The 10 best restaurants in Bucktown

This guide ranks the best restaurants in Bucktown for neighbors picking a dinner spot and for visitors coming off the Blue Line at Damen. Here Bucktown means the blocks north of North Avenue and south of Fullerton Avenue, from Western Avenue (both sides of the street) east to the Kennedy Expressway and the Chicago River, all inside the Logan Square community area. Wicker Park, south of North Avenue, shares the Wicker Park and Bucktown page but is not counted here.

The picks lean toward Bucktown restaurants with a track record or a named award, plus a few 2025 and 2026 openings that have drawn steady coverage. Prices run from a $13 burrito at a Costa Rican spot on Milwaukee Avenue to a tasting menu that starts at $205 on Damen Avenue, and two counter-service spots on Western Avenue cover breakfast and quick dinners.

How we chose

Three signals set the order: a named award with a year (a Michelin Bib Gourmand, a James Beard Award semifinalist nod or a national best-new list), a place in Time Out Chicago’s Wicker Park and Bucktown guide or The Infatuation’s Bucktown guide, and years in business. Each of the top five has at least two of those signals. The bottom five opened in the past few years and have one signal at most; among them an award counts first, then guide placement, then the amount of independent coverage. Picks already ranked on other Windy City Magazine lists were capped at two, so several Bucktown regulars that rank elsewhere on the site are left off. Wicker Park has its own ranked list.

Hours and prices below come from each business and change without notice. Call ahead if you are making a special trip.

Mirra

Co-chefs Rishi Kumar and Zubair Mohajir, who come from different Indian backgrounds, opened Mirra on Armitage Avenue in August 2024 to cook Mexican food through Indian spices and breads. The crispy taco tucks Hudson Bay scallops and Mexican green curry into a roti shell, and the lamb barbacoa biryani comes sealed under a crisp roti crust. Honors in three straight years from Eater, Michelin and the James Beard Foundation put Mirra first. Reservations open two months ahead on OpenTable, and The Infatuation reports that last-minute tables often surface around 4:30 or 9 p.m.

Hours: Dinner Tue-Sun 4:30 to 10 p.m.; brunch Sat-Sun 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Address: 1954 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Why they made the list

• Michelin added Mirra to the Chicago Bib Gourmand list in November 2025, a nod to good cooking at moderate prices.
• Kumar and Mohajir were named 2026 James Beard Award semifinalists for Best Chef: Great Lakes.
• NBC Chicago reported in November 2024 that Eater put Mirra on a list of the 14 best new restaurants in America that year.
• Dessert includes a tres leches cake soaked in saffron and cardamom milk, according to Time Out Chicago.

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Le Bouchon

Since 1993, Le Bouchon has served classic French bistro cooking on Damen Avenue, and the restaurant’s menu still leads with onion tart, garlicky escargot, salade Lyonnaise, steak frites, poulet roti and a whole duck for two. Thirty-three years under the Poilevey family and the top spot in Time Out Chicago’s April 2024 guide to Wicker Park and Bucktown restaurants earn second place. Tables fill fast at dinner, so book ahead, and The Infatuation points solo diners toward the small bar.

Hours: Lunch Mon-Sat 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; dinner Mon-Thu 5 to 10 p.m., Fri-Sat 5 to 11 p.m.

Address: 1958 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Why they made the list

• The Infatuation’s August 2026 Bucktown guide singles out the French onion soup and a rotating list of seasonal dishes.
• Brothers Nicolas and Oliver Poilevey, sons of chef Jean-Claude Poilevey, own the restaurant today, per What Now Chicago.
• Reservations go through SevenRooms, linked from the restaurant’s website.

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Pompette

A wine list built on small, low-intervention producers from France, Italy, Spain and Germany anchors Pompette, a Damen Avenue restaurant and wine bar that opened in October 2022. The Infatuation credits the small plates, among them crab croquettes, grilled shrimp and quiche, to a kitchen of fine-dining veterans. A Michelin honor plus spots in both major Bucktown guides put Pompette third. Happy hour runs 3 to 6 p.m. every day the restaurant is open, at the bar only.

Hours: Mon and Wed-Fri 3 to 9 p.m.; Sat-Sun 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Tuesday.

Address: 1960 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Why they made the list

• Michelin named Pompette a Bib Gourmand in November 2023, according to Time Out Chicago.
• The 1,800-square-foot space held Izakaya Mita before Pompette moved in.
• The name is French slang for being slightly tipsy, per Chicago Food Magazine’s 2022 opening report.

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Irazú

The Cerdas-Salazar family has served Costa Rican food at Irazú on Milwaukee Avenue since 1990. A casado brings a choice of meat with rice, black beans, sweet plantains, an over-easy egg and cabbage salad, and El Tico adds onions, peppers and tomato to that plate. Chifrijo, which The Infatuation compares to a seven-layer dip, works as a shared starter. Thirty-six years in business and spots in both major Bucktown guides put Irazú fourth. Pickup and delivery start at 10:30 a.m., half an hour before the dining room opens.

Hours: Tue-Sat 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Sunday.

Address: 1865 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Why they made the list

• Burritos cost $13, according to The Infatuation’s August 2026 Bucktown guide.
• The Infatuation also notes an oatmeal shake that has been on the menu since 1990.
• Time Out Chicago’s 2024 Wicker Park and Bucktown guide recommends the empanadas and the rum cake.
• Private dining takes groups of 20 to 75 people, and catering has a separate line at (773) 732-1251.

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The StopAlong

Pizza, burgers and 1980s and 1990s nostalgia, arcade games included, fill The StopAlong, which owner Taylor Hammond opened on Milwaukee Avenue in August 2016. New York-style thin-crust pies share the menu with burgers and garlic knots. Ten years on the block and spots in both major Bucktown guides put The StopAlong fifth. Double-check the address before ordering pickup, since a second StopAlong opened on California Avenue in Logan Square in June 2023.

Hours: Tue-Sat 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Monday.

Address: 1812 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Why they made the list

• The All The Right Moves pizza pairs pepperoni with hot honey, per The Infatuation.
• The Stop-In is a griddled double cheeseburger.
• Time Out Chicago called The StopAlong family-friendly in a 2024 guide to Wicker Park and Bucktown.
• The Infatuation lists the restaurant as a good bet for walk-ins.

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Class Act

Sixteen strangers share one table at Class Act, which chef Nicolai Mlodinow and co-founder Shreena Amin opened on Damen Avenue in July 2025. Dinner is a 13-course menu that changes every few months, and guests finish the night at Nightcap, the speakeasy bar on site, according to Northwestern Magazine. A 2026 James Beard Award nod for the chef lifts Class Act to sixth, ahead of the other new arrivals. For a smaller commitment, the a la carte Off Script menu runs Thursday and Sunday nights.

Hours: Tasting menu Fri-Sat, seatings at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m.; Off Script menu Thu and Sun 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Address: 1737 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Why they made the list

• Mlodinow was a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist in the Emerging Chef category, FOX 32 Chicago reported in January 2026.
• The tasting menu starts at $205, and reservations go through OpenTable.
• Class Act began in 2017 as a members-only dining club, according to What Now Chicago.

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Dēliz Italian Steakhouse

Chef Jake Peterson, who led the kitchen in this two-level North Avenue space under the previous tenant, reopened the room as Dēliz Italian Steakhouse in December 2025 with partner Steve Gogolab. Cacio e pepe with black truffle, buffalo ricotta gnocchi and a 40-day dry-aged Kansas City strip anchor the menu, and cannoli arrive on a five-arm candelabrum, per Time Out Chicago. Coverage from Time Out Chicago, The Infatuation and Windy City Times within the restaurant’s first year earns seventh place. The Infatuation advises reserving ahead, and tables book through SevenRooms.

Hours: Sun-Thu 5 to 10 p.m.; Fri-Sat 5 to 11 p.m.

Address: 1840 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Why they made the list

• Steaks cook over custom Argentinian-style grills and a wood-fired oven, Windy City Times reported in December 2025.
• A 40-ounce tomahawk and full-blood Australian wagyu sit at the top of the steak list.
• Mondays are pizza nights, with a wood-fired pepperoni pie on the menu.
• Pastry chef Jessica Scott shaped the desserts, including a pistachio Basque cheesecake.

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Chez Poulet

Brothers Nicolas and Oliver Poilevey, whose family owns Le Bouchon, opened Chez Poulet in August 2026 in a former taqueria space on Western Avenue. The counter sells free-range rotisserie chicken by the half or whole, with rotating sauces such as garlic toum, chimichurri and salsa macha, and The Infatuation’s critic insists on the Moroccan curry corn. A track record of only a few months keeps Chez Poulet in the bottom half of the list. Order at the counter and expect a wait of about 30 minutes at busy times; a small heated patio has seats for eating on site.

Hours: Check current hours before you go.

Address: 2234 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Why they made the list

• Sides include potatoes roasted in chicken jus, macaroni gratin and carrots with vadouvan, per Fine Dining Lovers.
• Cheese, charcuterie, baguettes and chocolate mousse fill out the menu.
• Most orders leave as carryout, and food comes packed in takeout containers even for patio diners.

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El Bagelero

Mexican fillings meet chewy bagels at El Bagelero, a counter-service shop on Western Avenue across the street from Margie’s Candies. The Infatuation’s favorite is Los Carnitas, with shredded pork and caramelized onions on a jalapeño cheddar bagel, while El Machismo stacks chorizo, egg, jalapeños and habanero cheese. A place in that outlet’s 2026 Bucktown guide and a City Cast Chicago mention the year before earn ninth. No reservation is needed; the counter takes walk-ins for breakfast and brunch.

Hours: Check current hours before you go.

Address: 1961 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Why they made the list

• Breakfast tacos come with steak, bacon or potato, and burritos are on the menu as well.
• The bagels are baked by an Oak Park bakery rather than in house, per The Infatuation.
• A bacon, egg and cheese bagel sandwich covers the plain breakfast order.

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Wolf & Company

A building on Western Avenue with a door straight onto The 606 trail at Bloomingdale Avenue holds Wolf & Company, which opened on June 23, 2025. Inside are a full-service restaurant and cocktail bar, an all-day cafe and a market with an in-house butcher, and executive chef Graham Akroyd’s menu runs from burgers and pizzas to house-made pastas, steaks and seafood. Opening coverage from Axios Chicago, Secret Chicago and City Cast Chicago, without a spot yet in either major Bucktown guide, puts Wolf & Company tenth. The cafe opens at 7 a.m. daily, early enough for coffee before a ride on the trail.

Hours: Restaurant Sun-Thu 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fri-Sat 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; cafe Mon-Thu 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fri-Sun 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.; market daily 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Address: 1752 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Why they made the list

• Co-owner Sol Ashbach told Secret Chicago in June 2025 that the place is meant to serve guests from morning to night.
• Weekend brunch includes pistachio French toast, crab and asparagus Benedict and bottomless mimosas.
• The market sells house-butchered meats, cheeses, charcuterie boards and flower bouquets.

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Also worth knowing

Western Avenue has had a sweet stop since 1921 at Margie’s Candies, an ice cream parlor at Armitage Avenue known for sundaes with hot fudge and caramel made in house. The Infatuation’s review describes the World’s Largest Terrapin, a 15-scoop sundae served in a clamshell bowl.

A block south of Fullerton Avenue, The Leavitt Street Inn & Tavern has poured beer since 2020, and both Time Out Chicago and The Infatuation point to the smashburger. The tavern rents rooms upstairs, and the patio stays open until 11 p.m. nightly.

See a place we missed or a detail that has changed? Send us a correction.