Chinatown Square
4.6(880)google
4.3(77)yelp
ChinatownLocal LifePhoto Spot
Overview
Chinatown Square is a bustling, two-story outdoor pedestrian shopping and dining mall located in the heart of Chicago's thriving Chinatown. The vibrant plaza is beautifully anchored by statues representing the twelve Chinese zodiac animals and features a stunning mosaic mural chronicling the rich history of Chinese immigrants in America. It is a legendary destination for foodies seeking authentic regional Chinese cuisines, bubble teas, and unique Asian boutiques, offering an immersive and sensory-rich cultural excursion.
Practical Info
Suggested DurationAbout 1.5-2.5 hours
Best TimeWeekend lunch or dinner times are best when the multi-level outdoor mall is vibrant and bustling. It is the go-to spot for authentic dim sum, Szechuan hot pot, and boba. Chinese New Year features festive lion dances.
Getting ThereTake the 'L' Red Line directly to the Cermak-Chinatown station. Walk less than 2 minutes northwest from the exit, and cross under the iconic 'Chinatown Square' ceremonial archway into the pedestrian mall.
Travel Tips
- The main open-air parking lot at Chinatown Square is expensive, but dining at participating square restaurants allows you to get a 'Parking Validation' stamp/ticket from the staff. This drastically cuts the parking fee to just a few dollars for the first few hours.
- Weekend lunch hours from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM witness extreme crowds for Dim Sum and top eateries, with walk-in wait times exceeding an hour. Arrive before 10:30 AM or utilize Yelp/OpenTable to remotely join waitlists beforehand.
- Instead of taking the subway or rideshares back downtown, walk to the adjacent Ping Tom Park dock and board the Chicago Water Taxi. It is significantly cheaper than architectural cruises and offers scenic transit directly into the Loop.
Reviews
Positive
- The two-story open plaza layout exudes rich Chinese commercial street vibes; the zodiac statues and main mural wall offer unique, fun visuals.
- It gathers incredibly authentic regional Chinese cuisines from hotpot and dim sum to boba tea, serving as a true paradise for foodies.
- Right next to the CTA Red Line Cermak-Chinatown station, it's highly convenient via transit or using the plaza’s large dedicated surface lot.
- Accessible elevators are available alongside the plaza stairs; public restrooms are on-site, and signs are fully bilingual (Chinese/English).
Heads up
- During peak weekend dinner hours, crowd density is massive; popular eateries require 1-2 hour waits, and the plaza gets incredibly noisy and packed.
- The commercialization and bustling market vibe are heavy; it is a pure shopping/dining strip, which may disappoint those seeking peaceful historic ruins.
- While parking spaces are plentiful, peak rates are expensive, and due to high traffic volume, the lot gates experience bad gridlock.
- Some outdoor public spaces suffer from delayed trash cleanup after peak hours; wheelchair ramps at a few older store entrances are narrow and steep.