11 Must-Try Waukegan Restaurants: Where the Waukegan Locals Eat

Situated along the shores of Lake Michigan, Waukegan, IL, is a picturesque Midwestern city with a charming downtown, green parks, lakefront views, and great restaurants. Whether you’re looking for a Filipino or Mediterranean restaurant, a classic pizzeria, or a local sandwich shop, you can find it all living in Waukegan.

But if you’ve recently moved into an apartment in Waukegan and are new to the area, chances are you’re also looking for some local restaurants to try. We’ve collected a list of 11 must-try Waukegan restaurants to try this year. Let’s jump in.

#1: Papa Marcos

Cuisine: Middle Eastern restaurant
Address: 622 Grand Ave, Waukegan, IL 60085
Papa Marcos’ Website

Located just outside of downtown Waukegan, Papa Marcos is an awesome place to have an authentic Middle Eastern meal. You can get anything from falafels, bourak, and shawerma and kabob wraps, to gyro plates and lentil soup.

#2: China Garden

Cuisine: Chinese restaurant
Address: 318 N Genesee St, Waukegan, IL 60085
China Garden’s Website

A Chinese spot, China Garden has a lot of options like roast pork egg rolls, shrimp fried rice, lo mein, honey chicken, beef mai fun, and ma po tofu, perfect for anyone looking for a new spot to eat.

#3: George’s Gyros

Cuisine: Greek restaurant
Address: 2122 Grand Ave, Waukegan, IL 60085
George’s Gyros’ Website

Another must-visit Waukegan restaurant is George’s Gyros. You’ll find a variety of Greek items like gyro sandwiches and tzatziki as well as American dishes like burgers, grilled sandwiches, hot dogs, and fries.

#4: Quonset Pizza

Cuisine: Pizzeria
Address: 2602 Grand Ave, Waukegan, IL 60085
Quonset Pizza’s Website

If you’re looking for a pizzeria serving Waukegan since 1946, be sure to check out the menu at Quonset Pizza. You’ll find thin crust pies, Italian beef sandwiches, and garlic bread among other specialties at their restaurant.

#5: Leno’s Sandwich Shop

Cuisine: Deli and sandwich restaurant
Address: 1826 Grand Ave Ste 1, Waukegan, IL 60085
Leno’s Sandwich Shop’s Website

A Waukegan staple since 1970, Leno’s Sandwich Shop has plenty of options. You can order subs with ham, veggies, salami, turkey clubs, pastrami or corned beef Ruebens, and home-made tapioca pudding.

#6: Mike’s Pizza 

Cuisine: Pizzeria
Address: 322 S Elmwood Ave, Waukegan, IL 60085
Mike’s Pizza’s Website

Serving the Waukegan area for decades, Mike’s Pizza has plenty of options for those looking for a great pizza – topped with cheese, sausage, peppers, mushrooms, onions, or pepperoni.

#7: La Casa de Samuel

Cuisine: Mexican restaurant
Address: 120 N Genesee St, Waukegan, IL 60085
La Casa de Samuel’s Website

If you’ve recently moved to Waukegan and are searching for a Mexican restaurant, you can find that at La Casa de Samuel. They’ve got options like queso fundido, enchiladas, chicken in house-made mole sauce, vegetarian fajitas, filet with molcajete sauce and cheese, and chiles en nogada, among many other dishes.

#8: Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant

Cuisine: Chinese restaurant
Address: 1802 Washington St, Waukegan, IL 60085
Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant’s Website

Another one of the many Waukegan restaurants to add to your list is Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant. You can find this Chinese spot serving lots of great food like wonton soup, egg fried rice, roast pork lo mein, chicken with snow peas, pepper steak, and bean curd with broccoli.

#9:  Taqueria Toluca

Cuisine: Mexican restaurant
Address: 822 10th St, Waukegan, IL 60085
Taqueria Toluca’s Website

At Taqueria Toluca, you can find a variety of meals to choose from – chilaquiles and huevos a la Mexicana for breakfast, sopes and tortas for lunch, and snapper Veracruz and chicken enchiladas for dinner. Make sure to explore their extensive menu.

#10: Isla Del Mar

Cuisine: Mexican restaurant
Address: 1300 Glen Rock Ave, Waukegan, IL 60085
Isla Del Mar’s Website

Isla Del Mar is a stellar restaurant to visit in Waukegan. A Mexican restaurant specializing in cuisine from the Nayarit state, you’ll find ceviche, camarones al chipotle, grilled quail, and steak ranchero on their menu.

#11: SMC Pampanga Express

Cuisine: Filipino restaurant
Address: 2855 Washington St, Waukegan, IL 60085
SMC Pampanga Express’ Website

The last spot on our must-try list of Waukegan restaurants is SMC Pampanga Express, a Filipino restaurant serving dishes like pancit, adobo chicken, sinigag, kare-kare, and halo-halo.

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