Tour Maxwells Trading, Now Open in the West Loop

Between Christmas and New Year’s Day, Chicagoans may have missed a significant restaurant opening from a nationally recognized chef whose menu boasts a collision of Asian influences.

Maxwells Trading debuted on Saturday, December 30 from Erling Wu-Bower, a chef who gained recognition at Nico Osteria, an Italian seafood restaurant in Gold Coast inside the Thompson Hotel. He also opened Pacific Standard Time in River North, a collaboration with One Off Hospitality Group (Publican, Big Star, Avec).

Wu-Bower, who studied philosophy, takes a deliberate and honest approach with his menu, a collaboration with chef Chris Jung (Momotaro). The dishes (from a bruleed Japanese eggplant served with a flatbread that Wu-Bower compares to a naan-scallion pancake hybrid; to a pork belly dish cooked in a claypot with sushi rice) are unique and thoughtful. Wu-Bower wants to celebrate the immigrant communities that shaped him as a youngster, like Uptown along Argyle (home to a stretch of Vietnamese restaurants), and Chinatown on Chicago’s South Side.

The restaurant is a collaboration with the Roof Crop, an organization started 11 years ago by Tracy Boychuk. The organization remains dedicated to preserving green spaces in urban areas and maintains a number of bee hives around the city. One will be located on Maxwells Trading’s roof where herbs and vegetables will also grow for Wu-Bower’s menu.

The first floor also features an area — called Third Season — that sells coffee and more. It will also feature rotating vendors to launch the space. Paper or Plastic — which will curate the restaurant’s playlist — will debut with vintage books and records.

The space features room for 80 in the first-floor dining room with room for another 20 at the bar. The second floor is dedicated to private events.

Wu-Bower’s company, Underscore Hospitality, debuted with Pacific Standard Time alongside partner Josh Tilden. Maxwells Trading represents a comeback for the duo, a big swing in the West Loop, west of Randolph Restaurant Row, and a five-minute drive northeast from the United Center.

Check out the photos below.

Maxwells Trading, 1516 W. Carroll Avenue, open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday; 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday to Saturday; reservations via Resy.

Maxwells Trading/Jeff Marini

Maxwells Trading/Jeff Marini

Maxwells Trading/Jeff Marini

Maxwells Trading/Jeff Marini

Maxwells Trading/Jeff Marini

Maxwells Trading/Jeff Marini