Guidebook for Chicago
Food Scene
Arguably the best brunch in the city, Lula Café is a neighborhood gem that offers unique food combinations, drinks, and exciting specials. It doesn't take reservations, so be prepared for a wait (typically 45-60 min), but it's totally worth it.
936 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Lula Cafe
2537 N Kedzie BlvdArguably the best brunch in the city, Lula Café is a neighborhood gem that offers unique food combinations, drinks, and exciting specials. It doesn't take reservations, so be prepared for a wait (typically 45-60 min), but it's totally worth it.
This is a Michelin starred restaurant with amazing food and drinks, minus the pretension. While the food is on the pricier side, it is a great place for a nicer dinner if you don't mind a wait (typical wait on a weeknight is about 2 hours). The menu is meat-heavy, but offers vegetarian options as well. L&E has an extensive whiskey selection, but all of the cocktails are fantastic. Also, make sure to check out the OSB (Off site bar) behind the restaurant, where there is a limited food and drink menu offered in a more casual environment with no wait.
830 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Longman & Eagle
2657 N Kedzie AveThis is a Michelin starred restaurant with amazing food and drinks, minus the pretension. While the food is on the pricier side, it is a great place for a nicer dinner if you don't mind a wait (typical wait on a weeknight is about 2 hours). The menu is meat-heavy, but offers vegetarian options as well. L&E has an extensive whiskey selection, but all of the cocktails are fantastic. Also, make sure to check out the OSB (Off site bar) behind the restaurant, where there is a limited food and drink menu offered in a more casual environment with no wait.
Cheap, casual place for good pho (though I haven't tried the pho myself) and banh mi sandwiches. It's a nice place to get a quick lunch or something to go.
Banh Mi Baget
2735 N Milwaukee AveCheap, casual place for good pho (though I haven't tried the pho myself) and banh mi sandwiches. It's a nice place to get a quick lunch or something to go.
Great place to spend the day studying, reading, or just chatting with friends for the afternoon. Sit down and have a coffee along with a small lunch. The menu is limited, but everything is made fresh, in-house.
46 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Same Day Cafe
2651 N Kedzie AveGreat place to spend the day studying, reading, or just chatting with friends for the afternoon. Sit down and have a coffee along with a small lunch. The menu is limited, but everything is made fresh, in-house.
Reno offers a little bit of everything: brunch, lunch, dinner, pizza, late-night drinks, and even karaoke once a week. On weekdays during the day, it's a good place to study/read while having a coffee and bagel sandwich (one of their signatures), but at 4pm the lunch/dinner crowd comes in and the atmosphere switches to a restaurant setting with groups eating pizza and drinking. Note: CASH ONLY, but there are ATM's inside and a Chase bank across the street.
340 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Reno
2607 N Milwaukee AveReno offers a little bit of everything: brunch, lunch, dinner, pizza, late-night drinks, and even karaoke once a week. On weekdays during the day, it's a good place to study/read while having a coffee and bagel sandwich (one of their signatures), but at 4pm the lunch/dinner crowd comes in and the atmosphere switches to a restaurant setting with groups eating pizza and drinking. Note: CASH ONLY, but there are ATM's inside and a Chase bank across the street.
Great place for Mexican food- tacos are the most popular- and margaritas. On a nice day, make sure to sit outside in the back patio, where the garden makes you feel like you are far from the city. There is also upstairs seating with a full bar for a nicer atmosphere, while the downstairs seating feels much more casual.
44 (рекомендации местных жителей)
El Cid
2645 N Kedzie AveGreat place for Mexican food- tacos are the most popular- and margaritas. On a nice day, make sure to sit outside in the back patio, where the garden makes you feel like you are far from the city. There is also upstairs seating with a full bar for a nicer atmosphere, while the downstairs seating feels much more casual.
Great spot for Cajun food and strong, innovative cocktails. Also, available during the day on weekends for brunch, with items like fried chicken biscuit sandwiches, beignets, and chicken and waffles.
42 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Analogue
Great spot for Cajun food and strong, innovative cocktails. Also, available during the day on weekends for brunch, with items like fried chicken biscuit sandwiches, beignets, and chicken and waffles.
This is a BYOB Thai restaurant with virtually no wait for a table and great, semi-authentic food. Try the pad thai dish or my favorite- the beef noodle soup chef's special (yum!) Good prices and nice service, this is a perfect spot to go for a filling dinner before checking out the nightlife in the neighborhood.
32 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Trike Thai Noodles & Sushi
2339 N Milwaukee AveThis is a BYOB Thai restaurant with virtually no wait for a table and great, semi-authentic food. Try the pad thai dish or my favorite- the beef noodle soup chef's special (yum!) Good prices and nice service, this is a perfect spot to go for a filling dinner before checking out the nightlife in the neighborhood.
This restaurant is a bit more of a walk (about 15 min), but is well worth it. It offers authentic Mexican fare using high-quality ingredients and innovative combinations. The service is excellent and servers are open to accommodating special requests. Make sure to try one of their mezcal cocktails, which are Masa Azul's signature and the cochinita pibil tacos.
30 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Masa Azul
2901 W Diversey AveThis restaurant is a bit more of a walk (about 15 min), but is well worth it. It offers authentic Mexican fare using high-quality ingredients and innovative combinations. The service is excellent and servers are open to accommodating special requests. Make sure to try one of their mezcal cocktails, which are Masa Azul's signature and the cochinita pibil tacos.
This a renowned restaurant that has multiple accolades to boast about, among them being named one of the best new restaurants in the country by Bon Appetit magazine. The restaurant specializes in Macanese fare- a mix of influences from Portugal, China, India, and S.E. Asia. Be prepared for a wait of 1-2 hours though, and one of the restaurant's policies is that they reserve the right to ask you to leave once you've paid your check, so it's not a place to linger.
126 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Fat Rice
2957 W Diversey AveThis a renowned restaurant that has multiple accolades to boast about, among them being named one of the best new restaurants in the country by Bon Appetit magazine. The restaurant specializes in Macanese fare- a mix of influences from Portugal, China, India, and S.E. Asia. Be prepared for a wait of 1-2 hours though, and one of the restaurant's policies is that they reserve the right to ask you to leave once you've paid your check, so it's not a place to linger.
Drinks & Nightlife
Casual, fun atmosphere where you can find cheap drinks and food. The food and drinks are focused on burgers/fries and beers, and offers a great selection of local beers to try. Note, this place is CASH ONLY, but has an ATM inside and if you show your receipt for the ATM, you get a free shot! Woo!
38 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Parts & Labor
2700 North Milwaukee AvenueCasual, fun atmosphere where you can find cheap drinks and food. The food and drinks are focused on burgers/fries and beers, and offers a great selection of local beers to try. Note, this place is CASH ONLY, but has an ATM inside and if you show your receipt for the ATM, you get a free shot! Woo!
Cool place to go to have some drinks with a group and listen to jukebox tunes while TV's play a random movie and/or the latest sports game. Good drinks specials and draft beers available. There's also a pool table in the back and outdoor patio season, weather permitting.
45 (рекомендации местных жителей)
The Rocking Horse
2535 N Milwaukee AveCool place to go to have some drinks with a group and listen to jukebox tunes while TV's play a random movie and/or the latest sports game. Good drinks specials and draft beers available. There's also a pool table in the back and outdoor patio season, weather permitting.
Late-night bar open until 3am-4am, depending on the night. Be prepared for a wait in line if it's past midnight. Don't expect expensive craft cocktails here, this is where you go for no-frills drinks, hanging out by the bar, and dancing.
106 (рекомендации местных жителей)
The Owl
2521 N Milwaukee AveLate-night bar open until 3am-4am, depending on the night. Be prepared for a wait in line if it's past midnight. Don't expect expensive craft cocktails here, this is where you go for no-frills drinks, hanging out by the bar, and dancing.
This is one of my favorite places in the city. Whistler offers a little bit of everything: it's a bar, dance club, gallery space, performing arts venue, and even has its own record label (so I hear). I love it most for the craft cocktails and dancing on weekends.
185 (рекомендации местных жителей)
The Whistler
2421 N Milwaukee AveThis is one of my favorite places in the city. Whistler offers a little bit of everything: it's a bar, dance club, gallery space, performing arts venue, and even has its own record label (so I hear). I love it most for the craft cocktails and dancing on weekends.
This is one of the largest bar/dance clubs in Logan Square. You can easily spot it past 11pm on weekends due to the huge line forming outside. Once you go in, you'll find skee ball machines and a long bar with beer, cocktails, and their unique bottled cocktails (basically premade drinks served in a glass bottle with a straw). Proceed towards the back of the venue and you'll find sweaty 20 and 30-somethings dancing the night away.
127 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Slippery Slope
2357 N Milwaukee AveThis is one of the largest bar/dance clubs in Logan Square. You can easily spot it past 11pm on weekends due to the huge line forming outside. Once you go in, you'll find skee ball machines and a long bar with beer, cocktails, and their unique bottled cocktails (basically premade drinks served in a glass bottle with a straw). Proceed towards the back of the venue and you'll find sweaty 20 and 30-somethings dancing the night away.
Located across the street from it, East Room is the place you'll likely go to if you get tired of waiting in line at Slippery Slope. This doesn't mean it's any less fun though. The crowd feels slightly younger here (more 20-something's than 30-something's) and the crowd dances and sings along ironically to nostalgic hip-hop and R&B songs from the early 2000's. Be prepared to fight through the crowd at the bar to get a drink on busy nights.
55 (рекомендации местных жителей)
East Room
2354 N Milwaukee AveLocated across the street from it, East Room is the place you'll likely go to if you get tired of waiting in line at Slippery Slope. This doesn't mean it's any less fun though. The crowd feels slightly younger here (more 20-something's than 30-something's) and the crowd dances and sings along ironically to nostalgic hip-hop and R&B songs from the early 2000's. Be prepared to fight through the crowd at the bar to get a drink on busy nights.
There are two locations of this arcade bar, the other one located in Wicker Park. Emporium is perfect when you're out with a group and want to drink beer out of a can and hang out playing games. Aside from the vast space, coming here feels like hanging out in your parent's basement, if the basement had pool tables, arcade games, air hockey (my personal favorite) and foosball tables. Although it's an arcade bar, there are few arcade games here, so come for the beer and other games.
139 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Emporium Logan Square
2363 N Milwaukee AveThere are two locations of this arcade bar, the other one located in Wicker Park. Emporium is perfect when you're out with a group and want to drink beer out of a can and hang out playing games. Aside from the vast space, coming here feels like hanging out in your parent's basement, if the basement had pool tables, arcade games, air hockey (my personal favorite) and foosball tables. Although it's an arcade bar, there are few arcade games here, so come for the beer and other games.
Going to Scofflaw feels like you've entered a time warp back to Victorian times. The furniture is reminiscent of this time period, and the fireplace in the back room adds to the cozy feel. Most cocktails here are $8-10, which is a great deal for the neighborhood, and the menu also includes helpful pictures. There is a small menu that rotates often, but in the past has included pork sandwiches, stews, fries, smores pie, and brussel sprouts. Make sure to order a gin cocktail, which is their specialty.
584 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Scofflaw
3201 W Armitage AveGoing to Scofflaw feels like you've entered a time warp back to Victorian times. The furniture is reminiscent of this time period, and the fireplace in the back room adds to the cozy feel. Most cocktails here are $8-10, which is a great deal for the neighborhood, and the menu also includes helpful pictures. There is a small menu that rotates often, but in the past has included pork sandwiches, stews, fries, smores pie, and brussel sprouts. Make sure to order a gin cocktail, which is their specialty.
Revolution is a bar/restaurant/brewery that brews one of the most popular local Chicago beers. Downstairs, sit around the bar watching the latest sports game while having a burger, fries, and beer or go upstairs for a table in a more intimate setting. It tends to get full on weekends, so there may be a wait of 1-2 hours.
724 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Revolution Brewing - Brewpub
2323 N Milwaukee AveRevolution is a bar/restaurant/brewery that brews one of the most popular local Chicago beers. Downstairs, sit around the bar watching the latest sports game while having a burger, fries, and beer or go upstairs for a table in a more intimate setting. It tends to get full on weekends, so there may be a wait of 1-2 hours.
Parson's is a bar/restaurant/entertainment center and the perfect place to go when good weather is bestowed upon the city. The vast patio is the reason to come here: sit at a picnic table enjoying fried chicken, hush puppies, and negroni slushis (their special). You'll likely wait an hour or so for a table, but sit at the bar or play ping pong while you wait.
658 (рекомендации местных жителей)
Parson's Chicken & Fish
2952 W Armitage AveParson's is a bar/restaurant/entertainment center and the perfect place to go when good weather is bestowed upon the city. The vast patio is the reason to come here: sit at a picnic table enjoying fried chicken, hush puppies, and negroni slushis (their special). You'll likely wait an hour or so for a table, but sit at the bar or play ping pong while you wait.