Christkindlmarket Chicago — Local services in Chicago

Okay Markt lovers…come at me for my two star rating, but only once you read my review.

If you’ve never been to a European Christmas Market, you’ll likely rate higher. If you’ve been to European Christmas Markets, you may even rate lower. I’ve been to many European markets, but I tried to review with both that lens and a fresh set of eyes.

I attended this market both on a Sunday evening and a Monday midday. Both were incredibly crowded, but hands-down, Monday midday was at least navigable, while I could barely move more than a foot every few minutes on Sunday evening. Not that I would come to this event again, but if I did, I would never come during prime time.

The beauty of a Christkindlmarkt in Europe is there are so many, that they are not a novelty, and don’t get incredibly crowded, aren’t overpriced, and have genuine handmade items. The first two benefits of Christmas markets in Europe do not apply here. Food and craftsmanship was incredibly expensive and as fore mentioned, it was too crowded for me. However, many stalls, did have amazing craftsmanship and genuine European items. If you go up during prime time, though, you may never know it because actually getting to a stall is near impossible. And the enclosed ones with real doors? Forget it! I would have loved to get closer looks at many different products but I just couldn’t because of the constant jostle and long lines. To me, that is not relaxing and joyful.

Glühwein here with a souvenir mug was $13 and refills of the wine or $11. To me even if I hadn’t been to Europe, this refill price specifically is outrageous. The mugs are small. The Glühwein is delicious, but I only went for one cup because I did not want to pay more. Cash only by the way! In Europe refills and under 5 euros (even in Vienna - an amazing and huge Christkindlmarkt) and you have the option to return your mug and receive back a deposit.

Overall, I get that for many this is a novelty and they are willing to pay the price once a year. I however, I am not and price aside, there are just too many people for me. Perhaps a bigger space would solve this, but until that happens, I will be passing on this markt in the future.

I visited Chicago this time for the Christkindlmarkt specifically, but I’m very happy that Chicago is such an amazing city that I had plenty else...

It’s difficult to review this because while being really fun with so many cool booths, the crowds are almost unnavigable to be able to look at or eat and enjoy anything. We were queued to get in and almost decided to leave but decided to give it a go. From there it was basically one long line through every section, literally smashed person to person like sardines or cattle being herded. It was very difficult to tell what was a line for food or people just standing there. We also found that the crowded spaces made a lot of people very rude and that they plowed through people without a care.

I didn’t feel like we truly saw even a quarter of it and after maybe 30 min max we were tired of the crowd and left. We did manage to snag a couple of snacks that were good, but I couldn’t even find one of the places I wanted to try because of the crowds. I wish the Wrigley location had been open this year. It’s much more chill and easier to navigate.

It’s also frustrating that it’s inconsistent with payment methods. At the one in Wrigley we could use cards, everywhere we went downtown only accepted cash, which meant getting scalped by the plentiful ATMs with convenience fees and large lines.

It’s just grown too big for where it’s at and the size of the...

We’ve been coming to the Christkindlmarket in Chicago during Christmas time for years and always had a wonderful experience. However, this year the crowds were larger than ever, which was a bit disappointing.

If you’re looking for a more relaxed and spacious atmosphere, I recommend checking out the Aurora location. But if you’re set on spending a day in the city, the Chicago market still delivers that festive charm—just be prepared for the crowds.

The line to get into the building was about a block and a half long, taking us roughly 35 minutes to enter. Once inside, it was nearly impossible to move around comfortably, especially if you have a stroller. You’ll feel like a pinball in a sea of people!

Prices have stayed fairly consistent, with food items ranging from $12–$15 and small vendor purchases quickly adding up to at least $50. While I love the tradition of visiting the market, the overwhelming crowds make it hard to enjoy.

In the future, we’ll likely stick to the Aurora location for the sake of walking room and a better overall experience. If you do plan to visit the Chicago market, I highly recommend going on a weekday to recapture the charm of how it used to feel...