My first stop on a sunny day in Chi-City. Rooftops bars are plentiful in L.A., but I really wanted to experience the different cityscape. Beverages: 4/5. Black Manhattan. Solid, without being too sweet. Vanilla bitters and Amaro add a sweet balance, but they don't overpower the bite of the Bourbon. Service: 5/5. Friendly and attentive. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance: 5/5. This isn't a super high rooftop, but it's the cool variant with all the tall buildings looking down at you. Mellow and unpretentious, but it was a Sunday afternoon.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Buen provecho. read more

Upstairs at the Gwen - Black Manhattan - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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For some reasons, I assumed this would be rooftop at the top of the building, but it's actually lobby level (5th floor maybe?). This is the main bar for the hotel and has some outdoor seating, though we were seated inside since it was raining. You can walk in or for a bigger group like we did, make reservations on OpenTable. Drinks: - La Familia es Todo: expensive at $29, but I guess it was that Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia extra-añejo tequila! It was well balanced, and I ended up getting another of the same Food: - Truffle fries: skinny fried, well seasoned, good for sharing - Burrata: with beets and buttered country loaf - Brussels sprouts: good flavor and texture - Bourbon Brownie: served warm; it comes with whipped cream, but I wish it were ice cream - Spiced tiramisu: a spin on the traditional version, though I think I prefer the original - Brown butter chocolate chip cookies: served warm, a large portion - definitely the winner of the desserts It was nice to have food to snack on with our drinks. It was a busy night, but service was a bit lacking - we had to repeatedly ask for various things like water, more drinks, utensils, plates. If you're staying at the Gwen or nearby, it's a solid place for drinks and bar food. read more

Upstairs at the Gwen hosted a Tipsy Tea Party bridal shower for my niece that I was throwing with her other aunts. Cecil and his team did such a great job! [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was so easy, the atmosphere was perfect, and the food and drink were outstanding.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We had our own room, which was perfectly contained and wonderfully appointed.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We added on a Bellini Bar to the standard tea service, which was wonderful and a great hit. I stink at pictures, but have included a few from before we got going - I hope you can see how wonderful it was (though I regret I didn't get a picture of the towers of food, with all the pastries and sandwiches/little bites). I cannot recommend this highly enough. read more

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Food, service and ambiance were all excellent... we were a large group of 9 people who wanted to enjoy the rooftop but had to settle for indoors . The wine and cocktails were spot on . I had an old fashioned, the Brussels sprouts, burrata, flatbread , shrimp , chicken wings everything was delicious. Desserts were also good keylime pie, chocolate cake read more

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The views are great, but my last time here, we waited 30 min for just the appetizers. -- hummus and melon with prosciutto. Nothing that's even cooked. It took forever to take our orders for our entrees. Drinks came out faster at least. Thank you bartender. I've been here a few times when I have guests in town and they want dinner with a view. It really is beautiful at night. Just not sure I'd return. There are other places with great views that I'll try next time read more

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Everything was wonderful on our visit. I had friends visiting from Charleston so we decided to embrace the weather and have a cocktail al fresco. The outdoor area is adorable. We had sofa seating next to a fire table. The manager, concierge and server were all wonderful. They were so kind and professional. We were provided blankets and hot beverages. The overall experience was flawless. read more

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This review is for their rooftop curling - my friend had made a reservation for a particularly chilly evening so we pretty much had the outside area to ourselves. They had firepits, heat lamps, and offered blankets, which was nice. I just wish they had done a better job of clearing the snow and salting because it was very slippery! Also, the curling area was not actually ice and the stones were on wheels?? so it was a little haphazard playing but still fun. To help keep warm, I ordered their campfire hot chocolate ($19) that was quite good - the mezcal gave it a unique smoky flavor. One of my friends ordered the bread plate to share but unfortunately it was a miss. Our waitress was really great though and even brought out complimentary cookies at one point. I always have low expectations for hotel bars but we had a decent experience at The Gwen. read more

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Food is good half the time. Service is poor 100% of the time. Bartenders are great! read more

This was definitely a nice light drink. Bartender was super polite. Normally when I visit spots, the flutes are so small, but not this one. I ordered a French 75 with tequila. read more

Upstairs at the Gwen - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A friend and I came to Upstairs at the Gwen to sample their restaurant week offering, a prix fixe menu offering three courses for $45. A rainy night in the middle of Winter meant the terrace was not an option. Instead, we dined in the airy interior lobby of the Gwen hotel. The decor was pleasant, although it lacked some character -- sterile in the ways that hotels tend to be. The dining area was somewhat small, but the seating options were all quite comfortable, though with some visible signs of use. Our server was very sweet and attentive, although a touch on the quiet side. Our drinks both left something to be desired. My Negroni in particular was bitter without reprieve from any more subtle flavors. The food was a pleasant surprise. The thick cut candied bacon was rich without being overpowering, and the frisée bed it sat upon was well-dressed. The branzino too, something of a fussy thing to cook, was done to perfection as was the creamed spinach it came atop. The chocolate tart at the end rounded the meal off nicely, although by itself it wasn't particularly remarkable; it is of course difficult to say anything bad about chocolate and caramel. Overall, it was a very pleasant restaurant week experience. I think it's important to note that the value in Upstairs at the Gwen really seemed to lie in the shockingly good deal that their restaurant week menu offered. Outside of restaurant week, Upstairs at the Gwen is probably best enjoyed during a Summer happy hour on the terrace. read more

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Service was an A+ Vibe was an A+++ I got the "girl dinner". Super cute and yummy. I loved the relaxed feel of the place. In the middle of the city, but so relaxing. read more

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Going back to my drafts I realized I never posted this amazing food I had on the rooftop of The Gwen in Chicago. It is quintessentially what I would imagine rooftop happy hours should be when you're living in the city. The kind of stuff I fantasize about what life would be like living there. Beautiful views, great food, a DJ playing some great background music, fire pits, TVs, comfy seating, it had it all. It was such a perfect backdrop in place to unwind watching the sunset after a long road trip into the city. If the wind picks up or weather isn't cooperating, they had a beautiful indoor space as well. This pasta was perfectly cooked, the shrimp dish was such a generous portion, and the cocktails were deliciously balanced. If there weren't so many amazing spots to check out in Chicago, I would love to go back. If you're lucky enough to live in Chicago, you might want to put this on your regular rotation. read more

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I would recommend if you're looking for a lounge and chill vibe. This rooftop doesn't have too much of a view as it's tucked in between buildings. Went on a Monday, our server was great. Immediately greeted us upon arrival and very knowledgeable of the menu. He recommended a drink which one of the gals in the party absolutely loved. He also recommended the Fish Tacos which was also tasty. He was true to his word on everything he recommended. Shout out to our server! I think his name was Juan? read more

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Went there for drinks and dessert on a beautiful Saturday evening. We were seated outside on the patio for a great view of the city and buildings. All three of our drinks were really creative (mine had cheese syrup in it!) and we had the cookies which were so yummy. A great spot for drinks, slightly pricey compared to the area, but a nice treat every once in a while. Service was good, they were attentive. Would like to come back here again during the day. read more

We got seated outside in the terrace and it was amazing! Perfect for a date night or a girls night out. Really enjoyed the food options here and the drinks as well. They have a wide variety of drink options that it was so hard to just pick one. My friends and I got an express martini which was great but just missing the coffee beans which was no big deal. They also had a women's month menu as well for drinks. The waitress was so nice and gave us some great recommendations as well. We all got the flatbread which was crispy and so Godspeed. The truffle fries were devoured in minutes. Really recommend this place if you're looking for watching games night or just to enjoy the city vibes and weather. read more

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Ummm, the Burger was good. I got there during brunch (I didn't know), but I waited until lunch. The ambiance was good, but my server wasn't very attentive, and it dampened my experience. The the forgot to add the anchovies to my salad dressing, so they brought out whole anchovies instead of making the dressing with the anchovies (the dressing was on the side anyway. But I would give them another chance. read more

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Great food and service. Luxe atmosphere in one of Chicago's foremost hotel properties. Don't miss the rooftop terrace on a warm night. read more

Upstairs at the Gwen - Lux Chicago Dog - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Vibe is still great, services is . . . not. Came with a friend the other day for drinks and light bites. She had already ordered a drink when I got there, and I will say as soon as I sat down the server was there to take my order. And he did return not too long after we finished our first round. However, from there, service was nonexistent. At one point, another server walked by and said he was taking over for the other server, so we gave him our drink orders. Right after that, our original server came by to take our drink orders . . . huh? Then yet another server came by at one point. We sat around for at least 20 minutes with empty glasses, trying to get someone to bring us our check. We flagged down a serve to get it, and she flagged down server #2 to get it. We still waited about 10 minutes. Drinks were good (still high priced), and my friend really enjoyed the papas bravas (I had come from dinner so was too full to eat!). But the service really put a damper on the evening. read more

This is a rooftop deck, but on the fifth floor. So you are only seeing the sides of other buildings as you eat. The food is okay, but overpriced. The Breakfast burger was mostly char...honestly I almost sent it back but had limited time with my friends. Maybe this is a fun place for drinks but don't come for the food. read more

I can only speak to weekend brunch, but here are some things about it worth sharing. 1) The rooftop view is incredible, and the tables/stools are very nice. Overall just a classy yet fun vibe. 2) Server Mandy was a delight. She brought my husband some lemon slices when he wasn't feeling great, and gave us menu recommendations that we immediately trusted. 3) 10:30am on a beautiful Sunday morning = tons of space, yet it wasn't empty. I'd love to try the tipsy tea party or some of their other special events in the future, as well as dinner. Note: we stayed at the hotel, which was also a 5-star experience. read more

Mother's Day Tea Missed the Mark We brought our mom here for Mother's Day tea and were really disappointed, especially given the high price- even more than what we paid at the Ritz a couple years ago. The event was in a windowless, undecorated room, with a DJ playing loud music that made it hard to talk. The drinks were "bottomless," but we sat with empty glasses for 20+ minutes because the bar was "backed up"- even though the room wasn't full. The tea kettle had just one tea bag floating inside, tag and all. The food looked nothing like the photos- no scones or sandwiches, just deep-fried snacks and grocery store pastries thrown on a tiered tray. No napkins, no linens - nothing special. Our server was sweet and did the best he could with what he had. Not his fault. But overall, this felt more like a cash grab than a luxury experience. Definitely not what you'd expect from a hotel like The Gwen. read more

Upstairs at the Gwen - Mother's Day Afternoon Tea - Disappointing and Not Worth the Price. This was for 3 people. No refills - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

By far the worst food I've ever had. Portion was so small and the food was cold. We ordered a caprese (subbed out the bread for gluten free) and paid $19 (not bad for a rooptop). Rooftop was cute and our waiter was beyond amazing. read more

Upstairs at the Gwen - Caprese Sandwich with gluten free bread - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing food great views. Service was a bit slow however it was on a weekend and we understood! Will be back next time we are in a Chicago.

I thought it was okay. stopped by for drinks and apps- had an Irish coffee and a gin spritz from their weekend special St. Patrick's day menu. The Irish coffee had way too much syrup or whatever they used to flavor it. To eat, we had the ribs and poutine. The ribs were super flavorful and saucy. The poutine wasn't the best- cheese wasn't melted enough and the corned beef was a bit tough. Our server was extremely attentive which is always appreciative. Overall, it was a nice atmosphere, and had a really beautiful patio that is probably super nice in the summer, but not sure I would be jumping to come back for the food. read more

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Fun atmosphere, and a nice patio. The drinks are very expensive so would recommend going at happy hour. They had a special called girl dinner which was very trendy and catchy. It was charcuterie, fries, and macarons. The charcuterie was very good and the fries were just average. Their kettle chips taste like they came out of a bag, nothing special. Overall, not sure I would go back as nothing stood out but also nothing was bad. read more

Second time visiting upstairs, first time on the balcony. The views alone make this a great spot for pre-dinner drinks, dinner, or an evening nightcap. Missed out on food because of a storm. But really appreciated the swift proactive service to move all of us inside as a storm rolled in. Definitely will put at the top of my summer rooftop list! read more

Upstairs at the Gwen - Balcony views - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Drinks and food are overpriced. Service was unacceptable. As a group of two, my friend and I were not attended to for over 25 minutes. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We had to ask another server to move us inside, because the heat was too much.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]This was after being told that there were no other spots under the shade, and seeing a whole party sat under shade.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] After being moved inside, though it was not busy, we were not attended to it for at least 15 minutes. It was fine for a one time experience, however, I would not go here again nor would I recommend it to anyone. read more

Walked in with friends, asked to sit on the outside rooftop area, was told there would be seating available in 5-6 minutes and we could wait at the bar. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was classy and very great Gatsby.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Ordered drinks and the milk punch with ancho and jasmine tea was quite bad, actually. Overly complicated and severely lacking. I'm always interested in a unique combination, however, it tasted like a child's concoction. Maybe 15 minutes pass and we're told there's a spot opening up and he'll be right back to get us. We order our shared appetizer called, breads and spreads. White bean and garlic confit was fine. Tastes good but not spectacular, the smoky flavor was overwhelming. No other spread was noteworthy. Another 15 passes and I look back to find our host as he is taking a large group outside. Probably had reservations but we peek through the windows and see ample seating. Wasn't going to wait any longer especially when the food didn't seem worth it. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Weird behavior and imagine my surprise as we were leaving, I spot a Michelin star plaque on the wall.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Yikes!! Not worth it, plenty of incredible restaurants in Chicago, this just isn't one. Service: -1.5 stars Food: -1.5 stars Ambiance: -1 star read more

Rooftop was not well maintained. Sofas were very dirty and sitting was not comfortable with enough space to keep food. Being a rooftop of such high end restaurant there was no vibe. Food was good. read more

This is an awesome rooftop bar located inside The Gwen hotel; they offer good drinks and a cool ambiance. Service is great and the drinks are delish. Can sit outside for a view or indoors for some privacy. Been here a few times and it's always a hoot. read more

Upstairs at the Gwen - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The hostess was so kind! Literally so friendly and we talked about horror movies she's the best! We sat down at the gorgeous gorgeous fireplace in the middle of the terrace. Our service on the other hand required us getting up but once they figured out who our waitress was all was well! Good drinks! Expensive but you're paying to be on a nice roof! read more

Gorgeous swanky spot for unexpectedly good food and cocktails! Located about 10 (?) floors up, at the lobby level of the Gwen hotel. I've never had a problem getting a spot without a reservation. It's enough of a well kept secret that even on a Saturday night we were seated right away with no trouble. Lovey ambience and decor. I think people maybe don't try this place because they think it'll be a standard hotel bar -- but it's one of my favorite spots for some bites and cocktails if I'm around Miracle Mile! This time around I tried their spanakopita and it was DELICIOUS. I'm still thinking about it days later. That pillow-y soft feta and honey combo is like a dream. Olives/almonds appetizer was tasty as well. My partner always gets their burger when we come here; devoured before I got a photo. As always, fun cocktails and an extensive booze list! Great views from the deck and fireplaces were lit. We'll be back. read more

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Solid spot to come for a cute meal and/or drinks during patio/rooftop season. I came here with some friends during the summer. The "rooftop" is cute, with good views, decor, and some nice photo ops. We made reservations on a Sunday, and were able to be seated right away; it didn't seem very busy at all which was surprising. Our wait staff was kind, attentive, and helpful with guiding us through the menu options. We ended up ordering bottles of rose for the table, so I can't comment on the cocktails. The only thing I was disappointed by was the food. They have a lot of promising options on the menu. I was able to try chorizo skillet and the pork belly fried rice. The effort was there, but unfortunately the flavor was lacking. The chorizo skillet ended up getting doused in hot sauce. For a dish topped with a mound of "chili crisp", the pork belly fried rice was also disappointingly bland. I did get a side croissant and that was my favorite part. read more

Upstairs at the Gwen - Chorizo skillet - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came for a birthday dinner and we had an amazing time. Our server, Jessica, did not miss a beat. She was on top of everything and made sure we had an amazing time while there. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The outdoor seating is definitely a must- worth the view ![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We had the garlic shrimp, and more small bites. Everything was a good portion to share. The drinks were also very good. I will be back! read more

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Jason was an amazing bartender, I had the "bees knees" and it was fantastic, ambiance was awesome because the staff all around was great and made me feel welcome!!! read more

Upstairs at the Gwen - Jason is amazing I had "the bees knees " and the atmosphere was great. He is an amazing bartender and I love coming here . - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came in on a December Tuesday at 11 am and had the pleasure of meeting the manager, Alex. He was so accommodating and kind. We were looking for a fun vibe and he kindly let us know that although their bar didn't open until 2pm, they did offer curling paired with specialty curling cocktails. He then went out of his way to light up the heaters on the patio and get us started on the curling activity and specialty cocktails. We had a great time, thank you Alex ! read more

This was the last stop of my anniversary celebrations with my boyfriend! We were staying at the hotel (which was awesome by the way - that's in a separate review!) and wanted to end our night at their rooftop bar/restaurant. We originally had reservations for outside, but it was just too dang cold (thank you Chicago weather!) so we asked if we could sit inside instead. It was an easy fix and we were sat at a half booth type table in the corner. This terrace itself is so luxe, dimly lit, and definitely has an intimate/posh vibe and look to it. Our server was nice, although she didn't come around often. The cocktails were okay, too. I got the Spring Margarita, which wasn't necessarily bad, it just wasn't what I was expecting and wasn't too smooth going down. My boyfriend got a simple vodka soda lime and it didn't taste like any alcohol was in it. We also ordered green tea shots and they were huge, which was great ;) Overall I'd definitely return to check out the food and the outside once it's warmer out. I loved the ambiance and hotel and the food looked tasty. You'll see me back here again! read more

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While I was in town for a conference, I stopped at upstairs and ordered a drink on the, rooftop patio while waiting for my to go order. I ordered the golden hour which is a gin cocktail. It's a part of their seasonal menu and it was amazing. I then ordered the turkey sandwich and bourbon, brownie to go. The sandwich was to die for the bread was so delicious the seasoning amazing I highly recommend. And that brownie first off gorgeous presentation second extreme chocolate goodness! read more

Upstairs at the Gwen - Golden Hour - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Amazing view with the fire place to give it the warmth and aesthetic we needed on our winter night. The young lady at the front was also very polite and helpful. The reservation went smoothly and I would definitely return for some food the next time, since the drinks were awesome! Tip: Try the espresso martini! read more

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NEVER AGAIN! I would not recommend this place for any type of celebrations. I came here for a birthday and clearly having on birthday attire, was not recognized by anyone other than the host. The waiter did not offer birthday shots, dessert, or any acknowledgment whatsoever when it was quite evident why 10 people were there for their first times.. We waited a while for our waiter, Juan, and the whole experience was a mess. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The environment was too loud for how soft spoken the waiter was the entire night having to ask respectfully for him to speak up multiple times.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The outside seating is extremely awkward for larger groups and the fire pit in the middle takes up WAYYYY too much space to the point where people HAD THEIR PLATES IN THEIR LAPS???[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] This was not mentioned anywhere on the website or in other review that people would have their food on their laps because the end tables were too small. I guess first time for everything right? [[HIGHLIGHT]]The fire pit was also extremely hot and was off for the entire night which was disappointing to say the least.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] When it came down to the check.. the waiter came with zero explanation on how to split the entire bill or how it worked here. For how expensive the food is, I expected much better than underperforming service and uncomfortable eating arrangements as the highlights at Upstairs at the Gwen. I can't say the food or drinks were much more impressive than the underwhelming view. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Photos online also don't replicate real life/correct ambiance of the place either.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. For the price and overall first time experience: WOULD NOT RECOMMEND. read more