- nbhd -
west loop & fulton market

West Loop is like the West Hollywood of Chicago. There. I said it. It’s sceny. It’s where the cool kids are. There’s a Soho House. Excellent brunch options to be seen at. It’s very gentrified and its “character” is getting a little too polished to be convincing. Oh, and it’s home to everyone’s “favorite” restaurants.

Most people’s introduction to West Loop is through food. Randolph is probably the best food street in Chicago. Between Boka Restaurant Group and Hogsalt, you can eat your way through Chicago’s most beloved within a few blocks. And you’d be living your best life.

In a way, West Loop is like a work in progress. It’s been transformed to a foodie destination and a neighborhood catered for yuppies. Think: stylish coworking spaces, reclaimed lofts, expansive overhauls of former factories by start ups and cool Fortune 500 companies. If the Loop is the old guard, West Loop is the new. And it’s starting to bleed into neighboring communities too (which comes with a whole host of problems, but we’ll save that for another day). For now, all you need to know is that West Loop is a trendy place to be, and a particularly excellent place to be for dinner. Oh, and that Randolph is a profoundly annoying street for pedestrians and drivers alike.