Upstairs at Gwen
22 min walk
from 311 S Wacker
7 min bike
via downtown streets
1791 m / 5876 ft
straight-line distance
67 places
within a 5-min walk
Upstairs at Gwen is a bar at 521 North Rush Street, about 1791 m (22 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.
Upstairs at Gwen sits in River North. The nearest CTA 'L' stop is Grand (Red) (Red line), about a 3-minute walk, and Union Station's Metra and Amtrak trains are 23 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 (1791 m · ~22 min walk).
Getting to Upstairs at Gwen
From 311 South Wacker Drive
Head northeast — it's about 1791 m on foot (22 min at a city pace). The dashed line on the map above shows the direction.
By 'L' Train
Ride to Grand (Red) (Red line); from the platform exit it's roughly a 3-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 23 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 Hotel Parking, about 6 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
| Chicago Riverwalk | 579 m | 7 min walk |
| Chicago Theatre | 647 m | 8 min walk |
| Millennium Park (Cloud Gate) | 956 m | 12 min walk |
| The Art Institute of Chicago | 1294 m | 16 min walk |
| Navy Pier | 1376 m | 17 min walk |
| Chicago Board of Trade | 1594 m | 20 min walk |
| Willis Tower & Skydeck | 1630 m | 20 min walk |
| Buckingham Fountain | 1789 m | 22 min walk |
| Union Station | 1870 m | 23 min walk |
Everyday Essentials Near Upstairs at Gwen
| Nearest coffee | Stan's Donuts & Coffee | 2 min walk |
| Nearest pharmacy | Walgreens | 2 min walk |
| Nearest bank branch | Chase | 6 min walk |
| Nearest public garage | Hotel Parking | 6 min walk |
| Nearest print/ship shop | FedEx Office | 1 min walk |
| Nearest dry cleaner | Shiny Cleaners | 20 min walk |
Within a 5-Minute Walk of Upstairs at Gwen
Live counts from this directory — every link is a full detail page.
- 36 hotels: The Gwen, Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile, Homewood Suites by Hilton Chicago Downtown, InterContinental Chicago Hotel (+32 more)
- 6 restaurants: Eataly, Pizzeria Uno, Fleming's, Shaw’s Crab House (+2 more)
- 1 cafes: Stan's Donuts & Coffee
- 9 attractions: Museum of Ice Cream, Wendella Tours - Michigan Avenue, Wendella Tours - Dock 3, Wendella Tours - Dock 4 (+5 more)
- 3 entertainment: AMC Dine-In 600 North Michigan 9, Andy's Jazz Club & Restaurant, Bally's
- 5 health & wellness: The Skin Bar at Ulta Beauty, Ulta Beauty, Medrina, Orangetheory Fitness (+1 more)
- 2 pharmacies: Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy
- 1 print shops: FedEx Office
- 2 corporate services: SPACE by doejo, WeWork
The Neighborhood: River North
North of the Chicago River, River North mixes gallery-district polish with big-energy nightlife. Steakhouses, rooftop bars, design showrooms and the Merchandise Mart sit within a few minutes' walk of the Magnificent Mile's shopping.
Staying Overnight? Hotels Near Upstairs at Gwen
The closest guest-rated hotels to this spot — live photos and ratings via Booking.com.
★ 8.8/10 · 77 reviews · 1 min walk from here
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★ 8.2/10 · 317 reviews · 1 min walk from here
Check Rates
★ 8.3/10 · 2068 reviews · 1 min walk from here
Check RatesMake an Outing of It
A visit to Upstairs at Gwen pairs naturally with the blocks around it. Then start with Museum of Ice Cream (3 min away). Then continue with Eataly (2 min away). Then continue with Stan's Donuts & Coffee (2 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 Upstairs at Gwen from 311 South Wacker Drive? +
Upstairs at Gwen is about 1791 meters from 311 South Wacker Drive — roughly a 22-minute walk through downtown Chicago.
What is the nearest CTA 'L' station to Upstairs at Gwen? +
The closest 'L' stop is Grand (Red) (Red line), about 246 m away — a 3-minute walk.
What else is within a short walk of Upstairs at Gwen? +
Within about five minutes on foot you'll find 7 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
Jojo's Shake Bar
23 West Hubbard Street
19 min from 311 S Wacker
O'Callaghan's
29 West Hubbard Street
19 min from 311 S Wacker
Bar Louie
333-335 North Dearborn Street
17 min from 311 S Wacker
Enolo Wine Cafe
450 North Clark Street
19 min from 311 S Wacker
The Baton Show Lounge
436 North Clark Street
19 min from 311 S Wacker
The Boss Bar
420 North Clark Street
18 min from 311 S Wacker
Other Places Near Upstairs at Gwen
The Gwen
521 North Rush Street
22 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
540 North Michigan Avenue
24 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
FedEx Office
540 North Michigan Avenue
24 min from 311 S Wacker Print Shops
The Skin Bar at Ulta Beauty
430 North Michigan Avenue
22 min from 311 S Wacker Health & Wellness
Ulta Beauty
430 North Michigan Avenue
22 min from 311 S Wacker Health & Wellness
Homewood Suites by Hilton Chicago Downtown
40 East Grand Avenue
23 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels