Restaurant Review: Margie’s Candies a year-round ice cream treat in Bucktown and Ravenswood

In 1921, on the corner of Western and Armitage, a Greek immigrant named Peter Poulos opened a sweet shop in the Chicago community of Bucktown. Initially known as Security Sweet Shop, it became Margie’s Candies, soon to become a Chicago landmark. Just look for the giant, multicolored and layered ice cream cone outside its doors on hot summer nights!

Since then, they’ve been serving generations of children and families with their special brand of hand-dipped chocolates, English toffees and ice cream delights. As well as a limited menu of sandwiches and salads reminiscent of the ice cream parlors of yore.

According to Wikipedia sources, the senior Poulos soon handed the business to his son, George. Chicago mobster Al Capone allegedly patronized the sweet shop During its early years, he renamed it Margie’s Candies in honor of his wife in 1933, who ran the shop until her passing in 1995, and is now run by their son Peter. Their décor in Bucktown features original Tiffany lamps, a marble soda fountain, and a small number of old-fashioned booths with miniature jukeboxes. The old-fashioned feel of the entire experience is enhanced by the old-fashioned, unusually shaped sundae bowls and soda glasses, as well as walls adorned with newspaper clippings, stuffed animals, and aging photographs of past customers. 

I’ve visited the Bucktown location numerous times. It’s always crowded and ALWAYS, ALWAYS worth the wait! Their Ravenswood location has a similar menu and is decorated with old-fashioned pictures and ambience. 

Less known but always enjoyable are their luncheon and dinner entrees, including deluxe sandwiches such as Tuna Salad with your choice of bread with lettuce, tomato, pickle and chips. Or their Tuna Salad, Melted Cheese & Tomato for a unique change of pace. Egg Salad Sandwich is made fresh daily. Lean Corned Beef Sandwich is kosher style with Swiss cheese, or plain on your choice of bread, topped with lettuce, tomato, and pickle and served with chips. An Olde-Bucktown treat is a Sliced Turkey Breast Sandwich. A slice of your choice of cheese tops the turkey nicely.

Lighter fare includes their Breast Of Chicken Plate with lettuce, tomato, pickle and chips, and their Hawaiian Plate with cottage cheese, pineapple sherbet, toast and lettuce. Or a traditional Julienne Salad made with strips of turkey, ham, American cheese and Swiss cheese, covering mounds of crisp lettuce and tomatoes. Stuffed Tomatoes come with your choice of chicken or tuna salad.

But for those young and old, there’s nothing like Margie’s Candies’ decadent, delectable ice cream creations. Take, for example, The Worlds Largest Terrapin for your crowd. Fifteen scoops of French vanilla ice cream are topped with kettle-fresh fudge and caramel, whipped cream, nuts, bananas and a cookie! The Atomic Buster is popular, a fruits and fudge delight and plenty for two-plus people. Eiffel Tower is a “Parisian fantasy in ice cream with bananas,” four scoops of your choice of fresh ice cream flavors, and a tower that’s straight up. Oo la la, indeed! Soda aficionados will love the shareable Zombie, which Margie’s bills as the “Worlds Largest Soda.” Your choice of flavor, with French vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, nuts, cherry and a cookie. One way to mix Margie’s handmade delights is the English Toffee Sundae, festooned with Margie’s home made toffee. 

My personal favorite is the Cherries Jubilee sundae with French vanilla ice cream, loaded with saucy cherries, and bananas, topped with whipped cream, nuts and a cookie. No one else makes it (that I know of,) and it’s the perfect blend of creamy, sweet, tangy and crunchy surprise.

Even the waffle cones are special and handmade, then hand dipped with Margie’s own kettle-fresh chocolate, with your choice of two scoops of ice cream flavors, whipped cream, nuts and cherry.

Margie’s Candies in Bucktown is located at 1960 N. Western Avenue. Dine-In Hours are Monday to Thursday, 9am–11am, and Friday to Sunday, 9am-11:30pm. In Ravenswood, 1813 W. Montrose Avenue, with their hours being Monday-Friday, 9am–11pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 9am-11:30pm. For more information, click here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago