Maxwells Trading
Restaurant · West Town
1516 W Carroll Ave, Chicago, IL 60607
Highlights
Creative fusion of Asian flavors with unique dishes like sweet potato curry
Creative fusion of Asian flavors with unique dishes like sweet potato curry
"There’s not a boring seat at Maxwells Trading—a testament to the infectious energy and music that fill this West Loop spot nightly. But if you can’t score a primetime table for one, head to the first-come, first-serve bar. Besides having what might be the most comfortable bar seats in Chicago, you’ll also be at the center of the action. On one side, you’ll find friends taking down bowls of umami-packed clay pot rice. On the other, diners snack on thick scallion pancakes, while chatting with the bartender about the Sadé record currently playing. While reservations don’t immediately disappear when they're released a month out, it’s best to be watchful. Prime weekend time slots are pretty nonexistent, so plan to book about two or three weeks before your dinner unless you don’t mind eating at 5 or 9pm. It's always easier to get a table for a weekday. Or you can roll the dice and walk in day-of—the bar is first come, first served." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen
"Maxwells Trading sounds like Mad Libs: Chicago Restaurant Edition—you can eat clay pot rice alongside french onion dip and drink from a curated wine list while listening to "Smooth Operator" on vinyl in a chic warehouse space. Overambitious? Maybe at any other place. But this West Loop spot delivers on every fill-in-the-blank aspect of a great meal, especially the food. Much like Sade's catalog, each seemingly straightforward dish contains multitudes. And while plenty of Chicago spots serve fantastic food in brick buildings that look like failed startup headquarters, the best thing about Maxwells Trading is that it doesn’t really feel like anything else. While reservations don’t immediately disappear when they're released a month out, it’s best to be watchful. Prime weekend time slots are pretty nonexistent, so plan to book about two or three weeks before your dinner unless you don’t mind eating at 5 or 9pm. It's always easier to get a table for a weekday. Or you can roll the dice and walk in day-of—the bar is first come, first served." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru
"The operation is grappling with the emotional and mental demands of maintaining high intellectual and operational focus; keeping staff motivation and personal focus amid the restaurant's intense ups and downs feels like a challenging roller coaster." - Sam Nelson
"Retail and event space presenting a culinary bookstore pop-up featuring Prospect’s collectible, out-of-print, obscure, and imported food books alongside a curated selection of records, art books, and vintage movie posters assembled by the in-house team." - Lisa Shames
"The Verdict: Eat here once and you'll become a regular. All of the fusion-y dishes at this West Loop spot—like fazzoletti with lamb and chili crisp—are good. At least a third of them are incredible. Inside this brick building that reads more “art gallery” than “failed startup headquarters,” vinyl records are played loud enough to be fun, but not so loud you have to scream. Along with Monteverde (also on this guide) and Daisies, Maxwells has become one of our go-to spots for when someone comes in from out of town. The scallion pancakes with french onion dip will make them brag about their visit, but so will the strong martinis and warm service. While reservations don’t immediately disappear when they're released a month out, it’s best to be watchful. Prime weekend time slots are pretty nonexistent, so plan to book about two or three weeks before your dinner unless you don’t mind eating at 5 or 9pm. It's always easier to get a table for a weekday. Or you can roll the dice and walk in day-of—the bar is first come, first served." - adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor, nick allen
