Madison Tavern
8 min walk
from 311 S Wacker
3 min bike
via downtown streets
633 m / 2077 ft
straight-line distance
52 places
within a 5-min walk
Madison Tavern is a bar at 500 West Madison Street, about 633 m (8 min walk) from 311 South Wacker Drive. A solid choice for after-work drinks, catching a game, or starting a night out in downtown Chicago.
Madison Tavern sits in West Loop. The nearest CTA 'L' stop is Clinton/Lake (Green & Pink lines), about a 5-minute walk, and Union Station's Metra and Amtrak trains are 5 minutes away on foot — so reaching it without a car is easy.
Map & Location
Dashed line shows the straight-line route to 311 South Wacker Drive (633 m · ~8 min walk).
Getting to Madison Tavern
From 311 South Wacker Drive
Head northwest — it's about 633 m on foot (8 min at a city pace). The dashed line on the map above shows the direction.
By 'L' Train
Ride to Clinton/Lake (Green & Pink lines); from the platform exit it's roughly a 5-minute walk. A Ventra card or contactless bank card works on all CTA trains and buses.
From Union Station (Metra / Amtrak)
Exit toward Jackson Boulevard and walk 5 minutes; taxis and rideshare pickups are on Canal Street.
From the Airports
O'Hare: CTA Blue line to the Loop (~45 min) or 30–60 min by car. Midway: CTA Orange line to the Loop (~25 min) or about 20–30 min by car.
If You're Driving
The nearest public garage in this directory is Presidential Towers Garage, about 3 min away on foot — reserve ahead through a parking app for the best rate, or see the 311 S Wacker parking guide.
Walking Times to Chicago Landmarks
| Union Station | 402 m | 5 min walk |
| Willis Tower & Skydeck | 533 m | 7 min walk |
| Chicago Board of Trade | 826 m | 10 min walk |
| Chicago Riverwalk | 1033 m | 13 min walk |
| Chicago Theatre | 1139 m | 14 min walk |
| The Art Institute of Chicago | 1418 m | 18 min walk |
| Millennium Park (Cloud Gate) | 1419 m | 18 min walk |
| Buckingham Fountain | 1925 m | 24 min walk |
| Navy Pier | 2837 m | 35 min walk |
Everyday Essentials Near Madison Tavern
| Nearest coffee | Starbucks | 1 min walk |
| Nearest pharmacy | Walgreens | 8 min walk |
| Nearest bank branch | Bank of America | 3 min walk |
| Nearest public garage | Presidential Towers Garage | 3 min walk |
| Nearest print/ship shop | The UPS Store | 4 min walk |
| Nearest dry cleaner | Paramount Cleaners | 4 min walk |
Within a 5-Minute Walk of Madison Tavern
Live counts from this directory — every link is a full detail page.
- 3 hotels: Hampton Inn Chicago West Loop Fulton Market Area, Homewood Suites West Loop Fulton Market Area, Hyatt Place Chicago/Downtown - The Loop
- 24 restaurants: Jamba, Dunkin', Panda Express, Popeyes (+20 more)
- 3 cafes: Starbucks, Starbucks, Starbucks
- 2 attractions: Batcolumn, Museum of Broadcast Communications
- 1 entertainment: Civic Opera House
- 3 health & wellness: Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC), Massage Evolved, Family Planning Associates
- 1 parking: Presidential Towers Garage
- 6 banks: Bank of America, Chase, Chase, Fifth Third Bank (+2 more)
- 1 dry cleaners: Paramount Cleaners
- 1 shoe repair: Leathercare Shoe Repair
- 2 print shops: The UPS Store, FedEx Office
- 1 corporate services: TechNexus
The Neighborhood: West Loop
Once a warehouse district, the West Loop is now one of America's hottest dining neighborhoods. Restaurant Row along Randolph Street and the surrounding blocks pack James Beard-winning kitchens, cocktail bars and galleries into repurposed brick lofts, all a short walk over the river from the Loop's offices.
Staying Overnight? Hotels Near Madison Tavern
The closest guest-rated hotels to this spot — live photos and ratings via Booking.com.
★ 8.9/10 · 487 reviews · 3 min walk from here
Check Rates
Make an Outing of It
A visit to Madison Tavern pairs naturally with the blocks around it. Then start with Batcolumn (3 min away). Then continue with Jamba (1 min away). Then continue with Starbucks (1 min away). All three have full detail pages in this directory with maps and walking times.
Good to Know: Local Tips
After-work happy hour (roughly 4:30–6:30pm) is the Loop's busiest bar window — arrive by 5pm for a table. Illinois bars card everyone who looks under 40, so carry ID, and note that many Loop taverns close earlier on Sundays.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Madison Tavern from 311 South Wacker Drive? +
Madison Tavern is about 633 meters from 311 South Wacker Drive — roughly a 8-minute walk through downtown Chicago.
What is the nearest CTA 'L' station to Madison Tavern? +
The closest 'L' stop is Clinton/Lake (Green & Pink lines), about 369 m away — a 5-minute walk.
What else is within a short walk of Madison Tavern? +
Within about five minutes on foot you'll find 27 other places to eat or grab coffee, plus more bars, shops and attractions — see the "within a 5-minute walk" section on this page.
More Bars & Pubs Nearby
Ovie Bar & Grill
120 North Canal Street
10 min from 311 S Wacker
South Branch
100 South Wacker Drive
4 min from 311 S Wacker
CH Distillery
564 West Randolph Street
12 min from 311 S Wacker
New Line Tavern
201 North Clinton Street
13 min from 311 S Wacker
Chicago Union Station Metropolitan Lounge
225 South Canal Street
3 min from 311 S Wacker
Kumiko
630 West Lake Street
14 min from 311 S Wacker
Other Places Near Madison Tavern
Starbucks
500 West Madison Street
8 min from 311 S Wacker Cafes
Jamba
500 West Madison Street
8 min from 311 S Wacker Restaurants
Dunkin'
500 West Madison Street
8 min from 311 S Wacker Restaurants
Panda Express
500 West Madison Street
8 min from 311 S Wacker Restaurants
Popeyes
500 West Madison Street
8 min from 311 S Wacker Restaurants
Slightly Toasted
22 North Clinton Street
9 min from 311 S Wacker Restaurants