Chicago’s Chinatown is one of the oldest and largest in the country — and unlike many American Chinatowns that have been shrinking, this one is actually growing. Centered around Wentworth Avenue and Cermak Road on the city’s South Side, it’s a neighborhood that rewards a full afternoon of wandering: dim sum restaurants spilling onto sidewalks, herbal shops with jars you can’t identify, zodiac animal sculptures, a stunning riverfront park with skyline views, and the kind of bakeries where $3 buys you a bag of egg tarts that will change your week.
Here’s our guide to the best things to do, see, and eat in Chinatown Chicago — from the must-sees to the spots most visitors walk right past.
🏮 In a Nutshell: Chicago’s Chinatown is a compact, walkable neighborhood about 10 minutes south of the Loop on the CTA Red Line (Cermak-Chinatown station). The two main areas are Wentworth Avenue (the older, more traditional strip with the Chinatown Gate) and Chinatown Square (a newer outdoor mall with restaurants, shops, and zodiac sculptures). Plan for at least 2–3 hours to explore, or a full afternoon if you want to eat, browse shops, visit a museum, and walk Ping Tom Park. Weekends are busiest — come early or on a weekday for a calmer experience. Parking is limited; take the Red Line.
⭐ Quick Picks
🍜 Must-Eat Experience: Dim sum — it’s what Chinatown does best
🏞️ Best Free Activity: Ping Tom Memorial Park — skyline views, kayaking, river walks
🏛️ Best Museum: Chinese American Museum of Chicago — free admission, 3 floors of history
📸 Best Photo Spot: Nine Dragon Wall — brilliant ceramic tile mural near the Red Line
🎭 Best Event: Lunar New Year Parade — March 1, 2026 (Year of the Horse)
🛍️ Best for Shopping: Chinatown Square — zodiac sculptures, tea shops, bakeries
Chinatown Square
Chinatown Square is the newer, more modern half of the neighborhood — a two-story outdoor mall bordered by Archer Avenue and Wentworth. It was developed in the 1990s by the Chinese American Development Corporation on a former rail yard site, and it’s where you’ll find many of Chinatown’s most popular restaurants alongside shops selling everything from herbal teas and beauty products to imported snacks and souvenirs.
The highlight for many visitors: 12 bronze zodiac animal sculptures created by artists in Xiamen, China, placed throughout the square. Find your zodiac sign and snap a photo — kids love hunting for all twelve. Chinatown Square is also the hub for festivals and community events, especially during Lunar New Year.
📍 2133 S China Pl, Chicago, IL 60616 | Open daily, individual shop hours vary
🥢 HUNGRY? Our guide to 31 spots to eat in Chinatown covers the best dim sum, noodle shops, bakeries, and bubble tea spots in the neighborhood.
Ping Tom Memorial Park
This is one of Chicago’s most underrated parks — and one of the best free things to do in Chinatown. Named after Ping Tom, a community leader who fought to transform a former railroad yard into green space, the park sits along the South Branch of the Chicago River with beautiful views of the downtown skyline.
The park features a Chinese-inspired pavilion, a modern playground, a fieldhouse, and a boathouse where you can rent kayaks in summer to paddle the river. There’s also an indoor pool open to the public. In warmer months, the Chicago Water Taxi stops here — making it a fun and scenic alternative to the Red Line. The park is also a popular spot for Fourth of July fireworks viewing.
📍 1700 S Wentworth Ave, Chicago, IL 60616 | Daily 6 a.m.–10 p.m. | Free admission (kayak rentals and pool fees vary)
Nine Dragon Wall
One of the first things you’ll see arriving at the Cermak-Chinatown Red Line station is the Nine Dragon Wall — a colorful ceramic tile mural inspired by the famous Nine Dragon Screen in Beijing’s Beihai Park. The wall features nine intricately detailed dragons symbolizing power and spirit, set against swirling clouds, waves, and flowers. The colors are vivid and the craftsmanship is impressive.
It’s free, it’s always accessible, and it makes for one of the best photo ops in the neighborhood. Look for the subtle details in each dragon — no two are the same.
📍 170 W Cermak Rd, Chicago, IL 60616 | 24/7 | Free
Chinese American Museum of Chicago (CAMOC)
The only Chinese American museum in the Midwest, CAMOC is a small but wonderful three-floor museum that tells the stories of Chinese immigrants and their descendants in Chicago and the broader Midwest. The museum is housed in a former warehouse that was once home to the Quong Yick Co. — it opened in 2005, survived a devastating fire in 2008, and reopened in renovated quarters in 2010.
Exhibits rotate regularly and cover everything from Chinese customs and festivals to personal narratives and artifacts from local families. The museum celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025 and continues to host rotating exhibitions — recent shows have included “Rich Lo: Land of Gold Mountain” and the “Language of Abstraction” exhibit curated by Larry Lee.
📍 238 W 23rd St, Chicago, IL 60616
⏰ Hours: Wed & Fri 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. | Sat–Sun 10 a.m.–5 p.m. | Closed Mon, Tue, Thu
💰 Admission: Free (suggested donation: $8 adults, $5 students/seniors)
🚇 Getting there: Quarter-mile walk from Cermak-Chinatown Red/Green Line
Pui Tak Center
Even if you don’t go inside, the Pui Tak Center is worth walking past just to admire the architecture. Designed by Christian S. Michaelsen and Sigurd A. Rognstad in 1928, the building is one of the most distinctive on Wentworth Avenue with its Chinese-style pagoda roofs, decorated balconies, and ornamental details. It looks like it belongs in another century — because it does.
The center serves as a community hub offering English classes, citizenship classes, music lessons, after-school tutoring, and neighborhood tours. If you want a more structured visit to Chinatown, the Pui Tak Center is one of the organizations that can connect you with guided walking tours.
📍 2216 S Wentworth Ave, Chicago, IL 60616 | Mon–Thu 8 a.m.–7 p.m. | Fri 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. | Sat 8 a.m.–1 p.m.
St. Therese Chinese Catholic Church
Built in 1923, St. Therese is one of the oldest Chinese Catholic churches in the United States and a quiet architectural gem in Chinatown. The building blends Romanesque and Chinese design elements — look for the distinctive rooflines and ornamental details that set it apart from typical Chicago churches. It’s not a tourist attraction per se, but it’s a meaningful part of the neighborhood’s heritage and a beautiful building to see from the outside. Mass times vary; check their schedule if you’d like to attend.
📍 218 W Alexander St, Chicago, IL 60616
Vertical Gallery
Chinatown has become an unexpected hub for Chicago’s street art scene. Vertical Gallery, now located in the neighborhood, specializes in street art, printmaking, and gig posters — offering exhibitions, pop-ups, and an in-person shop selling affordable prints, enamel pins, stickers, and artist ephemera. It’s the kind of place where you walk in planning to browse and walk out with a $30 print that ends up being your favorite piece of art.
Check their Instagram or website for current exhibition schedules. Hours can vary, so confirm before making a special trip.
📍 Chinatown, Chicago | Check verticalgallery.com for current hours and exhibitions
Lunar New Year Parade & Events
The Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade is one of Chicago’s most colorful annual events — and one of the oldest celebrations of its kind in the country, now in its 114th year. The 2026 parade celebrates the Year of the Horse (4724).
🐴 2026 Parade Details:
Chinese New Year officially falls on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The Chinatown parade takes place Sunday, March 1, 2026, at 1 p.m. — starting at 24th Street and Wentworth Avenue and traveling north toward the viewing stand at Cermak and Wentworth. Expect dragon and lion dances, colorful floats, marching bands, and thousands of spectators lining the streets. The parade is free to attend.
Beyond Lunar New Year, other annual events include the Chicago Dragon Boat Race for Literacy (a 2,000-year-old tradition that’s been running in Chicago since 2000), the Chinatown Summer Fair, and the Autumn Moon Festival. The Chicago Chinatown Community Foundation maintains a calendar of upcoming events.
💡 INSIDER TIP: Parking is nearly impossible during the Lunar New Year parade. Take the CTA Red Line to Cermak-Chinatown — the station drops you right into the action. Also consider the Argyle Lunar New Year Parade in Uptown (February 17, 2026) if you want to experience a second celebration in a different neighborhood.
Walking Tours & Food Tours
Chinatown is a great neighborhood to explore on your own, but a guided tour adds layers of history and context you’d never catch just wandering. The Chicago Chinese Cultural Institute (2121B S China Pl, 2nd Floor) offers guided walking tours, dumpling-making classes, Tai Chi sessions, and lion dance performances. The Chinatown Chamber of Commerce also coordinates private tours.
For food-focused visitors, Chinatown food tours are available through several tour operators and typically run about 3 hours — covering dim sum, bakeries, tea shops, and noodle spots with context about the neighborhood’s culinary traditions. These book up, so reserve in advance.
Heritage Museum of Asian Art (Nearby in Bridgeport)
A short trip from Chinatown into neighboring Bridgeport, the Heritage Museum of Asian Art is the only museum in the Midwest dedicated exclusively to Asian art. Founded in 2014 by a Chinatown native who grew up without access to Asian art, the museum has grown from a small storefront into a community-centered institution with three galleries showcasing archaic and modern jades, Neolithic pottery, imperial porcelains, Chinese snuff bottles, classical furniture, bronzes, and textiles spanning centuries of Asian culture.
The museum reopened in its current Bridgeport location in late 2022 after losing its previous space during the pandemic. Since then, it’s hosted over 120 programs and welcomed more than 5,000 visitors. Current exhibitions include “More Things Japanese,” a survey of traditional Japanese art from the 6th through 19th centuries.
📍 3500 S Morgan St, 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60609
⏰ Hours: Wed–Sun 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
💰 Admission: Suggested donation. Free admission on the third Friday of each month (5–8 p.m.) with a guided tour at 6 p.m.
Planning Your Visit
Getting there: Take the CTA Red Line or Green Line to Cermak-Chinatown. Several CTA buses also run along Cermak Road and Wentworth Avenue. In warmer months, the Chicago Water Taxi stops at Ping Tom Memorial Park — a scenic way to arrive from downtown. Driving? Street parking is available but limited, especially on weekends. Use the Chinatown public parking lot near Chinatown Square. CAMOC validates Chinatown public parking tickets.
How much time to plan: Allow 2–3 hours for a focused visit (eat, walk Wentworth, see the Nine Dragon Wall and Chinatown Square). A full afternoon lets you add a museum visit, Ping Tom Park, and a food tour. Weekends are the busiest time — weekday visits are more relaxed.
Nearby neighborhoods worth exploring: Bridgeport (Heritage Museum of Asian Art, Palmisano Park), the South Loop (Museum Campus, Grant Park), and Pilsen (National Museum of Mexican Art, murals, coffee shops) are all a short ride or walk from Chinatown.
Know before you go: Bathrooms are limited in some Chinatown shops and restaurants — the Chinatown Branch of the Chicago Public Library (2100 S Wentworth Ave) is a good backup. W 23rd Street is blocked off from 3–4 p.m. on school days for student pickup at St. Therese Catholic School.
Chinatown is one of those Chicago neighborhoods that always gives you more than you expected. Come for the dim sum, stay for the zodiac sculptures, the riverfront park, and the bakery bag that mysteriously empties before you make it home. 🏮
Frequently Asked Questions
A: The easiest way is the CTA Red Line to the Cermak-Chinatown station, which drops you right at the neighborhood’s edge near the Nine Dragon Wall. You can also take the Green Line to the same stop. Several CTA buses run along Cermak Road and Wentworth Avenue. In warmer months, the Chicago Water Taxi stops at Ping Tom Memorial Park, which is a scenic and fun way to arrive. If driving, street parking is limited — use the Chinatown public parking lot near Chinatown Square and give yourself extra time on weekends.
A: Dim sum is the quintessential Chinatown experience — small plates of dumplings, buns, and other dishes served from steamer baskets or rolling carts. Popular dim sum spots include Phoenix Restaurant and MingHin Cuisine. Beyond dim sum, Chinatown offers hand-pulled noodles, Peking duck, bubble tea, Chinese bakeries with egg tarts and pineapple buns, and hot pot restaurants. Visit our guide to 31 spots to eat in Chinatown for specific restaurant recommendations.
A: The 2026 Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade takes place on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at 1 p.m. It begins at 24th Street and Wentworth Avenue and travels north toward the viewing stand at Cermak and Wentworth. The parade features dragon and lion dances, floats, and marching bands. Chinese New Year officially falls on February 17, 2026, which marks the Year of the Horse (4724). Public transit is highly recommended since parking is very limited during the parade.
A: Yes — the Chinese American Museum of Chicago (CAMOC) at 238 W 23rd Street is the only Chinese American museum in the Midwest. It’s open Wednesday and Friday 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. and Saturday–Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $8 for adults. Nearby in Bridgeport, the Heritage Museum of Asian Art at 3500 S Morgan Street showcases jade, ceramics, bronzes, and classical Chinese furniture — open Wednesday through Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. with free admission on the third Friday of each month.
Q: Is Chinatown Chicago worth visiting?
A: Chicago’s Chinatown is one of the oldest and largest Chinatowns in the United States, and it’s one of the few that’s actually growing. It’s absolutely worth a visit for the food (dim sum, hand-pulled noodles, bakeries), the cultural landmarks (Nine Dragon Wall, Pui Tak Center, Chinatown Gate), the parks (Ping Tom Memorial Park has skyline views and kayaking), and the shopping (Chinatown Square’s zodiac statues, herbal shops, tea houses). It’s also easy to reach — just a few stops south of the Loop on the Red Line..