Chicago has 40 dispensaries licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). Anyone 21 or older with a valid, unexpired photo ID can buy, and out-of-state visitors may carry half the resident limit: 30 grams of flower, 5 grams of concentrate and 500 mg of THC in infused products. 19 Chicago stores also serve registered medical patients, and every adult-use purchase in the city carries both a 3% Chicago cannabis tax and a 3% Cook County cannabis tax on top of state taxes.
Chicago is the biggest cannabis market in the Midwest, and its stores are packed into a few walkable corridors rather than spread across the city. River North alone has four stores within a few blocks, two of the stores below have passed 10,000 Google reviews, and one Lincoln Park shop sits, fittingly, on Weed Street.
All 40 Licensed Dispensaries in Chicago, IL
About a third of Chicago's licensed stores sit downtown, in the River North, Streeterville, Loop, West Loop and South Loop ZIP codes (60654, 60611, 60602, 60661, 60607, 60605 and 60616). Another dozen line the Near North and Northwest Side, through Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Bucktown and Logan Square, and the rest run up the North Side along Clark Street and Milwaukee Avenue, with a handful on the South and Southwest Sides.
Downtown, River North and the South Loop: Verilife River North, Sunnyside River North, Green Rose and Ascend MOCA River North are within a few blocks of each other in 60654, with Guaranteed Dispensary on Fairbanks Court in Streeterville. In the Loop and West Loop, look for Bud and Rita's The Loop on Madison, Cookies Chicago on Clinton, Zen Leaf West Loop on Halsted, and Dispensary 33 Randolph and Nature's Care Company on Randolph Street. Farther south are Market 96 on Wells, Prairie Cannabis South Loop and Grasshopper Club Roosevelt on Roosevelt Road, and Spark'd South Loop on Wabash.
Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Bucktown and Logan Square: Curaleaf Lincoln Park (923 W Weed St), Karma Club on Clybourn, NuEra Chicago on North Avenue, Dr Greenthumb's and Spark'd Wicker Park on Ashland, UMI Chicago on Lincoln, Village Bucktown on Webster, OKAY Cannabis West Town on Chicago Avenue, Ivy Hall Damen, Ivy Hall Logan Square on Armitage, Ascend MOCA Logan Square on Fullerton and Grasshopper Club Logan Square on Milwaukee.
North and Northwest Side: Sunnyside Wrigleyville on Clark and Sway Lakeview on Halsted serve Lakeview; BLOC Kedzie and Bud and Rita's Chicago on Belmont are in 60618; and Nirvana Dispensary is on Lawrence. Clark Street continues north to Dispensary 33 Clark and Perception Cannabis, with Zen Leaf Rogers Park nearby. On Milwaukee Avenue toward O'Hare are Cannabist Chicago (60630) and Consume Chicago (60631).
South and Southwest Side: Zen Leaf Pilsen on Western Avenue, Maribis of Chicago and Midway by Ascend on Archer Avenue, and Mission Chicago on Commercial Avenue.
Best Chicago Dispensaries for Every Need
Our picks, based on public Google ratings and hours, checked October 2026:
- Highest rated: Cookies Chicago (5.0 stars, about 7,700 reviews), UMI Chicago (5.0 stars, about 790 reviews) and Verilife River North (4.9 stars), then six more 4.9-star stores including BLOC Kedzie and Market 96.
- Most reviewed: Verilife River North (about 10,900 reviews) and Sunnyside River North (about 10,700), then Sunnyside Wrigleyville (about 6,100).
- Open earliest: Midway by Ascend at 7 a.m. and Bud and Rita's The Loop at 7:30 a.m.; ten more stores open at 8 a.m.
- Open latest: 10 p.m. at stores such as Ivy Hall Logan Square and Karma Club; none in our data stays open later.
- Medical patients: 19 stores, including Zen Leaf Pilsen (4.7 stars, about 3,900 reviews) and Mission Chicago (4.7 stars, about 2,500 reviews).
Visiting a Dispensary in Chicago: ID, Payment and Hours
Bring a valid, unexpired photo ID showing your date of birth; out-of-state licenses and passports work. Most stores take cash and debit and have an ATM, while credit cards are rarely accepted because cannabis is still illegal under federal law. Since June 12, 2026, state law allows sales from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., but stores need local approval to stay open past the old 10 p.m. closing time, and in Chicago they still close by 10.
Chicago and Illinois Cannabis Laws: Purchase Limits, Public Use and Driving
Illinois residents 21 and older may possess up to 60 grams of flower, 10 grams of concentrate and 1,000 mg of THC in infused products. Visitors may carry half: 30 grams, 5 grams and 500 mg.
Use is allowed only in a private residence with the owner's permission. Sidewalks, the lakefront, parks, the CTA and other public places are off limits, and hotels and landlords can ban it. Chicago has not licensed cannabis consumption lounges; a 2019 proposal to allow use in tobacco shops stalled in City Council. You cannot use cannabis in a car, moving or parked, and purchases must travel in a sealed, odor-proof, child-resistant container. A THC level of 5 nanograms per milliliter of blood within two hours of driving is a DUI. See our full guide to Illinois marijuana laws.
At O'Hare and Midway, federal law applies: cannabis is illegal on planes, even within Illinois, and in 2020 the Chicago Department of Aviation installed cannabis disposal boxes past the TSA checkpoints at both airports.
Cannabis Taxes in Chicago
Every adult-use purchase in Chicago carries the state cannabis purchaser excise tax: 10% on flower and other products at 35% THC or less, 20% on edibles and other infused products, and 25% on products above 35% THC, such as most concentrates and vapes. On top of that come the 6.25% state sales tax and Chicago's local sales taxes, the City of Chicago's 3% cannabis retailers' occupation tax and Cook County's 3% cannabis tax. Your receipt shows each line. Registered medical patients buying their medical supply pay no excise tax and no local cannabis tax, and they are charged the lower food and drug sales tax rate.
Medical Marijuana in Chicago
19 Chicago dispensaries serve patients registered with the Illinois Department of Public Health. Adults 18 and older can register, the certifying visit can be done by telemedicine, and patients may buy up to 2.5 ounces every 14 days.
Dispensaries Near Chicago
- Dispensaries in Evanston: 2 stores just north of Rogers Park.
- Dispensaries in Elmwood Park: 1 store on the city's western edge.
- Dispensaries in Forest Park: 3 stores at the end of the Blue Line.
- Dispensaries in Niles: 2 stores just north of the city's Northwest Side.
- Dispensaries in Rosemont: 2 stores next to O'Hare.
- Dispensaries in Des Plaines: 2 stores just north of O'Hare.
See every city on our Illinois dispensary directory.
Chicago Dispensary FAQ
Is weed legal in Chicago?
Yes. Adult-use cannabis has been legal in Illinois since January 1, 2020, and adults 21 and older can buy it at any IDFPR-licensed dispensary in Chicago. Using it in public is still illegal.
How many dispensaries are in Chicago?
Chicago has 40 licensed dispensaries, more than any other Illinois city, and 19 of them also serve medical patients.
Can tourists buy weed in Chicago?
Yes. Visitors 21 and older can buy with an out-of-state driver's license or a passport, up to 30 grams of flower, 5 grams of concentrate and 500 mg of THC in infused products.
How much weed can I buy in Chicago?
Residents can have up to 60 grams of flower, 10 grams of concentrate and 1,000 mg of THC in infused products; visitors half that.
What time do dispensaries close in Chicago?
Most close at 9 or 10 p.m., and none in our data stays open later than 10 p.m. The earliest opener is Midway by Ascend at 7 a.m.
Do Chicago dispensaries take cards?
Most take debit and cash and have an ATM. Credit cards are rarely accepted.
Where can I smoke weed in Chicago?
Only in a private residence where the owner allows it. Parks, beaches, sidewalks, cars, the CTA and most hotels are off limits, and Chicago has no licensed consumption lounges.
Can I get weed delivered in Chicago?
No. Illinois does not license home delivery of adult-use cannabis. Many stores offer online ordering for in-store pickup, and drive-through or curbside service is allowed once IDFPR approves a store's plan.
What is the best dispensary in Chicago?
By public Google ratings, Cookies Chicago and UMI Chicago lead at 5.0 stars, with Verilife River North the highest-rated store among the most reviewed. See the ratings list above.
Can I bring weed to O'Hare or Midway?
Not onto a plane. Cannabis is illegal on flights under federal law, even within Illinois, and both airports installed disposal boxes past the TSA checkpoints in 2020.
Is there really a dispensary on Weed Street?
Yes. Curaleaf Lincoln Park is at 923 W Weed St, a short street near the North and Clybourn intersection.
Does your dispensary need more visibility? Cannabis shoppers use The Weed Street Journal to compare stores, read strain guides and check the law before they buy. Advertise with us · Spotted a wrong address, phone number or hours? Tell us and we will fix it free.
How we build this list: Store names, addresses and license numbers come from IDFPR's list of licensed adult-use and medical dispensaries. Ratings, review counts and hours come from public Google Maps data. We refresh the list monthly and remove stores whose licenses are no longer active.