I’ve written a few posts now on visiting Chicago, but haven’t yet mentioned the food mecca area that is West Randolph Street, Fulton Market District.
Like Wicker Park and Bucktown, this area’s gone through an image overhaul to become one of the best places to drink, but more importantly, to eat.
As well the seemingly endless restaurants, cafes and eateries in the area, West Randolph Street’s also home to the annual Taste of Chicago food festival.
Where to eat in West Randolph Street, Fulton Market District, Chicago
There’s not much I can write about the area that my photos do better, so I’ll let them do the talking, or should I say writing on this occasion!
Related: Chicago Food Planet Second City Classic Tour – What to expect
As the title of this post suggests, there are too many places to choose from to eat in this area. So, take your pick according to the type of food — and restaurants (from A to S) that you like the look of!
Au Cheval
I can’t stress enough how good this burger is at Au Cheval. I’m not American, but I’d happily switch nationality just to get another taste of this burger.
Sizes are generous (no surprises there!) but it’s all about the sauce, and the bread’s pretty good too. Au Cheval has another smaller branch that only sells burgers and fries called Small Cheval!
800 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607
Bad Hunter
Bad Hunter is a restaurant and bar serving up lots of healthy tasty options like aubergine salads and cauliflower tartine.
This is a good choice for veggies, as the menu offers many wholesome vegetarian options.
802 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607
Duck Duck Goat
If you like your Chinese food with a modern twist, you’ve come to the right place at Duck Duck Goat. There’s all the dishes you enjoy in a Chinese restaurant, just with an edge.
Take the wonderfully named Slap noodles: a noodle dish with goat sausage and prawns!
857 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
Green Street Smoked Meats
Come to Green Street Smoked Meats to get your Texan barbecue fix, and with all the sides.
As the photo shows, the décor is akin to a wood-decked warehouse, and the lighting gives it a homey feel.
112 N Green St, Chicago, IL 60607
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken
Get a taste of the deep south with this excellent deep-fried chicken at Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken.
The food’s as comforting as the interior, and you must try the deep-fried okra. Needless to say, I didn’t eat for a long time after my meal!
847 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
de cero Hello Tacos!
Load up on all your Mexican favourites at de cero Hello Tacos! Try a traditional smoked paprika poblano quesadilla, or get your mouth around the generously-filled steak, chicken or fish tacos.
Prices in this cantina are pretty reasonable too.
816 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607
Nellcote
Treat your significant other (or friend) to a posh night out at Nellcote. The name’s French, but with European-inspired food.
Try a plate of one of their handmade pasta dishes, or get raw with some beef carpaccio.
833 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607
Parlor Pizza
Everyone loves a good pizza, and Parlor Pizza serves theirs straight from its wood fire oven.
When the sun’s out, be sure to take the opportunity to sit outside and do a spot of people watching.
108 N Green Street, Chicago, IL 60607
Soho House Chicago
I was very happy to see Soho House Chicago, as I’ve only been to the ones in Europe. As you’d expect from the chain, the décor is a mixture of chic and eccentricity. I stayed for cocktails — which were excellent, and not overpowering with the alcohol content.
The restaurant serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner, so check the website to see which items take your fancy.
113 N Green St, Chicago, IL 60607
The extras
When exploring the area, don’t miss out on the vibrant street art.
The streets
Have you visited this area in Chicago? Which places did you enjoy?
I don’t know if and when I’ll visit Chicago but this is a great list of places. I’m always looking for not just great food but also amazing interiors and ambience and most of the places from your post look like they have everything I need. Will bookmark this post for reference whenever I plan a trip. Thanks for sharing !
You’re so welcome. It’s truly a cosmopolitan city, with lots to see, do and eat! And this area is really top.
Great information and pictures! Definitely will be a use to me if I ever visit Chicago because eating is actually a challenge for my family. We are all very picky and different eaters so we always have to research just to eat in new places!
Lol well I’m sure you’ll all find something in this area; there really seems to be every cuisine imaginable! I didn’t even photograph the entire West Randolph Street 🙂
Great list! Bookmarking for my next trip to Chicago! You write so well, I always look forward to reading your posts.
That’s great to hear, happy eating!
Wow, these places look amazing and the food even better. i like how creative they got with the name for Bad hunter. the interiors looks really inviting too. this is great selection for all foodies.
Yes, you have no idea how many choices there are, and how hard it was to choose just one!
This really makes me want to go to Chicago. I had no idea they had so many awesome food options! Your writing truly inspires me to travel more often. Keep up the good work!
That’s so great for me to read! I’m sure you’ll enjoy Chicago when you go.
I’ve never been to Chicago but I’m inspired by your post. Touring each of these restaurants daily woukd do just good for me to have a fulfilled visit in Chicago. From pizza to Chinese Noodles, what else can one demand for? And the street art is just too much for a bonus. I can imagine what it would feel like after feeding my stomach, then I’m out to feed my eyes with these beautiful artworks.
You’ve hit the nail on the head Lydia. There are so many great choices, and it’s really hard to choose just one. The street art is so much fun!
Thanks for an interesting post! I particularly liked the way Green Street Smoked Meats has been done! It looks so perfect and an ethereal experience to sit there, hang out with friends and sip a coffee!
You’re right, it’s also great to get some authentic Texan bbq too 😀
yummy is the word that came to my mind after reading your blog..slurpp.. thanks for sharing the best places to eat with us. will book mark this blog post . 🙂
That’s excellent to read! There’s so many good places to choose from, you won’t know where to start.
There are two restaurants you mentioned which I would definitely visit. Firstly is Au Cheval, I consider myself a burger-foodie so would probably visit here many times. The burgers you photographed look delicious! The other restaurant I like the look of is the Green Street Smoked Meats but I’d have to drag myself away from Au Cheval first! The cocktails at Soho House sound good too, a lime margarita for me please!
Au Cheval is an excellent choice, and honestly, I’m not the biggest burger fan, but this is my favourite ever in the world!!! It’s really that good.
Barbecue is best eaten on wooden decks says Green Street Smoked Meats. Haha. But I’d feel so light on that wooden decks in contrast to the seriousness that characterises ‘high end’ restaurants. I like the Parlor too. The name exactly is what I like(saying I love pizza might make you think me a lover of food😂😂😂).
Hahaha, no worries Kathy, I’m a big lover of food too; sometimes too much! I didn’t get to try the pizza, but next time I return I definitely will.
This is a very useful post for me, Chicago is one of the first places I want to visit when I do my USA trip and this post will come in very handy indeed 😀 The smoked meat place has taken my fancy straight away, I can already tell I will be meat drunk there haha (This post has gone into my Chicago folder 😀 thank you )
You’re welcome! And yes, you’ll love this area, because it’s foodie heaven. I’m sure by the time you get there, there’ll be even more places to try.
I’ve been to Chicago, but I’ve never eaten at any of these places! The diner looks yummy; I want to try that sauce! And the fried chicken looks really good. Duck Duck Goat sounds like it would be a fun place to try. When I go back to Chicago, I’ll look some of these up. Now I’m hungry!
Lol I apologise! I was also hungry just remembering all the great places I’d visited in Chicago. Trust me, this area is foodie paradise 😀
Chicago has been on my must visit list for a while. I really don’t know much about the food scene here (other than Chicago style pizza and hot dogs) so thanks for sharing all these great finds. I love how much variety there is in this area of Chicago.
You’ll be so surprised when you see how much choice there is there. Bookmark this for when you eventually get there; it’s so worth it.
Duck Duck Goat sounds like an awesome place! We love eating Chinese food at home and when we travel. This sounds like a good twist on traditional Chinese cuisine!
Unfortunately I didn’t get to try it, but yes, it’s very popular there, and who doesn’t love Chinese food?!
Some great tips here, thanks for sharing! I am definitely saving this post for my upcoming trip to the States. How do you get about visiting all these restaurants? Do you tell them you are a blogger or you just reserve a table and then start snapping pics? 🙂
You’re welcome! With some of the places, I just enter and asked to take photos, and for the others, well I had the hard job of having to try some things for myself. Research purposes of course!
These are some awesome short-listings. Love the Bad Hunter as I like vegan food and also Duck Duck Goat – Love chinese food 🙂 Would love to try Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken their food looks tempting!! Like the decor of almost all of these restaurants.
They’re all great choices, and you won’t know which one to choose!
Haven’t been to the States till now, but my cousin sister is working in Chicago, so a visit is there on the cards. Being a foodie at heart, this post literally reignited my urge to visit Chicago at the earliest, if not for anything, but to check out the food Mecca.
Then you’ll love this place! Seriously, it’s a foodie paradise 🙂
We’re massive foodies and now we’re starving after reading your post and seeing your pictures. Like the sound of Duck Duck Goat – we like to try things that are a little different. Great selection!
Thanks Rosie, as you’re a foodie, you’ll love this area. There’s so much to see and eat, and yes Duck Duck Goat is supposed to be very good!
Hahaha! You’ll change nationality for that burger??? Thaaaaaaat good is it! Lolz…. Bad Hunter would be my place to head with all its veggie options… I like the ambience of Green Street Smoked Meats!
Yes Bhusha, it’s really that good a burger, and I’m not even a huge burger fan! That said, I would go back in a heartbeat.
I have visited Chicago but unfortunately I haven’t been to any of these places. I guess there are now several reasons to go back to Chicago. I especially like the mural art.
I would recommend re-visiting as a lot has changed in the city! The art is just one part 🙂
My sister lives in Chicago so I’m there visiting a lot and will definitely be using this! Green Street Smoked Meats looks delicious and I’ll be checking it out next time! I also love the street art photos that you included – it’s such a big part of Chicago and I’ve definitely noticed it when visiting!
That’s great to hear, and I’m slightly envious that your sister lives there! I would also recommend Au Cheval if you like burgers, it’s very good!
When we visited Chicago we lived off deep dish pizzas but it is great to see so many choices other than pizza! Will deffo check this out next time we visit!
Thanks for your comment, I appreciate you dropping by.
I was actually JUST looking at flights for Chicago! Found one for $65 round trip so I definitely might take the plunge! I’ve heard of a couple of these and not any of the rest so I will totally bookmark!
That’s so cheap!!! I wish it was the same price from London! Have an excellent time, you’ll love it 🙂
How fun! I honestly have a hard time seeing past the deep dish pizza aspect of Chicago’s cuisine. I would love to check out Duck Duck Goat, if only for their name! Of course the food will be amaze-balls and leave me stuffed to the brim. I think the patio at Green Street Smoked Meats is beautiful, and I imagine how wonderful it would be to sit out at night or as the sun was setting, those lights twinkling and the food comforting.
Yes Rachelle! Duck Duck Goat is really popular, and I didn’t get to try it, but the locals all tell me it’s great. Green Street Smoked Eats is good too!
I’ve yet to visit Chicago, but it’s one city that’s definitely on my must-go list! I love the sound of Duck Duck Goat, love that style of cuisine x
Unfortunately I didn’t get to try it! But when I return, I’ll let you know how it is 🙂