Best of
Where to take out-of-towners in the West Loop
When friends or family are in town and you have one meal, one drink, or one afternoon to spend, these are the West Loop spots that consistently land. The list mixes Chicago-iconic places like a 1923 diner and Gabriele Bonci's Roman pizza counter, marquee Randolph Restaurant Row destinations, museums and galleries in Greektown and Fulton Market, and a few distinctive things to do in between.
Iconic Chicago experiences
Spots a visitor can specifically say they did in Chicago, not anywhere else.
- Lou Mitchell's Open now Greek-American diner on West Jackson, open since 1923, famous for the donut holes handed out at the door.565 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL, 60661
- Bonci Roman Style Pizza Open now Roman-style pizza al taglio from Rome's Gabriele Bonci — sold by weight and cut with scissors, on North Sangamon.161 N Sangamon St 1st, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Chicago French Market Open now European-style food hall directly under Ogilvie Transportation Center with 30+ vendors covering most cuisines.131 N Clinton St 1, Chicago, IL, 60661
- J.p. Graziano Grocery CO INC. Open now Italian sub shop and specialty grocer on West Randolph, in continuous operation since 1937 under the fourth generation of the Graziano family. The Mr. G sandwich is the order.901 W Randolph St 1, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Greek Islands Restaurant Open now Long-running Greek restaurant in Greektown — a multi-generation South Halsted Mediterranean institution.200 S Halsted St, Chicago, IL, 60661
- National Hellenic Museum Open now Public history museum in the heart of Greektown, devoted to Greek history, art, and the Greek American story. Open Thursday to Sunday.331-341 S Halsted St 1,2,3, Chicago, IL, 60661
Marquee Randolph Restaurant Row
The marquee West Loop dining anchors.
- Au Cheval Open now The cheeseburger and egg-focused diner that put Randolph on the food-tourism map. Mostly walk-in, first come first served, with a limited number of reservations.800 W Randolph St 1, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Girl & the Goat Open now Stephanie Izard's flagship — shared plates, wood-fired cooking, a James Beard Best Chef award.809-813 W Randolph St 1st and Basement, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Avec Open now Mediterranean-leaning small and large plates from One Off Hospitality — a Randolph Street fixture for more than twenty years.615 W Randolph St Ll-3rd FL, Chicago, IL, 60661
- Smyth the Loyalist Open now Three-Michelin-star tasting menu (Smyth) atop a casual gastropub (The Loyalist) on North Ada.177 N Ada St 1st 101, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Sepia Open now Long-running Michelin-starred American restaurant on Jefferson, in a restored 1890s print shop.135 N Jefferson St, Chicago, IL, 60661
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- Swift & Sons / Cold Storage Open now Boka Restaurant Group steakhouse on Fulton Market — dual-level bars, a lounge, and the Upper Tavern above the main dining room.1000 W Fulton Market 1, Chicago, IL, 60607
- El Che Steakhouse & Bar Open now Argentinian-style live-fire steakhouse on West Washington.845 W Washington Blvd, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Monteverde Open now Chef Sarah Grueneberg's handmade pasta destination on West Madison, with an open pastificio at the centre of the room.1020-1022 W Madison St 1, Chicago, IL, 60607
- The Publican Open now Paul Kahan's communal beer-hall restaurant on West Fulton Market from One Off Hospitality — long-table seating, pork-and-oyster-forward menu.837 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Momotaro Open now Modern Japanese on West Lake Street from chef Gene Kato and Boka Restaurant Group — sushi, robata, and cocktails in a converted warehouse.820 W Lake St Ll, 1 & 2, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Aba / the Dalcy Open now Lettuce Entertain You's Mediterranean rooftop (Aba) and ballroom (The Dalcy) on North Green.302 N Green St 3, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Rose Mary Open now Adriatic-leaning restaurant on West Fulton Market from Joe Flamm.932 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Maxwells Trading Open now Josh Tilden and Erling Wu-Bower's Underscore Hospitality restaurant on West Carroll — Asian influences on American traditions, with produce from the urban farm on the roof above.1516 W Carroll Ave 1-2, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Elske Open now One Michelin star — Chefs David and Anna Posey's modern Scandinavian / contemporary American tasting menu.1350 W Randolph St 1 & 2, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Oriole Open now Two Michelin stars — Noah Sandoval's tasting menu on West Walnut, one of Chicago's most-recognized fine-dining rooms.661 W Walnut St, Chicago, IL, 60661
- Duck Duck Goat Open now Stephanie Izard's Chinese-influenced restaurant on West Fulton Market.851-857 W Fulton Market 1st, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Cabra Open now Peruvian rooftop atop The Hoxton with city skyline views — Stephanie Izard's menu for Boka Restaurant Group.200 N Green St, 12th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60607
Distinctive things to do
Non-museum activities visitors leave Chicago talking about.
- WNDR Museum Interactive light, sound, and digital-art installations on West Monroe — works for adults, teens, and school-age kids.1130 W Monroe St 1 and 2, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Ch Distillery Open now CH Bar on West Randolph — craft cocktails from Chicago's CH Distillery alongside a sushi menu. The working distillery itself is in Pilsen.564 W Randolph St 1st&bsmt, Chicago, IL, 60661
- Bad Axe Throwing Indoor axe-throwing range on West Lake — coaches walk you through the technique. Older kids and adults.165-171 N Loomis St 1, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Puttery Open now Three-level competitive mini-golf on West Randolph — two nine-hole courses (the Library and the Lodge) and four full bars. All ages Sunday to Thursday and until 5pm Friday and Saturday; 21+ after that.932 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Punch Bowl Social Multi-format entertainment venue — bowling, arcade, karaoke, and a full bar in one building.310 N Green St 1-2, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Emporium Arcade Bar (Fulton Market) Open now Vintage arcade games and pinball machines paired with a full cocktail bar.839 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL, 60607
When they're staying overnight
Hotels that work as a destination themselves, not just a bed.
- The Hoxton, Chicago Open now Design-led boutique hotel on North Green — Cabra on the roof, Cira in the lobby, and the Lazy Bird cocktail bar in the cellar.200 N Green St Bsmt-12, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Soho House Chicago Open now Members' club and 40-room hotel on North Green, in a converted belt factory — the ground-floor Allis Bar is open to the public; the rooftop and House floors are members only.113-125 N Green St Bsmt - 6th, Chicago, IL, 60607
- The Emily Hotel Open now Boutique design hotel on North Morgan in Fulton Market — Fora for lunch on the patio, Sushi by Bou's speakeasy, and a rooftop cinema in season.311-319 N Morgan St 1-7, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Nobu Hotel Chicago Open now Eleven-story 115-room Nobu boutique hotel on West Randolph and North Peoria — in-house Nobu restaurant from chef Nobu Matsuhisa and a rooftop bar.155 N Peoria St, Chicago, IL, 60607
- Hyatt House Chicago West Loop / Fulton Market Open now Extended-stay hotel in Fulton Market with a sky-deck pool overlooking the neighborhood — steps from Randolph Restaurant Row.105 N May St 3, 14, Chicago, IL, 60607
Frequently asked questions
- What if my visitors don't eat meat?
- The Randolph Row kitchens are used to it — Avec, Girl & The Goat, and Sepia all cook vegetable-forward menus, though none publishes a standing vegetarian tasting menu, so call ahead rather than assume one. Bonci's pizza al taglio has vegetable slices out through the day and needs no arrangement at all.
- How far in advance do these need reservations?
- Book the tasting-menu rooms and marquee dinners as far ahead as you can — Smyth, Sepia, and Girl & The Goat fill first, with Avec and El Che a little easier. None of these restaurants publishes a booking window, so treat any specific lead time as a rough guide rather than a rule. Au Cheval runs mostly on walk-ins, with multi-hour waits at weekends, though it now holds back a limited number of reservations.
- Are these places kid-friendly?
- Most marquee restaurants seat kids during daytime hours and walk-in service. See the kid-friendly list for restaurants and activities explicitly suited to families.
Listings checked against City of Chicago license status and our closure records on 2026-08-09. Most recent individual pick verified 6 days ago.