Ceres Cafe is probably the most personable place I've been to on a regular basis. What I mean by that is that the staff here (namely the wonderful waitresses) knows everybody that diners here. Literally, they know all the traders, businessmen, businesswomen, and regulars that dine there. Naturally, I'm a regular. So yes I chat it up with Beatrice all the time! When Beatrice isn't there, Joan has got me. They know exactly where I sit each time, what I order, and they are absolutely great company. Great family feel to this place. As for the food, I think it's great! Then again, I order the same thing every single time and it's next to impossible to mess up what I get for breakfast. read more

After a long, hard day at work it can be very necessary to have a stiff drink. Cere's does not joke around when it comes to their pours. If you order a mixed drink, expect a cup of ice topped off full with liquor and a tiny itsy bitsy splash of mixer. You're good to go after one drink. The only complaint that I have is that they started charging for a side of your mixer and they used to just give you the can on the side. Like, I appreciate a stiff drink but sometimes you just need a side car to go with it. This is definitely the place to go for cheap, strong drinks. At $7 a pop I can walk out feeling pretty good at a decent price. read more

Decent food and solid pours for drinks. This place has a charm about it and the patrons are not pretentious. Don't expect your culinary fantasies to be met here but it's a good watering hole. read more

Ceres Cafe has obviously been around for a while and is REALLY GOOD. They have home made type food and I love going there because I am of the mindset that all restaruants should serve Chicken Noodle Soup and Turkey and Dressing because sometimes your tummy is just not quite right and you need to have a few dinner options that are milder. And they do! I have eaten there a few times and they have excellent home made soups and great salads (unless you're looking for Haute Cuisine and are a food snob). They have the types of entrees you'd expect to see in a midwest diner - like Fresh Salmon and Meat Loaf and Roasted Chicken....and don't forget the homemade pies!! This is one of my favorite places in the neighborhood (in the loop) and I highly recommend it. I only recently discovered that they also own the restaruant downstairs that is more of a "buffet" type of a joint but they have the same types of foods and it's all well made, clean and delicious. GO THERE! read more

I waited 45 minutes for a drink on a Friday at 5:30 and could hardly hear the conversation at my table, and the drinks themselves are, of course, nothing special. Two stars instead of one is me acknowledging that I've only been here once so maybe the slow service was aberrant and I appreciate the buzz for your buck - lots more alcohol than what you think you'll get. Beyond generous. I guess the question is what's a more relaxing and better use of your time and money: getting one drink in one minute or waiting uncomfortably for forty-five for three. If quality in alcohol or company means anything, then Ceres is not the right place. But, like a bad cup of coffee, on occasion quality is, in fact, not important at all. That's about the biggest endorsement I can give this place; it's conditional: Go when desperate. read more

The place was fairly empty when we were there for breakfast, but in all fairness, it was the day after a holiday. I had pancakes and bacon and my husband had a regular eggs over easy, sausage and toast. The pancakes were so good and tender and my husband liked his breakfast too. I'd like to go back for happy hour some day. I hear it's fantastic with strong pours! read more

To begin, Ceres cafe is in a great location with a beautiful outdoor seating area. We started off with the Tex mex hot rolls which were served hot with a homemade ranch dipping sauce that was great. We also ordered the Ceres sipper cocktail which was a disappointment. The strawberry purée was very unflavorful. When the entrees arrived, I was disappointed with the food as well. Both sandwiches, the hot Nashville sandwich and turkey pesto panini were dry. Great place for appetizers and a quick beer if you have the money to blow and want a 20% gratuity added automatically. read more

Ceres Cafe - Nashville hot chicken - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Re-opening today 8/4 and we are very glad to see! Ceres (and Cellars) have been great places downtown to grab a bite to eat, meet for business, and socialize with friends! Looking forward to seeing everyone and enjoying a (famous) fish sandwich, among other great dishes! read more

First I wanna yell aloud "YELPERS FREAKIN ROCK!!!" Ceres is definitely the place to go when you're hankering for a grilled cheese sandwich! I had a serious taste for one today and I am happy I consulted with Yelp first. I ordered a grilled cheese with tomato and bacon on wheat and it tastes just like my momma made it! The cheese is all gooey and fresh and to boot....Ceres customer service is great and fun...The people there are very cool. read more

We stopped here for our last day of our Chicago trip for breakfast. (We had actually walked right by it our first day during a walking tour, but were paying more attention to the Gatsby-like designs of the building's interior rather than the shops inside.) My friend and I were SO happy to have found this place. We went on a Friday morning (maybe around 9 or 10?) not full of people by any means, but a good solid breakfast joint! Our waitress was so kind, and friendly. There are definitely people that are regulars of this place, but they don't treat you like an outsider if you're not. Coffee was STRONG!! But hit the spot with out breakfast. Classic breakfast foods, done well. Pretty reasonable prices, and in a really cool building! read more

I like to begin by saying that this is a cautionary tale, and I hope that maybe one person will come across this comment and it will save them from what I had to go through. I've been to Ceres on a number of occasions because who can resist a glass of your favorite whiskey with a side of freezing cold ginger ale. One drink usually will get me going and I know two drinks is pushing it, but last Friday I decided to roll the dice and I ordered the coveted third drink. The first few sips went down smoothly, but by the time I got to bottom of the glass I began to realize the horrible mistake I had just made. This is my warning to you all, never go for the coveted third drink at Ceres, you'll just end up playing yourself. read more

Do not eat here, the service is terrible and I literally saw a kitchen employee use the restroom (not number 1) and leave without washing his hands! The staff has this sort of entitlement attitude (this was after I had already eaten otherwise I would not have dined there at all). This is one of very few poor reviews I have ever written. Let me start by saying I am usually a loyal, high tipping, and high annual spending client at restaurants I frequent. I generally bring large parties, guests, clients, and friends with me. In that same way I am used to excellent service, even from mom and pop joints. The places I usually frequent know my favorite beverage and have it waiting for me when I am seated (because I tip well, dine often, and bring people). This place is gross, and the staff is rude, end of story. When I first sat down this morning, I could hear an entire conversation between a server and the host about how the server did not want to train another server. She was swearing about it right in the middle of the walk way. Totally in appropriate but I did not pay much attention to it until my experience completed. I ordered steak and egg whites with an extra egg and coffee. Terrible coffee and really bad steak. I ordered medium, it was well done. The fruit I was supposed to get in stead of the hash-browns was a joke, three pieces of fruit on the rind -- not rotten but definitely not fresh. Now I know this is not a 5 star restaurant (I give it 1) but still the food is bad even for that. This particular morning I needed to dine a bit longer than normal and so I was here for two hours awaiting a new building security badge because I left mine at my Michigan office. The first waitress I had was good enough and so I left her $10 on a $20 bill. Not a bad tip. She informed me I had to pay because they were changing sections. In my mind I am thinking: "Why a customer should ever even be notified of such irrelevant information is beyond me." Section changes and their mortgage, so to speak should really be their business right? I informed the server that I would order at least something again with the new server so that they know I am not there just taking up space. I waited 20 minutes for the server to even address me and could feel the glares from the host. I could tell they wanted me out even though half of the restaurant and even the "section" I was in was still empty. My client had arrived after the new server came on and when my guest wanted to order breakfast he was informed that breakfast was no longer being served. Since he only wanted breakfast he asked the new server "would it be okay if I just did a diet coke then" to which she rudely replayed "actually, it is really not okay." In my opinion that is not an acceptable answer. I have been a server and did really well as one in my younger years and cannot imagine ever speaking to a customer that way. I informed this new server that I would order something just to apease her so that I could finish my meeting with my customer. I told her I was not trying to give her a hard time and that I would leave an excellent tip to which she replied "yes you are trying to give me a hard time." "What? I politely asked" She repeated her self and so I politely asked to speak with the manager. While I was waiting another server (the server I tipped 50%) offered me a table in her section. But I really feel strongly that there is no reason a customer should ever be conscious of sections or any operations of a restaurant. The manager came over, very un professionally, loudly, and dramatically wearing a filthy kitchen coat. He was talking non stop and would not even listen to me. He said "I can offer you an alternative using our food court downstairs but you can't just sit here an not order." I again informed him that I would order a full lunch but he just kept talking over me. I quietly tried to explain one last time that I had ordered breakfast and left a great tip and that I would order lunch and do the same. He didn't want to hear me and just repeated him self literally with white spit accumulating in the corners of his mouth. Gross. I politely informed him that I am generally a good customer, I was just waiting for my new badge and would eat and leave a good tip -- he was still rude trying to offer me an alternative of some food court. At this point my guest and I (who I also hope writes a review) decided we needed to go somewhere else and it is a good thing we did because then we have the bathroom issue with staff not washing hands! So I am leaving the bathroom after washing my hands and see a kitchen staffer come out of the stall adjust his pants and walk right out to work. GROSS. So it looks like I dodged a food borne illness with this one anyway and I am sharing this here so that you can too. read more

Ceres + Angela = True Love Retro atmosphere and retro prices. Come and experience it for yourself. Next time, I'm going to pad my stomach w/ bagels and get to sleep earlier. Else, my work may suffer... read more

This place is GREAT! Came here for happy hour last night and ordered a vodka soda. As everyone else has stated you get a cup full of alcohol and a can of whatever you choose to mix your drink with. It helps to order a cup of ice on the side because there is NO room for mixing unless you want to sip on straight alcohol ;) You get about 3 drinks of out this cup for about $6! This place is definitely old school and I love it!! read more

Ceres Cafe - Happy Hour! - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hands down the best place for after work happy hour in the Loop for the following reasons A) Billy the manager treats well-behaved regulars like family and makes you feel special by finding you a booth the second you walk in B) Over-served (not well-behaved), hilariously entertaining patrons to people-watch. C) They allow you to smoke cigs on the patio when it's open (don't make you go stand by the street like other places) D) It doesn't get much more authentic "Chicago Financial District" than the original decor, overly stressed-out traders in their lil jersey vests soothing their chapped nerves with those "please let me forget my job" strong drinks that are only $7/pop. I recommend drinking no more than 2 unless you want to be categorized as the people-watching entertainment. read more

I stayed away from the mixed drinks -- literally a large glass of gin and a can of tonic to the side makes up their version of a G&T -- for a reason: I needed to remain conscious. The reviewers aren't lying... this place is easy on the wallet (but hard on the liver). Recommended for those times when you just want to "forget about life for a while" which will no doubt happen if you go the liquor route. I would have given it 5 stars, but the apps totally sucked. You call that baked artichoke dip? read more

Happy hour here is so great here! Order a rum and Coke and you get a glass of rum with a can of Coke on the side. The popcorn is yummy and the service is friendly. Get there early otherwise it is hard to get a table for your group, especially in the winter when there is no outside seating. Word to the wise, state your brand. read more

The drinks are stiff; a vodka tonic equates to a tumbler of vodka served with a can of tonic water on the side. For like $6. It's awesome. The clientele is mainly overworked traders/Fed employees/other LaSalle Street folk. It's ridiculously hard to get a table on a Friday after work, but if you're willing to stand for an hour and sip on your drink while you wait, you might be able to get one (and munch on the free popcorn). I recommend having no more than two drinks while you wait for a table, or else you might not be physically able to stand any longer. read more

I never leave this place sober. Good after work happy hour. Nice place to network and vibe.

This was a very fun after work place. The shrimp appetizer is delicious. The kitchen closes at 8:00pm. If you want to eat, get there early. This place is always packed. Get there before 5:00pm. I would suggest 4:15pm at the latest. read more

Try the Sangria at Ceres Café. It is really good. The staff was fast and friendly. It does get crowded and loud so be prepared.

We came here on a Thursday for a work happy hour. We got there around 4 and managed to get a spot on their outdoor patio. The place gets really packed, inside and outside! The drinks are really strong, and even that's an understatement. They are definitely well priced. The menu looked really good too, but I was told that their food is not the best so I just stuck with a sangria, which was made with brandy rather than wine. It seems like the common spot of many after work happy hours, but we were disappointed to find out that the place closes at like 7:30! read more

This is our summer go to spot for work Happy Hours (aside from Tuesdays at Franklin Tap - $4 Matildas and Sofies - WHAT?!). Plenty of outdoor seating and people watching. Summer Shandy on tap. If you want to get drunk on the cheap, this is the place. I've seen grown ass men get completely sideways off of three gin and tonics. Perhaps it's because they serve a full glass of gin with a can of tonic on the side. I mean, really? Hammered. I myself find that if I exceed two vodka sodas at Ceres, an innocent work happy hour can quickly turn to a night of drunken absurdity that will keep me from looking my boss in the eyes for weeks. I couldn't give it five stars because service can be pretty dodgy at times. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. They have 2 restaurants: 1 sit-down place on the first floor, the second is downstairs in the basement and is cafeteria style. The crown jewel of Ceres - aside from their generous alcoholic beverage selection ...at lunch or happy hour - is the Southwest Salad. It is an unbelievable concoction of fresh lettuce greens, grilled chicken, tortilla chips, cilantro, spicy peanut dressing, and tomatoes. Incredibly flavorful and this is by far their most popular salad that they sell. I go here once, or twice a week, with colleagues. This is what I normally order, although I have had their burgers, turkey burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, soups - and they're all great. Super inexpensive, considering it's the Loop, and the portions of food you get. The waitresses there are loyal and many have been there for 20+ years. It's a lively atmosphere of area workers, loads of day traders (often carrying their tablet PCs), and tourists....seating is quick and comfortable. Service can be quick and attentive if you go right before the 12 noon rush. Happy hour here is equally popular. Where else can you go for $3 glasses of wine and rum & coke where they pour a glass full of rum and give you a can of coke. You have to ask for a second glass just to mix it. Highly recommend this place. read more

Quite possibly one of the best places I went to in Chicago. My lady and I went up to the sky deck and after the 30 minute wait in line to get in the elevator to go down, needed a couple of drinks. Since this was only a few blocks away and had a decent rating stopped by. Best decision all trip I'd say. Get a sprite and vodka and you get a can of sprite and a glass of vodka...not a shot, a glass of vodka. And the cheap apps were just an added bonus. read more

Years ago my husband had eaten some amazing banana pancakes at a restaurant somewhere along Jackson or Adams--he couldn't remember where--and now that we were back in Chicago he wanted them again. A two-hour Yelp search of all the breakfast joints in the area pointed to Ceres so we came here for breakfast. Nope, it's not the same place, but the pancakes were good and my eggs Benedict were even better. He said the coffee was really good as well. Can someone tell me something? This is the second time we've had hash browns in Chicago and they're different than what we usually get in Minnesota. There they're uniformly shredded and cooked so that they're golden brown and crispy on at least one side, maybe both sides. The ones we've had here have been an assortment of randomly shaped and sized potato pieces with some browned bits mixed in throughout. There's no cutting the edge of your fork through a crust into soft potato shreds inside. Just wondering. Anyway the prices were good and the food was really good so if I were in the neighborhood I would definitely eat breakfast here again. read more

I really can't review a lot of the food here, since I've basically just had breakfast. But they have some of the most amazing pancakes I've ever had. They're somewhat flat, not crepes by any means but certainly not super fluffy. They're not caky, but they're very moist and soft in the middle. In addition to their amazing pancakes, everything else I've had for breakfast is really good. The eggs, always with generous amounts of cheese, are as good as eggs get. And their eggs benedict is also pretty high quality. Get breakfast here. Specifically the pancakes. You won't regret it. read more

Free popcorn! Yay! The drinks are not for the faint at heart. You will not have to worry about watered down drinks here. No sirree! My first time at Ceres, I ordered a jack and coke. Glass of jack, with the coke on the side. WHOA! Other bars should take note of this practice! My second drink, which was highly unnecessary, was a margarita. Boy, are those drinks stuff! Will I go back to Ceres? Yes, I'm actually on my way there shortly. Cheers! read more

This place is right near my office so it's a place I've been to a lot - way more than the number of times I've checked in (but that shall soon change!) They have a big menu and you can get pretty much anything anyone would like. It won't be the best food you ever had but it won't be the worst. Think of it as a 1/2 notch up from a standard diner. The real reason to come to this place is for the cocktails. Trust me, you order one cocktail like a Rum & Coke or Gin & Tonic and you will have trouble walking out of the place. For the price of a single drink, you get a rock glass filled to the brim with just the alcohol. They they bring you a can of your mixer. You have to drink it straight before you can get any of the mixer in! It's killer but it's fun and this is why we keep going back - at least I think that's why - who remembers anymore ;) It's VERY crowded at lunch hour but if you get there right at noon or around 1:30 you'll get a seat no problem. The after work cocktail crowd is big and they do have an outdoor area in the nice weather. My 4 stars is really based on 3 stars for food/ambiance/service and the extra star is for the killer cocktails. read more

Best drinks on town! No competition! Oh they have food too... read more

This place is a "Trader Bar", which apparently is a common culture for locations around this area given that CBOE and CBOT are within walking distance. I would say this is pretty irrelevant for most, but if you intend to chat up a stranger you may want to brush up on your option exchange terminology ;-) That being said, this isn't an all-night bar and closes relatively early, but it is the PERFECT after-work bar for those Thursday's or Friday's where you just need to unwind. They have a few good draft beers to choose from, but the main draw is their $7 glass of any liquor you want. When I go with my co-workers, we usually just get glasses of Jack with a complimentary can of coke and just go to town. It is, by far, the best buzz you can get in Chicago for the price. I've never eaten here, but they supposedly have some pretty decent food. If you're nearby after a rough day at work (any day of the week), then stop by with some friends and have a good time. This is the perfect place to relax. read more

Great food - I've never ate anything here I didn't like. I highly recommend the daily lunch specials. Good price and selections. Service - not impressed. I've been here quote a few times because our office is next door. The staff is always rushed, pushing you to get in and out. I wish they would slow down and take a moment to connect with the people that comes into eat. read more

Better for breakfast than lunch. Had an Asian chicken salad today. Fresh with a light and delicious dressing, but definitely not substantial enough to be a lunch entree. No noodles and no bread served; very meager amount of chicken. Service awkward, small iced tea not replenished until finished eating. I've had good breakfast experiences at Ceres, but for lunch one can do much better in the Chicago Loop. read more

Awesome place to finish the work day...Many young diverse professionals...Most importantly the drink pours are AMAZING and you will certainly not be disappointed.... CONS; it gets SUPER crowded on Fridays thus many of the normal cool regulars do not show up and you are force to wait on line to get inside...... AND Ceres is closed on Saturday and Sunday :( Overall it is a "MUST" to visit and share a drink especially on Mon-Thurs..... read more

Well established joint frequented by the CBOT (now CME) and CBOE traders. Quick service and efficient. FOOD: Diner menu, usually daily specials are good. Pot pie, burgers and fish (sword fish I believe) sandwich w/ fries is good. Great for lunch, have not been other times. ATMOSPHERE: Diner inside and cosmopolitan outside (during warmer days). Can be interesting scene on Fridays or pay days as some get tipsy a bit. Outside can be cigarette smoky depending upon which way the wind blows as the tunnel next to CBOT is smoking pit. LOGISTICS: smack in the heart of Chicago, a block from CTA stations and walking distance to Metra lines. CREATIVITY: daily specials keep the menu a bit different, although not too much variation. Very seasoned and efficient wait-staff. read more

THE place to get drinks in the Loop after work. Very generous pours of everything on their drink list at even more reasonable prices. Cheese curds covered in Ritz cracker crumbs and the buffalo chicken rolls are also amazing! This place does get packed and very noisy as it is a small space, so be sure to get here right after work! Also not open on weekends and wish it were! read more

Ok so fan fucking tastic drinks but we got the quesadilla and ask for no olives (cause this girl was allergic) and there were olives. Don't worry she didn't die but it was a bummer. But let me reiterate how great their drink deal is read more

Ceres Cafe - Fantastic beer - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best Happy Hour in the loop. Only Duffman himself could survive more than two drinks at Ceres. Two reasons to go: free popcorn and incredibly stiff drinks at a great price. By stiff I mean that a gin and tonic consists of a rocks glass full to the brim with gin and a can of tonic water. By great price, I meant $5-$6. each. To get a beer would be sacrilegious. They also have a decent food menu, but honestly, who cares about the menu at a place like Ceres. read more

Wife and I stop by for a drink and to check out this place after reading reviews. Although the place was and dank the service was much like most of our experience in Chicago very pleasant and the drinks were very heavy handed. We only had the fried shrimp which were pretty good but once again the value along with the service made this place worth checking out. Sorry folks, but I didn't realize that I never posted this review. With that being said it is a couple years old. However after reading through the most recent reviews it appears to still be relevant. read more

The drinks are so awesome!!! Great bang for your buck being downtown. Free pour. Between 3-4oz of alcohol and a splash of mixture. I loooove this place!!! The chicken eggrolls are amaziiing. Best time to go is on Fridays!!! read more