the wife would let me. Ravenswood Manor especially; you'd be walking the neighborhood completely oblivious to the fact that you're inside Chicago city limits. And you know it's good; Federal Prisoner 40892-424, Rod Blagojevich, called that neighborhood home, and rarely spent any time at the Governors Mansion in Springfield while he sold, I mean held, office.

Outside of the city limits, I also liked Oak Park, as well as Elmhurst. Glen Ellyn, Oak Brook (McD's headquarters) Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills offer some exceptional choices.