Plaza Market Bistro

It used to be a good food court for lunch in the Loop (before they changed the vendor). The food was OK and the prices were quite reasonable as well. With so many fast food in the area, I found this place a bit better than most places considering the choices of food they have. By no means the most delicious place in town, I would still come here to meet up with friends working in the vicinity for lunch. I haven’t been back since they changed the name though.

This place used to rock, now it’s Compass and it sucks. See Urban Market to find out what people really think about it now.

One of my favorite lunch spots in the Loop! Very affordable and lots of options. So far I have only tried the American section. I had a quarter chicken + 2 delish sides + 1 bread roll for around $ 6! Abundant seating areas and lines move very very fast.
Will definitely frequent this place whenever I don’t feel like bringing lunch.

I just heard on Channel 2 news that the Plaza Market Bistro (or Chase as we call it) is closing. No!!! This is the best place to grab lunch in the Loop for both value and variety. Lots of jobs will be lost too. This is truly a shame if it is true.

On Fridays, the Chase food court has Indian food. And it’s freakin’ good. Like, so good that on Friday mornings, it’s often the first thing I think about. It’ll be like:
alarm: beep beep
me: oof, better hit the snooze
alarm: beep beep
me: oh, yay. it’s Friday, at least I can have Indian food from Chase plaza. I guess getting out of bed won’t be so bad.
But this is getting silly. I just woke up at 4:30 a.m., super stressed out about the day of work ahead, and I am sitting here at my computer thinking, well, at least I can have Indian around noon today. It’s like that.
The vegetarian option is a huge amount of food for $ 6.25 (tax included). It’s a total bargain. It comes with rice, naan and two veggie dishes. My favorites are the palak paneer and their vegetable jalfrezi. Yum.
On days other than Friday, this is a good food court with numerous options for reasonable prices. That said, nothing says «rat race» more than getting your lunch from a cafeteria for grown-​ups.

A coworker took me here the other day for lunch and I was pleasantly surprised. My office building doesn’t have a place like this (we get stuck with Pazzo’s) so it was a welcome change. I ended up getting some sort of Philly calzone deal and it wasn’t horrible cafeteria food! Also, they have Popchips (I have an obsession.).
It’s not the greatest but it is good to keep in mind if I want to get away from my corner of the Loop (and I guess do some banking if I ever felt the need to) and I was surprised by the variety of cuisines they have so we’ll definitely make the trek back and maybe bring some other coworkers along for the ride.
Sure, it’s really just a cafeteria for adults but sometimes that’s what you need.

I was looking for a cheap and fast lunch near State and Madison and decided to try out the Plaza Market Bistro. It’s in the basement of the Chase Building on Dearborn and Madison.
It’s basically an office cafeteria. My office out in the ‘burbs has one similar, with some of the same offerings as here. What’s really different — and shocking — is the prices. They’re great! For example, I had my choice of grilled veggies on the Mediterranean station with hummus and a pita, and the cost was just $ 5.80.
There are lots of choices — pre-​made stuff to grab and go with, asian stir-​fry station, pizza, all kinds of hot and cold sandwiches, hot entrees, even sushi.
If I’m downtown in the loop and going out to lunch, I probably wouldn’t pick this place. But for a great lunch I can grab and take back to my desk? It’s perfect.

I just recently started working in the Chase building and found out about its amazing food court located on the basement level. I can’t believe how many different options they have and how low the prices are. I’ve literally been there every day this week and I still haven’t gotten sick of it.
The food is definitely better than your average cafeteria and there’s a variety of cuisines to choose from:
Asian Sauté — make your own combo of noodles, meats and sauces plus a variety of sushi rolls made fresh right in front of you and appetizers
Grill — hamburgers, cheeseburgers, turkey burgers
Soup Station — five different types of soups everyday (love the pozole)
Salad Station — make your own salad
Diablo’s — mexican tacos, quesadillas and even huaraches !
Deli — make your own sandwich with a huge selection of cold cuts
Pizza — looks like they usually have about four different choices
American — i think this station changes everyday. one day i had indian chicken masala with samosas; yesterday i had pot roast with mac n cheese and mashed potatoes and today i had tilapia with steamed veggies. you basically get an entrée with two sides and a roll. my favorite station so far!
The prices are extremely reasonable (i.e. a sushi roll that costs 8 bucks at another loop location costs less than 5 bucks here) and the facilities are very clean. They also have a ton of different types of snacks including chips, desserts and other extras. There’s a huge seating area outside but gets packed quickly so I would suggest heading out a little earlier than noon if you want to snag a table.
If you’re the type of person who cant decide what you want to eat or likes a little bit of everything, this is definitely the place to hit up!

I was in the area and needed someplace for a quick and casual lunch. This place is unbelievable. They must have every cuisine represented and they are rather efficient with getting people in and out, given the volume of lunch-​goers that have a limited amount of time to eat.
I opted for the salad bar since I’m a sucker for make your own salad. I definitely want to come back to try some other things. I really like the health-​conscious vibe here as well. Its a great place to meet with others since they have such a huge variety and plenty of seating.
I will gladly come back here when I’m in the area again!

Burgers, sushi and stir-​fry, oh my!
Whether you’re craving something specific or completely unsure of what sounds good for lunch, Plaza Market Bistro has you covered. There are stations for the aforementioned as well as deli sandwiches, pizza, mexican and a salad bar. I’m sure I left a few out but trust, you’ll find something delicious.
It’s neither the most expensive nor the cheapest of lunch options in the Loop but service seems quicker and friendlier compared to the other cafeteria type places around my office. Bonus points for the outdoor seating in the warm weather where you’ll find the businessmen Amy H. mentioned stationed around the fountain.

When I’m in the city for work, I stop by this place for lunch fairly often. The setup is similar to a college cafeteria. There are many different stations with a wide variety of food choices: salad, sandwiches, Asian, Sushi, Grill, Mexican, and on and on.
You go to your station, get served food and pay the cashier on the way out. There is plenty of seating. The place is noisy as it is filled with the business lunch crowd. There is a area right outside with a fountain that you can eat at when the weather is nice.
The food is altogether fairly good. I’ve tried a few things, but usually get a tossed salad with all of my own hand chosen ingredients.
The prices are quite reasonable as well. Generally you walk out spending less than $ 10.
I’d recommend this for lunch downtown as an alternative to fast food.

Agreed. Plethora of Men-​ora. haha LIKE!
Definitely agree with the other comments. Good prices, varied selection and ample seating! I’ll probably be back to try the many soups and the Mediterranean section!

Do you ever have one of those days where you just can’t decide what you want to eat for lunch? Those are the days that you should head to Plaza Market Bistro.
Plaza Market Bistro is like the It’s a Small World ride at Disneyland, except with food… and less singing. Each station is a different style of food. On my first visit, I filled up my little styrofoam container at the Mediterranean station. Mmmm… hummus, cous cous, peppers, flatbread, grilled veggies… droooool!
I came back once again and went to the deli section for a hot hand carved sandwich. The turkey was in teeny tiny pieces, which made it very hard to eat. Some gravy would have made this sandwich epic, but they didn’t have any so I opted for some basil mayo. Mmmmgoooooodnomnomnom.
I think I might start a series of Unilocal events for the single ladies out there, becuase this is another eatery that is cock full o’ the mens. Is there a station where you can buy hot businessmen?

As a suburban work commuter I jumped at the chance to meet my friend downtown for lunch on a random week day off. She suggested we go to this Cafeteria, not wanting to be rude I said that was great, but was secretly thinking ewwwww… what is she thinking !!
I was blown away and overwhelmed by all the options in this hidden Gem. I have to be honest I have been twice and both times gotten the exact same thing. The Taco Salad, that believe it or not is only $ 5, not sure if the station has a name but its all the way in the back. Hot and fresh giant taco shell filled with lettuce, your choice of meat (I suggest spicey chicken) and all the toppings you could dream of ! The only down fall is it comes in a box, so it makes it kind of hard to eat especially if you choose a table out side where you can sun, and by table I mean the ground by the fountain, obviously all the tables are already being used !
If you work in the area you need to check it out, espeically on a nice summer day where you can enjoy the fountain and people watching !! Let me know what you try !! I’d be curios to try some other options !

So many options, not enough time!
They have a bunch of cuisines: american (burgers/​pizza), mediterrean, asian, etc. Most of the food is prepared based on the selections of choices you make. I’ve had noodles from the asian station. You basically grab a bowl, fill it with the ingredients you want (displayed buffet style), choose a sauce to cook the food in, and then the chef will stir fry it up in front of you.
Today I went to the salad station. I put the ingredients I wanted into a bowl. After handing my bowl to the server, he asks which leafy green dressing, and meat (they have an assortment of chicken, beef, ham, and tofu) I wanted. The best part about this salad station is that you dont get charged by weight. It costs about $ 6.49 which I thought was pretty good deal for the amount of ingredients I had in my salad. A great way to eat healthy!
There’s a huge trash receptable to throw away your garbage and place your trays. Seating is plentiful and there are multiple rooms to choose from.
Oh, I forgot to mention the mediterrean station has AWESOME roasted veggies. Soooooo delicious!

Ok, I admit that it’s totally nerdy of me to be this excited about a cafeteria – a freakin’ cafeteria – but I just can’t contain my excitement about this place. You have to understand that I work near the Thompson Center that has a food court filled with artery-​clogging choices and panhandlers. So when I first found out about this place (thanks to my sis), I was absolutely giddy! Little did I know that just a few blocks away, there existed such a grand oasis of healthier food and pristine space. The first time I walked in, I was like a kid in a candy store, I didn’t know where to look first and I had to check out all the stands and circle around twice before I decided what I wanted to eat.
I waited to write this review because I wanted to try a few of the food stations before I gave my opinion. I’ve eaten here a half dozen times now, and my favorite station is the made-​to-​order Asian Stir-​Fry where you pick up a bowl and put all your favorite vegetables in it, give it to the guy behind the counter who makes it for you right there with your choice of meat, rice, and sauce. It’s fresh and tasty. Portions are just right, not too much and not too little. I also recommend the Grill station which serves burgers, turkey burgers, and chicken sandwiches. I wasn’t too impressed with the regular burger but my sis had the turkey burger and liked it a lot, the grilled chicken sandwich was good but the best thing at the grill is the sweet potato fries.
The American station serves comfort foods like rotisserie-​style chicken, ham, mashed potatoes, creamed spinach – all of which are decent tasting and certainly good for a cafeteria. They also have a baked potato that you can load with pretty much anything and everything. Haven’t tried the Mexican station yet but it seems to be popular. If it’s your first time, just go for the stations that have the longest lines, those are the ones with the best food. Lines move pretty fast. They also offer a Mediterranean station, soups, salads, and sushi.
Prices are a steal for the Loop, almost everything is between $ 5-​$ 7. This place is great for when you’re feeling indecisive and you’re hungry but don’t know what it is that you’re hungry for. It’s great for groups, you can always find seating because this place is huge, like an airport terminal, but nicer and cozier. The seating area is organized, with tables spaced just far enough apart to make it an enjoyable eating experience. People here are professional types and they seem to clean up after themselves pretty well. This place is always spotless and there are two rooms (yes, two rooms) dedicated just to garbage. No panhandlers here, that’s for sure.
And lastly, I had no idea this place was called the Plaza Market Bistro, so for search purposes, let me mention that this is in the Chase building and someone may be searching for it under Chase cafeteria.

Seems like an awesome place for lunch. Only been once, might revise review up if it continues to be good. I know they have a ridiculous amount of variety. Roughly $ 8 bought me a burger, sweet potato fries, and a vat of soda (they have a chips/fries+drink combo that includes any size drink… so…heck, why not go for the bladder buster), all pretty good. The burger is of note — advertised as 6oz, it was much bigger. Also, 4 toppings free on the burger, and they have grilled onions, sauteed mushrooms, BACON, tomato, lettuce, pickle, etc. So you can get yourself a pretty well equipped burger without paying anything extra.
My only downer would be the wait for the food — but to be expected, considering they’re cooking it for you. This is definitely worth a shot — I would describe it as a «higher class» Bank of America café.

They have a wide array of food at a very affordable price! They even have wheat crust pizza (hence the 5 stars). This place has all of your essential food groups (Chinese, Deli, Thai, Soups). I think I’ll be coming here a lot now that I work so close!
*The building will make you dizzy if you stare up at it after eating your food!

Would I give this place four stars if if weren’t downtown smack in the middle of fast-​food giants and overpriced diners? Probably not. But anyplace I can meet people for a speedy lunch and spend less than $ 10 on relatively healthful food wins. Granted, I’ve never tried any of the other stations, most of which do not appear to offer more healthful fare, but the sushi station sushi is pretty good. (I’m fond of Combo #2, which includes edamame, miso soup and two maki rolls for about $ 7 or so.)
Again, the best I’ve ever had? Not even close. But better than paying $ 15 for a greasy grilled cheese and soda in a dirty glass at Maxim’s? By leaps and bounds! And you’ll always find a place to sit because the seating area is immense. On my next visit, I plan to check out the salad bar. My mom seems to be fond of the panini, which look about average and aren’t outrageously pricey, but healthy they aren’t.

When my friend suggested we meet at at food court today for lunch I can’t say I was overly excited, but then again I had no idea that the Plaza Market Bistro is so much better than your typical food court.
The choices are endless here: make your own salads, Mediterranean salad, sushi? If I worked in this area I’d be eating here everyday! Both my friend and I went with the sushi option. I had the combination sushi, which came with 2 rolls, edaname, and a miso soup. Both my California roll and shrimp tempura roll were very fresh and good I decided to go with the cooked stuff cause eating anything raw in a food court cause even a food court this nice weirds me out. No soup for me on this hot, humid August day… but still a great deal at only $ 8.
Based on the time it took us to find a table I’m the only person in Chicago who didn’t know how good this food court is, but thanks to my friend Lindsay I“m in on the secret!