Great service, views and food! Definitely one of my favorite spots in the city for a drink. Fun and exciting atmosphere, great for pictures. Highly recommend the waffle fries here. Service was amazing! Make sure you ask for Erica when you go! read more

Recess - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Good for a unique cocktail and the ambiance was nice. Food was good but not gourmet. Came for the band. It's themed for a school yard so, it's more about the drinks than food. read more

Never go here for food. Ordered the cubano and waffle fries last night. The fries came cold, and the chef clearly didn't have any idea what a cubano is. It was warmish pieces of ham on ciabatta bread. Complained about the cold fries to the waiter and his trainee, received a shrug in return. I'm only giving it two stars because the hostess was kind and helpful when she sat us. read more

Cindy is the fucken best! She should win first place because she attends to us ! I love her and she Made our stay so great' read more

Ambience and the vibe were great. The decor for this place is super unique, so I think it's great for group hangouts. The food, however, wasn't another special. We ordered the sliders and chicken wrap; both were mediocre. read more

Recess - Slider and salad - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food was awesome we got a little bit of everything pizza was thin and freshly made The sliders were so cute and good me and my friends really enjoyed it. We also had loaded tater tots. Salad was good! Literally we had everything . Super filling and yummy We also played some games had some drinks. It was pretty cool! read more

Recess - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had high hopes for Recess upon seeing tictok videos and reviews raving about this place. My friends and I had brunch there today and we experienced the worst service we've EVER had in our lives. Upon arrival our waitress took 20 min to serve us water then didn't come back for another 20 min to take our drink orders which we only ordered a Bloody Mary and a cocktail taking 30 min to arrive and we hadn't even put in a food order in. Once we put the order in for food we waited another 40 min and were missing so many things it was ridiculous; no utensils, no condiments, no napkins, we were out of water, and our food had ingredients missing. Our waitress took 30min to come back and check on us once we had our food and when we asked another worker to bring us the things we were missing they replied with, "I'm not your waiter", we were absolutely disappointed to be talked to in that tone and attitude. We talked to one of the managers there about this and all they did was direct us back to our table and didn't even let us tell them about the HORRIBLE experience we were having and said "your server will be back shortly", just dismissing us and acting like he didn't want to hear it. Literally everyone at this establishment failed us today. I understand that you may be understaffed, but there were countless workers there that could have stepped in to help or at least given us the things we asked for instead of replying with "Im not your waitress". This is no way to treat a paying customer. the way that we were treated today was not only disrespectful, but extremely disheartening. read more

We walked in with 85 people as part of our corporate offsite and had no reservation. EZ who was working the front door and valet, was extremely friendly and helpful while making us feel welcome and saying they could accommodate our group. EZ went to the manager and made things happen. Such great staff and the open air bar in the middle was great. Music was awesome and we had a great time! Thanks EZ! read more

Special shoutout to Erica who goes above and beyond for customers! She's an absolute delight and you will always be in good hands with her!! Thank you for making our experience at Recess great! Always a fun time here, perfect for indoors and outdoors, and just an awesome space overall. The food is also excellent and constantly exceeds expectations. If you like card tricks, be on the lookout for some tableside magic as well! read more

Great for young people and a great place to hang out and drink, enjoy the scene. We could tell they were understaffed as the service was a bit slow. The food was good! We got the pulled pork sandwich, cheeseburger sliders, and our kids got the pulled pork sliders. Cost for kids is GREAT. Probably won't find anything better in the city. Our food was all good and we now want to find Bobs Pizza, which supplies their pizzas and each one that was walked by looked amazing. The outdoor space is large and has a lot of options for shade (which we appreciate) as well as spots indoors (not as many, but this isn't as desirable. Love the vibe outdoors with the containers and graffiti. Fun place! read more

I had my birthday party here a weekend ago and my experience was wonderful! Amanda did a great job coordinating the event and was easy to work with. I highly recommend the South Stage area for your booking-there's plenty of room and a ton of big games you can play. One guy (who was not at my party) managed to sneak a White Claw, but it's a good thing to be generous ;). I want to give a BIG shout out to our waitress Cindy!! She was so sweet and welcoming and took such good care of us. If her manager is reading this, give that girl a RAISE! She fit right in with the rest of my friends and was present without being intrusive. read more

This spot is really cool and huge. Definitely a good place for big groups or for Happy Hour. There weren't too many food options, though my salad with crispy chicken nuggets was delicious. The cocktails were very tasty too. Our service was pretty slow and the place loud, but we still enjoyed our time here! It would have been fun being able to be out on the patio, but since it was cold we stayed inside. read more

We are literally one block away from Recess and it is our go to place for dinner and drinks after a long day working. We were pleasantly surprised at their food menu being not just bad bar food. They have salads and sides that you actually want to eat. Also, they have a full bar and a solid selection of middle shelf wines and high end spirits to appeal to everyone (alongside draft beers). We also appreciate the staff. The door and security aren't unnecessarily pretentious and our fave bartender Elaine remembers our drinks every time (thank you!) which sometimes ends up in regret (should have just bought the bottle). In any event, if you're looking for a solid and chill place with good food drinks and service in Chicago this is a great spot. read more

Firstly, I DO NOT RECOMMEND! As much as I wanted to love this place my experience was horrible. Our waitress Lisa could have cared less about us it seemed. We ordered 2 drinks that in my opinion is overpriced because the drinks was seriously mostly Ice, I cannot make this up. I thought I was drinking sweet and sour juice with all ice you barely could tell it was an alcohol drink. Moving on, the wings was $12 for 5 of them, wth was my impression. The waitress said the day before they ran out and might be out tonight so she'll do chicken tenders instead but that's not what she brought us so I feel cheated. I still didn't complain I just made up my mind not to come back. Lastly, what topped it off. Lisa started to take our order for burgers it seemed as she wrote my order down as she asked what I wanted on it and then she took my cousin order to only come back with one burger which wasn't mine. We waited to see bc maybe it was being cooked but no, lisa said she forgot it! How could you forget it when you wrote it down well that's what I thought! I'm normally not a complainer I just won't return to a place but this I needed to report bc social media hyped it up and truthfully it's nothing worth going too. Customer service was bad, the one burger we got that was $16 was like a simple big mac from mcdonalds served with tater tots. So we paid $45 for a mcdonalds burger, kids chicken wings, & two cups of Ice. read more

I came here on a Friday night and there were a ton of people from the work happy hour crowd, but this place was so huge that it didn't look or feel crowded. It has a cool industrial vibe with the box cars, a live DJ, bags and volleyball outdoor area, and life sized connnect 4/checkers. We shared the broccolini and burrata appetizer ($14) and it was delicious and a large portion! It came with crisp Brussels sprout leaves and tons of Parmesan on top. We also got the garlic Parmesan wings, which were good but a bit one note-- I noticed the chef is HEAVY on the cheese at this joint. Next, we got the steak sandwich and the fish sandwich. Both came with giant portions of French fries. My fish sandwich was unfortunately too greasy but the steak sandwich was delicious! For $18, it's a little steep but that's West Loop prices for ya. The steak sandwich was tender and perfect balance of salty and vinegary from the marinade. read more

Kevin is so great. Fun, attentive, just a good time. Bloody Mary's are great and the pig in a blanket is f'ng awesome.

The name definitely stands out and it is not to be confused with actual "City Hall". It is a great bar/restaurant with alot of space. The inside has a full bar and plenty of tables and seating. There is also a stage towards the back of the bar and there happened to be a live band the night I was there with no extra cover charge or anything. Just good entertainment for all the patrons. The menu had plenty of food and drink options. The food was surprisingly good and so were the drinks. There is also a huge space attached to the outside if the bar and there were plenty of people playing games and dodgeballs flying around which I thought was pretty cool. It was not overcrowded but not empty either. Parking was also not a big deal. They have some spaces right outside of the bar. The Bill's also come in orange envelopes that look like city parking ticket envelopeswhich I thought was good humor. I was glad I decided to stop by, and look forward to coming back. read more

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Holy cow, where to even start. Waitress forgot my beer. Never realized when I ordered another, but I realized once the check came and I was charged for the missing beer. When I told her she never brought it, she said well it's too late. My only choice was to drink another beer. I drove, so not an option. I ate the $9. Then when my salad arrived, no silverware. I had to remind them twice before it came. She bought the wrong beer to my friend (she brought a Pilsner, not a lager). When he told her, she said it was the same beer. Went and talked to manager and realized she was wrong. Said "don't worry, I'll cover the beer that I made a mistake in." And the last beer she brought to my other friend...her pen was fully submerged in the beer. Two people got the sliders which came with pickles. Four of the six burgers were missing pickles. Incredibly odd. Do. Not. Come. To. This. Place. read more

Last night was my third time coming to Recess and I can say that every time has been a great experience!! The space is this great outdoor space with plenty of room to spread out. I've gotten the burger of the week twice and last night got the pulled pork sandwich with loaded tots. The food is solid bar food! I think I've gotten a cocktail every time I've come here. My thing with the cocktails is they are tasty but not very strong. I would stick to beer or wine here. The service is always so friendly! Last night was my friends birthday and they really helped make it a great time! Really recommend this place if you have a group (right now only groups of 6 due to Covid). read more

Recess - Burger Of The Week so yummy! - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I made a reservation (for 11am at 11:30pm the night before), which required a hold on my card, which was fine. Ten minutes later (at 11:40pm), I was forced to cancel the reservation, but the interface did not allow for that to be done virtually. So, I called, explained the cancellation and received confirmation that it's fine. The reservation was not removed from my OpenTable account until I reached out again the next morning, and I received a message that a $10/person fee was going to be charged because the reservation was cancelled less than 24 hours before intended start time...for a reservation, made less than 24 hours in advance. The poor policy implementation, inability to alter reservations through the online interface and lack of customer service is where y'all lost me. Obviously, its the principle of the matter in this situation, but I digress. I would not recommend this establishment for literally anything. There are places that simply gaf about you elsewhere. read more

Had a great time enjoying good food & games at Recess. Total vibe, especially in the warmer season but good in general.

Buffalo chicken rolls were amazing!! Drinks were good and atmosphere was great. Went on a busy game day but staff was attentive.

I have never experienced such friendly service! Recess has a phenomenal vibe and all the servers are so kind. Elaine is the absolute BEST! If you are looking for the best cocktail ever, you have to go to recess and ask for Elaine. She is on her game with fast service and phenomenal drinks. I WILL BE BACK! read more

Elaine is the best mixologist in the city! She really knows how to make a drink with a smile. Even behind her mask. read more

Recess - Elaine, the best mixologist north of 99th street! - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Worst customer service/management for a bar that looks like it had potential. Staff was rude and confrontational. We had a wedding party reservation for 30 people that they were not prepared for. When we got there they told us we had to sit outside in the rain( which was not mentioned when the reservation was made). Then, once we got outside they told us they were able to seat us inside, but tables had to be separated and no one was able to go from table to table. We were seated for 30 minutes before a a waiter came to take our orders. We never even received our drinks after waiting that long, and when we mention that we weren't getting service and it was getting a bit ridiculous (for a party that they should have been prepared for) they threatened to have us kicked out. Finally, some of the food we ordered came out but still not drinks. We continued to ask where our drinks were, and staff continued to ignore the problem. Even management wasn't helpful, still wanting to kick us out. So we left. Still waiting on our drinks Im not the one to write Yelp reviews, but felt like I had to for this one. Do not plan on coming to this place with large parties because they will not serve you. read more

Recess is awesome! The drinks are delightful. I had the flip flopper (fruity and goes down fast) and the Dept. of Agriculture (refreshing lemonade with vegi flavors). The food was also spot on. The crispy buffalo chicken lumpia rolls and the Rueben sandwich were some of my faves. There is a fun atmosphere with areas to play bocce ball. But the crown jewel of this place is the patio. It's supposed to be the largest patio in Chicago when it opens up. The area is surrounded by shipping crates and the lights add to the cool vibe. I imagine this restaurant will be the place to be next summer! read more

Recess - Flip flopper drink and the menu - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here for an event on Saturday for brunch and I was incredibly disappointed with my experience. There seemed to be so many people working, but so few people *actually working*. There was a large group of us with one server, who looked to be also serving multiple other tables. A busser came out with a tray of food and circled around 3 times, asking who the burritos belonged to; after no one responded literally multiple times, he realized it was for the table next to us. Another busser brought some food out only to drop the entire tray in front of us. Our server came by and said the food would be awhile "because the kitchen was slammed". The restaurant was - by no means - packed. And with such a limited menu (of mostly fried items or toast) I found that notion ridiculous. Eventually my grilled cheese came out - a nice 45 minutes after ordering - and it was nothing spectacular at all. **Editing for clarity after management clearly misread my response: the brunch menu offered at City Hall is very much, indeed, limited in its choices. There are 4 entrees: a breakfast burrito, a hash, a French toast, and a avocado toast. 4 dishes on a brunch menu is - yes - limited. Most restaurants in the west loop offer more than that for brunch. As a result, I opted to eat off the bar menu. This was my third time coming here for food, and I likely won't be back for that. Between the extremely odd / limited choices on their menu (nothing seems to make sense together??) and poor service, I would only come to sit at the bar for a drink. read more

Great energy, good food, attentive service from our awesome guy Kevin. We'll definitely be back! Thanks!!!

Waited for 40 minutes without getting served. Asked the hostess and a server for service and nothing happened. Eventually talked to the manager when leaving and he said we were at fault for asking someone for service. Response to Manager: The manager we spoke was not very apologetic. He offered a round of shots, not drinks. Our group declined, because we were definitely not reassured by the manager the circumstance would change as he did not offer us immediate service. read more

Went yesterday after having made a reservation. Had to wait in a long line (20-30) mins to be able to check in for our reservation. No social distancing measures at all. Guy thing ID's expressed his frustration about it, but nothing changed. After we checked in we were seated promptly. I ordered a drink, my friend was still deciding on what she wanted. Sucks for her because it took 20+ minutes to get my drink and then the server said she would be back to take my friend's drink. She came back and we put in our food order and her drink. The food came fairly quickly, probably because it's the most overpriced freezer food that you can get from the target aisle. I wasn't expecting much, but it couldn't have been less appealing. Also, perhaps due to COVID they are giving out plastic forks/knives with that one skinny napkins that come in to go boxes. Thank god we didn't need to cut anything because we would have had an experience trying to use that cutlery. (no one checked on if we liked the food) For the second drink we waited so long, I went to the bar and found our server and had to put in our drink order. I wasn't done with my first drink, but given how seldom we saw our server I put another one in for myself anyways. I have two stars. One, because the atmosphere is beautiful and the space really is nice. Second, they are dog friendly! The only shining star of the evening were the busboys. They were on point about everything and were super kind. My friend put it best, this isn't really a happy hour spot. It's more of a let's get blacked out on a Sunday and eat overpriced food because we're drunk kind of spot. read more

Great trivia night! I learned some stuff, drank beer and had fun. But we didn't win. Excellent.

Would give 3.5 stars. Came here with a group of 7. Very popular after work spot for big groups. Price point was more than average. Bobs pizza was fire. Rest of the food was okay, nothing that I felt was OMG. Great decor, large bathrooms. Dangerous summer spot, as the outdoor ambience is amazing and so creatively designed. I could definitely see myself posting up for after work drinks and have apps or pizza. Easy parking. read more

I like the look of the place. It is Huuuge and has a lot of potential. Great location right near Fulton Market. The menu was just ok. I think they need to expand to more options. The service was just ok as well. They are also a bit pricey, but it's pretty typical in that area. I am a bit on the fence on if I will return or not. I was a bit underwhelmed read more

We tried to get the table inside or in the shad but they said nope because someone already made reservations. When I made reservations, it didn't show my option to pick. And we tried to move inside, but we need to pay and reopen again. Sorry for the poor sever. To the owner or management, better add umbrella or three. Shame on you (management) Right the manager said : First come first serve WITH A LOT OF EMPTY TABLES. And this is unprofessional to answer or excuse about a busy day. I don't know how long you have been the manager there. But you can't use Saturday as a busy day to cover for your employee's failure. If you work at a restaurant you suppose to be ready during the weekend and also during the first month of Chicago summertime. Or maybe you just moved to Chicago I don't know. Next time be a professional manager to explain things. read more

Good food, great place for a laid back bite to eat, dog friendly. However the set up for being seated is bizarre. We showed up on a sunday afternoon with 3 people and asked to be seated outside. We were told indoor seating only was allowed. When asked why given that we could clearly see 75% of their outdoor space was still available we were told outdoor seating is for reservations only (even tho the entirety of the restaurant was not at all busy). I opened up my open table app right in front of the hostess and booked a reservation for 3 that was available in 10mins from the current time and was only then allowed to be seated outdoors. Hostess made us aware that the manager tracks the proportion of outdoor tables that are sat versus how many reservations they had. Super weird and gave us a bad taste. read more

Amazing experience, great patio. Music and food were on point + our bartender Gracie is the absolute best! 6 star review read more

Grace was amazing! This was our second time here, had bad experience previously, but I'm so happy we came back! The food was great, the music was good, and the service was amazing. We'll be back! read more

The security was rude and they told I had to order three drinks if I wanted to stay longer

Great atmosphere on the patio. If it's a nice day and you're looking for a fun time, recess is the place to be! We had the Mac and cheese (very cheesy), Caesar salad and loaded tots. All good. read more

yummy brunch! only sad part is brunch ends at 3pm but bottomless ends at 2:30pm for some reason so we weren't able to participate :(. otherwise very fun place and lots of games. great to go with a group of friends. read more