Portage Park
Links of Interest
Distance to Downtown Chicago
10 miles
Average Drive Times
20 minutes to Chicago Loop
18 minutes to O’Hare Airport
31 minutes to Midway Airport
Located only eight miles northwest of the Loop, Portage Park is a quiet residential neighborhood with a rich history, a thriving shopping district, and plenty of green space. Portage Park, named for the nearby park of the same name, is bordered by Montrose Avenue to the north, Narragansett Avenue to the west, Roscoe Street to the south, and Cicero Avenue to the east. Portage Park real estate mostly consists of single family homes, bungalows, and frame houses. Many Portage Park homes, built in Victorian, English Tudor, or Georgian styles, have spacious, lush landscaped lawns with colorful vegetation.
In the early 1800’s, the neighborhood known today as Portage Park was a “portage” used by Native Americans to transport their canoes between the Chicago and Des Plaines Rivers. In 1850, the area, which was known at the time as Jefferson Township, was incorporated at the famous Dickinson Tavern. It was not until 1889 that Jefferson Township was annexed to the city for the World’s Columbian Exposition. The land was officially given the name Portage Park in 1912 and the actual Portage Park space was founded the next year. With the development of the street car, many Polish, Scandinavian, German, and Irish immigrants poured into the area and built homes that still exist to this day. According to the 2000 census, Portage Park has the largest Polish community in the Chicago area. Today, Portage Park is a growing residential neighborhood with new bars, restaurants, and plenty of shopping.
Portage Park’s famous “Six Corners”, at the intersection of Irving Park Road, Cicero Avenue, and Milwaukee Avenue, is a shopping district where most of the area’s commercial activity takes place. Residents can choose from a number of different restaurants and cuisine, including Italian, American, Latin American, and Thai. For some traditional Italian grub, try Sabatino’s Restaurant and Lounge where reservations are usually needed no matter the night of the week (especially on Wednesday’s for the lobster special). If it’s unique Latin American food that’s on your mind, La Pena Restaurant is a neighborhood gathering place that serves Ecuadorian cuisine. Thai Aree House offers customers fantastic Thai food at very reasonable prices. The Six Corners shopping district gives residents proximity to everything they need—from clothing to doctors and dentists offices to household appliances. For a list of all the businesses at Six Corners, visit the directory at www.sixcornerschicago.com.
Although Portage Park is a residential area, there are places to go for a fun night out on the town. The Nite Cap Lounge serves a unique crowd while playing even more diversified music. Hops & Barley is a bar with two floors—one offers a more formal lounge feel while the other is host to an internet jukebox, flat screen TV’s, and a more bar-like atmosphere. BG’s Lounge is another dive bar with its own fireplace.
Portage Park is part of the Chicago Public Schools District and families residing in the neighborhood have the option of sending their children to charter, magnet, or neighborhood schools. Portage Park is home to a number of public and private schools such as Portage Park Center for the Arts, Luther High School North, and St. Pascal School. Portage Park is served with exceptional public transportation. The Blue Line of the CTA’s “El” train has two stops at nearby Montrose and Irving Park that connect riders to O’Hare, the Loop, and the rest of the CTA system. In addition, a number of CTA bus routes serve the area and the Milwaukee District North Line of the Metra train is located not far from the Montrose Blue Line stop.
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