One of my favorite places to grab a drink! Located in the lobby of the gorgeous Palmer House Hilton hotel, the art and amazing ceiling are stunning to look at. It's also decorated with a beautiful Christmas tree for the holidays. Very relaxed vibe and some TVs showing sports too. Lots of comfy and chic seating options. Luis has taken care of my table a few times and he's fantastic! He provides excellent service. I love the brownie. Bertha's brownie is a must try. Bertha Palmer actually invented the brownie in the late 19th century and this is her signature recipe. It's so delicious!! Made with lots and lots of butter. The drinks are delicious! This holiday season, I enjoyed the Meet Me At Midnight, Cheer Spritz (mocktail), S'more the Merrier, and the Vanilla Chai Tea White Russian. All were amazing but wow, the chai White Russian was so good and beautifully presented. I highly recommend coming here! Sit and take in the atmosphere and beauty. read more

See all

Easy good location and good service for events in the area. Ambience is also nice and elegant. Good for parties, get to gather with friends or date nights. Food was okay, nothing spectacular but edible. read more

If you've never been to Chicago you HAVE to go to the Palmer House bar and have their Old Fashioned. Ask for Shonda. She is so sweet and personable. Highly recommend. read more

We had a bit of a larger group, so finding seating where we could all be together was tricky. After about 20 minutes, a booth opened up, and our waiter was super helpful, pulling up extra chairs for the few people who didn't fit in the booth. He was sweet and funny, which really added to the experience. We didn't order any food (I'm honestly not sure if they even serve it since we were just there for a quick drink and to soak in the Christmas ambiance). The live music was a great touch and made the atmosphere even more enjoyable. They had special holiday drinks, which were a little pricey at around $15 each, with beers going for about $8--but probably pretty standard for downtown Chicago. Overall, a fun spot with great vibes and festive energy! read more

See all

Great lobby bar. Lits of space for different size groups and great drinks. Tge bartenders are always nice and they have live music in the evenings. read more

Lobby was very busy due to Lolapalooza, but the bartenders were attentive and friendly. Drink were good and cold. Food was hot and quick.

This place has fallen off a cliff in a big way. My husband and I stopped in for a drink on our walk home from the "Goth Target." We had intended to go to Potter's, which, the last time we went was a terrible sports/burger bar that we had heard was being reinvented, but it was still apparently not open from the refresh. So we settled in the main lobby bar for a drink. We sat forever at an open table and were not acknowledged at all. I finally went up to the bar to order our drinks and the bartender let me place our entire drink order before telling me, "No, you have to order from your server at your table. "OK., but WHAT F*&^)g server?" She gestured at some space behind me but I still didn't see our designated server. As soon as I arrived back to our table he appeared to take our order. My drink, a blackberry Manhattan, SUCKED, and tasted like bubble gum. Who TF is the beverage director here now - Cap'n Crunch? 90% of people in the bar looked like they just came from the gym. I get that it was a Sunday afternoon, but this is/used to be an elegant hotel. Not anymore. My husband was the only man in the place wearing a shirt with a collar. This place is a major, major downgrade from the past. We should have just kept walking. read more

We popped in here for a quick bite and a cocktail. I had to show my coworkers this amazing hotel. The inside is absolutely stunning and the drinks were served fast. Great spot for a nice chat and a drink or 3. read more

I got the old passioned drink -- an old fashioned with passion fruit syrup. I love good Bob's Burger style pun! Usually old fashioned drinks are a bit strong for my taste but this was well balanced with the bourbon, passion fruit syrup, and orange bitters. I also really liked the maraschino cherry. I love coming to the Palmer House lobby to get a drink and dessert as the vibe is elegant, but you don't feel out of place if you're dressed casually. There was even a live performance by a singer/keyboard when we went in on a random Saturday evening. There's a ton of space so it was comfortable even though we brought some shopping bags from Target. They invented the brownie here so of course we had to try the Bertha brownie. It was really rich with nuts and strawberries. The lemon cheesecake was wonderful too with the pistachio mousse. The portions are small but packed with flavor. They have a nice selection of non-alcoholic drinks (called temperance drinks on the menu) and other great flavors in their cocktails. I tried some of the lemongrass cucumber mule and cucumber cilantro margarita, both of which were really good! read more

See all

This is a cool place to go while you're in Chicago for the atmosphere. It feels like you've stepped back in time to a more civilized age. The art and architecture will have you looking around for hours. The service is not great, in that we waited seated in the lobby for half an hour without being seen by a host to take our order. We ended up just walking up to the bar to place our order and then returning to our seats. That's good if you want to just sit and relax without being pestered to leave, but perhaps less great if you arrive hungry/thirsty hoping to be tended to quickly. The food and drinks are... fine. That's not why you come here, in my opinion. The reason to come here is for the ambiance. They do have the Palmer House Brownie for sale, which they claim is the original brownie recipe in the world. It is really gooey, to the point of feeling either underbaked or not enough flour/binder or both. read more

Great cocktails and a beautiful spot to stare at people or the ceiling, which is always gorgeous should the people disappoint. On weekend evenings the bar can get packed and the music gets pumping. A rarity at hotel lobby bars! read more

If you didn't know - this is where the brownie was invented. There's your trivia fact if the day. A few friends and I stopped in after grabbing some food and I had to show them how insanely beautiful this hotel is. We grabbed the last open chairs and just hung out and watch the Bears get decimated by the Packers over a few martinis and old fashioneds. Service at the bar was a bit slow, they could have used some help, but the drinks were well made and balanced. The atmosphere here is super relaxed and you are welcome to hang out for as long as you want. The Palmer House really is a must see in chicago. It's so full of Chicago's history - and is a sight for your eyes. read more

See all

If you want a taste of Chicago's history, this is your place. Smoothest old fashions and old passions in town baby. Make sure you check out the ballroom in the lobby where you will see beautiful chandeliers, antique gold ceilings, this is where the greats performed! Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, the list goes on. Amazing service per usual. read more

Lobby Bar at Palmer House - Lobby - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This review is for the cafe off the lobby, not the bar itself. Where to begin - INCREDIBLY overpriced pastries and not that good. And on top of that, the credit card terminal almost forces you to add a giant tip, and removing it requires tapping way too many times. Tipping for uninspired counter service has gotten completely out of hand. If I'm not sitting, I'm not tipping. read more

I can't believe I've never reviewed this bar located inside of this iconic hotel. The bar is located on the 2nd floor with all of it's grandeur. Everytime I enter this lounge, I'm in awwww. I've only been here for adult beverages and appetizers. I feel there's enough of options on the menu for drinks and for food. The service has always been spot on. The prices are reasonable for this lounge, plus, I've never feel rushed to leave. I would highly recommend this lobby bar. PS.... it's a must at Christmas time. read more

I expected more from this bar. It is nice and spacious, but the drinks were just okay. Since the space is so beautiful and vast I would have expected a wider menu of classic options. The staff were okay, but not overly friendly or helpful. Honestly it just felt like a typical not so great hotel lobby bar. read more

Beautiful hotel lobby and bar, I can't state that strongly enough. You are leaving the filthy, noisy streets of Chicago and immediately transported back to a bygone era. Get the brownie. They invented it. No one does it better. It's worth the experience. If you're the drinking type, get the Bloody Mary. They didn't invent it, but damn they serve a good one. With custom barreled Belvedere Vodka seasoned with a special recipe of peppers and lemon. They add a dash of Guinness to the cocktail. This is a very special drink at a wonderful location. read more

Lobby Bar at Palmer House - Brownie at Palmer House sitting at the bar, June 2022. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Bar is awesome! The ambience is old Chicago at its finest. Next time I'm in town I'll definitely stay at the hotel. The bar has probably the hardest working bartenders I've ever seen. Good pours! Was it the best cocktail of ever had? No but damn the place you drinking them is lovely. If you didn't know, this place is the birthplace of the brownie. Naturally I had to have one. It was good! A but too fancy for me, but good. Glad I tried it but I wouldn't order it again. This plant is definitely worth stroking by for a brownie and a drink when in Chicago. read more

Lobby Bar at Palmer House - Brownie - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Lobby Bar in the historic Palmer House Hotel has a wonderful atmosphere and is a fabulous place for a cocktail and a nosh. You can do some creative people watching here. We settled in at the far end of the busy bar and quickly acknowledged by the bartender. She handed us a menu but it was a few minutes before she could take our order. In the meantime we admired the architecture and a stunning ceiling fresco by Louis Pierre Rigal, a French painter. After taking our drink order we amused ourselves by making up stories of the various groups of people we saw. You know, the old couple that have been married forever and on an anniversary holiday, the newlywed couple (go to your room!), the business meeting couple, etc. After a second round of cocktails we felt a bit peckish, so we ordered the cheese and charcuterie platter - chef's choice. An assortment of prosciutto, salami, cured olives, artisan bread toast and house made pickles were arranged on a round granite platter, accompanied with pots of fig jam and grain mustard. It was perfect timing as my head was beginning to swim from the heavy handed pours. Did I mentioned that I loved our bartender! We finished on a sweet note, their version of an ice cream sundae. A huge slice of their housemade brownie sitting on top of vanilla ice cream, charred marshmallows, toasted walnuts, caramel sauce and a cookie wafer. Two spoons. Yep, another place to come back to. read more

See all

Dined here first the first time just now; had a late lunch (clam chowder, lobster roll and a coke)! Everything was GREAT: the food, service (quick, efficient, friendly) and ambiance (the bar is clean, elegant and welcoming --felt like an understated Guilded Age bar which played awesome techno house music overhead)!!! My bartender Cari did an excellent job taking care of me the whole time!!! I'll definitely be back! read more

Nice bar area. Great lounge area to socialize. Wait staff was great. Drinks were ok. I had wine and a Moscow mule. I have had better tasting Moscow mules, but it was still good. Ordered meals at the bar read more

See all

I learned about the Palmer House in a an architecture walking tour. The lobby was so beautiful I came back that evening to grab a a drink and a burger. The drinks were great and the burger was average. The architecture is the real stand out here. Don't trust the hours listed online - the bar and kitchen closed at 9:30ish on a Monday. read more

Lobby Bar at Palmer House - Martini at the bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Bar service is spotty at the Lobby Bar at the Palmer House, one of Chicago's most beautiful, historic, and venerable institutions. To be honest, I adore the Palmer House. It's my favorite hotel in Chicago, and mostly just because of the gorgeous lobby. So, of course, I love to throw back a few at the Lobby Bar whenever I can. I've sipped here many times, but I can tell you that patience helps. So what's the hold up on getting served at the bar? Tourists (acting like idiots) crowd the bar to buy the famous Palmer House brownies, and then they tip nothing, which puts the staff into a foul mood because they can't get to the serious customers. Who can blame the staff? PH needs to sell the famous treats elsewhere so the true bar patrons don't have slowed-down service. Anyway, the interior space is magnificent, and the fourteen triple wall sconces that illuminate the space are stunning, but please, shield the eyes of the young ones: these bronze babies are all topless, as are Venus and the many other subjects adorning the painted ceiling of the cavernous space. I dare you not to look up. It's so beautiful! Go have a drink at the Lobby Bar in the Palmer House Hotel, but be patient. It's very, very Chicago, and that rum drink of your dreams really is worth the wait. read more

If you have the chance to get to Lockwood, go there. However, Lockwood isn't open all the time, so the service winds up being limited to the bar area. The food is still delicious and piping hot from the kitchen but you do have to contend with a typically rowdy lobby crowd during the hours Lockwood is closed. Getting a seat can also be tough. Nonetheless, on my last visit, our server was highly attentive and made sure we had a fabulous meal. read more

The bar at the Palmer House is located in their historic Art deco lobby. Very classy and is a throwback to a time when drinking cocktails was something to savor. We ordered a few appetizers and their famous brownie. A nice way to end our Chicago trip! read more

Beautiful place to come to hang out and have a drink, you just find a place to sit- no reservations. But we came for the famous Palmer brownie and I would rate it a 2 out of 5. The brownie was flat and fudgy and didn't have the best taste. I love nuts on my brownie but this was smothered in walnuts and sorry, just didn't live up to the high price tag. We took it to go since we couldn't get seats. But I didn't reflect a lower rating in my review because everything else looked good and the ambiance was beautiful. read more

Lobby Bar at Palmer House - The infamous Palmer brownie. Please trust me and don't get it- but go and enjoy the lobby bar and ambiance. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Beautifully adorned lobby with high vaulted ceilings. A long accommodating bar that is usually bustling plus long shared high top tables for friends. The kitchen here also serves delicious upscales fare. The beef tar tar has been a stable of mine. read more

Lobby Bar at Palmer House - Lobby bar at Palmer House - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came here during the Christmas season for a drink. The house was packed, not only with holiday travelers, but there was also a large tech-convention from Texas going on at the same time. Nonetheless, we were still able to find a seat at the bar. The service was shockingly fast and professional, despite how busy they were. When new guests would show up, and couldn't find a seat, the bartenders would show them were seats were available. I was impressed, to be honest, because in this day in age, most staff don't seem to give a damn, let alone go the extra mile! Their beer selection was fair, but good enough. Their wines were many, and their cocktail list was excellent, very well made. They also offered coffee with liquor and cream, if that's your thing. It seemed to be a big hit. Ambiance: Wow! It was impressive. Comfortable, well preserved and maintained. Some things, obviously, were modern, but it wasn't difficult to imagine going back to the late 1800s, early 1900s, and sitting in that room 125 years ago! Although we were just walk-ins from the street, coming for a beer and a cocktail, and I'll admit it, I was wearing a flannel shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap (not looking very regal at all--LOL), the staff still treated us with as much respect as any lady and gentleman. It was nice to play pretend for an hour or so! Haha! I'll definitely return and re-post if service is different on a slow day. Cheers! read more

Lobby Bar at Palmer House - Amazing pour; absolutely to the brim! Next time, however, I'm going to send it back if it doesn't have a meniscus! LOL - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This bar, conveniently located by the lobby, is just a beauty! Definitely one of the prettiest in Chicago if not all of America. I've been here a few times during the afternoon hours when it's not very crowded, but the service has been a hit or miss. There's usually just one guy trying to get everything done, from stocking the bar with ice to taking orders--hence the spotty service. Their Old Fashioned is a delight tho! read more

My husband and I were walking around downtown Chicago - a very rare moment without the kids - and we decided to jump into this bar really quick for a quick drink. It IS a Lobby Bar (as the name states) inside the hotel and is right next to the restaurant entrance. There were people sitting in the tables all around the bar, however we did not see a hostess or anyone waiting on these tables so we decided to sit at the horseshoe bar. There were only a couple of seats open at the bar, however there was no bartender in sight. It probably was about 5 minutes before a bar tender appeared and was able to give us a menu of drinks amongst the people all trying to get a refill on their drinks since he was gone for an unknown amount of time. We finally we able to place our drink order. I got a berry martini and my husband got an old fashioned. My drink was divine but my husband's was very weak. It was a while before we were able to order another drink and at that time, decided just to get the tab because we wanted to do some more walking in our rare time alone instead of waiting for who knew how long to place another order. I will say that the lobby is absolutely beautiful and we really enjoyed looking at the architecture of the place. There were also people ordering food at the bar (I believe the restaurant portion itself was closed) and while we didn't order food, the people who did seemed to really be enjoying what they ordered. read more

The stunning lobby of the Palmer House Hotel provides a drinking environment not to be surpassed. It's like drinking in a palace! For best service, if visiting on Saturday, go early, and not when you are in a hurry. Like many industries, since covid, this bar does not have enough staff to keep up with demand. read more

Beautiful bar area in the lobby of the hotel. Although there aren't a large number of seats available at the actual bar, there is ample waitress-supported seating nearby. Lots of great drink options with very attentive bartenders. read more

Very breathtaking view. No one harasses you or pushes you to order a drink as you take in the scene and marvel at the splendid beauty. Drinks themselves are good and I think worth it for the people watching and ambience. read more

Lobby Bar at Palmer House - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

The Lobby Bar is always a Joy!! The service is quick, the drinks are strong, and the lobby is buzzing with live music and conversation at a respectable level that it makes it difficult to leave sometimes!! Comfy, Cozy, and Classy. It's a favorite place for me that I will keep coming back to for a very long time. read more

Lobby Bar at Palmer House - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

GORGEOUS lobby- unlike any other in Chicago BUT the music they play non stop from about 2 pm completely takes away from the ambiance - it's like techno dance music and it is loud. That's the only reason I don't rate it a 5 star. read more

This bar is perfectly located in the lobby of The Palmer House and would be the perfect spot for people watching and just taking in the beautiful ambience of this hotel. The Historical ceiling is probably almost as famous as the Sistine Chapel. Aside from the hotel, which is the venue of many wedding ceremonies, the Lobby Bar is where I had one of the best brownies of my entire life....which is also fitting because this hotel is the reason why i get to enjoy brownies....yup, you guessed it! Brownies were invented in this hotel kitchen for the Columbian Exposition World's Fair in 1893...and their same recipe is used today!!!!!! You can get the brownie at the bar, both "for here" or "to go". I recommend to go because it comes in a cute little box all wrapped up with a little card explaining the history of the brownie and its relation to Palmer House. The bartender when I was there was also very friendly and I enjoyed my quick visit to Palmer House and enjoy a little bit of Chicago history. read more

This might soon become one of my favorite hotel bars! I mean, it is the bar "under the world's most famous lobby ceiling" according to their own website, which I find hard to contest! Very lively for a Tuesday evening with a very diverse range of patrons! Great place for an after-work drink or to meet with someone visiting from out of town - equally appropriate and a great fit for a social meeting and a business chat! Most people were dressed up in suits etc, but nice jeans would totally fit right in! Also loved the fact that while it was very "classical" it wasn't dark or stuffy - very spacious and very warm! read more

The Lobby Bar at the Palmer House is undeniably one of the most ornate and beautiful in the city of Chicago. The Palmer House is a landmark and frankly, deserves better than this sorry excuse for a bar. I expect hotel bars (especially a really nice one) to be higher priced. That means $7 for a beer, $14 for a cocktail, and $12-13 for a glass of wine. At those prices, I expect professional, attentive service befitting the surroundings. You won't find that here. The last few times we've visited, it took forever to get served even when the bar are wasn't busy. This weekend was awful - we had multiple employees walk past tables, ours included, instead of taking orders. Barbacks standing around ass-scratching rather than clearing tables. It took us close to 20 minutes to obtain two glasses of wine from the surly, slow staff. This bar sucks, despite it's stunning location. read more

Not sure why this spot has only 3 stars as I had a great time. Yes, it's expensive. Yes, it's crowded and yes, there isn't a ton of seating if it happens to be a weekend or conference weekend in Chicago. However, you can't knock the charm and beauty of the lobby bar. The ceiling itself is a masterpiece. You can sit at high topped tables or couches/chairs in a more lounge area. Staff was friendly but was definitely running around due to the amount of folks clamoring for a drink. I had stopped in after work with a group and we were lucky enough to snag a table. We had to wait a while to order and one person in our group got tired and just went to the bar, but I still enjoyed it. You get the hustle and bustle of the city in a beautiful atmosphere with a great drink list and wonderful people watching. If you can grab a seat, do so and have a drink and soak in the old Chicago beauty. read more

If the rating was just for ambience, decor, and location, this would OWN a 5 star without question. Alas, more than decor and lighting does a lounge make. 1. Ambiance: 5 stars 2. Decor: 5 stars 3. Service efficiency: -4 stars 5. Service friendliness: -5 stars Total: +1 star You'd think that one couldn't give negative stars. My review, my rules. I wanted to enjoy a beer before heading to O'hare. I'd been staying at this hotel all week so thought, he self, why don't you take a load off and enjoy something to drink. The place was pretty dead at 3:00pm. There was one bartender and one server for maybe 14-16 people scattered around the place. The server walked by me at least 5 times over 10-12 minutes without a greeting or menu drop. Those at tables around me were being served although again, quite slowly. So after the 5th (or so) fly by, I went to order from the bartender who was a middle aged man of an inexcusable and quite honestly unexplainable prima Donna attitude. Not friendly, not smiling, kind of a jerk it seemed to me. There are too many bars in this neighborhood to be treated like you didn't exist. I mean, I wanted to give you money! A sour note to end on for my stay at the Palmer House for a week that was otherwise wonderful. Ugh. read more