Press

Set to open in early 2026 on Wacker Drive, Fatback (176 West Wacker Drive) is the first collaboration between acclaimed Lillie’s Q and Roux founder Charlie McKenna and Chicago hospitality veterans Greg Mohr and Scott Weiner, Co-Owners of The Fifty/50 Group. The hybrid sandwich concept will also feature a curated specialty market and an in-house butcher program, making it a true one-stop culinary destination in the Loop.

“It’s not a traditional sandwich shop,” McKenna says. “We’re obsessive about technique and quality. We take top-tier kitchen standards and apply them directly to making sandwiches so we are serving something exceptional every time.”

While McKenna’s previous ventures earned him national acclaim for barbecue, Fatback reveals another side of him entirely. Created in a partnership born out of an industry friendship with hospitality powerhouse Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, Fatback is driven by both parties’ culinary vision to create great sandwiches. 

“Fatback really came out of conversations Charlie and I were having during COVID,” says Greg Mohr of Fifty/50 Group. “Charlie was making these simple sandwiches with phenomenal ingredients and it clicked immediately. The concept is about letting great ideas lead, pulling inspiration from different places, flavors and cultures and expressing all of that through sandwiches.”

Beyond the globally-inspired sandwiches, Fatback will also reflect the heart of a true butcher shop. The restaurant will feature a curated in-house butcher counter offering premium, grab-and-go cuts. The butcher program is further anchored by an elevated rotisserie chicken program; using a specialized process, McKenna will offer French-style rotisserie birds designed to be a more sophisticated, chef-driven alternative to standard grocery offerings. In addition to sandwiches, guests will be able to order fresh salads, rotating sides, and stunning seasonal specials to enjoy in house or take back to the office. Chef McKenna is working with the team at West Town Bakery to provide custom artisanal bread options that complement the sandwich program.

The sandwich and butcher counters at Fatback will be rounded out by a specialty market inspired by the feel of small European grocers. The market will feature a curation of McKenna’s kitchen staples, ranging from premium pastas and the full Lillie’s Q lineup to house-made Fatback deli items and goods from local artisans. 

Inspired by old Parisian markets and 1950s French butcheries, the shop centers around functionality and connection. Guests will enter into a space framed by large windows overlooking Wacker Drive, anchored by a central market table. A mix of high-top tables and counter seating will be available for guests who wish to dine in, alongside casual walk-up ordering for those on the go. The centerpiece of the shop will be the restored vintage Berkel slicer, which embodies Fatback’s commitment to the craft of excellence.