Z Bar is the lounge at the Peninsula. There's a terrace if the weather is nice or huge windows if…read moreit's not. Getting there was a bit complicated - you take elevators up/down depending on where you come in. I chose to sit at the bar, but there are nice loungy spots too. Expect well curated and well crafted cocktails, along with a nice menu of snacks. I Enjoyed some very nice champagne (Perrier Jouet) and mini samosas. The samosas were really nice and an absolutely huge portion. Yeah, it's expensive but it's the Peninsula and you're worth it.

Elevated cozy bar/lounge experience within the city. Seats may be limited but if you can grab one,…read moreit's worth the wait. Great drinks, good service definitely worth coming back for a nightcap. -Mr.

My husband and I came here for our 26 year anniversary. It was my first time in Chicago. A local…read morefriend of ours recommended NoMi. It was a great recommendation. We were so happy with everything! Our server was wonderful! The entire staff was so friendly and on top of their game! We never waited for anything. They were immediately refilling our waters, offering more bread, removing dirty plates, replacing silverware, and offering the next course. It was perfect! The views!!! I think there's not a table in NoMi that doesn't have an amazing view. The main, large window faces the lake (East). Arriving just at 7, you get the full affect of the city, and lake, and then the sunset and lights of the buildings. It was absolutely magical. I couldn't get enough of it. The inside of the restaurant is beautiful and clean, but honestly it could have been a pit and I wouldn't have noticed. You'll be focused on the views for the entire evening. The food!!! Everything is very fresh. It's all well-prepared. Everything was delicious. There's a good variety of dishes to choose from. Plenty of healthy, low-carb options. We each ordered our own appetizers. I had the crispy Maitake mushrooms and my husband had the mussels. We both loved our food and left nothing on our plates. Excellent choices, that we highly recommend. As our main course we shared the sushi platter. The seafood was fresh and the sushi didn't have too much rice. It was the perfect amount of food with our appetizers. They have an extensive wine and drink menu. For drinks I had a glass of the Sauvignon blanc and my husband had a red blend. For dessert we weren't really hungry enough to eat anything else but my husband wanted a pallet cleanser. They have a few sorbets. My husband settled on the cherry cola sorbet. They brought it out with a little chocolate that said "Happy Anniversary" in French. They did not add it to our bill. Very sweet of them. It was probably one of the best anniversaries we've ever had. The bill was about $230 before tip. We highly recommend coming here for any special occasion.

My husband and I popped in here to escape the cold and found that NoMI was doing a hot coco…read moreexperience! It was SO awesome! We were able to choose between an alcoholic or non hot coco and load it up so many different toppings. It warmed us up and was decorated so beautiful! My husband then snagged a lobster roll which was so good. We are so excited we found this lounge and will be back!

After we experienced the Tilt, we went directly to the Observation Deck, which is where the…read moreCloudBar is located. Once you enter the Deck, go to your right. We bought the tickets that included the Tilt, the Observation Deck, and the CloudBar. That was the way to have the complete experience on the 94th Floor of the John Hancock Building. The views are spectacular!! Look up and there are mirrors on the ceiling! Lots of cool photo ops! We enjoyed it here. There needs to be more organized seating all around the 360 because the place is packed. There are some tables closest to the Bar but not around the entire deck. You have to hold your drink the whole time and get bumped into. There is no obvious line at the bar and you accidentally go in front of other people who thought they were in line and they get upset. There are also mini bleachers where people were spilling their drinks because there was no place to put their drinks. The floor was sticky and wet. We got alcohol spilled on us from those climbing down the bleachers. Not a pleasant experience. The drinks were ok. My Magnificent Margarita was too sweet for my taste and it was a generous pour. My daughter had the Crossbeam and was able to select what she preferred. I should have done that one. The bartender was friendly and nice despite how busy he was. There are restrooms for men and women but the women's is not very big or wide. The line is mostly outside the restroom. It was tight in there. Would we go again? Yes.

This was a cool experience if you've never been in a skyscraper before. I don't think I've ever…read morebeen in a building with 90+ floors. We bought the cheapest ticket which was $30 just to go up. I feel like this is a bit pricey since nothing is included, but it was still a very cool view. Went to the Cloud Bar and got the Feeling Tiltsy. I enjoyed it and it was quite refreshing. There weren't too many people there so we got our drinks served fast! Drinks are $23 which is also a little pricey but you're paying for a great view.

This is such a great spot to experience. It feels cozy and intimate while it's nestled in the…read moreWaldorf Astoria. We came on a Sunday evening, as it was close to our hotel and didn't want to uber. We were some of the only people in there which was fantastic. Every seating area, drink, and vibe is intentional and feels special. The low lights set a good mood and go along well with the experience. We sat at the bar and ordered martinis, old fashioneds, and beer. It was an amazing martini, and my date loved his old fashioned. The bartender chatted with us throughout our visit which was appreciated. I would love to come back when I'm in town, it was very memorable!

Located inside of the Waldorf Astoria, Bernard's is a speakeasy style cocktail bar with several…read moreexperimental cocktails. They emphasise a bit on the delivery of the drinks, think smoke shows and fire works. The staff was friendly and helpful. They do not have any appetizers to order, which is unfortunately part of the reason why we left early. Prices are a bit on the higher end, and as much of a speakeasy as it looks it's actually a bit hard to understand conversations you're having.

Let me start by saying that the views were 5 star and the place has a cool vibe - although the…read morehouse music they were playing was a bit loud for the small number of people eating when I was up there. That said, this place just completely disappointed. The food was just not good. I had the burger sliders and for $9 a piece you expect them to be something special. They were not. Overcooked with a little sauce and two pickles slapped on the bun with a tiny little dab of fake cheese - it was like a bad and way more expensive version of McDonald's. The onion rings were the frozen crumbly kind not the fresh beer battered kind and so that's a big "no!" for me. The dipping sauce was okay. Service was friendly and I think the guy was new but it wasn't good enough for a place like that at the top of the building. There were two servers so I'm guessing one was training maybe. They didn't make it to my table to check to see if everything was okay while I was eating and it even took them a while to notice that I was done eating. It's was slow so I don't think they were stressing with too many tables. That kind of place should knock your socks off - but it was on the low end of mediocre. I wouldn't go there again for food. Maybe it's a decent place to go to the bar but since I don't drink I can't help much on that end.

Great food, drinks, and view. We came on a Sunday and ordered some drinks to start, as well as…read moreBrussels sprouts. There were a small portion but delicious. Not too crispy but still tasty. We also shared the half chicken and Ceasar salad with shrimp. There were only 3 pieces of shrimp for the extra money we spent; but otherwise the food was delicious. Definitely on the pricier side because of the rooftop and area.

This might be my favorite rum bar in the country. If you want intimate spaces, moody lighting,…read moreextensive rum selections, and drink specials come here. Monday nights are my favorite because they offer a different specialty rum in special. It's a great way to try different kinds. They also serve beer, wine, and every other spirit you can imagine. Cocktails are on point. Seating options are varied: bar seats, small tables in back, bench seating with tiny tables up front. Quiet and comfortable.

Elegant, Refined, a spot well worth the wait…read more Sparrow's ambiance, customer service, and drink menu could have been better in my eyes even if they purchased all of my personal data from Meta and Google and tailored it. I would venture to say it is the best cocktail bar in Gold Coast, or at least my personal favorite. Great for a slightly more upscale, special evening out. Lots of food options near by.

Adjacent to the Four Seasons' Adorn Restaurant, the Social Lounge is an excellent stop on which to…read moreget one's day drink on and feel classy while doing so. The lounge features not only an eye-popping crystal chandelier but also a tea service in the afternoon and luxe bites and crafted cocktails. I convened with my drinking companion during a break in his conference presentations. Since his conference hotel did not have a bar or restaurant on premises, I decided nipping into the nearby Four Seasons would be a good call. The bar area was convivial and welcoming even to non-hotel guests. I was feeling festive so ordered a glass of Prosecco. My drinking companion ordered a rye-based cocktail. The ice in the craft cocktail was an eye-catching sphere. I was transfixed as this was my first time seeing this outside of an LG refrigerator commercial. We had fun sipping our drinks and catching up. I missed the little bowls of snacks but probably that is a concession to covid and all the uncertainty of untended nibbles. Already planning my next visit back here after a play I am scheduled to attend in this area.

Potentially country club/gentleman's cigar haven stuffy but a fantastic bartender made it…read morecomfortable and enjoyable. Cost to worth it ratio: 3 (pricier but expect that at the Four Seasons) Highlights: - Paul: our bartender. Irish, chatty, and cool. Excellent service and made it fun to hang out in the near empty lounge area. - Atmosphere: large area with big chairs and a piano player. We ended up there cause it was cold outside and close to where we were, but was one of our favorite evenings out. - Drink menu: not just your average martinis. Had drinks like the auditini with elderflower liquor in it. Good and not too sweet. - Snacks: they give you nuts and a rice cracker wasabi peas mix. Lowlights: - Closes at 1: earlier than most and deserted come midnight at that. I'd stop by here again for a mellow few drinks... and to say hi to mr. bartender. :-)

My first review, of 9 years ago, was back when Brass Tack was Margeaux Brasserie…read more This is an updated review for its current incarnation. It is a must visit - if only all hotel restaurants were this good. We had a late dinner reservation on a Saturday night, and the restaurant was almost emptied out. So that made for a lovely, semi-private dining experience. Selecting a wine was dicey, as earlier that week flooding had damaged the cellar (!), but our server, Alex, was very helpful and worked with us to find something to my liking. We landed on a 2015 Cornas which was showing beautifully and matched perfectly with our meal. Alex did a fantastic job taking care of us during the wine reconnaissance and throughout the meal. Speaking of which, we started with the deviled eggs, which were amazing. An elegant balance of cream and salt from the caviar. For my entree, i had the venison. It was a seared filet on I believe a sweet potato puree, and it was rich and tender. Order it rare, if its on the menu. Kelly had the filet, also rare, and found it to be superior to most Chicago steak house filets. Our side was the divinely creamy Aligot mashed potatoes. Don't skip on these! For dessert, there was a decadent, gout-tempting chocolate mousse preparation. Served tableside, its all you think you can eat. I had a heaping serving, ate some, took the rest home. Kelly had the (also) Decadent Chocolate Cake, which too was superb. Cocktails were excellent, as is the bourbon selection. Service was impeccable. Our dinner was long and leisurely, and we look forward to returning.

Kari's Rating 7.5/10…read more Came in with a friend around 11:30, it was absolutely desolate except for this client conference call that wrapped up around us. When you first walk in, you have to take the elevator up to the third floor, where a hostess was waiting at a golden black themed restaurant. This place is extremely ornate and luxurious as you walk in and greeted by a full air bar where all the liquor is positioned up in a translucent brass cabinet. Walking a little bit further into the restaurant, you see all of the chairs decorated with a gold studded Maroon leather. The tall ceilings give way to a illuminated faux skylight. The seating designs are minimal designed. We thought we were walking into a brunch menu but they had transitioned to lunch and re-ordered the lobster roll as well as the asparagus tip and almond pasta and the sweet potato fries.

Fun dive basement bar with great cheap drinks. Bartendar was super cool and even met his dad..great…read moreconversation. If make it back to Chicago, I will stop.

Great beers on tap, and great selection of games to occupy your time with. They have a water pong…read moretable set up and ready to go! The low lights and overall vibe fit the basement aesthetic, I was defiantly thrown off by the one way mirror in the men's bathroom (which does protect the privacy of the occupant!). Great spot for a quick pint and to catch a game.

When I was planning my sister's bachelorette party, I wanted to find a restaurant near our hotel…read morethat could accommodate different dietary preferences (i.e. no pork, vegetarian/halal, etc.). I found Ila's on Google and liked the variety of menu items. The food appeared to elevate comfort food from multiple cuisines, such as American, Italian, South American, Asian, and Southeast Asian. I reached out to the restaurant and was assisted with a reservation for 14 people. Our table was set and ready to go as soon as we arrived at 8:30pm on a Saturday. Overall customer was excellent. Thank you to the hostess for making my sister, the bride, feel special. She complimented her and hyped her up for the night, which was really sweet. Our server was awesome too. He was friendly and highly attentive. Loved that our food and drinks also came out in a timely manner. I enjoyed everything I ate. I had a few bites of the appetizers including the scallops, fried paneer, and 2 kinds of empanadas (corn and chicken). We also got lumpia and a mixed bread platter for the table. Though I didn't have any of the latter, they were a hit at our table. I got the burger as my entree, and it was such a redemption from a crappy burger I got elsewhere earlier in my trip. The double smashed patties were juicy and flavorful. I devoured the burger and loved the thin cut fries. All-in-all, we had a lovely dinner at Ila's for my sister's bachelorette party.

Last minute after-work HH at Ila's and it didn't disappoint. The Gin Blossom was shaken to order…read more(love a fresh craft cocktail over a pre-batched one), and it showed. We also tried the chicken & corn empanadas and the cheese pesto flatbread--all solid. The only downside was that it is super quiet with only a 3 parties including us, so don't expect a buzzing happy hour scene. The space is absolutely gorgeous though, with beautiful interiors, comfy high-end furniture, and great service. Hoping this place gets the love it deserves.