8 Best Restaurants In Chicago Near Wrigley Field
Of Chicago's many attractions, few are as significant as Wrigley Field — home to one of the city's two Major League Baseball teams, the Chicago Cubs. Acting as the heart of the appropriately named Wrigleyville neighborhood, the historic baseball stadium draws millions of people to the area every year. If you find yourself as one of those many people, you'll likely be looking for a place to eat at some point during your visit.
Luckily, the Wrigleyville neighborhood hosts some of the best restaurants in the city with a variety of cuisines, vibes, and atmospheres to satisfy any sports fan or city explorer. I have lived in Chicago for nearly 10 years, and I know that the city's food scene is one where it's hard to be great without generating a loyal following and plenty of word of mouth. It's a very connected community with tons of food influencers and culinary-focused media to help remain tapped into the food scene. And because loving food and going out to eat is also a requirement of being friends with me, I have an entire close network of foodies that can lovingly steer me toward the best spots in the city.
I've compiled this list so you know where to grab a bite next time you go to cheer on the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Just make sure you leave room for one of the legendary stadium Chicago-style hot dogs.
Output Lounge Wrigley
Output is a local favorite for chicken wings, which is a perfect fit for the sporty Wrigleyville neighborhood. While I have not personally eaten at the Output Lounge location that's just a three-minute walk from Wrigley Field, I have dined at the West Town location and can attest that these wings have a well-deserved spot on the "best wings in Chicago" lists from both Eater and The Infatuation.
The laid-back, sports bar atmosphere makes it the perfect stop before, after, or even during a Cubs game if you don't have tickets. I personally recommend the hot chipotle ranch and the sweet and spicy flavors, while many on Reddit and beyond rave about the original hot flavor. Besides the wings, the rest of the menu reads like your typical sports bar with lots of fried appetizers, burgers, wraps, and salads, but I would advise against worrying about the other menu items. Output's famous chicken wings are the main attraction for a reason and carry the rest of that menu on its back.
(773) 687-8658
3720 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613
Billy Goat Tavern
Billy Goat Tavern is a Chicago institution with multiple locations throughout the city. It's famous for inspiring "The Olympia Restaurant" SNL sketch and also serving up damn good burgers and fries. The spot was opened in 1934 by a Greek immigrant named William "Billy Goat" Sianis. Sianis took over a small bar called the Lincoln Tavern just outside of the Chicago Stadium, which is now the United Center, and the rest is Chicago history.
Billy Goat Tavern serves up a few different kinds of sandwiches, salads, and hot dogs, but the cheeseburger is the true star of the menu. The patties are thin, the Kaiser roll is perfectly soft, and the toppings are simple, but this burger delivers on everything that makes a burger great. If you're in Wrigleyville looking for the laidback, sporty, no-frills vibe that Chicago is famous for, then Billy Goat Tavern is the perfect stop.
(872) 315-2948
3724 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613
Coda di Volpe
Coda di Volpe stands out a bit amongst the pubs and sports bars that make up a lot of the restaurant real estate in the Wrigleyville neighborhood. This restaurant holds its own in the neighborhood by serving up delicious handmade pastas, appetizers, pizza, and other Mediterranean cuisine. With an upscale casual atmosphere and top-notch Italian food, Coda di Volpe offers a wonderful dining experience for anyone visiting Wrigleyville, sports fan or otherwise.
While I haven't had the pleasure of dining here myself, the restaurant has earned ample praise from local travel and food sites like The Infatuation and Choose Chicago, as well as plenty of Reddit shoutouts (several Redditors insist the pistachio and mortadella pizza is the thing to try here, and it sounds absolutely divine). Coda di Volpe even earned recognition by 50 Top Pizza, placing at 44 out of 50 top pizzerias in the entire country. The pizza is served unsliced so that diners can cut it up themselves with shears, as is the traditional Southern-Italian way.
(773) 687-8568
3335 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
Corridor Brewery & Provisions
Obviously, a brewery had to make it onto this list because beer and baseball, am I right? Corridor Brewery & Provisions is a spot I have yet to try, but have heard great things about. And, while the beer at a brewery is often the main draw, Corridor's food is raved about by visitors. The menu is classic bar food that has been ever so slightly elevated, like the cauliflower and curds, which feature buffalo fried cauliflower and cheese curds tossed together and served with blue cheese, or the Holy Shishito That's Corny pizza, which comes topped with corn, shishito peppers, goat cheese, hot honey, and flaky sea salt.
One user on Reddit described Corridor Brewery & Provisions as "Truly a hidden gem for Chicago beer and food," while another on a different thread said, "Their curry chicken wrap is lowkey one of my favorite meals in Chicago." If you're looking for really tasty food that strays a bit from the usual deep-fried bar food menus in the area, Corridor Brewery seems like an excellent option.
(773) 270-4272
3446 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
Swift Tavern
Swift Tavern is another Wrigleyville spot that is closer to fine dining than a traditional sports bar, but the proximity to Wrigley Field from this restaurant really can't be beat. The restaurant is literally right across the street from the stadium and even has a large window that gives diners a view of the famous Wrigley Field marquee that sits above the park's entrance. Swift Tavern is a sister restaurant to the famous and very popular Swift & Sons steakhouse in Chicago, so this place is backed by some serious culinary and restauranteur weight.
The menu is a mix of elevated bar food and classic steakhouse entrees and sides with offerings for brunch, lunch, dinner, and happy hour. This is one of the more family-friendly restaurants on this list, too, making it a great pick for a family outing at the ballpark. There aren't many restaurants in Wrigleyville where you can feast on a chinois salad, a New York strip, and oysters under one roof, so if that's your vibe, check out Swift Tavern.
(773) 360-0207
3600 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613
Cozy Noodles and Rice
Cozy Noodles and Rice is a very popular Pan-Asian restaurant in the heart of Wrigleyville, and it's known for the fun décor and consistent, delicious, and affordable food. The Infatuation recommends any of the curry or noodle dishes at this cozy Wrigleyville staple that's only a three-minute walk from The Friendly Confines. I have ordered takeout from here once before a few years back and remember it being excellent, a take that seems to be shared by many online reviewers, too.
This is one of the neighborhood spots that has earned a loyal cult following. One user on Reddit named Cozy Noodles and Rice as having the best fried rice in the city, saying, "I will stop for takeout any time I am in that area. Lived there for 10 years and probably ate at Cozy at least two times a week back then ..." If you're looking for something that isn't American tavern food in this sports-focused neighborhood, Cozy Noodles and Rice should be your first stop.
(773) 327-0100
3456 N Sheffield Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine
Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine is a very new restaurant that has been receiving great reviews since opening. I have not had the chance to dine here yet, but after reading reviews and checking out the menu I have added it to my list of restaurants to try ASAP and think you should, too. With rave reviews from local media as well as national food media sites like Eater, Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine is quickly solidifying its place in the Chicago food scene.
In a neighborhood like Wrigleyville, authentic Oaxacan cuisine stands out in the best way. Chicago is known for some of the best Mexican food in the Midwest, so it's only right to shoutout this up-and-coming restaurant with what looks to be a very bright future. It seems that the brunch at Istmo is particularly notable, with users on Reddit having good things say about the morning menu. Overall, if you're in need of a reason besides a Cubs game to visit Wrigleyville, let Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine be it.
(872) 315-2034
3231 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60657
Michael's Original Pizzeria & Tavern
I must admit that I had not ever heard of Michael's Original Pizzeria & Tavern before looking into the best Wrigleyville restaurants for this article, but the reviews are making me feel like I have to go as soon as possible. It seems like a lot of people consider this some of the best pizza in all of Chicago, like the commentor on Reddit who shared, "In my opinion this is the best tavern-style in the city."
This place seems to be the ultimate old-school Chicago pizza joint with lots of TVs for catching every game imaginable. And when it comes to the food, Michael's Original Pizzeria serves up that ultra-thin cracker crust that many consider to be the true Chicago-style pizza. For a little bit of pre or post-Cubs game beer and pizza just a few minutes away from Wrigley Field, Michael's is hard to beat. Besides, what's more Chicago than a Cubs game and some tavern-style pizza?
(773) 929-4149
4091 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60613
Methodology
There are so many amazing restaurants in the city of Chicago that the idea of creating a list of "the best" of any neighborhood is incredibly daunting, and I don't think I'm being dramatic in saying it is borderline impossible. At the end of the day, what makes the Chicago food scene so special is the sheer variety and the passion behind each and every restaurant in this city. Everyone's "best of" list will look wildly different, and that's the beauty of the culinary arts. Thankfully, Chicago is a city where visiting the ballpark doesn't have to mean dining on drab stadium food, but actually enjoying some of the best food in the city alongside America's favorite pastime.
To create this guide to the best restaurants in Wrigleyville, I utilized a combination of online ratings, professional reviews, and either my own personal experience or word of mouth for the restaurants I haven't eaten at myself. I tried to provide a mix of different cuisines and price points, with a special focus on restaurants that had something to offer to baseball fans, specifically. Each restaurant on this list is either perfectly suited to complement an outing at Wrigley Field, or it's so good that it's worth a trip to the neighborhood either way.