This Michelin-starred chef is opening a playful new seafood and wine bar in Fulton Market

Chef Christian Hunter has gotten used to making headlines lately: he was a James Beard Award Finalist in 2022 for his work at a restaurant in Connecticut, and in 2023, he received the Michelin Young Chef Award and his Lincoln Square restaurant, Atelier, earned a Michelin star. Although his resume reads like an industry veteran, Hunter is just getting started, and his next move is his most ambitious—and most personal—project yet.

This fall, the Kentucky native introduces his first solo concept, Hooligan, a vibrant 50-seat seafood and wine bar inside Time Out Market in the West Loop. Hooligan will, as Hunter describes, flip the script on what a Midwestern seafood bar can be.

The à la carte menu is polished yet playful, featuring plates such as peel-and-eat shrimp with barbecue sauce, mild-dance mayo, and Old Style; dressed oysters with potato, soy, and hen-of-the-woods XO sauce; and bycatch crudo with albacore, squash aguachile, and pepita oil. Locally sourced ingredients and sustainable seafood anchor the menu, and dishes are bold, flavorful and inventive yet approachable and are crafted to be enjoyed in the Market’s casual environment without pretense. Much like the food offerings, Hooligan’s wine program is designed to highlight regional producers with a curated selection of natural wines, bubbles, pét-nats, chilled reds and acid-driven whites. Bottles will rotate seasonally to complement the menu du jour. 

“It’s oysters and wine, but with a little mischief and a lot of heart. I want it to feel joyful, a little rebellious, and deeply rooted in flavor and craft,” Hunter shares. “Time Out Market and Chicago are the perfect places for this type of energy.”

Chicagoans can get a first look at Hooligan’s Summer’s Over Social preview event on Friday, Oct. 10 from 5 to 8pm at the Time Out Market rooftop. General admission tickets ($55) include oysters, small bites and wine pairings, and VIP tickets ($75) get you early admission and access to an additional Champagne toast and caviar bump with the man of the hour. Keep an eye out for additional preview events and the restaurant's official opening date on Hooligan’s Instagram.