The Radicle

-Grubbing in Chicago
Italian Coastal Vibes and Midwest Flair in Logan Square

For a while there Logan Square was seeing interesting bar and restaurant openings on the regular but it had been a bit stagnant of late. That was until recently when The Radicle opened their doors at 2523 N Milwaukee in early January 2026. It sits in the original space of Daisies, it's critically acclaimed sister restaurant that moved to a larger location down the block back in 2023. 

Newly Opened in Logan Square

The Radicle is the second project from Chef Joe Frillman - the owner and executive chef behind Daisies. He brought his team and culinary vision from Daisies’ original space to open The Radicle as a late-night cocktail bar and restaurant blending coastal Italian drinking culture with Midwestern flavors. It’s part of an effort to revive lively late-night bar culture in Logan Square, something that locals and industry folks alike have been eager to see return after changes from the pandemic era. Late night food options are few and far between compared to what was available before the pandemic but at The Radicle you can eat + drink until 1a Tuesday Sunday (closed Monday). If you plan to visit during normal dining hours reservations are recommended, it was busy on a recent visit.

Poached Tuna Bruschetta

The menu at The Radicle is small but not tiny. They break it down into four sections including both hot and cold plates plus the raw bar, pizza and sweets. They were doing a poached tuna bruschetta special on our visit and it was exquisite. Bite sized chunks of olive oil poached tuna are tossed with thinly sliced red onions and tomatoes plus beans and basil. There may have been some giardiniera in there too if not just diced carrots. I had meant to ask. So we were told this special has been so well received it might go over to the regular menu sooner or later. This is the type of dish I’d expect to come to across in a real locals type of spot in some small Italian coastal town. So far, so good.

Baby Beets

I always like to gauge the waiter / waitresses favorite dishes as this can help decide when you want to try it all. He had mentioned the Baby Beets as being his favorite dish on the menu and that sold me as I remember them doing some good stuff with beets over at Daises. The menu describes this dish as baby beets with fermented mushrooms and mojama (salt-cured tuna) but there was also some crispy quinoa and shredded parmesan on top. This was an outstanding dish, my favorite of the night actually. We also got an order of fried lake fish which was walleye with a wonderful tartar sauce and a tasty red slaw. The fish is battered crisp and perfectly down the middle. I’ve long lamented on the lack of lake fish on Chicago restaurant menus so hopefully it’s the start of more to come. 

Fried Lake Fish at The Radicle

I’m not sure we need anymore pizza at the moment but it fits in nicely with the concept here. With the Radicle leaning into Italian aperitivo culture and late-night drinks at a reasonable pricepoint, pizza almost seems necessary. I would describe the style as Italian inspired. The menu lists ten options ranging from the classic Pizza Margherita to a Mortadella with pistachio pesto and a few interesting options such as a clam pie topped with Yukon gold potatoes and garlic. I tried the fennel sausage with red sauce, mozzarella, and red onions and enjoyed it for what it was. The sausage is better than most you’ll find outside the Chicagoland area and the crust has a nice chew. Overall this is the type of place that will draw in people on both Tuesdays and Saturdays. The food is easily approachable and drinks are around $10 each making it a good spot to go on a whim if you're in the neighborhood.

Fennel Sausage Pizza

The Radicle
2523 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(312) 488-4069
Website