Wow!!!! This place didn't just meet my expectations, it surpassed them in every way. I went yesterday 7/9/26. This is the best kept secret experience in Chicago & I've lived in this city for over 3 decades. First & foremost dress for your success. This is anything but casual. The creativity put into this renovation is at the highest level! The staff (entire) goes so above & beyond to truly make you feel transported to another world. Special shoutouts to Jess their private concierge & Jason my server for dinner. They both really made it personal. The attention to detail & world class illusionists will literally take your breath away. Once word spreads this place will be booked out months in advance. I live in Los Angeles now & would fly back just to come here! I cannot say thank you enough. It's rare to feel an entire establishment with this many employees so dedicated to true hospitality. Looking forward to my return & bless you all! My humble regards, Daniel William Drake read more

I was very fortunate to be taken to The Hand & The Eye as a birthday gift, and it is one of the best I've received. The space is stunning, and the various bars scattered throughout each have their own vibe. Service from beginning to end, the restaurant servers, and the personalized escorts all were exceptional. The small, intimate table magic experiences were the best part, and all the performers, including the "warm up" magician at the bar, were pros all around. They personally engaged with everyone attending, and of course the tricks were mind boggling, and even more so being in such close proximity to the action. The food was solid: bacon wrapped dates, burrata and prosciutto, chicken Vesuvio (a classic!), and roasted salmon. I also received an extra personal chocolate cake for my b-day. Given they're still new, a couple feedback points: Probably a little heavy on the card magic, but hopefully future bookings will have more variety. The Monarch Theater, for the last show of the evening, is beautiful, but the production value of the performances left me wanting, and was not at the same caliber as the venue itself. read more

The table and parlor magic was really great- Merlin Brando and Gali were fantastic. Other than that, I was really disappointed. Our host (at check-in you are given a specific color of rose lapel pin and people with that color rose are assigned to a specific host,) was super awkward, making rambling small talk that was really uncomfortable. We were standing in front of the piano. I had heard it did something cool and my husband asked about it. Our host seemed to frantically press a button on his collar a few times, before becoming flustered and rushing to greet a different couple. We were left standing there alone, not knowing what to do next. Dinner was not great. My Chicken Vesuvio was dry on the ends and totally tasteless. I asked for salt and pepper (why is it not already on the table?) The first set of mills I was given was empty. It took almost ten minutes for a different server to bring a second set of mills, which was so full I had to ask my husband to help me with them. They are Peugeot salt and pepper mills, by the way, so they should work on the first try, if not empty or overfilled. We were also asked by our server if we had any questions about the menu way AFTER we had ordered WITH HIM . I was there for my 50th birthday and they did have a nice place card on the table acknowledging this and brought me a nice chocolate ganache cake on the house for that. The other staff mentioned it as well. Otherwise there was a lot and, I mean, A LOT of downtime where we were wandering around lost or just sitting bored. We had a 4 pm seating and it was clear they were parking us to give time for later seatings to catch up. Not cool. The parlor magic in the theatres was not great either. After our first show we were all left sitting in the empty theatre for so long with no direction that several people commented that they wanted to just leave. One party in my group of 6 (they weren't with us but we all got the same color of rose lapel pin) DID leave while we were all standing around waiting for direction. We were out of there by 7:30 and I was ready to leave much earlier. Cocktails range from OK to way, way too sweet but average $15-$20. The one I had in The Vault bar with the espresso beans was so syrupy I just gave up and left it on a table. It was like cheap imitation maple syrup over ice and I couldn't force myself to choke it down. Overall, I don't see this too-ambitious concept making it unless they 1. Reduce the prices and 2. Allow photos. The value in this place is in the beauty of the space and SOME of the performances. But the non-magician staff needs serious work. I could go to The Magic Lounge four times for what we paid to go here tonight. I really wish we'd just done that. read more

The Hand and the Eye, the huge new magic venue in Chicago, has been shrouded in mystery. It took over an iconic location (the McCormick mansion, most recently the long-time home of Lawry's Prime Rib) and put it through a fifty-million-dollar renovation. The results leave it virtually unrecognizable and very beautiful. They allow no photos inside; in fact, they place a sticker over your phone camera upon arrival. There is very little concrete information on their website or anywhere else. They want guests to be surprised, and so I won't ruin it here either. However, I will give you a much better idea of what an evening there consists of so that you can decide if it's for you or not. Let's get some stuff out of the way that everyone seems to ask about: - Yes, it is expensive. Tickets at this time are $239 per person; $75 of each ticket is applied towards your dinner tab. All tickets include time in the restaurant. The food is good, not spectacular or groundbreaking in any way. It's a solid sort of standard "country club food". Steak, fish, chicken. It's nice, but not why you are here. - Yes, you need to dress up. Jackets are required; most men had on ties, a few were in full tuxedos. This may sound off-putting, but the net result is kind of fun. It makes the night feel a little more special. - Yes, it is 21 and over. No kids, no birthday magic. This again elevates the vibe inside. So what exactly is it then? In our case, the total experience took over 5 hours! I have no idea if this is the norm or not. We were told via advanced emails and texts to expect to spend about 3 hours there. Ours was much longer. We arrived at 5:30 for our 5:45 reservation as we were advised to do. We left close to 11 p.m. Guests are split into smaller sub-groups and kept track of by hosts who inform you when and where to go. You then engage in a series of magic performances ranging from one-on-one close-up magic performed in a bar to parlor magic performed in increasingly large theaters. The smallest one is very small, maybe 30 people? The largest is still intimate but now all the subgroups have joined back up so it seats everyone at once. We saw at least 7 different performers across 4 venues. In the middle, you take a break for an hour or so to eat dinner. One may get the impression that you wander around a mansion discovering things, almost like a game or an escape room. It is not that. It's going from one venue to the next but along the way you may discover some hidden details and secrets if you choose to look, and are curious and observant. The quality of the performances was stellar. These are all very skilled magicians. Several I have seen perform on TV. The performers change and rotate and may only be here for a short period so each visit would likely be significantly different. Even on our one given night, some subgroups saw different performers than the others. We found it to be fun, engaging, very well produced, and for us, it was worth the money. You should note that the $75 dining credit is just that, a dining credit. It may not be applied at the bars or shop or anywhere other than dinner. They also apply a 22% tip to everything you order. So once again, it's expensive. We will go back but it's not something you would likely do often. However, it feels like every visit will bring new experiences. Ideally, I'd like to see it maybe 15% less expensive but you can really see and feel where the money has gone. Everything is custom. Everything is well designed and constructed. I have been to similar venues around the world and this one surpasses them in most regards. I do think this will be a hard sell to many people. Especially since you are in essence going in blind. But everyone around us appeared to be having fun. The performances are intimate and interactive and the end result is a unique, fun and offbeat experience that deserves a chance, especially if you are into magic. We really enjoyed it and happen to live a 15 minute walk away so it's a no brainer for us to return. read more

The Hand & The Eye - The collateral materials reflect the overall quality of the experience. It's all very well done. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Located in the old Lawry building, this revamped building is elegantly decorated with chandeliers, mushroom lamps, carpeting, winding staircase, and vaulted ceilings. The main entrance is on Ontario. The doorman and staff were very friendly and patient. First Fridays in the summer is comprised of three magic acts which were amazing and interactive with audience participation. There were multiple bars and a magic store. Be prompt or you will miss first act like I did. The website mentions to be in cocktail dress or formal attire. Bring comfortable shoes because in check in, you are lead downstairs to the hallway bar and show room where the magic begins. There is a coat check area. No photos are allowed. read more

We went last night and are talking about it ever since. Wow! We have been to many magic venues around the country, but this dining and magic venue is the most first class, elegant, delicious food and most talented magicians we have ever experienced ! Hands down! Mark S. Reviewer slamming it, makes No sense to the evening we had. From the minute you enter, the uniformed staff guide you in, and show you the beautiful rooms, that are so tastefully renovated into a magical experience. Everything is perfect. From the live piano music, to the talented magicians, making you laugh and being completely amazed. The dinner was elegant and delicious!!!! The servers were impeccably trained. The dinner was included in the price- not extra. Only if you went over the included budget of 75.00 each. We both had an appetizer, shared a salad, had 2 drinks and a main- and only owed 35.00 over the 75.00. That was very fair, and we knew we were going over the allotted budget. The food was so flavorful and amazing....!!! Loved it all. The bars are the only thing extra, but that makes sense. Terrific drinks and staff there too. The magic was in separate small rooms and on beautiful, small stages. All up close and personal. Everyone was amazed and clapping like crazy at the things we saw...or didn't see lol. The building is so fun and the staff make everything classy and tasteful. They guide you through the many shows you see. We plan to bring family and come back in the Fall. Valet was only 26.00 for the entire evening. Next time we plan to wear early 1900 costumes. My husband did wear his tux but no tie. I had a suit on ...but several ladies really had fun with their dresses and costumes. I highly recommend this incredible event. It is a must see while in Chicago...or even within a state or two away. read more

Great time! Beautiful space. Friendly staff. Nice drinks and food. Awesome magic! Thank you Hand & The Eye for a very fun night!

My husband and I had an absolutely phenomenal time here! I read some of the reviews and I'm shocked by anything negative I can't think of a single negative thing to say about this place. I truly loved and appreciated the fact that we couldn't take photos. It felt very prohibition vibe and I loved it. Also makes you live in the moment for sure! We loved the bar magic Merlin Brando was a gem! We also loved our Library magician Alejandro! He put on a great performance and with original material! We loved the opener for the end of the night Tony and the main performer George the illusionist! He was awesome! Such a unique act! All of the staff were so friendly and lovely. We also loved that nothing was rushed and we had a little bit of downtime to explore how absolutely incredible this mansion is! I do want to point out that we were pleasantly surprised by how good our dinner was! I know it's a place predominantly promoting magic so I was thinking maybe dinner will be secondary here, but the cuisine was actually fantastic so that was an added bonus! I have celiac disease so finding good gluten-free items is always a struggle and I felt they did such a great job with the amount I could choose from. Also we were really impressed by the cocktails! We're both admittedly a little snobby about cocktails and they were all fantastic. Trust me we drank a lot haha can't wait to come back to this place with a bigger group to experience a night of magic like this again! Such a great, new, and different experience! The only negative thing I could possibly say is yeah it's pricey, but welcome to the city of Chicago or doing literally anything at all in any major city. read more

It was a very cool atmosphere for the different magic shows, to include the up close magic at the different bars. The food was better than expected but everything felt very rushed given price of the evening read more

Gorgeous location. Over the course of almost 4 hours we saw 6 magicians table-side and across 3 venues. All the performances were captivating and very impressive. Food and drinks were good. The evening flowed together really well and great hospitality all around. With drinks it can get a little on the pricey side but great for a special occasion. read more

Hey! This used to be Lawry's The Prime Rib. Remember that! It closed in December 2020. This is the country's largest magic venue. This is a five-story, 36,000-square-foot space and it has multiple theaters, a restaurant, a members-only dining room, and a rooftop bar. I had The Hand cocktail. The staff and service are delightful. read more

I usually don't drop this kind of cash on a brand-new spot, but my friends were hyped to check it out. Honestly, I expected a lot of flashy gimmicks and the sort of crowd that's all about big vulgar designer labels and trying too hard to look rich. And yeah, there were a few of those, but the place actually delivered. The whole night was a blast, the shows, magic tricks, and the staff kept things moving smoothly. The dinner wasn't super adventurous, but the quality was legit. Normally, I wouldn't pay these prices at a restaurant with this kind of menu, but this isn't your typical place, it's set in a stunning historic mansion with killer entertainment. Would I go back? Probably not; once was enough. Would I recommend it? For sure. If you're celebrating something big, this is a perfect spot. read more

Loved it. Most of the acts were great, a couple simply spectacular. Food was better than I was expecting (Blt salad and burger both awesome, pasta not so much) Bars in every room with great cocktails. Would definitely go again read more

Horrible service extremely rude management and security. For the money that we paid, we should experience exceptional service. This was not the case here I would not recommend due to management and security. read more

Incredible experience that is so much more than dinner and a show. Truly immersive, both on a personal and group level. The magic was amazing and the food was fantastic. Each room felt very luxe and loved dressing up. read more

It's basically expensive food and drinks (which are NOT included in the price of the ticket, AT ALL, which we felt had been implied). Everything is extra. Which makes this a very expensive night out. Went last week. While the marketing materials make it seem like you wander around the beautiful restored mansion while magicians pop up while you dine and eat, which would have been fantastic, the actual experience is far different. Think "an average fancy dinner with fancy drinks, with a couple sessions of magic, in a nice place." When you enter, there is a bar, and you are given an agenda. three items. One was a bar with a magician doing tricks at the bar. Then there was dinner where we spent about 90 minutes of the experience eating. There was nothing at all special about the dinner, which is like HALF of your time. You're in a restaurant like any other restaurant, in the middle of the building, with NO MAGIC THAT ENTIRE TIME. Service was rushed and confused, and the food was so-so. My (requested to be Medium) steak was hardly cooked at all, and had to be sent back. The waiters all seemed very rushed and confused. The salad was watery and not good. The final magic show had a few magicians, and they were pretty good, not super fantastic, but mildly entertaining. One was an expert at memorization but he might have had someone reading things to him in an earpiece. The biggest complaint I had was how everyone was herded, from bar to restaurant to theater, without the chance to explore ANY of the rest of the mansion. The little agenda they hand you shows several floors and spaces that look interesting but YOU NEVER SEE THEM. and you are NOT allowed to wander. I know it was only 3 weeks in, and I'm sure they'll work out their kinks, but we could have had a FANTASTIC meal at a fine restaurant, and then went to see a magic show for far less money. A nice night out, I guess, but FAR too expensive for the experience, and they should market it as more of what it is - a restaurant that has some magic, rather than a mysterious magic mansion where magicians could be anywhere, mixing in as the night materializes. Far more regimented and uninteresting than as marketed, I'm sad to say. We won't return unless we hear things have changed drastically to the good. read more

Am forced to agree with the other negative reviews both here and on Google maps. Am stunned that, as others have noted, TripAdvisor seems to be 'on the take' for failing to post negative reviews which have been submitted. We also went with the expectations for "7 performers" and "magical discoveries". Utter bait and switch. Three performers, one was brilliant close up magic but half the audience was screwed by standing room only in the back of the room. One was a 'mentalist' doing an amateur hour show and the 'stage' show was straight out of a talent show. Not. Good. Especially at $250 a ticket. As for putting it in the old Lawry's restaurant/McCormick mansion, whatever millions they put in to restore it is not evident. There is none of the grand spaciousness of the entryway that used to be there with the restaurant. The place has been cut up into many small rooms, and while there may be more, we saw only a few. They have you loiter quite a bit in their well appointed bars (think Kubrick's "The Shining") to run up your bill. Speaking of which, a friend got the burger and somehow despite only an appetizer and one side and one cocktail, managed to go $40 over the $75 credit for food/bar bill. Oh, and if anyone tries to tell you about the 'magic shop' at the end, given how they jam about 80 people all at once into it when the shows end, you'll leave as quickly as we did. DO. NOT. GO. read more