exactly as I expected, gilt bar was phenomenal - the beef…read moretartare was the best I've ever had, it was so filled with flavor, every bite tasted like a beef salad. the egg was jammy and delicious adding a new layer of richness to the meal. the bread it came with was FRESH, hard crispy crust surrounding thick cuts of spongey bread - the truffle malfadine was perfectly cooked long chewy noodles with the perfect amount of a truffle pepper sauce over them. certain bites had full peppercorns, breaking through the slight creaminess. - I had high hopes for the burger and was picturing a bougie restaurant thick cut juicy burger. it was fascinating because it had the same juicy soft flavor, but it was more of a Smashburger style so you had a little bit of crisp on the outside and instead of a thick singular patty, it was two on top of each other. the fries were solid (not very salty which was divisive) but the aioli elevated the fries and burger to a new level, huge points - Guinness here is so cheap. my dirty martini was dirty as all hell and delicious. the service was so kind and attentive and brought out extra ice cream with hot fudge for my birthday. the carrot cake was incredibly moist and tasted like real carrots, nuts, and spices, not enough frosting for me tho hehe - this is literally such a stunning restaurant with a photo booth and a downstairs sultry bar, and an open standing space around the bar upstairs. I get why it is always booked. If I was to come back, I would do it all again except ...maybe instead of the burger... try something else hmm

Dinner at Gilt Bar felt like stepping into one of Gatsby's favorite haunts. The interior is…read morestunning , moody, golden, and effortlessly glamorous. The cocktails were beautifully crafted and worth the visit alone. The food was good, but not necessarily the star of the night. What really stood out was the atmosphere and the service, both absolutely incredible. One of those places you go for the vibe as much as the meal.

1 word. Phenomenal…read more Wow. I loved this place. Their fries are fantastic. They had a nice seasoning to them. The drink was great. Next time I need to try the sharable drinks.

amazing tiki themed bar located in an alley!! for big groups…read morei recommend reserving a table in advance because it gets super packed! our group of 5 people were seated promptly after ID check & checking in with the host. you get teleported to 2 flights down stairs into a cool, dimly lit tiki bar. FOOD: -firecracker popcorn chicken: great snack to munch on & it came with a sweet tangy sauce. -golden waffle fries: my favorite snack we got for the night to munch on - it came with 3 sauces & a bigger portion than expected!! this with the popcorn chicken was the perfect amount of food for our group of 5 for light snacking with our cocktails COCKTAILS: -mystic lamp: i got the mystic lamp & it was really tasty! despite being 2 skull signs on the menu (which indicates how strong the alcohol is) - i didn't feel like the liquor taste was strong at all. -black magic: this one was 2 skull signs for alcohol strength too & i tasted the liquor WAYY more than mystic lamp. -strawberry junglebird: interestingly enough, this was the least strong according to the menu but the rum taste definitely lingered after.

Let me start by saying that the views were 5 star and the place has a cool vibe - although the…read morehouse music they were playing was a bit loud for the small number of people eating when I was up there. That said, this place just completely disappointed. The food was just not good. I had the burger sliders and for $9 a piece you expect them to be something special. They were not. Overcooked with a little sauce and two pickles slapped on the bun with a tiny little dab of fake cheese - it was like a bad and way more expensive version of McDonald's. The onion rings were the frozen crumbly kind not the fresh beer battered kind and so that's a big "no!" for me. The dipping sauce was okay. Service was friendly and I think the guy was new but it wasn't good enough for a place like that at the top of the building. There were two servers so I'm guessing one was training maybe. They didn't make it to my table to check to see if everything was okay while I was eating and it even took them a while to notice that I was done eating. It's was slow so I don't think they were stressing with too many tables. That kind of place should knock your socks off - but it was on the low end of mediocre. I wouldn't go there again for food. Maybe it's a decent place to go to the bar but since I don't drink I can't help much on that end.

Great food, drinks, and view. We came on a Sunday and ordered some drinks to start, as well as…read moreBrussels sprouts. There were a small portion but delicious. Not too crispy but still tasty. We also shared the half chicken and Ceasar salad with shrimp. There were only 3 pieces of shrimp for the extra money we spent; but otherwise the food was delicious. Definitely on the pricier side because of the rooftop and area.

Moneygun was a great experience. No cover, great music (I think it was mostly EDM), might be a…read morelittle loud for some people, but I really enjoyed it; place had a great vibe. Lots of people (Sat night starting @ 10p), seats a little hard to come by. Drinks were very good, strong but not nuts. Prices were average for Chicago. Bartenders were very cool. The main guy stayed in the center of the bar all night and he had a great attitude; smiled all the time and was cool all night! Would go back any night and recommend to all looking for a fantastic bar.

I've been to MoneyGun twice now, and I keep going back for one reason...the buffalo taquitos. My…read moregoodness...they are so delicious. You only get two per order, but they're so good you won't mind ordering another round. They do have other flavors, but at this point, the buffalo ones are a must every time. The drinks are also really good and a little different from most places. They put thought into their cocktails, sometimes using things like pure cane sugar and unique combinations that still taste great. Definitely recommend Brandon as a bartender...he did his thing. The vibe is dark and moody, which I love, and they even ring a little bell at the bar. Right next door is Sunnygun, their brighter, brunch style spot, which makes for a cool night to day contrast, even though I haven't tried it yet. I've always sat at the bar, and service has been great. MoneyGun has become one of our go to bars, and we'll definitely be back.

I stopped by Lazy Bird on a Wednesday night after dinner, and it ended up being such a great…read morechoice. We made a reservation ahead of time, which I'd definitely recommend, but it wasn't overly packed and we were seated without any issues. The vibe in there is top tier. Dim lighting, live music energy, and just the right mix of chill and upscale. It's the kind of place where you can actually enjoy the atmosphere without feeling rushed. This was my second time here and I remember it being just as good back in 2022. The drinks were immaculate. I had two mocktails that were both well-balanced (not overly sweet, which I appreciate), and he ordered an old fashioned. You can tell they take their bar program seriously and can go beyond a gin & tonic. Overall, it was a really good time. It can give you a great midweek outing or a laid-back night with a little something.

Very cool cocktail spot in the basement of the Hoxton. Great vibes and service!!…read more They have a large cocktail menu with lots of classic drinks and also a fun rotating menu. It was zodiac themed while we were there. I didn't order a special drink though-- just a dirty martini. It was great and they have delicious blue cheese olives.

The Chicago food tour commences... First stop, drinks at Bisous! This cocktail bar was listed no…read more 39 on the top 50 bars in North America for 2025. It was no wonder when we arrived that there was a line out the door. We waited around 45 minutes, and the bouncer was a really nice fellow who kept track of the numbers and people at the door. Upon entering, we were immersed in a dimly lit retro-style lounge. It was quite loud inside and packed as we walked to our seats. The server was great at taking our orders and offering suggestions. I opted for the French 75, which featured sparkling wine and mixed gin, brandies, and citrus. The drink was delicious, but STRONG. I don't know what they put in the cocktails in America, but I am always finished after one drink. Needless to say, we were all struggling to finish our own drinks. My favourite touch was the coasters, I ended up keeping all of them so that I can reuse them at my galentines event next year. The 'bisous' with the kiss on the other side is a perfect touch! I think the drinks are fairly priced for USD. I would love to return someday to try other drinks and bar bites, and also try their sister bar, Sparrow.

My boyfriend and I were visiting Chicago (from Las Vegas) 2 weeks ago, and were very excited to…read morecheck out Bisous, as it looked nice inside and had good reviews. Imagine my shock when we didn't even make it past the bouncer because he was so rude, AS OTHER RECENT REVIEWS HAVE MENTIONED AS WELL! We had dinner nearby and walked to Bisous after, and saw there was a line of 5 or 6 people outside. We expected this as we knew Bisous is a first come, first serve bar. We were curious what the wait time would look like, so we approached the front door to ask a host or employee inside (we assumed there'd be a desk with an employee working it who could give us a wait time). We had no problem waiting, just wanted to see how long they estimated it would be! Before we could even fully open the door, the bouncer swung the door open from the other side and hit me with the door. I stumbled back a few steps and he looked at us and said, and I quote, "What do you want?". I laughed at first because I thought he was joking and putting on a tough guy act. He was not. We quickly explained we just wanted to see what the wait time was, and he said "don't you see there's a line outside?" We said yes, and explained we just wanted to know a rough estimated wait time. He just blankly stared at us while ushering us out. Both my boyfriend and I have worked in customer-service roles for a very, very long time. This encounter was not only extremely rude and unprofessional, but he also hit me hard enough with the door to send me stumbling back, and then said nothing about it and continued to address us in a tone that was nothing less than annoyed and irritated. We didn't end up going inside because that encounter left such a bad taste in our mouths. I don't believe in spending my money at establishments that don't treat their customers with the bare minimum respect they deserve! Bummed we didn't get to experience it, as I'm sure it was lovely inside and I can only hope the rest of the employees were much more kind and accommodating, or at least able to answer a simple question. Fire your "bouncer" (??) and hire someone with some basic customer service and communication skills!!

I added a photo and was surprised to see I've never reviewed this popular cocktail spot. I've been…read morea handful of times over the years, as it's a solid standby in River North. Tucked away in the Acme hotel, the vibe is loungey with plenty of different types of seating. We came around midnight on a Friday and it was packed but we managed to find a cozy corner. For drinks, I've always enjoyed their "Dealer's Choice", which is a fun novelty. However, on my latest visit I decided to try the Frijolito ($18), which was basically a spin on an espresso martini but with mezcal. Wow! Perfectly balanced, unique, and delicious. For food, they offer some "bites" but I've not tried them. Our server was fine, nothing special. I can't remember ever having bad service here.

The Berkshire room is the Acme hotel's speak easy, but man, the drinks were rough! My Hermosa was…read morehonestly one of the worst drinks I've ever had! It tasted like a 5 year old got into their parents' liquor cabinet and just randomly poured whatever cheap liquor was in there, and mixed it with water! The ambiance was nice. Lightly lit, and easy on the eyes, but our server was inattentive and unfriendly, which made the drink that much more unappealing! Hopefully you have better luck than me here!

The Pearl Club is one of the coolest, swankiest locations in the city! I had a milestone birthday…read moreparty there last week and everything was perfect! The food was top notch, the drinks were mixology level, the staff (including my event planner - Taylor) were all awesome. I'm a forever customer.

Visited this bar as part of a stop on a St Patrick's Day trolley bar crawl last weekend. We spent…read moreabout an hour there, and several things raised concerns. 1. My sister missed a step on their staircase because the bar is very dimly lit. The manager witnessed this misstep and immediately asked her to leave, claiming she was "over served." She had yet to purchase a drink at this bar because she spent the first 30+ minutes waiting in line for the women's restroom. 2. The women's restroom line was extremely long, and several women were aggressively using the men's restroom instead. One of my guy friends was in a stall and had women banging on the door and yelling that he was taking too long. 3. I saw a woman walk in with a full backpack hidden under her coat. When security asked what was in it, she said "chips," and they allowed her in without inspecting the bag. That felt concerning from a safety standpoint. 4. The manager, Calvin, was very dismissive and cold when I tried to have a conversation with him about the events surrounding my sister's dismissal. He continued to insist she was over served and suggested she wait outside in the "nice weather." It was 30° and snowing. Figuring this conversation was going no where, I began chatting with one of the hostesses. I was asking for her recommendations where my group should go next in the area. During this convo I used an adjective that rhymes with duck and the manager, who was listening in, told me I had to leave because he claimed I was "swearing at his staff." No one was swearing at anybody? 5. Added this one last minute, after reading the owner's response to a previous review from another member of my group. I question the validity of his reply to save face. I personally went down to the women's restroom moments before I left, and waited in line with two female staff members who did not mention any closure. Additionally, we were told that The Pearl Club was closed to the public and reserved exclusively for our event. We were on one of the morning trolleys and there were two afternoon trolleys that were scheduled for 4pm and 6pm. Why would the bathrooms be closed to prepare for the public around 3/30pm when there was still multiple trolleys scheduled for the afternoon? It's unfortunate because the space itself is cute and intimate, and the hostesses and wait staff we interacted with were kind. However, the management response and overall experience make it unlikely I would return. I understand bars get busy during St. Patrick's Day weekend, but basic safety, communication, and professionalism should still apply.

An extraordinary cocktail experience that's absolutely worth it for a fun date night or a group…read moreouting. The bird-themed cocktail menu brings both creativity and drama, with presentations that feel almost theatrical. What really elevates the experience is how the hosts narrate the inspiration behind each drink, making it feel more like a storytelling session than just a night out. The mixologists deserve serious credit for their thoughtful experimentation with global flavors--balancing complementary and contrasting notes, surprising textures, and sensory touches that feel nostalgic and adventurous at the same time. The food holds its own too. Don't miss the giant onion ring or the Chip n Dip--both are as fun as they are delicious. Yes, it's on the pricier side, but the cocktail tasting experience makes it worthwhile. A perfect late-night spot for great conversations and drinks that ooze personality.

I'll start by saying I've been a huge fan of The Aviary for years. In the early days of the…read morepandemic, I got all their cocktail books, and my friends and I bought some of the equipment (vacpot, porthole) and started making Aviary drinks. So when I went to Chicago to visit friends recently, this was my first reservation. We were kindly greeted and seated toward the rear of the dining room. Collectively, we ordered more than half the beverages on the menu. I won't go into tons of detail on them, since some drinks are seasonal, but I will say that it was a blast experiencing craft cocktails and mocktails at their finest. I love the menu concept of the birds that fly farther along the page to indicate how alcohol-forward the drink is. That's a really fun idea! One friend ordered both the spirited and the non-alcoholic Porthole to compare the flavors. And we all liked the N/A version better! Our server kindly came over and mentioned that he heard I was inspired by The Aviary and they took us on a private tour with the bar team and then down to the ice making room, which I LOVED because I was obsessed with the intricate ice making process from the original cocktail books. What a fantastic experience, and the tour put a cherry on top. Long live The Aviary!

We were nearby and decided to walk down for drinks. Being that it was later, we appreciated the…read moreatmosphere being relaxed and a spot we could pop into without a reservation that had a bit of everything to do, had we wanted to. They were offering a few specialty cocktails, but even the drinks we got that were standard (i.e. old fashioned,etc) were done well, especially for the price. The bartenders were pleasant and the vibe was relaxed. Would go again.

The Moxy brand is geared to young people who want a cool work vibe. It's a chain that focuses on…read moreminimalist amenities at a more affordable price in central locations. This hotel was located within the loop near the river, shops, bars and restaurants. The hotel rooms are basic and small. We were fortunate to get an upgraded room with two queen beds and an amazing view out the window of the city. The window was large and clean. The beds were comfy with ample pillows. Four pillows were provided. The hotel set up is a bit awkward. Room is best for one person as lacks storage for large luggage. Plus there is not a defined bathroom. The shower is within the bedroom. Fortunately the shower was frosted but you walk right into the bedroom so you must be comfortable with those you stay with. Plus the room does really have a deck and chair to work. The desk is a fold down from the wall. The chair for the deck is located on the wall and not really suitable for long term working on sitting as does not have a back to it. The best thing above this hotel are the staff. The front desk staff are super friendly and accommodating and aim to please. The bartender was super friendly and attentive as well. Lastly parking is not available right at the hotel. You have to walk two blocks. Plus parking cost 59 dollars and that's the discounted rate. Also not really a suitable place to drop luggage off. If you pull up to the front door, you are blocking traffic. Base on price of 400 dollars the night we stayed, I would say it's not worth the stay. Maybe it's worth 200 or less for Chicago.