The Publican

Name: The Publican
Address: 837 W. Fulton Market, Chicago, IL, United States, 60607
Telephone: (312) 733-9555
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.6

Visa Dining Collection

4.6 (5959)

$31 to $50

American

837 W. Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 15, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 55 times today

About this restaurant

Good for groups
Neighborhood gem
Great for craft beers

An homage to oysters, pork and beer, The Publican's eclectic menu is inspired by simple farmhouse fare in a space evocative of a European beer hall. Chef-Partner Paul Kahan has developed a network of purveyors to supply the restaurant with hand-selected and sustainably-raised fish, seafood and pork.

Patio seating is first come, first served. Walk-ins are always welcome!

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, European, Beer Garden
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 9:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
Phone number
(312) 733-9555
Website
http://thepublicanrestaurant.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Paul Kahan
Catering
The Publican offers flexible Pickup/Drop-Off & Full-Service catering, featuring a curated selection of our most celebrated dishes. Bring rustic flavor to your next business meeting, wedding, or family gathering. Email patrick@oneoffhospitality.com to learn more.
Private party facilities
The Publican is available for private breakfasts, group lunches, large parties, happy hours, and full buyouts. Our happy hour experience can be enjoyed at the bar or on the patio, perfect for casual gatherings with craft cocktails, beer, and tasty bites. Email heatherdougherty@oneoffhospitality.com to plan your event today!

Location
837 W. Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
Neighborhood
West Loop
Cross street
W Fulton Market & N Green St
Parking details
Valet parking & limited street parking available
Public transit
- #8 Halsted Bus, exit on Fulton Market Stop. - 3 blocks east of Morgan Green/Pink Line stop.
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 5,959 people are saying

The Publican reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.5Service
4.4Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Publican delights with its "delicious food" and "outstanding service." Its unique communal dining setup and "imaginative dishes" create a lively atmosphere. Highlights include exceptional brunch options, an impressive happy hour, and expertly crafted cocktails. While some experiences vary, the "killer happy hour" and "amazing brunch" keep patrons returning for more.

5,959 Reviews

A
Angelica
Chicago / Illinois3 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We absolutely here! Went for an early Father’s Day brunch. Everything was delicious! We will be back!
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K
Kate
Chicago / Illinois2 reviews
4.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Perfect spot for drinks with our large group! Wish we could’ve been out on the patio but regardless it was a good group happy hour.
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J
John and Jen VIP
Chicago / Illinois190 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Stopped in for lunch at The Publican with two coworkers, and we were all really happy with the food and atmosphere. Between us, we tried the burger, ham sandwich, and fries—all were fresh, flavorful, and well-prepared. The burger was juicy and satisfying, and the ham sandwich had a great balance of savory and tangy. Fries were crispy and perfect for sharing. Service was friendly and efficient, and the space felt lively without being too loud for conversation. Definitely a solid choice for a casual business lunch or catching up with colleagues.
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A
Ashley
Washington, D.C. Area3 reviews
2.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 2
We waited for 20 minutes to be seated when we had a reservation. Ultimately was sat at a table that had been available all along. Waited over an hour for food. No apology, no visit from a manager, didn’t even come to offer us a refill on drinks, we had to get up and track someone down for that. Food tasted good but hard to tell if it was great or just starvation.
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M
Michael
Chicago / Illinois1 review
1.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 1
2. Food 4
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
They really whiffed on this one. I had made a 7p reservation at The Publican for out of town guests because it's typically a solid option. The lowlights: *They ran out of two steak entrees we wanted so they offered us chicken and quail as the only available options - all this after we had put the original order in. *They "found" one of the steaks we ordered but it came out cold, rubbery, and unevenly cooked. I can only guess where they "found" it. *The chicken we ordered for the table never came out so we cancelled it 2.5 hours into our experience and asked for the bill. *Members of the wait/bus staff collided next to our table resulting in broken glass and drinks spilling on my mom and pregnant wife. NOBODY came over to apologize or ask if we were ok. *We notified our waiter (they had already told us about the missing entrees at this point) and the best they could do was a round of wine (only three of the six people were drinking) and asking us "what can we do to make you happy?" *As we were settling the bill our server and the hostess mentioned, again, how they were able to "find" us the steak, which felt tacky considering how we were still hungry due to the missing entrees. I don't ever go out to dinner thinking I'm going to get a free meal nor would I ever suggest they comp the meal but in this case, I felt like the $300 tab they dropped on the table after getting just about everything wrong was inappropriate. I paid it, and tipped 20%. I think they comped some drinks but we paid full freight for a small plates before the entrees. Frankly, we wanted to leave so badly that I wasn't going to scrutinize the bill. I did notice they kept the bulls**t 3% hospitality charge included, which just threw gas on the fire. They did give us a gift card, an apology, and the promise that when they "see my name on the reservation list again they'll make sure we have a great experience." Too late. Why would we ever come back? I hope I can use the gift card at avec.
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D
Drew
Chicago / Illinois1 review
5.0
Dined on June 7, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food — worth the trip for the barbecue carrots alone! Service was particularly on point. Well done for such a crowded patio!
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A
Ann
Minneapolis - St. Paul2 reviews
4.0
Dined on June 7, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Sat outside , very comfortable. Food was all good quality Very nice vegetable selection Waiter was busy and wasn’t quite as attentive as we expected, but he had a great sense of humor and was pleasant
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K
Ken VIP
Las Vegas8 reviews
1.0
Dined on June 7, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Service staff very friendly. Can’t take anything away from them there. Food quality was abysmal. We did the chefs tasting menu and the only 3 dishes that we enjoyed were the chicharrones , the charcuterie board and the ice cream sandwich for dessert. The rib cap, quail, mussels, asparagus salad, hamachi crudo (absolutely vile), and fish dish were all disappointing. The carrots were passable. We never saw anyone who appeared to be a manager so didn’t have the opportunity to discuss our concerns. We couldn’t believe that we spent $350 (including 3 alcoholic beverages and tip) for that sub par experience. There are so many stellar food options in Chicago. This is not one of them.
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C
Carrie
Memphis / West Tennessee2 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 6, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Nice patio, great service, yummy cocktails and food
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j
jaime
Chicago / Illinois5 reviews
4.0
Dined on June 5, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Very nice 90th Birthday Dinner honoring Jacques Pepin. Six courses by different One Off Hospitality chefs. Great complimentary cocktail by bar manager Jill.
1 person found this helpful

FAQs

The Publican offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (312) 733-9555.

The Publican is rated 4.6 stars by 5959 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 15, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 55 times today

837 W. Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607

Additional information

Cross street
W Fulton Market & N Green St
Neighborhood
West Loop
Hours of operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 9:00 am–2:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, European, Beer Garden
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Valet parking & limited street parking available
Public transit
- #8 Halsted Bus, exit on Fulton Market Stop. - 3 blocks east of Morgan Green/Pink Line stop.
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Paul Kahan
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://thepublicanrestaurant.com/
Phone number
(312) 733-9555
Catering
The Publican offers flexible Pickup/Drop-Off & Full-Service catering, featuring a curated selection of our most celebrated dishes. Bring rustic flavor to your next business meeting, wedding, or family gathering. Email patrick@oneoffhospitality.com to learn more.
Private party facilities
The Publican is available for private breakfasts, group lunches, large parties, happy hours, and full buyouts. Our happy hour experience can be enjoyed at the bar or on the patio, perfect for casual gatherings with craft cocktails, beer, and tasty bites. Email heatherdougherty@oneoffhospitality.com to plan your event today!

The Publican

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

Menu

What 5,959 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

Does The Publican offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Publican restaurant rated?

Is The Publican currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information