Port Union
Port Union is a cool, laid-back Wicker Park spot where branzino, elote-inspired pasta, arrachera, and creative plant-based dishes like mushrooms, turnips, and banana blossom share the menu. Regulars praise the thoughtful cooking, balanced cocktails, attentive service, and inclusive options for mixed-diet groups, while brunch standouts include egg soufflé and baked eggs. Service can run slow, and a 20% automatic gratuity is added.
What 22 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“Despite it showing as closed on Saturday for brunch it is actually open! We were the only ones eating brunch and it was DELICIOUS. Service is amazing here too. Thanks for the memorable food and experience. Will be back”
“Delicious food from start to finish. We can’t wait to come back!! The staff, ambiance and menu quality were fantastic.”
“Liam was AMAZING and provided exceptional customer service. He was kind, personable, attentive, and well versed on the menu and recommendations. Highly recommend the restaurant and sitting in his section.”
“I really enjoyed it here! The cocktails were balanced, the food was delicious and well-portioned, and our server was attentive and friendly. Only downside is it took a little while for our food and drinks to arrive, but it didn’t ruin the experience.”
“Delicious and reasonably priced. You get the sense it hasn’t yet been discovered in the neighborhood but will be soon. Lovely evening with great service!”
“Discover fresh, flavor forward bites in a cool, laid back neighborhood restaurant Port Union in Wicker Park. Diners will enjoy bold dishes that deliver real swagger from start to finish. I have been a fan of Chef Cuadros for a while. He’s a James Beard nominated chef with roots from Columbia who grew up in Queens, NY. He experienced cuisines from around the world. This shaped him as a chef by showing him that American food is a living mosaic built by immigrant communities over time. Port Union is the next chapter in his culinary journey. I love that the cocktail program is no frills. It’s true, classic cocktails! Of course, we had martinis with blue cheese olives. I loved the twist of adding olive @empiricalspirits instead of brine to give the flavor of a dirty martini. They were amazing! We started with crackling Gulf shrimp with scotch bonnet, lemon & pickled jalapeño, which was the perfect bite. I was equally impressed with the complex flavors of the besito de atun featuring yellowfin with Calabrian leche de tigre & avocado. For a vegetarian option, I highly recommend the fermented turnip causa. It’s a fun & creative dish. Another great choice is the oyster mushrooms with romesco, cashews & daicon. Our entrees were phenomenal. I had the arrachera with bone marrow chimichurri, grilled scallion & aji verde. The steak was grilled over a wood fire plus it was seasoned perfectly & incredibly tender. The dish comes with the most incredible potato pavé. This is the best side potato I have ever tasted. It consists of ultra thin sliced potatoes with rendered fat, garlic & thyme. The potato is fried resulting in a crispy, savory bite with an amazing texture. My wife loved her branzino en papillote with potatoes, olives, lemon, thyme & olive oil. It’s one of the most flavorful fish dishes ever. We ended with some sweet treats which included charred pineapple, hojicha crème brûlèe, olive oil chocolate cake & my favorite the sweet potato cheesecake. Port Union delivers new modern American dishes inspired by immigrants who have shaped the menus of our incredible country. Thanks Chef for a fabulous culinary journey!”
“I WILL NEVER GO HERE. SO DISSAPOINTED THAT THE ONLY GOOD PLANT BASED RESTAURANT TURNED INTO THIS. WHAT'S REALLY SAD IS THE WORSE VEGAN/PLANT BASED RESTAURANT CALLED KALE MY NAME REMAINS OPEN.”
“Second time here in a month and it’s a fantastic add to the neighborhood. The plant based dishes are great (mushrooms, turnips, banana blossom) and I liked the pork belly/duck a lot as well. The rest of my group had branzino and thought it was very well prepped. Pineapple was good as well. Cocktails are all well done, traditional items and I’d come here for happy hour more if there were more novel aspects to the drinks. Overall fantastic place and they accommodate my 15 month old even though she’s a talker.”
“Fantástico comida. Volveré pronto y el servicio está increíble. La arrachera 10/10”
“Unbeatable prices and really delicious food. We will definitely be coming back. Every dish was better than the last!”
“We had an excellent dinner at Port Union and will definitely be back. Everything we ordered was thoughtfully prepared, but the standout was the branzino—it was absolutely to die for. The fish was perfectly cooked, flavorful, and easily one of the best dishes we've had in a long time. We also tried a pasta dish that incorporated elote-inspired flavors, and it completely blew our minds. It was creative, unexpected, and incredibly delicious. Calling it simply "American" food feels a bit disingenuous. The menu clearly draws inspiration from a variety of cultures and cuisines while still feeling cohesive and approachable. The cocktails were well-made and balanced, and the service struck the perfect tone: attentive and prompt without ever making us feel rushed. Overall, this was a fantastic dining experience from start to finish, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable meal in the neighborhood.”
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