clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
St. Louis Cardinals v. Chicago Cubs
Who goes for the baseball anyway?
Photo by Jeffrey Phelps/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Where to Eat Near Wrigley Field in Chicago

The team is going through a rebuild as the neighborhood has been rebuilt

View as Map
Who goes for the baseball anyway?
| Photo by Jeffrey Phelps/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Quality baseball inside Wrigley Field is only a recent phenomenon, and while the team is rebuilding the area surrounding the stadium has already been transformed. Tourists will gravitate toward chains but locals know better. Here’s are some of Eater’s favorite spots to dine around the Friendly Confines.

There are many new food and drink options as well as some older gems near the ballpark. So as the team gears up for another run, check out this map for the best food options in Wrigleyville. And click here for a rundown of those inside the park.

For updated information on coronavirus cases, please visit the city of Chicago’s COVID-19 dashboard. Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

Read More

Byron's Hot Dogs

Copy Link

Those who don't get their fill of hot dogs inside the ballpark can head up to this classic hot dog stand on Irving Park Road for a delicious Chicago-style dog with all the fixings. This stand has been serving the neighborhood and Cubs fans since 1975.

Outside Byron’s Hot Dogs
Byron’s Hot Dogs [Official Photo]

Toons Bar & Grill

Copy Link

This sports bar is the from the owners of Pearl’s Southern Comfort and serves some of the best pub fare around. The chicken wings, which are also served a sibling restaurant’s Beck’s in Lincoln Park, are fantastic. Also find wraps, burgers, and ribs in a sports crazy atmosphere with a lot of Patrick Mahomes’ jerseys.

Uncommon Ground

Copy Link

Now with a house brewery, Uncommon Ground serves tasty sustainably-raised food just northwest of Wrigley. It also has live music and an outstanding brunch. The cafe atmosphere is ideal for folks who don’t want to avoid typical sports bar fare and actually feel about what they eat.

Outside Uncommon Ground’s location near Wrigley Field
Uncommon Ground [Official Photo]

Steingold's of Chicago

Copy Link

A harbinger of a Jewish American deli revival in Chicago and across the U.S., Steingold’s has since 2017 established itself as a go-to for locals and visitors with a hankering for the flavors that Eastern European Jewish immigrants brought to New York’s Lower East Side. Hits include sandwiches like the Grandma Rachel (turkey pastrami, coleslaw, Havarti, challah), smoked whitefish salad, and bagels that owner Aaron Steingold boils and bakes on-site.

Output Lounge

Copy Link

Sadly, the majority of Chicagoans haven’t tried the chicken wings from Output Lounge. The original in West Town is a stone’s throw away from the United Center. Hopefully that changes this season as Output’s second location is just north of Wrigley in a space briefly held by WHISK. Output’s wings are moist and have a perfect balance of heat and acidity with a variety of sauces, though classic Buffalo is strong. With this new high-profile location, more sports fans will get to taste some of the best wings in Chicago.

Coalfire

Copy Link

This Neapolitan pizzeria is the gourmet spot that Chicago didn’t know it needed. A few minutes away on the Southport Corridor, this place with satisfy kids but really impress adults who want a little bit more than a chain pie. There’s also a West Town location.

Small Cheval

Copy Link

Small Cheval features a simple menu of griddle burgers, fries, and shakes. It’s a spin-off of Au Cheval, the West Loop restaurant with long lines of folks waiting for its burger. The difference in Cheval’s is small, but supposedly it’s a difference in how the patties are cooked and griddled. The two-story restaurant is right in front of Wrigley so the convenience can’t be beaten. There’s also a $20 wagyu truffle burger that’s new.

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

Copy Link

Ohio-based ice cream chain Jeni’s serves its very popular frozen treats on the north end of Gallagher Way adjacent to Wrigley Field. The chain is known for creative and whimsical flavors including sweet cream biscuits and peach jam, fluffernutter, and many dairy-free options.

Five ice cream cones lay on a marble tabletop. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams [Official Photo]

Lost Never Found

Copy Link

Aesthetic is key at Lost Never Found, a colorful restaurant and cocktail bar that in fall 2022 bounced into Wrigleyville with hot pink furniture, neon signs (one reads “B*tch, I’m from Chicago”), and photo-friendly drinks like the Disco Dream (vodka, white cranberry, Cointreau, edible glitter). A menu from executive chef Eric M. Lopez (Tanta, Siena Tavern) includes pizzas, brunch options, and rotating seasonal specials.

Brickhouse Tavern

Copy Link

The Brickhouse Tavern stands just north of Wrigley Field's marquee and Gallagher Way, sharing space inside the Cubs new office building. The patio is lively on game day, but inside Four Corners has created a place that reveres the game with plenty of trinkets from Cubs' history — Gold Gloves and more. The space is two levels and it's far from cookie cutter when it comes to design. The menu was created for fan snacking, but with quality ingredients in appetizers like quesadillas and a waffle cone filled with fried chicken. The name is a tribute to the late Cubs broadcaster Jack Brickhouse.

Marc Much/Eater Chicago

Hotel Zachary

Copy Link

The Ricketts family opened the Hotel Zachary in 2018 with many acclaimed food and drink options across the street from Wrigley Field. The lineup includes cocktail bar and refined restaurant Mordecai, the second location of renowned honky tonk bar and taqueria Big Star, a boozy dessert cafe in West Town Bakery, and the Smokedaddy BBQ. Boka also serves up steaks and oysters at its spinoff of Fulton Market’s Swift & Sons. Mordecai’s owner also has a craft beer stall, Lucky Dorr, next to the stadium.

Hotel Zachary has many top food and drink options in one place across from Wrigley
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Cafe Tola

Copy Link

Family-run Cafe Tola has a great variety of tacos, empanadas, and other Mexican items. Don’t sleep on the coffee drinks. The caffeine here is supreme and much better than a chain offering. It’s a family-friendly spot and there are also breakfast tacos.

Crosby's Kitchen

Copy Link

Crosby’s Kitchen has helped define Southport, a street full of families. Kids eat free at this modern American restaurant that truly has something for everyone. Sibling restaurant, Tuco and Blondie (down the street), takes a similar approach to Mexican-American food.

Rice'N Bread

Copy Link

One of the oldest restaurants in Wrigley still sports the “Hamburger King” awning. This is traditional American diner faire with both Korean, Chinese, and Japanese twists like a kalbi burger, plus egg foo young, and an assortment of soups and noodles. Don’t sleep on this restaurant, it’s one of the most unique in town.

Penny’s Noodle Shop

Copy Link

After five years, Penny’s Noodle Shop has returned to this location underneath the CTA’s L tracks. The spot is likely to bring back memories with longtime Chicagoans. It was one of the first noodle shops in town when it debuted in the ‘90s. The menu is basic with soups and noodle bowls. But it’s consistent, and there’s a hankering for a quick pad Thai, this is the place to stop. BYO.

GG's Chicken Shop/Itoko/Little Goat Diner

Copy Link

Boka Restaurant Group’s Lakeview complex is fully operational with the debuts of GG’s Chicken Shop, Itoko Sushi, and Little Goat Diner. GG’s is a counter-service restaurant that’s incredibly family-friendly; it even has a space-aged charging table with UV rays in the bathroom. The food centers on chicken which is done fried and roasted. There’s also a special ground burger that gives red meat eaters an intriguing choice. Itoko is the little sibling of Momotaro, Boka’s lauded Fulton Market sushi spot. Chef Gene Kato handles the menu, even the desserts, and while there’s no fancy omakase option, North Siders have an elegant choice that will leave them fulfilled with unique and fresh fish options. The third leg of the operation, the relocation of Stephanie Izard’s Little Goat, debuted late in April in the former Southport Lanes building.

Byron's Hot Dogs

Those who don't get their fill of hot dogs inside the ballpark can head up to this classic hot dog stand on Irving Park Road for a delicious Chicago-style dog with all the fixings. This stand has been serving the neighborhood and Cubs fans since 1975.

Outside Byron’s Hot Dogs
Byron’s Hot Dogs [Official Photo]

Toons Bar & Grill

This sports bar is the from the owners of Pearl’s Southern Comfort and serves some of the best pub fare around. The chicken wings, which are also served a sibling restaurant’s Beck’s in Lincoln Park, are fantastic. Also find wraps, burgers, and ribs in a sports crazy atmosphere with a lot of Patrick Mahomes’ jerseys.

Uncommon Ground

Now with a house brewery, Uncommon Ground serves tasty sustainably-raised food just northwest of Wrigley. It also has live music and an outstanding brunch. The cafe atmosphere is ideal for folks who don’t want to avoid typical sports bar fare and actually feel about what they eat.

Outside Uncommon Ground’s location near Wrigley Field
Uncommon Ground [Official Photo]

Steingold's of Chicago

A harbinger of a Jewish American deli revival in Chicago and across the U.S., Steingold’s has since 2017 established itself as a go-to for locals and visitors with a hankering for the flavors that Eastern European Jewish immigrants brought to New York’s Lower East Side. Hits include sandwiches like the Grandma Rachel (turkey pastrami, coleslaw, Havarti, challah), smoked whitefish salad, and bagels that owner Aaron Steingold boils and bakes on-site.

Output Lounge

Sadly, the majority of Chicagoans haven’t tried the chicken wings from Output Lounge. The original in West Town is a stone’s throw away from the United Center. Hopefully that changes this season as Output’s second location is just north of Wrigley in a space briefly held by WHISK. Output’s wings are moist and have a perfect balance of heat and acidity with a variety of sauces, though classic Buffalo is strong. With this new high-profile location, more sports fans will get to taste some of the best wings in Chicago.

Coalfire

This Neapolitan pizzeria is the gourmet spot that Chicago didn’t know it needed. A few minutes away on the Southport Corridor, this place with satisfy kids but really impress adults who want a little bit more than a chain pie. There’s also a West Town location.

Small Cheval

Small Cheval features a simple menu of griddle burgers, fries, and shakes. It’s a spin-off of Au Cheval, the West Loop restaurant with long lines of folks waiting for its burger. The difference in Cheval’s is small, but supposedly it’s a difference in how the patties are cooked and griddled. The two-story restaurant is right in front of Wrigley so the convenience can’t be beaten. There’s also a $20 wagyu truffle burger that’s new.

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

Ohio-based ice cream chain Jeni’s serves its very popular frozen treats on the north end of Gallagher Way adjacent to Wrigley Field. The chain is known for creative and whimsical flavors including sweet cream biscuits and peach jam, fluffernutter, and many dairy-free options.

Five ice cream cones lay on a marble tabletop. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams [Official Photo]

Lost Never Found

Aesthetic is key at Lost Never Found, a colorful restaurant and cocktail bar that in fall 2022 bounced into Wrigleyville with hot pink furniture, neon signs (one reads “B*tch, I’m from Chicago”), and photo-friendly drinks like the Disco Dream (vodka, white cranberry, Cointreau, edible glitter). A menu from executive chef Eric M. Lopez (Tanta, Siena Tavern) includes pizzas, brunch options, and rotating seasonal specials.

Brickhouse Tavern

The Brickhouse Tavern stands just north of Wrigley Field's marquee and Gallagher Way, sharing space inside the Cubs new office building. The patio is lively on game day, but inside Four Corners has created a place that reveres the game with plenty of trinkets from Cubs' history — Gold Gloves and more. The space is two levels and it's far from cookie cutter when it comes to design. The menu was created for fan snacking, but with quality ingredients in appetizers like quesadillas and a waffle cone filled with fried chicken. The name is a tribute to the late Cubs broadcaster Jack Brickhouse.

Marc Much/Eater Chicago

Hotel Zachary

The Ricketts family opened the Hotel Zachary in 2018 with many acclaimed food and drink options across the street from Wrigley Field. The lineup includes cocktail bar and refined restaurant Mordecai, the second location of renowned honky tonk bar and taqueria Big Star, a boozy dessert cafe in West Town Bakery, and the Smokedaddy BBQ. Boka also serves up steaks and oysters at its spinoff of Fulton Market’s Swift & Sons. Mordecai’s owner also has a craft beer stall, Lucky Dorr, next to the stadium.

Hotel Zachary has many top food and drink options in one place across from Wrigley
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Cafe Tola

Family-run Cafe Tola has a great variety of tacos, empanadas, and other Mexican items. Don’t sleep on the coffee drinks. The caffeine here is supreme and much better than a chain offering. It’s a family-friendly spot and there are also breakfast tacos.

Crosby's Kitchen

Crosby’s Kitchen has helped define Southport, a street full of families. Kids eat free at this modern American restaurant that truly has something for everyone. Sibling restaurant, Tuco and Blondie (down the street), takes a similar approach to Mexican-American food.

Rice'N Bread

One of the oldest restaurants in Wrigley still sports the “Hamburger King” awning. This is traditional American diner faire with both Korean, Chinese, and Japanese twists like a kalbi burger, plus egg foo young, and an assortment of soups and noodles. Don’t sleep on this restaurant, it’s one of the most unique in town.

Penny’s Noodle Shop

After five years, Penny’s Noodle Shop has returned to this location underneath the CTA’s L tracks. The spot is likely to bring back memories with longtime Chicagoans. It was one of the first noodle shops in town when it debuted in the ‘90s. The menu is basic with soups and noodle bowls. But it’s consistent, and there’s a hankering for a quick pad Thai, this is the place to stop. BYO.

Related Maps

GG's Chicken Shop/Itoko/Little Goat Diner

Boka Restaurant Group’s Lakeview complex is fully operational with the debuts of GG’s Chicken Shop, Itoko Sushi, and Little Goat Diner. GG’s is a counter-service restaurant that’s incredibly family-friendly; it even has a space-aged charging table with UV rays in the bathroom. The food centers on chicken which is done fried and roasted. There’s also a special ground burger that gives red meat eaters an intriguing choice. Itoko is the little sibling of Momotaro, Boka’s lauded Fulton Market sushi spot. Chef Gene Kato handles the menu, even the desserts, and while there’s no fancy omakase option, North Siders have an elegant choice that will leave them fulfilled with unique and fresh fish options. The third leg of the operation, the relocation of Stephanie Izard’s Little Goat, debuted late in April in the former Southport Lanes building.

Related Maps