Big Shoulders Coffee
24 min walk
from 311 S Wacker
8 min bike
via downtown streets
1954 m / 6411 ft
straight-line distance
48 places
within a 5-min walk
Big Shoulders Coffee is a cafe / coffee shop at 680 North Clark Street, about 1954 m (24 min walk) from 311 South Wacker Drive — a handy stop for espresso, coffee meetings, or a quiet break near the Willis Tower and the Loop's office towers.
Big Shoulders Coffee sits in River North. The nearest CTA 'L' stop is Grand (Red) (Red line), about a 5-minute walk, and Union Station's Metra and Amtrak trains are 24 minutes away on foot — so reaching it without a car is easy.
Chicago's coffee culture punches above its weight, with hometown roasters pulling shots alongside the national chains.
Map & Location
Dashed line shows the straight-line route to 311 South Wacker Drive (1954 m · ~24 min walk).
Getting to Big Shoulders Coffee
From 311 South Wacker Drive
Head north — it's about 1954 m on foot (24 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 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 24 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 210 N Wells Self Park, about 12 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 | 809 m | 10 min walk |
| Chicago Theatre | 1054 m | 13 min walk |
| Millennium Park (Cloud Gate) | 1484 m | 19 min walk |
| The Art Institute of Chicago | 1786 m | 22 min walk |
| Willis Tower & Skydeck | 1787 m | 22 min walk |
| Chicago Board of Trade | 1860 m | 23 min walk |
| Navy Pier | 1915 m | 24 min walk |
| Union Station | 1918 m | 24 min walk |
| Buckingham Fountain | 2334 m | 29 min walk |
Everyday Essentials Near Big Shoulders Coffee
| Nearest pharmacy | Walgreens | 1 min walk |
| Nearest bank branch | Chase | 6 min walk |
| Nearest public garage | 210 N Wells Self Park | 12 min walk |
| Nearest print/ship shop | The UPS Store | 6 min walk |
| Nearest dry cleaner | Kinzie Cleaners | 16 min walk |
Within a 5-Minute Walk of Big Shoulders Coffee
Live counts from this directory — every link is a full detail page.
- 35 hotels: Hotel Felix, Home2 Suites By Hilton Chicago River North, The Godfrey Hotel Chicago, Dearborn Duplex l Sleeps 10 l Free Parking (+31 more)
- 7 restaurants: Fogo de Chão, Portillo's, McDonald's, True Food Kitchen (+3 more)
- 2 entertainment: Sound Bar, Bally's
- 1 health & wellness: LaserAway
- 1 pharmacies: Walgreens
- 2 corporate services: Spaces, Fort Dearborn Post Office
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 Big Shoulders Coffee
The closest guest-rated hotels to this spot — live photos and ratings via Booking.com.
★ 7.8/10 · 2676 reviews · 1 min walk from here
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Make an Outing of It
A visit to Big Shoulders Coffee pairs naturally with the blocks around it. Then start with Zolla/Libermann Gallery (5 min away). Then continue with Enolo Wine Cafe (6 min away). All three have full detail pages in this directory with maps and walking times.
Good to Know: Local Tips
Loop coffee culture runs on office hours: expect the longest lines 8–9:30am on weekdays and easy seating after 2pm. Many downtown cafes close by late afternoon and keep shorter weekend hours, so check before making a special trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Big Shoulders Coffee from 311 South Wacker Drive? +
Big Shoulders Coffee is about 1954 meters from 311 South Wacker Drive — roughly a 24-minute walk through downtown Chicago.
What is the nearest CTA 'L' station to Big Shoulders Coffee? +
The closest 'L' stop is Grand (Red) (Red line), about 430 m away — a 5-minute walk.
What else is within a short walk of Big Shoulders Coffee? +
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 Cafes & Coffee Shops Nearby
Starbucks
222 West Merchandise Mart Plaza
16 min from 311 S Wacker
Stan's Donuts & Coffee
535 North Michigan Avenue
24 min from 311 S Wacker
Starbucks
180 North LaSalle Street
12 min from 311 S Wacker
Corner Bakery
56 West Randolph Street
12 min from 311 S Wacker
Do-Rite Donuts & Coffee
50 West Randolph Street
12 min from 311 S Wacker
Stan's Donuts & Coffee
181 North Michigan Avenue
17 min from 311 S Wacker
Other Places Near Big Shoulders Coffee
Hotel Felix
111 West Huron Street
24 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
Home2 Suites By Hilton Chicago River North
110 West Huron St
25 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
The Godfrey Hotel Chicago
127 West Huron Street
24 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
Fogo De Chão
661 North LaSalle Drive
24 min from 311 S Wacker Restaurants
Walgreens
641 North Clark Street
23 min from 311 S Wacker Pharmacies
Portillo's
100 West Ontario Street
23 min from 311 S Wacker Restaurants