Neighborhood Guide
Once dominated by industrial, meat-packing and warehousing, the West Loop has evolved in recent years into one of the city’s hottest neighborhoods, with converted loft condos and their owners jockeying for space with an ever-changing scene of restaurants, creative businesses, and legacy industrial companies.
The West Loop has become a bit of an umbrella to describe a large area that encompasses some of the most popular neighborhoods in the city. Stretching from the Chicago River on the east to Ashland Avenue on the west, the neighborhood includes some of the city’s finest dining along Randolph Street. The area was once home to many industrial businesses and even TV personality Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Studios, but now restaurants dominate. Some of the city’s biggest names to be found there including Au Cheval, Girl & The Goat, Grange Hall, Porkchop, and Bar Siena, among others. Nearby you’ll find other great restaurants and even the exclusive private club Soho House, with its rooftop pool and restaurant.
For an ethnic flair, Greektown is also nearby with its cluster of restaurants including Greek Islands, Pegasus, and Artopolis.
The Fulton Market District, now a city landmark, is also part of the West Loop and home to major businesses like Google while still retaining its industrial feel, though many of those businesses have been selling their property to be redeveloped in recent years. Adding to the already-robust businesses making this their corner of Chicago, world-headquarters for McDonald’s will be moving into the area from its original campus in West suburban Oak Brook, adding desire and certain to increase demand in town.
