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    The Lobby

    4.1 (390 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    The Lobby Photos

    THE LOBBY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Classy
    Upscale
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - The Lobby

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    Reviews With Photos

    Birthday take home dessert
    Morgan S.

    The Peninsula team delivers a superior experience for afternoon tea. Our waiter, Francisco, provided the ultimate celebratory afternoon. His hospitality and attentiveness was much appreciated. Extra points for the string duo providing a lovely atmosphere and background music (and happy birthday rendition) Now for the food....wow! Each bite was executed perfectly. Scones both stood out. Favorite savory include the smoked salmon and crab/mango. Favorite dessert by far was the Oreo cheesecake, but a close runner up was the banana caramel "bee". We even got a bonus dessert "flower pot" to bring home with us. Peninsula team, thank you for creating this lovely experience! I can't wait to come back again to experience the next menu

    Breakfast potato

    Came here for breakfast as it was highly rated. Chose to go with the breakfast buffet. Was the most disappointing breakfast ever. Th chef put no effort at all. Th fruits were good. The pastries were likely yesterday's and nothing special. Scrambled eggs were ok but no seasoning and no flavor. Breakfast potatoes were awful. Looked disgusting. And had absolutely no flavor at all. There was no fresh juice and coffee was just ok. Maybe their à la carte options might be better but o will not be coming back. I paid for the ambience and that's it.

    Matcha
    Cassandra B.

    The Lobby, was a great experience. I highly recommend their breakfast fried rice. It was sooooo good and refreshing. The service was nice. I can't wait to come back and try some of their other dishes.

    Tiramisu in an edible cup
    Melanie B.

    Every Friday and Saturday night between Oct 4th and Nov 23rd, the Lobby is doing Chocolate Bar at the Pen. For $65 a person, you can sample a buffet of chocolates, ice cream, hot chocolate, and so many tiny desserts. It was the most fun I've had on a date in a long time. The desserts were incredible. The service was what you'd expect at the Peninsula. It was a lovely evening and I'm so glad I booked this. PS: Don't skip the Cocoa-Nut Cookie Martini from the bar. I forgot to snap a pic of this pretty drink but had I ordered a third, I'd have been under the table.

    Gena M.

    Stopped in The Lobby for their High Tea Service. Nice window table with a great view. Nice and clean decor. The service was great and the sweet and savory tower was delicious and very filing. I got the crema earl Grey tea and it was very good. Recommended for a nice experience.

    Hannah H.

    I made advanced reservations for the Afternoon Tea, in which the online reservation system was quick and seamless. The Lobby is currently hosting "The Art of Tea" series, in which they're providing artistic and educational classes for children on Saturdays. Since we didn't want to be there when the children are present, we went for a Friday afternoon. I did notice that the restaurant does not fill up with 100% capacity on purpose, so that there could be some spacing in between the reservations. Our Afternoon Tea treats included: +Catsmo Smoked Salmon - pumpernickel bread with smoked salmon, citrus cream cheese, and salmon roe +Roasted Chicken Salad - prepared with honey mustard, lemon zest, and apple, nestled in between whole grain bread +Nueske's Ham Sandwiches - wheat bread filled with roasted ham, strawberry mostarda, and onion jam +English Cucumber Sandwiches - white bread with sliced cucumbers and mint dill cream cheese spread +Cranberry Citrus scones +various tarts and cakes The breads could have been more fresh and more soft, as they were a bit dried out on all of the sandwiches; I did enjoy the Catsmo Smoked Salmon and the Roasted Chicken Salad the best. The Cranberry Citrus scones were great with the jam and the clotted cream; it was dense, soft, and moist, filled with a generous amount of plump cranberries. The dessert tarts were well-presented; I especially liked the 'bear canvas' on a wooden easel, that was such a cute touch! Note that the items listed on their menu on the site is just a 'sampling', and some items may be substituted or just not available during your seating; it seemed that we had a glimpse of what was listed, and could have done more with the savory options. The teas that we had could have been steeped longer, or they were just not strong enough; we felt that we had 'flavored water', and would have preferred a stronger taste of the teas ordered. The teapots are extremely heavy, so if you have fragile or weak wrists, beware! Service was very friendly; I just wished we were checked in more often, as we wanted additional refreshments and refills of some of the items. There was a violinist and a cellist duet that played on the balcony, performing renditions of modern/pop songs. The ambiance of the place was fine, and it felt that the set-up at The Lobby was more 'casual' rather than another afternoon tea event that we had attended, which was more 'sophisticated' and 'elegant'. There didn't seem to be any dress code here, and nothing was being enforced. Valet parking is only available if you purchase a package; otherwise, there is garage and very limited metered street parking in the area. +seamless online reservations +dried bread for sandwiches +no dress code +friendly service, but could be more attentive +garage and limited metered street parking

    Tea tables

    Went for high tea - elegant atmosphere. Beautiful holiday decorations, wonderful service

    Padma A.

    One of the best afternoon teas . Our server ubaldo was courteous and kept refilling the sandwiches. The glass champagne made me all fuzzy . Our teas were really good selection.. wish their savories were more variety than the sweets. Overall a great experience and dent in the pocket.

    Dec 2023
    Allison T.

    Went for afternoon holiday tea with my girlfriends on a Sunday 4:30 reservation. Leo was very friendly and attentive. We selected for 3 regular menu and a vegetarian option. I liked that there was a separate menu for the regular and a vegetarian. Leo checked if all the items on the menu were ok for us to consume. Thank you The Lobby for being inclusive about food allergies and dietary restrictions. When the food came, all vegetarian dish came on a separate tower so my friend was able to enjoy on her own. Here's what's included with $150 experience: -tea (classic, herbal infusions, or premium Asian) -glass of Tattinger Brut Champagne -tea pastries: wreathe, gingerbread man, chestnut candle stick, red velvet Santa's belt, and cranberry pate au choux. I'm not a big fan of gingerbread/peppermint "winter" season flavor type of person so personally, I didn't like the pastries. -savory: roasted beef sandwich, cucumber sandwich, organic egg sandwich, lobster & shrimp sandwich, and winter kale sundried tomato quiche. My favorite was the quiche. -traditional and cranberry citrus scones. Typically I find scones dry and not so tasty but these were good. I went for a 2nd time with a friend and a child (girl) on a Saturday for 2:30 reservation. The lighting was much brighter. There was Mr. and Mrs. Clause for free photography. It was magical. Ray was very attentive and professional. $85 child's menu included: -sandwiches -sweet treats -hot chocolate Sweet pastries were very aesthetically appealing. Servers were great. I would definitely recommend holiday tea for the experience.

    The Peninsula Breakfast Coffee
    Sydney L.

    We love this place. Tucked inside The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago is the Lobby Restaurant--the most lovely place for an upscale lunch brunch breakfast or dinner. With a menu that is elegant and yet quite broad in cuisine, this 5 star hotel presents each dish with precision. We particularly love the tomato soup and grilled cheese on a rainy windy day and enjoy the simple eggs and breakfast sausage entree for a more traditional breakfast. You'll find asian specialties as well, don't skip them--they have an upscale Asian restaurant so these dishes featured in the lobby menu are quaint yet stellar representation of the chefs talent.

    Lico J.

    A good afternoon tea experience. I've been to Peninsula Hong Kong for afternoon tea a few times, so I really wanted to try the afternoon tea here (especially when I found Peninsula Chicago ranked No.1 of all luxury & upper upscale hotels in the states by US News!). I liked the variety of tea options here. I opted for White Peony, a very light Chinese tea. The Earl Grey tea and jasmine tea from friends sitting next to me smelled really good. Note that if you don't like the tea you pick after tasting, you can ask for a change, although that's not normal as you get one kind of tea for the entire section. The champagne was strong and of nice quality. For the drinks, nothing super amazing but nothing to complain. The food was also good. We all loved the very classic warm biscuits w jam and butter. The savory sandwiches were not very complicated but yummy & satisfying. Our favorites were the shrimp and corn sandwich and the asparagus quiche - very flavorful and refreshing. My friends asked for a refill of that sandwich after finishing theirs. The quality and presentation of the sweets were what made the afternoon stood out from a normal high tea. So pretty and fun. Every dessert got not just a pretty look, but also a different interesting & yummy sweet filling. If you don't like sweets, you probably won't enjoy as much because there is a whole plate of very sweet desserts. At the end, we all felt very full. Everyone got a very cute flower pot dessert in a nice white box from the hotel. The dessert tasted okay (I ate it after getting home), but that box really gave everyone a strong & happy finish of the tea experience! Love the idea! Service - I could not say it's better here than in other luxury hotels (my expectation for the No.1 hotel in the states was high). During our entire 2.5 hours at the hotel, from walking into the building to the real lobby to The Lobby, I didn't feel someone really paid special attention to or truly smiled at or greeted us - felt like they just did whatever the job needs them to do.

    Scones
    Nina Z.

    My husband and I just spent a couple weeks in Chicago and had fall tea here with our bestest of friends. I was apprehensive to have tea here because earlier in the year we had stayed at the Peninsula in London and very much enjoyed their tea service; however, I was pleasantly surprised. As expected the ambiance and beauty of the Peninsula is a constant but what stood out to us the most was the service. Our server, Hao, exhibited world class customer service - I was absolutely floored. I dare say it was far better than what we experienced in London. He was kind, courteous and professional. The tea menu itself noticeably different and delicious. Delicately divine pastries and rich savory tea sandwiches. I'd recommend all to stop in for tea or more --and please DO ask to be seated in Hao's section. I don't usually repeat tea services in cities outside of DC but would because of how warm and welcoming Hao made us feel while enjoying this lovely afternoon with friends.

    Dessert plate
    Rob G.

    This was a fantastic spot for afternoon tea in Chicago. First, the lobby was exceptionally appointed with high ceilings, open air and views of the Mag Mile and surrounding skyscrapers. Our service started with a great selection of traditional teas, herbals and speciality. My wife and I chose two different herbal teas and enjoyed them immensely. Both were flavorful and had the right strength. While the sandwiches were typical of any high tea service (quiche, cucumber, roast beef and salmon), the stand-outs were the dessert selection. They ranged from pistachio, strawberry and grape cakes with a cream puff shaped as a swan. The star of the show was the coconut ball which was by far the best dessert I've had at any tea. Service was outstanding with our teas, champagne and food being served promptly and offers of refills / seconds throughout the meal. Finally we were given a to-go favor of cake lollipops which look amazing. While not inexpensive, well worth it!

    L-R: Chocolate tiramisu cup, pumpkin cake, cherry mousse with brandied(?) cherry inside, apple walnut spice cube, and white carrot cake

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    10 months ago

    My favorite bar - excellent service and beverage menu. I'll keep returning. The crowd and ambiance were classic.

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    The food and service are unparalleled! A true experience in exceptional FINE DINING! It was an unforgettable experience.

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    Page 1 of 10

    The Lobby Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Lobby

    How much is afternoon tea per person?

    Can we just show up for after dinner drinks or dessert?

    I think so, but maybe call to be sure. You might want/need a reservation anyway.

    Is there live music during afternoon tea, like a harpist?

    While we were there, a violinist and cellist played a couple of pieces from the balcony overlooking the dining area.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    This is a beautiful large 4 stories Starbucks cafe that is always crowded even late at night. Our…read morefirst attempt was around 8pm on weekday but the line was out of the door. So, we ended up visiting it again the next day close to 9pm. This time, there was no line to enter but the line to buy some drinks inside was pretty long. There were also limited seats inside and there were just too many people inside so I didn't feel comfortable. We ended up just exploring the stores and looked around for the service that they provided. They also have some classes and tour that you can book ahead of time. There was a merchandise store at the first floor as well as regular coffee bar. The second floor was more like a bakery with selections of pastry and baked goods. The third floor was a more fancy coffee experience and there is a coffee tasting available. The fourth floor was the cocktail bar for alcoholic beverages. The cafe is beautifully designed and decorated. I wish that we could enjoy a cup of coffee there.

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    Ralph’s Coffee - Salted Honey Cold Foam Late +

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    Planned on going to Ralph's while in Chicago for coffee. We went on a Saturday morning around…read more9:30am. There was a line that we waited in for about 15 minutes. There were a few seats inside that the rear of my family sat down at while I waited in line to order. The little cafe was so aesthetically pleasing and had so many different things to look at while waiting. As a speciality latte, they had featured a salted honey cold foam latte. I decided to try that iced and it was amazing. My husband got the vanilla latte and didn't like it as much, it was pretty watery and didn't have much flavor neither coffee nor vanilla. The rest of the store did open at 10, so we "shopped" around a little while sipping our coffees. When we went to leave the line was wrapped around the outside of the building. Would definitely recommend getting there early if you go on the weekend.

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    The Lobby - tradamerican - Updated August 2026

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