Boleo- the restaurant with identity confusion!- it certainly is NOT an Argentine restaurant as advertise in Time Out. Menu mostly from Peru, Brazil, and from Argentina some wine really- one or two dishes has names that can relate to Argentina i.e empanada and lomo but it has nothing to do with the way Argentina prepares those dishes. The food was too salty for my taste. The caipirinha (Brazil's national cocktail) was mostly ice with almost no liquor. The hostess and the waiter were super! Friendly, personable, available to respond our inquiries. Then this petite Caucasian girl came to our table to inform us that the restaurant has been nice in giving us an extra 30 minutes(did we have to be grateful to Boleo for it?...ja) and that we had 15 min to leave. This one never once acknowledged my presence (funny though when I was the one paying for the dinner) + I found her demeanor arrogant and authoritarian. It was actually the waiter who tried to smooth things afterwards when I inquired about what we were told. The ambience was okay but not great and it is noisy. Conclusion- I will neither return to this restaurant nor recommend anyone to it. Dr. BL- native from Buenos Aires, Argentina living in the US for the past 40 yea read more

I came to Boleo this past Saturday for birthday drinks with friends. I made two reservations for a total of 16 people. The manager was very accommodating for seating. Our server Ray was extremely busy but handled us with care and a smile! My friends were pleased with the ambiance and tasty cocktails. My favorite was the Fox Den. Legend Has It was another crowd fav. Highly recommend if you're just looking for somewhere to lounge and have great drinks. read more

Quite a chic restaurant at the top floor of the Kimpton Grey. Ambiance and clientele is hip and classy. They have live music on the weekday evenings that takes the environment to a whole new level. I went there by myself and was instantly seated. It is a tapas style restaurant with very limited food options and a wide list for cocktails and wine. Server recommended the Pisco Sour claiming to be the best in Chicago. But I felt the one in Tanta was better. Food wise, I got the pulpo and pork belly. The pulpo was amazing but the pork belly was underwhelming. But again the dessert with the chocolate and passion fruit was simply out of the world. I gave four stars because of lack of variety in the menu and slightly slow service. In this area, restaurants competing for my money, these little things matter in creating a lasting impression. Recommended for a group of friends/colleagues but not suited for single customers or couple visits. read more

Boleo - The bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been here twice - the shareable menu is a lot of fun to try several different things, all of which in my experience have been really well executed, unique flavors and some awesome cocktail options to go with it, which is more our thing than beer and wine. My wife is pescatarian and there are some great vegetarian and seafood choices for people looking to avoid meat. Throw in the incredible design of the space, the ambience, curated music and comfortable lounges you've got a really reliable hang out spot in the middle of the loop, of all places! read more

Im an out of towner & happen to find this spot. I went on a Thursday around 5pm which was their happy hour. We got these awesome drinks & $5 appetizers! Got the vegetarian empanadas, steak skewers & shrimp skewers. Everything was delish! Such a nice atmosphere and the staff were so nice. Def worth my stop here. read more

Boleo - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A neat spot located at the top floor of the Kimpton. Pros: - Classy joint. Great for groups. Very chill atmosphere, with a cool tone - No issues with drink selection or finger food. Waiter gave reliable suggestions - Love the glass ceiling which provides a neat vertical view of Sears Tower -Convenient for hotel guests Cons: - As with any downtown Chicago piece of nightlife, get ready to bust out your wallet - I don't see a scenario where I would seek this place out unless I had business at the hotel Bottom Line: -I'm not huge with Chicago downtown, but if you're into that night in the city thing, not a bad stop read more

Boleo is now one of my top 5 favorite rooftop bars in Chicago! You know a place is awesome when you don't want to leave. It has the look of a super spacious courtyard with comfy seating, good food and drinks. The roof is retractable and has skylights (not something I saw in action), so people will have an outside view rain or shine. Also, the staff is friendly and attentive. Obviously, I'll be back! read more

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This restaurant has good potential, but it's not there yet. The atmosphere is great - comfortable seating with decent space between tables so you aren't on top of your neighbor. It's on the 15th floor of the hotel and has a retractable roof that was open tonight, so it was a nice surprise to be 'outside'. The service was also great, with very friendly and attentive servers. Now the things that I didn't love and why I won't go back anytime soon... Food... the food menu is short. And by short, I mean that it feels incomplete - not like a curated list where everything sounds delicious and you can't decide. We had a hard time finding 4 things to order that we were excited about. When the food arrived, it was presented nicely and tasted good, but it was nothing to write home about. And the portions are small - very small. For the prices, I expected more. If they tweaked the menu to include some small sides with the dishes, such as tortilla chips with the ceviche or an egg on top of the fried rice or fried plantains with the tuna tataki, then the prices would be more justified and the dishes would be a little more interesting and filling. As it is, the food that we ordered was good but not great, and we weren't full despite ordering 4 items to share and spending $60 each (with tax and tip) for food and two drinks apiece. Drinks... they do have a large cocktail list and it would be fun to try the different cocktails. However, the Pisco Sour was just okay. I've been to Peru and was really looking forward to a Pisco Sour, but it had egg white in it - per the server, the egg white is an American twist to smooth out the drink - unfortunately for me, I prefer the Peruvian version and so did my friend. All in all, this restaurant had good service and a nice space. Now they just need to work on the food menu and justifying their prices. As I said at the beginning, I won't be going back any time soon - too many good places to visit in Chicago. read more

The food is tasty, but you pay entree prices for tapas portions. The service at the table and at the bar was very good. They do have a happy hour menu, which includes $6 Bud Lights. If you're buying Bud Light at a cocktail bar, maybe you deserve to pay $6, but that's just one example of the inflated HH menu prices. I've only gone in the winter, so I didn't get the full effect of their skylight, but the space is still very nice. read more

Went during Restaurant Week, and we will definitely be back! The food is amazing! Specialty cocktails are a bit pricey, but are very good. The Chicken Thigh and Crimini Mushroom skewers are excellent! Service was very attentive. Overall, a great dining experience! read more

The cocktails here are amazing, particularly the Fernet Flip and the Abuela. The glassware gorgeous, the setting tasteful, and the food decent. So why 4 stars? Because the music, oof, that music! Clubbing music is such a strange, and not-wanted choice for such a beautiful rooftop setting and impeccable cocktails... WHO chose that music?! And Why?? Please, please, please, Boleo, change up that awful music so your customers can sip their gorgeous, delicious cocktails in peace! read more

I like this rooftop place a lot for small plates and good cocktails downtown on a beautiful night. (Have not been when the weather is not beautiful.) For the location, it's reasonably priced. It's definitely more bustling than intimate, and the service can be uneven as a result. read more

Chic, sultry, sexy and absolutely gorgeous! This space is amazing. From the minute you walk into the hotel, as you pass Steadfast and make your way to the elevators you are transported to another world. The latin vibe has you ready to sip on a cocktail and nibble on some delicious bites. We shared a handful of plates and the most memorable ones were the Classico Ceviche - White fish, leche de tigre, cancha Empanada Vegetariana Kale, provolone cheese, crimini mushrooms, romesco sauce Camarones Con Quinoa Quinoa crusted shrimp, sweet potato croquettes, passion fruit reduction Tuna Tataki Blue fin tuna, ginger confit, salmon caviar Every bite different from the first and left you curious to try another dish. The empanada was warm and hearty with a flavorful romesco sauce and the crisp crust to the shrimp with sweet potato croquettes was like nothing I've had before. Overall, a fabulous new addition to well deserved south loop. I can't wait to head back and try all the other additions to the Gray Hotel. read more

Very nice new spot. Bartenders are great with the drinks and suggestions and the ambiance is dope!!! Nice rooftop that's retractable and service is pretty good. At times slow but when they wait on you it's good. Drinks are creative and good. Try the chicken empanadas they are delicious. Only recommendation is cut down on the busy menu. read more

Reservation for 530 for 12 people. Server Ray was rude and impatient from the start. They told us that we needed to be out by 730 because they had a large party coming at 8 but were so slow to serve us drinks. It took a while for them to take our order for food and then instead of serving them based on who ordered what, the food runner just dropped a huge plate of empanadas and walked away, some of us ordered veggie, one person had allergies. We had to go find the server to ask if our veggie were included in the plate. And they totally seemed to disregard the birthday girl who had allergies. They were slow to bring everything and overall not attentive and made us all feel uncomfortable, unwelcome and rushed. Very disappointing because it was a beautiful looking bar but terrible service. Why would they book a reservation for a large party if you didn't have the staff to attend to your tables. read more

Boleo has a great lounge dinner date atmosphere. The food is authentic and the service is great. We got the yucca fries, the short rib, salmon tartare, and the mussels. While they all tasted good, as we got deeper into the bowl of mussels, they were undercooked and almost raw. Besides that this is a great place to go and the drinks are great as well! read more

Lovely place to hang out with friends over a few drinks. The place is very nicely done and the live band the night we went was amazing. The ambiance really won me over. They have a list a unique cocktails and mocktails that they serve. A few have some really strong flavors and might not be every one's cup of 'cocktail' but it was fun trying out different drinks. The food was amazing, I loved everything we tried. Really flavorful. Well the dessert really did not do it for me but well that's just my opinion. The food is made for sharing and servings are small, really small. So may be not the best place for dinner, coz it turned out to be pretty pricey with all the food and drinks. My favorites were the choripan, salmon tiraditos and the trios de causas. My only complaint is the menu is of such odd colors it's kinda hard to read with all that dim lighting. Over all a great lounge, will be back for the drinks! read more

Boleo - The lemon and mint ice cream and the sponge cake - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Super sexy & swanky spot with a retractable roof atop the Kimpton Gray Hotel . It has a nice lounge atmosphere and serves Argentinian fare-tapas style. My favorite dishes were the ceviche and pork belly , super fresh and delicious. Their drinks are pretty tasty and strong as well. I will def be back, hoping to plan my 30th bday party!! read more

Boleo - Pork belly goodness - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Boleo is perched fifteen floors above the bustle of the Loop in the Kimpton Grey hotel. I had not been here until last week for a holiday party. The space itself is vast, but seemed less so as the evening wore on and more people crowded in. The occupancy is 250 but there easily could've been 100 more people (holy fire code). Given that there were so many people it would have been nice to have the music ratcheted down accordingly once the space started to fill up. Unfortunately I did not get to sample any of the specialty cocktails for which Boleo is known- the open bar featured only beer, wine, and well drinks. The servers behind the bar seemed stretched thin; I had to repeat my order twice for a white wine. I am not a wine snob, in the sense that I will drink anything just as long as it is good. That was not the case here, as the wine was very tannic. It looked like there was only one white selection as well. The appetizers were very sparing, but I will not hold that against Boleo as this might have been a decision on the part of the event planner. Even so, it was downright irresponsible to have an open bar from 5:30 p.m. -9:30 p.m. and not so much as bar snacks to soak up the alcohol. If I hadn't gotten there right when the event started, I doubt I would've been able to snag the slider that I got (unremarkable, although the server swore there was a South American-inspired ancho chile sauce on it). On a few occasions I noticed partygoers practiclly trying to flag down the servers for the passed apps as the servers seemed to be speedwalking with trays through the crowd. Very bizarre. In terms of setup and logistics, the women's restroom was hard to locate and the coat check was fairly inefficient. I checked two coats and had to ask for two separate claim checks, which should have been standard. Perhaps some of these hiccups are due to a busy holiday season but it is clear that Boleo has some kinks that need to be worked out before it can emerge as a great private dining and entertaining venue. I'm adding one star because of the relative ease in getting a cab outside the hotel on an Arctic night. read more

me and my boyfriend made a reservation a month ago for dinner tomorrow night. we just got an email at 10pm the night before the reservation that the restaurant will be closed for a private event. So apparently a reservation means nothing here. read more

Cool atmosphere, decent yucca fries, but terrible terrible service. We were greeted by a very rude hostess who told us she just gave our table away. She didn't believe us when we said we were only having four people as opposed to five... Once we were seated it took about 20-30 minute to get each drink (we ended up going to the bar ourselves). Not to mention the drinks are shockingly bad. Thought we were making a safe bet switching to wine and even the wine is bottom shelf stuff. They also put extra drinks on our check that we caught. Paid way too much for sub-par drinks and to be treated like we were a nuisance to the hostess / wait staff. Will not be going back. read more

The Kimpton Gray knows how to do bars and restaurants right. I loved Steadfast, so I hoped I would love Boleo too. There are so many great things about Boleo and I can't wait to come back for the food. The space is beautiful and if you're just tipsy enough all the greenery can make you feel like you are in South America. Having a retractable roof is to enjoy Chicago summers and winters is awesome. Around 11pm on a Thursday, there were only a handful of people. I never considered myself a Negroni fan until I had one made with coconut washed pisco. It's delicious and you get a good coconut flavor without being overwhelmed. The glasses the drinks are served in are so pretty. read more

Boleo is gorgeous! I love that the rooftop is all seasons and has a retractable rooftop for those nice weather days. They happen sometimes, right? We only tried some cocktails, but they were all delicious. They have plenty of pisco drinks due to the Peruvian influenced menu including a few draft cocktails, but they offer a bunch of interesting classics as well. You can get large format punches served in cute cookie jars as well. I'll definitely be back for food, but for now, I have nothing but praise for the drinks, ambiance and service. read more

My husband and I enjoyed a meal and drinks here while staying at the hotel. We put ourselves in the hands of our capable waiter, Ray Rios, and he kept our palates entertained with lovely tapas, including an especially succulent short rib dish and smoky mussels. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and the service. read more

Honestly one of the best places to grab food, drinks or just enjoy live music! The service was AMAZING!! As the servers, were very polite, and I even got a drink on the house! Loved the big space and location. Also, the FOOD was to die for. I had a squid-ink pasta and it was amazing. Can't wait to revisit read more

Boleo - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had an awful evening here, bordering on absurd. The service was unbelievably slow and our waiter was so passive aggressive, strange and snippy. I was looking forward to this meal but was crawling out of my skin to leave. read more

Oh man, literally everything we tried was phenomenal. Started off with the ensalada de palmito (where else can you try the heart of a palm tree??) and it had the perfect blend of flavor with salad. We moved onto both empanadas offered which killed it. The bunuelo de maiz is fried corn so be careful if you're not a huge fan of fried food (I had a couple bites, delicious but couldn't have more). We ended with the Pollo a la brasa which hands down had some of the best marinated chicken I've had in a long time. And don't even get me started with the drinks. Literally can't go wrong with any of them. Without a doubt, 5/5 read more

It's definitely a place to be scene. Everyone there is dressed to the 9s and the rooftop bar is filled with beautiful people. Their old Fashioned is very balanced, but my favorite drink on the menu is their unique take on a daiquiri. Rum is never my first choice but it makes a delicious cocktail. I love the all glad rooftop and the fact that you can experience the place all year round no matter the weather. The decor is very mid century modern and would be amazing for a long Liquid lunch if you had to impress any clients with your expense account. I went on a gloomy rainy evening and there is still plenty of light to illuminate the pretty room. read more

Boleo - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great place, OK food and wonderful live music! My friends and I decided to finally try Boleo. I can assure you that the restaurant itself it's great! In the middle they have the dining room and around it they have lounge areas with couches very speak easy kind of setting. Since they advertise it as a roof top I was expecting literally a roof top. On top of the dining room they have a glass roof the opens when it's warm out but you will be able to see the sky only not the skyline, however, on the side they have tall windows where you can see some buildings. The food was ok I don't want to sound harsh but it's nothing to die for. We tried the Veggie and beef empanadas and they were good but if given the option to try them again I will definitely get the Veggie they were really good! We also tried the Ceviche and we were expecting a big portion since it was $15 dollars, but there were only 6-7 of them and unfortunately they didn't have flavor on their own the sauces that came with the empanadas complemented them perfectly otherwise they wouldn't have have any flavor. We also got the Pollo Anticucho and even though it was chicken it was hard to chew and couldn't find a chicken flavor, it reminded me of pork. We also tried some of the pisco drinks and they were good! The service was good. The live music was excellent and if I decide to go back it would be just for the music :) and pretty sure they will improve on their food they recently opened and I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. Overall great ambiance, pricy food, and small portions. I know is downtown and that's why the price are that high but they should be complemented with top notch flavorful food. read more

This place looks like if they shot The Great Gatsby in South America. The food was great, especially the chocolate fig Helado. read more

Boleo is a great date night spot! It's a beautiful open-air space; the wait staff was top-notch, and the food/drinks were fantastic. For dinner, my husband and I got the... - Choripan anticucho (chorizo skewer) - Carne empanada (my second favorite dish!) - Camarones Con Quinoa (Quinoa-crusted shrimp) - Arroz Chaufa (Fried rice - my favorite dish!) - Cherimoya & White Chocolate (dessert) - Chilcanos (drinks) Definitely give this place a shot soon! I would come back again. read more

OMG . This place is amazing in the summer time. Great selection of appetizers and absolutely delicious drinks. Highly recommend Boleo. Definitely recommend to visit this place in the summer time when the roof deck is open . read more

This place is quickly becoming my favorite spot for drinks and appetizers. Food is AMAZING! the anticuchos are delicious and perfect for sharing! the shrimp and pork belly specially! The Yucca fries OMG I can eat this everyday alll day! The drinks are very good and the ambiance makes me feel like I am on vacation. I will continue to come here and bring friends every chance i get! read more

So I came here with high expectations of this place for a birthday party. I'd say there was a group of us about 15. The place wasn't busy at alll and I thought great we can be comfortable. Boy I was wrong. The bartenders we all rude. I asked to speak with the manager that evening and he told me he couldn't accommodate us by seating us together at a table without reservations. There wasn't anyone there! I was in shock by his reaction. I told him I would let everyone know publicly how his behavior was and he proceeded to hand me his card and say go ahead. So there's your review budddy. As far as the people reading this, stay away. There's many places in the city of Chicago to choose from and it's sad you don't know how to act. Your loss not mine except a bad evening. read more

Beleo is amazing! I do not feel cool enough to be here but the staff is so friendly and welcoming. All of the food is so unique and delicious (shout-out to the short ribs and salad) And their drink menu is so inspired! Love this place! read more

Went for pre theatre dinner and drinks. Perfect for happy hour and sharing apps. Loved the traditional ceviche and tuna apps. They have a wonderful selection of drinks. Live music, cozy atmosphere read more

I chose Boleo for a girl's night out and was very pleased. First, shoutout to Nicholas, who treated us so well and recommended great drinks. I had the Abuela (a mescal cocktail) and two of the same seasonal cocktails (can't remember the name, but they had rosemary in them and they were amazing). Everyone loved their drinks--from bourbon-based to red wine, no one was disappointed. There are some solid food options as well--the mushrooms, chorizo skewers, and yuca fries were three of our favorites, and you must try the goat empanadas--not on the menu, so you should ask. Also, ask for the flight of ice creams/sorbets. You won't be disappointed. This place does not feel like a hotel bar--it's airy, spacious, has a great vibe and decor, and there was live music. Definitely worth a visit! read more

Great music, great cocktails and great food. We will be back. Had the #bootytext and Against the Glass. Both delicious, the #bootytext is a little on the sweeter side but still strong and creamy at the same time. A lot of ice so encourage your server to give less ice if that's a concern. Had the pollo skewers and beef empanadas. delicious! Can't wait to have more of the menu. read more

Servings are rather small but great to share. The server recommended a few things and I was glad we asked! There were four of us and we weren't super hungry, so we ordered two small plates (gambas and papa rellena) and one large one (lomo salteado). The shrimp was really good and perfectly cooked, the lomo salteado was good as well and had a really good sauce and the papa rellena was pretty much what you expect it to be. The server made a mistake and brought us an order of yuccas but came back within a minute or so and said to just have them and that we wouldn't be charged anyway. we asked for the check, and later regretted it and ordered their alfajores (not pictured because they were too good not to eat right away). He came back and profusely apologized for not asking if we wanted dessert in the first place and gave them to us on the house when in my opinion it was 100% not his mistake. The drinks weren't too good and neither was the wine - only reason for the star being knocked off. read more

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Located on the 15th floor of a hotel, Boleo offers a great upbeat atmosphere with a variety of South American dishes choose from. We opted for the classic ceviche and anticuchos de corazón. The ceviche was really small, but tasted good. Same for the anticuchos. I wish they would've added a bit more huancaina sauce, because the corazón itself was a little lacking in flavor. Drinks were great! Service was great! Love the I would definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a bar. Wouldn't recommend it to someone who's is on an empty stomach. read more