Avondale

Once-sleepy Avondale had one of the hottest real estate markets in Chicago in 2015 and it continues to be a great place to invest in real estate, for good reason. The neighborhood is adjacent to both the craft cocktails joints of Logan Square and the pilates studios of Roscoe Village. In the heart of Avondale, Elston Avenue’s restaurant row is booming. The proximity of both the Blue Line and Kennedy Expressway enables a trip to The Loop or to O’Hare International Airport in about thirty minutes door-to-door. 

There’s a lot to love and discover in this neighborhood. Read on for a deeper dive into what it’s like to live in Avondale Chicago.

Entertainment and Eating

Affordability and abundant transportation have helped Elston Avenue become a notable dining strip. From Korean fusion to Heavy Metal burger joints, Avondale has diverse and rather affordable options for the curious and the penurious. Amidst the new and hip, a few classic joints dot the neighborhood. Chief O’Neills has been serving up a massive Sunday brunch buffet since the 1990s, which is particularly wonderful in the warmer months when the sprawling back patio is open. And Concordia Evangelical Lutheran Church, built in 1892, is an icon on the neighborhood’s east end. This once unremarkable landing ground for generations of immigrants is no longer just seeing development because of its proximity to other “fun” neighborhoods. Avondale has become a destination itself.

A Bit of History

In the middle of the 19th century, Chicago quickly went from swamp to metropolis because of its canal, and the railroads that followed. One of the many beneficiaries of Chicago’s rapid growth was a sleepy stop along the Milwaukee train line called Avondale. Due to the rail stop and its location along the North Branch of the Chicago River, Avondale developed into an industrial hub in the early 20th century, and was home to factories for Olson Rug, Florsheim Shoes, and, famously, Dad’s Root Beer. Avondale’s 20th century bungalow-belt housing stock reflects the area’s working class beginnings. And, interestingly enough, today the neighborhood is home to the production facility of a different kind of beer—that of Revolution Brewing.

Further Reading

If you’d like to learn more about Avondale, here are a few good places to start:

• Choose Chicago’s Avondale Neighborhood Guide
• Avondale Neighborhood Association
• Greater Avondale Chamber of Commerce Facebook page
• Curbed Chicago’s “The People’s Guide to Avondale, Chicago’s Polish Village”
• Time Out Chicago‘s Avondale neighborhood guide

Interested in living in Avondale Chicago? Dive into the stats and listings below, or contact me to discuss my knowledge of the area as well as current and upcoming listings.