This is an absolute Chicago Summer MUST!…read more I did this 2 years ago for the first time, and again last night. Buy your tickets ahead of time on the shedd website; and go with a group. $25/person for a 5 hour entryway into all exhibits of the shedd - sea otters, dolphins, you name it. Oh and upon entry, you get a wristband so you can walk around while drinking wine! Tip - buy a bottle of wine, way cheaper, but if you're dying to see exhibits, do them first before you buy the wine because a lot of them don't allow food/drinks in the area. After you see the fishies, buy food from the vendor tables and head outside to get a table to listen to the jazz and stay at least until 9:30pm to see the fireworks show. I don't know why I've lived here for 5 summers and only done this twice, I'll be back!

Some organizational issues but still had a great time…read more 1. No point in doing timed entry if the timed entry rules are the thing making everyone clump up and enter at once. Totally illogical. 2. No kids should be allowed at an adults event. They run the show every other day, give us a break from them. 3. Jazz band should have been outside. Sad that we barely heard any music the entire night. As usual the animals were amazing! Jubilee drink was yummy. Sunset was gorgeous.

Stumbled upon this quaint cafe and bar randomly the other day. The bartender was super friendly and…read morehelpful. The drinks were phenomenal! I would love to go again and try other cocktails from their menu.

This place gives off a welcoming neighborhood cafe and bar vibe. We stopped by to meet our friends…read moreand we were greeted upon entering the establishment. The food menu is limited and the drink menu is the star here. Service was personal and friendly here. We ended up staying only for a short time as our meeting destination changed. Iced espresso to go! Stop by if you have some time for a relaxing drink or coffee.

Such a lovely experience at The Drawing Room. The atmosphere is warm and intimate. The cozy…read moreseating made for great conversations with some gathered around fireplaces. The food and drinks were so good (the Brussels sprout salad - yum!).

I arrived around 21:00 for dessert/nightcap on a Monday evening before heading back to my hotel…read morenear convention center. I had been enjoying the city after a day of shopping and dinner at Joe's. A friend recommended this lovely bar/lounge. We are not from these parts of the U.S. and love to explore. This lounge is on the second floor of the Chicago Athletic Association building. Part of the Hyatt chain. I was warmly greeted by host and placed next to an old fireplace in front of the bar area. I was seated facing the entire lobby. I was enjoying the Gothic architecture. It was dark and a soothing atmosphere. I appreciated the appropriate music playing as well. It was a perfect way to end my day. I had a glass of champagne and my server recommended the Basque cheesecake. Which was perfect cause I recently visited San Sebastian, Spain. The Basque region makes a great cheesecake. The burned caramelized top complimented my champagne well. There is a room/bar in the back room of where I was. A great bar with games and TVs for sports. After enjoying my nightcap, I walked downstairs and was able to order a ride-share and wait in the warm entry of the building. This hotel is directly across the famous Bean which is in the beautiful Millennium Park. During the day, I highly recommend checking that park out.

Hidden gem in South Loop. something for everyone on the…read moremenu. feels like home. great service!

Minus one star for the lack of information regarding the cost of cocktails during our event, and…read morethat gimlets were made with a pretty awful mix instead of fresh lime juice. For the price point, couldn't some limes have been juiced and kept on standby for the shift? Food and service for a family-style dinner service for 20+ people was great. We ate our fill of eggplant parmigiana, and red and white pasta dishes. The roast chicken was flavorful and tender. There wasn't enough dessert especially tiramisu to go around, it seemed to be the only item that was a little skimpy in terms of portions. The location had paid street and garage parking nearby - a friend felt that a prepaid parking spot option was an excellent price so they drove in. We did not have individualised dinner, but based on our mini-banquet experience, I can recommend the place and I would eat here again.

Fantastic service and great selection of snacks. I got the fried mushrooms and they were so good…read more It's super pretty and I love the color scheme of the place. Great place for cocktails either way a more upscale feel but not too fancy

Totally a cool bar. Came later one night and was surprised I needed a reservation. Not a lot of bar…read morestools and they were all packed. The hostess was great- She seated me with a very little wait. Place emptied out - I must have come at a prime time. The place is cool. The drink was good. The burger was good. Fries- meh. Loved the little touches like the ice cube imprinted with the bar name. But the service was so very, very bad. Our waiter could care less and never looked up. He was catering to one table and ignoring everyone else. I'm talking empty glasses, begging for the check bad service. Ugh. Would like to give it another shot on a future Chicago visit.

Coming back again was so bittersweet as it was their last week, and this location never has dropped…read morethe ball on a meal.. will truly miss the ambiance, and drinks this place has offered over the years. Thank you for all your excellent service, years of incredibly creative and themed glasses and sensational hospitality. Hoping to see you guys at a food festival in the future. Thanks again for the 13 years of amazing service, wishing you well in your future endeavors. This gem has received the NYC Pizza Brothers & Co. Stamp of Approval

just about the most generous fish portions in poke i've ever seen (and the thickest, fattiest…read moresalmon cuts)... and their macaroni salad is my favorite!!! the virgin lychee frozen daiquiri was great, not too sweet huge menu, but the server was very sweet in helping us navigate everything. and did i mention the interior... just made me so happy sitting in such a beautifully built and decorated place!!

Great food!! We stopped in for a late lunch the other day and we were very satisfied with our meal!…read moreI ordered the turkey bacon club it was very good! My bf had the bagels and lox and was very happy too!!

#flyforfriends #flyforfood #windycity #Chicago…read more Chose a place to snack as we waited for our time slot for a river cruise. Full disclosure- it's more of a local bar with local type bar food which is all we wanted but ended up with less than expected. Here is my story Stopped in for a snack and beverage before our river cruise to be welcomed by a friendly worker who took the liberty to rearrange table to accommodate 5 of us. Like i said we were on a time line so we immediately ordered only to have our food sit under the lamp warmers at the kitchen counter. Shame of them. Then, one of our travel buddy's chicken sandwich was HORRIBLE.... If you go here, go for a beverage only which is what they seem to do well with (including bringing water to the table) 3rd star for the comaradarie.... Nuff said. My mommy said if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. I wonder.... maybe that's how they got their name of Half Sour

The music & the drinks were 100% worth going back for! I had so much fun with my friends!…read moreDefinitely had the lounge feel with a mature crowd just trying to enjoy a drink. I can't wait to go back!

Let me set the scene. It's Saturday, and my friends and I have officially started the shenanigans…read more We're looking to loosen up a little more and figure a local watering hole might do the trick. Well, we heard that M Lounge had been resurrected from the closed and was serving customers again, so naturally, we fleet-footed right on over to see what all the hubbub was about. Okay, first off, whoever decorated this place deserves a gold medal. It looks amazing. The mix of old and new, the gold accents, and the lighting all come together perfectly. It has everything visually that you would want from a neighborhood bar you could eventually call your Cheers. The music was just right, and the vibe was definitely vibing. But wait. I only gave this place three stars. How Sway? Well... let me tell you. You don't just go to a bar for the vibe. You go to a bar for the drinks, and as much as I loved the atmosphere, the drinks left me wanting. And it wasn't just me. Everyone in our group was a little confused. How can a place look this good, feel this good, and then have drinks that are just... so-so? And I take my drinks seriously. So when I say so-so, I mean SO-SO. Hell, the Old Fashioned wasn't even an Old Fashioned. It was some sort of sweet abomination. Was it a bourbon drink? Absolutely. Was it an Old Fashioned? Absolutely not. For now, I'm going to chalk it up to growing pains because there's way too much I like about this place to write it off after one visit. The atmosphere is there. The music is there. The neighborhood-bar potential is definitely there. So yes, I'll be back. But M Lounge, I'm asking you nicely. Please make me a proper Old Fashioned next time. Otherwise, I might have to cancel my subscription to the Martini Lounge.

I came here for a birthday outing last weekend, and while the food was outstanding, the service was…read moreseverely disappointing, especially at this price point. My group was made to feel like an inconvenience - we felt rushed even though we didn't take long to order, or linger after paying, and we were polite while ordering plenty of dishes and drinks. A number of people in our party also work in the service industry, so we try to be mindful of all of these factors. We didn't receive one of the ordered sides, and this was obviously not the server's fault, but a number of items we attempted to order were unavailable (oysters, saturn cocktail, milk & cookies dessert) and it wasn't really acknowledged. Again, this was a birthday reservation and we were brought the check without being asked if we would like to order dessert. Then, when we did order dessert, there was no candle. I understand some restaurants don't provide candles...but a table next to us was given a candle. A disappointing experience - I had been looking forward to trying Oliver's since they opened.

Oliver's is a great addition to the South Loop. The food was really good, I had the mushroom…read morerisotto, which was rich, creamy, and full of flavor. The cocktails were solid too and paired well with the meal. The only downside was the service. It was a busy night, so things moved a little slower than expected, but the staff was still friendly and attentive when they stopped by. The atmosphere is cozy and perfect for a date night or dinner with friends. I'd definitely come back to try more of the menu.

Brando's Speakeasy is my go-to karaoke bar!…read more I always find myself at Brando's Speakeasy after happy hour in the area. Brando's has a later happy hour (4p-7p) that has solid offerings. I love Moscow Mules and they sell them for $5 during happy hour! They have a variety of other drink options for the same price and some bites as well. Every time I've visited the bartenders have been personable and made the drinks fast. Brando's has ample tables available. I've gone during a busy Friday night and I've been able to secure a table throughout the night. I love Brando's even more because people actually participate in karaoke. Everyone is normally singing along to someone else's song and they don't leave people hanging. Depending on the night I've turned into a background dancer for someone! The karaoke sign-up is pretty straightforward. It's digital so you can track your place in line from your phone along with take your time selecting a song.

Brando is such a great place after work and it opens a little later during a work week. We came in…read morethere was karaoke and the vibe was amazing. We didn't get any food because it was late but next time we will. There was seating around us or you can go up near the karaoke stand. Had an absolute blast on a Wednesday night and people were singing their hearts out at karaoke.