I have not stayed here in 18 years when the room rates were the highest in the city at $500 a night. Now?! It is a month's mortgage payment for one night. It's a fine hotel, the food is exceptional and the service is impeccable. Is the juice worth the squeeze? I guess if you are the last of the uber wealthy in our fair Gotham, if Wayne's friends are your friends, then you are part of the current dystopian elite. Drink up, the circle turns. read more

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Came by for breakfast the other day and it was a world class experience. The Lobby is located on the lobby level of The Peninsula hotel and features super high ceilings along with beautiful views of the Magnificent Mile area. Checked-in with the host where the host asked for a room number, phone number, and then addressed me by name. It was amazing to see the waiter also address me by name with every interaction, something very Singapore Airlines Business class experience-like. Started off with a latte and it was decent. Opted for the lobster eggs benedict with caviar, black truffle, served over a croissant. This was surprisingly a tasty breakfast. The eggs were poached to a perfect medium, the croissant was served warm and crispy, the hollandaise sauce wasn't too overpowering and the black truffles were fragrant. The fried potatoes were decent, although a touch overcooked. Service was world class from welcome all the way to departure. ~$75/head after tax and gratuity for breakfast read more

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Christmas Eve breakfast at The Lobby has become one of my favorite traditions with my in-laws. We usually return to the same large table, which comfortably accommodates our growing family and several small children. The staff is consistently gracious, polished, and remarkably patient with the kids. I usually order the delicious huevos rancheros, while the pancakes and Bloody Mary are also family favorites. Entering through the hallway, with greenery and white lights covering the ceiling, immediately creates a feeling of elegance and warmth. The Lobby itself has soaring ceilings and enormous windows, which keep the room bright, fresh, and energetic even in the middle of winter. A miniature gingerbread house filled with candy reliably delights the children, and each year the restaurant seems to gather more momentum. Having a Hong Kong brand this sought after put down roots in the city where I grew up feels like a genuine gift. Nearly two decades ago, long before these Christmas Eve breakfasts began, I visited the hotel's bar with colleagues and remember being struck by how chic and sophisticated it felt. I have not returned to the bar since, and it now appears to be closed, so that impression belongs entirely to an earlier period, but the hotel itself has aged incredibly well. Its common spaces still feel like a glimpse into the future, evoking the steel, glass, ambition, and commercial energy I associate with Hong Kong's remarkable rise as a global center of commerce. Although I have never stayed overnight, the service, dining, and design reflect the standards of one of hospitality's preeminent brands, with roots extending back to the 19th century and, from my perspective, a standing as the benchmark among Asian hotel operators. Highly recommended. read more

This was the third year that we went to The Lobby on the fifth level of The Peninsula Chicago to have our Christmas Eve dinner. What attracted us were their festive ambiance, impeccable service, and a luxurious scrumptious meal. The decoration of The Peninsula Hotel was absolutely stunning and festive inside and out this time of the year. We were greeted with larger-than-life Christmas bears at the hotel storefront, life-size nutcrackers at the valet counter area, and then holiday décor decked the hallway all the way to the restaurant, with a magnificent and beautiful Christmas tree as the centerpiece, filling the space with warmth and Christmas cheer. I also love the trio jazz band that played holiday tunes throughout our dinner. It's truly festive and delightful! Service at The Lobby has always been impeccable and professional. This year we requested to be served by our favorite server, Ju, and it made the experience even more special. Ju was the perfect mix of friendly and professional, sweet, genuinely warm, and attentive, like a good friend who still delivers excellent service. The pre-paid prix fixe 5-course dinner with a dessert buffet at The Lobby has always been very satisfying and enjoyable. This year, the menu included Winter Truffle Tart, Smoked Hamachi Crudo, Roasted Chestnut Velouté, King Crab Risotto, Lobster Wellington or Beef Rossini, and of course the dessert buffet. Everything was cooked to perfection with lovely presentation. It's just scrumptious! Our dinner at The Lobby was just perfect on every level! Now as we have established a family holiday tradition, I am sure we will be going to The Lobby again when Christmas 2026 comes! read more

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Our family have surely started a Christmas tradition, for three years in a row, we went to the Christmas Eve dinner at the Lobby restaurant of the Peninsula Hotel in Chicago.  Each time we had a wonderful celebration and a memorable dining experience! The Peninsula and the Lobby always do a superb job decorating the entire place into a  charming festive venue.  Please refer to my previous review for all the details.  There was a jazz trio band playing mesmerizing music all night that put people in such a festive happy mood! Although we still like the menu of our first dinner in 2023 the best, each of their Christmas Eve dinner menu remains attractive. A pre-paid prix fixe 5-course dinner with a dessert buffet has increased to $300 per adult this year, plus $95 optional additional wine pairings. Any additional drinks, tax, and gratuity were extra.  It's worth the cost in my opinion.  The menu of 2025 included: Amuse - Winter Truffle Tart First Course - Smoked Hamachi Crudo Second Course - Roasted Chestnut Velouté Third Course - King Crab Risotto Entrée - Lobster Wellington (leek emulsion, asparagus, miso clam velouté, dill oil) Or Beef Rossini (filet mignon, seared foie gras, potato pave, madeira sauce) Dessert Buffet Every dish was cooked to perfection; they were tasty but not too salty.  All three of us opted for the Lobster Wellington for entrée, and it was a terrific choice!  Every ingredient was very fresh and delicious.  If it is on the future menu, I will definitely order it again.  I had to save room for desserts and could not finish the entrée and the King Crab Risotto (which did not look too appealing, but was very tasty and filling), so I took the leftovers home.  They still tasted great microwaved the next day, and the lobster still maintained the nice texture and freshness! Everything in the Dessert Buffet looked enticing.  I picked four of them that I really wanted to eat, and was very happy with each one.  I even went back to get a second piece of the delicious mini gingerbread cheesecake, that was our daughter's and my favorite dessert of the night!  At this time, the staff "guarding" the dessert table was gone for a minute, a family of four were getting desserts, and the father was introducing items to his young son, who circulated the entire round table and kept coughing right onto everything at his level (food on the table), and used his fingers to grab one of the macaroons!  I was lucky that I already had my first plate, but had to give up the idea of getting a macaroon.  By the way, I believe there's no charge for kids under five at this dinner and the Christmas Brunch. Service at the Peninsula has always been impeccable.  Last time we had a nice surprise that our most favorite server, Ju, who works at Shanghai Terrace of the Peninsula, helped out at the Lobby and happened to serve our table.  This time we specifically requested for her service if she was on duty there.  We were happy that Ju was able to serve us again.  As usual, she was very attentive, pleasant, and professional.  She went above and beyond to make sure that our dining experience was perfect.  And surely, we had a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner again at the Lobby!  We will be back! read more

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I'm not quite sure how I haven't managed to put a review of the lobby after more than two decades of visiting and dining at the lobby. I have been here for a weekend brunch. I have also been here for numerous chocolate buffets on the weekend evenings with the live music. I don't know if they still do the chocolate buffets, but they were fantastic. I love the lobby because the menu is always changing throughout the years as well as different offerings for the breakfast lunch and all day. I will say the only disappointment was on a Saturday afternoon around 3:30. They stated they were closed. I had always assumed the lobby was open all day almost for guess who needed either a snack or a drink or something. The ambience of course is to die for. It is especially beautiful when it is decorated for Christmas. That's my favorite time of year as well. However I will also say Chinese new year decor is also incredible. For those who have never visited the peninsula, hope you realize that the ground floor entrance is simply that an entrance, and that you must go upstairs in order to start really experiencing the hotel. read more

The Peninsula team delivers a superior experience for afternoon tea. Our waiter, Francisco, provided the ultimate celebratory afternoon. His hospitality and attentiveness was much appreciated. Extra points for the string duo providing a lovely atmosphere and background music (and happy birthday rendition) Now for the food....wow! Each bite was executed perfectly. Scones both stood out. Favorite savory include the smoked salmon and crab/mango. Favorite dessert by far was the Oreo cheesecake, but a close runner up was the banana caramel "bee". We even got a bonus dessert "flower pot" to bring home with us. Peninsula team, thank you for creating this lovely experience! I can't wait to come back again to experience the next menu read more

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The Lobby, was a great experience. I highly recommend their breakfast fried rice. It was sooooo good and refreshing. The service was nice. I can't wait to come back and try some of their other dishes. read more

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Every Friday and Saturday night between Oct 4th and Nov 23rd, the Lobby is doing Chocolate Bar at the Pen. For $65 a person, you can sample a buffet of chocolates, ice cream, hot chocolate, and so many tiny desserts. It was the most fun I've had on a date in a long time. The desserts were incredible. The service was what you'd expect at the Peninsula. It was a lovely evening and I'm so glad I booked this. PS: Don't skip the Cocoa-Nut Cookie Martini from the bar. I forgot to snap a pic of this pretty drink but had I ordered a third, I'd have been under the table. read more

The Lobby - Tiramisu in an edible cup - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here for breakfast as it was highly rated. Chose to go with the breakfast buffet. Was the most disappointing breakfast ever. Th chef put no effort at all. Th fruits were good. The pastries were likely yesterday's and nothing special. Scrambled eggs were ok but no seasoning and no flavor. Breakfast potatoes were awful. Looked disgusting. And had absolutely no flavor at all. There was no fresh juice and coffee was just ok. Maybe their à la carte options might be better but o will not be coming back. I paid for the ambience and that's it. read more

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Stopped in The Lobby for their High Tea Service. Nice window table with a great view. Nice and clean decor. The service was great and the sweet and savory tower was delicious and very filing. I got the crema earl Grey tea and it was very good. Recommended for a nice experience. read more

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I made advanced reservations for the Afternoon Tea, in which the online reservation system was quick and seamless. The Lobby is currently hosting "The Art of Tea" series, in which they're providing artistic and educational classes for children on Saturdays. Since we didn't want to be there when the children are present, we went for a Friday afternoon. I did notice that the restaurant does not fill up with 100% capacity on purpose, so that there could be some spacing in between the reservations. Our Afternoon Tea treats included: +Catsmo Smoked Salmon - pumpernickel bread with smoked salmon, citrus cream cheese, and salmon roe +Roasted Chicken Salad - prepared with honey mustard, lemon zest, and apple, nestled in between whole grain bread +Nueske's Ham Sandwiches - wheat bread filled with roasted ham, strawberry mostarda, and onion jam +English Cucumber Sandwiches - white bread with sliced cucumbers and mint dill cream cheese spread +Cranberry Citrus scones +various tarts and cakes The breads could have been more fresh and more soft, as they were a bit dried out on all of the sandwiches; I did enjoy the Catsmo Smoked Salmon and the Roasted Chicken Salad the best. The Cranberry Citrus scones were great with the jam and the clotted cream; it was dense, soft, and moist, filled with a generous amount of plump cranberries. The dessert tarts were well-presented; I especially liked the 'bear canvas' on a wooden easel, that was such a cute touch! Note that the items listed on their menu on the site is just a 'sampling', and some items may be substituted or just not available during your seating; it seemed that we had a glimpse of what was listed, and could have done more with the savory options. The teas that we had could have been steeped longer, or they were just not strong enough; we felt that we had 'flavored water', and would have preferred a stronger taste of the teas ordered. The teapots are extremely heavy, so if you have fragile or weak wrists, beware! Service was very friendly; I just wished we were checked in more often, as we wanted additional refreshments and refills of some of the items. There was a violinist and a cellist duet that played on the balcony, performing renditions of modern/pop songs. The ambiance of the place was fine, and it felt that the set-up at The Lobby was more 'casual' rather than another afternoon tea event that we had attended, which was more 'sophisticated' and 'elegant'. There didn't seem to be any dress code here, and nothing was being enforced. Valet parking is only available if you purchase a package; otherwise, there is garage and very limited metered street parking in the area. +seamless online reservations +dried bread for sandwiches +no dress code +friendly service, but could be more attentive +garage and limited metered street parking read more

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Went for high tea - elegant atmosphere. Beautiful holiday decorations, wonderful service read more

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One of the best afternoon teas . Our server ubaldo was courteous and kept refilling the sandwiches. The glass champagne made me all fuzzy . Our teas were really good selection.. wish their savories were more variety than the sweets. Overall a great experience and dent in the pocket. read more

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Went for afternoon holiday tea with my girlfriends on a Sunday 4:30 reservation. Leo was very friendly and attentive. We selected for 3 regular menu and a vegetarian option. I liked that there was a separate menu for the regular and a vegetarian. Leo checked if all the items on the menu were ok for us to consume. Thank you The Lobby for being inclusive about food allergies and dietary restrictions. When the food came, all vegetarian dish came on a separate tower so my friend was able to enjoy on her own. Here's what's included with $150 experience: -tea (classic, herbal infusions, or premium Asian) -glass of Tattinger Brut Champagne -tea pastries: wreathe, gingerbread man, chestnut candle stick, red velvet Santa's belt, and cranberry pate au choux. I'm not a big fan of gingerbread/peppermint "winter" season flavor type of person so personally, I didn't like the pastries. -savory: roasted beef sandwich, cucumber sandwich, organic egg sandwich, lobster & shrimp sandwich, and winter kale sundried tomato quiche. My favorite was the quiche. -traditional and cranberry citrus scones. Typically I find scones dry and not so tasty but these were good. I went for a 2nd time with a friend and a child (girl) on a Saturday for 2:30 reservation. The lighting was much brighter. There was Mr. and Mrs. Clause for free photography. It was magical. Ray was very attentive and professional. $85 child's menu included: -sandwiches -sweet treats -hot chocolate Sweet pastries were very aesthetically appealing. Servers were great. I would definitely recommend holiday tea for the experience. read more

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We love this place. Tucked inside The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago is the Lobby Restaurant--the most lovely place for an upscale lunch brunch breakfast or dinner. With a menu that is elegant and yet quite broad in cuisine, this 5 star hotel presents each dish with precision. We particularly love the tomato soup and grilled cheese on a rainy windy day and enjoy the simple eggs and breakfast sausage entree for a more traditional breakfast. You'll find asian specialties as well, don't skip them--they have an upscale Asian restaurant so these dishes featured in the lobby menu are quaint yet stellar representation of the chefs talent. read more

The Lobby - The Peninsula Breakfast Coffee - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A good afternoon tea experience. I've been to Peninsula Hong Kong for afternoon tea a few times, so I really wanted to try the afternoon tea here (especially when I found Peninsula Chicago ranked No.1 of all luxury & upper upscale hotels in the states by US News!). I liked the variety of tea options here. I opted for White Peony, a very light Chinese tea. The Earl Grey tea and jasmine tea from friends sitting next to me smelled really good. Note that if you don't like the tea you pick after tasting, you can ask for a change, although that's not normal as you get one kind of tea for the entire section. The champagne was strong and of nice quality. For the drinks, nothing super amazing but nothing to complain. The food was also good. We all loved the very classic warm biscuits w jam and butter. The savory sandwiches were not very complicated but yummy & satisfying. Our favorites were the shrimp and corn sandwich and the asparagus quiche - very flavorful and refreshing. My friends asked for a refill of that sandwich after finishing theirs. The quality and presentation of the sweets were what made the afternoon stood out from a normal high tea. So pretty and fun. Every dessert got not just a pretty look, but also a different interesting & yummy sweet filling. If you don't like sweets, you probably won't enjoy as much because there is a whole plate of very sweet desserts. At the end, we all felt very full. Everyone got a very cute flower pot dessert in a nice white box from the hotel. The dessert tasted okay (I ate it after getting home), but that box really gave everyone a strong & happy finish of the tea experience! Love the idea! Service - I could not say it's better here than in other luxury hotels (my expectation for the No.1 hotel in the states was high). During our entire 2.5 hours at the hotel, from walking into the building to the real lobby to The Lobby, I didn't feel someone really paid special attention to or truly smiled at or greeted us - felt like they just did whatever the job needs them to do. read more

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This was a fantastic spot for afternoon tea in Chicago. First, the lobby was exceptionally appointed with high ceilings, open air and views of the Mag Mile and surrounding skyscrapers. Our service started with a great selection of traditional teas, herbals and speciality. My wife and I chose two different herbal teas and enjoyed them immensely. Both were flavorful and had the right strength. While the sandwiches were typical of any high tea service (quiche, cucumber, roast beef and salmon), the stand-outs were the dessert selection. They ranged from pistachio, strawberry and grape cakes with a cream puff shaped as a swan. The star of the show was the coconut ball which was by far the best dessert I've had at any tea. Service was outstanding with our teas, champagne and food being served promptly and offers of refills / seconds throughout the meal. Finally we were given a to-go favor of cake lollipops which look amazing. While not inexpensive, well worth it! read more

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It is a beautiful place to have breakfast. We went there on a weekday it was empty and lovely. It's the perfect ambiance to have a conversation and catch up with a friend. The food was good, but what makes the experience amazing is the service and silverware, which seems like real silver. My coffee was never empty for a second, they refilled it immediately when it was low. The water was always full, and food came very fast. Because we were waiting for a friend, the waitress mentioned to wait on bring out the coffee for our friend so it won't get cold. When she sat down it was fresh hot coffee pouring in front of her eyes. If you are thinking about having a good time and some good food, it is the place for you. Yes, it's pricy, because you're dining in a five-star hotel. But the service and environment are definitely worth the spending. I am rarely willing to overpay for food because I just love good food regardless it's a dinner or restaurant, but this time I actually understand why they charge the price. The selections were outstanding, they offer Chinese breakfast as an option with dim sum and lobster congee, it sounds absolutely fantastic. Some lovely cultural items really level up a simple breakfast menu. read more

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The food is decent! Ambiance is real nice too. We originally wanted to get brunch and went there on a Saturday at 11:30am. However as soon as we walked it, we were denied from ordering breakfast menu (even though the website says it's served until 11:30). The lady at the front said it adamantly and rudely. We had to pivot and order lunch menu which we weren't really in a mood for. Also the menu items were quite different from what was in their website. Not sure if there was a timing issue of updating the menu online but it was frustrating. Our server however was awesome and was so kind to us. He made the experience better. read more

My husband and I just spent a couple weeks in Chicago and had fall tea here with our bestest of friends. I was apprehensive to have tea here because earlier in the year we had stayed at the Peninsula in London and very much enjoyed their tea service; however, I was pleasantly surprised. As expected the ambiance and beauty of the Peninsula is a constant but what stood out to us the most was the service. Our server, Hao, exhibited world class customer service - I was absolutely floored. I dare say it was far better than what we experienced in London. He was kind, courteous and professional. The tea menu itself noticeably different and delicious. Delicately divine pastries and rich savory tea sandwiches. I'd recommend all to stop in for tea or more --and please DO ask to be seated in Hao's section. I don't usually repeat tea services in cities outside of DC but would because of how warm and welcoming Hao made us feel while enjoying this lovely afternoon with friends. read more

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We came here for brunch. We made reservations and I honestly didn't expect this place to be as packed as it was. The Lobby is not necessarily a place a lot of people are talking about currently, yet literally not one table was empty. The dining area is very open. Once you exit out the elevator, you go straight and then the entire restaurant hits you on the right side, in this big wide open space. We started off with coffee that got to my table in seconds. The staff here worked very efficiently without seeming rushed. They were all professional and welcoming. My wife ordered their avocado toast. It looked beautiful on the plate and tasted even better than it looked. It came with beet hummus, labneh, sunflower seed and zaatar. I ordered their traditional Eggs Benedict. It was served with potatoes that were actually very tasty. It was certainly more pricey than what I'm using to paying for this dish, but they executed this dish perfectly. I used to like this dish with lots of hollandaise sauce, but have learned over the years that sometimes less is more. And this works on eggs Benedict as well. I'm not sure when I'll be returning but I'll definitely leave it on the list. read more

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Flew out to visit a friend and celebrate birthdays in this town. We were very curious on the afternoon tea scene here so he did the research and decided we needed to go here first. He prepped me that it would be $140pp so no sticker shock when we get the bill lol. 230 or 430pm reservation slots so he booked us for 230pm. Finding the restaurant took some adjustment (seems like you need to go up 1 level from the street just to get to the lobby for these old hotels here). But once you find it what a change of scenery and ambiance-- we arrived to hear a live string set in the background. Once we were led to our table next to the window everything was lovely: the champagne (included and since my friend told them it was our collective birthdays in the reservation Ubaldo our waiter gave us another pour), the tea, setting and food all fantastic. At first I was feeling adventurous and got the smoky black tea but realized after the first cup I couldn't handle the strong malty flavor anymore Ubaldo changed out my tea (pot and cup) to a darjeeling. My friend got the assam. We enjoyed both. All loose tea from elsewhere (not Peninsula branded teas). Once the scones came out with condiments I was ready to try it all even though I wanted to use the clotted cream only. The lemon curd and raspberry jam were great. The vanilla scone is very good and I would have been fine with that but once you taste the cranberry citrus one that's the best one! I could have eaten more of that one but wanted to eat the rest of the food out of curiosity. Beef sandwich was terrific with good portion of protein. The 3 tiered cucumber and egg salad sandwiches were fine probably the most ordinary but a good balance from eating a crab salad sandwich and buttery quiche. The sweets were the most fun and artful in the presentation. What was amazing was that they were not overly sweet. The seasonal menu gave a pumpkin cake shaped like a pumpkin! Every dessert was fun to try. I personally didn't like the cherry mousse but the presentation was pretty epic. And if the occasion wasn't special enough Ubaldo came out with 2 mini cakes with candles in sync with the string duo (up in the balcony) playing a rendition of happy birthday to us. Wow. And if it couldn't get any more amazing Ubaldo gave us each a chocolate bomb as a gift in the end. Wow Peninsula staff and hotel this is what 5 star looks like and feels like. Thanks for a great 48th birthday. It'll be in the memory bank. read more

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Less than $30 per dish, perfect girls breakfast The Lobby at @thepeninsulachi - super attentive to detail & guest needs - amazing service - great location easily accessible - large seating area that's luxurious & relaxing - nice menu with rotating seasonal and global options like shortrib hash, shakshula, breakfast fried rice, menemen and aloo chole : $29 Stuffed French Toast brioche, diplomat cream, macerated berries, fresh berries, pistachio cream $28 Classic Benedict english muffin, two poached eggs, canadian bacon, hollandaise $6 coffee @ on Instagram & Tiktok 108. East Superior St Book on opentable Breakfast open Monday - Sunday at 7:00 AM to 11:30 AM read more

The Lobby - Stuffed French Toast - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been going here for holiday tea for years, including the at home tea in the pandemic to be supportive, and it's gotten progressively worse. I'm planning to make a change to another location moving forward because it's as though they know you will come there anyway for the holiday decor so they don't make any effort with the tea experience anymore. I once emailed them about an issue, and they didn't even respond. I recall high-quality sandwiches such as lobster rolls, and now you get a sad piece of bread with a tiny slice of roast beef or cucumber inside. They used to give a gift such as a hot chocolate bomb, and they discontinued that. I actually asked the server about it, and he said he wasn't sure what happened but they stopped doing it right before the holidays. It's disappointing for such a high end hotel that I previously praised. read more

Surely one of the most beautiful dining venues in America! It's a pleasure just to sit in this lovely room! However service on the evening of Nov 16 was truly bizarre. The food itself ranged from exquisite and delightful (carrot and pumpkin soup) to ghastly (bone in rib eye), tough as leather and flavorless. Most frustratingly the timing and delivery of the food was so slow and poorly timed that we two diners could only exchange wary glances, whilst wondering whether we had stumbled into a middle school cooking class by mistake. Here's our story: First out came our carrot and pumpkin soup, delivered hot and delicious. All good so far! Next came two green vegetables, only one of which we had actually ordered, the broccolini, not bad, but just ordinary. Being hungry after a long day of college football we gobbled up that veg quickly! Then after a wait of 10-15 more minutes out came the au gratin potatoes, served in hot iron skillet, absolutely wonderful, dense with butter and cream and with a bit of potato crust on the bottom of the skillet. Still being hungry after only soup and broccolini and our long day of football we gobbled up those potatoes, lickedy-split! Then after a wait of at least 15 more minutes came the rib eye steak, tough as cardboard with not much more flavor. Here's the moral of our little story: if you enjoy your steak, potato, and green veggie served together at essentially the same time, or if you're on any sort of schedule to finish dinner and move on, or if you're looking for consistent quality among your various dinner components, the Peninsular Lobby restaurant might severely disappoint you! read more

Yes, it is expensive, yes, it may be a tad extravagant, but dining in the Lobby at the Peninsula is an experience to be had. Whether it is afternoon tea with the girls or the best club sandwich you have ever had in your life, this will be a memorable dining moment. read more

The Lobby - Peninsula Club - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My favorite bar - excellent service and beverage menu. I'll keep returning. The crowd and ambiance were classic.

The service was probably the worst I have ever encountered, and a 5* hotel like the Peninsula should be absolutely embarrassed. Very basic service standards were not met and the waiter we had has no business working at a location like this. It took 15+ minutes for anyone to greet us at the table, and our wait times only increased from there on. We ordered two bottles of wine for the table and the server took them away and opened them at the server station out of sight from the table which is obviously a rookie mistake. He had no knowledge of the menu, food or wine, and had zero personality to boot. Getting the check took another 15 minutes of trying to flag him down, then it was another 15 minutes before he returned with the bill. The menu online doesn't match the in person menu, and even when it does the prices in the restaurant are much higher than what is shown online. The wine bottles were consistently higher priced in the bar than they were online. $22 for a single slice of cauliflower is hilarious and we actually laughed when we saw it, and it was undercooked. The burrata was good and probably the only thing I'd order again. This would have been a 1* review but I added one back because the Christmas decorations were amazing as always. Beautiful tree, Mrs. Clause was there, and tons of other great themed decorations. Also, the host stand is hidden behind a massive pillar and a little hard to find. My niece said she liked the chicken noodle soup so I guess there's that? read more

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I the afternoon tea service here for an anniversary and it was very lovely. The interior space, the service, the teas, and the best of all are the tea cakes and finger sandwiches. You'll be quite satisfied from the food. If you're looking for a fancy tea service in the city this is a great one. read more

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Located on Superior, this elegantly decorated hotel lobby restaurant is graciously spaced and cheerfully bright. As a participant of Restaurant Week, there was a delicious lunch waiting for me. With a short lunch time, the restaurant staff were very accommodating. I was served a cauliflower puree, short ribs, and a delicious instagrammable cheesecake for $25. As a girl on a diet the short ribs size was just right but may be wanting for a gentleman. There was salmon and a vegetarian option. read more

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Do you know what I have been wanting to do for an "oolong" time?! A holiday high tea. Of course enjoying it at the Peninsula was such a treat as their high tea is high quality-tea. Such cu-tea petit fours and savories came with our scones, clotted cream, lemon curd and jam. They poured "bubbles" to reduce our troubles. Plus our only decision was what tea to be in our cup. Oh me? Mine was English Jardin with spearmint, lemongrass and yellow fruit. And in the end no one should fear my "wreath" because that bad boy is filled with chocolate mousse. Sip sip hooray. read more

The Lobby - Holiday tea - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The holiday decorations and that TREE were stunning. The view and interior ambience cannot beat anything else. The service is incredibly kind and thoughtful and coffee mugs were never empty. It is certainly overpriced but I think half of it is for the view. We got the Benedict, frittata, tofu scramble, and French toast(?) I think. Tofu scramble was surprisingly excellent as I went out on a limb ordering a vegan dish. My only qualm is their price, as 16$ for grapefruit slices sounds unreasonable. Nevertheless, I am keen on returning for an afternoon high tea. read more

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The hotel and restaurant were both beautifully decorated for the holidays with several spots just perfect for snapping some family photos. Our food was truly delicious! I had the Penedict, and believe me, it was worth every penny - best breakfast I've ever tasted. The drinks from the bar were spot-on. The person who served our meals provided just the right amount of attention. I can't think of anything that could have been better. read more

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Arrived to the Peninsula a bit early, and our room was still being cleaned. Decided to grab a small snack and a drink at the lobby bar to help kill some time. What I ate/drank: - Glass of wine - Fries: small cone of fries. Were these made for a child? They were so small! I would have ordered 2 if I had known how tiny they were. Pros: - The space itself was beautiful. High ceilings, great view of their lower patio area - Hostess was friendly Cons: - The wait was ATROCIOUS! I've never been anywhere were it felt like pulling teeth just to get any type of service! Getting a menu took a long time. Getting any server to come by took even longer. Once we ordered it felt like eternity before we got our drinks. Just trying to pay took another chunk of time. I wasn't sure who to complain to, and honestly, I think I would have been more likely to complain if I didn't notice that a party seated after us was having the same sluggish service - For such a fancy hotel, the menu and drink options were unremarkable and notably uninspired. The liquor selection was wanting, as was the menu. - Server seemed incredibly uninformed. My friend wanted a specific tequila, and he had to go check to see what high end tequila they had. - Poor service: After taking our order, our server never thought to bring by any service ware. I had to ask him for a napkin and a small plate. I know I only ordered fries, but I would like a napkin please. Would I come again? NO! I'd rather just wait to order room service read more

The Lobby - American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food and service are unparalleled! A true experience in exceptional FINE DINING! It was an unforgettable experience.

We enjoyed afternoon tea at The Peninsula. Ubaldo and Kim went above and beyond to create a special experience for our large party. We will definitely come back again! read more

Wrote about the cleanliness and the poor service for this higher end hotel lobby cafe, manager wrote to follow up but then never heard back from the chain. It sounded like it was ran by students. read more