While I'm town for a Golden Girls convention I saw a listing for Golden drag brunch having been to a few in Orlando I decided to make a reservation. The location was iconic, spacious with a great ambiance. I found the food to be delicious and filling. Service was okay but I attribute that to the larger crowd. I didn't find the space excellent for this type of show, as much of the time we sat waiting for performers to come back where we could see. read more

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The Walnut Room is a classic staple during the holidays. The huge Christmas tree is always beautifully decorated and the food is tasty. The chicken pot pie is one of my favorites. Recently Macy hosted a gay pride brunch which filled the room with diners and amazing performers. This is a smashing success for Macy. The diners have dropped off but these special events bring in the crowds. read more

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Had not been there in years. Went with a group in December. Large groups don't sit by the tree but we had a very nice private room. Food was excellent, service was excellent. Don't go downtown much anymore, but it's definitely an option if I do. Good job keeping the food consistently good. read more

This is a Chicago must see! We bring out of town guests here every chance we get; we also like to come here when we visit the city. My guests today were thrilled to see the fountain and the beautiful wood work. We asked to be seated by the window, and the hostess was happy move our original seating to a window seat. There is so much history attached to the Walnut Room and it's preserved in the surroundings, the menu, and the service. The food is amazing; a wide variety will mean something for everyone. The chicken pot pie is the house speciality and highly recommend! Reservations are required and can be difficult to secure around the holidays; if you can have a meal at the Walnut Room during the holidays, you will not be disappointed! Even on a summer day, however, the Walnut Room is beautiful and the service and surroundings are second to none. This is truly a gem of Chicago! read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - Asiago encrusted chicken with whipped potatoes and green beans. - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Our hostess Nancy was outstanding! She was both patient and helpful in teaching us how to make reservations using the code. She displayed professionalism with a caring, warm personality. It was five star service! Thank you Nancy! Everything from there went downhill fast... We were seated and sat at our table for over 15 without any acknowledgement from any staff member. We had to call over a staff member who was busy bussing a nearby table. She took our order and said she would give it to the waiter responsible for that table. Five minutes later the waiter assigned to the table, confirmed our order. We confirmed that we ordered one turkey dinner and one chicken salad on croissant, lobster bisque, one Coca-Cola, and two glasses of ice water with lemon. Five minutes later he (Will) brought back the water with no lemons. Five minutes later he brought back three tiny pieces of lemon. Proximately 22 minutes afterwards our meal was presented by another server. He dropped off the food and no one checked on us. The turkey and mashed potatoes were tasteful but ice cold. I called for the waiter Will to return the food to the kitchen and have it microwaved so it would be warm for serving. He did return promptly with it. But, at no time did he check back with us while we ate our meal. We were fortunate to ask for a pitcher of water otherwise we went would have been without a beverage. Oops, I forgot, when they served our meals they brought the lobster bisque at the same time as the meal! There was no salt or pepper on the table, so we asked another waiter. By the way when we returned the lobster bisque the server said he would notify our waiter of the return, yet we were charged for it. When our meal was completed, Will then asked us how are meal was. At this time, I commented, "I wish you had asked that 15 minutes ago." He replied, "We're really busy." I returned with the comment, " I understand you're busy and I understand this is the busiest time of the year. I also know, no matter how busy you can uphold high standards that I'm accustomed to at the Walnut Room. I've been coming here for over 50 years." Will mumbled something under his breath as he cleared the table. My wife witnessed him flipping my dirty dish into the bus tub. After serving two slices of Frango Mint Pie and one coffee (no refill offered) we requested a mug which was brought to our table with the check. Will did not offer a bag or any type of wrapping for it. However, that did not stop us from buying an additional mug. Again, he brought it to the table unwrapped and without a bag. We had to ask another server for three bags for transportation and to pad the mugs. I can almost expect poor service when I go to a chain restaurant like an Applebee's or Chili's, I would never think I would have such terrible service at the Walnut Room. I am retired and times like this were suppose to be special. read more

I love this place. I am giving it this rating because you let go one of a very valuable employee (Lori Rotenberk) who always went above and beyond for ourselves and all the clients whom were next to us. I hope you consider bringing her back. She was an asset to your organization and I will adjust my rating to 5 stars. read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Yikes. We went here because my wife loves chicken pot pie, but while we found the restaurant to be beautiful and historic, the pot pie was not good. Dry, bland, small, and overall hard to eat. I got the meatloaf and green beans, and I promise you when I say that the green beans weren't cooked for even 2 minutes. I don't think the beans could have been any more crunchy if I pulled them straight from the garden bed. However, if I lived in Chicago I would probably go back for their christmas buffet just because I love the ambiance so much. read more

This was my first time visiting the Walnut Room from Kentucky. The ambiance was all but magical as the restaurant was festively decorated for Christmas. My friend and I ate there for lunch. The food was amazing. I swear the turkey and mashed potatoes were so very flavorful. Our server was Paul. He was very pleasant and attentive. I especially want to make note of Nancy, who was the front attendant. She was awesome. She was so helpful to explain how to make a reservation and to walk us through that process completely. After our meal, we passed Nancy, who was at the entrance, and she thanked us for coming in. She truly made us feel valued and appreciated. She even offered to take our picture. Nancy definitely made our visit pleasant and memorable. I already hope to visit the Walnut Room again on a return visit. read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - The Walnut Room Christmas Tree - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Femi, our waitress, was fantastic. We had a great table by the tree. Lovely fairy came and visited.. it was very special. Lobster bisque was delicious and the chicken pot pie.... Tarragon made it taste very delicious. It's busy- of course! It's Christmas! read more

Our family ate dinner here last night. It was not super busy. The staff did a wonderful job making us feel welcome. A queen and her helpers. Made it feel festive. The service was attentive and drinks and food came out really fast. The pot pie was amazing. Flaky and buttery pie crust. Not soggy. Lots of tender chicken in a creamy mildly thick sauce. A bit of sherry in the broth would have made it better IMHO. Comes with w nice salad with almond slices. The salmon was decent size. Served with risotto that was unfortunately slightly undercooked. Drinks were good. There's no effort to rush you out. The Christmas tree is gorgeous. A great place to celebrate the holidays. read more

I was unaware that The Walnut Room closes at 7pm on Thursday, so when we went at 6:30 it was pretty dead, but we still had a very nice time! The menu is small with pretty basic sounding American food, but all of our food was delicious! We got the cheese board, French onion soup, chicken pot pie, and the meatloaf. The meatloaf was probably the tastiest meatloaf I have ever had! I would have never thought to put pine nuts and spinach in meatloaf, but it was great. The chicken pot pie was also great, super hot and not too salty. Staff was very nice and attentive. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is that the cocktails were simply too expensive for what they were. But we plan to come back for Christmas when the Walnut Room is at its most popular! read more

This has turned into our annual Christmas tradition! The ambiance is always lovely with the tree in the center and plenty of Holliday cheer all around. We got the meatloaf, garlic rolls and log cake. The meatloaf was perfect - melts in your mouth, flavorful, with green beans on the side. Garlic bread was cheese and pulled apart well. The sparkling pointsetta mock tail was also a delight. Service was just okay but I know the staff are super busy during Christmas season so I didn't hold it against them. read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Going to sit under the tree has been a family tradition for 30 plus years. The decorations are no longer special and themed which is a bummer. Today was my grandmothers 89th birthday. We arrived around three and were told they were no longer seating groups of nine. So we agreed that one of us could sit it out. The wait for a group of 8 was 3-4 hours and they now use yelp reservation system and no longer use the pagers. This was a huge turnoff but it is the 22nd of December so a bit to be expected. Some kind women who worked there worked a Christmas miracle and seated us immediately. They may never know the importance of doing this for us but we are so grateful. Our server was very nice and friendly. They have an expensive buffet which can ensure speedy food service which is nice but we opted to order food. Food was delicious however the lobster bisque was basically just salt. The butter was a solid block which made it impossible to spread. Overall it is a nice tradition but madness around the holidays. TLDR: expect 3-4 near holidays. Come very early for large parties. Bring your patience and wallet. read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Talk about disappointment :(. I heard there was a beautiful Christmas tree here so we went to it. It's on the seventh floor of the Macy's building so it's kind of like a money-grab to get you in. Tip: there are elevators that go straight to the seventh floor. They had the eighth floor closed off (which is apparently where you get the good pictures so that sucked). We were able to get a few on the seventh but not nearly as good; it was dark and crowded. If you want to eat here? Good luck. 3 hour waitlist, join the line in 2018 and you might make it inside in 2019. read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Being a relative newbie to Chicago, I have not been to The Walnut Room every Christmas for generations. But I do like to come during the holidays. They decorate the place amazingly! But, I really like going on the off-season. Why? No long lines. No reservations required. No crowding. And the same great food and drink options. The place is beautiful and historic. The staff are super nice. While it's a very limited menu, the food is good (lobster bisque especially). My only complaint is the price. But you're in the loop and you're paying for the place itself too. Still, give it a shot off season. read more

I can tell that this place used to be magnificent. However, when we went just before Thanksgiving, I was disappointed after hearing about what a wonderful Christmas tradition this was. The tree was massive and grand, but the decorations on the tree did not match its grandeur. The rest of the room was plain; very few decorations around the rest of the room, and tables were left bare once a party left the table. In addition, the menu was limited. If you have a tree nut allergy like I do, over half of the items contain nuts. I ordered the turkey meal and requested the pecans not be included in the green beans, but our waiter forgot to put that request in. When I requested a new plate so I did not have an allergic reaction, the woman delivering the meals (not our waiter) was confused and got snippy with the waiter when he said he forgot to put that in, right in front of our table. When my meal finally arrived, the rest of my party had been sitting with their meals for a few minutes getting cold. Ultimately, my meal was okay. It was pretty plain turkey and boiled green beans - no seasoning or butter to replace the cranberry pecan butter they added to the other beans. The mashed potatoes were the highlight of my dish. I will say, the dessert was spectacular. I got the Frango mint ice cream pie and it was delicious. I stole a bit of my boyfriends frango mint and espresso cheesecake and that was also stellar. Overall, there's a great history to the Walnut Room, and the Frango mint desserts are stellar, but it's lost its former glory. If you've never been before and are new to Chicago, you'll just have to imagine the splendor that once existed in Marshall Fields and the Walnut Room. read more

We've been going for about 5 years now . The kids love this tradition . Things have changed a bit this year and it was just "ok" . -waiter was fantastic and attentive yet I had to ask for every single thing .. even silverware . - there is a buffet which we did not partake in -menu items are Not vegan /vegetarian friendly . I had a hummus platter for dinner . Other option is a cheese platter or a pumpkin ravioli with some heavy cream sauce . Good stuff : Tree is beautiful , fairy walks around to let kids make a wish . Service is always mediocre . Dirty dishes sat on our table the whole time . Only one of us had silverware ... this has been the case every year . Yet having to ask for silverware shouldn't be necessary . No keepsake mug was given this year after dinner even though I paid for the signature cocktail . Kids vegetarian choice is Mac -n-cheese . Which had tons of burnt pieces of something in it .. super disappointed for the amount we paid for such mediocre food . I know it's a tourist attraction but as a local, it's become a tradition for us as well . read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - 2018 - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

There's not much more I can add that hasn't been set already. I came here mainly for nostalgic reasons. I came here every year as a child to the walnut room when it was Marshall fields. I was lucky to get a reservation through OpenTable. And I kept setting alerts for time frames I was interested in because of our flexible schedule. And I kept checking every day throughout the day. So don't give up. I ended up dining alone because my party was sick. I was still able to be seated right away when I arrived. I was lucky to sit by the tree which was pretty but almost looked a little cartoonish to me. It just was missing the elegance of decades past. I didn't want to eat a heavy meal so I actually opted for a chicken Caesar salad. I'm a very patient person and I knew the server was busy and I gave them time to catch up but I got to the point where I never saw the server again except to say that another server was going to help me. It took a while to get a beverage. And no one check back with me. When I was able to get the servers attention who was a female, I had asked for the check and paid for my meal right away because I was in a time crunch. I have to say that the Caesar salad with chicken was delicious. I also had a Diet Coke which was sort of flat and like the carbonation I was expecting. I took a Franco cheesecake to go but had to ask for silverware which took several minutes because they were unsure where it was. I was also grateful to be able to purchase the souvenir coffee mugs for three dollars. I do think that this is a special occasion lunch or dinner. It still has some of the nostalgic menu items from the past and some new items as well. Some of the items that came by looked delicious including the I believe Parmesan chicken and the chicken pot pie. Pro tip - use the express elevator to get directly to the seventh floor. read more

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I've been to many drag brunches in Chicago and this was unfortunately my least favorite. It's very stressful to find a seat and our seating arrangement was not very comfortable. The room is also just too big and you barely get to see the queens perform. The Caesar salad had very little flavor as well. read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - Chicken Caesar Salad - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Our lunch at the Walnut Room was a trip down Memory Lane. I fondly remember all the wonderful lunches I had throughout the years when it was the crowning restaurant for Marshall Field. Outgrowing the tasty children's menu, I had moved on to their famous Chicken Pot Pie with its flaky crust and delicious chicken filling loaded fresh shredded chicken, peas, carrots, leeks and a thick luscious gravy. Marshall Field was a landmark with a rich history in Chicago. When we heard it was being bought over by Macy's, it seemed like the end of a bygone era like the Original Berghoff, the Cape Cod Room at the Drake hotel, Don the Beachcomber, the Magic Pan and more recently Lawry's Prime Rib. To my surprise I found out that the Walnut Room was not only still in its stately location, but they had preserved their incredible chicken pot pie in its original recipe by Mrs. Hering from 1890! We felt a sense of loss upon entering the building which lost so much of its original elegance and charm when it was Marshall Field. The Walnut Room was almost empty, but immediately brought back memories of the Great Christmas tree, live musicians and even fashion shows. We had a beautiful table by the giant windows with even the old radiators in place. Our server and the staff were very kind, and most importantly the chicken pot pie and accompanying salad with mandarin oranges and sliced almonds was even tastier than I remembered. However we felt a sad energy around us with fewer than 6 tables being served. You could almost hear the voices from the past echoing through the emptiness even though they were celebrating their 115th year. Just outside of the Walnut Room was an archive of the history of the Marshall Field store. We wish more local and returning Chicagoans would visit this landmark restaurant to keep it alive. read more

Beautifully upscale part of the city. Nice view. Elegant dishes and food and drinks were amazing. Service was on par with the atmosphere. read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - Flight - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Review from a non-picky eater: We usually come around Christmas time like everyone else and always enjoy the food and atmosphere. Really sad there isn't a buffet this year, but the entrees are still good. The best entrees are the Asiago chicken, pot pie, meatloaf and salmon. read more

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I've heard good things about this place so I decide to get a group together for a fun brunch day. At least that's what I thought was going to happen. So, the food was good, fresh and hot. No complaints on that. The service could have been better. My bottomless mimosas kept running out. The thing that really was upsetting was our table. We got seated to the far left behind a wall. The only part of the performance was when the performers walked out right passed us. They didn't collect our money, we couldn't see the dances, and we missed everything. There were 10 of us. All ordered drinks and food and came ready to have fun. It was very disappointing. That table shouldn't even exist. I would give it one more try but never let them sit us at that table again! read more

I went to the walnut room in November when they had their famous Christmas decorations up. It was a cute vibe and fun to see the big Christmas tree. The food was decent, I got a burger. It seemed a bit outdated and not the best ambiance. read more

We had a wonderful brunch - which set us in the holiday mood. The service was great and we had a wonderful experience. It is definitely a holiday To Do if you are in Chicago. Also, the souvenir glasses were a nice touch to take home as well. read more

Nice history, good food. Missed the drag brunch, heard it was a great show! Hope to visit again read more

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We went to the Walnut Room on a Saturday morning for an 1100 AM Harry Styles Drag Show brunch. This was our third time for a drag brunch. Food was good. Garlic bread appetizer AMAZING! Pretzel appetizer was room temperature. I had a strawberry salad with chicken. It was very good. My guests both had the pulled pork sandwiches. They were decent. The fries were delicious. The only reason for a four star & not five star is because we had a great server, but the service was slow. read more

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The Walnut Room is the flagship restaurant of what is now Macy's (Marshall Field's) in downtown Chicago at State and Washington Streets. The building opened in 1907, and the Walnut Room existed from the start. This restaurant is located on the 7th floor inside Macy's. Reservations can "only" be made through open table. I advise guest to arrive a little early because, you will have to stand in line to be checked in. There is a set holiday menu with something for everyone, including a kids menu. I had the delicious walnut salad, Savory spiced rubbed salmon (Roasted Norwegian Salmon, asparagus risotto, leeks, Asiago cheese), and a yummy Holiday Yule Log (chocolate filled vanilla cake)! After dining on such a delicious meal, I went shopping! There are 7-floors of merchandise for you to walk off that fantastic meal and beautiful Christmas decorations for you to enjoy! read more

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Thought it'd be fun to see the decor and have a nice meal, but the bossy staff that told us to stop taking pictures in the "reservation line" and to move to the designated picture taking spot was tacky and made us feel like cattle, even though we had a reservation. read more

I had a nice time, my kids did aswell my photographer Vanessa was amazing and efficient although the food was alright.

Lex our waiter was an incredible server for our lunch at the holiday Walnut Room. I highly recommend Asking for Lex if you make a reservation read more

Tried to celebrate father's birthday. Was told to tell my server... I did and they did NOTHING. Do not come here for a celebration. So disappointed. read more

Our host for our tour bus made reservations for us at the Walnut Room in Chicago as soon as reservations were available. We arrived Dec. 9th and we were put in a decorated kitchen. (not part of the Walnut Room) That is not what we paid for. In making the reservations, our host was told we'd be in the Walnut Room. The whole trip was extremely disappointing. The manager said there was nothing they could do. He ended up giving everyone a store credit for $25. That did not make up for the false advertising! The manager stated that they disappoint people all the time. Why would they do that?! Sherri Klopfenstein Crystal Lake, Il. read more

The ambiance is great around the holidays and it's a fun place to enjoy with kids! The food and drinks are just okay and the service is pretty slow. Overall I'd just come for the tree and decor read more

Jessica H was outstanding ! My sister is visiting from KC and she made sure we had the best service and experience ! Ask for Jessica H you will not be disappointed ! Merry Xmas ! read more

Excellent lunch with great company and even better service! thank you Alexander - Lex!

The service was slow. The food was okay nothing outstanding. The restaurant was beautiful. Bathrooms clean. read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - Christmas at the walnut room - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ate at Walnut Room tonight, it was clean and empty. But the filet steak was the worse I've eaten ever! Walnut Room chef put some kind of gravy mushroom over steak?? A good filet steak does not need drenched in anything. Plus it was a fatty steak? It may have not even been a filet. Mentioned to our waiter and he said he would say something to kitchen. Pretty disappointing! read more

It's unfortunate that the service and food doesn't match up with the storied history of The Walnut Room. A group of us (five) had lunch on a Saturday afternoon here with a reservation, and it was telling that we couldn't get seated when one of our party wasn't there yet. It wasn't exactly bustling, so this was a bit off putting. When we finally got seated, we marveled at the wonderful interior and space. Our server was nice, described what the specials were, and gave us a chance to look over the menu. We placed our orders, and received our drinks shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, our food didn't come out for an hour and twenty minutes. I could have sworn that they were trying to catch my fish in Lake Michigan during that time! Our server was apologetic, but didn't check on us or give us an update on our order until an hour into our wait. When the food finally arrived, it was a disappointment. The chicken pot pie was large, but that crust was a hard mess. The cod and chips was good, but felt like a kids meal. The burgers that my friends ordered - yikes. It's not good when you can get a better one at Shake Shack. I really hate that we had such an awful experience, all of which was our first time, but it's unlikely I'll even come back for the holidays when everyone wants a picture of the tree. read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I have dined at the infamous Walnut Room during the holiday season as well as on a random June afternoon. On both occasions I have enjoyed myself very much. Service is always surprisingly courteous and welcoming. During the holiday season it is crazy town. The staff never seemed frustrated or overwhelmed. That's good training and management! The area is huge! The Christmas tree is too. The bar is gigantic and seats a ton of customers. At Christmas time I had only a 10 minute wait with no reservation. The food is very good. Of course I had to try the famous pot pie. It was good but sadly not incredible. I had a lovely salad that was fresh and tasty. The room(s) are grand and vintage. The wall of windows bring in the classic State Street hustle and bustle. The grand fountain or Christmas tree add to the drama of it all. I feel all of the memories as I walk through, imagining fancy shopping ladies lunching or excited children hungry after visiting Santa. This classic should not be missed by locals and visitors to this great city any time of the year! read more

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