Cherry Circle Room

I have stared at this gorgeous room a few times but restaurant week got me motivated to make a reservation for lunch. The service was attractive and top notch, the room is one of the most beautiful spots in the Loop to eat (like a diner for the sophisticated criminal). The bar alone is beautiful to stare at for an hour with the busy, crowded artwork, bottles and shelves curving around the east wall. Happy to report that the food full matches the space! I had the Chicory salad with pork belly, Pork Sausage on Pretzel bread, and a gluttonous Chocolate/​pumpkin dessert tray with dollops of mousse, sauces and nuts. Living next door, I need to brunch here way more often

Restaurant Week:
Environment — really cool space, all wooden and quiet compared to the game room/​bar right next to it. Comfortable seating and a lot of room for your dining experience. ⁵⁄₅
Service — the staff was really pleasant and upfront I told our waiter I could not eat meat. He was very promising that everything I ordered would be vegetarian. When my salad came out and I started eating I saw some chunks of bacon or chicken and was really annoyed. I’m sure it was an honest mistake but that’s a pretty big mistake in my book. Thankfully I didn’t accidentally eat anything. I sent it back and they gave us a round of drinks on the house which was really nice! The Gin Fizz was amazing — highly recommend. ³⁄₅
Food: RW menu: Salad– greens w/​poached egg… good but average, Risotto — delicious, felt like it was healthy too, Dessert– pumpkin/​peanut butter chocolate spread — pretty how it was set up, very good. ⁴⁄₅

I was there for my early birthday celebration with my good friend. We didn’t order food, went there for cocktail only. The drinks were excellent. The bartenders were super friendly and very knowledgeable with the drinks. They created something special for me as a birthday girl, so sweet. Their house cocktails $ 13. You can create your own martini, mix and match for only $ 12. It’s such a gorgeous place and very elegant. Highly recommended for your special night out.

Everything was excellent. The room, the people, the service, the food, the drinks, the crowd, the vibe, the contemporary swankness. Great place and experience.

Had an amazing server named, Adam, with delicious food and amazing wine. Highly suggest the octopus and scallops. Risotto was undercooked but just a learning point everything else was on point. The food, wine, ambience and service was all top notch. An amazing experience that I highly suggest for anyone and everyone.

I was really excited to try this place but it was a major letdown. Slow, spotty service and small portions of overpriced, mediocre food. This might be a nice place to have drinks (ours were alright, nothing amazing) only because the space is so cool. Feels a bit like a tourist trap.

Wow.
Came for brunch on a random Saturday afternoon and was knocked off my seat. Impeccable food, gorgeous space, lovely service.
Plus, how much fun, overall, is the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel? The nooks and crannies, fireplaces, Game Room, hidden gems all over the space!!! It’s magnificent and one of my favorite properties in Chicago, currently. You could literally spend a day in this hotel and never be bored or in the same place twice. I adore it.
But back to Cherry Circle…
The space, overall, is a wooden glory. Bookshelves (of booze), darkness and light, leather, a literal circled space — it’s «old,» but «new old.» It’s a throwback lounge, it’s hush-​hush, it’s small (er) but feels big.
The slight touches — custom cutlery and plates, napkins with rabbits — are fantastic. Everything here transforms the experience. You’ll have to go and see for yourself.
THE FOOD! I had the New England lobster roll and every bite melted between my lips. My wife had the roasted crab cake and really enjoyed her dish. We split the crispy scallion hash browns. I could have had my own side ;) We had drinks that were delightfully prepared (the gin fizz is very, very fizzy — and very, very delicious) and beers never-​before-​tried.
I will definitely be back for dinner or lunch, one day. And to stick around the property — properly loitering.

Past the Game Room, just off the lobby of the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, a cherry red neon sign is your indication you’ve arrived.
Walking through the doors you are transported back to somewhere between the late 60s and early 70s. The swanky room has a Playboy-Club-in-it’s-heyday vibe (sans bunnies, of course) and one feels like Don Draper and Joan could be in the booth behind you holding court. The music is as much decoration as the 60s Modern light fixtures. The designers transport you for this meal.
Cocktails are excellent and the whiskey focus lends to the era. Food wise, the menu is concise, pricey and immaculate in preparation. But true to the era, even the perfect-on-it’s-own steak comes with old school sauces on the side. It’s a concise and pricey menu, but covers the timeline very well.
Service was polite, relaxed and allows the space to set the tone. In total, a very good spot in the Loop and worth the trip. As a hotel restaurant, it is a must try for guests of the hotel. Why go off campus when you can go back in time to an era where dinner and cocktails were so sexy and glamorous?

Went back for dinner with family and overall experience was still very good. Food is strong and service is friendly. Complaints are more of a secondary variety but still enough to raise an eyebrow or withhold a star.
Octopus, walleye, beef tartare were all very tasty. Service was friendly and attentive with bussers and others replacing silver between courses and refilling water. It is obvious there is training occurring here opposed to some other ambitious restaurants where hype outweighs the substance.
As for the «buts» the mussels with coconut and red pepper were a weak facsimile of the same dish ordered just a few months ago. The weirdest issue was the day after. The lamb for 2 was cooked perfectly and sliced table side. It was delicious, however, we soon became full and asked to take the remaining half home. A server told us he would put the box in the refrigerator. At the end of the meal, we were given the box in a bag and on our way. This morning, I opened the box and found someone else’s half-​eaten cheeseburger and fries! I called hoping to make an exchange, but was told food is removed from the refrigerator nightly.
A disappointing end to an otherwise very good meal. I hope someone out there enjoyed the lamb because it was delicious and a good deal pricier than their cheeseburger. And I hope CCR can make a few tweaks in its systems to stay on track and offer the experience it is capable of and asks patrons to pay for.

I really enjoyed my visit to Cherry Circle Room. It was somewhat difficult to get there since there was a private party in the game room, so we had to side step plenty of folks gathering for what I assume was a holiday party.
We finally made it back to Cherry Circle Room and were quickly seated for our reservation. The drink menu is very extensive — many unique wine options and plenty of interesting cocktails. I stuck with wine, but I will say that the cocktails looked quite good.
As to food, I had the small salad and then the chicken. Both were quite tasty. The salad was very fresh tasting (like spring) — light and really crisp. The chicken was divine — perfect mix of flavors and a nice compliment to the lighter salad. I thought portion sizes were perfect in terms of being enough food, but not an overwhelming amount.
Service was friendly and not overbearing. They didn’t rush us, but offered to help out with menu selections and wine.
The room itself is great — dim lighting and a cozy, clubby feel (like a country club, not a 4am club). The two seater tables are somewhat close together, but not terribly so. I would have liked a booth for less hustle and bustle as my back was to the bar.
Price-​wise, it is pricey — the wines are on the upper end of the «Michigan Ave» range, but the selection was one you won’t find everywhere. Food was a bit expensive, but quality was high. Without the craziness of the game room on the way in, it would have been even more relaxing.
Food — 5
Atmosphere — 5
Pricing — 3
Bathrooms — 3 (far away…)
Service — 4

I’ve only been once so I intend to update once I’ve been a few times. I came for lunch. After going through the labyrinth to get to the restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance and décor. Our server was very good. Also, by 12:30 the place was packed. My friend had the burger and thought it was very good. I tried the fries that came with it and they were above average. Our server recommended the tuna salad. It was pretty solid but not as good as he described it. The lunch menu is fairly small as well. What I did like is that you can get breakfast items at lunch. Perhaps next time I’ll try that.

Really cool vintage space you definitely wanna check out; at least once! Walk in and take the marble stairs up the second floor. From there you will witness just an amazing vintage «Lobby» that overlooks Michigan Avenue! Three vintage fireplaces, leather couches & chairs, gigantic Christmas Tree & very dark… it’s perfect for date or just hiding from the truth. Go thru the hallway marked with these amazing little «Models» of bars and diners, etc and you witness The Game Room! Place is vintage with a bar, vintage pool tables, bocce ball court, shuffleboard, etc. Of course it’s very dark with some great vintage lighting! From there you get to The Cherry Circle Room, it’s like walking straight into 1925! Vintage bar winds around the right side with clubby booths and tables on the left, yes it’s dark. Great custom plates and napkins marked with «CAA» are a great touch for sure. Extensive bourbon list as well as a great cocktail list is served up! The food is good/​I had the French Onion Soup and it was one of the best I’ve ever had; ever. The triple CB I had was good but kinda fell short on execution as one patty was almost raw while the other 2 were cooked right; it’s got a real «Charcoal» flavor so if that’s something you don’t like then I wouldn’t order it! Can’t wait to go back for dinner and try some of their dinner entrees many of which originate from like the 1890’s? Don’t worry about price here. you are in a hotel BTW and it’s pretty expensive but not crazy! Service was great from the Friday day bartender. One gripe: tons of people just walking around taking pictures EVERYWHERE!!! Kind of annoying/​buy a drink! get dat did

Met a friend for drinks here during a seven-​hour Amtrak layover. In a sense, it’s hard to rate the place, because it’s three separate rooms doing a cocktail lounge, a game room, and a sit-​down restaurant. So, to be clear, this is about the cocktail lounge (the foremost of the three rooms). It’s a beautiful and classy space with like 20-​foot ceilings and old stuffed furniture sitting around everywhere. The vibe’s a bit like drinking at your millionaire septuagenarian uncle’s house.
Service is casual and relaxed. You find a place to sit, and eventually someone comes to find you. Our server was friendly and cool, the specialty cocktails (about $ 10 a pop, which, I suppose, is reasonable for Downtown Chicago) were strong if a touch sweet for my liking, and the manager even came over to chat for a bit. It’s dark-​ish and intimate and a really all-​around great place to stop for a drink and have a conversation. I’m more of a dive bar than cocktail lounge kind of guy, but this an example of the latter category that I’d happily return to more than once. Check it out.

Every item we ordered was freaking amazing! We ordered the Shaved Brussels sprouts, Farro Risotto, Foie Gras Pâté, Triple Cheese Burger, Tuna Crudo and the Bananas and Caramel dessert. The crowd favorite at our table was the Risotto and then the Burger and Pâté…
I would skip the dessert mostly because it wasn’t worth the money! Although the flavors were intricate we expected more than 4 slices of bananas and a scoop of ice cream for $ 13. Check out the photo and you’ll see what I mean. Anyways, hands down I’ll be back because I’m truly addicted to the Risotto

Classically inspired well represented American cuisine.
The Cherry Circle Room chefs have composed dishes recreated from menu items found on site when the location was in its heyday.
Here’s what I found on a very busy Tuesday night:
A huge bar and lounge space, complete with foosball, billiards, and even a large bocce alley, as well as varied classic drinks. I had a high ball — quite good.
Once my party’s appointed reservation time arrived, we wandered through the very busy large space to the beautiful dining hall. Upon entering, I felt as though I was immediately transported back to the 1920s, within an almost all wooden bar, huge table booths, custom plates, napkins, artifacts in the tall shelves, and heraldry above each table.
Taking a seat at the 6 Rabbits, our party of six felt right at home with excellent table service from no less than five or six professional staff members who made sure our visit was top notch.
Everything is ordered all at once, then the kitchen times it all, so get your list ready beforehand!
We ordered the olives, the oysters, the escargot, the cheese plate, and the French onion soup. All were excellent.
Fresh drinks arrived, and I had The Old Cuban — then ordered it again because it was great. My friends enjoyed theirs as well, so if you don’t drink wine, you’ll be fine.
The main course arrived, and my party had a wide variety, which I always appreciate when writing reviews…
I had the burger, and it was wonderful. The Gouda was a nice touch, and the fries didn’t stand a chance, though the ketchup might need an inspired tweak.
Around the table, the fish looked excellent, the risotto was a complex vegetable dish, the chicken was petite yet well sauced, and the clam sauce porchetta was well ranked.
However, after I tried the aged rib eye, I know what I’ll order when I come back… Wow.
For dessert, the latte I had rivals even The Bothers K, and that is the best latte I know of.
Cheers! And Happy Eating!

We had a fantastic time and were treated like royalty.
Hannah, the hostess did her best to get us seated in a booth where we had some privacy to celebrate our anniversary. Peter, our waiter was first class and very helpful. He brought us some bubbly to celebrate. We had the beef tartare, octopus and the foie gras as starters. We enjoyed every bite of our starters. In particular, the octopus was so tender, it melted in our mouth. As for the main, we ordered the lamb leg for two with the mashed potatoes, and we were brought the brussels sprouts slaw on the house. The meat was cooked to perfection, we barely needed to use our knife and the mashed potatoes were out of this world. Danielle, the sommelier was very knowledgeable and helped us get a rare bottle of red that paired perfectly with the lamb.
We finished off our meal with a delicious cheese selection. At the end of it we were offered to be taken upstairs for a drink at Cindy’s with a great view of the millennium park and of a few skyscrapers.
Overall our experience at the Cherry Circle Room and the Chicago Athletic Association was one of our favourite parts of our recent trip to Chicago!

I won’t lie. At this point in the night, anything would taste good. Good thing for über too.
This place is pretty sweet. You walk through a dark bar (full of pool-​tables, lounges), and only to enter into another bar that much more upscale. You almost feel like you need a secret code to get in. That would only make this place so much better (hint hint).
It’s a large room, but my crew and I sat at the bar. This place is sexy. Definitely, you would want to take a date here to impress. Bartender was friendly and seemed very knowledgeable about all the drink and type of alcohols.
Boy, this drinks are serious. No skimping on the booze (and wouldn’t expect them to either). We had some scallops that we shared, but really, a Mickey D’s burger probably would have been more fitting at this time.
If you want to impress, or just be a cool cat, come here. Awesome place to chill.

I finally made it here and I’m glad did!
(See updates below)
This is a mini review, I sat at the bar and had a couple drinks and the mussels but I really enjoyed it all
Great old school clubby atmosphere. The restaurant is smaller than I expected. The bar is beautiful and wraps around half to room, so even the dining room is sort of like eating in the bar. This is not a bad thing, it has a nice feeling to it.
It’s actually a bit tough to find the room in general. You need to walk through the game room and head to the far back right corner. Once there all is good.
I had the Bizzy Lizzy and Old Cuban drinks and as I mentioned I had the mussels. All were excellent renditions. Both drinks were unique and yet felt very rooted in classics.
Overall it was very enjoyable and highly recommended.
UPDATE–
We went back for dinner this time. We had the onion soup, beet salad, escargot, octopus, foie gras, more mussels and the burger.
We all enjoyed everything, especially the beet salad and foie gras both of which are non traditional and beautiful. The onion soup is among the best I have had.
We still not have had the steaks which seem to be a focus but we were very happy with everything we tried.
Great service including a fantastic Negroni made table side which was a fun way to start.

First, this place is gorgeous. The whole hotel is beautiful, but Cherry Circle Room looks like a room you’d find in Hogwarts: so cool! I came here for dinner and had a very good experience. Service was very good throughout the meal. I opted for wine, but will definitely experiment with the cocktail cart offerings next time. For dinner, I enjoyed the caesar salad and a special fall squash ravioli with an oxtail sauce that was just heavenly. No dessert this time, but I cannot wait to go back here and try some. Very, very good.
The one issue I have with this place is the logistics. The restaurant is on the second floor of the hotel. There’s no clear signage instructing you where to go. When you get to the second floor, you’re in what almost looks like a library with a big reception desk. Beyond that is a huge game room with pool tables and a lot of noise. You need to go past all that to another door, which takes you to yet another lobby, which leads to one more door, and then you’re finally in the restaurant. It is seriously that complicated. And don’t even try going to the powder room, because you need to find a secret door that leads to a staircase that takes you down to the mezzanine, where you then need to walk around a balcony to find the ladies’ room. It’s so confusing!
For me, the cool ambiance and overall fantastic dining experience makes up for the confusion, but my dinner companions were very put out by it. Hopefully this can all be chalked up to the place still being pretty new and the logistics still being ironed out, but seriously, get some nice signs put up fast, and build a bathroom closer to the restaurant. Then you’re golden.

Ahoy, my noble bourbon boozers, for my milestone 200^th Unilocal Review I give you, The Cherry Circle Room. The Circle, and indeed, my entire afternoon at the Chicago Association, has been one of the culinary highlights of my year thus far. I would expect nothing less from the good people of the Land & Sea Dept.
We arrived for lunch, strolled by the old money lobby, sauntered through the wood laden game room, passed the bank of elevators, and entered into a clubby and inviting dining space. Decked out in deep blues and blonde woods, the room has an elegant art deco feel that makes you want to linger for hours.
You will no doubt be relieved to know that there is much worth lingering over. First and foremost are the cocktails — the bartender makes an immaculate Bulliet Rye Manhattan, perfectly balanced between the spice of rye and the sweet smoothness of vermouth. I imagine they use Carpano but it is mere conjecture.
I did not have an opportunity to try the Toronto — rye and fernet — so if you get there before I get back, do order one and let me know how it is.
For lunch, we had the turkey sandwich, the lobster roll, the wedge salad, charcuterie, and the special of the day, duck sausage. Everything was delicious — the fries and duck prosciutto are especially good — but the standout was the duck sausage.
Delivered in a lobster roll, it was one of the finest encased meats I have encountered. Fans of the all too short-​lived run of sausages at Longman & Eagle’s OSB will recognize the bun and the caliber of sausage. If you too have missed sausage Saturdays at OSB, you can relive the magic here (if sausage specials are still available — the suspense is almost too much to bear). It pairs deliciously with the Cherry Circle Rye Ale, brewed especially for the CCR by Marz Brewing. You must try it.
The Room was surprisingly quiet on a Friday afternoon, shortly after their opening, so we lingered over cocktails and dessert and soaked up the atmosphere, which was almost as rich as the food. If you can extend your lunch into an afternoon off, as your attorney I advise you to head up to Cindy’s so that the sun-​drenched bar and patio can help you work off that massive meal you just ate.