Drawing Room

Intro: After exploring The Art Institute of Chicago for a large portion of the day, I was looking for a spot for a drink or two to kill a couple of hours before dinner. And one that was within walking distance. I hopped on the trusty Yelp app and found that the most reviewed bar in Chicago, Drawing Room, was nearby and it was open. Located inside the Chicago Athletic Club, I walked over, entered the building, and walked up the stairs to find Drawing Room. Ambiance (5/5): This is where Drawing Room really shines. The bar is in the lobby of the Chicago Athletic Association and it is modeled after an old school library. You'll find wood everywhere, including the walls. Stain-glass reading lamps. Several fireplaces. And comfortable seating throughout. Talk about homey and elegant. Service (4/5): You order at a small bar area in the middle of the space. I paid for my drink and then found a seat. Drinks (3.5/5): Drawing Room has a pretty small list of drinks. Six cocktails or so made up of classic cocktails like sazerac. I was expecting more of an extensive list. While the drink options didn't blow my socks off, the ambiance is elite. It's also a great space to do a little work as you can hop on their free WiFi and there is plenty of space and tables.

I found this place when looking for a respite from museum-touring. When my friend came to meet me he described it as my dream bar. Which, to be honest, it kind of is. Mismatched chairs and couches, three fireplaces, lots of space and a very low-key pace is exactly what I want. I've love a more evolved cocktail program, but otherwise this place really is my dream drinking establishment.

This place is a great place for some drinks, food, snacks or just hang out. I was staying at the Chicago Athletic Association and decided to have my first meal here each day before my busy days in Chicago. It was convenient for sure, but the food did not disappoint. Located in the lobby of the hotel, the decor is inviting and relaxing. It feels like you're sitting in a quaint library.Food:The first day I got the breakfast sandwich with the beyond sausage. The sandwich was pretty big, and I was only able to eat half of it. I also had the hashbrown. It isn't like the standard hashbrown, but it was delicious. The second day I ordered the beyond burger. The burger and fries were pretty good. Service:Since this is in the lobby of the hotel, service can be a little slow. There are plenty of places to sit and it can take a minute for a server to come help you. However, everyone is friendly and the food comes out pretty quickly.TL;DR - great place for food and drinks. even better if you're staying at the hotel.

The Drawing Room is located within the lobby of the Chicago Athletic Club. This is the second time I've been here, but the first time I've stayed long enough to truly experience it. It's busy, and it is sometimes hard to find a place to sit and get the attention of a server. But, we managed to find a seat and ordered an appetizer before heading to our next spot nearby, the Milk Room. The menu was limited, but we decided to order the Spinach Artichoke dip. The dip came with crackers and toast. The dip was thick but creamy. Aside from the occasional stringy artichoke, it was good. I enjoyed the crackers more than the standard toast, but they did not give you very many. The crackers seemed to be house made. They were crisp and flaky. I enjoyed sitting and admiring the architecture and incredible woodwork in the lobby and throughout the Drawing Room. It isn't the kind of place I would stay at long due to the busy atmosphere, but it's a good stop for a bit before moving on to your next destination.

Coming back down from Cindy's Rooftop, I stumbled upon this jaw-dropping floor. I asked one of the employees if it was okay to take pictures and look around. He then gave me a quick tour and showed me into the Game Room. Truly one unforgettable experience!

One of my best finds in the Loop area. Just off of Lake CTA, this is a convenient hangout spot to just chill, do work, or have a conversation with friendsThe place is massive with very dim lighting and beautiful old-timey architecture. Has lots of different, comfortable furniture available to sit. Even has a fireplace. Perfect place to just explore, and have a special experience.

The ambiance is stunning and perfect spot for taking out of towners! Cindy's is right upstairs!! The food smelled delicious and there are tons of drink options! We spent most of our time at the shuffleboard table but there was so much room to spread out and great tvs ! Highly recommend !

Beautiful ambiance. Comfy seating on a cold Chicago day. Service was attentive and polite. Food was tasty; however, limited. More sharable, smaller bites would be appreciated. Could see deviled eggs, potato crisp with caviar and crème fresh or even charcuterie boards would be ideal here.

Great place! Found this place from another review, and so glad we went! Definitely take time to explore. We started in the drawing room. It was a little crowded, but. Prye took really good care of us and Jason. The manager was very informative. Ask somebody about the history of the building and make sure and check out the old pool that is now a Pickleball court. The stairway to the pool is beautiful. There's definitely some history in this building. On our way out. We ran into a nice resident of Chicago, and she took us up to Cindys, (same building!) that has an excellent view of millennium Park and the bean, and Lake Michigan. we got the salmon appetizer with sourdough toast. That was a very good size serving and excellent.!

Meh.... Granted it was the middle of the afternoon so it wasn't the best time but the drinks were expensive and small.