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Chicago’s Loop just got a new lunchtime power player.
Fatback, a hybrid sandwich shop, butcher counter and specialty market from chef Charlie McKenna and The Fifty/50 Group, is now open at 176 West Wacker Drive. The concept aims to solve a very specific downtown dilemma: how to grab a standout lunch and still make it home with something decent for dinner. Think of it as a “desk-to-dinner” pit stop.
The 1,800-square-foot shop operates Monday through Friday from 10 am to 7 pm, targeting Loop professionals looking for more than a sad desk salad. The menu is globally inspired and chef-driven, drawing on the techniques McKenna honed in fine-dining kitchens, all packaged in sandwich form.
The standouts include a Jambon sandwich layered with Lady Edison country ham and whole-grain mustard beurre; a spicy ’Nduja grilled cheese finished with Maldon salt; and a Cochon stacked with porchetta, tasso ham and French raclette. There’s also a roasted yellow beet sandwich with labneh and za’atar for anyone leaning veggie.
Salads and sides round out the lineup. A tahini Caesar is topped with sesame dukkah and a grain salad mixes quinoa with pomegranate. On the rotating side menu, expect options like carrot rapee with cumin and honey or a vodka tomato soup.
But sandwiches are only half the story. The shop also anchors its menu around a French-style rotisserie chicken program featuring Regalis Ivory chicken, prepared using a specialized process meant to elevate the humble grocery-store bird into something a bit more chef-worthy.
Fatback also doubles as a neighborhood-style butcher and market, with premium cuts and deli items available directly from the cooler, ideal for commuters who want to grab restaurant-quality ingredients on the way home. The market shelves are stocked with McKenna’s favorite pantry staples and local favorites, including Lillie’s Q sauces, Tempesta charcuterie, Torres chips, Think jerky and Caruso’s giardiniera. There’s also a small lineup of canned cocktails and bottles from My Dearest Friend Wines.
“Fatback is about the human element of dining,” McKenna said in a statement. “It’s the reason to leave your desk at noon to talk to the person who actually brined your turkey or smoked your pastrami and take those same high quality ingredients home with you.”
Inside, the space blends butcher-shop charm with modern touches through exposed piping, globe lighting and botanical wall art, alongside window counters, café tables and plush booths for anyone lingering over lunch.
And for one weekend exception, Fatback will break its weekday schedule. Because the shop sits right along the Chicago River, it plans to open Saturday to serve crowds gathering for the city’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities—perfect timing for anyone looking to fuel up before watching the river turn green.