I haven't been here in years. I appreciate the drinks are still strong even though the prices are now similar to other bars in the area , but I do understand in this economy. I only had the kung Pao wings which was fried just the way I like it and the sauce was thick and tasty. It was a nice crowd for Friday after work. read more

Ceres Cafe - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Five stars for the Ceres Cafe. Ceres Cafe is located on the 1st floor in the Chicago Board of Trade Building. They are known for making very strong cocktails, I had 1 Old Fashioned from Ceres and was definitely feeling it after drinking only one of those! I tried the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich for my entree with fries which was very good. Great drinks and food if you want a strong drink with a good meal, I would recommend giving Ceres a try. read more

I had the chopped salad & the house margarita. The waiter was super nice. I went on a Friday & the bar of course was packed. I was able to snag a table & get ready for the weekend. Definitely add this to your happy hour spot read more

I checked off my first visit during Happy Hour. Food:I had The Butterflied Shrimp and they were sooooo good! The Sriracha Mayo Sauce with them was everything!! Drinks: They are known for their drinks and strong doesn't even begin to describe The Margarita I had ... .WHEW! LOL!! Cheers! Service: Good! No complaints at all! Atmosphere/Ambiance: It gave me the vibes of a Cheers Bar with the locals where "everybody knows your name." It was good energy. It really was the lunch break/after work vibes! Final Thoughts/Recommendations: I'd definitely return. The Bartenders were great. Eric was so chill (in a good way) and Frank was HILARIOUS! Thanks guys! read more

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Now that's a killer cocktail!!! I ordered a Captain and Coke. It was a full glass of captain and bottle of coke. I love drinking so much so this was AMAZING. I stumbled out of this vibrant drinkers paradise and hit the city with my boys !!!!!!! Please see my drink :-) I was so wasted read more

Ceres Cafe - Bad ass drink - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As most mentioned it's not about the food here, it's about the drinks and the social atmosphere. Drinks are made well and that alone gets a 5/5. They are stiff and not made for the faint of heart! In the summer, the patio is open and they have large umbrellas for shade. We ordered 3 drinks. I got the red sangria, husband got the old fashioned and we split the mojito. All were good and we left with a good buzz. We ordered a plate of hot wings. The wings were a meager portion. The wings lacked meat and crispness. The hot sauce didn't make it any better. Another irritating thing was the service. The service would've been great had our host and server been flexible with seating us where we wanted. We walked towards a spot where we could catch some sun but as soon as we approached our desired table, our server said, "No you can't do that!" "You'll have to sit here..." It was not where we wanted to be. Staff being territorial with space didn't sit right with either one of us. Other big issues we encountered were inattentive and slow service. Aside from food and service this is one of the best places in Chicago for drinks and happy hour. If you find yourself drinking at Ceres secure safe transport home. read more

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I have a group holiday party of 20-30 people at Ceres Cafe every year and Nick is the man. It's no work and soooo easy. Ceres Cafe in Chicago, located in the historic Chicago Board of Trade Building, offers a unique experience with its heavy pours and lively atmosphere. The art deco setting adds charm to this fifth-generation-owned establishment. With a legacy since 1967, Ceres maintains a dedication to crafting dishes from scratch. The "best kept secret in the loop" reputation is well-deserved. The hefty cocktails, excellent bar snacks, and the opportunity for people watching make Ceres Cafe Bar & Patio an ideal spot for after-work cocktails or a light supper before catching the train. Love this spot and will do this Holiday Party every year. read more

Ceres Cafe - diners sitting at tables in a restaurant - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great place to get drinks after work. The food is decent but not exceptional. Be forewarned: the pours are heavy. But it's a fun place for locals and tourists alike. read more

Service was great. Really neat concept - I ordered a jack and ginger and received a glass full of jack and a can of ginger ale to mix in once I'd whittle down the jack. I will be back. Cheers. read more

The main reason to come to Ceres Cafe appears to be the drinks, which have a generous pour. However, some co-workers and I decided to have lunch here and were not drinking, and our experience was just ok. We got sandwiches and they appear to be thrown together. The amount of meat on my turkey avocado sandwich was extremely generous, but it was difficult to eat and very dry. I would return for a drink, but I would not be interested in eating here again. read more

Ceres Cafe - a couple of menus on a table - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The crowd catered to is post (finance) work but people have heard of the deals here o you'll find a good mix of tourists and locals all looking for a good time. There is usually a large number of people waiting to come here so get here early and grab a seat. Food is average but that's not why you come here. Order a (spirit of your choice) and a side of mixer and be prepared to have your socks knocked off. Period. read more

Ceres Cafe - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Ceres Manhattan and the Grecian Chicken was a fantastic combination. Terrific satisfying lunch. Thanks read more

My husband and I tried to go here for breakfast. There were tons of tables open. Nobody acknowledged us or offered to seat us. No signs saying if it was seat yourself or not. My husband tried to flag down a waitress to no avail. Finally we left very frustrated. read more

Stopped in for a work mixer. Overall pretty good experience. I was literally there for 30 minutes and don't eat. Small bar, but nice aesthetic. Really good service. Happy I went in, next time I'll try the food. read more

Great place for lunch and a drink. Pilar, working the bar, is excellent. Located at the Board of Trade Building is convenient for trading.

Years ago I met with two graduate school classmates and their friends at Ceres Café after work. Word was they were heavy-handed with their pours. That wasn't a myth. We're talking an alcoholic's dream. During that time, I had to get a large meal to counter the full glass of whiskey that I had ordered neat. Good thing it was a Friday night, too. Recently went to lunch with colleagues there. No alcohol, but a proper lunch. I had a Nashville hot chicken sandwich with chips. Unlike the real-deal Nashville hot chicken sandwich that's breaded, fried, and coated in hot sauce, you get hot sauce on the side. In essence, it was a chicken sandwich with hot sauce on the side for your own pour-over or dipping. I noticed the place is full after work. It may be because of the generous pours. For those who like to get their money's worth, this is certainly the spot for it. read more

Fun spot for post work happy hour with strong drinks and hearty appetizers. Try the artichoke dip!

They have theeee best Happy Hour and theeee best drinks in the loop hands down!! If you like to drink and love a good stiff strong drink on your way home from a long stressful ass day at the job, come here!!! They will get you what you need. They have been around forever and they're known for their strong drinks and I see why!! They stay packed and you get what you pay for here. They have a happy hour from like 1-4pm and they have beers, expresso martinis and house margaritas on the menu. When I tell you the $6 house margaritas are so good and so strong!!!! After only I was feeling real good and after two you better call a cab or be staying nearby because when I tell you two will have you straight tipsy!! And did I mention all for $12!!! Oh and you will need food to soak up the liquor and all of their bar snacks are half off during the happy hour too. I mean like if you're looking for a happy hour in the loop I guarantee you Ceres will NOT disappoint. read more

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Was walking around downtown and saw this place and decided to go in. It was pretty lonely. Dude at the front had an attitude, especially when I asked him I wanted to sit down at a table. After about 10 mins of waiting, no one came to ask what I needed or wanted. So I went to the bar instead. Pilar is the reason why this is a 4 star review and not a 1. Super nice bartender. House margarita was strong and definitely hit me after a couple sips. Food was okay, the hamburger sliders were cold. But over drinks were good and strong. And the great service from Pilar! Not so much from the host/dude working at the front. read more

Went here because I saw great reviews for happy hour and felt let down. I came here to get drinks during happy hour they have a $7 margarita and was disappointed. It was so strong I couldn't finish half of it. If you like beer that might be a better option since they have $5 beer for happy hour. read more

I view this cafe on a daily basis from my building and have passed it several times but never stopped in. Until now. I decided to look them up and saw all the great reviews so it was a no brainer. I dragged a friend along and we sat down in the cozy dining area and scored a seat by the window so we could watch the folks pass us by. They have two sides: inside hallway view or the outside courtyard view. There is a bar in the middle if you prefer as well. We went with the crispy lemon chicken with pasta. I also got the strawberry lemonade. When I tell you both were fantastic! The lemon was spot on, chicken juicy and crispy, lemonade bright and refreshing. Wish it wasn't a lunch during work hours, would have like to have that with some vodka.... Needless to say, we will be back to try other offerings. The burgers looked good and there were enough choices on the menu to satisfy most. Prices were decent for the city as well which is always great and makes for repeat customers when the food is this good! read more

Ceres Cafe - Menu cover - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Waited 20min and no one offered us service. Definitely wouldn't recommend this place to POC.

Since I was staying at a nearby hotel, a friend and I had decided to meet here for lunch. The restaurant is located right in the heart of the financial area so, the restaurant is very easy to walk to when you're in the area. We were seated right away. The one server, Bo, had greeted us right away for a drink order. Since we weren't in a rush, the server was able to take care of the office workers, however, she would check in with us. Once we were ready, Bo was right there. My friend ordered the Grill Chicken Sandwich, and I ordered the Cheeseburger. Within a short time, the meals were delivered to us. Both meals were larger than we expected and flavored just right. During the meal, Bo would check in with us. Both of us were totally satisfied with our meals. Even though Bo was the only server, the managers were right there to assist her. I would highly recommend this restaurant and I would return. read more

I have never eaten here. But this was the place to go for a nice long pour after a long day of work. No thrills, just a post work bar with beyond reasonable prices for what you get. It's simple, I like simple. It can have peaks of busyness after 4-6:30. read more

Stopped in on a Friday morning because it was close by to where I was meeting a friend. When we walked in, no one was at the front so we had to wait a minute or two before someone acknowledged us. Looking at the menu, there were many things that were appetizing, specifically the triple decker club sandwich. However, neither my friend or I were that hungry to order it. I ordered the banana pancakes and my friend ordered the two egg special with sausage links, hash browns, and toast. The banana pancakes were a let-down for me. They were regular pancakes with bananas inside, but there were definitely not enough bananas inside. The pancakes were not fluffy, but rather mushy and soggy. On the other hand, the sausage links and eggs were delightful. The hash browns were a bit too potato-like. They would have been more enjoyable if they were more crispy. Service was great and the waitress made sure that our coffee and waters were always filled. She also made sure to check in a good amount of times to ask if we needed anything else. She dropped off the check at our table in the middle of our meal, which I didn't mind. However, it was tough to get her or any employee's attention to pay our bill. We ended up just walking it to the front and paying right by the door. read more

Ceres Cafe - Two eff special and banana pancakes - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The waitress with blonde hair, this morning, didn't notice me in the front for over 10mins. It was very slow there in the morning. She argued with me saying the kitchen was busy that's why she didn't see me. Then when I asked for the sour cream that came with the breakfast burrito (the menu says it comes with), she said that they don't usually give her that? When I asked for an additional guacamole (since I ordered two breakfast burritos), seemed like she didn't like that. I over heard her saying that she was going home, to another customer. So when it took a very long time to get the sour cream, she came at me saying loudly that the kitchen is downstairs and it's a far walk. Then I asked for the guacamole again, I said don't worry I can ask someone else if you are going home. She was talking to me again an argumentative tone, it was kind of embarrassing honestly, I said if it's too much to ask it's ok don't worry about it. Eventually she came over with the extra guacamole (each burrito comes with). Just the whole experience was very unpleasant, not sure if she is having a bad day or unhappy today, maybe she is just trying to get out of there because her shift is over? The burrito was great though. Was looking forward to the sour cream with it though, was the reason I ordered the item in the first place. But by the time I got it, I had almost finished eating both. read more

I ordered a Gin & Tonic and I got a Gin ... with a Tonic. Let me explain. When you order a cocktail here, you order the specific liquor and choose a mixer as a side drink. It is served in a rocks glass with ice and filled to the brim with the liquor you picked and the mixer comes in a can on the side. The first few sips are a bit painful, but once you can combine the mixer in, the drinks start flowing!!! Also, their cheese fries are fantastic and a perfect appetizer to share. (Pro Tip - Order a second drink but use your first mixer for the perfect ratio) read more

Came here on a Friday afternoon. I concur with fellow folks these are some real healthy pours. A suggestion to make it marginally better if they offered King Cubes so the dilution of the ice will take longer but the drink can still be chilled. If you're drinking here on Friday after 3 they charge 20 percent gratuity which isn't horrible. Also got a Greek salad. I like they also offer anchovies on the Greek. Some of the tables had weird reserved signs on them. Was able to sit at one because I ordered some food. read more

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This review pertains only to the bar. They made up for my disappointed that they don't carry "Dragon's Milk," the best tasting stout you'll ever have, by offering the strongest Old Fashioned I've ever had. Noticing my eyes growing big as I watched the bartender fill 95 percent of the glass with bourbon, my friend says: "I forgot to mention that the drinks are strong here." "Strong" is an understatement, but the drink was great. The crowd was mixed, the vibe was cool. Seemed like a spot where business professionals from nearby offices gather after work. Most of the patrons were still in professional clothing. I enjoyed! I know where to go when I need a stiff one. read more

Great for happy hour. The reviews don't lie; you really do get a glass full of liquor and a can of whatever for your mix/chaser. Bizarre. But I like it! My only complaint is that it can be incredibly loud. But after a glass full of liquor courage, you too can be obnoxiously loud! The food is pretty standard bar food but the prices were good. Tip: If you can, come here around 4pm. You'll be able to get a table with no problem if it's not a huge group. If you come by 5, you might be have a harder time, especially on Thursdays and Fridays. read more

Ceres Cafe - Glass full with a chaser - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Food is okay, drinks are really strong. Good place for happy hour and was super busy but because of this the waiter literally didn't come take our order for a good 45 mins after we were seated read more

Ceres Cafe - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here for a work happy hour, and if the several reviews on here weren't enough, here I am again to let you know--beware of the drinks! I started off with a Stormy Weather. It was STRONG, but I thought, I'll be fine. Then I had the mule. And then I had about 2 sips of a margarita (that I don't remember ordering), and I was out. The cocktails were good, and if you're looking to escape some work stress, by all means have a drink or two. If you're looking for a light afternoon drink, though, you might just want to stick with a beer. Overall, 5 stars because they really take their drinks seriously. And the quick and attentive service will keep them coming. read more

Ceres Cafe - Moscow Mule - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Loved the happy hour specials. Great Martini!! Excellent bartender!! Had an Espresso Martini and some sliders.

DISGUSTING TASTELESS FOOD, AND HORRID SERVICE. Our server had no effing clue what the H he was doing! After placing our order, we were sitting there for 50 minutes without a GLASS OF WATER! forget about our drinks we didn't even get water. I mean seriously, this is a happy hoir place, your supposed to get your drinks quick after you sit down from work. So 50 minutes go by and we have to flag down another server. He proceeds to tell us that someone else will take over, no apology. A lady comes over and asks us to repeat our order. Finally after like 20 more minutes, we get our drinks, food and water. God knows how long that stuff was sitting on the counter. Was it worth the wait?... um... NO. Burger tasted worse than expired frozen crap from jewel. Fries were frozen ore ida. This place is 100% trash, your happy hour will turn into a 10 pm garbage dinner. Servers are slow, unapologetic, managers are rude. DO NOT GO HERE! ,Three of my friends went for happy hour after work, and the server read more

I've never eaten here, but this cafe isn't really for eating. It's for drinking, and that's what it's best at. Strong drinks, good prices, rowdy atmosphere, and brusque service. It's not for everybody, but it's great for some. I always laugh reading the article about the Chicago PD chief getting arrested for a DUI. His defense was that he only had a "couple of drinks at Ceres". Anybody that's been to Ceres knows that declaration is tantamount to an admission of guilt. read more

Alright short review time! I never heard of Ceres Cafe until my ex-coworker wanted to go there after work for Happy Hour. I work in commercial banking (not investment) and I feel ashamed that I never heard of this place until recently as its located in the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT)... But apparently Ceres Cafe is where the previous Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson was randomly found in his cop car sleeping late at night. Yes somewhat bad PR for the police, but Eddie thank you for your service to Chicago! The reason why I bring that up is because I totally understand WHY that happened to him. These cocktails are literally THE STRONGEST DRINKS I HAVE EVER BEEN SERVED IN MY LIFE!!! It's apparently because all of the traders from the CBOT come down and they need to have a stiff drink after or during their work days. I don't blame them as I feel their pain with the extremely high stress levels with my career in Commercial Lending. Yes, the stereotypes are somewhat true. Now given that story, the strongest drinks don't mean good drinks. These drinks taste like motor oil going down in your lungs, similar to malort. If you check out their menu, you would say those prices are outrageous. However, the cocktails are more like 6oz pours of booze and the beers are in 23oz pilsner glasses, which are also pretty hefty so looks can be deceiving. Also, my ex-co-worker also said his Dad RAVED about the fish sandwich and I will concur with that statement. It was great!!! Service is ok, prices are fair, pretty much no ambience, and decent amount of TVs for sports/CNBC. So come here for the fish sandwich and strong drinks if you had a rough day. Please drink responsibly! read more

Ceres Cafe - Fish Sandwich - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

DO YOU WANT STRONG DRINKS WITH GOOD APPETIZERS?! Come here! Great prices. Beer runs $5-11. Mixed drinks run $9-15-ish or so... It is very loud in here though, so be prepared for that! (Music was not playing) It is located on the first floor of an office building. Very good vibes! We had a party of 8 and were seated within 2 minutes at around 5:45pm on a Friday. FYI there is an automatic 20% service charge to bar checks after 3:00 on Friday! Overall super fun place to come after work =) or on the weekend for great drinks and fun times! read more

Ceres Cafe - Mojito!!! So yummy. - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My daughter and I really enjoyed our lunch yesterday My daughter ordered a cup of the tortilla soup and LOVED IT...we asked the owner for the recipe (lol) We split the turkey club on rye and it was FANTASTIC..loved the thick slices of turkey and the BIG dill pickle We'll definitely be back read more

No complaints! Rooftop is beautiful, drinks and bartender were amazing! The food was surprisingly delicious! Fries, salmon and cauliflower bites! We will be back! read more

Not sure where to start with this one... I wanna say the inside reminds me of like an IHOP / Denny's sit down sort of place, but everyone inside was down to get turnt. Literally every table was here to get their drink on when I cruised through around 6pm on a Thursday. The alcohol here.... Let me just say that when I ordered a Buffalo Trace n Coke, I literally got a full glass of Buffalo Trace and a can of coke... WHAT THE EFF. Totally worth the $8 and change, goodness gracious. Hard liquor is where it's at here. Debated going for a second one, but I was pretty toasty after that first and didn't want to end up like the guy I saw on the way to the restroom holding on to the wall for dear life, so I decided on a 22oz draft Guinness to get into the St. Patty's Day mood. The food here... Just okay. I went for their Chicken Pot Pie special served with your choice of soup, salad, or potato. Overall it was alright, but I must say it was pretty generous on the chicken comparable to how generous they are on their alcohol. So that's always a plus! Definitely a good place to cruise thru if you're trying to get your drink on. 'Til next time, CHEERS! read more

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