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Community area in Chicago, Illinois
Photo: Loganresident at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons
Logan Square is an expansive neighborhood with sweeping boulevards on Chicago's West Side. It shares a wealth of dive bars and cheap rock venues with Bucktown, which becomes a high-fashion destination when close to Wicker Park.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
This Presbyterian church is housed in the former Cathedral of All Saints of the Polish National Catholic Church in Chicago. A historic church building, its interior decor is painted in a style imitating Master Cracovian painter Stanisław Wyspiański, while the nave is lined with depictions of the historic crests of Polish cities.
Not a sight to seek out, but it’s hard to miss — this column was erected in 1918 to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of Illinois’ statehood, and topped with an eagle to show the committee members weren’t messing around. It’s out of step with the rest of the neighborhood now, but hey, only a few more years until it’s time for an update!
Nestled among the mansions of Logan Boulevard, this 1907 Prairie School house by George Maher makes a nice contrast with its elegant lines and lack of Euro mish-mash.
Designed by William LeBaron Jenney, designer to the (Victorian) stars, and a lovely job at that — with plenty of trees, shade, and green space. When New Belgium brewery brought its Tour de Fat to Chicago in 2008, it chose beautiful Palmer Square.
One of the city's most beautiful churches, this classic Polish Cathedral is now administered by the priests of the Opus Dei order of Catholicism.
Opened in 1926 and still adorned with gorgeous terra cotta, the semi-decrepit Congress Theater is now home to the twin powers of Mexican wrestling and indie rock of an occasionally exceptional caliber. It's standing room only on the floor, but there is first-come first-serve seating in the balcony.
Never mind the bollocks, it's the Rock 'n Bowl. 36 lanes ensure that you won't be crowded out by league play, although there can be a long wait on weekends. The music and staff are great, pitchers of beer (cheap and classy) and pizza (greasy and, uh, greasy) are available, and old-school arcade games and photo-booths help pass the wait, and it's smoke-free.
There are better places to bowl and much better places to see live music, but this is hallowed ground for the teen punk of the '80s and '90s, when the Fireside was a cheap, all-ages venue for punk, hardcore, emo, and more. It's definitely not that any more — not surprisingly, neighborhood residents were never fond of the noise and the youth, and the owner found it easier to survive as a straight bowling alley.
It's under-utilized on weeknights, but this ballroom-with-a-liquor-license hosts weekend rock shows and the occasional label showcase for mainstays of Chicago music like Thrill Jockey.
In 2018, Time Out named the LSFM "Best Farmers Market" in the city. Outdoors along Logan Boulevard in the summer, indoors at the Congress Theater (see above) in the winter.
Ten ramps and half-pipes, benches, an asphalt surface, and a drinking fountain. It's under the I-90/94 overpass.
Opened in 1915 with 975 seats and still showing movies today, although it has since been carved up into four screens for second-run Hollywood fare.
An entertainment center with two fine ways to burn off steam: the title game, which adds the bumper cars that Native Americans always meant lacrosse to have, and laser tag. Packages are available with beer and bar food.
The cheap late-night food of choice among trendy chefs and bar-goers alike in Bucktown, right outside the Blue Line. (Or is it Lazo's? See below.)
There's an argument to be made for putting Margie's at the top of the list of things to do and see in this article; thankfully, the Blue Line and two bus lines converge at this holy ice cream shop, founded in 1921. There's diner food as well if you need "dinner" to justify the frenzy.
Pretty good Mexican food in Logan Square. The outdoor seating is especially nice, well away from the street rather like sitting in someone's backyard.
A family-owned neighborhood spot offering Costa Rican food since 1990. Casual atmosphere with seriously good food. Try the oatmeal shake.
Easy to find, this taqueria is roomy and has a bit of old-style diner class, excellent for breakfast chilaquiles and solid for Mexican lunch and dinner standards.
In Bucktown. Small, funky bistro with a limited but excellent menu of standard French fare. For peak dining hours you will need a reservation. Reasonably priced. Monday is 1/2-price wine night, and on Tuesday the entire menu is prix fixe – your choice of appetizer, main course, and dessert for
A very popular neighborhood restaurant, serving an eclectic mix of new inventions and creatively remixed standards. Because of its popularity, lines can be really long on Friday and Saturday nights.
Good place to watch a baseball game with a cheap beer...as long as you're a White Sox fan. Otherwise, it's a good place to relax and wish you were a regular.
This, on the other hand, is definitely a Cubs bar, with plasma screens for the games and lovingly engineered old-man ambiance. When baseball isn't on, music becomes the foremost concern; it's too crowded for a dance floor, but DJs are usually on by 10PM.
Just off Western and Milwaukee. The owners of the Green Eye Lounge are experts in the art of the neighborhood bar — see also Lemming's below and the Blind Robin in Ukrainian Village. There's no stress, the beer selection is good, and there are board games.
Comfortable neighborhood bar with local art to be seen and games (board & video) to be played. Look for the "Lemming's" sign by day and the "Schlitz" by night.
Their motto is "Don't be lost," but you may as well give in to their disorienting collection of exotic beers. Their tap selection is one of the more extensive in the city, with surprises for even the most jaded beer drinker: extensive draught and bottle menu, including a cask-conditioned selection, but occasionally unfriendly management.
Whirlaway is run by the much-adored Maria, with decor that makes you feel as though you're drinking in the basement of Logan Square's collective unconsciousness's dad's house. (In less abstract terms, that's cheap beer, free popcorn, close quarters, and rock on the jukebox.)
An old-time Bucktown joint with a big selection of reasonably priced beer and an impressive antique wood bar. There's a Jazz Jam every Tuesday night, and rock/folk/jazz shows most Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Laid-back neighborhood bar with a good selection of microbrews and free local music events scattered throughout the week.
Live blues since 1984, with a laid-back vibe and authentic feel that makes it a must for any visiting blues fan. Save some time for checking out the walls, covered in blues history.
Fun, original clothes, furniture, and toys for kids — if you'd like to get your child's life started right, you'll know the value of a magnetized wooden pirate ship (complete with crew and monkey).
One of the premier Latin music stores in Chicago, with a long rack of new releases, DVDs, and Spanish musical instruments (mainly bongos).
If you need a comic book fix, G-Mart is the place. They carry titles from major and indie publishers alike, sold by a gonzo sales crew.
Clothes and jewelry for women, with everything designed, handmade, and sold in Chicago.
By bus
Three buses connect Bucktown with Lincoln Park, Old Town, and the lakefront, not to mention the Red, Purple, and Brown Lines:
By car
I-90/94, also known as the Kennedy Expressway, runs close to Logan Square and Bucktown. Diversey Avenue is the main exit for the neighborhood.
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