Panda Express
10 min walk
from 311 S Wacker
3 min bike
via downtown streets
790 m / 2592 ft
straight-line distance
83 places
within a 5-min walk
Panda Express is a restaurant at 515 South State Street, about 790 m (10 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 Printers Row. The nearest CTA 'L' stop is Harrison (Red line), about a 2-minute walk, and Union Station's Metra and Amtrak trains are 14 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 (790 m · ~10 min walk).
Getting to Panda Express
From 311 South Wacker Drive
Head east — it's about 790 m on foot (10 min at a city pace). The dashed line on the map above shows the direction.
By 'L' Train
Ride to Harrison (Red line); from the platform exit it's roughly a 2-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 14 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 Auditorium Parking, about 2 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 Board of Trade | 510 m | 6 min walk |
| The Art Institute of Chicago | 572 m | 7 min walk |
| Buckingham Fountain | 706 m | 9 min walk |
| Willis Tower & Skydeck | 814 m | 10 min walk |
| Millennium Park (Cloud Gate) | 896 m | 11 min walk |
| Union Station | 1137 m | 14 min walk |
| Chicago Theatre | 1152 m | 14 min walk |
| Chicago Riverwalk | 1370 m | 17 min walk |
| Navy Pier | 2403 m | 30 min walk |
Everyday Essentials Near Panda Express
| Nearest coffee | Starbucks | 2 min walk |
| Nearest pharmacy | CVS Pharmacy | 1 min walk |
| Nearest bank branch | Bank of America | 6 min walk |
| Nearest public garage | Auditorium Parking | 2 min walk |
| Nearest print/ship shop | The UPS Store | 5 min walk |
| Nearest dry cleaner | Plymouth Court Cleaners | 2 min walk |
Within a 5-Minute Walk of Panda Express
Live counts from this directory — every link is a full detail page.
- 42 hotels: HI Chicago Hostel, HI Chicago, Bluegreen Vacations Hotel Blake, Ascend Resort Collection, Wyndham Blake Hotel (+38 more)
- 3 cafes: Starbucks, Starbucks, Intelligentsia Coffee
- 1 bars: 2Twenty2 Tavern
- 5 attractions: The Museum of Contemporary Photography, Magdalene, Equestrian Indians (The Spearman), Equestrian Indians (The Bowman) (+1 more)
- 5 entertainment: Auditorium Theatre, Studebaker Theater, Buddy Guy's Legends, Merle Reskin Theatre (+1 more)
- 5 health & wellness: Planet Fitness, Athletico Physical Therapy, Knuckleheads Boxing & Family Fitness, Chicago Fit Results (+1 more)
- 5 parking: Auditorium Parking, Plymouth Court Garage, 318 South Federal, Hilton Parking (+1 more)
- 2 pharmacies: CVS Pharmacy, CVS Pharmacy
- 2 dry cleaners: Plymouth Court Cleaners, Roosevelt Cleaners
- 1 print shops: The UPS Store
- 1 corporate services: Spaces
The Neighborhood: Printers Row
Printers Row's handsome brick lofts once housed the country's biggest printing trade; today they hold cafes, bookshops and residences on quiet, tree-lined blocks — a calm pocket five minutes' walk from the Loop's bustle.
Staying Overnight? Hotels Near Panda Express
The closest guest-rated hotels to this spot — live photos and ratings via Booking.com.
★ 9.1/10 · 1803 reviews · 2 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 The Museum of Contemporary Photography (3 min away). Then continue with 2Twenty2 Tavern (5 min away). Then continue with Starbucks (2 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 790 meters from 311 South Wacker Drive — roughly a 10-minute walk through downtown Chicago.
What is the nearest CTA 'L' station to Panda Express? +
The closest 'L' stop is Harrison (Red line), about 142 m away — a 2-minute walk.
What else is within a short walk of Panda Express? +
Within about five minutes on foot you'll find 14 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
Wingstop
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10 min from 311 S Wacker
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8 min from 311 S Wacker
Dunkin'
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Taco Bell Cantina
407 South Dearborn Street
8 min from 311 S Wacker
Subway
35 West Van Buren Street
8 min from 311 S Wacker
Forno Mauri
620 South Dearborn Street
9 min from 311 S Wacker
Other Places Near Panda Express
Planet Fitness
521 South State Street
10 min from 311 S Wacker Health & Wellness
CVS Pharmacy
520 South State Street
9 min from 311 S Wacker Pharmacies
Athletico Physical Therapy
557 South State Street
10 min from 311 S Wacker Health & Wellness
HI Chicago Hostel
24 E Ida B Wells Drive
10 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
HI Chicago
24 East Ida B. Wells Drive
10 min from 311 S Wacker Hotels
Plymouth Court Cleaners
Downtown Chicago
8 min from 311 S Wacker Dry Cleaners