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Considering its convenient location along the CTA Blue Line, only mere miles from downtown Chicago, it was only a matter of time before Bucktown became the city’s buzziest neighborhood. The quintessential underdog story for urban development, the neighborhood on the near Northwest side was once rough, gritty, and devoid of any quality retail and dining. In the mid-’90s, however, things began to rapidly change. Independent boutique owners caught on to the exciting potential of the area: accessibility to public transit, proximity to the Loop and O’Hare International Airport, and a steady influx of families and young, creative residents.
Nowadays, that gritty past is almost unrecognizable; not only does the central Damen Avenue corridor comprise one of Chicago’s most iconic stretches of boutique shopping, but Bucktown has filled in with world-class restaurants and bars, appealing to locals and visitors alike. For proof of the area’s development boom, look at The Robey, a stunning boutique hotel at the nexus of Bucktown and Wicker Park. The first of its kind on the Northwest side of the city, the chic hotel has helped bring some of Chicago’s downtown denizens as well as visitors to the neighborhood, feeding them with contemporary dishes and plying them with craft cocktails.
However, the area’s rapid growth can be credited to early pioneers, like Club Lucky, The Goddess and Grocer, and Mindy’s HotChocolate, the latter of which drew national accolades and attention thanks to chef/owner Mindy Segal’s dessert prowess. It’s also thanks to the wildly popular 606, an elevated three-mile park running along an old rail line and connecting Bucktown with neighborhoods like Logan Square and Humboldt Park. Where that leaves Bucktown today is in a prized role as one of the best neighborhoods in Chicago for dining, drinking, shopping, and living.
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Presidio {1749 North Damen Avenue; 773.697.3315}
On the heels of nearby pioneers like The Violet Hour, Presidio has cemented Bucktown as one of Chicago’s premiere neighborhoods for imbibing. Not only does this sleek, sophisticated spot feature incredible cocktails (among the best and most inventive in the city), Presidio echoes that craft with equally impressive dishes from the kitchen. Both sides of the equation adhere to seasonal inspirations and ingenuity, complemented by above-and-beyond hospitality that’s made Presidio a Bucktown institution.
Favorite thing about Bucktown: “What’s not to love?” asks Patrick Cullen, Presidio’s owner. “Beautiful neighborhoods, tons of locally owned small businesses, the 606 trail, easy access to public transport, boutique hotels and hostels, a great mix of residents, and, of course, countless places to eat and imbibe.”
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The Robey {2018 West North Avenue; 872.315.3050}
The biggest, most visible game-changer for Bucktown came in 2016, when the neighborhood welcomed its first boutique hotel, The Robey. The 13-story building, the tallest in the area by a long shot, not only offers incredible views of the skyline, but it provides a unique opportunity for visitors to Chicago to immerse themselves in the city’s neighborhood culture. The gorgeously designed property also boasts café robey restaurant on the ground floor which serves brunch and dinner daily, a second-floor lounge, and a cocktail bar on the 13th-floor rooftop where the drinks are as good as the vista.
Favorite thing about Bucktown: “My favorite thing is the diversity in experiences that one can find from living, working, and visiting the neighborhood,” notes the hotel’s General Manager Santiago Leon. “There is such an incredible array of shopping, dining, entertainment, and more. We love offering visitors to Chicago the chance to directly immerse themselves in the exciting and vibrant Bucktown/Wicker Park neighborhood.”
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Mindy’s HotChocolate {1747 North Damen Avenue; 773.489.1747}
When Mindy Segal first opened Mindy’s HotChocolate, a contemporary American restaurant with particular panache for pastries and desserts, she found a neighborhood filled with young, single workers. But nowadays, those same individuals have started families and stayed in the area. “It’s become a real community; a place where families can grow,” says Segal. Her business has grown too, thanks in part to praise, accolades, and awards that have been lavished upon Mindy’s HotChocolate over the years. In addition to brunch, lunch, and dinner business, Segal’s elegant, seasonally driven desserts catapulted her into the national spotlight, earning her the coveted Outstanding Pastry Chef Award from the James Beard Foundation.
Favorite thing about Bucktown: Like many Bucktown business owners, the popular 606 trail has been a huge boon, and it’s Segal’s favorite thing about the neighborhood. “It’s brought a lot of people from neighboring areas into Bucktown,” she says.
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The Bristol {2152 North Damen Avenue; 773.862.5555}
Since it was founded nearly a decade ago, The Bristol continues to be a quintessential neighborhood restaurant. The restaurant amassed acclaim for its bold, seasonal dishes, pastas, and snout-to-tail creations with a caliber of cooking previously unseen in the area. “The Bristol helped to shape the neighborhood and help attract business and traffic,” explains Executive Chef Todd Stein. Since opening, more chef-driven spots have followed, appealing to the area’s increasing population of families and millennials alike.
Favorite thing about Bucktown: “Bucktown really has its own character,” says Stein. “It’s such a great neighborhood for a city this big. It has a great density of families and certainly that ‘neighborhood feel,’ and yet has many outstanding restaurants and shops to explore. I love the fact that I can walk down the street and buy a Shinola watch, grab a great cup of coffee, and stop in any number of well-respected restaurants, including my own!”
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Enso Sushi & Bar {1613 North Damen Avenue; 773.878.8998}
Immediately north of Bucktown’s three-corner intersection of North, Damen, and Milwaukee Avenues, Enso Sushi & Bar is a bustling and convivial dining room combining authentic Japanese techniques with locally sourced products. It’s sushi through a Midwestern lens, blending traditional plates and presentations with its own distinct identity; one where guests can swoon over Pulled Pork and Tokyo Nachos with truffle oil aïoli.
Favorite thing about Bucktown: Comparing the neighborhood’s past to its present, Enso’s manager CK Lo says, “A past eerie vibe has now turned into a cozy serene vibe where people can call home and raise a family.”
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The Goddess and Grocer {1649 North Damen Avenue; 773.342.3200}
The Goddess and Grocer, one of the most enduring fixtures in Bucktown, has been a prominent staple along Damen Avenue since 2004. Part cafe and part market, it’s evolved into a community gathering place thanks to owner and resident “goddess,” Debbie Sharpe, who stocks her store with everything from bottles of rosé and fresh cheeses to sandwiches, rainbow-colored cakes, and craft beer.
Favorite thing about Bucktown: For Sharpe, it’s all about the people who comprise the community. “My favorite thing is all the customers I have met over the years and then meet in faraway places,” she says.
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Club Lucky {1824 West Wabansia Avenue; 773.227.2300}
Club Lucky is the kind of soulful Italian corner restaurant every neighborhood craves. One of the area’s most enduring, family-friendly mainstays is as popular as ever, with a knack for maintaining its time-honored recipes and friendly service while also keeping things fresh. With a vintage supper club aesthetic, Club Lucky adds extra comfort and nostalgia to each plate of bruschetta, each bowl of linguine, and every martini.
Favorite thing about Bucktown: “I love the past, present, and future feeling I get from Bucktown,” elaborates General Manager Thomas Kleiner. “It’s a neighborhood that has continued to progress, yet hold on to some of its history.”
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The Royal Grocer & Co. {2118 North Damen Avenue; 773.904.7805}
Past and present are in perfect harmony at The Royal Grocer & Co., a seasonal American restaurant inspired by and named after the Royal Blue Grocery store that existed in the 1920’s. Nearly 100 years later, the sense of community fostered by that corner store is alive and well, as The Royal Grocer & Co. aims to once again provide Bucktown with a communal hub for locals to convene over pastas, fresh vegetable dishes, hearty meats, and drinks.
Favorite thing about Bucktown: “My favorite thing about the Bucktown neighborhood is the community and its people,” explains Owner Michael Hartman. “From the residential to the retail, to the restaurants and bars, the close-knit support of all these people in the neighborhood has really blown me away. I’ve lived in the city of Chicago my entire life and I’ve never seen this kind of neighborhood support anywhere else.”
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Mable’s Table {1655 West Cortland Street; 773.904.7433}
An homage to his mom, Mable, Chef/Owner Anthony Reyes strives to achieve the kind of homey, familiar respite one would expect to find when visiting a relative, an old friend, or your mother. Harnessing memories of abundant dinner feasts and hearty, wholesome cooking, Reyes draws inspiration from family recipes, fusing them with seasonal ingredients and local products to create what is sure to become a cozy Bucktown essential for generations to come.
Favorite thing about Bucktown: For Reyes, it’s all about the palpable sense of community, and the neighbors who call Bucktown home. “They have been nothing but supportive and welcoming since we opened our doors on October 16, 2017,” he says. “I love seeing the same faces come into Mable’s Table two to three times a week with their family and friends.”
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ASK AN EXPERT
As neighborhoods change across the city, it can be overwhelming to keep track of the rapid transitions that occur. Balancing the need for expansion and revitalization while staying true to the heritage of historic neighborhoods is a unique challenge. We sat down with real estate expert Joffre Colbert to get his insider take on the rapid redevelopment that has occurred in Bucktown over the past several years. Colbert is the CEO of The Colbert Group and a longtime broker for @properties.
DiningOut: How important is it for quality restaurants to open in an evolving area in order for the neighborhood succeed?
Joffre Colbert: It’s absolutely vital for a real-estate market that is changing to have great restaurants at a variety of price points. Having quality dining locations allows for a community feel to take hold as well as serves as a hub for neighbors to come together. It can really help establish the ethos of a neighborhood. This, in turn, leads to more jobs and business opportunities, and eventually more people wanting to move to the neighborhood. It’s something I always keep my eye on in my profession.
What are your thoughts on the changes that Bucktown has experienced?
It is really a fascinating and exciting neighborhood right now. In many ways the neighborhood, with its close proximity to Wicker Park and public transportation, has always had a lot of potential. It just took the right set of circumstances to help it explode. The success of the 606 elevated park has driven much of the growth, which has been wonderful to see. I’ve really enjoyed partaking in the dynamic dining scene that has developed. My favorite spot right now is probably The Bristol.
By Matt Kirouac
The post What’s Buzzing in Bucktown appeared first on DiningOut Chicago.