Panda Express
8 min walk
from 311 S Wacker
3 min bike
via downtown streets
640 m / 2100 ft
straight-line distance
48 places
within a 5-min walk
Panda Express is a restaurant at 500 West Madison Street, about 640 m (8 min walk) from 311 South Wacker Drive. It is known for Chinese cuisine. It's a convenient pick for lunch near the Willis Tower or dinner after work in the Chicago Loop.
Panda Express sits in West Loop. The nearest CTA 'L' stop is Clinton/Lake (Green & Pink lines), about a 4-minute walk, and Union Station's Metra and Amtrak trains are 5 minutes away on foot — so reaching it without a car is easy.
Downtown's Chinese kitchens offer quick lunch combos, while Chinatown — a short Red Line ride south — holds the city's deepest bench.
Map & Location
Dashed line shows the straight-line route to 311 South Wacker Drive (640 m · ~8 min walk).
Getting to Panda Express
From 311 South Wacker Drive
Head northwest — it's about 640 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 4-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 4 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 | 431 m | 5 min walk |
| Willis Tower & Skydeck | 530 m | 7 min walk |
| Chicago Board of Trade | 815 m | 10 min walk |
| Chicago Riverwalk | 988 m | 12 min walk |
| Chicago Theatre | 1097 m | 14 min walk |
| Millennium Park (Cloud Gate) | 1383 m | 17 min walk |
| The Art Institute of Chicago | 1390 m | 17 min walk |
| Buckingham Fountain | 1903 m | 24 min walk |
| Navy Pier | 2793 m | 35 min walk |
Everyday Essentials Near Panda Express
| Nearest coffee | Starbucks | 1 min walk |
| Nearest pharmacy | Walgreens | 7 min walk |
| Nearest bank branch | Bank of America | 3 min walk |
| Nearest public garage | Presidential Towers Garage | 4 min walk |
| Nearest print/ship shop | The UPS Store | 3 min walk |
| Nearest dry cleaner | Paramount Cleaners | 5 min walk |
Within a 5-Minute Walk of Panda Express
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
- 3 cafes: Starbucks, Starbucks, Starbucks
- 5 bars: Madison Tavern, Ovie Bar & Grill, South Branch, CH Distillery (+1 more)
- 2 attractions: Museum of Broadcast Communications, Batcolumn
- 1 entertainment: Civic Opera House
- 3 health & wellness: Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC), Massage Evolved, Family Planning Associates
- 1 parking: Presidential Towers Garage
- 5 banks: Bank of America, Chase, Fifth Third Bank, U.S. Bank (+1 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 Panda Express
The closest guest-rated hotels to this spot — live photos and ratings via Booking.com.
★ 8.9/10 · 487 reviews · 4 min walk from here
Check Rates
Make an Outing of It
A visit to Panda Express pairs naturally with the blocks around it. Then start with Museum of Broadcast Communications (3 min away). Then continue with Madison Tavern (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
Lunch downtown peaks sharply from noon to 1pm on weekdays — arrive before 11:45am or after 1:15pm to skip the office rush. For dinner, remember that much of the Loop quiets after 8pm outside theatre nights, while the West Loop and River North stay lively later.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Panda Express from 311 South Wacker Drive? +
Panda Express is about 640 meters from 311 South Wacker Drive — roughly a 8-minute walk through downtown Chicago.
What is the nearest CTA 'L' station to Panda Express? +
The closest 'L' stop is Clinton/Lake (Green & Pink lines), about 349 m away — a 4-minute walk.
What else is within a short walk of Panda Express? +
Within about five minutes on foot you'll find 23 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 Restaurants Nearby
Dunkin'
500 West Madison Street
8 min from 311 S Wacker
Jamba
500 West Madison Street
8 min from 311 S Wacker
Popeyes
500 West Madison Street
8 min from 311 S Wacker
Asadito
30 North Clinton Street
9 min from 311 S Wacker
Slightly Toasted
22 North Clinton Street
9 min from 311 S Wacker
Aloha Pokē Co
131 North Clinton Street
10 min from 311 S Wacker
Other Places Near Panda Express
Starbucks
500 West Madison Street
8 min from 311 S Wacker Cafes
Madison Tavern
500 West Madison Street
8 min from 311 S Wacker Bars
Starbucks
40 North Clinton Street
9 min from 311 S Wacker Cafes
Ovie Bar & Grill
120 North Canal Street
10 min from 311 S Wacker Bars
Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC)
10 South Clinton Street
8 min from 311 S Wacker Health & Wellness
Massage Evolved
118 North Clinton Street
10 min from 311 S Wacker Health & Wellness