A century ago, Logan Square was already a sought-after neighborhood northwest of Downtown Chicago. Its tree-lined boulevards and parkways were lined with grand limestone and greystone homes alongside newer rental buildings, and easy access to the Chicago River and major streets such as Milwaukee, Logan, Kedzie, and Humboldt added to its appeal.
After becoming more working-class in the mid-20th century, Logan Square experienced a revival beginning in the 1990s as a new generation of residents — including entrepreneurs, artists, and restaurateurs — rediscovered its charms. That resurgence has continued into the 2020s. Today the neighborhood is known for a lively and eclectic food and cocktail scene, independent boutiques, welcoming public green spaces, and diverse entertainment venues. At the same time, many historic homes, monuments, and parks remain preserved and restored, preserving Logan Square’s ties to Chicago’s past.
To experience Logan Square like a local, start at Logan Square Park and its centerpiece, the Illinois Centennial Monument, designed by Henry Bacon, the architect associated with the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Nearby, Kedzie Boulevard offers a tranquil stretch of small parks and notable mansions, with Palmer Square among its highlights. The 606—a former elevated rail line converted into a greenway—provides miles of walking and biking trails, public seating, and rotating public art installations. The Logan Square Farmers Market is a neighborhood favorite for seasonal produce and specialty foods. In warm months, Comfort Station hosts free concerts, movie nights, and community events, while small music venues such as Rosa’s Lounge keep blues and jazz thriving year-round.
PHOTOS: © CHICAGO TOURISM AND CONVENTION BUREAU
Over the past two decades Logan Square has gained a reputation as one of the city’s best neighborhoods for craft cocktails and local beer. The Logan Theatre, a 1915 movie house that has been refurbished to include a cozy bar and an arthouse screening room, captures the neighborhood’s creative energy and entrepreneurial spirit. The Logan hosts film events and festivals and is affectionately known simply as “The Logan” by locals. Other notable bars and nightspots in the area include Bixi Beer, the woman-owned Chicago Distilling Company, Cole’s Bar, Estereo, The Moonlighter, Scofflaw, The Owl, and Emporium. For daytime coffee and casual conversation, local favorites include Passion House, Sip of Hope Community Coffee Roasters, and New Wave Coffee.
Logan Square’s restaurant scene regularly earns national attention for inventive yet approachable dining. Standout spots include Lula Café, Parson’s Chicken & Fish, Table, Donkey and Stick, Reno, Longman & Eagle, Same Day Café, Andros Taverna, and Park & Field, all of which blend global flavors with approachable, farm-forward cooking. Osteria Langhe, led by Chef Cameron Grant, focuses on contemporary dishes from Italy’s Piedmont region. Reflecting Logan Square’s history as home to many Latin American communities, the neighborhood also features creative Mexican and Latin American eateries such as Dos Urban Cantina, Mi Tocaya Antojería, Turbo Tacos, Lonesome Rose, and 90 Miles Cuban Café.
Shoppers will find Logan Square especially rewarding if they prefer local, handcrafted goods over mass-market souvenirs. Vintage lovers flock to Lost Girls, while shoppers seeking artisanal clothing, gifts, stationery, personal-care items, and jewelry often browse stores like Shop Small Chicago, Steel Petal Press, and Wolfbait & B-Girls. Book lovers should make time for City Lit Books, an independent bookstore with a thoughtfully curated selection.