They still provide a great selection of champagne, as you'd expect, and it's a comfortable spot that lets you settle in without feeling rushed. What could stand to have a bit more urgency is the service. On a Friday night, we wanted to close out a check after being there for a few hours. It got to a point where we all found it funny. First of all, like the previous time here, there was no sense of which server was really ours, since two different people floated around to us. That itself is OK. But then came the waiting for the check piece. I kid you not, it took over half an hour before someone came to our table. We tried to make eye contact with anyone at all and got nothing in our direction. It was busy but not super crowded, and the space isn't large enough where they need time to get around the area. It was confounding, and though a good experience with friends, very frustrating. read more

Pops for Champagne has basically become our unofficial Chicago ritual at this point, the kind of place you "just swing by" and suddenly an hour disappears in bubbles and good vibes. It's the perfect midday breather from the city chaos. This time we tried the whipped ricotta, and the focaccia they serve with it is made in-house and tastes like it. Soft, warm, a little salty....dangerously easy to inhale. They also bring out popcorn with your drinks, which feels delightfully on-brand for a spot that doesn't take itself too seriously despite having a champagne list that could make a sommelier faint. The bartender even remembered us, which is always a flex in a busy city bar. Great drinks, great snacks, great pause button on the day. read more

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I stopped for a drink before a show I was going to. I got the Champagne Poetry. I thought the drink was okay but not worth the $22 price tag. I also wish the environment was a little more inviting and warm. I've been here before and other cocktails they have are better. read more

Pops for Champagne - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We absolutely love Pops! We have had some amazing Champagne here. We love the people watching at the windows as it sits right on a busy corner in Chicago. The staff is always friendly and so nice. We also like to get the charcuterie board which is good and filling. Very busy on the weekends but worth it if you can find a seat. Cheers! read more

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1st of all me and my friends wanted to have a girls night so we came here . Which i was excited for at first since i been wanting to try this place. But now i will never come again after this experience first experiences for me are everything especially if the place is not actually busy... we walked in truly, wasn't even greeted. The place is honestly empty. It was one group sitting by the window and then it was another group sitting at the bar and then it was me my friends so you would think we would be serviced pretty fast and actually talk to by the waiters, but that didn't happen. I am a wine and a champagne girly so I definitely like to talk about wine, but the man Eddie he did not give us the time or day for anything. We had to get his detention in order for him to come service us and I was asking a question and that he walked away and then didn't even come back. But one thing I didn't notice he kept going back-and-forth between the two tables that was there, but ignored us completely. So from that, my friend just decided she was just gonna get food to go and that we were just gonna get drinks and then just leave because that was a very interesting experience. Then when I got my drink, it wasn't what I ordered and I knew it wasn't, but it was like at that point it was a point of telling him because he was extremely dismissive and didn't even bother coming by us at all, but he will sit there and chitchat with the table that was sitting at the bar the entire time. And then when we got the bill, he charged my friend for an entirely different drink than I actually got and charged her twice. And the crazy part is it was a pretty good amount of employees in there, but they genuinely didn't give a fuck that he was even there. The only person that did talk to us was the man who came out to bust the table. And typically, I don't complain about service, but when a place is empty, the least you can do is come and actually service the people like we were in there for a good 20 minutes before they even asked us if you wanted anything and we have to get them to come and get us so yeah I won't be coming back zero out of 10 read more

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Fantastic location, beautiful interior, and an incredible wine list. My favorite part is that they have a lot of grower-producer options rather than just a bunch of grande marques. That said, the waitstaff could be more knowledgeable about the wines. I asked about a specific bottle of Agrapart and the server swore it was Blanc de Blancs, but the label didn't say so and when I looked it up online, that wasn't true. I also asked about a couple of growers on the list and she had never even heard of them. It just feels like if you're going to have a wine-focused place, the servers should know the wine list better to make recommendations. It's also honestly a bit overpriced -- I've found some of the same bottles at other nice restaurants in River North for a bit less. Overall still a solid spot if you're a Champagne nerd, but you might have to do a fair amount of googling if you're trying to explore beyond what you already know. read more

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I celebrated my birthday here and had a great time. Champagne with my Misses is all I needed. I was bummed out that there was only small bites as an option. If I'm going to buy multiple bottles of champagne I need real food to back it up. Nonetheless we ordered what we could and made sure to get a burger after. Champagne on Champagne, popcorn and other very small bites. Cool ambiance, small space, bathroom is down a flight of stairs. read more

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I saw this place and HAD to add it to my visit list. It was only a couple blocks from the hotel as well so it was only a short, brisk walk away. I love that hey had such a great selection of champagne. Which would make sense since champagne is in the name. They had a nice small finger food menu that ranged from popcorn to caviar. Great spot for a great glass of champagne. Cheers! read more

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I went to pops with a coworker before we went to dinner. We were visiting from out of town and I'm not a huge drinker but we figured we could stop for an appetizer before heading to our dinner reservation. The champagne and the apps were both amazing. We got some sort of tuna tartare on toast and it was spicy and delicious. Champagne was good too. My coworker had a caviar bump and she said it was great. 3 starts though because the wait staff was quite rude. They neglected to fill my water or bring us utensils and when I said I was just drinking water the server gave me a snobby look and then refused to address me the rest of the night. The wait staff here is extremely pretentious which is to be expected of a niche champagne bar I guess. Overall the food and champagne was good but I'd prefer to be treated better so id probably not be back. read more

Pops is your classic wine bar in River North. The drinks are good, albeit a little expensive but that's to be expected. The menu is vast and I particularly enjoy their tequila cocktails. It's worth nothing that their food is extremely underrated! I had a burger and it was easily one of the best in the city (almost up there with Bavette's and Au Cheval). The portions are huge and the food is fresh. If you don't want a full meal they have many small bites to enjoy while drinking. I've had both their truffle popcorn and cheese curds and was pleased with both. read more

This was a nice bar to enjoy drinks before dinner. There is a small menu with food items. I had the champagne flight and my husband had a cocktail. We tried the fresh oysters and also the cooked oysters. Both were good. Service was a little slow but we weren't in a rush. read more

Plans. We all make them, right? What we plan to do, when we plan to do it, etc. (Speaking of plans, some have said that if you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your "plans." ) Well whenever we visit Chicago one place that we always plan to visit is "Pops for Champagne." Amongst all of our travels I can't recall discovering a place quite like it. The name pretty much says it all (I mean how could anyone accuse them of false or misleading advertising? ‍). What you see is what you get here. If you're looking for a menu featuring page after page of unique bubbly options, then cast your gaze no further. Not nearly limited to only the Champagne region of France, here you can sample the bubbly options produced from almost every continent around the globe (i.e., Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, and sparkling wine). The ice buckets permanently attached to the window tables make conversations (and people watching) a seamless part of your evening. Although there was no live music during this visit, we have enjoyed that here on past occasions. Please be careful not to typecast "Pops" as merely a place for the occasional celebration. The vibe here lends itself well to any occasion when you want to take your Chicago outing to an entirely new level. If a window seat is important to you (and it should be), then reservations are recommended. And that's...Henry's Take. #chicagopops read more

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This is such a cute champagne bar. The ambience is fabulous. The service is even greater. Lots of champagne, choices, and caviar. Easy to find as well as a lot of windows to people watch on State Street. read more

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Went to celebrate a friend's birthday! Lovely place for an intimate celebration or romantic date. Friendly servers. We were seated pretty soon after arriving. Very limited to no street parking available. Great experience overall. read more

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Came for a quick cocktail after a long day at a conference. Their cocktail and drink menu has a lot of great options. I went with the Bees Knees and it was light, refreshing, and not overly sweet. A cute spot that would be great for a girls night or a date. read more

Pops for Champagne - Rosemary Bees Knees - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I made reservations here with a few friends on a Saturday and it wasn't too crowded. Despite this the service was still pretty slow for a few drinks and appetizers. I thought the Bellini was pretty good - it was sweet and not too strong which I liked. We didn't realize till the end of our visit that there's a whole restaurant and bar downstairs with more lively music and more of a cozy vibe, so if you come here then try to get a table downstairs! read more

Pops for Champagne - Bellini Coupette - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We stopped by this very modern and welcoming restaurant to have a drink and ended up going there for the second night in a row! What a pleasant surprise! Their drinks are fantastic! My Cosmopolitan was amazing! 2 night in a row we ordered Stake Frites (medium). Just outstanding! Great service! Welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommended! Thank you, Chicago!Thank read more

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Great place to relax and have a ice cold glass of champagne. Love everything about it. Amazing list of wines and champagne. Doesn't get better than this in Chicago for a nice mid day cocktail. read more

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Saturday nights in downtown Chicago are raging, energetic, fun, and crowded! Pops is a calmer oasis...quieter, no live music, warmly lit, and romantic, you can easily chat with your friends. Interior is all class, modern, and clean. My buddy and enjoyed some tasty hipster invented cocktails for $16 each, then some classy Gin & Tonics for $12 each. Good looking staff and clientele...enjoy! read more

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I'm enjoy meeting friends here because they have a great selection of wines and some delicious snacks. I like their popcorn and caviar bumps. Sitting at the bar is nice as it is an oasis from the busy- ness of the city. read more

During, day trip to Chicago on Saturday November 2nd I was FINALLY able to go to Pops for Champagne! It's Chicago's only Champagne bar, it's located in the heart of downtown Chicago, and it's on the corner of N. State Street. It's been at the same location since 1982. Pops for Champagne isn't too big of a place, great location, great for the locals, and especially the out of towners like myself passing by. The Champagne bar does expect reservations. Since, I was solo I sat at the bar. The ambiance of the Champagne bar very chic, classy, and Champagne paintings. The service for me was good, I ordered two drinks first was a Champagne cocktail called Gold Rush- high west Bourbon, pineapple liqueur, honey, lemon and Prosecco. That cocktail was very delicious, and then before I left I ordered a glass of champagne- André Heucq Héritage Brut Nature Blanc de Meunier that tasted just right for my liking on Champagne. Now, if you're into Champagne then Pops for Champagne is for you, and Champagne bar does offer other alcohol beverages. Also, Pops for Champagne have a snacks from caviar bumps, oysters, cheese curds, Chicago style sausage, burger. Etc. I'll definitely be back at Pops for Champagne. read more

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Absolutely no better place in Chicago for champagne than Pops! Let Champagne Jesus or any of the knowledgeable staff pick out the perfect bubbles for your visit. No "occasional?" Even better! Our group enjoyed a wine tasting, noshed on tasty snacks and sipped this stunner of a champagne on a bright, Sunday afternoon. read more

Pops for Champagne - Yeasty, effervescent, crisp Hure Freres champagne - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Incredibly knowledgeable, staff and great wine selection though small. When curated only finding the best is perfect great ambience simple not pretentious. Loved it. read more

Been going here for many years and it has definitely retained its cool vibe. Great selection of champagnes of course and a great place to start your evening before moving on to dinner or to a show etc. We had a bottle of champagne that was $135 bucks which was more on the mid-lower end of their choices here and it was delicious. We ordered a dozen east coast oysters which were ok (not great) but it served its purpose to spark our appetite for our dinner plans. Go here for Champagne to start the night and move on! read more

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Beware!!! Check your bill!! You order one wine they charge the more expensive one!! There were no mistakes the waiter knew what he did The wine we ordered the waiter specifically asked me to repeat the whole name of the wine which I did. so no mistake (waiter with the ponytail )Food never came. I will pay a tip on bad service but I refuse to pay a tip on rude service Shame on them will never go back. I was with my husband kids and 80year old mother and they treated us terrible because we called them out on the bill Never again! There's so many great places to visit never again to Pops for champagne Sad And we were never rude to your staff your staff yes (though not my son) didnt have an ID with him we had just come from the theatre yes he took a sip of a drink to taste and yes he's old enough With his soft drink which was asked you put flowers all on top with the waiter smirking as he walked back to the bar Our food never arrived just apps When asked when the food was coming the waiter said oh you still want it smirking We then said cancel the food and have our check. With one round of drinks no food you bad rude service you included an automatic $30 tip which we asked to have removed. Along with the correcting the bottle of wine price. And at no time did anyone threaten you. I asked for a copy of the check and that's when you said just leave. No apologies no let me take the tip off and correct the wine price just an aggressive attitude telling us to leave And for future don't make an 80 year old lady go through her purse to show you her id No need to tell us not to come back that kind of service is not acceptable. read more

Pops is really cute! Nice little spot to kick off the night or to sit and chat over drinks. I took a good girlfriend out for her birthday and we stopped at Pops for Champagne first. Nice wide windows for people watching and a large bar to hang out if you like. Apparently there is more to the space than the front area but I didn't go looking around. We enjoyed our drinks. We weren't rushed and we left for dinner at RPM. What a cool way to kick off a night celebrating! read more

This place is so cute! I went here for an informal job chat with a friend of a friend and it was perfect. I got the Bellini and it was so beautifully prepared and delicious. One thing I would say is the champagne by the glass was REALLY pricy -- and some of the bottles were absurdly expensive as well. But the champagne cocktails were affordable. The server was attentive and friendly -- great service! read more

Pops for Champagne - Bellini - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I finally checked out pops by champagne and had a great experience! The service was fast. We tried the chickpea fries and the regular fries. The chickpea fries are soooo good. We tried the champagne cocktails (champagne poetry and la vie en rose). Both were so good, especially the champagne poetry. The ambience was formal and chic. A must try in river north! read more

Pops for Champagne - Chickpea fries, champagne poetry cocktails - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Agreeable and most knowledge about Thw Bubble. Well priced and varied selection. Bravo Pops!!8bus read more

This is more of a small bites and drinks kind of place. Would be good for a first date or meeting with friends/coworkers for happy hour time (though they don't have happy hour deals). The ambience is nice, dim and cozy on the inside but there are wall-sized windows and heavy foot/car traffic outside in the middle of the city so it doesn't feel too intimate depending on where you are seated and you feel highly visible to the outside. We sat at the bar and the bartender was very nice and gave some recommendations. read more

Pops for Champagne - Champagne Poetry - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been scoping out this spot for quite a while. It always looks like such a vibe in passing with its dim lights and intimate atmosphere. My mom, aunt, and I decided to eat here on a Wednesday evening. The waiter was nice. He explained the menu very well and gave his insight on what would be the best food experience for us as kosher eaters. My mom wanted to try everything lol. We ordered the cheese board. All the meats are pork unfortunately so we had to leave the meat out. We really enjoyed the cheese and chips. The mustard dip really helped to add more flavor. I also ordered fried pickles, the veggie flatbread, and my mom and aunt split the burger. I liked the veggie flatbread the best because of the red pepper sauce. It had so much flavor while still being healthy. My mom and aunt thought the burger was delicious. It was tender and seasoned very well. Our favorite drink was the champagne poetry. My aunt ordered it twice. I chose the cherry blossom as my drink. It's sweet and cute in photos. Overall I really liked my experience here. read more

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Burger is one the the best in town. Popcorn is always a nice treat but the truffle oil on it makes it that much better. Love the ambiance on the inside. Intimate setting perfect for a date night or a work gathering bartenders are knowledgeable and attentive. read more

This was my go to bar back in the day when they were on Sheffield for bubbles, noshes and Bastille Day celebrations. I spent several New Year Eve's here (one year in a cast covered in a silk scarf that matched my dress). This location is smaller, but still has the great wine list. The is the mecca for me when it comes to drinking bubbles. The holy of the holiness for bubbles in terms of selection. I will say the price range is probably not for everyone. People who think that $12 is high for a glass of bubbles downtown, do not drink bubbles or drink them downtown. I will say this is not a cheap place, so if you are on a budget, there are more cost effective places to go. I also can't speak on the cocktails. This is not someplace I would think about coming for cocktails, only bubbles. They also do great meat and cheese boards to nibble on while you are sipping your bubbles. I will say that if you are looking for a bar to hang out at for well drinks, do not come here as you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a place to experience a unique drinking experience that you would not do all the time, then this is the place for you. Look at the name, they are known for bubbles, so if this is not your thing, don't waste your time as you will be disappointed. read more

We stopped in for a quick drink and to rest our tired feet on a Saturday. It was busy but not too crowded. I felt a tad underdressed, but no one made me feel like I was--that was just my observation. I think Pops would be perfect for a girls' night or date night. If you're not a straight champagne drinker, their cocktail menu incorporates champagne into each drink. I had the El Diablo, which is tequila blanco, lime, hellfire shrub bitters and jalapeño topped with Prosecco and rimmed with smoked salt. It reminded me of a margarita but with a kick. read more

Pops for Champagne - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really nice bar to enjoy some bubbly. Been there for 40 years we learned! Service was good, ambience was nice. Just expensive, but it's River North, so that's to be expected. Glad I was finally able to enjoy a glass of bubbly here. read more

After years of passing by this place, my boyfriend and I popped in here the other day. It always seemed marginally popular, but I never had a pressing urge to go. It was finally nice to visit a place without TVs. Where a restaurant would typically have TVs there are mirrors which give the notion of movement. If you're a popinjay, I would encourage you to sit in front of one of the mirrors for even more fun! My boyfriend got the Southside cocktail and it was super light and easy to sip. A I had one of their specials and it poppled so beautifully. One odd thing tho: walking in through the vestibule. There was four people standing there they must've all been employees because when we walked in they stopped talking and just stared at us while the bouncer checked our IDs. Not the most welcoming environment at first. But inside it shaped up and we had a great time! read more

Want to be treated badly with the laziest doorman, rude servers, rude manager and lack of understanding of customer service? Come here! We had absolutely the best experience in EVERY SINGLE OTHER RESTAURANT/BAR IN CHICAGO. We kept saying to ourselves how friendly the city was and then we tried Pops... We never even stayed because of how rude they were before we even tried to order, so we left. Nobody once asked if they could help us. They just all looked sour and annoyed. Save your money and literally GO ANYWHERE ELSE. Chicago is full of amazing food and restaurant choices. read more

Great space for date conversation, drinks and appetizers. I loved the window seating setup. You can people watch too!

My friend, a woman of color said that she has not experienced this kind of disrespect/service since being in the South. I walked in with a couple of my girlfriends. Karman suggested we go there, it looked nice from the outside. We were greeted at the front with a cold hello and looked at with much judgement. Is it because I'm not white and am a woman of transgender experience? That's usually the case in some restaurants downtown. We sat at a nice booth by the window. The waiter said hello with little effort to make us feel welcomed. Yet he greeted the white woman at the booth next to us with a warm handshake and said hello, welcome. He came back and asked how my drink was. I said that it did not taste right. He asked if I would like something else, I said no thank you. We were ready to leave now. My friend asked that the check be split. He said one check and kept walking. He then sent another worker to pick up the check as he leaned by the bar. I asked the waitress why she came over when it's his table and he had been attending to us until that point. She knew that he was wrong for that and asked if we would like for him to do it. I said that it would be the professional thing to do. He came over, now he's made this even more awkward and just uncomfortable. The staff made all of us uncomfortable and I can't help to think it's because we are women of color and I am a woman of transgender experience. I work for an organization that strives to support the LGTBQ + community and speak on the matter to educate and enlighten others. This business can use some of this education. I will go there one more time and see if they can get it right. Worst experience downtown to this date. read more

Pops for Champagne - Just three ladies who want to enjoy what downtown has to offer. Always chasing good food and service. - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

With 40 years in service, I would call this a Chicago classic. You can make recommendations through Tock at the time of this review. Ambiance: this is a classy place to celebrate or gather. The decor is cute and fun plays on being a champagne bar. Drinks: if you're a fan of champagne or curious to know more and try different ones- this is your place. Our server was incredibly knowledgeable on the different champagnes and gave recommendations and points to consider - which for my group - was appreciated. I love that they had a champagne flight option and we all ended up going in that direction to try 3 different champagnes. However, if champagne is not your drink of choice, they offer wine, beer, other spirits, and a few spirit free options. Food: they have a small food menu. We had a person who is celiac in our group and for that person, the menu was pretty limiting. We all shared the popcorn which was good. I also tried the pork belly (not gf) and it was good. Service: the service was great. Knowledgeable and attentive without hovering. We often took the recommendations given to us, and happy we did. One suggestion I would make for Pops for Champagne, is to consider adding more items that are Celiac friendly or could easily become that way. We would have stayed longer if we had more options for the group on food. Instead, we moved venues for dinner. Overall, I really like Pops for Champagne. Cheers to another 40 years! ;) read more