Lincoln Square

Lincoln Square centers on one of the most charming commercial stretches in Chicago: the pedestrian-friendly blocks of Lincoln Avenue around Giddings Plaza, where the fountain, the outdoor concerts, and the surrounding shops and restaurants give the neighborhood the feel of a small town square inside the city. The neighborhood is just quaint all around.

The neighborhood's German heritage is still part of daily life. Merz Apothecary has been dispensing soaps and remedies since 1875, Gene's Sausage Shop runs a rooftop beer garden over its European deli counters, and Maifest fills the square with music and steins each spring. The Old Town School of Folk Music, in its handsome Art Deco building on Lincoln, makes the neighborhood a citywide destination for live music and lessons, and the Davis Theater has been showing movies since 1918.

Housing is largely vintage: brick two- and three-flats, courtyard condo buildings, condo conversions, and single-family homes on the leafy side streets, with new construction mixed in near the commercial core. Welles Park — with its gazebo, indoor pool, and ball fields — covers 15 acres in the middle of the neighborhood, and Winnemac Park sits along the eastern edge.

The Brown Line stops at Western and Rockwell, reaching the Loop in about 30 minutes, and buses run on Lawrence, Western, and Damen. Most daily errands — groceries, hardware, coffee, the library — are walkable from most of the neighborhood.

Lincoln Square offers a true neighborhood center, strong vintage housing, and a pace that's increasingly hard to find this close to the lake and downtown.

Lincoln Square FAQ

Do you need a car in Lincoln Square?

Most residents can manage without one. The Brown Line stops at Western and Rockwell, buses cover the main streets, and the commercial district handles most daily errands on foot. Street parking is reasonable on most blocks.

What is Lincoln Square known for?

Giddings Plaza and the walkable Lincoln Avenue commercial district, the Old Town School of Folk Music, German institutions like Merz Apothecary and Gene's Sausage Shop, and summer concerts in the square.

What types of homes are in Lincoln Square?

Vintage two- and three-flats, courtyard condo buildings, condo conversions, and single-family homes on the side streets, with newer construction near the commercial core.

Lincoln Square vs. Ravenswood: what's the difference?

They blend into each other. Lincoln Square has the commercial center — Giddings Plaza and the Lincoln Avenue shops — while Ravenswood is more residential, with its own Metra station and the industrial corridor of breweries and studios along the tracks.