[2] It originates at the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Shore Drive (U.S. Route 41) in the Gold Coast neighborhood in the Near North Side community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States, and runs west to 17th Avenue, where it terminates a few feet north of Lake Street in Melrose Park, IL.

Chicago Avenue runs just to the north of Westlake Hospital in Melrose Park.

Chicago Avenue is largely residential through River Forest and Oak Park, with a few small commercial strip malls and developments.

At Austin Avenue, Chicago Avenue becomes part of the addressing system for Chicago as 800 North, or 8 blocks (one mile) north of Madison Street.

Chicago Avenue runs through the largely impoverished Austin and Humboldt Park neighborhoods.