I had one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had at the Walnut Room in Chicago. The food was genuinely inedible. I ordered the chicken pot pie and the Canadian cheese soup, and after one bite of the pot pie I was done -- it tasted like a frozen Marie Callender's dinner. The soup wasn't any better. To make things worse, our waiter ignored our table for over an hour. When we finally told him that the food was bad, his response was literally, "Yeah, it's horrible, idk." No apology, no attempt to fix the situation, not even a question about comping the untouched meals. It was unbelievably unprofessional. Between the awful food and the complete lack of service, this was the biggest waste of money. I wouldn't recommend this place to my worst enemy. read more

I felt like a queen. We were treated like royalty by the wait staff. The professionalism and accommodatingness of our servers was on point. The Christmas decorations were very nostalgic Marshal Fields. Giant Marshal Field bags and The Marshal Field clock ornaments were beautiful. The food..well...just amazing, delicious,abundant. We did not leave hungry. The specialty cocktails were delicious. The fairy that came around and granted our wishes was so fun and beautiful. Christmas is definitely the time of year to go. But get those reservations in. As soon as the phone lines open...it only takes about 20 minutes for all reservation to be booked for the whole Christmas season. read more

What a fabulous place to celebrate a birthday lunch or any other occasion! The service staff was exceptional, and my lunch choice of short ribs was an epicurean delight! The Walnut Room is an incredibly elegant environment with exquisite furnishings and backdrops! Make sure it's on your Bucket List! read more

Very nostalgic place to have lunch. Great waiting staff and the food was delicious. definitely a good place to go during the holidays with family and friends. read more

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This is a family favorite during Christmas time. They have a beautifully decorated, gigantic tree when you enter and and have a lot of featured holiday menu items. Our family often gets to be chicken pot pie and turkey dinners, they also have a wonderful dessert menu (however, the cheesecake is always sold out when we go, popular choice!). This time around I tried the chicken salad, pretty tasty it I may say so! Service is wonderful despite it being so busy. Love going here for the annual Christmas tradition. read more

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Chicken pot pie is a must and I got a table with a beautiful view. My buddy had the breakfast platter and it was almost too much. almost! read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - The Breakfast platter is also good for Sunday brunch - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Walnut Room combines elegance with comfort, making it feel special without requiring formal attire. The atmosphere is charming, with rich woodwork and classic Chicago vibes. We fed our family of three for $90, including two adult beverages--a great value. The food was good, though the menu could use a seasonal refresh for variety. Even on Black Friday, our group of nine was seated promptly thanks to our reservation. Service was efficient and friendly. Overall, it's a great spot for a memorable meal in a historic setting. read more

The service was top notch. Food was okay - but we were there for the vibes. Reservations are nearly impossible to get during the holiday season. We had to stalk OpenSeat to snag one that someone cancelled. read more

This will definitely be a new tradition for my family. We stopped by on January 12th, which was the last day of the Christmas decor and experience. I wished we went sooner. I heard they have a Santa experience I missed and can't wait to experience it next year. We both ordered the chicken pot pie as we heard great things about it. It was delicious. I loved the decor and ambiance. I highly suggest requesting a window seat if it's your first time, unless you want to sit in the main room with the tree, if going around Christmas time. For dessert we had the chocolate cake. It had a delicious coffee flavored chocolate syrup on the plate. I wish I knew about it, because I would have requested a little extra on the side. Will definitely be doing so next time we come. Our server was a delight. She was very knowledgeable about the history of the place and gave us a little rundown. It was very interesting if you don't know the back story. Half way through eating I accidentally spilled my drink and everyone was so nice about it and assured me it was nothing to be embarrassed about. I didn't want another one, so they gladly took it off the bill. This place is gorgeous and has a great vibe. There was super sweet "fairy" walking around granting wishes with fairy dust which I thought was so cute for the kids. Even I enjoyed the moment and made a wish. I was on a budget and thought the pricing was fair. I was able to tip my server what she deserved and leave happy and full. She even went out of her way to take our photo before we left. No complaints, and highly recommend going here and making this a Christmas tradition or even just grabbing lunch with friends on a normal day and grabbing a window seat to enjoy the view. TIP: The restaurant is on the 7th floor and there is an elevator on the main floor, you do not need to take the escalators all the way up. Though taking them up was a nice way to see a snip-it of 7 floors of Macy's. read more

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Lovely experience here! I was able to snag a reservation the Friday before Christmas. As a solo diner, I expected to be sat at a table in a far corner but I was pleasantly surprised to be sat directly next to the beautiful tree! My waitress Genevieve was great and super attentive. I ordered the Walnut Room Old Fashioned and the Chicken Pot Pie - both were delicious! I thought it was an excellent value for the price as well. The entire experience was top tier. I was spending the holiday alone in the city and the Walnut Room was on my bucket list. This dinner was everything I wanted it to be! Five stars all around! Side note - zero stars for my fellow patrons that assumed since I was sitting alone that I would be their personal photographer - seriously, don't do this. There are plenty of staff around that are more than happy to take your photo next to the tree. read more

We took our daughter here to experience the Christmas tree and festive holiday atmosphere the Walnut Room has offered for decades. My parents took me here when I was a child. The food was nothing special, very average at best. My meal tasted like it had been placed under a heat lamp for 20 minutes. I know you're really not coming here for the food but more the overall experience but it could have been a little better. I will say the service was pretty good considering how busy it was, our waitress was great! read more

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

The positives - We went at Christmas time and the decor is so magical. Getting to sit by the tree and enjoy the ambiance was so fun. The food was also 10/10! The pot pie was so delicious. Perfectly cooked. The dessert - yum! The negatives - The service. What started out really well with being waited on right away then turned on to being forgotten about. It took us over 30 minutes to get the check. And it got to the point where we stood up and walked around the restaurant to try to find her. read more

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I've heard of this before but have never thought to come experience this Chicago Christmas tradition. My friend made reservations, and surprisingly, the pricing was very affordable. We weren't expecting gourmet food, so it was decent for the price. The Asiago Crusted Chicken was seasoned well, but it was a little dry. We obviously came for the experience. Service was nice and attentive. We even got a keepsake photo in front of the tree. read more

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Great place to celebrate the holidays with family and friends. Love they do new Christmas tree decorations every year so always exciting to go to see this years. Service was great. They have lots of reservations but there are plenty of empty tables when I was there and a walk in bar seating option. Tried the chicken which was delicious! Lobster bisque soup was mediocre. Definitely worth a stop for the season! read more

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This was my first time going. I've heard from many others that they went as a child and it's a tradition to go every year. I had expectations of going in it's a "instagram" place or overpriced with mediocre food due to its location, but after today's first experience, I think otherwise. Jesus was great. Knowledgeable about kids with allergies Had a card that indicated all the allergens but also had it memorized. He checked in on us right amount of time and was very accommodating. We ordered the pot pie- my dining mate loved it I had the burger- smash burger. It was perfect. My kids had salmon & roasted turkey. Due to their food allergies, sides needed to be swapped but kids still loved it. Fairy came by, gave my kids a special marble & fairy dust. Food was good. Price was good. Decor was on point. Fairies were perfect. It was a fun experience and now I see why people go year after year. I can't wait to go again. read more

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From so many reviews about how nostalgic this restaurant is for families-I really wanted to try it while we were in town visiting my brother! We had a wonderful table right near the Christmas tree and it was beautiful seeing families all take photos around it! We ordered the cheese board to start which was really delicious(they gave a pita style bread with it that was really tasty!) and my brother got the Caesar salad which he said was delicious! My brother and husband both got the burger which I thought was soo good! The flavors were amazing! I got the wild mushroom ravioli and the Boursin cream sauce was just heavenly!! I was liking that plate clean!! Our server was kind and the food came out extremely fast! read more

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A good time, but very touristy and crowded. We were sat immediately but waited an hour just for drinks. Deserts were good. The paid photo op and princesses walking around makes it feel very Disney read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - Carrot cake and Frango Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Pie - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Went here for their Christmas lunch/dinner under the magnificent Christmas tree in the Walnut Room on the 7th floor of Macy's Department store ... the old Marshall Fields on State Street. Now while some of the old magnificence when it was Marshall Fields may have been dropped under the Macy's moniker, this place is still a holiday treat for all. In dining, we had their famous Chicken Pot Pie (3 star nicely done pot pie ... and a safe bet for all tastes), the broiled salmon (3 star nice taste, but just a bit on the dry side), and the Walnut Room hamburger (4 star very nice burger, cooked medium-well done). All in all, the food was 3 star stuff, but was as expected when you are serving meals to scores of people throughout the day ... it is impossible to make each and every plate to order. The 3 stars for the food is no complaint, it was very nice. They also had a full bar for those that imbibe. You really don't come for the food, but rather the magic of the holiday season, the bright lights, and the festive atmosphere in this beautiful wood lined dining room. They have fairy princesses walking the room and entertaining the kids ... even dropping fairy dust on them when wanted. Many of the tables are placed around the famous tree, a number are available with window views, and the waitstaff was excellent ... attentive and numerous enough that you didn't wait on service. Next year we will probably be back ... for the festive atmosphere and memories if nothing else. read more

I'm shocked by some of the negative reviews on here. Let me start by saying that, as a lifelong Chicagoan, I am highly critical of tourist experiences like the Walnut Room. And, especially after reading the reviews here, I went in with low expectations. But I was pleasantly surprised! I found the staff to be friendly, the check-in process smooth, and prices to be surprisingly affordable! A tourist trap restaurant where most entrees are under $20? In this economy??? It felt like a holiday miracle. And the food was good! As many have mentioned, you go to the Walnut Room more for the experience than the cuisine, but everyone at our table actually enjoyed the food as well. It was better than expected and a great value for the cost. As a Walnut Room skeptic, I am pleasantly surprised to say that I would absolutely consider going back. It was tasty, a great setting for a holiday meal, and budget-friendly. IMO this is Chicago tradition that deserves more praise (and better yelp reviews). read more

This was everything we thought it would be! We went shopping for Christmas downtown and my family friends had a reservation at The Walnut Room:) it was decorated so beautifully! Start to finish so delicious! Our server Melissa was wonderful! Seamless delivery! Joyful experience! Thankyou so much! Merry Christmas! read more

This place is awesome! You should make a reservation. I had the Sunday veggie quiche brunch menu with walnut salad . It melted in your mouth . It's beautiful inside Cloth napkins white tablecloth Beautiful view Nice sites We will be back Thanks for the pleasant day read more

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A restaurant located on the 7th floor of Macy's department store just sounds cool! I came here for the Christmas tree installation, and I'm glad I did. GLOWS: -The tree was simply beautiful. The up lighting made it even better - The signature chicken pot pie was really good! I would come back just for that! -the complimentary post card with personalized picture in front of the tree was a nice touch. I ended up purchasing the picture they had for sale, which was a nice keep sake. GROWS: -It was extremely hot inside. I actually felt sick for several minutes before I finally got a cool drink and began to cool down---- i think it was exacerbated by the line we had to wait in to be seated although we had a reservation. It was orderly, but took about 15 minutes. -The lobster bisque was overly salty -They removed the strawberry Nojito from the menu... i was looking forward to trying it. - The salad with the chicken pot pie was very sticky. It didnt look appetizing, so I didn't even try it. -The restaurant was on the older side, could use some upkeep , like removing stains from carpet, but tables were clean and nicely dressed. read more

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

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Genuinely one of the worst family dining experiences I have ever had. The decorations and the tree were the only good part. The food was awful. We ordered the shrimp cocktail, lobster bisque, the charcuterie board, the short rib entree, the salmon, and the crusted chicken. The shrimp didn't even look like shrimp, they were water logged and improperly cooked, making the tails look pure white with no color, and the cocktail sauce was almost all ketchup. The lobster bisque did not have enough lobster stock, and way too much cornstarch instead of heavy cream, making the bisque grossly thick and lumpy with no flavor. The charcuterie board was gross, the meat tasted fake and the best thing on that board were the prepackaged grapes. The short rib entree came out overcooked and lacked in flavor. The salmon dish was ok, however the risotto was cold and clumpy. Lastly, the crusted chicken dish came out cold and uncrispy, and the mustard sauce was not tasteful. Overall, we will not be coming back. Just take a picture with the tree and leave. read more

The Walnut Room offers a charming dining experience with a menu that doesn't disappoint. We enjoyed the Citrus and Spice Fizz, a refreshing mix of blood orange and ginger ale, and the smooth, expertly crafted Walnut Room Old Fashioned. The Lobster Bisque was rich and velvety, while the Petite Caesar Salad was crisp and fresh with delicious housemade croutons. The Walnut Room Burger was juicy and flavorful, paired with perfectly crispy fries. Dessert was a highlight--a decadent slice of Frango Mint Chocolate Cheesecake. Great food, warm ambiance, and excellent service--this is a must-visit spot. read more

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The food was spectacular. The service was top notch. The views are Devine. Love this historic spot to get a bite while shopping. We are fortunate to have this Macys and the Walnut Room. read more

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It was such a wonderful experience, the charm, the atmosphere was so warm and inviting, it was such a good way to end our shopping day! The service was so welcoming, we were taken care of by Melissa. She had such an uplifting and fun attitude. She helped us with the menu telling us what she loved. It was hard to choose, but We went with meatloaf and pot pie. Both were absolutely delicious. Being at a place where you could tell the employees wanted to be there made such a difference, it always does! Highly recommend the experience! read more

The Walnut Room is a Chicago Christmas icon, so I was pleased to get a reservation for the week before Christmas. Check OpenTable frequently, as reservations become available and they are a must have during the holiday season. The highlight of the experience was the decor. The center of the room was taken up by a larger than life Christmas tree decorated like it was flown in from Candyland. The menu is holiday comfort food and was just okay. This place is more about the ambience than anything else. Our server, Sierra, was above and beyond at her job. We placed our orders with her and the food was brought out less than 5 minutes later by another server, before Sierra could even bring our drinks! Our sides were incorrect, but Sierra brought out the correct items very quickly. Overall, I wasn't a huge fan of the food. The chicken pot pie was a little too salty and lacked much filling. The caesar salad was soggy and the signature mocktail was overpriced cranberry juice in a wine glass. We got carrot cake for dessert though and that was spectacular. Pricing is very reasonable for a famous restaurant downtown. The chicken pot pie was served with salad and was $16. The service and atmosphere were really where the Walnut Room shined though! read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - Christmas tree in the room center - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I have been going to the Walnut Room since I was about 5 years old and it's always a great time. After about 15 years of not going, my family and I went this year and it did not disappoint. the food was delicious, the staff (Stephanie F was our server, and Evergreen the fairy stopped by our table) were very attentive and very friendly. The tree was also gorgeous! read more

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

Located on the 7th floor of Macy's! A friend and I stopped by for a drink last week and we were lucky enough to snag a weekend reservation! The location had a beautiful pink Christmas tree inside so it is definitely great for that holiday cheer! Could use a few renovations as other than that looked a bit run down. Ordered an espresso martini with tequila and it was great and quick service! I'd come back next year read more

What an amazing experience Food and service was excellent We went there for a holiday dinner Located on the top floor at Macys in downtown Chicago Take the family and see a piece of history and get an excellent meal Enjoy all and happy holidays :) read more

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

Everything you would expect in a classic Chicago Christmas tradition! So lots of negative reviews on here made me keep my expectations very low. I ended up being pleasantly surprised. I'm not sure what people think they are signing up for. Maybe fine dining in the west loop? Then yes, you will be sorely disappointed. What you do get is a family friendly experience with a classic holiday menu. We went on a Sunday afternoon and it was quite busy. Many people taking photos of the large and beautiful Christmas tree. However, we were seated quickly and attended to warmly. The menu is pretty straightforward holiday dinner classics. The burger and the pot pie were both good. The old fashioned was not so good. I would keep it simple on the orders and enjoy the ambiance. With drinks and entrees we spent under $100 before tip for two. All in all it's a nice experience and especially for those with young ones. read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - 2023 Tree theme - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fun place to go during the holidays, is in Macy's on state street. It was originally marshal fields . The food's good , simple menu, casual ambience. During the holidays be sure to make a reservation. Service is either good or chaotic. read more

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

Food was great, I had Salmon with rice and veggiesm and my wife had meatloaf with veggies and mash potatoes. The Walnut Room needs a make over ie.carpet,windows and bring the piano back along with the pianist. read more

The wait for this place was insane on a Saturday. We waited 1.5 hours but by the time we were seated people were waiting 3 hours and it was extremely chaotic. However by the time we were seated the service was extremely efficient, and our server Lex was great. I ordered the chicken pot pie, and was very excited when I heard it was "world famous", however it was honestly unimpressive. It was much soupier than I would have liked, but that may just be personal preference. The place itself is decorated very well for Christmas, and it's a very fun environment. The reason this place is getting four stars is because the mint chocolate cheesecake was incredible. Probably one of the best desserts I've ever had. Tasted like a thin mint and was the perfect texture, and that's coming from someone who's not a big fan of cheesecake. Would recommend coming here and just ordering the cheesecake honestly. read more

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The food is nothing special. Overpriced. The waits are outrageous. The service is actually horrendous, but the tree is the real reason we continue to come. It is a beautiful ambiance and that's really it's only redeeming quality. So there's the cold hard truth. No one who goes here actually thinks it's wonderful, but we all continue to grin and bear it no matter how ludicrous the whole thing is. read more

The ambiance is what this place is known for and it did not disappoint! Our server was attentive and wonderful! There was a "fairy" that came around granting wishes, and of course the big tree in the middle was beautiful. The food wasn't great, but wasn't bad either. The prices were not outrageous, so that helped. The dessert was delicious! We had carrot cake which my sister said was so good. Frango mint ice cream pie, yum! I had the Frango mint hot coffee which was delectable! I will continue making this our yearly Christmas tradition! read more

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Got to finally try the Walnut Room it was so hard to get reservations during the Christmas holiday season. I would check the website daily to see if they had reservations. It was fully booked all the days but good thing on one of the nights someone had canceled so I was able to snag a reservation. Ordered their famous pot pie which was very traditional but nothing special. It was lacking some flavor slightly. The little one got to make his snowman and it was kind of sad how small it was. Not worth it. Tried their chocolate dessert but it was such a hard crust that I wasn't able to eat it. I don't think it defrosted well enough. Overall I would say the Christmas tree inside the Walnut Room is nice but food or dessert isn't up there. But many people come here because of the tree and they do change it every year. read more

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Everything was great. I visited here during Thanksgiving break and it was so crowded. The food was alright. My first impression was the iconic Christmas Tree read more

I had not been to this place in years, and we came to celebrate a birthday. It was a Wednesday early evening, so it was sporadic with business: 2 small parties, and 2 large parties, and our party of 3. The wine menu wasn't very impressive, mostly brands I avoid, so I got one of the juice sparklers to toast. The garlic bread was tasty but odd; it had a sweetness to it, as if they put cheese and garlic on Hawaiian rolls! I ate it due to being hungry but I don't know that I'd get it again. The meat loaf seemed..pre-processed? I was expecting 2 or 3 hunks of meat for $16 but I got 4 thin slices in gravy that were perfectly square, which made me think they were not freshly made. The service and ambiance were great though; our waiter was attentive, pleasant and informative. (we informed him of a birthday, but there was not candle with dessert, but since we didn't request it, we can't complain right?). I'd love to go back for a Drag Brunch! read more

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Whoa, no review of the Walnut Room? Must have missed it during the Yelp break I had a while back because that's a surprise! The Walnut Room used to be my go-to place for dinner before a show at the Nederlander (when it was the Oriental Theatre). I've been there a few times and it's always been a pleasant experience. Their menu doesn't change very often. Though not everything is from 1893 (just the pot pie), I know that I've had the asiago crusted chicken here before. I like it a lot, so I'm definitely not unhappy that the menu is stable. I had the lemonade on this visit and while I was glad it wasn't Minute Maid, it also wasn't very lemonade tasting which was too bad. Service was good. Our server was there right away, we never felt forgotten or abandoned, and we were done with our meal probably within an hour. I was really surprised how quickly our food was served--within ten minutes of our order. We came for a meal in the shadow of the tree. From almost the time I moved to Chicago I've known that a Christmas meal is a quintessential holiday tradition in the city. My little one couldn't totally enjoy it yet, of course, but I was excited to establish this tradition for us. There were fairy princesses wandering through the dining room and fairy princess Melissa Anne stopped to greet my own little princess, who was very interested in Melissa Anne's wand. Of course we took some of our own photos, but there were photographers wandering the dining room taking photos to sell as well so we had them take some photos and bought a couple that were particularly nice. There's very little street parking, and what little there is will be along Wabash. Macy's does valet parking, and I think they said it's open until 9 which worked for us since we were early enough in the evening. They may have an option to call down and have your car ready--I may not have paid enough attention to my ticket but it would have been a good thing to do if I didn't totally make it up. (The reason I think it's a possibility is that whilst I was waiting for my car to come, they brought another car up and when I was still waiting a woman came out and claimed it.) The valet takes credit cards or cash. Of course since Macy's is in the heart of the Loop you can take any CTA line that will end at the Loop stations, which is basically all of them but for the Yellow Line (and the Washington stop is steps away from the entrance). There's also valet in front of the Garland Building, though I don't know anything about it, and there's a parking garage down the block as well. read more

The Marshall Field's Walnut Room - 2023 Barbie-inspired Christmas tree - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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