This place was a vibe! A first time for me, I attended a private event here and thought it to be such an interesting venue to host a big seated dinner. Very unassuming, considering it's just your good ol' neighborhood butcher shop / market by day. Off the bat you can tell they carry clean, wholesome products. The shelves and fridges are stacked with the likes of fresh meat cuts, house-made sauces, cheese, jams, pickled goods... the list goes on. I can only imagine their deli sandwich are incredible. I'll have to return to order from their regular cafe next time I'm in town. The event however, wow very well done and the menu was stacked. Their sweet staff kept bringing out family-style dishes and I didn't have a single bite that wasn't delicious. From the butcher's steak to the mussels and everything in between. Oh and the night finished with some kind of apple/cranberry pot pie situation. Wow. Oh and plenty of wine and cocktail options here too! Like plentyyyy. Keeping this place on my radar for when I'm next in the city. Thanks for having us! read more

I wanted to like publican, but overall thought it was just okay. The portions are quite large, but is missing the finishing touches that are thoughtful to the customer. For example with my mussels, rather than this large chunk of baguette, I wouldn't preferred it pre-sliced. We went on a busy Saturday night and it was popping in here for sure. However because it was so busy, my table ended up being neglected and our waitress was impossible to flag down. In terms of vibes, it seems like a pretty cool place to be. I liked the chairs and then the little booths seem like a fun time. I was also a big fan of the bathroom sink. Overall, Publican was a fine time, and even better time if you're looking for meat forward dishes. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Mussels - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I think this place is overpriced for being very mediocre. I've tried a few of their sandwiches and sourdough. Sandwiches weren't that great, and sourdough just was way too expensive. Additionally, I've experienced rude service from multiple folks. It really is such a cute neighborhood corner store, but because of these reasons I've listed, I will not be returning. read more

This sandwich was so good. I usually don't like tomato anything but this marinated spread was so tasty. Loved the chopped turkey also. This is only half the sandwich as it was shared. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Turkey Bacon Ranch Sandwich - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Have been wanting to come try their sandwiches for a long time and finally came at the end of 2025! We got the mortadella burrata and porchetta sandwiches, both on focaccia bread. Sandwiches were $17 each but huge so easily shareable between two people. The focaccia was really disappointing...dry and really dragged down the whole eating experience unfortunately. If not the actual flavor of the porchetta and mortadella burrata were pretty acceptable. The pistachio cream in the mortadella sandwich was definitely a highlight - nutty but slightly sweet (maybe there was a drizzle of honey...?) which paired very well with the burrata Porchetta was in my opinion too rich / fatty and was begging for a strong mustard and sauerkraut to balance everything out. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Kind staff, super high quality meats and cheeses, passionate butchers and bread makers willing to go the extra mile to explain and answer questions about products! Very reachable by phone, again super super helpful in answering any question about products and willing to give suggestions for a newer meat eater, like myself. Clearly the ownership is involved as this place operates like a well oiled machine. Consistently good products and I loveee the chicken breasts they get from Slagel Family Farms. It's also fun to check out local produce they have in stock like morel mushrooms, asparagus, berries--again all locally foraged. Delicious high end balsamic, jams, sourdough snacks, bespoke tomato sauces to enhance the quality meats you might be buying or to make a special dinner even more remarkable, love love this local gem. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Local produce, 1 Dozen Local Farm Eggs, morel mushrooms, cheeses, schmeers etc - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had the Jambon Beurre for a weekday lunch at Publican Quality Meats -- perfect sandwich, perfect weather. Ate outside and loved every bite. Simple, delicious, and exactly what I needed. Chips are expensive for $4 so maybe skip that. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Jambon Beurre (Ham Sandwich) - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Enjoyed the Tom Skilling Turkey Sandwich at Public Quality Meats. Decent sized sandwich with a delicious sauce and perfectly toasted, fresh bread, 3.8/5. Comes with a pickle. Sandwich was good, but I don't think it was $17 before tax and tip good. Very nice patio area, but would be a great takeout spot. Server was kind. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Tom Skilling Turkey Sandwich Tom Skilling Turkey Sandwich - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

The butcher's breakfast was a 10/10. It was breakfast sausage, maple bacon, fried eggs, spicy potatoes, toast. Each item was exceptionally high quality. The spicy potatoes had a little kick to them, but it wasn't really noticeable. I added some hot sauce to them. The bread didn't need any butter because the rest of the items were very fatty! The chocolate hazelnut doughnut was a bit dense, but not in a particularly pleasant way. I don't recommend it. I also wasn't a big fan of the soda, but that isn't their fault. Exceptionally nice staff and vibe. Would come again! read more

See all

I had Publican Quality Meats on my radar after watching a YouTube video about the best Italian sandwiches in Chicago, and I finally checked it off my list for lunch today! I ordered their Italian sub through DoorDash, and it arrived in just 20 minutes--super fast service! At first glance, the sandwich seemed small, but once I dug in, I realized it was compact but stacked high with quality ingredients. What really sets this Italian sub apart is the artichoke tapenade they use as a spread instead of mayo--a creative twist that takes the sandwich to another level. The sandwich also came with a pickle, though I wasn't a fan of it, which is unusual since I typically love pickles. That small detail aside, the sandwich itself was fantastic--definitely worthy of 5 stars. If you're exploring Chicago's best deli sandwich spots, Publican Quality Meats is a must-try! read more

See all

Four stars for the food, one star for the service. We arrived for lunch and were seated promptly. We received menus, cutlery, and water. And then we sat. And sat. And sat. After far too long of having no one come near our table we got up to leave. On the way out my partner passed by a server and told him why we were leaving. He didn't even seem aware that we had been sitting there even though we were in his line of sight. We agreed to sit back down and our orders were taken shortly afterwards. Understandably, service got better after this but it was still nothing special. All we ordered was 2 sandwiches, no sides, and it still took over 15 minutes to get them. The quality of the food was very good. My partner loved his mortadella sandwich. I thought the saba (grape must) on it made it disconcertingly sweet but he disagreed. My Italian combo was also rather good but I was disappointed with the artichoke tapenade. I could see the artichoke bits but they were subsumed in a sea of sun dried tomato which entirely overwhelmed their flavor. On the whole, a good lunch food wise but hardly life changing. A number of reviewers have noted their displeasure with the prices. It doesn't seem to me that they are overpriced for the area. I will say though that the prices are inequitable. All sandwiches are $17 but the mortadella sandwich was about half the size of the Italian. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Italian Sub Sandwich (Yes, that it how it arrived at the table) - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I've had publican for a work lunch before and I as really impressed by the ~quality~ so I was excited to come back to try more things and see the space! I love the casual walk-in neighborhood feel and that they have counter service and sit down service. A great spot to stop in for a chill breakfast or lunch. I have tried the Tom skilling sandwich before and lovedddd it but decided to get the gem salad with chicken salad this time and I am still thinking about it! Light and fresh, you can taste the quality. Will definitely be back here! read more

Publican Quality Meats - Gem salad with chicken salad - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was such a good spot for lunch! It has a lovely mom and pop feel to it. The staff was friendly and prompt and the food was reasonably priced. Inside was such a cute deli feel with a casual compact seating area! I got the salad with chicken salad and it was so fresh and filling without being too heavy! It was so good! read more

Publican Quality Meats - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Per always, another great meal. For roughly a decade I've been frequenting The Publican's little sister restaurant for brunch and so excited their instituting a rotating seasonal brunch menu. This week's focaccia bread biscuits and gravy paired with pickles jalapenos was inspired. read more

The chicken parm was really good just a little small for the price. I really like the chicken that was crunchy but still tender and the pesto and sesame bun were both good additions. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Half a Chicken Parm Sandwich - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wonderful and so Tasty! I was craving a sandwich and after a quick search Publican Quality Meats seemed like the best choice. This place has amazing reviews and very well deserved. Here I had the most delicious turkey sandwich I've ever had in my life. I also ordered a soup that was so delicious and hearty, I don't remember the name but it had sausage, Lima beans, kale and Parmesan cheese. My daughter had the chicken parm sandwich and it was to die for. The food here is beautiful, fresh and so flavorful. We enjoyed everything about this place, the food, the friendly staff, the gorgeous ambiance. Loved! Loved! Loved! I'm going to continue to go back to Publican because I want to try every single item in their menu. I highly recommend. read more

Publican Quality Meats - The Tom Turkey sandwich with bacon. - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Sandwich was amazing. The meat was fresh and the bread was perfect. Fries were great too. Will be back for sure. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Tom Skillings - one on rye and the other on baguette. - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Outdoor seating, helpful staff and incredible sandwiches. Will make a habit of coming here. Check out the inside too, they have a solid meat, cheese and wine collection and a lot of other things like chili oils you won't see many places read more

See all

Small butcher case by comparison to Paulina Market but very fresh meat and the same cut of beef was less expensive. Excellent service by kind people. First time here. Will happily shop here again. read more

We split the Jambon Beurre sandwich and an order of the fries. Everything was delicious and we sat at the bar seating so it was a perfect place for people watching. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Jambon Beurre (Ham Sandwich), Fries - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I meet some friends once a month for lunch, the staff is always polite and knowledgeable about the menu. The food and service is always impeccable! Chef kahan keeps his kitchens and dining rooms cleaner than most hospitals er's. read more

It was my first time trying publican quality meats, I will say every dish was worth every bite! The surprise was how tasty the tomato soup was and how even the pickle spear made you want to have another as it had a little kick! The soup and the porchetta bread were excellent together! I will say that the service was a little slow but, the server was very backed up so we understood! A nice side note is if you go to the bathroom you can see the area where the food was being made which was really cool! read more

See all

Super impressed with the quality of the food at this butcher shop/restaurant. The service is amazing, the meats are too, and the location is solid as well. If you are looking for a solid lunch spot in this city without waiting 45 minutes, this is it. The sandwiches are piled high and come with a fresh, free pickle. Thank you for the pickle, you will need it with all the changes this sandwich takes you through. At first I thought I could not finish it, until Smash Mouth's "I'm a Believer" came over the sound system. With a little help from Steve Harwell (RIP), I got a second wind and ate it all, well mostly aside from the real greasy end. How about that S'more Rice Krispie treat? Totally awesome as well! Save it for the end because it is the perfect dessert. Sticky, gooey, delicious. No further comments. It was like this restaurant was made for me. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Italian Sub Sandwich and a S'mores Rice Krispy Treat - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place has some amazing sandwiches and also has all sorts of baked goods to try, as well as quality things to buy for later like soups, meats, etc. The sandwiches were delicious (and huge), which is great since they were a bit expensive. But you know it'll be quality since it's Publican. The fries were tasty as well. Definitely need to go back to try other sandwiches on the menu. read more

See all

Made a quick stop into the establishment to grab a few items. Lots to offer here if you're looking for farm meats and cheeses. Very high-end items to acquire. They also had a very good selection of wine to purchase. Definitely surprised but how many refrigerated items they had to purchase. I am really curious as to how some of the frozen bread items taste. read more

See all

This review will be for my experience with one item only: the charcuterie board. I reserved this ahead of time as I knew I would be in Fulton Market for the day. I would say that the experience was pretty interesting and I got to try a bunch of cheeses and meats I otherwise wouldn't have. However, it is pretty expensive, although the board is actually quite large. I would say if you were hungry, the small board is definitely large enough for a meal for two people. A couple suggestions I do have is I wish that they had written down somewhere what was in the charcuterie board because immediately after the staff pointed out each item, I had no idea which was which. I would also caveat that you have to be pretty open-minded about your charcuterie because if you only like very specific items, you might end up with items that you don't love. The shop was relatively empty, but they do have quite a bit of seating indoor and outdoor if you choose to monch out immediately. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Small Charcuterie - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

On a whim we made a reservation for Publican Quality Meats' Restaurant Week Menu. We shared the entire restaurant with another couple and had a wonderful evening with some excellent food. Each dish was excellent and showed off the Chef's talents. The Pate en Croute was phenomenal and the Beef Bourguignon topped off the evening. My wife and I could not finish the dish so we had it wrapped up and our son devoured the leftovers when he came home from work. Our waiter gave us a handout for the Austrian wine tasting menu and we already purchased tickets for that evening. If you have a chance to have dinner here, jump on it. In my opinion, the quality of their food exceeds what is offered at their sister restaurant, The Publican. This has to be one of the best Restaurant Week menus that we experienced. We are looking forward to next year's menu. read more

See all

I came here for brunch on a Saturday, and I really really really enjoyed the breakfast sandwich. I've never been here on a weekday, but I would definitely recommend coming here for brunch. The staff were all super friendly, and it was such a nice day to eat outside. Overall highly recommend this place. PS the cookies were great. read more

Great shop with an array of house made items. We stopped in for lunch on a Sunday and each had a different sandwich so that we could try them all. The broccoli rabe sandwich was great! Just a little bitter with a nice bit of heat from the chili sauce. The bread was also very soft and delicious. The smoked turkey sandwich was awesome! I wasn't expecting anything crazy but honestly, how much can you do with turkey?! But it was so delicious, I would definitely order again. The ship is small but they have some tables for dine in and do have a separate small brunch menu on the weekends as well. Will be back! read more

Quality meats they are indeed! I've had the pleasure of trying 3 different sandwiches at PQM and they're outta control gewddd. I think I had a Turkey one and an Italian a year ago, and then most recently the Porchetta with marinated fennel on ciabatta. I love their unique ingredients and condiments- it's refreshing to try something new every time. Plus they make their own stuff! The 'wiches are served on Publican bread and they treat a lot of the meats in-house. Their meat and cheese cases are super enticing. Even though I haven't bought anything from the counter, I'd definitely recommend checking it out if you're tryna charcuterie-it-uuuup! I also tried their Bloody Mary -quite good- and their baked goods, and left full 'n' happy! Can't wait to go back wahoooo. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Porchetta Sandwich is verrry rich but so YUM!!! - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Food - Got a turkey sandwich and two brown butter cookies from Avec. All in, I paid more than 30 bucks for lunch. The sandwich was good with flavorful turkey, great peppers and thick toasted bread. However, at $19, it was exceptionally expensive and I'm not worth the overall price. Service - People were very friendly. A kind person behind the counter addressed us immediately to see if we were dining in or taking out. If taking out (like we did), they point you to the cashier to take your order. Critique - So why the three stars? Aside from the price, I was slightly annoyed by the fact that I wanted a sandwich (jambon) and asked if I could add lettuce to it because it is literally just ham on bread with butter with zero veggies. I was told no, and if I wanted to add something, I'd need to go to the counter, order everything a la carte (aka even more than the $19 sandwich I ordered cost) and they'd then put it on for me. I really don't mind paying an extra buck for an additional topping, but stepping aside, ordering and paying for everything separately to then have them put it on the sandwich for me anyway? Seems backwards at best. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Simple and tasty sandwiches. Perfect size to split and try a few different ones! We also got the carrot salad side with pistachios on top and it was so fresh and nutty. Will definitely be back when I'm in Chicago! read more

Publican Quality Meats - Broccoli Rabe Sandwich - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I really liked the ambiance, the color theme of the shop and how the tables were set up gave it a cozy feel on a rainy day. I didn't love how the bathrooms were adjacent to the kitchen but I'm sure space in Chicago is hard to come by. The chocolate walnut cookie with marshmallows was amazing and I highly recommend read more

We came here for lunch. It was a gorgeous day so we decided to enjoy it outside in their patio. I'm not even sure if they were letting people dine inside but that's ok. Everything is all done on the phone. They'll bring you waters, but you scan the barcode on your phone, and then you place your order on your phone. Once your food is ready, they'll deliver it to your table. The wife ordered their BLT sandwich and I ordered their PQM Club sandwich. Both were good, but the PQM Club was better. The BLT was just simple. Nothing to go crazy about. Bacon, lettuce and tomatoes. Everything did taste fresh and the bread was perfect. The PQM had much more to offer. It came with smoked turkey, bacon, avocado, Muenster, iceberg, giardiniera and ranch on their homemade Publican Quality Bread sourdough. Such a perfectly assembled sandwich. The the ingredients complemented each other perfectly. The sourdough bread was perfect and held everything together nicely. I do wish they had much more to offer as far as more items on their menu, but I wouldnt mind returning to try a few of their other sandwiches or maybe even that PQM again. Yes it's a tad bit pricier than your corner sub place, but you're getting fresh and good quality food here. read more

See all

Stopped by here for a quick lunch. We got the mortadella and burrata sandwich with the pistachio butter that was quite good. They have nice seating outdoors so you can enjoy the beautiful summer weather here. read more

As a native New Yorker I often crave an Italian Combo with quality Italian cold cuts and great bread. This does all of that and then some. Quick friendly service in a clean store. Like the rest of the west loop parking is horrible but definitely worth the work to find a spot. read more

Publican Quality Meats - Italian Sub Sandwich - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food here is delish. It can be a bit expensive, but worth the cost whether you're getting a sandwich or any of their meats or cheeses.

My husband and I recently went to Publican Quality Meats as he was really craving lamb. While pricy, quality of the meat was great and extremely easy to cook. The butcher was also willing to provide guidance on how to prepare the meat, which was a welcome recommendation (and totally unexpected!). While this likely won't be a regular purchase we make, recommend coming here for meats to support a special occasion! read more

I came here very recently for a private event for my friend's company holiday party. We had the place all to ourselves and it was a blast!. Greeted by the good folks that work here as we entered and they took our coats as well. Staff walked around passing out glasses of champagne as well as hor'dourves . There was an appetizer that had duck on garlic bread ad it was amazing. We walked around drinking a mingling and giving great toasts for about 40 minutes. Once we sat down for dinner, the staff started taking drink orders and I went with the Manhattan which was pretty good. They started us off with the apple brussel sprouts which was good...had a hint of lemon flavoring in there. We then was served the squash which included potatoes and brown butter walnut...was definitely a game changer. The farm chicken on top of french fries were very delicious. We were then served the ribeye and roasted potatoes which was very good! The real MVP was the chocolate mousse truffle! Lots of food was consumed before it got there but I was able to squeeze some in. Everything was served family style so we ate very good! If your company is looking for an awesome space to have a holiday party or private event, look no further than Publican Quality Meats! read more

Publican Quality Meats - This chocolate mousse truffle was on point! - Butcher Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This establishment is incredibly disrespectful to its surrounding tenants. Weekly (and sometimes more often) they have a loud generator truck parked on the street between 3-5am that is so loud it instantly wakes you up. It's either a Hoodz van, an oil van, or POWER WASHING THE SIDEWALK?! at 3am !! We have called and complained and nothing has changed. This has literally caused us to move. read more