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Overview
While the West Loop gets a lot of attention for Randolph Street's "Restaurant Row," more and more you're hearing about the hot dining scene of the more residential neighborhood of Logan Square. In Logan Square, you are as likely to live down the street from a local dive as you are a Michelin-starred restaurant, just like courtyard apartments filled with artsy renters mingle with stately mansions on Logan Boulevard. On Fullerton Avenue, newer, hipper spots sit next to family-owned, no-frills restaurants and dive bars. It's a dynamic neighborhood whose hipster cred has resulted in a boom of development--much of it centered around public transit--and new residents.
The namesake public square of this Northwest Side community--marked by the Illinois Centennial Memorial Column at the intersection of Milwaukee Avenue, Logan Boulevard, and Kedzie Boulevard--is the center of the neighborhood life. Radiating from this square are bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and local businesses. There's even a neighborhood movie theater, The Logan Theatre, whose shining marquee serves as the neighborhood's second-most recognizable landmark. Logan Square is a happening community where there is never a shortage of things to do.
While Logan Square also boasts plenty of residential pockets, neighboring Bucktown and Hermosa offer additional housing options without losing proximity to Logan Square's attractions.
Homes in Logan Square
Where To Live
Vast swaths of Logan Square comprise of two-flats (single-family homes divided into apartments), yet the neighborhood's history lives on in the estates that line Logan Square's famous boulevards, while its future is in the condominium developments enveloping previously dormant lands throughout Logan Square.
Being close to the square ensures that you're near all the action, while the rest of the neighborhood tends to be quieter with minimal foot traffic.
All main avenues provide bus routes that connect residents to other neighborhoods. Downtown commuters can hop on the Logan Square Blue Line, the train route that runs 24 hours and connects downtown to O'Hare International Airport.
Price Vibes
Logan Square has a lot of fixer-uppers on the market, but high demand in the neighborhood is resulting in bidding wars. Renovated and new construction homes typically fetch a higher price, skewing the neighborhood's median home price towards that of Bucktown or Wicker Park. But don't lose heart: Condos are common in the neighborhood, and you'll find the ones in old courtyard apartment buildings are the most affordable. In this rapidly growing area, modern townhomes and condo developments are continually sprouting up, ensuring that there won't be any shortage of housing available--whether or not it's affordable is another question.
Around Logan Square
Where To Eat
The city's love affair with artisanal everything and all things booze finds its embodiment in Logan Square. The fare in Logan Square ranges from oversized tacos to bar food to gastronomy. On the Kedzie and Logan Boulevard portion of the square are the neighborhood mainstays that make for all kinds of dining.
There are more options north along Milwaukee Avenue from the square, where the restaurants tend to change as quickly and dramatically as Chicago's weather. South along Milwaukee Avenue tends to have more bars than restaurants, but is still a favorite area for residents.
Friday Night Fun
Walk to your favorite corner bar and chat with your bartender. Go to a movie at the Logan Theater, a reading at one of the independent bookstores, or a concert at the Logan Square Auditorium. Meet up with friends for some dinner in the square before continuing your night on the north side of Milwaukee Avenue, where you have your choice of cheap beer and craft cocktails. As you make your way south along Milwaukee, there's a nearly endless amount of late night bars. Food carts line the street for a late night snack.
The Perfect Sunday
Meet with friends for brunch in the square before grabbing a cup of coffee and relaxing on the grass along the boulevard. You need some new jeans but the thrift store doesn't have them in your size, so you go next door to the boutique shop that just opened. You walk through Palmer Square with your dog and, on your way home, you grab ingredients for lunch for the week at the farmers market. Have an early dinner at one of the Mexican, Italian, or American restaurants.
Transportation Options
The increasingly crowded CTA Blue Line, which serves the neighborhood, is a testament to the popularity of Logan Square and other Northwest side neighborhoods. The Fullerton Avenue bus and the Kimball Avenue bus are two of the major routes running through Logan Square. Logan Boulevard—which also hosts the neighborhood’s famous historic mansions—leads directly to Interstate 90/94, providing direct access to Downtown or to O’Hare Airport and beyond.
Milwaukee Avenue is popular for bikers, especially the stretch of protected lanes dubbed the “Hipster Highway” that connects commuters to Downtown. The Bloomingdale Trail, known to locals as the 606, also serves parts of Logan Square, offering bike or walking access to Bucktown, Humboldt Park, and Wicker Park.
Living Here
Locals Love
Many Local and Independent Stores and Restaurants • Easy Access to Public Transportation
Residents Say
I never have to leave the neighborhood on the weekends because Logan Square offers everything I could possibly want: bars and restaurants I keep reading about, both blockbusters and arthouse films at The Logan Theater, and plenty of shopping on Milwaukee. Plus, living near the Blue Line gives me access to the rest of the city.
- Logan Square Resident
Homes for Sale
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