Ravenswood

Ravenswood is a North Side neighborhood between Lincoln Square and Andersonville, organized around two rail lines that shaped it from the beginning: the Metra Union Pacific North line, with its own Ravenswood station, and the Brown Line, which stops at Damen and Montrose. The blocks in between are some of the most consistently lovely residential streets on the North Side — brick two-flats, greystones, and single-family homes under mature trees.

What sets Ravenswood apart is the industrial corridor along Ravenswood Avenue. The old manufacturing buildings that line the Metra tracks now hold breweries, distilleries, artist studios, and small businesses — Begyle Brewing and Dovetail Brewery pour within blocks of each other, and Lillstreet Art Center has been teaching ceramics and printmaking in the neighborhood for decades. It gives Ravenswood a working character that most residential neighborhoods lost long ago.

Housing is predominantly vintage: two- and three-flats, condo conversions in brick courtyard buildings, greystones, and single-family homes on the side streets. New construction shows up mostly as infill rather than large developments, which has kept the scale of the neighborhood intact.

Commuting is a strength in both directions. The Metra reaches Ogilvie in about 15 minutes, the Brown Line connects to the Loop and everything along the way, and Montrose, Damen, and Lawrence carry bus routes. Winnemac Park, shared with Lincoln Square, covers the green space with ball fields, a track, and one of the better sledding hills on the North Side.

Ravenswood offers vintage housing and a residential pace without sacrificing train access, and its mix of condos, two-flats, and single-family homes creates options across a wide range of budgets.

Ravenswood FAQ

Do you need a car in Ravenswood?

Most residents manage without one. The Metra's Ravenswood station reaches Ogilvie in about 15 minutes, the Brown Line stops at Damen and Montrose, and buses cover the main streets. Street parking is generally easier here than in denser neighborhoods to the south.

What types of homes are in Ravenswood?

Mostly vintage: brick two- and three-flats, greystones, courtyard condo conversions, and single-family homes on the side streets, with infill new construction mixed in.

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

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

What is the Ravenswood industrial corridor?

The stretch of former manufacturing buildings along the Metra tracks on Ravenswood Avenue, now home to breweries like Begyle and Dovetail, distilleries, artist studios, and small businesses. It's one of the neighborhood's defining features.