Best Trendy Table Hotspots Restaurants in Motor Row

Apolonia is chef Stephen Gillanders' contemporary Mediterranean dining room at the edge of McCormick Place, blending Northern Mediterranean flavors with a European-leaning small-plates menu and a focused wine list. Guests come for dishes like black truffle puff bread, branzino, and pastas, plus a Bib Gourmand–recognized experience that works for both conventions and date nights. The minimalist, high-ceilinged room can run loud, but it feels like one of the South Loop's most polished Mediterranean options.

VU Rooftop is a 22nd-floor lounge above McCormick Place, combining skyline views with a shareable menu of small plates, flatbreads, and cocktails. Guests lean on it for sunset drinks, hotel-adjacent dinners, and pre- or post-event hangs in the South Loop.

The South Loop outpost of Batter & Berries brings the brand’s loaded French toast and savory plates to State Street, drawing fans before games and conventions. The room runs busy and casual, with colorful breakfast platters that skew richer than your average diner.

Across from McCormick Place and Wintrust Arena, Fatpour McCormick runs a two-level sports bar with a big beer list and wings built for game-day snacking. Traditional and boneless wings share space with burgers, pizzas, and brunch plates in a loud, screen-lined room that runs late.

Opened in 2019 near McCormick Place, Il Culaccino offers modern Italian plates, a large wine list, and an outdoor patio steps from Wintrust Arena. It’s used for pre- and post-game dinners, business meals, and nicer nights out when you want polished service without downtown formality.

Steps from McCormick Place and Wintrust Arena, La Calle Tacos and Tequila focuses on street-style tacos, simple platters, and tequila drinks for pre- and post-event crowds. It’s a newer, casual option where speed and location matter as much as depth of the menu.