Though it was freezing that night, it was still a lot of fun! I do believe this Jack's pop-up is…read moremore intricate than their Halloween. Lot of detail went into every part of the space. They had ice-skating, ax throwing, bump cars, carnival games, stores to buy Christmas items, a sketch artist, Santa was even there and of course tons and tons of photo ops. They had a good selection of food, soups as well as warm and cold drinks. Mullet wine was delicious and strong. They had ice-skating shows every other hour and places to warm yourself; like log fire pits as well as cabin tents that had heaters. They have various packages you can buy that is inclusive of Games food and ice-skating. You could just go for a photo opportunities as well. Everyone was very helpful and kind and I do think you get a lot for your money. This is great for the family or for date night.

I'd never been before, so I didn't have many expectations to be honest! We went on a Wednesday…read morenight, which proved to be an excellent decision because it was actually pretty empty! It was really nice to enjoy all the attractions and the lights without having to fight people for space. It was quite easy to take photos of all the decorations too. I paid for entry and ice skating, and while I'm not much of a skater myself, I had a nice time on the rink! If you're a more distinguished skater, you might want to bring your own skates, but I have a feeling you'd be doing that anyway! The bumper cars were surprisingly funny and I had a good time figuring out the control configuration that would let me optimize rear-ending my sister as much as possible. The things they have on sale, nutcrackers, candies, hats and sweaters, were surprisingly well priced. The food and drinks were also well priced. In Fulton Market, at a pop-up, you become a little cynical and expect insane pricing but it actually was quite fair. I picked up some cute cookie tins as a last minute gift. All in all, the Jack Frost pop-up was a lovely surprise and with its excellent location in Fulton Market, you have plenty of dinner options for later! I do highly recommend a weeknight to avoid crowds!

This is a Christmas pop-up that opens during the holiday season. I have been to a couple of these,…read moreand this one was really good. The place has two levels. You can buy a ticket online, or choose a package that includes drinks. It was very nicely decorated for Christmas, which made the vibe fun and festive. There were also performances going on, which made the experience more entertaining. There was enough seating as well, so it was comfortable to sit and enjoy the show. People could also get on the stage and dance. Overall, it was a great pop-up and a fun place to visit during Christmas time.

There's holiday cheer in every drink, our favorites were the Nutcracker Shot and Christmas Cookie!…read more It's decorated from floor to ceiling and be sure to check out the second level. That's where Santa hangs out! Open thru 12/30, come and enjoy the holiday spirit!

1 word. Phenomenal…read more Wow. I loved this place. Their fries are fantastic. They had a nice seasoning to them. The drink was great. Next time I need to try the sharable drinks.

amazing tiki themed bar located in an alley!! for big groups…read morei recommend reserving a table in advance because it gets super packed! our group of 5 people were seated promptly after ID check & checking in with the host. you get teleported to 2 flights down stairs into a cool, dimly lit tiki bar. FOOD: -firecracker popcorn chicken: great snack to munch on & it came with a sweet tangy sauce. -golden waffle fries: my favorite snack we got for the night to munch on - it came with 3 sauces & a bigger portion than expected!! this with the popcorn chicken was the perfect amount of food for our group of 5 for light snacking with our cocktails COCKTAILS: -mystic lamp: i got the mystic lamp & it was really tasty! despite being 2 skull signs on the menu (which indicates how strong the alcohol is) - i didn't feel like the liquor taste was strong at all. -black magic: this one was 2 skull signs for alcohol strength too & i tasted the liquor WAYY more than mystic lamp. -strawberry junglebird: interestingly enough, this was the least strong according to the menu but the rum taste definitely lingered after.

Treehouse is an absolute must-visit during the holidays! From the moment we walked in, the…read moreChristmas pop-up atmosphere was magical--festive, cozy, and so much fun. Dougie, the owner, treated us incredibly well and made the entire experience feel welcoming and personal. You can really tell how much care goes into this place. The drinks were delicious--creative, perfectly balanced, and very on-theme for the season. The food was just as impressive and complemented everything perfectly. We enjoyed every single bite and sip. This is one of those places you leave already planning your next visit, and we will absolutely be back. If you're looking for a festive spot with amazing food, fantastic drinks, and top-tier hospitality, Treehouse is it!

Came here for the Emerald City pop up and happy hour…read more Honestly, I might just be too old for the Sunday night/weekend crowd. I felt like it was too loud and the music was not my jam. For an event pop up, I thought maybe they would play some wicked music (even remixed) but it sort of felt like it was an afterthought. Even the "decorated" side of the bar was empty and not being served at that bar. I walked over to take pictures of that side but I wasn't sure I was supposed to lol. When we got there, we had to ask about the happy hour because it wasn't mentioned. When we got the okay, we ordered drinks and pizza. Only after I got back to my hotel did I noticed that the pizza rang in full price. The drinks were creative and fun but I wasn't sure ready to leave after a few loud minutes.

Bar Mar is a solid spot in Downtown Chicago. The interior decor and atmosphere was great for a nice…read moredinner. Most of the food was tremendous. My favorites were the crab cake, Cobb salad, and short rib. The crab cake was very soft and had a nice texture to it. It was one of the best crab cakes I've eaten. The Cobb salad was also very light and shareable. The short rib main course was very tender, and it came with crispy potatoes as well. Some of the other items such as the Philly cheesesteak and Asian tacos were just ok. They were also both very small in quantity relative to their price. The desserts were magnificent as well, especially the deconstructed key lime pie and sticky toffee pudding. Both of them were phenomenal. The service throughout my meal was excellent. My waitress gave us some nice recommendations, and the staff came by often. I would definitely recommend to visit Bar Mar, and I look forward to coming back myself when I am in Chicago.

Our second time eating at a Jose Andres restaurant in Chicago and again it was disappointing. Last…read moretime we ate at Jaleo and found it underwhelming but put it down to the fact that we had just returned from an amazing culinary trip to San Sebastian. We really admire Jose's philanthropic work and want to love his restaurants but truth be told, if you forget about the glitzy decor, the food is just average. We tried several appetizers; the Hamachi Cone, Caviar Cone, Asian Taco, Neptune's Pillows, Shrimp Cocktail and Iberico Jamon. We also shared a bottle of Cava. Everything was fine but to be frank the Shrimp Cocktail was the best thing we ate, simple and perfectly fresh. The service was pushy, when a server wants to take you order less than 3 minutes after sitting down, it feels like you're on a conveyor belt. We felt the prices were way out of line, with tip I spent almost $500 for a bottle of cava and appetizers for two people, for that, the food should have been more memorable. We spent the same amount for two off us to have the 12 course tasting menu at Atsumeru a couple of weeks ago and Bar Mar's food isn't in the same league. We will continue to financially support Jose's World Kitchen but not his restaurants.

I have to agree with the other reviewers, that this place is super gorgeous, but not worth the…read moreprice. it was so incredibly packed. their main flaw in my opinion is that you can stay as long as you want after you check in for reservation. so you can come early and get your pictures, but if you chose 10 or 11pm thinking it'd be moderately packed but that you have a "reservation", you don't. it's filled with everyone who had a reservation before you who never left. i went on a friday at 7pm and literally could not move in there. i got the pink slushie drink (disgusting), and left immediately after taking a few pictures. i was in there no longer than 40 minutes. the dj was HORRIBLE as well. kept remixing "bing bong" (the tik tok meme) into everything. only played 2000s pop. come for the pics if you want, but just know it's a waste of money otherwise

This was such a fun experience! The cocktails were so good and there were SO MANY adorable photo…read moreops. I loved that there were multiple levels to explore, one being outside and less busy. I will say that it was very crowded and even though we bought tickets to reserve a time slot we still had to wait in line. I ended up speaking with a bouncer who ended up letting us in but had I not done that theres no telling how long we would have waited (in the freezing cold). I hope they bring it back next year but with some improvements.

We went here for lunch after walking around the whole stretch of the riverwalk as it's right next…read moreto it. They have both outdoor and indoor seating. We sat inside because it was a bit chilly even though it was bright and sunny. We ordered the footlong hot dog and the street corn on the cob skewers. Also the carnitas tacos. The hot dog was good. The corn had seasoning that was a bit too salty. So we scraped off all the seasoning from the corn and then ate it. Tacos were okay. Service was good. The best part of this place is the view and that it's on the riverwalk.

Great food, right on the river, and the outdoor seating made for an awesome atmosphere. Loved the…read morevibe, the employees were incredibly friendly, and the food came out quick. Definitely a great spot to sit back, enjoy the Riverwalk, and relax for a while in Chicago.

The warm lobster roll was amazing. Definitely recommend this place for a good lobster roll.read more

Love me some Luke's Lobster!! This place quite definitely hits the spot!…read more Before visiting the observation deck of the Willis Tower, we decided to pop into Luke's Lobster on a rainy day for some yummy lobster rolls and soothing clam chowder soup. Everything in here was prepared just right - the lobster roll had buttery, fluffy, soft rolls with delightful chunks of lobster inside. Them rolls were filled and overflowing!! The Lobster Rolls come with chips and a drink - the chips were great for dipping into the Clam Chowder Soup that you can order if you wish to make it a combo. And the soup itself was sooo soothing and yummy - I loved how creamy and rich it tasted without being too heavy. Everything is freshly prepared after ordering, but it still wasn't much of a wait at all to have everything come out and service in general was very efficient and friendly. The space is very intimate, cozy, and warm inside, with some Cape Cod/Lobster themed portraits on the walls and string lights providing a lovely glow. Luke's Lobster has their thing and they do their thing flawlessly - getting a Lobster Roll with Clam Chowder Soup here is ALWAYS a good move.

A smaller Squishable store, but still a fun stop while you're in the Water Tower Place. There…read moreusually is a buy one get one half off deal when you go into a Squishable brick and mortar store, which is better than buying an item online. A bonus when we went in is that they had a $5 bin which had some retired squishables, beach towels, and Doctor Plague backpacks (this would've been a good buy if my kids were younger)! We ended up buying one of the stuffies from the deal tin this round... usually we end up buying something bigger. The person at the register was very nice and friendly. Store was in order and easy enough to find items that you would see on the website. If you are vertically challenged, bring a tall friend as you will need assistance to get to things on higher shelves.

I really enjoyed Squishable and didn't realize it was just a pop up shop from the online retailers…read more The stuffies were honestly the cutest stuffies I'd ever seen. It was comparable to the kawaii stores you see photos of from Japan. I'd never seen a bacon stuffie or an avocado one either. They had so many different food options, color options and even cute dogs in little outfits that look like other animals. I ended up getting a dog in a froggy costume because I just can't say no to a frog. The only draw back is they are on the pricey side. They are worth it in my opinion but considering just one medium sized squishable was $30, it is easy to rack up a bill if you need multiple items. If you love stuffed toys, check out their website because they have almost anything you can imagine. It's a truly adorable store.

Beautiful, grand old school lobby that takes you back in time. Rooftop restaurant and bar just as…read morespecial with a great view of the park and lake. Great vibe and ambiance. Service was to be as expected, top notch. Small menu but enough to appeal to all tastes and needs. Decided to go light for dinner and I chose the caesars salad with salmon. Great flavors and toppings on the salad. Salmon was just ok. Coworkers had tuna tartare (excellent) and the beet salad also with salmon (really good). Split the roasted carrots which were delicious, especially the sauce.

My friend and I were in Chicago recently and stayed at the Chicago Athletic Association. Our…read morereservation was made using The Hotel Collection, and it came with a credit, which we used in part for a late night snack and drinks at Cindy's Rooftop. While I wasn't a big fan of the taste of my drink and dessert, my friend enjoyed both of theirs. Rather, the service was excellent and the views were amazing. My friend ordered The Rocher for dessert, which includes hazelnut cake, mascarpone chantilly, and smoked maldon salt. I ordered a Baked Alaska, consisting of citrus cake, lemon cream, toasted meringue, and salted white chocolate crunch. We both also ordered cocktails. I cannot recall the name of the drinks. I asked for my drink to be fruity and sweet, but it wasn't enough of either for me. The Baked Alaska was fine but too much of various flavors. I wouldn't fault the restaurant for the drink or dessert taste as I know others really enjoyed theirs. Our server was most attentive and very helpful. We found that making a reservation on Open Table only offered a certain number of time slots, and all of them involved having dinner and not just drinks or a dessert. Reservations can also be made on their website though we chose to speak to the front desk about a reservation. Going up to the bar is first come, first serve though. We ended up making an Open Table reservation and were told it was okay to only order drinks and desserts. Cindy's is named in honor of Marian "Cindy" Pritzker, a beloved Chicago philanthropist. It sits on top of the 13th floor of the hotel under a glass atrium and offers views of Millennium Park, Lake Michigan, and beyond. Cindy's Rooftop is open Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 11 PM, Friday from 11 AM to 12 Midnight, Saturday from 10 AM to 12 Midnight, and Sunday from 10 AM to 11 PM. Go to https://cindysrooftop.com to see a live terrace view, menus, private dining information, and more. If you're staying at or in the area of the Chicago Athletic Association, definitely go up to Cindy's Rooftop for the experience.