Good take-out lunch in the Chicago Loop?

September 3, 2008 9:54 AM

[ChicagoFilter]Any recommendations for good take-out-ish lunch places in the chicago loop?

I work just north of the loop, a block west of Michigan Ave. My nearby(~4 blocks) lunch choices have started to get a little boring, so I'd love to hear any suggestions. I almost exclusively do take-out and all ethnic cuisines are welcome. I'd be most interested in suggestions within that ~4 block range, but please feel free to share any other loop spots for other interested Chicago mefites. Thanks!

posted by specialnobodie to Food & Drink (10 answers total)

Have you browsed Yelp? You can filter by neighborhood -- in your case the Loop -- and even scale it down to particular culinary regions and whether they offer take-out. I use Yelp almost exclusively (save for just walking around) for finding new restaurants in Chicago.
posted by nitsuj at 10:15 AM on September 3, 2008

Response by poster: I have tried yelp, and it's helped once or twice, but I find the search to be not as helpful as I'd like. Maybe I just need to practice my yelp-fu a little more. :)
posted by specialnobodie at 10:23 AM on September 3, 2008

Use Yelp as your guide and look up these places:

Have you tried Hannah's Bretzel or Pastoral? These are frou-frou lunch spots that have amazing ingredients.

These are near you. You might want to call ahead at Pastoral.

Oasis Cafe is a cool experience-- in the back of a Jewelry shop, middle eastern, on Jewlers Row. Other side of loop, but my favorite spot is Roti, which is like a Mediterranean Chipotle.
posted by sandmanwv at 10:30 AM on September 3, 2008

Seconding Hannah's Bretzel and Pastoral. Best sandwiches in the Loop, hands down. I also like the 7th floor food court at Macy's, particularly Frontera Fresca.
posted by fancypants at 10:44 AM on September 3, 2008

As a contrast to Yelp, there's also Lunch In The Loop.
posted by aramaic at 12:34 PM on September 3, 2008

there's a bar on the corner of state & illiois that has good gyros.
posted by lester at 1:17 PM on September 3, 2008

Pockets! They're all over and you can pick up or deliver - I think the one on Ohio (200 East-ish) will be your best bet. Oasis is no longer in that jewelry shop -- they have a storefront place now (but still very yummy).
posted by macadamiaranch at 3:06 PM on September 3, 2008

So you're about Wells and Wacker?

There's a Potbelly in the Illinois Center concourse, which you can get into off of Wacker by the Houlihan's. Come to think of it, there's several places I like (or rather liked, I haven't worked near there for about 4 years) in the Illinois Center. Fresh Choice has amazing soups (especially the Tortellini soup in a breadbowl), there's the salad-bar-by-the-weight place, too. Catch 35 has a decent seafood/sandwich takeout shop at Wacker and Madison.
posted by hwyengr at 6:10 PM on September 3, 2008

Sorry, meant Wabash and Wacker. Not Wells. Also, I think you can get takeout from the Emerald Loop.
posted by hwyengr at 6:12 PM on September 3, 2008

Check out LoopLunch.com to find lunch spots in the loop. It's a map of all the places selectable by cuisine, with menus and reviews.
posted by ericg at 9:30 PM on September 3, 2008 [1 favorite]