Fun little place to grab a drink and enjoy the view, but nothing spectacular. The drinks are a little runny and even their signature cocktails leave a little to be desired. The chips and salsa are okay, but very dry.
Reasonable prices, great atmosphere, and ideal location are  the only reasons I still come back.
Oh yeah, and our waitress was super friendly too. A+ for that.
We had a really bad experience here and the only reason I have not given a 1 star is because of the manager's efforts to rectify the situation.
In short, we suffered from a disappearing waiter, poorly executed cocktails, and food which was a complete disaster. Our waiter took our order and then we never saw him again. Our drinks ran dry, and we had to hunt down someone else to get silverware. We couldn't taste the tequila in our margaritas. And for the food, every dish had something wrong. The duck tacos were missing ingredients listed on the menu. The burger had pieces of tin foil in the cheese. And the sliders were served cold and undercooked.
We grabbed the manager only because we couldn't find our server. She was apologetic and promptly fixed the sliders and took them off the bill (we didn't mention some of the other issues as we didn't want to be THOSE PEOPLE who find something wrong with every dish, even though there was). I won't be back, but she did seem to be on top of things so hopefully she can prevent similar mishaps for other customers.
Horrible. Â We wandered to a dirty table in the bar, cleaned it ourselves, and gave our waitress the previous party's bill. Our orders were taken promptly and we received (completely watered down-no ice) waters shortly thereafter. Â We placed our orders: turkey wrap, chicken sando, black bean burger, and grilled chicken wings...turkey wrap was the best, chicken sando and wings OK (I only received one drumstick...bummer!) but the black bean burger...looked like someone took 2 bites out of it. I'm assuming (hoping) that it fell apart bc it was dry and "homemade". Â So my conclusion is that this is a neat place to grab a drink outside when the weather is right but save your appetite and dine somewhere else worth your money.
Review Source:Yes, it's a tourist hang-out, but a lot of locals go here after work. Bartenders are fun. Drinks are priced well and the atmosphere -live music and tons of people - is fantastic, especially on a gorgeous Chicago afternoon or evening.
The location is one of the best in town.
The hummus platter is yumilicious.
Yesterday, my company held our annual summer outing at The Plaza at Park Grill and it was absolutely perfect. The ambiance, food, service, and prices were all worthy of 5-stars!
The group event staff was excellent throughout the entire planning process--they were quick to send us an estimate and menus, they talked us through all our options, the contract was fair, they reminded us of deadlines, advised us as to the best possible set-up in terms of good traffic flow, and were really great about checking in with us during our event to make sure everything was perfect.
On the day of the event, the staff that served us was THE BEST. The bartender, wait staff, and managers took SUCH great care of us--they checked in with me several times to make sure we had everything we needed and that all our guests were happy. Â They really went above and beyond. An added bonus is that the people who worked our event were such nice, fun people! Their positive energy was great!
All attendees of the party had a really great time and were saying what a fabulous event it was.
I would absolutely recommend hosting a corporate event or an event for clients at The Plaza at Park Grill.
Went by at 5pm on asunday evening with a friend and my 2 year old. We're told guests had to be 21 to sit in the bar area and had to order dinner if getting a table. I would have completely understood if the place was busy but over half the tables were empty. We I'd not feel welcome at all with a child and choose to go to another restaurant.
Review Source:Great location and beer specials. The band was great. However, the servers were nasty to us. There was no seating left at the bar or band area and the hostess allowed us to sit down at a table knowing that we had already ordered our drinks at the bar. Then a server approached us and was like absolutely not and made us get up. We then sat at one of the high top tables and rudely another server came right up to us, didn't ask if we were going to order anything else or anything and instead was like not if you already have your drinks. We then saw two men sit down at that table that had been standing around with their drinks and she gave them a nod that it was ok. Should have the same standards/rule for seating for everyone.
The ambiance makes this place.
I love this place! The Plaza is a really nice place to eat at during the summer right behind the Bean, and the ambience here is great for either a casual lunch with friends or for a date. I came here for lunch with my friends while visiting Chicago when we went to visit the Millennium Park.
It was a bit busy and we didn't make reservations, so we sat in the waiting area for about 30~45 minutes for a party of three. The seating area for the waiting section is actually really nice so we didn't mind lounging around. You could also go grab a drink at the bar while you wait to get seated. You have to wait to get seated for the shaded areas, but you're allowed to seat yourself at the outdoor bar area.
I had the Cajun Chicken Sandwich here and it was really delicious. I really really really liked their grilled onions! My friend said that she liked the American Kobe burger too.
This place is one of the better places to visit and eat at due to its nice ambience and convenience.
For what this restaurant aims to be and how it delivers, you couldnt expect more. Â Amazing views, great drinks at good value and solid food. Â It's not haute gourmet but doesn't pretend. Â Dishes are well -described. Â Apps, including Tacos are great. Â Hummus good. Â Hot dogs yummy. Â Again, views awesome and vibe perfect. Â Settle in and enjoy the day. Â They don't expect much of you here - don't expect more than good service, good drinks, and value food here. Â Everyone will leave happy.
Review Source:The ambience here is pretty unbeatable; great view and really comfy seating. Came here for some drinks, and although their mojitos and lemonades were pretty good, it pretty much stopped there. We decided to order a quick app, the nachos, which were meh at most. For the location and prices, you'd expect to get a lot more in terms of choices and taste.
The service was decent, since our server had an entire section to himself. He was still nice and attentive as best as he could be.
One BIG complaint: no private restroom. I know I'm being a big brat to complain about this, but even the Panera across the street offers a private bathroom for their paying patrons.
Could not have asked for a better day to enjoy this place than the sunny and 70s day we had. We sat right near the bar area at long wooden bar tables. We were greeted promptly by a server who took our drink order. The menu isn't overly extensive but with the number of tables that were sat, the kitchen was definitely busy. Half of the restaurant is all patio tables with umbrellas above that practically touch. This could be used for rainy days with minimal chances of getting wet.
We sat right out in the sun and enjoyed ourselves. The food came out fast and was full of flavor. My only complaint is that they were a litle stingy with coming around for water and iced tea refills. Iced tea was $3.50 for a 12 oz cup full of ice. My parents deserved refills for that price.
Overall, this is a place that I will definitely keep in mind when in downtown Chicago. It is located just below Millennium Park and the large silver bean.
In the 3 categories of Food Quality, Atmosphere, and Service, the Plaza at Park Grill was poor in each.
Food: The burger I had was below average for a $12 cheeseburger and the nachos ordered as an appetizer were just OK.
Atmosphere: The park is a great space; however, our particular table was wobbly and had old gum on the table top, not the best visual when you stare down to eat your food. I was surprised we were even sat there.
Service: Our waiter had no sense of urgency in bringing our food out or making sure we were happy with our order. It was a lengthy meal for just ordering sandwiches (which wasn't an inconvenience for us since we didn't have other plans, but could be for other guests).
I'd go back for drinks in their longue area, but not for the food.
I stopped in with some friends from out of town for lunch. The view was nice -- right under the bean -- and we could see it from our table at the cafe outside. The menu was made up of bar food and priced as such. There wasn't much to complain about here, it's a nice touristy spot and the people watching wasn't bad either.
Review Source:This just might be one of my new favorite spots in the city! The location is perfect--right on Michigan Ave, steps away from the Bean, and in the middle of some of the best architecture in the world.
They have nice drink specials that are perfect for a happy hour. I had a margarita, sweet and strong, just how I like 'em. I also had the Fish Tacos. They didn't blow my mind, but were still pretty darn tasty. I think the Chipotle Mayo won me over. YUM.
I know many of us might be in denial about summer coming to an end in Chicago (blah), but I can't wait to come back here to savor its last few days :)
We stopped here on Monday after visiting the bean with our group of 14. Â They were super accommodating when it came to seating us which was greatly appreciated. Â The food was just OK. Â No one said their dish was great or even good. Â I ordered the caprese salad and the big hot dog. Â The salad didn't have much dressing and the dog came with no toppings. Â I don't know if the order was put in wrong because the dog should have come with tomato, etc. Â and I would think the caprese salad in the summer would have had a lot of flavor. Â Our server was really nice and bubbly, taking pics of our group for us, but the food was disappointing. Â The restaurant was crowded, but I guess in their case its all about location, location, location. Â I'd give 2.5 stars if it were an option.
Review Source:A pretty decent spot to plant yourself and enjoy a $7 blueberry mojito or whatever the drink special happens to be that day. It's friendly and in a great location (good for the out-of-towners) but the blaring of crappy pop music and the uncomfortable bar stool-type chairs make it a solid three star experience.
Review Source:I haven't written a review of this yet?! I love this place, and go here quite a bit.
In the summer, this place is the BEST bar in Chicago. Enjoying a refreshing drink, gazing up at gorgeous skyscrapers in the coolest city in the world. Right in the shadow of the Bean and steps away from the Frank Gehry-designed Pritzker Pavilion.
The service varies. Sometimes it's atrocious, and sometimes it's very attentive. The food is good enough, but tends to be a bit overpriced. The hummus is not that good - pass that up.
A great place to hang out and watch people.
It's not exactly an oasis, but you can't beat the location. After a morning of walking around downtown Chicago, this place was the right place at the right time for some early afternoon beers.
The draft beer selection, although small, was Chicago-centric which was nice. Nothing on the menu jumped out as a must-have. We had the nachos which were sparse of toppings, but decent.
Service was efficient, but not friendly. Prices were expensive.
Despite living not too far away from this spot, my first visit was this past Saturday.
I enjoyed a few things. I liked the atmosphere and was a great late afternoon spot to sit and enjoy the views. I ordered a burger and it was a very good burger. I think I was expected more to be on the menu than wraps and burgers but it worked for me since that is what we were looking for (a good burger). So food and atmosphere were good.
Few things I didn't like:
The waiter we had was not very good. I know its a tough job and the place was crowded but he had about 6 tables from what we could tell. He was very absent-minded and was obvious he forgot to put our order in because our food... two simple burgers... came 20 minutes AFTER two other tables food that were seated about 15 minutes after we ordered. He did apologize for the "delay" when he finally brought our food though. However, he also forgot our drink order after greeting us and asking if we wanted drinks once we sat. We had to remind him about our order...LOL. Finally, he forgot to bring our check after asking for it twice.
The drinks we ordered were not very good either. We ordered margiritas and they just didn't taste good. Like the use a cheap pre-mix or something. As someone else said drinks are pricy too. If I go back I'd have a beer or glass of wine instead.
Finally, price. Two drinks, two burgers, and an order fo chips and salsa came out to almost $60.. and that was the least expensive margiritas and burgers on the menu.
I think I may give it another try though because that was a very good burger and was just a nice setting to sit, eat, and catch up with a friend. As for the waiter... I won't be too hard on him because I think he told another table next to us that complained about something that he was "new". Or at least that is what it sounded like he said. I'm sure he will get better and if not then I am sure he won't last there..lol.
I think the food merits a 3, but the atmosphere helps, so that's why I gave it a 4. The food is an unusual spin on casual food. The menu is pretty limited. We've eaten three times here over the last three years, and each time service was mediocre. Also, they add an automatic gratuity to your check, so no need to tip extra. I wonder if that's why the service is so pathetic. After writing this, I'm still wondering why I gave it the 4 stars. Really, it's because Millenium Park is so nice, and sitting there in the summer is such a nice Chicago thing to do.
Review Source:During a day of sightseeing in the area, i stopped for a couple of beers & a light lunch. I just ordered the tomato Mozzarella salad so can't say much how the rest of their food is, but i like the ambiance, being able to sit outside, server was very friendly. it was a pleasant experience.
Review Source:Very average food but the location is great. Â Note this is different than Park Grill itself, it's more casual with a different menu. Â In fact you're not allowed to use the restaurant bathrooms, you get directed to the public bathroom which is crowded and not that clean and without toilet paper in a single stall when I was there. Â Fish tacos and grilled chicken sandwich were liked by others at the table, as was the accompanying coleslaw. Â Next time I would definitely try Park Grill which also has outdoor seating.
Review Source:I have been to The Plaza twice - once for drinks and another for food. Â The food and drinks are a little overpriced, but you are paying for the joy of sitting in a beautiful location in downtown Chicago. Â The seating is comfortable and the views are fantastic. Â The service is friendly but slow, most likely due to the massive size of this place. Â
The fish tacos were excellent. Â The guac and mango-salsa were tasty, but I didn't care for the red salsa (tres-chile?) which was the consistency of marinara sauce. Â My friends loved their meals of portabella sandwich, turkey wrap, and hamburger. Â The coleslaw is delicious.
Skate with snowflakes or bake in the sun. Â
I've never had a taco-flavored, black bean coleslaw before but after munching on it at Park Grill's Plaza, I just don't see the point of eating the usual boring style any longer. Â Their marinated chicken sandwich is great on toasted tomato focaccia bread and the Hawaiian burger topped with pulled pork and pineapple is pretty tasty, too. Â The dark chocolate cake with berry sauce is very rich and has just the right sweetness level, allowing you to concentrate on the freshness and spice instead of offering a cruddy cane sugar overload, like many common sweets here.
Service is pretty friendly but can be a little spread out once the massive patio's full. Â In fairness, there appeared to be a large party sitting nearby, so things weren't horrible considering. It's a pleasant reality that they've upgraded their patio furniture to something more befitting the posh area and prices asked.
The plaza is a great year-round use of prime real estate, anchoring Chicago's fabulous, downtown area Millennium Park. Â We use it to skate for free during winter months or lounge on a somewhat swanky patio, just steps from Lake Michigan or all the action on the Mag Mile, Theatre District or State Street.
I would give this place 2 1/2 stars if possible. Once summer rolls around, this is a frequent happy hour destination for me and my coworkers. The main reason for that is because it's the only place around that has a pretty large amount of outdoor space. The drinks are a bit pricey and the service ranges from slow to nonexistent. Normally, we don't even bother trying to get a table and just order directly from the bar and then stand around. This system works fine as long as you don't mind waiting a while at the bar for your drinks.
Once in a while, we do manage to get a table, which is good because it's nice to sit down, but bad because this means we're dependent on the extremely slow waitresses. Last night, for example, it took one friend of mine 30 minutes to get his beer because the waitress was slow and they happened to be out of every single beer he ordered (that's unusual). When she finally brought his beer, she said we needed to close out with her because she was leaving. We still wanted to stay a while, but another waitress never even showed up, so we had to go to the bar and get our drinks directly from there. Not the end of the world, but certainly not what you expect.
I don't usually eat there, but the few times that I've ordered appetizers, they've been pretty good and filling. Last night I had a Moroccan salad appetizer that was big enough to be a whole meal (and was very tasty to boot).
At the end of the day, I'd say the main appeal here is the outdoor space. There are better drinks and service to be found elsewhere.
Got here at 4:30 pm on a Friday and it was darn crowded. That was to be expected given how nice it was outside; however they were woefully understaffed behind the bar. It took a good 20 minutes for me to get a drink at the bar. Once my friends and I got a table it took almost 45 minutes for our drinks to come out.
They were nice and comped the drinks, but it was just frustrating. I don't think I'll be going back.
Pros:
1. The location, especially outdoors in the summertime.
2. Live music
Cons:
Everything else.
1. The food is terrible and is overpriced.
2. The drinks are also pretty terrible and also overpriced.
3. The service is NOT very good - I am a total softie when it comes to waitstaff and restaurant staff, and they aren't rude or mean by any standards but for the amount this place is charging they could be a bit better. I will say that once they comped me a free drink when my order took 1.5 hours to come out because someone lost the ticket.
In general, if you're on a touristy trip and need a refreshment and it's summertime and beautiful outside, I guess it's worth checking it out. Otherwise, don't bother.
Went here to grab a bite with my mom and little cousin and sister. The place was pretty empty considering there were events going on around the park and the food was reasonably priced. The Margaritas tasted like they were made with old lime(s) (juice). Even thought it was nice and hot outside, our food managed to get cold from the kitchen to our table. Over all you should go for a drink and enjoy the view.
Review Source:I've been reading these reviews of this great place and I must comment. The Plaza at the Park Grill is Chicago's largest outdoor venue and I like it. My wife and I started coming to The Plaza about four years ago when they had the Thursday WNUA jazz concerts. They don't have those concerts anymore but we still stop by from time to time. I read a comment here from someone complaining about inadequate "bar"seating and poor service. OK...read this carefully and fully understand what I'm about to say.  The Plaza servers work very hard for the "few dollars" they do get. They make no money when someone nurses a beer from the bar and takes up a table that could be making them money. (I've waited tables and I know what the servers are going through when you monopolize their means of livelihood). Also...my wife and I have personally observed the tips left by some of the folks on The Plaza (less than 8%). Shameful !!! All in all,  I've found The Plaza a great place. The bar makes some of the best drinks in the city. And the kitchen works hard to get some of the best al fresco  food out in a timely manner. In closing, I would challenge some of the pompous reviewers here to  try to do the job the Plaza servers do....especially waiting on you !!! And as always....contact me if you want to discuss this further !!
Review Source:Pretty good food. Â Lousy service.
Went here with a group of five for a summertime lunch on a Tuesday around 11:30am. Â Very light crowd; maybe ten other people. Â Ordered the $11 burger (plus $2 for bacon) -- it was very good. Â Everyone in my group seemed to like what they had. Â
The bad part was the service. Â Our waitress was not around after bringing the food. Â Three of us had empty glasses for most of the meal. Â When she did come back, it took forever to get the tab. Â (Note: they added 18% gratuity for a party of 5; I've never seen that before.) Â She made an awful face when we asked her to split the bill between a couple credit cards -- I guess that is too much work for a measly 18%.
The bar looked nice, so I'll probably go back post-work, but I don't think I'll be eating lunch there again.
Love it.
I do think it's a bit expensive, but there is no better al fresco dining place in the city. There is free music from 4-630, on Thursdays, though it could be every day, not cure. Loads of people, both tourists and Chicagoans knocking back a few after work. The food is alright, not great, not bad, but good and sustainable. The burgers are the best thing I've had thus far.
Now, the drinks are spectacular. They even have a Strawberry Frozen Long Island...I haven't had it yet, but I can't wait. They have specials every day Monday-Thursday and they are a good deal. The Lemonade Cocktails are DANGEROUS. I repeat, THE LEMONADE COCKTAILS ARE DANGEROUS. You don't taste lemonade, only the Raspberry, or Peach, or the Dragon Berry. You also don't taste the alcohol. Dangerous.
The Plaza is the outdoor beer garden of the Park Grill Restaurant. Â Seating is reserved to those ordering food while the other half - with the lounge chairs and bistro tables - is for those looking for liquid respite. Â
I'm torn about this place. Â It has the potential to be something really fantastic but the policy of not allowing people to sit in their 'main dining' Â area is ridiculous when there are many seats available and none whatsoever in their 'lounge area'..which is sparse and has insufficient tables or seats. Â
Service is slow, drinks are watered down, and after a while, the Plaza becomes overrun with obnoxious tourists and overly boisterous, tacky suburbanites which makes it feel more like a townie bar. Â Not our crowd and certainly annoying when trying to carry a conversation and you cannot hear the person across the table because of the yelling and screaming. Â
I would recommend this place during the middle of the week, on a nice night, as it has a completely different vibe than the weekends. Â The restaurant does a nice job hosting wine tastings, grilling events, and other special events and you cannot beat its view of the skyline and beautiful Millennium Park. Â
City brides looking for a special venue for their wedding reception should consider this place as we learned that it is rather reasonable for a private event. Â Three stars, with potential to be 4 stars excluding suffocating weekend crowd and ditzy waitresses/servers who are of a different class than the servers at the actual restaurant.
The Plaza at Park Grill is a haven for tired tourists and in-the-know locals looking for a chill place with great views.
The burger menu is diverse and I almost went with the California burger (roasted pineapple, Sriracha BBQ sauce) if it weren't also topped with another meat, Pulled Pork. I mean I love meat, but I didn't want to have a heart attack on a plate!
The Plaza serves up plenty of salads and wraps for the health conscientious, still I went with the Kobe Beef Tacos. A generous portion of seasoned beef with lettuce and a chopped cilantro topping. Tasty for sure, but they were probably two times the price you would pay anywhere else.
Service here is top notch! And I like that the bar here mimics the design of the Metro stop a few streets down, that was donated from Paris to the City of Chicago. They also have bags to play and couches for those just wanting to sip beers and chill out.
The location offers up some stellar views, great people watching and this really is a fun place to catch up over a few beers. Still, the food and specialty drinks are quite overpriced for what is offered, and therein lies the rub of being at the hub.
Look I get this is a tourist spot with great location and maybe ambience. But as a local looking for a nice spot on a beautifule day to enjoy some lunch I won't ever go back. First seating at the bar or hightop is so uncomfortable. Some seats are too low and others don't have a place to put your feet. So obviously the message is clear "don't get comfortable or stay to long." Got it. Cobb Salad really? How much romaine does it take obviously alot because to call it a Cobb with the 3 thin strips of pepper 3 marinated artichokes and a a little bacon and blue cheese - more like a garden salad all dressed up. Yeah I finished it. It was $11 and the server had no interest. Â Come on. How hard is it to make a Cobb? I only gave it 2 stars cause it is in Millennium Park. Otherswise go spend your money elsewhere and enjoy the Park.
Review Source:ATTACK OF THE BIRDS!!!! Ok, now that I have your attention, I'm giving you fair warning: the birds here are vicious and they WILL attack you, even the cute little sparrows. During the hour and a half that we were here, I saw a dozen people get attacked by various birds--and as mean as it sounds, I was thoroughly entertained :)
This al fresco dining venue is only open during the summer months in the area where the ice skating rink sits during the winter. The menu consists mostly of burgers, wraps, and sandwiches and a few other things like fish tacos, hummus, and salads. I ordered the mini cheeseburgers and they were delicious and went well with my Arnie (sweet tea vodka and lemonade).
Check out their website for their daily drink specials. This place is fantastic for happy hour drinks. They also have live music every Thursday during happy hour starting at 4 pm.
Service was good considering the size of the place. And like I said, were it not for my slight fear that I might get attacked by a bird, I had a great time here!
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