Recent social media posts
05/20/2026
This evening, we’re excited to launch our popup series P.S.- Miss You Dearly, an intimate weekly dinner with Dear Margaret, while we continue looking for a new permanent home. The first six events are sold out, but keep an eye on social media and our newsletter for more
05/15/2026
We’re recipe testing for our new popup series P.S- Miss You Dearly. (First run currently sold out, but stay tuned for more events!) Today, Chef Ryan prepares a mousseline with golden chicken (a breed with a higher fat content closer to a duck). The mousseline will become a component of the golden chicken and foie gras ballotine course
05/13/2026
Announcing P.S.- Miss You Dearly (a Dear Margaret popup series) ❤️🌾 Join Dear Margaret for an intimate multi-course dinner at a 10-seat communal table in West Town, featuring seasonally inspired dishes from Executive Chef Ryan Brosseau. Wednesdays May 20-June 24 at 6:30pm; $175. Book on Tock
04/07/2026
Welp, it’s officially been six months, since a fire shuttered our restaurant. We are still looking for the right space to reopen in. And in the meantime, Chef Ryan lets us in on a little secret: spring popup dinners coming soon! Stay tuned for all the details (we will announce on social media and to our newsletter list), and thanks for your patience. We miss serving y’all so very much 🫶
02/01/2026
Back at it—in another kitchen that isn’t our own—Chef Ryan demonstrates how to break down and clean up a huge honkin’ sturgeon. This fish was part of a dish for a special event (as we are trying to keep ourselves busy until we find a new home for Dear Margaret)
01/16/2026
Five years ago today, we opened the doors to Dear Margaret (1st ed.). And this is certainly not how we planned on spending our fifth birthday (no burgers? no poutine? no Canadian tuxedoed staff?? no Rush soundtrack?!?). If the fire has taught us anything, it’s to be wildly grateful in the moment, every chance you get. And for opportunity that appears only when the smoke clears (literally). We can’t wait to bring you Dear Margaret (2nd ed.) and are so very close to having a real, tangible update for you on our forthcoming new home! Thank you for your patience, your words of support and encouragement, and your love for what we do. Thank you for the memories at 2965 N. Lincoln. We are already living in the future when we’ll be breaking bread across the table and consuming ungodly amounts of Duck Liver Mousse ❤️ 🌾
12/10/2025
Today on “Everything Takes Forever,” Chef Ryan sears off a ton of kabocha squash for a holiday catering event*. Huge thank you to our pal Chef of for letting us borrow a little kitchen prep space while DM is still homeless**!
* Thank you for all the love and support, but we are not accepting more holiday catering gigs at this time 🙏
** We are actively working on where to move following a fire that shuttered Dear Margaret in October. Keep your fingers crossed we have an update VERY SOON 🤞
12/09/2025
Just a little teaser 🤭
11/03/2025
Fire update: Unfortunately, we’ve learned the landlord has sold the building to a redeveloper, and Dear Margaret will not be reopening at 2965 N. Lincoln. But it’s not the last you’ll hear from us! We will be back as soon as we can in a new space. Until then, tell Chef Ryan you want “Everything Takes Forever: Home Edition!” Thank you for all the support, and more soon 🫶
10/09/2025
Video update from Chef Ryan! We’re taking a short break while we get the restaurant in back order after the fire. Luckily no one was injured, but there is smoke and soot damage that needs to be addressed before we can reopen. It’s a bit of a waiting game right now as we wait for the many different vendors the insurance company is sending over. Thanks for your patience and support, and back to your regularly scheduled Everything Takes Forever content soon!
We are wholly overwhelmed with gratitude for how the community has shown up for us. For those asking, a GoFundMe has been launched to help our team (https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-dear-margaret-during-a-fire-closure). A huge thank you to our friend, neighbor, and regular (of and The Connection Code podcast!)—we wish all little restaurants could be as lucky as us to have a neighborhood regular like you ❤️
10/07/2025
TEMPORARILY CLOSED: We regret to inform you Dear Margaret is temporarily closed following a fire in the evening of 10/6/25. Luckily no one was injured and the fire was localized, but we have sustained water damage and extensive smoke damage throughout the entire restaurant. Phones are currently down, so if you need to reach us, please email [email protected]. If you have an upcoming reservation, we are so very sorry to cancel on you. We will share our reopen date as soon as we are able. Thank you for your support, and more very soon ❤️ 🌾
~ Chef Ryan, Lacey, and the DM crew
10/05/2025
Bacon Kohlrabi Salad, Calvados apple, pecan, pickled sweet onion, mustard bacon vinaigrette, micro greens
10/04/2025
Current Chef’s Special: Sweet Potato Tarte Tatin, black garlic mascarpone, shallot brûlée, matsutake, smoked onion oil, fig vinegar
10/03/2025
New dishes!
Grilled Lobster ~ celery root, carrot, seed mix, lardo, watercress (GF)
New Chef’s Special: Sweet Potato Tarte Tatin ~ black garlic mascarpone, shallot brûlée, matsutake, smoked onion oil, fig vinegar (V)
Bacon Kohlrabi Salad ~ Calvados apple, pecan, pickled sweet onion, mustard bacon vinaigrette, micro greens
Roasted Pork Belly ~ tomato sugo, pickled jimmy nardellos, olive, arugula (GF)
09/16/2025
Now on the DM charcuterie menu: Beef Terrine of heart & tongue, with violet mustard, pickled shish*to, herb salad
09/10/2025
Oven-Roasted Sturgeon, persillade crust, sauce estragon, grape agrodolce, paddlefish caviar
Address
2965 N. Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL
60657
To get to N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago, you can take the Brown Line train to the Diversey station and then walk west on Diversey Avenue until you reach N. Lincoln Avenue. Alternatively, you can take the #11 Lincoln Avenue bus and get off at the intersection of N. Lincoln and Diversey.
If you are driving, there is street parking available on N. Lincoln Avenue and nearby side streets. You can also park in the parking lot located at the corner of W. Wrightwood Avenue and N. Sheffield Avenue, which is a short walk from N. Lincoln Avenue.
One thing to note is that N. Lincoln Avenue runs diagonally through Chicago, so it's important to pay attention to the street signs when navigating the area.
Opening Hours
| Wednesday |
5pm - 10pm |
| Thursday |
5pm - 10pm |
| Friday |
5pm - 10pm |
| Saturday |
5pm - 10pm |
| Sunday |
5pm - 9pm |
Alerts
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What people say
French cuisine is known for its elegance, sophistication, and attention to detail. It's no wonder that French restaurants have become a staple in the culinary world. Dear Margaret, located on N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago, is a shining example of what makes French restaurants so special.
Dear Margaret is not just any French restaurant; it's a love letter to Midwestern ingredients written in elevated and honest French-Canadian cuisine. The menu features dishes that are both creative and delicious, showcasing the best of what the region has to offer.
One standout dish is the Spinach Panisse with carrot & yogurt purée, honey-roasted pistachio, radish, brûléed shallot, French sorrel, and toasted spices. This dish is a perfect example of how Dear Margaret takes classic French techniques and combines them with local ingredients to create something truly unique.
Another must-try dish is the Duck Breast Magret with duck fat Parisian gnocchi, fontina cheese sauce, English peas, charred ramps, and strawberry bbq sauce. The combination of flavors in this dish is simply divine.
But it's not just about the food at Dear Margaret; the atmosphere is equally impressive. The patio is open for outdoor dining when weather permits and features beautiful flowers that add to the ambiance.
Overall, Dear Margaret is an exceptional French restaurant that should be on every foodie's list. With its creative dishes made from locally sourced ingredients and charming atmosphere, it's no wonder why this restaurant has become a favorite among locals and visitors alike.
