Chicago’s West Loop: Where Industrial Chic Meets Foodie Heaven

It’s hard to think of a Chicago neighborhood that has seen such a transformation as the West Loop. Bustling produce markets and meatpacking plants have given way to Fortune 500 companies, converted warehouses, boutique stores and a strip known as “Restaurant Row,” where Michelin-starred restaurants cozy up to quirky bars and eclectic eateries of all kinds.

Truth be told, calling the West Loop “a neighborhood” is something of a misnomer: it’s more a collection of micro neighborhoods that include Fulton Market, the Fulton River District and Greektown.

Where is the West Loop?

As its name suggests, the neighborhood is west of The Loop, Chicago’s business district and the heart of downtown.

The West Loop is bounded on the north by Grand Avenue, on the west by Ashland Avenue, on the south by I290 (known to locals as the Eisenhower) and the Chicago River to the East.

From almost anywhere you are in the West Loop, you can see stunning views of the iconic Chicago skyline, including world-famous Willis Tower (known to locals as the Sears Tower).

History

The West Loop has been a hive of activity and a commercial mecca almost as long as Chicago has been a city. But it was the 1850s railroad boom, when Chicago became the nation’s transportation hub, that this area roared into life.

Fulton Market became the center of the city’s meatpacking industry while nearby Randolph Street housed wholesale produce markets, drawing people from all over the world adding to the area’s diverse population. Many of the buildings that are still standing in the neighborhood date from this period and were at one time warehouses and other buildings associated with the produce and meatpacking industries. It is interesting that food has been at the heart of this area, in one form or another, ever since.

Like many U.S. urban neighborhoods, the West Loop saw its fortunes decline in the mid-20^th century. In fact, it was home to Chicago’s “Skid Row” during the 1960s and 1970s. But in 1988, a certain TV host ignited a renaissance in the area that is still on-going today. The TV host was Oprah, of course, and her Harpo Studios was housed in a converted warehouse, more used to cold meats than warm chats. Fun fact: Harpo is not a nod to the Marx Brothers, but simple Oprah’s name spelled backwards.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by United Center (@unitedcenter)

In the early 1990s, Randolph Street began attracting more and more restauranteurs, and quickly became the go-to place for fine dining. Meanwhile, in more recent years, the area has attracted a host of tech companies, condo developers, ad agencies and major companies who have set up offices here.

While the area is home to countless new apartment buildings and office buildings, many of the businesses and residences here can be found in renovated warehouses dating back to the 19^th century.

Living in the West Loop

You’re unlikely to ever run out of things to do, buy, eat or drink in the West Loop. There are trendy boutiques, urban parks, art galleries, bars, music venues and more places to eat than you could shake a Michelin star at.

What to Do

The boutiques that pepper Madison and Randolph Streets are very much of the I-didn’t-know-I-wanted-something-like-this-till-I-found-it variety. Places like Uncommon James, the Fig Tree, the Smitten Boutique are ideal browsing places and more than likely to yield a unique birthday gift for someone you know. Clothing stores such as Slowear, Billy Reid and Threadless are always worth a visit if you’re looking for that must-have outfit.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Fig Tree (@thefigtreechicago)

If shopping’s not your thing but art is, check out the Kavi Gupta Gallery or the Andrew Rafacz Gallery or any of the countless other innovative art spaces in the area. More cultural fare can be found at the National Hellenic Museum. Dedicated to the Greek American experience, the museum boasts over 10,000 artifacts, from furniture and textiles to religious objects and ephemera. An event from more recent history, the infamous Haymarket Riot, is commemorated with a memorial in Union Park.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Kavi Gupta (@kavigupta_)

There’s lots for music fans to love, too. There’s the annual Pitchfork Festival in Union Park, which attracts bands from all over world. The Bottom Lounge, meanwhile, is a year-round venue that showcases smaller bands. More established stadium bands play regularly at the nearby United Center (also where to go to catch the Chicago Bulls or the Chicago Blackhawks, depending on the season).

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by United Center (@unitedcenter)

There’s plenty of small green spaces in the West Loop in addition to the aforementioned Union Park. Both Mary Bartelme Park and Skinner Park are adult-, kid- and dog-friendly.

Where to Eat and Drink

Where to begin? The West Loop has more restaurants, diners and bars per square mile than just about anywhere in the whole Midwest. You name it, you crave it, you got it.

There’s the to-die-for burger at Au Cheval… the Mediterranean-inspired offerings at The Girl and The Goat… the beer, pork and oysters at The Publican… the moussaka, the soutzoukakia and other Greek delicacies at Athena… the delicious non-deep dish pizza at Parlor Pizza Bar… and so on and so on.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Au Cheval Diner (@auchevaldiner)

For those who can’t choose, there’s the annual Taste of Randolph Festival, where you can have a little bit of this and a little bit of that. This festival is a feast for the ears as well as the stomach, having hosted well-known bands like The Dandy Warhols and Beach House over the years.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Taste of Randolph (@tasterandolph)

Bars in the West Loop are equally plentiful – and equally eclectic.

The Aviary is a standout: this cocktail bar is the brainchild of Alinea owner Grant Achatz. And it is anything but ordinary. When drinks include rum balls, ice eggs and contraptions straight from a chemistry class the words cocktail and bar seem woefully inadequate. For more straightforward drink options, there’s Goose Island Fulton Street Brewery and Kaiser Tiger. Oh, and if you ever find yourself in need of a haircut with a chaser, there’s the Blind Barber.

Moving to the West Loop

Transportation

The West Loop is served by numerous CTA bus routes, as well as three different El lines (Brown, Pink and Blue). The Ogilvie Transportation Center is here, too, with Metra trains serving the northern and western suburbs. Chicago’s main train station Union Station is also nearby.

Two major highways run by the area, I-290/Eisenhower to the south and I-90/Kennedy to the east.

While the neighborhood is certainly car friendly and most apartment buildings provide parking for residents, it can sometimes be tricky to find affordable street parking.

Education & Employment

Surprisingly family-friendly, the West Loop is home to numerous prestigious schools, both public and private. Skinner West is one of Chicago Public Schools’ top-performing pre-K through 8 schools, while the private Montessori Academy of Chicago is very highly regarded.

For children of high school age, there is Whitney Young, regularly ranked in the top 25 public high schools in the nation and the alma mater of such Chicago luminaries as Michelle Obama, Craig Robinson and the Wachowskis.

Area employers include Peapod, Google, Go-Go, Ogilvy and McDonald’s, whose global HQ is located on the site of the former Harpo Studios.

Ready to experience the excitement of living in West Loop? Find your next apartment on rentcafe.com and pack your bags.