The best restaurants near the United Center

The United Center upped its dining game in 2018 with the addition of a Wisconsin-inspired supper club and cocktail lounge. Folks headed to the stadium don’t have to go far for a good meal as brandy old fashioneds. It’s leagues better than the standard concession stand and best of all, you’re only a hop, skip and jump away from post-dinner festivities. The restaurant is only open on event days, but diners do not need a ticket to enter.

The casual sibling to fine-dining standout Smyth is perpetually busy but if you swing by when doors open at 5pm, you’ll usually be able to snag a seat right away. An early bird dinner also gives you plenty of time to sit back and enjoy the menu of French-inspired fare before heading to the United Center. You’ll see most tables ordering the Loyalist cheeseburger and for good reason—it’s arguably the best in the city, dressed with melted American cheese and a mess of pickled and charred onions.

How should one categorize the bold, veg-heavy, anything-goes dishes at Maxwells Trading? In many ways, this singular menu sums what it’s like to live and eat through major American cities—where cuisines, heritages and identities cram together and intermingle. Start off with a Japanese eggplant with tomato confit, slurp on the pork shoulder soup dumpling tortellini, chow down on juicy half chicken with a side of tangy collard greens and wrap it all up with a decadent black tea tiramisu. A pre-event meal that's sure to put concession popcorn to shame.

If Ron Swanson opened a restaurant, it would be Kaiser Tiger. The favorite is the Texas hot links platter—a tray of sausages, mac and cheese, coleslaw and cheddar-jalepeño cornbread. It can be a lot of food, especially for one person, so opt for the cheesy brat or smoked kielbasa for something less hearty. Kaiser Tiger features craft brews and sandwiches on its menu as well, perfect for filling up before heading to the game or event. The flavorful cocktail list includes a spiked coffee with horchata and a poblano pepper margarita.  

This hockey-centric spot replaced one of the neighborhood's most popular sports bars, the Ogden, in 2023. Blackhawks fans will feel right at home—there's tons of memorabilia decorating the space—as they watch Connor Bedard and company on any of the 50 TVs. The menu features your usual bar staples, including wings, smash burgers and pizzas, alongside creative cocktails and a solid beer list.

You won’t have to worry about working the grill for your Korean barbecue at this casual spot. Let the kitchen handle all the hard work—which saves time as well—while you sit back and savor marinated meats like kalbi, bulgogi and pork belly. On cold days, the budae jjigae, or Korean Army Soup, is a spicy fusion stew that will soothe the soul with tofu, ramen noodles, rice cakes, Spam and much more. A selection of soju and beers is also on offer—we suggest giving the tart but tasty Korean plum wine a try.

Tacos are one of the ultimate on-the-go foods so for those who are running behind, this cheery taqueria has you covered. The  shrimp, fried up your way with hot or garlic sauce and yellow rice on the side, is the move here but meat lovers will be plenty happy with the al pastor pork that’s shaved from a trompo.

This 24-seat, indoor/outdoor hybrid café serves caffeinated elixirs by day and boozy concoctions by night. The decorative outdoor patio cements Expat as a perfect summertime Chicago spot, but don't count it out for coffee runs on a crisp autumn day. Nibble on dishes like pasta al limone and sip on bright cocktails ahead of a lively evening.

Although it’s most synonymous with Cubs lore, this iconic burger joint has an outpost near the United Center, too. Order a single, double or triple patty “Cheezborger” (made popular in an SNL skit) on a kaiser roll bun and finish it with whatever extras you like at the toppings station. There’s a fully stocked bar for your pregaming needs and the restaurant extends its hours on event nights so you can stop in for a bite on your way home.

A quintessential Chicago experience, Harold’s serves up some of the finest fried chicken in the city. The thing that sets the local chain apart from the competition is mild sauce, a zingy condiment that tastes like a blend of ketchup, barbecue and hot sauce. Seating is limited and the chicken is cooked to order so you’ll have to wait a bit, but you won’t care about such minor inconveniences after one bite of the crisp skin and impossibly juicy flesh.

This neighborhood pizza bar is the perfect place to scarf down a slice and stock up on drinks before your highly-anticipated night. Specialties include a hot honey sopresatta and unforgettable dill pickle pizza with Canadian bacon. The late night menu, which is available even after United Center events, includes all the glory of the pizza menu plus wings, calamari, cheese curds and more. #Trending cocktails are a fun way to kick off the night—you can't go wrong with a rosemary-infused Aperol spritz.

We've all been there: You forgot to compensate for downtown and West Loop traffic during rush hour and now you're running dangerously late. You could just grab a hot dog or jumbo pretzel at the concession stand, but that'd mean admitting defeat. When in a pinch, nearby Church's Chicken does more than a job well done. Just a 10 minute walk from the United Center and one of the best deals in the area, you can get a three-piece combo to go and still make the start of the game—all without dropping a dime on overpriced stadium concessions.