Chicago's Best Butcher Shops and Meat Counters
Where to Buy the Freshest, Finest Cuts in Chicago & How to get the most out of your local butcher shop
Chefs, grill masters, and home cooks agree: nothing enhances a dish more than the natural flavor of fresh, high-quality meat. Finding a butcher whose consistency and expertise you know and trust will make your culinary journey filled with ease and satisfaction. See which butchers and meat counters across the city we turn to for the best quality, consistency, service, and choice offerings.
How to tell if you've found a good butcher
First, we must quickly agree upon what makes a great butcher. Of course, at minimum, you must ensure the meat is fresh and handled in a way that will not be harmful to your health. From there, we can start to look for better sourcing quality, custom or more rare cuts of meat, customer service, and sustainability. But how do you as the customer assess these standards? Here are a few things you can do the next time you walk into a butcher shop to assess the quality in under a minute.
Observe display & workspace hygiene
The saying "You eat with your eyes" exists for a reason! Take a look at the meat on display, does the coloring look fresh? Is there good marbling throughout cuts like ribeyes? Does the workstation and display look clean and well maintained?
Scan for Source Transparency
Good butchers will have their meat sourcing clearly labeled, including details about whether the meat was grass fed, organic, locally sourced, and even what farm the animal came from. Can you easily find this information on the labels?
Ask the Staff Questions
Expert butchers will be happy to answer questions and help guide you on custom cuts, portion sizes, cooking techniques, sourcing, and beyond. Talking to your butcher is the best way to get the most out of your butcher. It should feel like a comfortable, open conversation.
Best Full Service Butcher Shops in Chicago
Publican Quality Meats
(Fulton Market)
Head Butcher Rob Levitt was behind Chicago’s first local whole-animal butcher shop and prioritizes sustainability in his practice. At PQM, Rob and team focus on local sourcing, working with the likes of Slagel Family Farms. Publican offers house-made sausages, in-house dry aging, monthly butcher box subscriptions with chefs notes, as well as custom orders for special requests and events.
Gene’s Sausage Shop
(Lincoln Square)
Gene’s Sausage Shop is the result of two Polish-immigrant brothers (John and Gene Luszcz) who wanted to bring their family’s sausage recipes and smoking techniques to their new home. Today, Gene’s offers over 40 varieties of their homemade sausages, special seasonal game from wild boar to ostrich, imported specialty European ingredients, and much more.
Paulina Market
(Lakeview)
Opened in 1949, Paulina Market (now owned and operated by Bill and Laurie Begale) is a legendary Chicago butcher shop and sausage maker that has expanded into a fully stocked specialty grocer. Aside from having top notch suppliers, Paulina is known for their friendly and expert staff. Their smokehouse produces smoked sausages, ham hocks, and over 10 varieties of homemade bacon!
Peoria Packing Butcher Shop
(Fulton Market)
Compared to some of the other butchers on the list, Peoria Packing may not have the same charming interior design or frills, but please do not let this deter you. The focus here is great meat freshly butchered, offered at hard-to-beat prices. Their Chicago based pork processing center means you are getting products that were likely butchered same day at wholesale prices. Be sure to check out their rotating daily specials for the best value, and inquire ahead of time for any special requests.
Agora Market
(Bucktown)
Agora Market (recently rebranded, formerly Fresh Market Place) is known to be the market of choice for many of Chicago’s finest chefs. While Agora market is overflowing with the best locally sourced breads, produce, and condiments, their butcher counter in the back corner is where the party is at. Slagel Farms meats and eggs are abundant, the team is friendly and proud of their work, and the rotating options of pre-marinated and pre butchered meats make for easy yet inspiring creations (think bone in skin on chicken breasts and korean black garlic marinated wings).
Chicago Steakhouses with Butcher Counters
Boeufhaus
(Ukrainian Village)
Boeufhaus has a divine butcher counter that is a true gem to those in the neighborhood. There you can find specialty cuts like Kansas City Strip to 55 day dry aged T-Bone, as well as sausages, burgers, seafood, caviar, and all the accoutrement needed for a top tier grilling experience. Their butcher boxes make for a great gift (for friends, or yourself).
El Che Meats & Provisions
(West Loop)
El Che’s great success amongst the Chicago Steakhouse greats has brought us El Che Meats & Provisions, meaning you can now access Creekstone Farms USDA Premium Black Angus Beef to grill up at home.
Gibson’s Steak Shop
(Online Only)
What would this list be without an appearance from Gibson’s? Available for online-order, Gibson’s offers a wide variety of butcher boxe options including various GGA (Gibson’s Grassfed Australian) choice cuts, seafood, and pork. Make a round of Gibson’s dirty martinis, fire up the grill, and settle in for a great time.
Bringing Home the Best Cuts
You’ve followed the steps to assess your butchers, you have checked out various locally owned shops, and have finally found “your butcher.” Congratulations! Finding local spots that you frequent is comforting and makes you feel a fulfilling sense of connection to your community. Now that you are consistently supporting this business, let’s make sure you are also getting the most out of your relationship with your butcher! Check out our tips and tricks to fully utilize your butcher’s expertise and make your meal prep easier.
A great local butcher shop is more than just a place to buy meat—it’s a resource for home cooks who care about quality ingredients and expert guidance. By building a relationship with your local butcher, you’ll gain access to the freshest cuts, insider tips on preparation, and even custom services to take your home cooking to the next level. Whether you’re looking for the perfect steak, need help breaking down a whole chicken, or want recommendations on lesser-known cuts, your butcher is there to help.
Looking for more ways to upgrade your grocery shopping around Chicago? Explore our guides to the best bakeries for fresh bread, best seafood and fish markets across the city, and authentic Italian markets.