Chicago’s “Boozy” Milkshake Scene

From the Italian beef to the deep-dish pizza, Chicago has an intricate and colorful history of culinary delicacies. The latest edible movement to hit the streets of Chi-town is the boozy milkshake. Following this generation’s trend of taking childhood staples and refashioning them into adult treats, the boozy milkshake removes the milk from the original kid’s favorite and replaces it with a more intense liquid — alcohol. The idea has led to countless variations and experiments around the Windy City.

Casual

For those looking to venture into the Portage Park area, Leadbelly Burgers is the place to stop. There, patrons can enjoy drinks like the Poor Howard, alongside a gourmet burger.

Wrigleyville is home to the famous Pick Me Up Café, right near the historic Wrigley Field. While this stop is known for their unfriendly staff, visitors can lick their wounds by way of their tasty milkshake of the month.

At Rudy’s Bar and Grille, visitors are greeted at the front door by a smiling, bow-tie wearing ceramic pig. Once inside, they can take in the vintage style of the diner and sip on their famous martini milkshake.

Upscale

For fine milkshake dining, the Tortoise Club is the perfect restaurant to visit. While they have only one shake, it is a local favorite. The Hummer consists of espresso liquor, rum and vanilla ice cream.

With their cartoon-inspired aesthetic, and their frozen yogurt Wakeup Shake, RJ Grunts is certainly one of the more peculiar milkshake venues in the city.