I feel like I aged out of this place. It felt like someone's backyard, so totally go if that's your vibe! The prices were a little high ($15+ for a vodka lemonade...really?) for the experience. The venue, lawn/board games, and dog-friendly patio were big draws so the food/drinks left a lot to be desired. Big fan of the tots though! read more

Recess is a fun spot for drinks and I could potentially see myself going back for like, a coworkers going away party maybe. But overall, it kind of sucks.. We had a friend's birthday dinner here last night. Drinks were fine and the environment was fun, but the service was really bad and the food is not good. The server was pretty nice but I think she just was overworked and didn't have enough time to check on us often. Drink orders took an extremely long time (including one that didn't arrive for a solid ten minutes after we'd already paid our bill). Our table was never properly bussed so we kept having to ask people to take things because it was so full and messy. When you've got a large group and everyone has water and drinks, the table gets extremely full fast even when food isn't out yet. The food is extremely salty and only fine, but huge portions that are totally unnecessary. The folks who ate pizza really enjoyed it, everything else was meh. read more

Recess - Please please please clear our table - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is a shipping container load of fun!! So much fun, in fact, that you'll need a reservation. I saw tables of anywhere between 2-10. The place seats around 300 people (at half capacity, and required masks when you aren't at your table), but fills up fast! The best part about Chicago summers in the City are.... the patios, hands down. This one takes 1st place for being new, responsibly priced, spacious, sun friendly (lots of umbrellas for shade and open area for sun), covid prevention aware, friendly staff (you won't go unattended here!), and a tax form themed menu! We came here only expecting drinks, but ended up eating dinner, too! (No one wants a hangry boozed up person!) I ordered the Chicken Salad Wrap (because I was dehydrated from the sun and didn't want anything to upset my stomach) Holy yum, this Chicken Salad Wrap has some flavor! Other people at my table ordered the Ceviche (thumbs up!), the Shredded Pork Burger (this is a must!! messy but worth it), and the Burger of the Day (spicy and hearty!). The sandwiches came with salad or tots! Either choice, you can't go wrong. Most important part of our experience: Jen, our server, sealed the deal for a great time! Last but not least, I ordered the "Flip Flop" drink (you'll find the cocktail names here are politically amusing)! It was refreshing and hit the spot! 10/10 will be a returning customer here, and 10/10 you most likely will be, too!! read more

Recess - Flip Flop cocktail - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had a wonderful time, the staff was amazing this morning, can't wait to go back again! Good food as well. Such a cool bar

Bunny man on the motorcycle rates this place 5 stars. Steph greeted me at the door and was very helpful with the menu and helping out table!

I went to Recess for brunch. We got potato chips to share for appetizer, and avocado toast and breakfast burrito for entrees. The food was delicious and reasonably priced. It was certainly not the best brunch, but everything was decent and the atmosphere was very nice. I also got frose which I really enjoyed. I highly recommend this place for brunch on warm days. read more

Recess - Patio - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good drinks at happy hour and the buffalo wings were amazing! Me my buddy went there for happy hour.

Good spot for a work event - visited in the summer on an extremely hot day - and I would say that's the one drawback. When it's really hot and humid, it's hard to keep the spot relaxing and fun as it's overwhelming in my option heat wise. Staff was friendly and helpful. Though it was early, it was relatively busy and we had to wait a while for drinks though we had a separate event area. However, once the drinks/food came, it was delivered quickly and was good quality. Tried some wine which was tasty if a bit expensive. The spot seems to cater to groups - not sure this would appeal to me for a date night - seems more of a party atmosphere. Good for groups but expensive and if it's really hot, you may want to reserve a spot inside or load up on sunblock and a portable fan. read more

Our friends have recommended this place for drinks and brunch. We decided to give it a try a few days ago and enjoyed it. The food and drinks are decent. I would highly recommend if you're looking for a sport bar or outdoor event. I loved their sours on tap and their avocado toast. One fun thing I liked is there are some board and card games that we all played while we waited for food. read more

Went for dinner and then stayed for Bingo Loco. Lots of fun. Prizes are not great but you'll dance the whole night read more

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Awful service and food. Took 10 min at the bar with 5 bartenders to get a drink and order food while it wasn't busy. Elote burger was almost too spicy to be edible. I soldiered through, but honestly shouldn't have. Impossible to get a good selection of football on TVs. Apparently nobody has control or knows how to put a variety up. read more

Thanks Recess, your Fire&Ice event was hit with ny daughter and her Squad I had been searching for some to do for my babe for her bday weekend This event is 15 dollar for a 1hr experience that includes entry free first come first serve at the fire pits one cocktail or non cocktail smores kit and soft pretzel with mustard sauce many photo ops and cool fire versus ice sculptures We had a blast the staff was helpful we grab a table near the firepit snap pic, make smores and toasted our great nite with decorative and tasty hot chocolate mine had a lil whiskey ,dont judge lol Social distancing is encouraged and seating it spread out you will definitely smell like smoke tho later lol don't wear your best outfit or coat lol Now if your just coming for dinner its outside put there are heaters everywhere I will definitely be back with my crew or possibly date nite Definitely recommend read more

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This is a great spot for the summer. Tons of open space, large tables and a large bar with seating. The indoor/outdoor concept makes for a great time. Drinks are good and during brunch they have 30 bottomless mimosas (they don't sell them individually). Food is to be eaten here only if you've arrived drunk, or are heavily drinking before the food arrives. Trust me on that. Make sure you know everything before your server and after they bring food. Those are the only two times you'll see them before the check. Take advantage. Prices are good for the area so that's a plus. Over all, come here to drink and play with a full belly. read more

Recess - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great brunch place! Perfect for up to 8 people. We had a large group of 25 and it was difficult to get 3 tables near each other so plan accordingly if coming with a big group! There is also a bigger space that can be rented for large groups. Very vegetarian friendly with beyond burger substitution options, huevos rancheros, grilled cheese and other dishes! Highly recommend the huevos rancheros. The grilled cheese is good but it is massive. Also recommend Nutella French toast for the table, also a very large portion. read more

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If you want to come for the vibes & views this is the place to go. I've been here 2xs and both were an experience. Would I say they have the greatest food? No, it's bar cuisine but i would recommend the gyro taquitos if you do go. Those are pretty fire! Drinks are standard, but nothing to brag about. When it comes to the service, they are pretty laid back so you may be waiting to flag your waiter down. But they do have cool events link music bingo and other cool games where you can win prizes. If you're looking for a fun night out with games and friends you should give them a try. read more

went for brunch. the bottomless mimosas were so strong. loved their gyro taquitos so much definitely recommend yall try it. the servers were also really nice. the interior was also really cool and they had games for people to play which was so fun. read more

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Reservations are a must here! It's a great spot that opened up in Fulton Market and definitely feels like a huge playground. I love how the outdoor patio is decorated with old shipping containers, which adds to the "Al Capone" vibe. Did you know - Al Capone survived 60 days living in a shipping container! I love how open and spaced the patio is definitely excellent for huge groups. It is definitely a plus that they are pet friendly. We ordered a pitcher of margaritas which was great for our huge group. We also got the loaded tots- they were perfectly crispy topped with cheese, scallions and bacon. We also ordered 1. Buffalo chicken Mac and cheese - with blue cheese crumbles and scallions 2. Crispy Buffalo chicken rolls- cheddar- jack cheese, pimento, corn relish and blue cheese dressing. All the portions were shareable and tasty. The drinks were strong and the menu is vast! This place is great for happy hour or to just hang out with friends. read more

Surprisingly spicy. The peppers on top packed some heat. Can't go wrong with crispy tator tots. Wished there was a bit more chicken. read more

Recess - Chicken & Waffle Fries - waffle fries were subbed with tator tots - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fun place to go with friends. Food is good, loved the crisp and crunch of the tater tots. And great service. We had a table of 9 people and the staff were on it and helpful. read more

Recess - Crispy Buffalo Chicken Rolls - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The vibes here are very nostalgic and fun, but wasn't very impressed with the food. Our server didn't really check up on our table. It wasn't really busy at the time either, so the service was kind of disappointing. If you decide to check this place out, I would suggest just coming here for drinks. read more

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

Had a great Sunday just hanging out and drinking in the outdoor section of recess. The vibe kind of reminds me of Wynwood in Miami if you've ever visited (which is kinda like an imitation of downtown Brooklyn). Music was great, drinks were refreshing and STRONG (had 2 aperol slushees and surprisingly felt pretty buzzed), and the service was very sweet and thoughtful. We had the green hummus plate (which I had very low expectations for) and were very pleased with, served with some crudités and lightly toasted flat bread. A fun and lively place to people watch, bob your head and relax while soaking in some sun. All in all a great summer spot. read more

Recess is a no go for me. While I adore the space (it really feels like you're at a playground!) and think it's cool how massive it is, the food and drinks went kerplunk for me. I've been here twice and the first time I had a cocktail and pizza and actually felt a little sick after from both. I came back a second time months later to give it another go and tried a cocktail (friendly filibuster maybe?) that tasted like a cup of sugar. It was awful. If I have to come back I'll stick with the house wine. For food we shared the fries and loaded tator tots and while the menu described the tots as containing cheddar cheese, it was basically the processed velveeta stuff. Glad to have checked it out but I won't be returning. read more

Still a 5 star establishment, but my review of the tots no longer applies as they have completely changed. Now you get regular tots with cheese sauce on them :( read more

Recess - Burrata - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Their fries + drink pitchers (I love the gin-based one-the Crony) are great. The patio is super fun for the summer months but the inside also has great seating. This spot is great for groups / friend gatherings. Super unique decor. I love their cocktails- Roykos Revenge + Mexican Fire Squad. read more

Recess - Mexican Fire Squad + Royko's Revenge - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here for a bottomless brunch with the girls. Patio is huge and food is great, especially after a few carafes of mimosas. Service was quick and mimosas kept coming! We will be coming back read more

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Yum! Came here for a bachelorette and ordered a selection of apps and a salad. The food was amazing! Definitely recommend the recess chopped salad, tater tots and chicken wings. We finished it all and it was sooo good! We came in a Thursday and loved the throwbacks. The only downfall was the slow service towards the end. It wasn't a very crowded night and towards the end we had to find our waiter to get another round of drinks and to get our checks read more

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Recess is a fun, casual bar with an outside space comprised of fun colors and containers and a more inside space with plenty of TVs and shade. We came on a Saturday early afternoon and were able to get seated in the inside space easily (would've been a bit of a wait to go outside). The fried chicken sandwich here is pretty decent - could have more of a crispy and the chicken was a tad dry, but there's enough sauce in the burger to help offset it. We also had the bottomless mimosas which can last you awhile. Since we were a party of four, they were bringing out two at a time, which was very thoughtful since it can be a decent wait to get another round as the bar was slammed. Appreciate the service and value of the mimosas! read more

Came to Recess to gather with some friends for some drinks and food on a random Thursday night. I made reservations about a week earlier for 6 however, as the day approached my party had some cancellations. Upon checking in at the desk, I explained two of my guests had cancelled the hostess told me since my reservation changed I would have to wait twenty minutes for a new table. I asked why we couldn't have our table we reserved since it was ready. She explained that because our table was for 6 and we no longer had a party of 6 they couldnt accommodate the party of 4 right away. While I understand wanting to accommodate for larger parties that may come later in the night, I also don't understand making a party who has reserved a table in advance wait especially for two people missing. When asking more about the policy the hostess said 'you shouldn't have told me and you could have been seated sooner' and then called the next customer in line. I didn't appreciate the initial service but luckily another hostess found a table for us to sit at with no wait. Okay so on to the rest of the experience because I truly did enjoy my time at Recess. It was a very trendy vibe, perfect for larger groups and tons of cool outdoor space. Perfect for the IG pics. Its very vibrant, colorful, fun and the music selection was the vibe. Our actual server was very friendly, attentive and balanced my group with other tables well! I loved the menu here! They had yummy food options, and an expansive drink menu. My table ordered loaded tots WHICH WERE BOMB!!! They were crispy packed with cheese, scallions, and bacon. They were perfect for sharing. I ordered the buffalo chicken egg rolls which were super tasty while drinking. My friend ordered the mac n cheese with chicken and hot cheeto crumbles on top. Super fun, trendy and actually tasty. My other friends ordered the sliders which they named were really good in flavor and filling. The drinks were great, and strong. We had a really fun time here I just wish the initial service wasn't so disappointing. I will be back to give another try and will update my review on the service when I do! read more

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Cool venue, I saw that they offered $25 bottomless mimosa's so I had to try it out. The mimosa's come premade in a glass cylinder, not sure if it's because they use sparkling wine and not champagne but it's not strong at all. I left the restaurant pretty sober after 3 cylinders shared with only one person. The food was decent, try the Buffalo chicken rolls - star of the show. I wanted to try the biscuits and gravy but they were all out so I have the breakfast burrito. The burrito is alright nothing to write home about. Must have a reservation with a $10 per person deposit. read more

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Dog friendly outdoor space. Delicious and creative cocktails. Several feature the options to add cbd if that's your thing. There's a small food selection as well and the loaded tater tots are great for sharing. I have been twice at the beginning of patio season this year and the service was good though a little slow so not the best place for a quick turn around but a fun place for sure. There are fire pits in the outdoor area as well if it cools off as the night goes on which is a great touch. Ideal spot for small to large groups, they have accommodated my group of 20 in the past with advance notice! Worth a visit for sure! read more

Reservations is a must here! There is a 2 hour limit on their busy days (beautiful sunny weekends). Even though it is a little farther away from the rest of Fulton Market/Randolph Street, it always seem to be packed so walk-ins might be near impossible on some days. I love how the outdoor patio incorporates old shipping containers, which makes the whole thing unique! There's so much space in the patio, which Recess does a nice job spacing each party out. The portions here were pretty generous. The burgers here are great (they switch it up weekly). I love how they recently partnered up with Bob's pizza! read more

Came here during the day with a couple of friend's on a Wednesday. Drinks were delicious & food was mediocre. We had chips, guacamole & salsa & some sort of BBQ pizza. Pizza was good & sliced really big, we just noticed it had something in it, that shouldn't have been on it. We did let our server know & they took the whole pizza off our bill. Service was good, but our server told us she was new. She did come & check on us often, but every question we asked her when it came to drinks or something on the menu, or even just seeing if we can be sat somewhere differently so we aren't directly in the sun, she wasn't sure about & kept having to ask someone. Would like to return for another experience. read more

Love the ambiance and the entire set up, however the hostess could've been better. The initial choice of seating we highly objected to. It was like she was trying to stash us away, even though upon our arrival the place was rather empty. The service and food was pretty good. The frozen drinks could've came in a larger vessel but they were tasty nonetheless. The guacamole could've use more kick as far as seasoning. But overall experience was good. Seems like a great place to entertain a lager party of people. I'll give it another try when I'm back out in Chicago, maybe I can give a higher rating, as for the first time there, I'll give 3/5. read more

Recess - Cilantro lime fries and sliders Aperol freeze Chips and guacamolewith salsa For starters... - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very cool spot especially if you have a group of friends and you want to be outside. Tons of drink options and a really cool delicious menu with something for everyone. Check it out! And that's all I have to say about that. Jackee read more

Recess - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Went here for brunch, and a good spot it is. Good relaxed vibes. Good service, good food... We sat outside as the weather was just perfect. There is street parking but tough to find and directly across the street is a parking lot. $14 for I think up to first 6 hours. read more

Recess - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Drinks were sooo good. Good food as well, definitely a bit more pricey but great ambiance and good service. read more

Recess - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very cool atmosphere. Great place for a group of friends. The menu is government themes essentially. Lots of fun cocktails and bites to eat. They offer brunch on Sunday's with $25 bottomless mimosa. read more

Recess - Philly Steak Taquitos & Crispy Buffalo Chicken Rolls - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here to celebrate a birthday. Honestly I wasn't expecting very much but I left extremely pleased. As someone with food restrictions , I really appreciated their attention to detail. Their customer service was beyond great. It made the whole experience very enjoyable. Good food and better service. Will be returning. read more

Walked in on derby day and they didn't have any outside tables available. I asked if we could put our name on a waitlist but she said they were reserved all night?? Seems odd if someone woulda left early. Hostess did mention their rooftop, but said no service up there, would have to order at the bar and take it up there - even food. Food - omg worst food I've ever tasted. Had the brisket cubano - looked delicious on the menu. Another member of our party ordered the same. When it came out, the mustard and mayo was slathered all over the outer bottom of the bun. Messy I can deal with to a degree. But the actual presentation and taste of the food was horrendous. Brisket taste more like last weeks roast beef - tough as cardboard. My buddy ate half of his, I ate 3 bites and tried the "brisket" by itself and couldn't even put it down. What's worse is we watched another table order it and the same face, nonstop chewing, terrible look of dissatisfaction was on his face. They didn't even ask us how our food was. Fast forward - service was not great, not horrible, but not good. And to finally give us the kick in the pants to gtfo, one of the managers walked by and told a friend of mine - who was visiting from outta town nonetheless - we need to leave. Totally unacceptable. On top of all that, within 3-5 min of derby start, they changed the only TVs with the derby preshow on to the START of the Sox game. On TVs that were already set to the derby!!! And the Sox game was already on other TVs!!! This is my 3rd or 4th time here - and while the ambience is a great setup the staff did enough to ensure I won't be back. Especially not for food. Should actually be one star. read more

Came to recess with my friends on a brisk, sunny day and we absolutely fell in love with the ambiance and beverages. I love the open-air concept and that the space is large enough for a group atmosphere that is COVID-friendly. Oh, and Recess is dog-o heaven so be sure to bring your furry friends! My friends and I stayed for a couple of hours, drinking multiple beers and a big punch bowl. I was also elated to hear that they had a vegan-friendly Bloody Mary, which was delicious!! Be warned, it's pretty filling! We had such a fun time at Recess - I will absolutely be back next time I'm in Chicago. Highly recommend for any big groups especially if you need some time to kill on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon or simply want to try a fun, hip brewery. read more

Recess - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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