SERIVCE Server was cool. Fun, sugary, colorful, elegant vibes as usually - it's supposed to be. is it for kids? Is it for adults? Is it for both? Maybe so! This is not my first time here. Parking is a pain because it's located downtown but you can utilize the parking structure nearby. They add a 20% fee on your bill, no tipping. My first visit was in Vegas years back and really loved it there. FOOD Ordered the rainbow sliders and they taste great to me. I added some bbq sauce as always with any burger. Great portions. Also ordered the Smash Burger. WELL I will return anytime. read more

Sugar Factory - River North - Rainbow Sliders & Smash Burger - Candy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Sugar Factory is... interesting. They obviously cater to kids and kids-at-heart by making the experience feel like a celebrity walking the red carpet (why? No clue). The TVs also show nothing else but self promotion of celebrities visiting various Sugar Factory locations. Their other theme is attention-grabbing shakes and desserts. Ones that BEG others to "Look at me!" (and order one for themselves...). We partook because, well, "When in Rome!" And, honestly, it had some fun to it. The food wasn't half bad and neither were the shakes we had. The portions were decent but prices were inflated. We didn't buy-in fully but we still enjoyed our meal and didn't regret the visit (just not sure we'd be back to this one trick pony). read more

I give 2-5 stars. the customer service is very good but the whole vibe feels outdated and is overly focused on random celebrities. The food is mediocre in my HUMBLEST opinion. Great for young toddlers struggling with adhd. Everything is very expensive and it feels like the price doesn't match. I will not blame any of the people who prepared it because it tasted like mass chain food that tastes less palatable the farther it goes from the source. I didn't agree with the texture of the food. The whole theme of the restaurant is "so and so went here! don't you feel so cool for being here?" i dont recommend this restaurant unless you are a toddler who just learned how to eat. The staff and waiter team are spectacular and i got a sparkler!!!! read more

It took forever for us to be served. Waitress kept forgetting things. Served my kid and niece the goblets with no straws. Had to wait. Dry ice was stuck to bottom of there cups. It wasn't even packed and our waitress was taking so long for everything. I had to ask the host what the issue was. Didn't bring out ice cream for my kids birthday or acknowledge it. It needs to be updated inside because it's giving 2006. Just weird. Ordered a meatball sandwich and didn't even eat it. Packed it up and gave it to homeless people. I'd avoid this place like the plague. read more

Great restaurant with generous portions and reasonable prices. The service was friendly and efficient, and the overall experience was very enjoyable. It's also very kid-friendly, which made it even better for our visit. Would definitely recommend! read more

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I never heard of Sugar Factory until I visited Chicago...and now I wish we have an establishment here in California! We came in as a party of 5 on a Sunday night, so it wasn't terribly busy and we were seated promptly. We came in strictly for the drinks since my friends were raving about them. Our waitress was asking if we were celebrating anything and I told her we were celebrating my boyfriend's birthday. We ordered some drinks from the holiday special menu as well from the regular menu. I ordered the apple cider and also shared a large drink called the Big Cloud, which contained dry ice for presentation with blue cotton candy on top. The drinks were soooo yummy and boozy! I loved it all, and the Big Cloud drink was probably my favorite. The presentation of all drinks were very cute and festive. There's a photographer that takes pictures of you and your party, and you can purchase the photo for $25. Our waiter and staff came in later with some ice cream topped with a sparkler and sang happy birthday to my boyfriend. Drinks overall were delicious, however were pretty pricey at around $20+ each. The place is very touristy and I would only come during special occasions. Our waiter was super sweet and attentive. I would come back again in the future when I'm back in Chicago! read more

Came in at 8:59pm and was turned away. As they stopped taking tables. Wasted a whole trip, parking and called to complain and spoke to the rudest manager I have ever heard. Will follow up with some of his statements in a second post. My toddler crying. read more

Sugar Factory - River North - Comic made with ai about the event. - Candy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I gave a star for the service. We went just for the milkshake and all the toppings were stale. It's like a $25 shake. The stuff should be fresh! I got the Cookie Monster shake. The cupcake tasted like the refrigerator, the donut was tough and old, the chocolate chip cookie was stale. The actual milkshake was fine but not great. My hometown bakery does it better and this place is supposed to be endorsed by the celebs. Super disappointing, but the staff and service was nice. Way overrated desserts. They look cool at least. read more

Don't waste your money drinks are not tasty. Food is not worth it went three times that means I gave it three chances of trying different food and was very disappointed. read more

The Sugar Factory is beautiful, the ambiance is great, and very fun. The waitress, Kat was wonderful and very friendly.The food was hot and delicious . read more

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Honestly. Every single thing I had was horrible . Down to the kids burgers . I ordered a steak medium . The steak came out no sear to it almost baked the herb butter is insane not in a good way . Alfredo broccoli was hard . They brought me chicken tenders to replace my steak and the chicken is literally dino nuggets that taste air fried . For the prices this place is ridiculous prob should just be a bar the read more

The staff was all very friendly and welcoming. I went for a birthday during one of Chicago's cold weather days. I think because of that the place was on the empty side, but everything looked clean. The sliders weren't bad and the sampler platter was good! I think I would just get the sampler platter since all the food is very filling. Portions are on the bigger side. The sandwich was okay, not crazy flavorful but it was just a grilled chicken sandwich. I think if I go again I would get a burger. Overall the experience was great, just be prepared to spend a decent amount especially on their popular drinks :) read more

Sugar Factory - River North - Sampler Platter* Sugar Factory Rainbow Sliders* - Candy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food was good. Service was very slow despite the restaurant being only half filled. And paying over $30 for a dessert and they serve it with plastic spoons is crazy to me. Likely won't be back. read more

Not worth the time or money. While the staff were very polite and tried to make the evening a good one, the food was a. huge disappointment. The restaurant seems to be much more about Instagram posts than actual quality food - even at the high prices they charge. We had a wide range of food, and more than half of it was left on the table. Our bill was over $600, and we easily ate $100 worth of food. Overall, the hype doesn't warrant the cost, and I won't be going back. read more

Went with my family, they implemented a new rule where it's an automatic 20% on the bill which is a bit annoying. The restaurant has seriously went down from when it first opened. The candy on the wall looks old, no signature lollipops, the amount of candy they have looks pathetic. The food definitely is not what it used to be to be. My salad was overdressed and my chicken was dryer than the Sahara desert. My husband's mac and cheese was lukewarm and so were his fries. The signature drinks are overpriced especially if you get non alcoholic. Really disappointed. For 3 people including tip was $256 and it was not worth it at all- could've gone to a better restaurant for that price and had better food. The only good thing about our experience was that our waitress Karla was super friendly and attentive to us- she deserves to work at a better restaurant than Suagr Factory read more

I love how cool this place! It Truly is my go place to eat on special occasions.... It's vibrant , fun, delicious and super hype!! I love this restaurant read more

This place is fire I asked for a strawberry milk shake and it was fire and when they brought my cousin and brothers sugar drinks to us they really did it on the drinks alright top 5 out of 5 stars. read more

Sugar Factory - River North - Candy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We made a last minute reservation for 4 and when we arrived there was a line to be seated. It seemed like staff was all over the place. We were asked if a flat top table would be okay, then when we asked if we could have a booth they said it'd be 10-15 minute wait because they only had one busser every though there had to be 5+ booths open in all different sections. We ordered 4 drinks + fries but never got the fries. The insane milkshakes are so fun and definitely shareable. It's fun- they have a photographer that comes around and offers pictures - with a charge if you decide to purchase. Inside the restaurant was clean, honestly it was nice we came around 9:30p because though it was busy it wasn't crazy! Staff was nice- attentive enough for what we were there for. 20% gratuity is already added to bill. 4 drinks with tax and tip was over $100. Fun experience, but not somewhere Imid return to over and over. read more

Sugar Factory - River North - Strawberry Cheesecake Overload Rainbow Brite S'mores Brownie Mocha - iced coffee - Candy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent service from our server Keyla. She went above & beyond as our server. The atmosphere was great! The staff very nice and polite. The food was delicious! Will definitely recommend The Sugar Factory to friends & family. We've encountered a few rude servers while visit Chicago, but none at The Sugar Factory. Very happy customers! read more

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I haven't been to The Sugar Factory in probably 10 years. I was excited to go here with my boyfriend for a spontaneous date night! Immediately when we walked in, we were greeted by the host which was nice. We didn't stand there too long and wait which is important to me. Before we were seated in our booth, we went to the bar for a drink and sat there for 10 minutes while the bartender was just talking to a co-worker. We were never greeted or offered a drink. Luckily, our table was ready within those 10 minutes so we just went to our table. I'd say the service was mediocre; we felt like we were bothering our server. Our server was nice and all, but just didn't seem to really care too much about us as customers. It was just an odd experience. I will say, the food was pretty good! But not worth what we paid for sure. We tried the waffle burger and the chicken pasta and then we also had macaroni cheese balls and like I mentioned, wasn't worth the money but was still good. I'd say the restaurant is definitely not my style and the vibes were not what I typically look for so for that reason, I definitely will not be back.The candy in the store seemed old and the selection was really minimal, there wasn't much to choose from and the section was just so small. I thought the candy section was larger and had a better selection. That was disappointing. Overall, the experience was eh. read more

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I'm not a fan of authoring negative reviews, but in this case, I need to warn as many people as possible. I never have understood the allure of the Sugar Factory, and even more puzzled after my recent visit. I vsited their Chicago location and waited 20 minutes for a reservation that was scheduled and still had to sit in uncomfortable high tables by the bar. The level of service was pretty good, with the young man who waited on us being very attentive and management staff coming by a couple of times to check to see how things were going. Unfortunately, the quality of food that comes frozen, out of a bag, from Costco, would've been better. The onion wings were greasy and mushy. The chicken and waffles looked beautiful. The chicken was a perfect golden brown and the first set of waffles looked really nice. The positive aspect of it ended there. The waffles were room temperature and the chicken made me think of The Sugarhill Gang. Though it was hot and fresh out of the fryer, it was unseasoned and tasted like wood. I kept the chicken and tried to suffer through it while they remade my waffles and they came back even worse. Soggy throughout. Tahirah, my colleague, shared that her fajitas were so bad that no amount of added salt or pepper could rescue them. The dry ice bubbling Peña Colada tasted like base syrup, to be mixed with a gallon of water, to make pineapple coconut koolaide. The coupes de gras, was the ice cream sundae, that tasted like artificially flavored mushy icemilk. This place is only about the visual aspect of a gimmick laden dining experience, and fails as it pertains to food texture, flavor and quality. If you want a neat video and photos for your IG, go here. If you want food that you can eat and enjoy when you are in Chicago, you would do better going to Harold's for some fried chicken and French fries. read more

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This was candy heaven for the kids. The drinks are expensive but large, an experience, and delicious. The server warns you if you opt for the alcoholic version that it does contain 6-8 shots and I bet that some people can get in a lot of trouble that way! The rainbow pancakes were large enough that our entire table shared. They're a little sweet even without the maple syrup!!! Be prepared for lots of dining room noise but the booths are private for your own experience. My takeaway: come for the drinks and candy, but you can make it a dessert stop after eating your meal elsewhere! read more

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It was alright. We got the $150 dollar burger but staff were not enthusiastic. Very dreary vibes. We got two of the fishbowl drinks. My boyfriend didn't finish his so I did. Keep in mind these were supposedly the highest percentage drinks, we got the Long Island iced tea drink. I had BOTH of them and didn't feel tipsy or drunk. I was shocked and disappointed. Why are drinks $40, you tell us they are alcoholic, and yet I had nearly two and didn't feel anything. Pretty sad we spent so much money to not feel appreciated or taken care of. read more

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We stopped in while visiting the city for our daughter's birthday. She and a friend shared a Cookie Sundae for Two, which they said was quite delicious. Unfortunately, that's the only good thing I can say about our visit. I ordered a coffee and my wife ordered a cinnamon roll to have while our daughter and her BFF enjoyed their sundae. One would think that a restaurant would serve a table all at the same time. No. My coffee was brought out first. So, it was tepid by the time the sundae arrived (no refills or warmups offered). My wife's cinnamon roll didn't come out until over 15 minutes after the sundae. The girls were almost done eating by that point. To make it worse, the roll was clearly burnt on one side. It tasted as bad as it looked - charred and dry. They also had a woman going around taking pictures and then trying to sell us overpriced prints of the picture run through an anime AI filter. Suggestion: drop the gimmicks to squeeze an extra buck out of customers. Just serve good food well. read more

One of the most unique fun restaurants in Rosemont. My daughter loved everything about it, food was good and our server was even better! Such a fun atmosphere and the unicorn hot chocolate was perfect! read more

Sugar Factory - River North - Unicorn hot chocolate - Candy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My family of four celebrated my brother's birthday here. We all enjoyed our meals, which were generously portioned. Overall, we'd rate our dining experience 3/5. My brother particularly loved the Cheeto burger. The Strawberry Lemonade Smash was delicious, although the large ice cubes were a bit overwhelming. And my little sister loveeeedd her Unicorn Hot Chocolate. Unfortunately, I ordered the Henny Moon but never received it. Additionally, our table lacked utensils, the bathrooms were unclean, and there were no napkins available. The lukewarm water was disappointing, bordering on unpleasant. Furthermore, there's automatic 20% gratuity, which is mentioned when making a reservation, and by the host upon arrival. We expect good service, cleanliness and basic amenities, especially considering the upscale prices charged here. Overall, the experience fell somewhat short of our expectations, but good food. read more

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I am glad we came one time. The drinks were fun and taste great but the cost was very expensive for me. The food was just ok to me.Had a group of 7 and all said glad we went but once was good. read more

This place is super cool. Everything we ordered tasted great but my favorite were the rainbow burgers, so fun! The atmosphere gave off a clubby vibe because it's kinda dark inside and they play loud music but it is 100% kid friendly. Truly a unique Restaurant. We also got a flight of margaritas they were amazing and then non alcoholic drink for the kids that were huge and literally smoking. 10/10 read more

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All hype no substance. Made reservations for Sunday May1st at Noon ( when they open ) for Mine and My husbands anniversary and my birthday. We got there about 30 min before opening. We wondered around a bit before a line started forming. They have a big sign outside stating masks must be worn. First 4 people in had them on. Big group after them no masks and nothing was said. Half staff wearing masks half not. First impressions not great. Up on the wall to the right of the door there was a photo falling off the wall. The big crystal chandelier in the entry has some crystals unhooked and falling off. Mercury glass balls ( that resemble balloons ) some are broken. Wall that looks like candy dots needs scrubbed and repainted. Lots and lots of light bulbs out. Just looked uncared-for. We were sat and given bottles of water. I thought bottles of water was weird and they weren't even cold. I noticed all the tables got bottled water. Such a waste of plastic. I hope they have a recycle program. They have a 20% automatic tip added to your bill ( we knew this going in, we saw it on line ). Our server did a good job so he would have received at least 20% from us anyway, but it shouldn't be legal for business to do this. Pay your employees a decent wage. The food. Husband got French Toast. I got a club sandwich and fries. Food was good not WoW. Zero presentation unless you get one of the over the top items. Husband got a pineapple mimosa. He hated it. I ended up getting a Pink Unicorn Hot Chocolate. It was cute and pretty and so so beyond sweet. Husband got a chocolate shake he drank it with out comment. At the beginning of the meal we were asked about special occasions and said Birthday and Anniversary. Zero was done to acknowledge either. I made a reservation prior to coming here for the new location in Indy for my Husbands Birthday. But after eating at this location I canceled the Indy Reservation. The loop of celebs they played on the TVs was short and repeated dozens of times while we were there. read more

Fun for kids but nothing to write home about. To start off, we got the cookie jar milkshake, the candy shop, the peach ring drink and the watermelon patch (all with no alcohol). The milkshake was delicious but the drinks were only okay. Our party also ordered mimosas and a gin and tonic (the champagne was flat and the gin and tonic was way too unbalanced to be enjoyed). For the table, we ordered the rainbow sliders, the hot Cheetos burger, the club sandwich, and the Alfredo. The sliders and burger were okay but the rest were meh. As I said, fun for the kids and birthday experience but feel that it's overpriced for what it is and wouldn't go back! read more

Overpriced gross food. I've had better burgers at McDonald's. The drinks are $45 and half way prefilled with dry ice. Only came here so my daughter could have a fun experience. Sliders, a burger, Mac & cheese and 1 drink was $130! Such a waste of money. Giving 2 stars because my waitress was a sweetheart and the restrooms were very clean. read more

Sugar Factory - River North - The Watermelon Punch - Candy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Atmosphere is drab, food is way over priced, but worst of all, service and management was super disrespectful. There were two mistakes with our order. First, a plain bagel was ordered but when it arrived, it came buttered which is not what was ordered. We told the waiter right away of the error. They left the buttered bagel on the table which never got eaten and brought a second plain bagel. Second mistake was when they brought to us the wrong breakfast order. Instead of the eggs your way meal, they brought back eggs and bacon sides. Again, we corrected the waiter and they left the food and brought the new order. During this time there was no explanation that we would be charged for the mistakes that they made when they entered the order. When the bill came, we saw they charged us for the incorrect order as well as the corrected one. The manager was rude and tried to tell us we had a "pattern" of wanting food that was cooked for us waived. He claimed he already did us a favor by deducting the buttered bagel that was never eaten. Let me tell you, they discounted one 10 dollar bagel by 50% only. I don't know why a plain bagel is even 10 dollars. So yes, we paid $15 for a plain bagel. Manager was accusatory and only deducted the eggs after we continued to complain. Never have I experienced such poor customer service. Do not waste your money in this sad place. read more

SO WEIRD DO NOT GO HERE. We went on a Monday night with a group. I know that a Monday night at a place driven by flashy things and instagram posts - I expected it to not be busy... but wow. It was just STRANGE. We arrived, the entire place was empty except for one other group of people sitting inside. Immediately was feeling the vibes of eerie, creepiness. THEN - we were informed - we do not accept apple pay. I thought - OK - most people dont use apple pay at restaurants and I was not planning on it so OK. THEN - we were informed - there is 20% fee added to every bill - as a "service fee".... OK - definitely weird. Many chicago restaurants now have such fees, but they are 3 - 5% and they can be removed if requested..... WEIRD THEN - we were informed - there are no children's menus.... OK Weird since this is obviously a kid friendly place with these rainbow cakes and stuff... OK BUT WEIRD. When we were seated, we experienced the shock of the menu HAHAHA is all I can see. Think Cheesecake Factory - but more expensive, and less legible font. I looked like I was 85 squinting and holding my menu strangely so that I could read the items (I am 29 and do not have vision problems). While we were enjoying our items (we only got a few things because of the eeriness of the space and the prices and the fees, etc.), a woman came up and tried to take our photo (assuming to sell us later). We declined (politely of course). Then, I saw the same woman walking around the restaurant with her cell phone filming the space (I would assume to show management how empty it is, but I am unsure). Please don't videotape people without their consent, even if it's legal, its a bad look. I would BET a lot of $$$ that this place will be gone in the next 90 days. Even if its popping on the weekends, no one can convince me this is not a place of dread and sadness. WEIRD VIBES. Our young woman waitress was very nice and friendly and she has nothing to do with this review. I hope she can find a better place to work! read more

From the moment my party walked in, there was a terrible stench coming from the walls. like multiple rats decomposing and eating each other. the restaurant was dead empty, and when we asked for a table, they said a 3-4 hour wait because we didn't have a reservation. I went on my mobile device, booked a reservation in 5 minutes and they were able to serve us. they brought us to the back of the restaurant, we were sitting on wooden boxes with a small dirty table in the middle. a small lightbulb hanging by a string was the lighting. the waiter came 30 minutes later, with paper cups and contaminated water. Then and there, we decided to leave this disgusting wannabe restaurant. on the way out I am pretty sure rats were chewing at our shoelaces. the waiters chased us out with brooms trying to hit us. If you want to live to the next day, save yourself before they get you and you end up as the burgers from the sugar factory. read more

Sugar Factory - River North - evil endless table - Candy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wonder & whimsical meets the eye when entering Sugar Factory. The restaurant aesthetic is all things sugary. I ordered the Ginger Sesame chicken salad. (Warning: Do not consume if you have a peanut allergy). The peanuts and ginger salad dressing makes the salad taste delicious. The sunset mimosa was great. Loved the drink. It's better to make reservations than to dine spur of the moment. The understaffing on the weekend was a disappointment but overall it was good. read more

Sugar Factory - River North - Sunset mimosa - Candy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My first time at a Sugar Factory! I always see pics with their HUGE exotic drinks and I couldn't wait to see them for myself! This location was only taking reservations at the time (Summer 2021). The vibe is quite lively and colorful, the perfect place to hang out and have a couple drinks. Food was okay ~ taste was average, nothing special about it; but definitely recommend their milkshakes or drinks menu that will fulfill your sweet tooth. The milkshake I got was HUGE AF with such EXTRA garnishes, and of course the signature huge glasses WHERE GIGANTIC AHH, definitely an experience for sure. Drinks we tried: - Virginia Strawberry Lemonade - Campfire S'mores Milkshake Food: - Sugar Factory Rainbow Sliders - Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken - Chicken Fingers - Fettucine Alfredo read more

Sugar Factory - River North - Candy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've heard of the Sugar Factory and finally got my chance to go. My family and I walked the area near our hotel and searched Yelp for something good to eat. To our surprise, we walked right into the Sugar Factory. Our wait time was about 45 minutes, which wasn't too bad, since we had to wait for my sister. The ambience of this place is more like a club. However, it was a nice place to eat. Everyone enjoyed their food, from the Rainbow Sliders to the Grilled Salmon and The Big Cheesy. The prices were a tad high but I get it. You basically pay for the experience. Overall, I would definitely visit again and again. It was that good. read more

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We were staying at a hotel across the street and decided to go for dinner on a Thursday evening. I had checked to see if reservations were needed before we left the hotel and saw there was availability every 15 minutes so figured it wouldn't be an issue. We walked in at 8:45pm and it was dead. The receptionist asked if we had reservations and I said no and we were told it would a 15-20 minute wait. I looked around and saw 3 tables seated, the entire restaurant was empty so I went back into the reservation system and again saw availability for every single seating. Do I make a reservation while on the waitlist and get in any sooner? After a 30 minute wait I asked the hostess if we could just sit at the bar since there was not one person there and she said that was fine. After sitting at the bar for another 20 minutes without acknowledgement from anyone we got up and left. Zero management on site and staff gave two licks about the few guests inside. Watched multiple people walk out in the 50 minutes we were there. Side note: this is my second experience here and the first was exactly the same; just happened several years ago. read more

The menu was wayyy too big! I ordered a mimosa flight, and got a cool river duck with it. It was pretty good! Definitely a good drink list for sweet drink lovers. The service was really good. However, we were bombarded to take photos and buy them from the restaurant. The space felt a little out dated. It was still a really good time! I just think it's quite overpriced. I don't recommend going for food. Go and get a desert and a drink! read more

Sugar Factory - River North - Mimosa flight - Candy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is grossly overpriced and the fact that they add 20% on EVERY bill (supposedly "not for the server, but for the hourly employees") is outrageous! The service was terrible. How is a restaurant going to add a 20% surcharge, provide bad service, then expect an additional 15-20% tip?! I suppose that's what we get for dining downtown on a Monday night ‍. The Mai Tai goblet drink ($45) was really good a the whole dry ice thing was cool to watch, but it's really only about a 16 oz drink when you take out all of the dry ice, regular ice cubes, and gummy candies. Overall, the food was good. The ambiance was meh. No music and lots of bright lights on...again that's what we get for going on a Monday night. Won't be going again for that price tag! It's a novelty. read more

Sugar Factory - River North - Goblet drinks - Candy Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois