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    Shanghai Terrace

    4.2 (435 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Shanghai Terrace Photos

    Business Info

    SHANGHAI TERRACE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Upscale
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Shanghai Terrace

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    Alex L.

    Shanghai Terrace has become our go-to restaurant in the summer. We always enjoy its delectable food, pleasant ambience, and delightful service. We love to dine in the gorgeous terrace, which is beautifully decorated. They have heaters when the weather is cool, and provide nice red shawl for ladies upon request. There was once we had to dine in their indoor dining room because of the rain. It was equally pleasant as the room is tastefully decorated as a Shanghai tea house in the 1920s. We are always very happy to have Ju, a lovely server who is always so nice, pleasant, attentive, and professional, offering us friendly and impeccable service. Actually, all the staff that we have encountered are very courteous and professional. Yushi used to be the friendly manger of Shanghai Terrace. Now he has transferred to The Lobby, and only helps out when Shanghai Terrace is too busy. The new manager Lynn is very friendly too. Now onto the food. The Peking Duck with a nice crispy skin is a must have. Chilean Sea Bass with traditional Szechwan Sauce is also a favorite dish of ours. The fish is always fresh and cooked to perfection, the skin has a nice crunch, and the sauce is delicious. Chinese Style Beef Tenderloin is very tender and delicious. Their dim sum is very good too. In recent years, our daughter always celebrate her birthday at Shanghai Terrace. They always give delicious birthday dessert treat to the birthday girl. They even give my wife and me complimentary desserts. The most recent time, we got an order of Mango Pudding, and Almond Cranberry Desserts which were excellent.

    Lychee martini
    Cassie C.

    My boss and his significant other were staying here so we tagged along and enjoyed a tasty meal with them one evening! We tried every dessert on the menu and while I can't remember the name of any of them - they were all delicious haha - you really can't go wrong if you choose something that your palate will enjoy. I will say the cookie platter was fun and I liked the coffee tasting one the best. There's also another dessert with some sort of strawberry gelatin that I loved. One of my coworkers and I split the Shanghai Terrace Three Treasures Fried Rice along with the Spicy Crispy Beef and omg YUM, I highly recommend. I also enjoyed the lychee martini I had. Great ambiance, amazing service and food - if you're in the mood for some quality and delicious Chinese food, I'd definitely recommend trying them out.

    Wok Fried Scallop in Black Truffle Sauce
    Matthew B.

    After a visit to the spa at the Peninsula Hotel, I booked dinner at Shanghai Terrace. The food was so good, a nice fusion of styles. The scallops were cooked so perfectly, I know I will think about that entree for a while. The service was also top notch.

    Chilean sea bass not hot at all.
    Michele R.

    fabulous staff. Ambiance beautiful. Food not hot came out like warm from dumplings to main course. Sauce got congealed! No white rice comes with . Never again!

    Spring rolls
    Shruti J.

    Really enjoyed dining here - I was in Chicago for a work trip and decided to dine here since I wanted a warm comforting meal. Dumplings are my comfort food and the dumplings here did not disappoint! Service is quick and my server was so sweet. She had some great recommendations. Their ambiance is quite intriguing with a lot of antiques as carved walls. On the pricier side but recommend!

    Birthday chocolate cake
    Gina L.

    Had a 7:30pm dinner reservation for 2 on a Thursday evening. A bit of a journey to find the restaurant, but we love an impromptu scavenger hunt. We saw many fellow Asian diners, so it has the seal of approval! Our waiter was very friendly and outgoing, as he gave us suggestions and dish descriptions. There was another lady who helped us out, very attentive and friendly. A couple times they stopped by to ask the same questions take orders, which is fine considering the alternative is under-attentiveness. Drinks: Started with a couple drinks ($24 each): Lost in Shanghai (vodka, lychee, grapefruit, Cassis drop) and Hello Sunshine (vodka, passionfruit, basil, lime) - liked the latter better. Meal: Ordered the $88pp duck experience 3-course prix fixe, as well as the stir-fried veggies. Prix fixe included: 1) duck spring roll + duck foie gras dumpling - both tasty, but the dumpling was amazing. Foie gras in a dumpling is seriously a crime because it's so good. 2) half portion of duck - was sliced in "more skin" vs "less skin" manner. Not exactly like Beijing/Peking duck where the skin and meat a separated. However, duck itself was good, quite lean, but flavorful. 3) duck fried rice - generous portions of fried rice. We ended up taking most of this home, but ample sprinkling of duck. Desserts: Rotating assortment of desserts (always with an Asian theme). We ordered the: Strawberry pudding (??) - forgot the actual name, but was a delicate strawberry putting atop a pastry crust. Mango coconut pudding - very tasty, a chilled pudding that soon liquifies as it comes to room temp. Fantastic mango flavor. Chocolate cake - complimentary as we were celebrating a birthday. Came with a cute chocolate plaque with "生日快乐" and a candle. Enjoyed the other desserts more, but a nice touch. Finished with a couple pours of dessert wine. $300 pre-tip, but left with plenty of leftovers. Wish the duck had separate skin/meat, but overall, top-notch and upscale atmosphere for Chinese food.

    Half portion Traditional Peking Duck
    Sherard C.

    If you are looking for upscale Chinese dining that'll impress your out of town guests in Chicago, this is the spot for you. Tucked inside the Peninsula just inside Michigan Ave, Shanghai Terrace boasts a menu that is inclusive of a lot of Chinese banquet style classics. The Peking roast duck is the stand out dish for me here. It is done well with authenticity and taste similar to what you'd get in China. Is it pricey for what it is? Absolutely. But if you go in with expectations of paying 5 star hotel prices at a 5 star hotel restaurant with 5 star service, you won't be disappointed.

    Adrienne O.

    We usually get our Dim Sum in San Fran, NYC or Los Angeles, but we had to try out a few places in Chicago. Shanghai Terrace was recommended so we gave it a shot. The ambiance was lovely, great views of the surrounding buildings, nice breeze and patio set up. All in all it was super solid though the selection was limited, we enjoyed what we did get. Steamed Pork Dumpling Shanghai Style, Lobster And Chicken Dumpling With Black Truffle, Spicy Beef Pot Sticker, Crab Siewmai With Fish Roe, & SteameVegetable Dumplingd Pork Dumpling Shanghai Style. All were very tasty and enjoyable. The one disappointing meal was the Wok Fried Scallop In Black Truffle Sauce-such delicious flavors with the most bland, oddly chewy (we are die hard Scallops lovers) and overall tasteless scallops. The drinks were solid and the service was good.

    Nerissa L.

    I love love love this place! The service is top tier and the menu is amazing. Located inside the Peninsula hotel, this is a beautiful restaurant for lunch or dinner. The outside seating is gorgeous and you feel like you are out of town. The inside is also very beautiful. I love the potstickers and the fried rice. They also have amazing mocktails! One of my favorites is the virgin ning sling!!

    menu
    Clarissa H.

    Shanghai terrace is an upscale restaurant in the Pennisula hotel. It was too cold to sit on their patio, but it looks like it would be really pretty in the summer. The waiter was extremely attentive and even helped make sugggestions from the menu, since I was eating vegetarian and my friend was not, but we still wanted to share some dishes. I was really happy to see they had a lot of vegetarian options on the menu! My favorite thing we ordered was the crispy tofu with salt and pepper. They fried soft tofu, so the outside was light and crispy and the inside melted in your mouth. The dish was filled with chili, garlic, and puffed rice which I could have eaten an entire bowl of. I think this fried tofu dish is a contender for the best fried tofu in the city. We also ordered crab rangoons, the braised eggplant, the scallops, and a side of rice. I loved how tender the braised eggplant was! This is a great spot if you're looking for an upscale dinner. I want to come back in the summer to eat on their patio!

    Alexis C.

    One of favorite spots in Chicago, cannot go wrong with food or the services. Unlike the terrible experience with their sister restaurant previously, would definitely recommend Shanghai Terrace! But feels like they should do some upgrades in their interior! (Just my personal opinion) So I was glad that we got sat in the lobby. Scallop dish was super! And dim sum is one of the best I have ever had!

    Nice setting
    Kitty L.

    This review is way over-due, I have been very busy lately, but writing a good review feels like an obligation to me. We celebrated our adult daughter's birthday for the third time at the Shanghai Terrace, it has been going so well that it has become a tradition! It was amazing that the manager Yushi and the staff took notice and remembered as well! They had said "Happy Birthday" to Daughter many times! The hospitality and impeccable service were just second to none! We love their beautiful outdoor dining area; however, it was a rainy night and we had to dine in their indoor restaurant instead. The interior was elegant and beautiful. Our table at the end of the semi-private room had added privacy. The room can be closed off as a private party room if needed. My only complaint was the straight wooden back of the chairs were not very comfortable. A thin cushion probably would be helpful. This time we still ordered our favorite dishes, namely Crab Siewmai with Fish Roe, Lobster and Chicken Dumpling with Black Truffle, Shrimp Spring Roll for dim sum appetizers, and half order of Peking Duck, Chilean Sea Bass in Traditional Szechwan Sauce, Kung Pao Chicken, Seafood Fried Rice in Abalone Sauce, and Shanghai Fried Noodle. Hubby and Daughter had ordered two glasses of Hubert Brochard white wine, while I ordered the non-alcoholic "Fre" white wine. Like last year, we did not order desserts as we had a birthday cake at home from our favorite bakery. Paula, our pleasant and friendly server, brought out a complimentary piece of birthday cake with a lit candle and chocolate plaque with the words "Happy Birthday" to our daughter. She also let each of the three of us order a dessert from their dessert menu on the house (all desserts were $15 each)! She recommended the Peninsula Mango Pudding and the Strawberry Passion Cake. Hubby and I got the mango pudding and Daughter go the strawberry passion cake. All the desserts were excellent, it was very generous of the restaurant to comp them! We had ordered a box of the Mini Egg Custard Mooncakes ($118 plus tax) to be picked up at the Shanghai Terrace. I emailed their manager Yushi about the pickup a week prior, he had such great memory and courtesy, and personally delivered the box of mooncakes to our table when we were finishing eating. We were happy that he had some time to chat with us. It turned out that Yushi came directly from the Peninsula Tokyo! He was very nice and friendly and we enjoyed talking with him. When we went downstairs to pick up our car from valet parking, since it was during the week of the national convention and many streets were closed, they had a female staff walking us to a garage close by. She went to pick up our car in the garage while we waited in the sidewalk. Like always, all levels of the Peninsula staff were very nice and polite. Each visit of the Shanghai Terrace was very enjoyable. Like I have said in my previous reviews, if Shanghai Terrace was located in the Northern suburbs, we would patronize very often for sure! (Just a note about the Peninsula mini mooncakes: they are excellent after reheating with the microwave for about 15 seconds!)

    Mina H.

    Peninsula fan all the way... this restaurant really embodies the quality of these hotels. Big Pfan and why we went for a birthday lunch. Service was top-notch and they were always on top of making sure the table was cleared and ready for the next course... the ambiance is lovely and serene, so nice of a garden vibe being up in the middle of the Mag Mile. Food, for the most part, was okay, but nothing you can't get in Chinatown for 1/3 the price... Some dim sum and wontons, corn crab chowder, beef noodles, prawns, and sea bass (only exceptional entree), and 6 drinks were enough to make us hit 400ish with tax and tip for 3 people. Nice place, recommend parking at the NW lot, and walking over to Water Tower for shopping and playing tourists. Nice day to be in the city.

    dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim dim

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    4 months ago

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    7 months ago

    Best Chinese food, I expensive but well worth it. Service is outstanding. Ambiance is very nice. Will be going back.

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    Page 1 of 11

    Ask the Community - Shanghai Terrace

    Can we visit with babies (less than 1 year old)?

    There was someone near us w a baby and it didn't appear to be an issue--so I would say yes.

    Is this all can eat dimsum?

    It's not a buffet. They have different dim sum platters you can order. I like the XLB and pork buns.

    Does Shanghai Terrace serve Dim Sum breakfast or lunch on the weekend?

    Never breakfast... they do lunch and dinner

    Can I make a reservation?

    yes

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    My husband and I came here for our 26 year anniversary. It was my first time in Chicago. A local…read morefriend of ours recommended NoMi. It was a great recommendation. We were so happy with everything! Our server was wonderful! The entire staff was so friendly and on top of their game! We never waited for anything. They were immediately refilling our waters, offering more bread, removing dirty plates, replacing silverware, and offering the next course. It was perfect! The views!!! I think there's not a table in NoMi that doesn't have an amazing view. The main, large window faces the lake (East). Arriving just at 7, you get the full affect of the city, and lake, and then the sunset and lights of the buildings. It was absolutely magical. I couldn't get enough of it. The inside of the restaurant is beautiful and clean, but honestly it could have been a pit and I wouldn't have noticed. You'll be focused on the views for the entire evening. The food!!! Everything is very fresh. It's all well-prepared. Everything was delicious. There's a good variety of dishes to choose from. Plenty of healthy, low-carb options. We each ordered our own appetizers. I had the crispy Maitake mushrooms and my husband had the mussels. We both loved our food and left nothing on our plates. Excellent choices, that we highly recommend. As our main course we shared the sushi platter. The seafood was fresh and the sushi didn't have too much rice. It was the perfect amount of food with our appetizers. They have an extensive wine and drink menu. For drinks I had a glass of the Sauvignon blanc and my husband had a red blend. For dessert we weren't really hungry enough to eat anything else but my husband wanted a pallet cleanser. They have a few sorbets. My husband settled on the cherry cola sorbet. They brought it out with a little chocolate that said "Happy Anniversary" in French. They did not add it to our bill. Very sweet of them. It was probably one of the best anniversaries we've ever had. The bill was about $230 before tip. We highly recommend coming here for any special occasion.

    My husband and I popped in here to escape the cold and found that NoMI was doing a hot coco…read moreexperience! It was SO awesome! We were able to choose between an alcoholic or non hot coco and load it up so many different toppings. It warmed us up and was decorated so beautiful! My husband then snagged a lobster roll which was so good. We are so excited we found this lounge and will be back!

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    View from our table

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    Crispy Maitake mushrooms

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    101 Sky Terrace - French 75 and Gin

    101 Sky Terrace

    4.0(17 reviews)
    0.1 miNear North Side

    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.

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    101 Sky Terrace
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    Seasons Bar

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    4.2(5 reviews)
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    Adjacent to the Four Seasons' Adorn Restaurant, the Social Lounge is an excellent stop on which to…read moreget one's day drink on and feel classy while doing so. The lounge features not only an eye-popping crystal chandelier but also a tea service in the afternoon and luxe bites and crafted cocktails. I convened with my drinking companion during a break in his conference presentations. Since his conference hotel did not have a bar or restaurant on premises, I decided nipping into the nearby Four Seasons would be a good call. The bar area was convivial and welcoming even to non-hotel guests. I was feeling festive so ordered a glass of Prosecco. My drinking companion ordered a rye-based cocktail. The ice in the craft cocktail was an eye-catching sphere. I was transfixed as this was my first time seeing this outside of an LG refrigerator commercial. We had fun sipping our drinks and catching up. I missed the little bowls of snacks but probably that is a concession to covid and all the uncertainty of untended nibbles. Already planning my next visit back here after a play I am scheduled to attend in this area.

    Potentially country club/gentleman's cigar haven stuffy but a fantastic bartender made it…read morecomfortable and enjoyable. Cost to worth it ratio: 3 (pricier but expect that at the Four Seasons) Highlights: - Paul: our bartender. Irish, chatty, and cool. Excellent service and made it fun to hang out in the near empty lounge area. - Atmosphere: large area with big chairs and a piano player. We ended up there cause it was cold outside and close to where we were, but was one of our favorite evenings out. - Drink menu: not just your average martinis. Had drinks like the auditini with elderflower liquor in it. Good and not too sweet. - Snacks: they give you nuts and a rice cracker wasabi peas mix. Lowlights: - Closes at 1: earlier than most and deserted come midnight at that. I'd stop by here again for a mellow few drinks... and to say hi to mr. bartender. :-)

    Ila's - Happy Hour bites at the bar

    Ila's

    4.9(60 reviews)
    0.5 miNear North Side

    Our family ate dinner here in April and were very impressed with the quality of the food and the…read moreservice. We had the empanadas to start and then the short ribs, a burger, halibut, and lamb birria pierogies. Everything was delicious, beautifully spiced and elegantly presented. Honestly, the ambiance was a bit loud for us, but our server was extremely helpful and moved us away from a table with one incredibly boisterous fellow. They did so discreetly and quickly and our experience was much improved as a result. The restaurant itself is lovely, with beautiful decor and lighting.

    Very cute interior, great service, lively atmosphere, definitely hit the mark on elevated casual…read more We were able to get dinner reservations on the day of. For parking you definitely should use Spothero or ParkWhiz, as it's in a very busy/lively part of River North. We loved meeting the owner who was chatting with and checking on guests in the dining room. The menu was really creative and sounded amazing, totally up my alley, so was super excited to try Ila's out for the first time. Unfortunately, and it pains me to say this, but the food itself was a miss for me, and the prices felt steep for the portions. We ordered the empanada duo, grilled scallops, birria lamb pierogis, and sweet corn agnolotti, then the Japanese cheesecake and drip coffee. The positives were that everything tasted fresh, and the flavors of the dishes were good ~ especially the empanadas, scallops, and agnolotti. The main issue was the texture of some of the foods. Other than the empanada (which had a great texture and flavor), the agnolotti and pierogi dough were not right ~ thick, rubbery, and dry, which was exacerbated by not having enough consommé for the pierogis. And the coffee - it honestly tasted like Folgers (though I'll give them the benefit of the doubt) - which took me aback as it was a $7 drip coffee. I'm not discounting Ila's and I truly wish them success. But I think there's some work to be done in terms of execution.

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    Ila's - Nico collin's & hugo spritz

    Nico collin's & hugo spritz

    Ila's - Assorted Savory Kabobs: Paneer, Chicken & Leek, Pork Belly

    Assorted Savory Kabobs: Paneer, Chicken & Leek, Pork Belly

    Ila's - Happy hour $10 sparking rose. fantastic!

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    Happy hour $10 sparking rose. fantastic!

    Shanghai Terrace - chinese - Updated May 2026

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