Longgg lines on the weekend. Recently opened so that is expected. Everyone who name drops at the door gets in before you- standard. Specialty drinks are $12-16 but worth it. Pimms Cup is delish and the one with champagne (Mag Mile- I think). Good mix of music on weekends (pop/house/old school) similar to Rockit. Coat Check + Valet. Big 6-top tables so good for groups to go grab a drink during the week. good stuff.
Review Source:i also wish i could give this place 0 stars! i spoke with the GM (Manny, i believe this name was) and reserved a high top table for a party of 20+ people and 3 of those people were celebrating their birthdays! I had someone from the place call and confirm my reservation for saturday night so i thought everything was ok.
saturday night rolls around and people arrived, but there was no table!! i was told they would decorate the table, free champagne for the birthday people but it was all a lie. we had no table so we ended up taking our group of 20+ people elsewhere!
i have only stepped foot into this place 1 time to inquire about my supposed table, but i will never be returning nor recommending this place to anyone.
I wish I could give this place 0 stars!
A friend of mine had a table reserved for Saturday night, but when we arrived (on time!), they said his name wasn't on the list. Â He booked this a few weeks in advance and even spoke to the GM to confirm a week before the event. The doorman didn't even glance at the guest list when I gave him the name of the party. RUDE! This place is unprofessional. They over promise and under deliver. So disappointing.
DON'T EVER BOOK AN EVENT AT THIS PLACE!
I came here for a Yelp event with a friend.
The place is spacious and has an array of seating arrangements (which I enjoy!) The Grid has super friendly bartenders, and also apologized for me waiting more than 2 minutes.
Pros:
space
great service
Cons:
did not have an option for non-meat eaters
bathroom was a little messy
I plan on coming back here to try it out outside of a yelp event.
Music...great
Busboys...on their game
Drinks...serve their purpose
Service...Awful!!!
Our party had a table for 6. Whether the bar was slow or busy, our server rarely came to the table to take orders. In fact, I had to hunt down the manager to get the server to the table. Unlikely that I will return to this place unless I am serving myself at the bar!
I'm so torn about this place... the experience was great until the last half hour which ruined everything beforehand.
The food was delicious although the menu was very limited. Â (The kobe burger is an obvious choice.) Â The space is cool with modern fireplaces, and the drinks are wonderful.
What ruined it for me, why I don't think I'll go back, is the way we were hustled out of our table for the next reservation. Â A pushy lady came by three times in twenty minutes telling us it was time to leave... while we were in the process of wrapping up and paying. Â Obviously the focus is on the income rather than the customer, and there are too many other options to waste your money on a place like that.
I came here for a Yelp Elite Event and was very impressed. So impressed I decided to bring some friends here after a recent dinner for some cocktails.
The Grid was just the right amount of crowded when we entered around 10 PM on a Friday night. It was not jam packed but there was a healthy amount of people. The crowd was fairly standard for River North, maybe a little bit skewed because there seemed to have been some type of alumni event there earlier in the evening.
It was fairly easy to get a drink at the bar and when we picked out a table a waitress came by to check up on us within a reasonable amount of time. The drinks at The Grid are fairly standard for River North and moderately priced.
All in all it was a pleasant evening with nothing really to complain of. The explanation behind the 3 stars is that The Grid seems to be having an identity crisis of sorts. Much of it feels like an upscale sports bar (the kind you seem to see everywhere these days) but it misses the mark a bit. Comparing it to similar places like Old Town Pour House and Fat Pour, The Grid seems to be missing something.
I may be back but it is definitely not my first choice.
The Grid is a bit confused. Â Located in the "garden" unit below Baume & Brix, The Grid is a easy to miss; it's the unmarked door just to the west of Baume & Brix's door. Â The atmosphere is River North lounge meets sports bar. Â It worked when we arrived at 9pm, but when the crowds arrived an hour or so later, it felt off. Â
My friend and I sat at the bar and tried several of the drinks - all were tasty, especially the special which had Kahlua and vodka. Â
The crowd was younger than I expected - late 20's when I had been wanting 30's or 40's. Â If you have any suggestions for upscale bars meeting that demographic, please shoot me a message!
I'm not really a river north girl. The idea of swanky lounges isn't really my style. I much rather post up wtih some old men in a dank dar bar. But when the Grid hosted a Yelp event I decided to leave my reservations behind and enjoy a wonderful happy hour.
The Grid is a swanky lounge, but it fails to have the busy location that most places do near hubbard street. It is tucked away and in the basement. They literally warm up the space with these cool fireplaces and round booths. I finally got to sit up there and it seemed comfy and cozy despite the swanky lounge feel. The room is spacious, seems to be able to accomidate a lot of people without bumping into one another. Â
I tried a few of the passed appetizers and everything was pretty good. About the fare you'd expect from a place like this. The bartenders seemed to know what they were doing and put together a great cocktail list for us yelpers.
I'm not sure I'll be back to The Grid, but I would recommend it if you're looking for a swanky place, but a little out of the way so you can have a more relaxed casual bar night.
So when you first walk in here, the decor is great. Â I absolutely love the tables with the fireplaces. Â I asked if you can reserve and they said on the weekends you should but during the week you can usually get one. Â I thought those were just cozy and a great spot to go during the cold months. Â The other area has tables and tons of TVs. Â It actually may be a decent spot to watch a game. Â What I did not like was the layout. Â There is only one bar and it is a long area only on one side. Â So if you are sitting at one of those fireplace tables, it's awkward to walk through all of the other tables to get to this one bar. Â The lines of people at the bar can back up into the tables then and it's sort of awkward. Â Also the women's restroom is on one side of the bar and the men's on the complete opposite side. Â Strange! Â FYI there is an attendant so be prepared.
I did quite enjoy the food and the chef came out himself and introduced himself.  I always think it's classy for the chefs to come out and meet people.  I was here for a Yelp! event so they only had limited drinks.  I'm not a cocktail person typically but I got the Midway.  I was underwhelmed.  The description made it sound so tasty but I got no jalapeno  at all and it just tasted bland.  After that I got a wine and their by the glass is okay, nothing special but it's not Yellow Tail.  The staff behind the bar was great.  The wait staff, not so much.  The girls serving food skipped our table several times and kept going to the same other tables that had already gotten everything.  Overall, an okay experience but not something I'd go out of my way to go back for, although I wouldn't avoid either.
Do you like salt? I mean, really love salt? Then you will want to marry "The Grid". Every single one of our entrees - even the ones that shouldn't really have any - were loaded up with salt.
We had just gotten off the airplane and hadn't eaten all day, so that salt covered a lot of stuff. To be specific:
- Kobe Burger - good, although a bit overwhelmed by the bun.
- Tuna Poke - how the heck did they make that salty? The crisps they sell with it are a big part of the salt, but even when I tried it by itself, there it was.
- Brussel Sprouts - Honestly really tasty, but also salty.
- Pimento Jar of Cheese and Bread - No. Don't get this. A jar of cheese and super salty cracker-like bread.
That said, decent beer selection and nice staff. Our waitress was really nice (note to management: Friday 1/25 about 7) and enthusiastic about everything. Â Plus, they have some really different drinks, including believe it or not a beer mixed with an egg. Yah, you heard me right - an egg! The drink reminded me of an irish car bomb (which, by the way, Â I don't recommend ever ordering in Ireland.). Overall, an ok experience. Total for the bill (including two mixed drinks I can't remember) about $80.
Oh, and thank you Yelp for the check-in deal. Really appreciated that free beer :-)
I must preface this by saying the whole club scene is no longer my scene.
I hate the club psychology of "if we make people wait outside in a line while it is windy and freezing, people will think this is a cool place to go!" Â No, we will just catch pneumonia and it doesn't really make sense when you are on a street that does not have other clubs close by. Â I especially hate this mentality when you finally get into the club and it is empty at almost 11 pm on a Saturday! Â What a joke guys!
We waited in the line because it was a friend's birthday. Â When we found our table, the waitress was great with the bottle service. Â We only stayed until about 1 am and it started getting a little more crowded, but only at the tables. Â The rest of the bar still seemed pretty empty. Â I think at least a 1/3 of the people there were with our party.
The fireplaces were not on (which would probably be scary with drunk people), no one was dancing, and they played really old music videos.
It is still new and doesn't smell like vomit or urine yet, so I give them a solid three!
I went to The Grid as a an attendee for a Elite Yelp event, I will be back.
I enjoyed the multiple fireplaces (no need to stalk other patrons waiting for them to leave so that you can sit next to the fireplace), comfy sofas, adequate tables and friendly staff. Ginger D. enjoyed her cocktails very much. It is a sports bar, but the tv screens are inconspicuous, if you are interested in watching sports they are there, but if you are not they are easily ignored.
However the main reason I will return was a highly unexpected surprise of the luxury washroom and attendant. It reminded me of the lobby bathrooms in the Drake or the Penninsula hotel. The supply of candy, gum, mints, lotion and tissues made me giddy. The washroom attendant was super sweet and I did not forget to run back and provide her of a well deserving tip.
This low key yet luxurious sports bar is a hop skip and jump from work, and a welcome addition to my roster of Happy Hour locales.
Was back at the Grid last night to celebrate a friends birthday. Â The staff was friendly and accommodating from the minute we walked in. Â Manny the GM even came over and offered to check our coats for us. Great looking crowd, great atmosphere, can't go wrong. Â
I have nothing but nice things to say...even the bathroom attendant was pleasant. Â I will defintely be back.
Quality establishment.
I went here for a yelp even and the place was rented out so that only yelp members could attend. It was amazing.
I did not get to eat much of their food so I can not comment on that aspect of the establishment but I can comment heavily on the drinks and service.
Both were great.
The bartender was very nice and friendly and he was always happy to serve us.
I tried a few of their cocktails and they were all tasty.
The atmosphere of this place is also amazing. It is very modern and classy with just the right amount of lighting.
I was very excited for this place to open, simply because I live 2 blocks away and was hoping for a non "typical River North" bar, unfortunately I got exactly what is down the street at any number of "typical River North" bars along Hubbard. Â
My friend and I started upstairs at Baume & Brix; way overpriced, the staff was neglectful and so very loud. Â The food was terrible, and much too pricey for what we were served.
We decided to have drinks downstairs at The Grid after our disappointing meal upstairs, just as equally loud, the hostesses at the bottom of the stairs, treated the two of us as if we didn't belong by suggesting we go upstairs, "It would be more our scene". Â That certainly set the tone, but I found it confusing in its "theme", loud and snobbish. Â One $12 bourbon on the rocks was enough for me. Â Sorry, but I hope you're not there for long, you kind of ruined my neighborhood.
I love when Yelp gets my booty to an awesome place I may not have discovers on my own! Â Had a great time at a Yelp event at The Grid last night. This cozy basement/industrial/chic bar is pretty neat with its floating fireplaces all over and comfy couches to chill in.
First off, thank you to all the amazing servers. I know working these events is not easy and everyone was so pleasant and sweet. The manager (aka guy with headset on) told us that they had to bring in 80% of their staff in for the event. Craziness. Our server, Verina or Verbina?, was the best. She was prompt with brining us drinks and checking on us while also making sure we got to try some of the food being served.
The drinks were great. I was in love with the Chef's drink, tasted like a glazed donut. Magnificent! Â We did not get to try many of the food items as there were a couple rudes at the event, but what we did try was tasty. An interesting cheeseburger meatball, but it was tasty, and the seafood soup shooter was amazing. Oh! And I did get to try one itty bitty bacon wrapped date and it was heavenly.
Now I have a new River North bar to put on my list. Yay!
My husband and I moved into the neighborhood this fall and were looking to replace our spot to grab an easy and comfortable date-night-drinks. The Grid and upstairs Baume & Brix are the answer.
At The Grid we were delighted to find an amazing, playful menu of drinks and snacks. I was proud to bring my friend visiting from out of town to this spot as it's both original, but also a great representation of "Chicago" bar. My girlfriend and I had a wonderful Sunday Funday brunch turned to dusk experience here last weekend. The bartender and manager were incredibly accommodating and the atmosphere was relaxing, so we just stayed and stayed... until we finally caught a second wind and re-opened our tab.
I tried the show stopping Grid Cheese, beet salad and fries. She had the wings. All were tasty. We'll be back, I'm sure time and time again.
Drinks here are kind of overpriced. The layout is cool, the fireplaces especially. It's kind of hard to tell what crowd they're going for. Sports bar? In River North that means you have to skew a little swanky, so the down home vibe of a sports bar is kind of ruined. I came here for an alumni event and the timing of the event on a Friday meant that it wasn't too full so I could get a good look at the place. But I can't really tell what the vibe should really be. I wouldn't mind checking out the restaurant upstairs but I don't really think I'll be back to the Grid anytime soon.
Review Source:Not good, not bad. Â Was out for a friend's bday and we sat around, danced a little by our tables, and drank. Â Fun time, but nothing we couldn't have done in any other bar/lounge. Â Drinks were $$ and the server was a rare find! Â The bar was slammed and I had to buy multiple drinks knowing it would take me an hour to get just get another... Â If it wasn't for our big group of friends there, this place would be just another River North bar.
Review Source:Awwwwe, why everybody be hatin' on The Grid? Â
Personally, I love this place. Â Tucked away under Baume and Brix on the far end of Hubbard. Â The staff is personable and unpretentious and the space is cozy with exposed wood beam, brick and fireplaces hanging from the ceiling.
Yes, the menu is a little small, but I'm hopeful they'll expand it.
If you're looking for something "big" on the "bite" menu give the Grid Cheese a try. Â It's oh, so yummy and full size portion.
If you stop in for a Bears game on Sunday they have plenty of TV's. Â Probably 20-ish. Â The area for bottle service looks pretty nice. Â Not sure what the late night crowd looks like here, but I'm sure I'll find out soon.
The place is very swanky and nice on the inside. Ambiance and crowd were perfect for me. However, the whole layout of the place and furniture makes it pretty awkward. Seats are "reservation only" (some w/ out bottle service, so you literally have to stand in the middle of the floor area or up against a structural column. Its definitely not a place you want to stay at. Two beverages at most, and then move on. Drinks weren't good either. I'm not sure of the price but they were not good at all.
Review Source:Love The Grid. Â This is my new fave spot to hang in River North, it's just what this area needed. Â It's the perfect blend of a modern lounge at night and upscale sports bar to watch games during the day. Â I look forward to checking out the restaurant upstairs, Baume and Brix. Â Overall, if you're looking for a new hot-spot with a good-looking crowd with lots of energy, I highly recommend The Grid!
Review Source:One of the worst experiences I've had at a bar in Chicago. As another reviewer said, the prices on the menu were way off from what they had on our receipt (as in over $20 over on our receipt than it should have been). The waitress informed us that they had increased prices that day and hadn't updated the menu yet, but what I had a harder time understanding was how increasing prices seems like a good idea when you've been open for less than a week? On top of that, the menus are just paper, nothing fancy or expensive to replace, so don't you think it would be nice to fairly present what you have to offer? I would have expected the Manager to stop by to apologize, as would happen in the same situation in any other restaurant, but instead we had to wait for our waitress for 20 minutes before we even got a reprinted receipt, which to me means that they're not trying to fix the problem and every other person in the place was not going to be receiving revised receipts unless they caught on, too.
The wrong prices would have been a less terrible thing if the food was actually good and not drowned in salt to remove the possibility of detecting any other flavor. We had a couple of the "jars" that the waitress really pushed telling us they were "really popular" (Which, really? How have they had time to become popular if the place has been only open a week...). Although the pita chips were tasty, the crab tasted like something I pulled out of my freezer and tossed in the microwave for a few minutes. The wings were equally bad, and for $12, we received 5 rather dry drumsticks that were topped with this powder that was supposed to be the 'buffalo flavoring', but instead just tasted like slightly spicy salt. The best part of the dish was the celery.
The one thing I did like about it was the interior design, which is very nice and modern, so at least they had that going for them. However, not worth the crappy food and the knowledge that Management intentionally is working to rip so many people off.
Typical douchey bar on Hubbard. Â Menu is tiny. Â Don't come hungry. Â The price on the menu didn't match the price they charged us! Â All the meal items were $1-2 more than they were on the menu. Â We didn't realize it until we already paid and their response was that they are "on a new system and still figuring it out." Â Usual overpriced bar tailored to skinny blondes and guys willing to buy them what they want.
I must say the music selection during the time we were there (830-10) was damn good and wasn't blarring. Â Was still able to hold a normal conversation with having music in the background at a good level. Â Kudos to you for that.
Brought to us by the Baume and Brix gang upstairs, The Grid is really "off the Grid" for it is located in what used to be a basement area. Â Dark and intimate, this cozy lounge is definitely a pleasant addition to the neighborhood!
For the upcoming Chicago Winter- this could be a favorite neighborhood place.  It's cozy with these crazy ,modern fireplaces along the left  side surrounded by comfy seating areas.  Want to catch your favorite game?  There are TV's everywhere!  And if music is your thing- there wasn't a DJ on the week night when we were there- but I suspect this place gets hopping on the weekends!
They have a limited menu of things like snacks (chips, nuts fries and popcorn) that seem to come in a variety of flavors. Â They as have some "jars" which sound like interesting spreads, and there are also some interesting takes on "bar favorites" like wings, a burger, poutine and and a salad. Â Like your neighborhood bar but a little more interesting.
The bartender pours a great drink and service was spot on (although it was slow enough on the night we were there where we could actually chat a little with our server). Â The Grid has been open just a little less than a week when we stopped in so everyone is still feeling their way.
The manager, Ryan, was great, answering our questions and personally escorting us to the bar from the restaurant upstairs.
Given I have friends who live in the area- this would be a good place to pop in and warm up on a cold night. Â I just suspect that the experience that we had on this weeknight is so much more my thing than the "scene" that probably happens on the weekends. Â Chances are if you are looking for me here . . .I won't be here on the weekends!
Personal preferences aside (Im more partial to less 'trendy' less see and be 'scene' spots) The Grid is the perfect embodiment of what Trendy Chicago looks like. The dark, rich and textured decor provides the perfect back drop for a who's who of the city to congregate and bask in each others awesomeness. Â The subtle touches like flower arrangements on the tables, to the less subtle, like the modernistic fire places hanging from the ceiling at each of the private tables all help make this space beautiful and well thought out. Â
Though I did not try any of the cocktails, the list looked thoughtful and fairly priced for the area. Perhaps my favorite part was the attentive way management observed the mood of the crowd and adjusted the ambiance accordingly; changed the lighting, thinned out the crowed, shifted the style of music etc.
Although it was crowded (at first), and the music was so loud it was difficult to hear myself think, that was to be expected at a new hot spot like this and therefore no fault of theirs.
I will go back if I am in the mood to dance and mingle. Definitely worth a visit!
Girls night out. Bring your man. Bring your girl. This is the newest place in River North specifically on Hubbard Street that is getting attention!
Have come here for two opening parties--and these bartenders know how to make their drinks! They had a selective menu of cocktails but it's the lounge that is hot. It reminds me of a clubbier version of Hub 51. With tables but they have bottle service with booths and a bar area. It's not the largest venue so it gets crowded quick and can be hard to move around but it is a good hang spot.
With River North becoming more popular, I can see The Grid as one of more of favorite hang out places. I can def. see myself going back again. They don't have an official website yet but do have a Facebook page that they keep updated on events and etc.
Good spot. Â Great decor. Â The fireplaces hanging from the ceiling are a cool touch. Â Went with a group of 4 and split all the food. Â The Kobe burger was the highlight but everything we ordered was legit and there was plenty to go around.
The cocktails were strooooong but very good and fairly priced for specialty drinks.
Our waitress was definitely putting out the "I don't want to be here and am above waiting tables" vibe. Â You know what I'm talking about. Â However, she was helpful with the orders and did come by to check on us quite often. Â We got there around 8 and it was pretty dead but definitely started to fill in around 9:30-10:00
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