Excited for Summer and Fall Openings Logan Square

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1. The Radler is going to be a Bavarian beer hall and restaurant that uses locally sourced meat and produce. They plan to bring the cooking traditions of Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic to the 21st century. They will serve fresh locally-made Bavarian styles of craft beer, as well as aged beer.

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2. The Harding Tavern is a new restaurant/bar slated to open this summer. The owner is Esam Hani, who also runs the Latin American restaurant Cafe Con Leche in Logan Square. Photo courtesy of Ed.

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3. I’ve seen this guy a few days in a row painting over the Theissen Printing sign on the building. This is where Chicago Distilling Company is opening up. Spirits like vodka, whiskey and amaro will be produced on site and tours will be given on the distillation process. There will also be a bar and a retail area to sell their different products.

In addition to these three, there are many other confirmed and rumored places coming to Logan Square, within walking distance of my condo, in the next several months:

4. The guys from Scofflaw are opening something in the old Bonny’s space.

5 & 6. Russ Grant from Boiler Room is opening two new places! A burger spot called Parts and Labor will open on Milwaukee just north of the square. He’s also opening a speakeasy-style bar called Prindiville in the building of the old mental health clinic that was shut down on Milwaukee Avenue.

7. Daddy Cool’s was open for about 3 seconds before it closed. In its space, the guys from Innjoy will be opening Madison Public House. They say this place will be pretty similar to Innjoy, which has been a popular Wicker Park bar for .. ? .. ever?

8. Las Islas Marinas closed recently and they say that the guys at Violet Hour will be opening something here. Ohh, Whistler, you better watch out!

9. Ronny’s has been shut down for quite some time and finally someone is opening something in the space. Land and Sea Dept. (who do Longman & Eagle, Empty Bottle and Parson’s Chicken and Fish) are said to be opening California Point, which will have a Bavarian theme and will serve sausages and soft pretzels. Can Logan Square handle TWO new Bavarian restaurants?

10. I only visited Rewster’s Cafe on Kedzie/Diversey once, but I really liked it and was a little bummed when it shut down. The Logan Square tapas restauarant Azucar is rumored to be working on a new spot to take the place of Rewster’s.

11. Reportedly, the owners of El Souk, a popular Middle Eastern restaurant in the Gold Coast, are opening a Middle Eastern restaurant in Logan Square. It will be on the first floor, below Suite 25 and next to Rocking Horse on Milwaukee Avenue. I thought it might be open by now, but I can’t even figure out the name of it.

In addition to these 11 (!!!!), there were a few places that opened this spring that we’re already frequenting! As well, there is at least one storefront getting worked on that I can’t figure out anything about. Anyone know anything about the spot next to Chicago Diner?

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12. Parson’s Chicken and Fish is just around the corner and we’ve been there THREE weekends in a row already to hang out on the patio and sip cool drinks while indulging in the fried fish and grilled chicken, which we prefer over the fried chicken. Parson’s came to us from the Land and Sea Dept., mentioned above (#9). Since it’s opening in mid-May, Parson’s has become a real hot spot, even though it’s kind of out of the way on Armitage/Humboldt.

13. Intelligentsia opened just north of the square at the end of April. I visited with Jess once, and don’t get me wrong, I love Intelligentsia, but I don’t think I’ll go that often.. just because I pretty much have to walk past 5 other coffee shops to get there. I think I will still walk out of the way sometimes, though! I think it’s funny that the Intelligentsia says the reason they wanted to open in Logan Square is because it’s where their employees live and where they like to hang out.

14. Polanco, a Latino steakhouse opened in the old Real Tenochtitlan spot. The Reader says there are some hits and misses, but I feel like we need to check it out for ourselves one day!

Loving living in Logan Square!! Anything that I’m missing in this list?

New or Opening Soon in Logan Square

I haven’t done an update like this for a while, but never fear! Logan Square has been just as hoppin’ as ever. Here are just a few places I’ve noticed over the past few weeks –


Daddy Cool’s. It finally has a name. This place has been in the works for… years. This is going to be a gourmet hotdog stand.


Chicago’s first and only alternative sports and roller skating shop, Rebel Rebel Derby Shop, opened in late October. The owner is Thia, a.k.a. Wreck ‘n Shrew when she’s doing her thing with the Windy City Rollers. I almost walked past this place, not paying attention, thinking it was The Bike Lane, but then I realized it was new! Rebel Rebel Roller Derby Shop is “a brick-and-mortar alternative sports and roller skating shop in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood. Our goal is to provide the community with access to cutting-edge roller skates, skate parts, protective gear, accessories, sportswear, knowledge and expertise!”


It was announced last December that Jam would be moving from its popular Ukrainian Village location to Logan Square. They thought they’d be opening in the spring. I saw a sign at one of the summer farmers markets saying they’d be open in the summer, I think. They finally opened in November, a month after closing the Uke Village location.


The Owl opened in September. The guys behind it are the guys who did aliveOne (remember this!?), Estelle’s and Easy Bar. The Owl has a late night license, which is good because our other late night bar, Bonny’s, can get really long lines.


….speaking of Bonny’s…. This place isn’t new, it opened about a year ago, but I thought I’d add it to the list anyway. They have the old Iggy’s sign up outside. I was at Iggy’s old location once, 7 years ago. Also, if you remember that sketchy Mexican bar where you had to ring a buzzer to get in? We drug you there on Dallas’s birthday? This is it. The Boiler Room guys bought it and redid it. No buzzing necessary. And no druggie signs on the bathroom doors.


Baker Girls. I’ve seen the signs in this window for a while now. Not sure when they’re opening.


This is the former location of Aida’s….


….and now? Brink Dwellers. Dallas and I noticed it last month. They opened on October 21. I thought it was a boutique, but I think it’s more like a thrift. Or a vintage, used store. I’d been talking to Dallas about how Logan Square has had this huge boom of bars and restaurants, but not many stores. Maybe this will be the start of something new.


Tula Yoga Studio. … speaking of new things that aren’t bars or restaurants! And just to the right in this photo there’s a new smoke shop, Ember Smoke. I’ve been meaning to check out the beginners yoga class on Saturday mornings but haven’t gotten there yet. Tula opened at the end of September.

Elevation at Logan Square Auditorium


Elevation, Logan Square, Chicago


This disaster of a photo is Fake Bono on Mike Dunlay’s shoulders

Last weekend we met up with friends at Rocking Horse for dinner and then went over to Dunlay’s on the Square for a drink. One of our friends, Josh, owns a few popular restaurants in Chicago. One of his business partners is Mike Dunlay and it was his birthday, which is why we were out. After a drink at Dunlay’s on the Square we headed up to the Logan Square Auditorium where Mike had hired a popular U2 cover band called Elevation to play for the party. It was so much fun! And nice that we were just blocks from our house.

After the party, we wanted to go to Bonny’s, but it and The Whistler both had massive lines out the door. We stopped over at Cole’s, but it was super packed and sweaty. We had one drink and left. And then one more at Logan Bar and Grill, which was not busy or hard to get into.