Fulton Market Kitchen

I came here with about ten of my co-​workers to a family-​style lunch after a trade show nearby. (NeoCon) I must say it was one of the most amazing lunches I’ve ever had!
As an interior designer, I was absolutely in love with the theme & décor of the space. It’s in a super industrial area, with street art as its main concept. Brilliant!
They started us off with bread, the most amazing wedge salad I’ve ever had, and ricotta gnocchi. Everything was so flavorful and delicious.
After the appetizers were done, they brought out steak, salmon, chicken, mashed potatoes, & brussel sprouts with lemon & «ninja radishes». Everything was on point! The chef definitely knows what he’s doing.
At the end, they served us fresh homemade donut holes with powdered sugar on top, along with ice cream and coffee that you pour on top. AMAZING! I would go back just for the donuts alone.
Next time I visit Chicago, I will definitely be returning! Highly recommend.

The ambience is great. I loved the art and the uniqueness of this place.
However, I feel as some restaurants think that they can get away with horrible customer service and medicore food just because they decorated their restaurant nicely/​uniquely.
Our server did not smile and any time we asked her anything, she seemed annoyed.
They definitely overcharge for everything.
If you want to add anything to your entrée, they would charge you full price for the addition.
I wanted to add prawns to my pasta, but they would charge me the full price for the grilled prawn entrée, even though they would just be adding a prawn or two to my pasta.
I don’t think that I’ve ever had such a hard time ordering food before.
There are definitely much better restaurants in the Westloop like the new one that just opened named Monteverde.

Decent food with a great ambiance. The atmosphere is awesome. The server did a nice job explaining the different types of entrees. I enjoyed the small plate appetizer serving. The octopus is an excellent entrée. Outside of that, not much more to offer in terms of great food.

Very good food and service. New menu, had some good stuff, rabbit meat balls and short rib ravioli were outstanding. We went with all small plates but the bigger meals looked good as well.
Old fashion was also great!

Trendy West Loop spot. Amazing ambiance and excellent food. Will definitely be back! I would suggest making a reservation in advance.

Menu is bland. Service is mediocre, drink menu is very small. I just was not feeling it at all, the bar itself is very esthetically pleasing and the DJ tonight was great so that saved the review otherwise I don’t think I’d go back.

If I were to ever recommend this place to someone it would be strictly for the atmosphere. Seriously, this place is so cool. Most of the seating involves couches and the décor was so unique and interesting. I think I spent the first 10 minutes looking around and taking everything in.
In terms of food my group split a bunch of the small plates. However, none of the food blew me away. Maybe we ordered the wrong items (we tended to do the safer, more traditional things) but everything was just okay or good at best. There wasn’t a single thing that we had that would make us come back. To put it into perspective we had cauliflower, brussel sprouts (which probably had the best review from the group), fingerling potatoes (too much sauce in my opinion and I never say that), pork belly croquettes (which I expected way more from) and the gnocchi (which was my favorite of the night but not really special). So while none of the food was bad I just don’t feel like it was special enough to make me want to go back. However, it might be worth stopping in and having a drink to enjoy the atmosphere.

Came here Friday night– actually thought our Über driver was taking us down a dead end street to kill us. Instead he deposited us in front of a uniquely painted building that was FMK! Thoroughly enjoyed my experience. The atmosphere and décor is unique and eclectic. The menu has a lot of great options– although at 9pm on a Friday they were already out if the lamb belly, suckling pig AND the octopus appetizer *sad face*. We ordered:
*Hamachi crudo– tasty and fresh, loved the pickled mustard seeds
*Steak tartare– delicious, the combination of sauces and the tender best were amazing
*Scallop and sweetbreads– served with thinly sliced fried lemons– yum! Far and away our favorite thing on the menu (we even tried to get a 2^nd order but alas, they were out)
*pork belly croquettes– unique appetizer, reminded me of a Brasilian appetizer called coxinha. Soft creamy center filled with pork belly, delicately fried.
For an entrée we really wanted that darn suckling pig– we did successfully order the whole fish. It was delicious and quickly devoured.

Celebrated a friend’s birthday in the private room and it was amazing. The décor, food, service — everything was wonderful. The seasonal salad was so fresh and the chicken was so flavorful. I loved it all!

Fulton Market Kitchen is probably the most quirky artsy restaurant. It’s got multi-​themed rooms fit for your occasion, the space for artists to shine and the space to accommodate large parties. It reminds me of a cross between the art exhibits Cotton Duck showcases mixed with the exotic vibes you get from Rickshaw Republic.
Restaurant Week offered a couple interesting roasted pumpkin soup, green apple salad and chocolate crème brûlée.

When I saw the Fulton Market Kitchen was curating a menu for restaurant week I jumped at the chance to eat there. I was impressed! My friend and I were promptly greeted by our server, Mercy, who couldn’t have provided better service. She showed us all around the regular menu, the restaurant week menu, and the drink menu. She knew her stuff and was a great ambassador to the concept of FMK.
Every review here probably has a comment on the atmosphere. It’s a huge warehouse space the is just filled to the brim with vibrance. It’s a space like that that makes me love living in the city.
Try this place at least once. You’d be glad you did.

Hate writing negative reviews of restaurants, but every now and then an experience is so bad that I feel compelled to warn other potential diners so as not to waste hard earned money and valuable time.
Came with a large group a few nights ago; while I am well aware that large groups can pose difficulty on a venue, what transpired was far beyond any challenge from the size of our party. On a positive note the venue itself is pretty cool looking; very artsy and perhaps the most unique looking restaurant I’ve frequented. Also as a positive they were able to seat us all together and in a timely manner. Sadly that is the extent of the accolades.
Our group was primarily here to try the burger (as well as partake in some adult beverages). The burger is $ 14 and fries an extra $ 7. Understandable if this was an upper echelon rendition but this was among the worst non fast food joint burgers I have consumed. While the bun was full sized, the meat was perhaps 4oz prior to hitting the fire and the final result was barely larger than a slider; furthermore it appeared to be 100% sirloin — definitely nothing that should command premium pricing. Some interesting toppings such as fried kale, but no cheese was available. Ordered mid-​rare, the burger came out well done — essentially the color, dryness and lack of beefiness one would find in a hockey puck (though with all due respect to hockey pucks, a hockey puck is significantly thicker). Fortunately the fries were decent, though at $ 7 they damn well better be!
In addition to the terrible and woefully overpriced burger, several other gaffes occurred making this among the worst dining experiences I’ve had in recent years:
*One friend attempted to valet park; the valet did not know how to drive stick shift, had my friend park her own car and then still charged her the valet parking fee???
*For the outrageous prices they were charging for a glorified slider one would think they could afford to run the heat on a chilly January evening. Somehow they managed to murder the burger yet the dining room itself was as frigid as… [fill in the blank]
*When our server inquired if anybody wanted dessert she commenced stroking and playing with another one of my friend’s hair. Now my friend is a hottie, so I don’t blame her for having the urge, but WTF???
*One of my friends brought his children; they ordered a kiddie cocktail containing sprite and grenadine. For this they were charged $ 8 each. Nearly half the price of the mediocre Old Fashioned another friend ordered, but highway robbery.
*When the bill arrived of course there was a «conveniently» added 20% gratuity despite the subpar service.
Alright, this review is starting to sound extremely Unilocaly so I am going to stop here, but seriously this was a very weird, very bad experience. I used to think that Next was the most overpriced venue in town, but I think FMK has seized first place in this highly sought category. At least it was a bonding experience for our group and we will have something to talk about for a while, even if we left hungry, disappointed a bit poorer and in one case with our hair slightly askew.
Caveat Emptor

With the new year comes new resolutions– and for me that is timely Unilocal reviews.
This place has always been one of my favorite spots to start the night; especially if you’re looking for unique cocktails and tasty bites. Fulton Market Kitchen offers a trendy and artistic ambiance with Soho House-​esque lighting and eclectic lounge seating that everyone will enjoy.
My last experience here was nothing short of fantastic, and the wonderful service provided by our Server, Landon, sparked my review. Not only was he extremely friendly and outgoing, he was continuously able to provide our table with mystery drinks we all loved! Landon’s A++ service even trumped my dismay when I was informed that you are NOT allowed to partake in on-​sight painting (I asked), even though the walls always appear to be changing with new art work. You ARE, however, allowed to share the creativity through the photos posted on Unilocal.
Overall, I’d recommend Fulton Market Kitchen to anyone looking for a hotspot in the Chicago area, and I will definitely be returning (with my own paintbrush) as I look forward to new mystery cocktails served by Landon.

I wanted to love this place, but a few aspects fell short.
Had a reservation for 7:30pm last night, but arrived a little early and had a drink at the bar. The bartenders were gracious and complimented my selection on a glass of the Textbook Cab (was lovely). The interior is really fun and busy. I enjoyed the artwork on the walls, especially a black and white painting of a woman that I had seen at the Art Institute a few months ago. We weren’t seated in the main dining room, instead, we were lead behind the bar to another seating area across from the back bar, it wasn’t particularly comfortable to me, maybe a little too dark and removed, but never mind.
We had wanted to try the whole roasted fish– they had two sizes offered that evening — small (forgot what kind) and a large (red snapper). We opted for the small so that we would have room to try more of the small plates as well, but it turned out that they were out of the small option so we decided on a few small plates instead.
We had the grilled octopus, hamachi crudo, lengua tacos, ravioli w foie, and a side of fries with citrus aioli.
I disliked the grilled octopus and hamachi crudo. The seasoning on the octopus was inconsistent. My first bite was tasty, but the rest was bland and unsalted. Very disappointing because I usually love grilled octopus. The hamachi itself was lacking in quality, a little too fishy, and I thought the way it was dressed was a little too much. (I may be biased though because I prefer a more simple crudo with just olive oil and sea salt usually– think Swan Oyster Depot or Eataly) I could have done without both of these dishes.
The last 3 dishes we really did enjoy though. The lengua taco wasn’t really a taco, but either way, the meat was tender, delicious, savory, and very satisfying. The ravioli w foie is also very good, albeit a tiny portion. The sauce was so yummy that I used our fries to sop up every last drop.
Overall it was a positive dining experience, but I wouldn’t be in a rush to return. One little thing bothered me that seems pretty silly– we had a candle on our table that was unlit when we sat, and although our server and busboys visited our table several times, it was never relit. Small detail, but it still bothered me a little, as it would have made date night a little bit more date-​ish.

This place is such an amazing hybrid atmosphere! Our server Mercy was SO FUN! She took such great care of us picking out our small bites to graze over during our leadership meeting with our out of town boss. She was super opinionated and knowledgable about the drink selection and her energy just made me excited every time she would pop by our table and check on us!
The food was all great and they all had super bright flavors. The entire staff was just on it the entire time! From cleaning up after each round of snacks came by to bringing out price quotes on some art we had inquired about.
The over all experience made me so proud to show off Chicago to my Californian boss with it’s creative, quality and hospitality! It’s a really great representation of the West Loop neighborhood as well!
I will for sure be back and can’t wait to share it with more friends!

Came here for dinner and drinks with my roommates. Overall, the pop culture décor is very cool and the ambiance is trendy. The cocktails are quite good and this place is great for groups! However the food is a little lackluster. We had the gnocchi, octopus, tar tar, and a few other items. Nothing was memorable, but nothing was also bad either.
I would definitely come back here for drinks with friends, but would likely pass on the food.

Love this little (actually it’s quite big) gem! I went here for dinner and drinks with friends. I was won over by the drinks menu and décor. I had the we can’t elope and I can’t dance (spicy bloody mary) — both great drinks! I also liked how spacious the place is. It’s definitely a great spot for a group.
Food was pretty good but I wouldn’t come back specifically for the food.
— tartare was pretty small. it reminded me of sashimi.
— pork belly croquettes were good but i think there were only 5 small balls
— octopus was good. everywhere in chicago has good octopus
— fingerling potatoes au gratin — blue cheese galore! yum
— ricotta gnocchi — hmm. it was ok.

Fulton Market Kitchen should easily earn a five star rating based of the cocktail program alone. The bartenders know their stuff and work magic with their hands, along with being refreshingly friendly.
You add the trendy vibe and the artistic design into the mix, and I don’t see how anyone could refute a five star rating. Sitting inside is like sitting in the mind of an artistic genius. You have different patterns, colors, mounted displays, and murals all over the restaurant.
I can’t speak for the food because I was only in for some drinks. While there I sampled the Midnight Cowboy, We Can’t Elope, and Your Old Man’s Old Man, all of which were perfect spirit based cocktails.
The discrete location location of this bar/​restaurant is a shocker. Hidden amongst old industrial buildings. That increases the splendor you’ll come to find once inside. To me it was similar to the stuff you’ll come to find in the LA Arts District, and maybe why I was so impressed by it.

Somebody with a seriously twisted sense of interior design got free rein to run with this space and.. they nailed it. Over the top contemporary street art murals, decorations, cool fixtures and design elements come together to create an edgy yet sophisticated and comfortable place to hang, drink and eat.
Sofa lounges, mezzanines, cozy back rooms, a massive bar, cocktail tables all fit in our connect to the massive great room. Excellent house music and a local artist was doing a large self portrait painting in the main room while we were there.
Drinks are marketed as strong, and are ok, but not up to the Tavern on Rush level, which is amongst the gold standard in my experience. If you are going to promote your drinks as strong, ensure they are best in class.
We ate a variety of small plates and sides and all had distinct flavors and taste. Our favorites included the Ravioli with Foie, Octopus, Two Tails (pig and lobster) and Brussel Sprouts.
I’m sure weekends are a madhouse but midweek or was a great place to hang.

Went to FMK for dinner on Friday for Restaurant Week. I was super excited to try it for the first time, and was pleasantly surprised by its’ interiors. The bar in the back is a feast for the eyes and there were a ton of tasteful nude pictures of women all over the walls… if that’s your cup of tea while you’re trying to enjoy your meal. :-/
The menu however, wasn’t worth the wait. We started with the suckling pig brioche appetizer, which was amazing, but it was the size of a quarter, literally. Second was the grilled octopus, which had an awkward texture and smell to it. This was very upsetting, since I’m a huge fan of octopus and this was just not done right. Next was the beet salad, which was decent, but there was nothing that really stood out here. The highlight of the meal was the lamb with cucumber, cauliflower purée, mint and feta. I would go back just for this! For dessert, the vanilla apricot cake did absolutely nothing to excite my taste buds. It was something you could whip up in your kitchen pretty quickly.
I would say the cocktail menu was impressive and Goonies Never Say Die was absolutely lovely. Their Restaurant Week Menu could use a boost, but I will be back for the cocktails and suckling pig!