Fulton Market has a disorienting number of great places to get food, and it’s hard to not just list every restaurant in the area and tell you to try each one. But we’re here to help you sort through it all. From casual ramen shops to fine dining, here are the best spots for every occasion. And if you're looking for a full list of spots in The West Loop, check out our guide to the best restaurants in the West Loop.
THE SPOTS
How into expensive and fancy dinners are you? If the answer is very, then you’ll really like Oriole. The $285 tasting menu at this West Loop spot changes regularly, but you can expect everything on it to be both simply presented and delicious. Another thing you can expect at Oriole is service that’s highly attentive without ever feeling overbearing. Come here for a special occasion that makes it worth eating Cup Noodles for a week (or three).
The West Loop has more restaurants run by former Top Chef contestants than any other neighborhood in Chicago. Our last count was eight, and they’re all operating within two blocks from each other. And, despite our trust issues with reality shows, they’re all really good. Rose Mary, a Croatian spot, is another one of those restaurants. They have things like a refreshing and flavorful salad with tomato, farro, and asparagus, a delicious crni rizot that tasted like it was made with stock from the tears of a hundred lobsters (that’s a compliment), and incredible pastas. Most dishes range from $10-$25, and it works for a casual date or a fun night out with friends.
This Italian steakhouse on the edge of the neighborhood is channeling mid-century-era glamour, complete with bartenders in waistcoats and a checkered marble floor. But instead of men in power suits flagging down a dessert trolley in a stuffy dining room, diners wearing tech vests order the tableside Caesar salad cart at the bar. There are excellent steaks on the menu—like an olive-fed wagyu New York strip that will make you wonder whether that cow had its own personal masseuse. There are also tasty 4oz plates of housemade pasta if potatoes aren't special enough to accompany your $165 steak.
The Publican is like a fancy European beer hall that serves a whole lot of meat, but also shows its softer side with a quality selection of oysters and a whole section of the menu devoted to vegetables. Sit at the giant U-shaped table with friends, and make sure to order a bit of everything. Another thing you should know? This place has one of the best brunches in the city.
For a long time, the West Loop was missing a steakhouse. But then along came Swift & Sons to fill that void. It has everything we like about a traditional steakhouse—meaning great food, service, and a rolling dessert cart. It’s a great combination, and it’s one of our favorite steakhouses in the city.
Even by West Loop standards, this place is a scene. The good news is that Aba is a scene that comes with fantastic food. It’s always crowded, but the space is beautiful, and there’s a huge rooftop patio that’s perfect for hanging out over drinks (even during the winter). And as with its sister restaurant, Ema in River North, a lot of things on the Mediterranean menu are meant to be shared.
PQM is a butcher shop, cafe, bakery, and mini market. Come here for cheese, fresh-baked bread, delicious sandwiches, charcuterie, and more. This is the kind of place where seemingly simple-sounding things (like a chicken parm or falafel sandwich) taste way better (and more complex) than you expect.
This is the Chinese restaurant follow-up to Girl & the Goat and Little Goat. Like everything in the goat empire, Duck Duck Goat is a fun spot with good food. Here, you’ll find Chinese food with twists—like glass noodles with blueberries. Of course, several dishes have goat in them (like the duck and goat spring rolls). Also worth noting is that this spot does a great job with takeout.
Ramen Takeya is temporarily closed.
Ramen Takeya is very busy, very loud, and very crowded—but it’s a solid neighborhood ramen option. The signature ramens here are all chicken-based, so the broth is on the lighter side, and you can customize your spice level. There’s a bar which is great for grabbing drinks while you wait, and a counter that’s ideal for when you want a quick meal by yourself.
The West Loop has a lot of restaurants within restaurants (High Five and The Loyalist are just are two spots happily squatting inside of other places), and you can add Omakase Takeya to the list. It’s the omakase-only sushi bar in the basement of Ramen Takeya, a very busy ramen shop. The small, quiet space is a nice respite from the bustling upstairs, and the constantly-changing menu of nigiri and Japanese small plates is fantastic. Just don’t plan on eating here without a reservation - there are only seven seats, with four seatings a night. Your meal will be $75 for 15 courses, and the experience is worth it.
Some food halls are worth knowing about because of a specific restaurant and some are great because of the sum of their parts—like Time Out Market. It has a bunch of restaurants and they’re all pretty good, and most are locations of successful places that already exist—like Big Kids, Demera, and Lil' Amaru. The industrial-feeling space is huge, with two levels (including three separate bars) and lots of communal tables. Basically, when the human race has to flee to outer space, this is what we want our spaceship’s food court to be like.
Most of the good fried chicken spots in town aren’t really places you sit and eat. They’re more carry-out or delivery situations. Not Gus’s. At Gus’s, you want to take a seat, dine in, and enjoy your fried chicken and sides in the big Fulton Market space. Make sure to utilize the full bar, and get some pie for dessert, too.
