Flavors of Albany Park

Schedule

1. June 16-18 and June 22-23 — Early passport and bag pickup: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. at North River Commission, 3403 W Lawrence Ave, Suite 301.
2. June 24, 2026 — Day-of pickup: 4:30-7 p.m. at the NRC parking lot, 3403 W Lawrence Ave. There is one check-in location on event day.
3. June 24, 2026 — Flavors of Albany Park crawl: 5-8 p.m. across Lawrence East, Lawrence West, Montrose Ave, and Kedzie Ave routes.
4. June 24, 2026 — After-party: 7-9 p.m. at 3403 W Lawrence parking lot, with DJ B4Lazers, Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago, screen printing, interactive art, and raffle programming.

What to expect

The 17th annual Flavors of Albany Park runs Wednesday, June 24, 2026, from 5-8 p.m. This is not a free street fair; it is a ticketed, route-based restaurant crawl through one of Chicago's most globally layered food neighborhoods. North River Commission lists 60+ local restaurants across four curated routes: Lawrence East, Lawrence West, Montrose Ave, and Kedzie Ave. The local move is to choose one route and treat it like a passport dinner, not a race to sample everything.

Tickets

Advance purchase required; no tickets will be sold onsite. Choose Chicago lists 2026 cost at $40. Tickets include access to one curated tasting route, passport/event bag pickup, and samples at participating restaurants. Early pickup is encouraged June 16-18 and June 22-23, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., at the NRC office, 3403 W Lawrence Ave, Suite 301; day-of pickup is June 24, 4:30-7 p.m., in the NRC parking lot at 3403 W Lawrence Ave.

Transit

Brown Line to Kimball or Kedzie is the spine of the festival. The 81 Lawrence and 53 Pulaski buses cross the area. Routes are walking-distance from the El stops — designed for transit, not driving.

Bag policy

No bag check — small fest spread across neighborhood restaurants.

Family-friendly

Family-friendly in spirit, but plan realistically: it is a three-hour sidewalk restaurant crawl on active city streets. Humanitix notes that historic storefronts and urban sidewalks mean full ADA access cannot be guaranteed at every stop, and dietary accommodations cannot be handled at event scale.

Food and drink

• Lawrence East route — Includes stops such as Kabobi, Pupuseria El Cuscatleco, Tikal Sabor Chapin, Zaab-E-LEE, and more.
• Lawrence West route — Includes Guatemalan, Mexican, bakery, cafe, and taqueria stops along Lawrence.
• Montrose route — Includes Chim Thai, Kale My Name, Shattaz Jerk Bar & Grill, Sinya Mediterranean, and more.
• Kedzie route — Includes Noon O Kabab, Salam Restaurant, Qamaria, Uri Cafe & Baklava, Wabi Sabi, and more.

Local tips

1. Buy tickets the day they go on sale — this fest sells out weeks in advance.
2. Pick a route and commit; don't try to hit all four. The Lawrence Ave Korean/Mexican route and the Kimball/Kedzie Middle Eastern route are usually the standouts.
3. Pace yourself — 60+ restaurants, only 3 hours. 8–10 stops in one route is realistic; aim for variety, not volume.
4. Bring water; the samples are salty and walking is constant.
5. Persian (Noon O Kabab on Kedzie is the standout) and Salvadoran (Pupuseria Cuscatleco on Lawrence is the longtime go-to) are the hidden-gem cuisines — go in with a list.
6. It's a Wednesday at 5 p.m. — leave work early and arrive at your starting restaurant for a 5 p.m. sharp start; lines build at popular routes.
7. Tip the restaurants in cash; you're not paying directly but a few bucks goes a long way for a small kitchen.

Frequently asked questions

Is Flavors of Albany Park free?

No. It is an advance-ticketed restaurant crawl; Choose Chicago lists 2026 tickets at $40 and Humanitix says no tickets will be sold onsite.

Can I sample every restaurant?

Your ticket gives access to one curated tasting route. With 60+ total restaurants and only three hours, pick the route you actually want to eat through.

Where do I pick up my passport?

Early pickup is at North River Commission, 3403 W Lawrence Ave, Suite 301. Day-of pickup is in the NRC parking lot at 3403 W Lawrence Ave from 4:30-7 p.m.

Is there an after-party?

Yes. The official after-party runs 7-9 p.m. at the 3403 W Lawrence parking lot, with music, performance, screen printing, interactive art, and raffle programming.