When it comes to cannabis, Illinois is definitely budding into something special. As the cannabis powerhouse of the upper Midwest, the Prairie State is home to over 100 dispensaries and growing, some of which are among the most notable dispensaries in the region. With both medical and recreational cannabis available, dispensaries in Illinois continue to attract interest from both locals and tourists.
But in a state with so many dispensaries, knowing which ones have the best prices, customer service, and budtenders, can be challenging. For situations like this, the cannabis experts at Leafly analyzed hundreds of customer reviews of dispensaries in Illinois to create Leafly List. If you’re searching for the best dispensary in Illinois, use Leafly List to help you get started.
Highest-rated recreational dispensaries in Illinois
Recreational dispensaries in Illinois were legalized and opened in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. Today there are over 113 adult-use dispensaries in Illinois, with more on the way. The recreational dispensaries featured in this list were rated highly for competitive pricing, cleanliness, and knowledgeable staff
MedMen – Oak Park
1142 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL — undefined
“MedMen in Oak Park is a great dispensary with a friendly and knowledgeable staff. They have a great selection of products and the atmosphere is welcoming. I recommend this dispensary to anyone looking for quality cannabis products in the Oak Park area.”
RISE Dispensaries Lake in the Hills
270 N Randall Rd., Lake in the Hills, IL — undefined
“RISE offers a fantastic selection of top quality flower, edibles, and concentrates. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and always available to help. The atmosphere is welcoming and relaxed, and the prices are reasonable.”
More Locations: RISE Dispensaries – Niles, RISE Dispensaries – Effingham
Cannabist Villa Park
133 Roosevelt Rd. Suite G, Villa Park , IL — recreational
“Cannabist Villa Park is a great dispensary with a chic, clean and bright atmosphere. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, and they have a great selection of products. I highly recommended this dispensary to anyone looking for quality cannabis products in the Villa Park area.”
EarthMed – Addison (Recreational)
852 South Westgate St., Addison, IL — recreational
“I have been to many dispensaries, and this is absolutely my favorite spot. The staff is always super friendly and welcoming, and they are always looking out for you in regards to promotions, points, etc. The selection is always great too, but I may be biased because I typically only buy Verano products.”
Beyond Hello – Normal (REC)
501 West Northtown Road, Normal, IL — recreational
“When Beyond Hello opened, I didn’t expect to be visiting nearly as often as I do. Now that they have two locations, resulting in decreased wait times and a better product selection at both, I find myself making a stop almost daily. They have a good rewards program, friendly staff, and most of all, a great and always-growing selection of both THC and CBD products.”
Consume Cannabis Co – Carbondale
201 E Main St Suite 1A, Carbondale, IL — recreational
“I really enjoy the incredibly knowledgeable staff at Consume Cannabis Co who helped tailor strain recommendations for me based on what I wanted out of the experience. In this case, it was needing to ease migraine pain and hold down on some of my anxiety. She patiently explaining things two or three times and never was rude or condescending; she was fantastic.”
More Locations:Consume Cannabis Co. – Marion
Sunnyside Cannabis Dispensary – Schaumburg
1739 E. Golf Rd. , Schaumburg, IL — recreational
“I love this Sunnyside location so much that I exclusively shop here, even though I live in Park Ridge (about 25 minutes away). Every cashier, security guard, and budtender have been nothing but friendly and helpful every time I’ve shopped there. Sunnyside has a pretty decent selection of sales going on usually and staff are more than happy to tell you their honest reviews and recommend product for you.”
Curaleaf – Weed Street
923 Weed St, Chicago, IL — recreational
“This was a wonderful shopping experience. Curaleaf has a great menu and selection, plus super friendly and knowledgeable staff with a quick line! I also love how they display the cannabis products in-store for you to browse. I will definitely will shop here again!”
Zen Leaf – West Loop
222 S Halsted St. , Chicago , IL — recreational
“Zen Leaf West Loop is a top-notch dispensary that has established itself as a go-to destination for cannabis enthusiasts in Chicago. From the moment you step inside, you’re greeted with a warm and inviting atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. Another great thing about Zen Leaf West Loop is their commitment to quality. They partner with only the best cannabis producers and vendors, ensuring that every product on their shelves is of the highest possible quality. And with regular testing and quality control measures in place, you can trust that you’re getting safe, effective, and reliable products every time.”
Highest-rated medical dispensaries in Illinois
The best medical dispensaries in Illinois were rated highly by patients for their compassionate budtenders and generous pricing.
Zen Leaf – Evanston (Med)
1804 Maple Ave, Evanston, IL — medical
“Zen Leaf Evanston places a strong emphasis on customer service. Their staff is friendly, attentive, and always willing to go the extra mile to make sure that customers have a positive experience. Whether you have questions about a product or need assistance with something else, they’re always there to help.”
More Locations:Zen Leaf – St. Charles
The Dispensary (Recreational)
1801 16th Ave, Fulton, IL — recreational
“The Dispensary has exceptional products and a very knowledgeable staff in Fulton. I’ve been there a few times now and I always have a great experience. The product is some of the best in Illinois. Prices include tax, which was nice. I can’t ask for a better dispensary. The budtenders are very friendly and have a wealth of knowledge about the products they sell.”
RISE Dispensaries Mundelein (Medical)
1325 Armour Blvd., Mundelein, IL — medical
“Since undergoing renovations to the building, the Rise dispensary in Mundelein has been spectacular. The staff are courteous and quick to assist with anything you might need. The new parking lot is a blessing compared to the old field of loose rocks people had to park in before.”
More Locations: RISE Dispensaries – Joliet Rock Creek
Curaleaf Mokena
9930 W. 190th Street, Unit H, Mokena, IL — medical
“I been going to Curaleaf Mokena for just about two years now, and I’ll be honest. This place is awesome! Right from the day I registered, they make you feel comfortable by understanding the issues you suffer from. For those who never experienced the miracles of cannabis, this should be your first stop. I always been served courteously by each and every employee working at the Mokena location.”
Verilife – Ottawa (Medical)
4104 North Columbus St., Ottawa, IL — medical
“The process for me at Verilife, being a medical card holder. is phenomenal. I was ushered in first before the recreational customers. Plus, they have pre-order, which I love.”
Nature’s Care – Rolling Meadows (Medical)
975 Rohlwing Rd, Rolling Meadows, IL — medical
“Nature’s Care in Rolling Meadows has A+ budtenders eager to help sick people and learn about new products. The atmosphere is fantastic with friendly security. When I visit, the receptionist knows my girlfriend is hearing sensitive and she makes sure the music is turned down every time we show up.”
nuEra Chicago (Medical)
1308 W. North Ave, Chicago, IL — medical
“As the first medical dispensary I’ve been to, these guys have exceeded any expectations I might have had! The budtenders are great. They always know exactly how to take care of your needs and will offer you budget friendly options if needed. They are beyond friendly, and really care about taking care of you. Being new to medical cannabis, I would recommend this dispensary to anyone who is looking for a welcoming experience.”
Cannabist – Chicago (medical)
4758 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL — medical
“I always have a fantastic experience at Columbia Care in Chicago! The front desk staff is super friendly, and the bud tenders have a wealth of knowledge about the products. I recently had the absolute best experience working with a budtender there to get what I needed on a very tight budget. He helped me to get the most “bang for my buck” and gave me excellent advice on getting items that are the best quality at the same time. I moved farther away from this dispensary, but I will keep going here because of their extraordinary high level of care and the amazing programs they have in place to help their patients.”
Beyond Hello – Normal (MED)
501 West Northtown Road, Normal, IL — medical
“I have been fortunate enough to experience a hand full of different dispensaries in different states and i can say Beyond Hello in Normal is by far the best dispensary in Illinois! Great staff! Awesome product selection! Great prices! Beyond Hello always offers great deals, and you can tell they are operated by good kind people.”
Sunnyside Medical Cannabis Dispensary – Buffalo Grove
830 Milwaukee Ave., Buffalo Grove, IL — medical
“I stopped in to grab some RSO. I was being helped by a brand new budtender, but he was by far the nicest employee I’ve had the pleasure of doing business with, really anywhere. His enthusiasm for his job and for the customer experience, was absolutely incredible. He made me want to be better at my job! I had been coming to this dispensary for some time now, and I always had a fine experience. They always got dope discounts, too.”
More Locations:Sunnyside – Champaign
Honorable dispensary mentions in Illinois
Occasionally, a dispensary may fall just short of the cutoff to take a top spot on Leafly List. In Illinois, EarthMed-Addison has earned an honorable mention for its quick lines and deep discounts.
EarthMed – Addison (Medical)
852 South Westgate St., Addison, IL — medical
“EarthMed is probably my favorite medical dispensary. The staff was super helpful and really chill. As a first time customer they give you 25% off your entire order, plus a store wide 20% off sale. EarthMed really does cater to medical patients, and features a separate entrance and multiple lines for medical patients. For me, it was super smooth sailing and I was in and out in a breeze. The budtender was super attentive and helped with my order, and even made some super solid recommendations for the next trip based on what we purchased. Definitely will be going back when I run low.”
Selection criteria for Leafly List Illinois
To calculate the highest-rated dispensaries in Illinois for 2023, our Leafly List team uses a methodology based on quantitative and qualitative review data of dispensaries listed on Leafly in Illinois. This list also uses quality indicators, like customer reorder rates and deals availability (in markets where discounts are legal). Our teams are dedicated to showcasing a wide variety of highly-rated medical and recreational dispensaries.
Remember, if you don’t see your favorite dispensary on the list, make sure you follow, rate, and review your favorite cannabis locations to let the world know where you find your favorite cannabis.
