Mayfair
This flavorful little neighborhood is one of Chicago’s most diverse north side gems. Korean, Guatemalan and Mexican influences spill into Mayfair from the nearby Albany Park. The cultural variety is most obvious in the food. On a single street you’ll find every type of cuisine from Korean fare at Nok Yon House (try the kimchi and bi-bim-bap) to Peruvian dishes at Ay Ay Picante (go for the ceviche and seafood casserole). Less adventurous types will take comfort in Marie’s Pizza, Dining Room and Lounge, where you can grab a slice of thin-crust to go or hang out in the 1960s-style dining room. Pizza lovers with a daredevil streak should try Rasmus Pizza. The pies at this place are out of this world -- or should we say, out of the sea -- with choices like tuna, shrimp and calamari.
Some restaurants are tucked into strip malls along Mayfair’s major thoroughfares. Also housed in these mini commercial drags are drug stores, nail salons and kitschy clothing shops. But the real gems are the old-school markets including specialty groceries and international food shops that are great for stocking up on hard-to-find ingredients, sauces and brands. Among the most popular stops for specific items and ethnic tastes are The Fishguy Market, Bosnia Market and Randee’s Food Store.
When you’re done exploring these out-of-the-ordinary culinary marts, stop by the namesake Mayfair Park. Dating back to 1913, this community lot is fully equipped with a baseball field, playgrounds, a wading pool and a fieldhouse. More recently, the park has made way for even more leisurely activities including horseshoe, shuffleboard and tennis courts.
The housing in Mayfair offers fairly standard real estate, but don’t be fooled by the neighborhood’s downplayed exterior and understated ambiance. Rather than intricate architecture, Mayfair keeps it simple with old brick bungalows, modern townhouses and rehabbed condos. And on the vintage end of things, you’ll find one and two story brick homes and traditional frame houses with spacious front porches and neatly manicured lawns. One or two bedroom condos average below $200,000, with some topping out at $285,000. Three bedroom single-family homes have average prices in the mid $350,000s, while four bedrooms easily hit the $400,000 mark.
Dining in Irving Park/Mayfair
| Brudder's 3600 N. Pulaski Rd. |
Golden Nugget Pancake House 4229 W Irving Park Rd Cuisine: Breakfast |
| Lavilla Restaurant & Pizzeria 3632 N Pulaski Rd Cuisine: Italian |
Java Thai 4272 W Irving Park Rd Cuisine: Thai |
| Jester Wennies Pulled Beef 3930 N Pulaski Rd Cuisine: American |
Number 1 Chop Suey 4307 W Irving Park Rd Cuisine: Asian |
| Old Irving Park Tap Sports Bar 4217 W. Irving Park Road |
Siam Taste Noodle 4323 W Addison St Cuisine: Asian |
| Thai Aree House 3592 N Milwaukee Ave Cuisine: Thai |
Unforgetable Lounge 4206 W Irving Park Rd |
Resources in Irving Park/Mayfair
| Hospitals Ravenswood Health Care Ctr 4211 N Cicero Ave # 205 Medex Inc 3217 N Kilpatrick Ave |
Post Office 3319 N Cicero Ave |
Entertainment in Irving Park/Mayfair
| Logan Theatre 2646 N Milwaukee Ave |
Granite Gallery 3430 W Henderson St |
| Zeitgeist Theater Chicago |
Chicago Kids Co 4050 N Milwaukee Ave |
Shopping in Irving Park/Mayfair
| Bart's Coins & Collectibles 3939 N Pulaski Rd |
Belmont Antiques 3801 N Pulaski Rd |
| Chicago Bibles & Books 3931 W Irving Park Rd |
Euro CD Inc 3934 W School St |
| Millennium Polish Book Store 3265 N Milwaukee Ave |
Selenis Boutique 4310 N Milwaukee Ave |
Schools in Irving Park/Mayfair
| Belding Elementary School 4257 N Tripp Ave |
Chicago National College 3330 N Milwaukee Ave |
| Gourmet Soiree Inc 4039 N Harding Ave |
Irving Park Middle School 3815 N Kedvale Ave |
| Pivot Point Intl 3901 W Irving Park Rd |
Schurz High School 3601 N Milwaukee Ave |
| St Viator School 4140 W Addison St |
© 2010 Chicago City & Neighborhood Guide
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