Chicago is best known for its pizza and hot dogs — neither of which classically pair with a frosty milkshake. You might assume that means our local milkshake game falls by the wayside, but that’s not the case. Sure, many of the city’s best options come from burger joints, but our burgers aren’t bad either!
When considering the factors that go into creating a truly great shake, it really only comes down to two things: flavor and atmosphere. Getting a great tasting chocolate shake at a spot your family has been visiting for years is the easiest and arguably best summer tradition. No matter your neighborhood, or whether you’re a parent, babysitter, or nanny with hungry kids in your care, it’s not hard to find a good shake shop and create a new tradition with your family.
The Freeze (formerly Tastee Freez)
Address: 2815 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago IL 60647
Hours: Open daily, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. (March 1 – Oct. 31)
Phone: 773-384-5211
Let’s start with a simple truth: You don’t need to be a fancy establishment to make an excellent milkshake. The Freeze — formerly Tastee Freez — in Logan Square may not look like much from the outside, but it’s a long-reigning neighborhood favorite. The seasonal burger shack serves up fast food staples, but it is best known for offering more than 20 shake and malt flavors starting at $2.69. You can go crazy with weird and exotic flavors like grape, cake batter, kiwi, and brown-sugar cinnamon.
The Chicago Diner
Address:
- Lakeview: 3411 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60657 | P: 773-935-6696
- Logan Square: 2333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60647 | P: 773-252-3211, ext. 1
Hours: Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Friday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. | Saturday, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. | Sunday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
You won’t believe what goes into Chicago Diner’s milkshakes. It’s not milk! The vegetarian diner has been meat-free since opening in 1983 and strives to offer as many vegan options as possible. Its milkshakes are well-known throughout the city, even by omnivores. They’re made with natural ingredients, cane sugar, real fruit, and they are trans-fat free. With flavors like Cookie Dough Peanut Butter, Carrot Cake, and Vanilla Chai, we doubt you’ll have a hard time not wanting to try this vegan alternative to the dairy-based classic. Shakes are $7 for a regular and $8.50 for a large.
DMK Burger Bar
Address:
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Lakeview: 2954 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago, IL 60657 | P: 773-360-8686
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Navy Pier: 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, IL 60611 | P: 312-624-8017
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Lombard: 2370 Fountain Square Dr., Lombard, IL 60148 | P: 630-705-9020
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Oakbrook Center: The District Food Hall – 541 Oak Brook Center, Oak Brook, IL 60523 | P: 630-573-0700
Hours: Vary by location
DMK Burger Bar started with a single location in Lakeview in 2009 and has been expanded to all corners of Chicagoland ever since. You’ll want to start with one of DMK’s namesake burgers, topped with everything from green hatch chiles to a blueberry BBQ sauce, but be sure to finish your meal off with a sweet and salty peanut butter shake. Chocolate, vanilla, and espresso flavors are also available at all locations if peanut butter isn’t your thing. The shakes are all housemade, and parents can order them with a boozy twist for an additional charge. Sometimes an “adult” milkshake tastes even better than a classic one. Prices vary by location, but most shakes start at $6.
Scooter’s Frozen Custard
Address: 1658 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago IL 60657
Hours: Monday – Friday, 2 p.m. – 10 p.m. | Saturday, 1 p.m. – 10 p.m. | Sunday, 1 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Phone: 773-244-6415
You know it’s springtime in Lakeview when you start to see a line form out the door of Scooter’s Frozen Custard. Scooter’s has been locally owned and sourced since opening in 2003. As the name implies, its frozen custard is the corner shop’s signature menu item. However, its milkshakes are an excellent alternative for anyone looking to slurp their ice cream through a straw. Choose from dozens of “mix-in” ingredients, like Irish mint and butterscotch, to make your shake totally unique. There’s also no extra charge to make it a malt.
Potbelly Sandwich Shop
Address: 2264 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 (original) | Click here for other locations.
Hours: Original location open daily, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Click here for other locations’ hours.
Phone: Original Location: 773-528-1405 | Click here for other locations’ phone numbers.
There might be hundreds of Potbelly Sandwich Shops around the world, but did you know it all started in the Chicago neighborhood of Lincoln Park? In 1977, a husband-and-wife duo who owned an antique shop at the original location’s address began serving sandwiches to their customers. The rest is history, albeit a delicious one.
Our favorite non-sandwich order? An Oreo milkshake. You’ll know it’s a Potbelly shake by the adorable, bite-sized cookies rung around the straw. Other flavors like chocolate, vanilla, mixed berry, and coffee are also available.
Portillo’s
Address: 635 W. North Ave., Villa Park, IL 60181 (original) | Click here for other locations.
Hours: Original location open daily, 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Click here for other locations’ hours.
Phone: Original Location: 630-530-8440 | Click here for other locations’ phone numbers.
Find a Chicagoan who has never enjoyed a chocolate cake shake from Portillo’s and you might have to question his or her authenticity. Like many Chicagoland chains, Portillo’s has humble beginnings. Originally named “The Dog House,” owner Dick Portillo’s original restaurant operated out of a trailer. Half a century later, it’s Chicago-specific comfort food and a household name.
The cake shake is something only a chocolate addict could dream up. Chocolate shake and cake mix are combined to create a creamy shake base that’s topped with baked bits of chocolate cake to add even more texture. Whether you consult your dentist before indulging in one of these is up to you.
Edzo’s Burger Shop
Address: 1571 Sherman Ave., Evanston IL 60201
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Phone: 847-864-3396
Edzo’s is a much-praised milkshake destination for families just north of the city. The Evanston burger shop comes complete with a signature “Five Dollar Milkshake,” offered in classic flavors (chocolate, vanilla), as well as flavors for more adventurous tastebuds (maple, Nutella, banana). Each shake comes topped with whipped cream and a cherry.
Spinning J
Address: 1000 N. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60622
Hours: Tuesday – Thursday, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Friday, 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Saturday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Sunday, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Phone: 872-829-2793
Soda shops are a disappearing relic, but not in Spinning J’s case! The Humboldt Park counter-service spot opened in 2015. Its throwback look and feel is a refreshing escape from the flashy, modern look of many new restaurants. Grab a seat at the counter or hole up in a booth and enjoy one of the locally owned kitchen’s 20-ounce milkshakes ($6), available in vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, ginger, Thai tea, and more flavors. Their shakes are even served in the stainless steel mixing cups — just like when you were a kid! If you’re hungry, Spinning J also has a variety of sandwiches, baked goods and pie available for purchase.
Irazu
Address: 1865 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60647
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Phone: 773-252-5687
Didn’t think a Costa Rican restaurant could be home to some of the best milkshakes in town? Think again! Irazu not only offers mouthwatering regional dishes and a BYOB option, it’s also a sweet treat go-to for Chicago insiders. As you might expect, some of the flavors are very non-traditional — carrot, tamarind, pineapple — but they all get the thumbs up in our book. If you’re looking for the city-wide favorite, it’s likely the oatmeal shake. All milkshakes are made with your choice of water, milk, or soy, so it’s a great option if you’re accommodating dietary restrictions. Milkshakes are $4 for a single flavor and $5 for two.
Superdawg
Address:
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Chicago: 6363 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60646 | P: 773-763-0660
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Wheeling: 333 S. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling, IL 60090 | P: 847-459-1900
Hours: Vary by location
Hot dogs and strawberry milkshakes may not be a classic pairing, but we make it work in Chicago. Just don’t ask for ketchup. Pull up to one of Superdawg’s drive-in style locations and find out why people have been flocking to its all-beef Superdawgs and Supershakes (or Supermalts) since opening in 1948. Look for the dancing hotdogs propped on top of the building to make sure you’re in the right place. The shakes are a full pint and served extra thick. They’re available in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and pineapple. Shakes are $4.20 and malts cost $4.60.
Good Stuff Eatery
Address: 22 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, IL 60603
Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Phone: 312-854-3027
Good Stuff Eatery is a small chain that comes to you via Top Chef season 4 contestant Spike Mendelsohn. The family operation serves up burger and fry combos along with handspun milkshakes and floats. The pièce de résistance of Good Stuff Eatery’s Chicago location, opened in 2015, is the toasted marshmallow milkshake. “Smokey” isn’t a flavor element we often associate with frozen treats, but this one will make you come around. Of course it’s plenty sweet, too. Other shake flavors include Milky Way Malt, Cookies & Cream, Soursop Hop, Strawberry, Black & White, Salty Caramel Kiss, Red Velvet, Vietnamese Coffee, and all are price at $5.95.
Margie’s Candies
Address:
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Western Avenue (original location): 1960 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL 60647 | P: 773-384-1035
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Montrose Avenue: 1813 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago, IL 60613 | P: 773-348-0400
Hours: Vary by location
Walking into Margie’s Candies is like taking a step back in time. While some newly opened diners and soda shops strive to capture an old-timey feel. Margie’s has just never changed. It’s the real thing. Margie’s has been making candies such as toffee, fudge, butterscotch, and much more for over 90 years. However, its homemade ice cream is another big draw. They come in more than 16 different flavors, including coconut, butterscotch, and piña colada and are all topped with whipped cream and a cookie. If you need something substantial before dessert, Margie’s kitchen serves up diner-style food, like sandwiches and salads.
Did we list all your favorite milkshake shops around Chicago? Let us know in the comments below!
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