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    Back of house off street

    Tour was definitely enjoyable. Guides were pleasant & informative. The reservation-counter woman was not a warm people-person. We almost didn't take the tour b/c of her attitude. Tips: do online reservation, arrive only few mins b/4 tour start time, be prepared about using home's narrow staircases (not handicap accessible), & avoid touching most everything here (a few carpets are even off-limits.) Fact: young &/or active children are not good candidates for this tour.

    Stone exterior
    Boon C.

    The house was built at late 1800. It designated as historic landmark at 1970. It is stone house for most of the exterior. The interior is the red brick structure. They must have skill stone cutter. The line of the stone was perfectly layout with roman style trapezoid cutting with round top. What can you expect to see. This house has a lot of circular layouts. It is one of the unique layout. The architecture does include area with nice set up such as hallway with with quarter. The lower section is carriage entrance. The garden is nice when lead to the second floor. At main room, it has a very old Steinway piano that is very colonial style. The bed room cover has a very detail crafted lace. If you come to visit at Wednesday, the entrance fees is free. Guided tour is included.

    Kaylee W.

    Wow! Just had the best time Here! John was a wonderful tour guide, and the fact that the vast majority of the glessner museum is preserved and untouched and the actual artifacts from the 1880's house is mind blowing! I can't wait to take my mom back here during their Christmas season! I loved every moment and would recommend it to anyone as a fun event to take part in!

    Lauren B.

    This very impressive home was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson, and built for the Glessner family in 1887. John Glessner, the family's patriarch, was a well-respected businessman at that time. Eventually, his business grew into what is now International Harvester. Still containing most of its original furnishings, this house is an architectural gem. It's located on Prairie Avenue in the heart of a historic district. When you visit this museum, for optimal effect I suggest that you take a leisurely walk through the neighborhood. At one time, many of Chicago's most elite families made their homes within walking distance of this house.

    View in the courtyard
    Sarah S.

    Two things I absolutely love - architecture (specifically Frank Lloyd Wright but I enjoy it all) and Chicago history. The history of the greatest city in the world intrigues me and it doesn't hurt that my family has some ties to the beginning making it all the more relevant to me. The best deal for the Glessner House is touring both this estate and the Clarke House for $15. A lot of how great your tour is depends on your docent and I was very lucky to have the lovely and knowledgeable Joan as mine. Fantastic lady! She went into details of the family, tidbits about the times, the architecture of the house and the history of the house up until present day. She was very rarely stumped by a question. Tours happen W-Sunday at 1 and 3pm but come an hour before that if you want the tour of both homes. Wednesdays are free! The Glessner House is one designed by HH Richardson who is quite an interesting fellow and a pillar of Chicago architecture although he was quite the architect in many cities. He influenced FLW, Louis Sullivan and many other notable architects. Quite a bit is known about the Glessner family and home so this tour is very informationally accurate with less assumptions than made in the Clarke House. There is a lot in the home that's original and they are still working on acquiring more of the original pieces and parts. While we were there for our tour (of about 15 people), we witnessed them setting up a wedding in the outdoor area. This area looks like an English small courtyard and the wedding setup looked beautiful and perhaps budget friendly, as well. Noted! I can't believe it took me so long to swing by here. If you're into Chicago history or architecture like myself, this is a must do in the city. You'll thank me after.

    Alexis B.

    I visited Chicago this past weekend with family and friends, and it turned out to be a mostly architecture visit! We toured at least 3 or 4 historic buildings, one of which was the Glessner House. I was excited about the tour, because I knew the house is considered architecturally important. However, the tour didn't really get across (at least to me) why that was the case. I understood that the architect (Henry Hobson Richardson) was influential and died young and that many architects were inspired by the house (including Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright), but not why the building was important or inspired other architects. I can't say I found the house beautiful, but the tour was interesting (you do learn quite a bit about the Glessner family, who seemed like very interesting people). Because they only offer a few guided tours at certain times each day (and no self-guided tours), our tour was quite large, and it was a little difficult to fit in every room and to stay on the gray runners (as a very short person, I couldn't always see very much either). All in all, the tour was interesting, but not my favorite of the weekend.

    Front entrance to tour
    Chrissy N.

    Went here today and had a nice time. Our docent was very good, and I think she explained every little thing in the place, and related things in the house specifically to what was happening in the world/ in the US/ in Chicago at the time. All the home's architectural features were pointed out to the group (both indoor and out) and this house had almost all original furnishings inside as well. Pretty impressive considering it is from the late 1800s. This tour lasted one hour, and it was Wednesday- so the tour was free. But they recommend you come early on Wednesdays because the tours fill up fast. If you have time, I recommend strolling along down Prairie Avenue and even checking out W omen's Park next door.

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Glessner House Museum

    Review Highlights - Glessner House Museum

    We had our wedding here, and although i was in love with the courtyard for our reception we had to move everything indoors due to weather.

    Mentioned in 14 reviews

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    Revel Motor Row

    Revel Motor Row

    4.6
    (8 reviews)

    We attended a sangeet (Indian pre-wedding party) at Revel Motor Row and had a wonderful time. This…read moreis a versatile event venue with multiple spaces which can be used for a single event. We were shuttled here from the wedding hotel. The building is cool because it's historic - built in 1936. However, repurposed into an event venue, the interior spaces feel a bit more generic and industrial (typical). The spaces were decorated beautifully for this event. Cocktail hour took place in the Lobby and adjacent Mercer room. There were two bars - one in the Lobby and one in Mercer - and hors d'oeuvres. I don't know how many guests there were, but it was crowded and tight, especially in the Lobby. Dinner (self-serve buffets), dancing, and dessert took place in the Packard room. Again, pretty standard space repurposed for events. Decor, sound, lighting, food, and drink (more bars) were all great. There was even a liquid nitrogen ice cream station. To cool off during the reception (dancing), we went outside to the adjacent Cadillac Courtyard. Restrooms are located in the basement. They were spacious, clean, and even stylish.

    Revel Motor Row is a large, spacious event venue in the South Chicagoland area. I've been to this…read morelocation several times for events, parties, and small concerts. The building is historical and the architecture is incredible. There is a patio area and 3 levels to this venue. There is street parking in the area so get there early.

    Il Culaccino

    Il Culaccino

    3.9
    (315 reviews)
    $$$

    This is a reminder to myself to frequent Il Culaccino way more often! Being 100% Chinese always…read moresteard me to mostly Asian cuisine. This time my taste buds were just craving something heartier, more complex and something I haven't had in a while. Well, badabing - it's Italian, of course! My love of pasta got me to order some of my favorites: chicken marsala, chicken parmigiana, and Nana's meatballs oh yes! Being Valentine's Day got me a little nervous if I was going to get my order on time. Well, not only was it on time, scheduled through the wonderful GrubHub app (now with brand new no service/no delivery fees on orders $50+), all the food arrived hot, fresh - even the basket of sliced fresh baked bread was still warm that you could melt a cube of butter on it. I'm not exaggerating that I'm a big Italian cuisine fan. The chicken marsala was 10/10 and the chicken parmigiana with rigatoni OMG the sauce itself alone I could eat with bread alone, and I'd be happy. Healthy salad? sure but why not have it if it comes with Nana's fantastic scrumptious meatballs?! Boy, was I pleased with myself to have chosen Il Culaccino! Will be repeating again soon.

    We got there almost at closing, sat at the bar and ordered right away. John at the bar was great…read moreand we ordered the meatballs, buratta, and stuffed peppers while watching the game. The ambiance was comfortable and good for friends and fun dates. The service was fast and everything was delicious!!!! Highly recommend. :)

    The Revival

    The Revival

    4.3
    (26 reviews)
    $$

    My husband and I watched an improv show last night. We bought the tickets day of, when we realized…read morewe had no plans for the evening. Buying tickets on their site is so easy! Also, don't forget to add a donation! We got to the theater about 25 minutes before show time, they have a big lobby area with seating as you wait. There's also a small bar, with assorted mixed drinks, beer, cider and wine. The staff there is so nice, they let me try something before I committed to it. The theatre itself is large with different types of seating. I prefer the high top tables in the back row. The show started a bit later than advertised but it was all good. The show was so funny! And of course in true improv style, they had the audience participation by asking for prompts and input. I would 100% go back!

    I'm not sure I can even type words without falling into what might be mistaken as hyperbole…read more I had the luck to stumble upon tickets for a one night only show of Dorff, Jagodowski, and Messing. That's Kevin Dorff (writer for Conan), TJ Jagodowski (umm legend for more than Sonic commercials), and Susan Messing (the spitfire that spits the hottest fire (and who I had the good fortune of studying under at the Annoyance)). The show was phenomenal. $20 for 45 minutes of pure, smart, incredible comedy. With the comedy 20 feet away! I saw in the back at a high top with a cider and a mocktail. Drink service comes through halfway through the show or you can order before obviously. A few snacks are available. This is such a cool venue that more people should be talking about.

    Mae District

    Mae District

    4.8
    (20 reviews)

    The Mae District/ Food For Thought team was excellent to work with from start to finish. They were…read morerecommended to us through our wedding planner, and were the perfect fit for our wedding. The venue itself is the perfect balance of modern + historic. It fit our aesthetic perfectly and wowed our guests. High ceilings, natural light, interesting art and architectural features, clean finishes - its beautiful! The food options were a level above what you typically see at weddings. Our tasting was such a fun experience and our final menu, which included caviar, a beet and burrata salad, and more was just about as good as you can ask for at a wedding. The staff on the day of our wedding were great. Attentive, kind, and kept the drinks flowinggg! Special shout out to Kaci, who became an integral part of the planning team over the ~year we spent planning the wedding. She is excellent and knows her stuff!

    I got married at Mae District in July 2025 and could not be more happy with how the day panned out,…read more thanks in large part to the team at Mae District/Food for Thought! The historic venue itself is stunning - there's a separate room for everything (i.e., ceremony, dinner reception, dance floor/cocktail hour), which made the space feel more elevated and was a huge selling point for us. There's a cute courtyard area in the back with ivy and string lights which was great for photos and for guests to get some fresh air. However, the biggest selling point for us was the bridal suite/upstairs lounge area. It's a generous-sized private space with enough room for the entire wedding party and family members to spend time before the ceremony, and you can store personal things there during the wedding. I got into my wedding dress in the bridal suite and was able to capture getting ready photos here. My husband and I toured multiple Chicago venues in the same tier and this was the only one with a bridal suite/lounge area. Our venue coordinator was Hanna and were very pleased with the level of service we received. From the beginning, she made us feel like Mae District/FFT was open to our creative liberties, and anything that we wanted could be made true. We wanted a late-night ramen bar on a cart, which was a big hit, and she made sure that the sign on the cart was to our standards. One of our priorities going into wedding planning was that the food had to be good, and FFT delivered! We received many compliments on the food from our guests. Overall, I would highly recommend this venue to anyone looking to get married in Chicago!

    Glessner House Museum - landmarks - Updated June 2026

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