If you are a Chicago or Cook County resident looking to outlast a brutal winter or a visitor for a Summertime Chi experience, the marijuana variety in The Windy City and surrounding area is endless. The Chicagoland area is home to over 44 dispensaries, allowing this Midwest hub to responsibly engage in recreational practice.
Chicago and Cook County is entering its third year of statewide legalized recreational marijuana for enthusiasts over 21 years old.
For those looking to enjoy a Chicago session, marijuana must be used in a private space. So, unfortunately, you won’t be able to flick your Bic lighter at Lake Michigan or The Bean, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t explore the plethora of options that keep residents and visitors happy. Be sure to visit these fantastic dispensaries in the Second City.
Highest-rated recreational dispensaries in Chicago
If you are part of the cannabis community that utilizes marijuana for recreational use in Chicago, you are not alone.
Chicago has dispensaries spread across its beautiful city, aiding in the $1 billion in sales the state of Illinois received in its inaugural year of 2020. If you want to test a strain or two, Leafly has located the best dispensaries in Chicago for you.
1132 Lake St. – Oak Park, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.6 star rating out of 312 dispensary reviews
MedMen, located in Chicago-neighboring Oak Park, offers a run of cannabis products and promotions, including deals on cannabis edibles and more.
MedMen features:
- Extensive stock of luxury cannabis and CBD items
- Easy 24/7 online ordering system
- Edibles, flower, topicals available with quality customer service ratings
1413 W. North Ave – Melrose Park, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.9 star rating out of 87 dispensary reviews
Curaleaf is an adult-use marijuana shop in Melrose Park, Illinois. A visit to Curaleaf in Melrose Park features a full range of cannabis products from brands like Aeriz, 1906, RYTHM, and more.
One dispensary review on Leafly.com says, “Great location, amazing products. They have a great loyalty system which saves you money! Definitely will keep coming back.”
222 S Halstead St – Chicago, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.9 star rating out of 11 dispensary reviews
Zen Leaf serves trendy West Loop with its range of cannabis products. Operating under the belief that cannabis is the most important medicinal plant on the planet, Zen Leaf aims to promote human health, wellness, and happiness.
Customers rave over Zen Leaf’s knowledgeable and polite staff and security, the inviting aesthetic, and convenient location. Topicals, edibles, and flower are all available at Zen Leaf, in addition to a wide selection of Illinois cannabis brands – making this shop a must-visit.
150 Barrington Road – Barrington, IL
⭐⭐⭐ 3 star rating out of 2 dispensary reviews
This Windy City health hub opened in April 2021. Located in the River North neighborhood, it is near landmarks like the Magnificent Mile, Navy Pier, and the Chicago River.
Verilife offers a range of products, including high-end brands, tinctures, and everyday flower. Once a spot for medical use, only Verilife has expanded to recreational sales and offers filters for shopping, including strength and more.
Verilife features:
- Reservations for shopping experience and online ordering
- 15% off every purchase for medical patients
- Hundreds of different products available during your visit
4758 N. Milwaukee – Chicago, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.7 star rating out of 32 dispensary reviews
Located on Chicago’s North Side, Columbia Care provides recreational shoppers with a specialized menu including brands like DabTabs, Airo, and Good News. One Leafly reviewer left the following positive commentary about Columbia Care:
I always have a fantastic experience at Columbia Care! The front desk staff is super-friendly and the bud tenders have a wealth of knowledge about the products. I recently had the absolute best experience working with Dylan to get what I needed on a VERY tight budget.
He helped me to get the most “bang for my buck” and gave me excellent advice on getting items that are the best quality at the same time. I moved farther away from this dispensary, but I will keep going here because of their extraordinary high level of care and the amazing programs they have in place to help their patients. Thank you Dylan, and everyone else who makes this place great! And thanks to Columbia Care for making it worth it to stay with them.
9621 N. Milwaukee. – Niles, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.8 star rating out of 12 dispensary reviews
Further up on Milwaukee Ave from the location of a previous entry on this list, RISE dispensary stocks a wide variety of flower, concentrates, edibles, and more.
Equipped with Illinois’ most popular strains, RISE supplies Niles, IL with lab-tested cannabis products customers can feel good about. RISE provides choices for their customers with easy online ordering and quality in-person customer service.
810 W. Randolph. – Chicago, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.8 star rating out of 6 dispensary reviews
Located on Randolph Street, Nature’s Care Company focuses on a three-point service of having the best product assortment, care, and experience. In addition to providing cannabis, Nature’s Care Company provides resources to under-served communities and citizens across the state, including efforts to support individuals disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs.
Nature’s Care Company is nestled in the West Loop neighborhood. Equipped with a highly knowledgeable staff and exquisite selection, Nature’s Care Company aids both the consumer and community, making itself a must-visit shop.
1739 E Golf Rd – Schaumburg, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.7 star rating out of 46 dispensary reviews
Priding itself as a “new kind of medical and recreational cannabis dispensary,” Sunnyside focuses on offering marijuana products to increase your general wellness.
An expanded location, Sunnyside offers friendly customer service to their entire product line, including edibles and more. Open daily from 9 am to 9 pm; Sunnyside is a go-to for ease of service in exploring high-quality cannabis products.
Sunnyside features:
- Wellness products available to customers 7 days a week
- A brand-new, spacious location with street parking
- 30% first-time medical patient discount
1500 E Lake Cook Rd – Wheeling, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.1 star rating out of 5 dispensary reviews
One Leafly reviewer gave HATCH in Wheeling, Illinois the following review:
“Hatch is my most frequently-visited dispensary. I like how open it is, the vibe is nice. Some dispensaries feel like a bank or something and this feels professional yet chill. I’ve never had a negative experience here and all the Bud tenders are super nice and knowledgeable!”
Highest-rated medical dispensaries in Chicago
As the 20th state to support the use of cannabis for medical purposes, Illinois has been the home of dispensaries for nearly a decade. While recreational marijuana became legal in Illinois in 2020, medical use has been present in the land of Lincoln since August 2013.
Following recreational legalization, new dispensaries opened with medical products in their offerings. However, strictly medical marijuana facilities do still exist in Illinois. Survey our list of medical dispensaries available for your use in Chicago.
1816 S. Arlington Heights Rd., – Arlington Heights, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.6 star rating out of 220 dispensary reviews
Verilife’s Arlington Heights branch is a medical-only facility operating under the motto to make patients heal better, feel better, and live better. This location has many different types of cannabis products available including flower, tincture, and vapor.
Since 2018, the Arlington Heights dispensary has been open daily and has availability for both reservations and walk-in appointments to find the essential cannabis product for your wellness.
Verilife features:
- Discounts for senior citizens, military, and new medical patients
- Expanded medical menu, in addition to access to recreational cannabis
- Access to expert staff members to properly guide customers to their needs
1804 Maple Ave – Evanston, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5 star rating out of 253 dispensary reviews
Zen Leaf’s Evanston location is close to historic Northwestern University and offers a wide selection of premium cannabis. Patients can save on flower, edibles, extracts, and more with rotating deals and discounts.
While other Zen Lef locations serve all customers over the age of 21, this one is specifically a hub for medical patients.
One review on Leafly reads: “Honestly love how nice they are. The bud is amazing and they go out of there way to throw you deals and make it a great environment. Always come here, you will have a great experience.”
1301 S. Western – Chicago, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.9 star rating out of 8 dispensary reviews
Located near the Chicago Medical District, The Herbal Care Center, also known as THC Center, has long served medical cannabis patients in the city.
THC caters directly to medical patients, ensuring access to their services and products during hours of the dispensary’s operation.
The Herbal Care Center features:
- The largest cannabis inventory in the state of Illinois
- Rewards program that provides money back after each purchase
- Tours of the facility and the selection for medical cannabis patients
4758 N. Milwaukee – Chicago, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.9 star rating out of 256 dispensary reviews
Mentioned earlier in this list for its proficiency in serving recreational customers, Columbia Care Illinois’ North Side location provides registered cannabis patients with a surplus of medical-grade products.
Columbia Care comes equipped with a helpful staff that will discover the perfect product for the customer. The dispensary also periodically offers promotions to provide customers with competitive pricing.
2015 E Euclid Ave – Mount Prospect, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.6 star rating out of 67 dispensary reviews
Enlightened is designed to assist patients in making informed decisions about their cannabis journey and futures.
One Leafly reviewer says, “Amazing selection, display, staff, and knowledge of the product. Best dispensary I’ve been to in not only NW suburbs, but Illinois.”
975 Rohlwing Rd – Rolling Meadows, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.7 star rating out of 136 dispensary reviews
Nature’s Care Company features:
- Dedicated staff members aiming to elevate quality of life
- Impeccable selection of natural aids for wellness
- Budtenders trained to accurately pick natural remedies to medical issues
One Leafly review says, “Great dispensary. Rec users can preorder and the wait is not anywhere near competitors’. Wasn’t sure what to get, but the bud tender listened and knew what items I would like. My favorite dispensary in the area.”
7305 N. Rodgers Ave – Chicago, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.6 star rating out of 60 dispensary reviews
A medical ID is required to shop GreenGate in Chicago’s Rogers Park. This swanky cannabis shop focuses on customer care and leads visitors to the specific product needed. With in-shop and curbside service available, patients can receive an individualized experience before opting for an easy and fast return visit.
One GreenGate review reads: “Personalized, super-friendly service. So relieved when they reopened after their brief pandemic closure. I’ve been to other dispensaries that are a bit fancier, but this small, intimate space and great tunes work really well for me. So many happy patients there, too — it’s a community, not just a retailer. This is my happy place. <3”
1308 W. North Ave. – Chicago, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.1 star rating out of 29 dispensary reviews
nuEra took on its name with the desire to usher in a new era of safer and high-quality cannabis. nuEra offers private consultations where staff members can lead a cannabis journey and assist in adequately placing a product in your life. That session can also include inquiries about the medical card application process, specific products, and more.
- Private consultation on topics ranging from product to medical card registration
- $100 discount that will cancel the cost of the first year of nuEra membership
- Extensive online menu to explore products
8554 S. Commercial – Chicago, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.8 star rating out of 50 dispensary reviews
Residents and visitors to the city’s Southside have an all-in-one dispensary in Mission, where customers can pick up pre-rolls, cartridges, all types of edibles, and even CBD or THC suppositories.
Accessories like tips, papers, and roach clips are also available at this urban shop. Frequent visitors can register for Mission’s point system, leading to money off on a future purchase.
Mission features:
- One of the Southside’s only dispensaries
- Online ordering system with immediate processing
- Welcoming and knowledgeable team
1137 175th St – Homewood, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5 star rating out of 89 dispensary reviews
Stretching beyond the city limits and into the South Suburbs, Homewood’s Windy City Cannabis reserves its first and last hour of daily operation for medical patients. The mission of this dispensary is to keep medical patients the safest during the pandemic. I
n addition, only medical patients are eligible to receive curbside service. This Chicagoland dispensary focuses on bringing peace to more minds and also advocates for having respect for the communities it serves.
Windy City Cannabis features:
- One of the South Suburbs most extensive inventories
- Edibles, cartridges and accessories for both medical and recreational customers
- Accepts Cash and Canpay
Honorable dispensary mentions in Chicago
4570 South Archer Avenue – Chicago, IL
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.7 star rating out of 28 dispensary reviews
The dispensary with our honorable mention in the Chicago area serves as both a medical and recreational dispensary. We’re proud to recognize Maribis of Chicago as an exceptional dispensary in both categories.
Maribis ensures products from licensed cultivators are implemented to better its’ patients and customers’ lives. Some unique features of the experience at Maribis include:
- Collaboration between staff, patients, and caregivers to ensure proper care
- Guidance in becoming a caregiver
- Medical and recreational product offerings
Selection criteria for highly-rated dispensaries in Chicago
To calculate the highest-rated dispensaries in Chicago, our Leafly List team uses a methodology based on quantitative and qualitative review data of dispensaries listed on Leafly in Cook County. This list also uses quality indicators, like customer reorder rates and deals availability (in markets where discounts are legal). Our teams are dedicated to showcasing a wide variety of highly-rated medical and recreational dispensaries.
Remember, if you don’t see your favorite dispensary on the list, make sure you follow, rate, and review your favorite cannabis locations to let the world know where you find your favorite cannabis.
