Uptown Laundromats: A Local Guide to Laundry on the Far North Side
· 8 min read
Uptown's vintage high-rises and courtyard buildings house tens of thousands of residents, many without in-unit laundry. The neighborhood supports one of the North Side's deepest benches of laundromats, from old-school coin laundries to modern wash-and-fold operations. Here is how to navigate them.
Laundromats in Uptown line the neighborhood's main arteries: Broadway, Clark Street, Lawrence Avenue, Wilson Avenue, and Sheridan Road. Because demand is steady and dense, stores here tend to be larger than average, with more machines per location than you will find in most North Side neighborhoods.
What Uptown Offers
Self-service is Uptown's strength. Many stores run dozens of washers in sizes from standard top-loaders up to mega-capacity machines suited to comforters and family-sized loads. Coin payment remains common, though card and app systems have spread to most renovated locations. Wash-and-fold drop-off is available at multiple counters, typically at the more affordable end of the city price range, and several stores serve commercial accounts for nearby restaurants and care facilities.
- Large self-service laundromats with high machine counts and shorter waits.
- Mega-capacity washers for bedding, rugs, and bulk loads.
- Wash-and-fold by the pound, often $1.50 to $2.25 with same-day options.
- Coin, card, and app payment depending on the store.
- Dry cleaners along Broadway and Lawrence for garments that need professional care.
Practical Tips for Uptown
The Red Line makes Uptown's laundromats accessible without a car: stores near the Lawrence, Wilson, and Argyle stops are all walkable. If you drive, metered and side-street parking is generally easier than in Lakeview or Lincoln Park. Peak times are weekend afternoons; the quietest window is weekday mornings right at opening. For the biggest machines, check the larger stores on Broadway and Lawrence rather than the smaller storefronts on side streets.
If you use wash-and-fold regularly, ask about loyalty programs. Several Uptown stores offer per-pound discounts for repeat customers or bulk orders over a certain weight.
Find an Uptown Laundromat
Our directory lists Uptown laundromats with addresses, phone numbers, and reported services. Filter by coin-operated machines, wash-and-fold, pickup and delivery, or dry cleaning, or use the near-me map to find the closest store to your apartment.
Are Uptown laundromats coin-operated?
Many still are, especially the long-running stores, though card and app payment is now common at renovated locations. Bring quarters as a backup.
How much is wash-and-fold in Uptown?
Usually $1.50 to $2.25 per pound with a minimum, on the more affordable side for the North Side.
Which Uptown laundromats have big machines for comforters?
The larger stores on Broadway and Lawrence typically have 60- to 80-pound washers. Check the listing details in our directory before you haul bedding over.