If I could give this place zero stars I would. I literally have so many complaints that I am not sure where to start. We rented out space for a corporate event there last night and the service was absolutely horrendous. So much so that I will never go back. 1. Our event was supposed to start at 6pm and when we got there, they were still setting up. The issue was that we had to constantly ask for basic items for our setup (plates, glasses, tables, chairs, napkins, silverware, etc.) because these items had not been put out. They knew about our event well in advance. We also asked that our food be labeled (again, in advance) and they didn't have the correct labels for our food. So we had to hand write them (see photo). Basically they are not equipped to have multiple large parties at a time, but booked them anyway and told us their lack of service/staff wasn't their problem. 2. We had pre-ordered all of food a week before and nothing was ready. The excuse they gave was that the kitchen was slammed. I can understand them being busy but we pre-ordered all of our food and we should have received it. Even if they were busy. That is the point of ordering everything in advance. We never even got all of our food and it came out in the wrong order. 3. I don't even have words to describe the manager, Francisco Buendia, but rude and incompetent are a start. Here are a few of his comments to us..... - when we complained about not getting all of our food, his response was that they were busy and that he "can't go back and kill the chef" - he constantly used the excuse that they had a lot of parties that night, which is why we weren't getting our food/service. and acted like it was our problem. (um no, we paid you for this service and if you can't handle this many large parties, then stop booking them) - he told us that they didn't have enough bartenders. Again, acting like this is our problem. When we brought up a complaint, he told us that it wasn't his problem to deal with (ex. he wasn't the chef, he wasn't the bartender, etc...). But he is the manager?!?! So what exactly is his job then? - AND THE KICKER..... one of our guests has a SEVERE food allergy. So we special ordered her food in advance. We spoke with Amanda Woods, the event sales manager, who asked to specifically speak to our guest to ensure that the food was correct. When the food came out, given everything that had happened so far, I didn't trust them not to kill my employee (not an exaggeration), so I told her not to eat the food. And I am glad I did because her food had her allergens on it. (see salad with almonds). I brought this up with Francisco and he told me that it wasn't possible and that the chef prepared it himself. And told me that he would bring the chef out so I could talk to him. I told Francisco I didn't need to talk to the chef to see that the salad had almonds in it. I later brought the salad to him to show him and his response was very casually say "Chef told me he fucked up on her salad" So basically don't ever come to Recess if you want good service or if you have a food allergy because clearly they don't care at all about their guests at all. read more

Recess - the salad with the almonds in it.... - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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You definitely come here for the vibes, cute and nostalgic. Would be awesome for groups and social events. The food was not very edible though haha. They do allow dogs which was a huge plus. read more

Recess - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Love this restaurant. I've only been there for brunch but loved it so much, went back twice! Their H*A*S*H on their brunch menu is fantastic and even better if you add the prime rib! The ambiance is edgy and eclectic - decorated with shipping containers and train artwork. They have delicious drinks too, and their servers were really friendly and accommodating even when it was raining (they moved us to a secret area to get away from the rain). On top of it all, being out in the Chicago summer in their outdoor seating can't be beat! read more

Recess - H*A*S*H* - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great place! Very spacious. All the staff were attentive and friendly. We had our children. 4yo and 11yo. There is an area with games the kids can play in. It worked for children at the time we went on Saturday at 6:45p-8p. But you can tell it gets clubby at some point. The food was great. The boys got a pizza. It was huge. Its big enough for about 4 adults. I got the chicken sandwich, added cheese. Seriously it tasted like a Chicken Big Mac only with gourmet fresh ingredients. It was amazing. I went another time on a date with the husband . It seems as if they allow pets. I have a dog and two cats so I'm no t aided against pets. I just think with the way pets shed and the accidents they can have, it's not appropriate for dogs to be allowed in enclosed space where everyone is eating. Other than the pet thing it was perfect. It's an upbeat atmosphere. Suitable for dates, friends and family. read more

Recess - This is the pizza - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Enjoyed a night at Recess. Had some drinks and had some Bob's, and it was all good. Bob's pizza within Recess is a great call. Lived the pizza. Moreover... The outdoor environment of Recess was just fun. Pretty crowded as well though well spaced and felt safe. We kinda got moved around because of a private event, which was not great, but it worked out in the end. read more

Really good food and drinks, but slightly pricing! This place gives me the after-work-place because lots of people were coming with backpacks. Which is totally fine because I am guilty of that too. Just funny lol. The food was good! Gnocci and truffle pizza were great! Drinks were good too! The price of it was definitely pretty pricey, so I wouldn't come here too too often probably. The place is so cool. It reused old, big storage boxes and uses it now for tables and chairs. I enjoy the reusing part. Overall, definitely recommend trying this place at least once. Cool vibes and good food. read more

Came here on a Friday night with a last minute open table reservation. Parking is a bit tricky. They do have parking right in front for free and they also have a parking lot for $7. Since it is still Covid, they require everyone to wear a mask upon entering. When you enter, the place is huge. They have an indoor area with the bar and dj and then an outside area with trailers. The vibe and music was a great. The drinks were good as well. The only downside I would say is that the service was kind of slow even though when it was 1-2AM, when it died down a lot. I think it took 30-49 minutes just to order and get our drinks. We also asked for water and the waitress just gave us the water pitcher but didn't give us any cups. Overall, a pretty decent place to chill with your friends at. I would definitely come back again to try the food out. read more

Such a nice ambiance, great for pictures and a good time! $25 for bottomless brunch! The food was also really good! The Chile lime fries with sriracha Mayo are definitely a must try. The strawberry cheesecake French toast and sliders were also delicious and satisfying to take pictures of as well! read more

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Meh meh meh... The thing about this place is the outdoor space! Huge, massive, spread, sprawling open air! The service is terrible. The food is below average and there's a limited menu. The cocktails were meh. The scene is BUSTLING. So you decide... I don't think this place would be getting as much hype if it wasn't COVID season. But it's a great place to go and not feel clustered. read more

Recess - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was really looking forward to going here for my friends birthday dinner but was really disappointed. The chicken rolls were really good but I don't appreciate it when the server tells me they brought me ranch when they brought me a lid that literally says blue cheese on it. But service was the real issue from the beginning as they only allowed us to stay for 90min for 10 people and also had to make sure to spend $500 in that time. Spending that amount of money was no problem but I felt like we were always looking for our server and waiting for drinks. Speaking about the drinks they were good but not great for the price. I will not be going back as there are tons of places with great service and great food. read more

I thought this place was super fun. Came here on a girls night. Got reservations for one of the tables up top, which I really liked since you got a good view of the place. The waitress we had was actually extremely nice and accommodating. The drinks were delicious, food was good. Pizza was even food and I'm not even a pizza person. I think it is a bit misleading since it is called recess- I assumed there would be more games at the place but there really wasn't. Cool place to go, but prob wouldn't go back just cuz of how packed it fwts read more

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Recess is the place you go to grab a drink, take some photos, and dip out of. The decor is a prime IG spot (if you're into that) with plenty of nooks and cute backdrops. The drinks are INSANE. Alderman's Choice is my absolute favorite. I ordered it twice. Maybe more. And as good as the drinks are, the food are just the opposite. For the price, I would skip the food- and avoid the KBBQ Steak and Frites and Seasonal Burrata at all costs (literally). I can't really describe it.. but it definitely didn't taste like KBBQ, and was too dry. But if you must, the Cheeseburger Sliders and Bob's Pepperoni Pizza weren't bad! read more

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Cool place for summertime. Using shipping containers to fashion an outdoor eating space, this place has the coolest urban modern vibe. The service was excellent. The drink options were plentiful. The people watching great. We ordered the burger of the day, prime rib sandwich, avocado salad and wings. We also stated with the loaded tots. The food was fine but I think you come for the drinks and the circus. read more

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Even better than I thought! I figured it would be like a large format outdoor club...which it kind of was. However, the cocktails were on point and the food was good. The atmosphere of course was making the absolute most of the COVID situation. Well done spot and worth a night out. The Hurricane was a surprisingly good cocktail! Thought it was just gonna be a sugary bomb but turned out to be a very well balanced drink. Prime rib sandwich was delicious as well. read more

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Such a cool and unique experience in the city. This place is absolutely huge and just fun to look at in general. The staff were friendly and attentive without hovering around you. I think the drinks are a bit overpriced - cocktails around 13 dollars but a very small portion. Their spacing is great and although there isn't a lot they can do about it the heaters they have outside don't really do a lot to keep you warm. It's such an open space that has no wind resistance so when you come in the winter, if you're not sitting in a more enclosed area, absolutely plan to bundle up. They also have metal chairs which didn't help the warmth factor. We also got some pizzas by the slice which was really nice to have and very tasty. We're excited we found this place and looking forward to coming back when it's a bit warmer! read more

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Such a fun place. We stopped in early evening on a Thursday with a group of eight. We had great service and LOVED the Bob's pizza that they serve. Pizza is incredible- fresh, great variety, and cooked to perfection. Ranch tater tots and chips and hummus were a big hit. Drinks were good but it doesn't take long to rack up the bill. We loved the vibe of Recess and I definitely recommend the place! Go for the pizza and stay for the night. read more

I wanted so badly to love this place. I still want to love it! The outdoor dining area is large, well designed, and modern. With so much space it's easy to practice social distancing. There is a second floor with more outdoor seating that wraps around the lower patio like a gym track. The upstairs and elevated center seating area are turf lined, which gives it a cool look. The atmosphere and appearance is 10/10. I was so excited to get a reservation here because they are booked out a few weeks. I went for happy hour with two friends on a Wednesday. The food menu was disappointing. It is limited, which is fine, but the offerings were very basic. Hummus, chips and guac, chicken tenders (which turned out to be nuggets) and a few cool dishes like a modern burrata with strawberry jam. The entire menu is extremely vegetarian and vegan unfriendly. There are no sandwiches or main dishes for those who do not eat meat. Surprising for Chicago. We got the chips and guac, chicken tenders, and chicken salad sandwich. Not everything was our first choice but they ran out of some things on the menu. None of it was to die for or something I would recommend. The drinks were confusing. We were told they were premixed, but then when two of the same drink came out with drastically different pour sizes, we were told it was because it was made by a different bartender. We ordered two of the same shot and they were different sizes and different pour levels. All of the drinks were inconsistent- I understand that a drink might taste slightly different if made by different bartenders, but the pours were extremely uneven from one another. We felt virtually no buzz after 3 drinks and a shot each. We had amazing service at the beginning with several people coming to check on us. As time passed, that stopped and it became difficult to get someone's attention. Not sure why. We ended up cancelling our second reservation for next week. I still want to love this place, and plan to give it another try further when they have hopefully worked out some kinks or modified the menu. I would love to update and upgrade this review. I am grateful to the Recess employees for giving us the opportunity to enjoy ourselves during this time and risking their wellbeing to serve others. It did not go unnoticed or unappreciated! read more

Recess - Patio area - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great bar/restaurant to check out in Fulton Market. It has a ton of space, both indoor and outdoor, with cool décor, and just has a great vibe. It has a quality draft beer list, and plenty of other drink and food options. There's bar seating and nice lounge areas for reserved parties. Plenty of TVs for watching game, ideal for any type of sports viewing party, or a birthday party. I was lucky to get invited to a birthday party there, all the passed apps were quite good-sliders, buffalo chicken bites, shrimp cocktail, pita and hummus, all were tasty. Staff were all nice. You can get street parking a few blocks over, or it's near the Morgan Pink/Green line stop. It was a great time and I'd gladly come back again for another event. read more

If I could give this place 0 stars o would. Terrible service horrible food and to add to it you aren't allowed to split your bill. I would never recommend coming here. read more

Came here for brunch today with my mom and sisters, 10/10. The vibes are so fun, and our waitress was awesome. Started off with a spicy Bloody Mary, it came with cheese, an olive, bacon and a pickle! One of the better bloodys I have had in awhile. For lunch I got the breakfast burrito and a side or tater tots! Cant wait to come back!! read more

Made reservations for the Pop Up/Sugar Rush & our waitress was very friendly, fast & attentive to our party of 9 Manager was very nice too, she kept coming by our table to check how the service was, Sugar Rush was not the experience we thought it would be, was able to utilize the different picture ready mini booths they had set up, enjoyed the 1 free cocktail they offer & goodie bag, but we enjoyed our time at Reese's and thanks to Alex, for the superb service, will definitely return to this spot to have a few cold ones & probably pre-covid, this spot be crack'n read more

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I ordered the chicken and waffles fries with an expresso martini for brunch, everything was good but the fries were my favorite part, I'm looking forward to going back in the summer when it's all opened up! read more

Recess - Expresso martini - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great place, we will be back! This place is located in a weird but wonderful location of Fulton Market. It's so easy to get to walking from the Loop or West Loop. Drinks...a tad small but great Food...very flavorful and plentiful. Atmosphere....off the hook! read more

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Went for brunch, did not disappoint! Bottomless mimosas, big food selection, TVs on deck, and lots of natural light. Good for groups and you'll still hear eachother! read more

Recess - TOTS! - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Soooo a friend told us about this place for brunch and let me just say this... we absolutely loved it!!! For starters... bottomless mimosas... that is so rare here in Chicago. We were running a few minutes behind and they accommodated us with no issue at all. The service here was super great! We got full off of starters alone. The chicken and waffle fries have a nice kick to them with Nashville hot honey on them. The loaded tater tots are layered and delicious right along with the biscuits and gravy to add the perfect breakfast touch. We will definitely come back in the spring and summer time to enjoy the outdoor atmosphere along with the games they have to offer. read more

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Love the vibe and ambience of this place. I've been here twice now, and my friend brings me here when I visit from LA. What I like most about this place is the open space with the pretty lights and greenery. I wish we had something like this back home! This place is definitely for a group of friends, and it was really packed on a Friday night. Daytime here is fun as well for some day drinking. I haven't tried the pizza here but I was told it's one of the best in the area. read more

Make sure to make a reservation! Great atmosphere and very extensive drink menu. Went with a table of 6 and some of our food came out cold but they brought out fresh hot plates. read more

Recess - Very tasty and came out hot Loaded Tater Tots - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Truly terrible food, and they're honestly not even trying. Appetizers were both obviously microwaved, and being nuked didn't even add a kick you'd expect. Breakfast burrito was filled with pre-melted nacho cheese- something that brings back not-so-fond high school basketball game concession stand memories. Bloody Mary can be generously be described as solution of Triple Distilled Smirnoff and last years V8. Needless to say, some assembly required with hot sauce, pepper, and bacon. Would not recommend read more

Recess - Side salad - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Today was our family's first time at Recess. We were there to watch the Bears game and celebrate a friend's birthday. So this is a cool spot to watch the game and in a good environment. Our waitress was really good, our party was 12 or so. She did an excellent job handling our needs. The food was average at best. Arrived hot and timely. The menu won't blow you away. The drinks were also just ok. They had a few specialities. My vodka cranberry was mostly cranberry very little vodka. So that's the good. Here's the he bad. Apparently they have Bears trivia on game day as well as raffles. Well we won 3 out of the four trivia questions. By the way there's a prize for every one you get correct. The DJ actually told us we couldn't win anymore. Then at the end of the game there's a raffle. Guess whose name was the first to be called. You guessed our's. DJ wasn't very happy. Then the next name was pulled and it was a family member. He refused to allow us to win and pulled a different name. We didn't know there was a penalty for being smart and lucky. Other than cool place to hang out. read more

Was told to move from our seats "Incase a bigger party comes". There were more than 20 tables available for seating. We never got service and when we finally got someone to 'assist' us, it was to tell us to get up and move and wait to be seated. We were also told the tables were for people that are ordering food. We were hungry and thirsty, luckily another server came to our rescue as I was writing this review. Sergio came to ask us if everything was fine. He had premium service and made us comfortable to stay and order with him. Management should do better at training the rest of their employees on what premium customer service looks like. read more

Such a fun, summer location - huge patio, great atmosphere, and surprisingly delicious food and drinks. The place was huge with so much capacity, the music was very fun and the tables were very spaced out due to Covid. My group of four were sat in the shade which was great. The food and drinks were very yummy. The fried chicken striped were so buttery and juicy with great portions. The loaded tots were smothered with cheddar, giardiniera, crispy, bacon and were so delicious. Our sliders came with more sliders. The sliders were tender and pretty good. The burrata was super soft and the addition of mint added a lovely contrast with the strawberry jam. My only compliant was that the service was very on and off. In the beginning, our waitress kept coming to our table and at the end, she didn't come back to our table for a whole hour. Overall a super fun patio with great atmosphere, definitely want to come back! read more

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What a wonderful new addition to Chicago. Grab a reservation as soon as you can! This place is doing everything right in the new COVID world order. Tables are mostly outside and spread ample distance apart (6 or more feet). The vibe is super fun with all the shipping containers and this place is one of a kind. Service was wonderful and so was the food. Highly recommend the chicken salad wrap and watermelon salad. They also have bottomless mimosas on weekends for brunch... Only slight negative would be that they market the mimosas as pulp free, but there's an abundance of pulp and they are on the heavy OJ side. Still a wonderful deal at $23 per person. I can't wait to find an excuse to go back for another 2.5 hours! read more

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Okay so my sister was raving about us coming here . The only reason I gave them 4 stars is because despite the way the host was rude , not being able to book a reservation online before coming here & the tables for sitting are so small not fit for a large party with a lot of food . The food was very good , the bottomless mimosas were amazing & our server Kevin was awesome. read more

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First time trying this place decided to come for brunch with some friends . I looked up the menu's before coming here and no were did it say that the bottomless mimosas were per person and not per table . And it was really weird to me how the managers were constantly looking at our table to make sure we didn't drink any of our friends mimosas . Which I thought was dumb . The food was ok . Our waitress was super nice and very accommodating . But not coming here again . read more

Recess - Breakfast Burrito - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We went with a bachelorette group to Recess and reserved beforehand. It was so easy and a perfect place for a large group! We pre-ordered food and had a reserved space with seating and tables. The food was easy, lots of finger food that was easy to grab and eat while talking and drinking. The manager and staff were ever present and made sure we had everything we needed. read more

went on 08/31/24 and there was a guy bartender who was very rude to me. However, I order $15.00 wings with no tab, only for him (them) to charge my card for $117.00 is CRAZY ASL for chicken that was decent.... This was my first time here and definitely my last time. read more

This spot can't go wrong! Great for brunch, birthday parties, celebrations, family gatherings. Great food, DJ friendly, and staff very attentive and overall a great place to enjoy some good! The prices were also good! I can't wait to return! read more

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They served up a pretty good Old Fashioned It wasn't too sweet and the whiskey wasn't too strong where you can't taste some of the flavor. This looks like a dope place to watch games or host a party. I will be back to check out some other cocktails. #goodoldfashionedchicago read more

Recess - Old Fashioned - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Why isn't 0 stars an option. This place is mfn detention. Seated at 7:35 ordered at 7:50 finally got all of our food and drinks at 8:44. It was a mildly busy Thursday evening with a party of 7. We only ordered 3 apps and 3 slices of pizza and a "large format" pitcher meant to serve 10-12 servings and it offered seven separate plastic cup servings filled 3/5 of the way. Being patient worked against our group, as the service was underwhelming even after extending a lot of grace and understanding. Very pointless experience, offering a 15% discount for wasted time. I hope the manager goes to hell. read more

Cannot recommend enough! (Especially for any party you want to host) Both the food and drinks are delish, you have to get a pizza and the Buffalo chicken egg rolls. We had a corporate party here and they made it so easy with drinks set up at a large table and were so attentive to cleaning up and asking if we needed any additions. It was such a good experience that when we had a holiday party location ask us to leave - after our reserved time, we called recess last minute (like 20 min before last minutes) to see if they could accommodate (50-70 people) and they did an amazing job!!!! I'm just so amazed and impressed at how accommodating they were and service was great! I'll definitely be back and continue to recommend. Can't wait to try brunch here! read more