The Chicago Club

Stunning, as a private club should be. I have been in many of the private clubs in Chicago but only recently was invited here to attend a party on the top Terrace level and I have to say I was impressed.
The Chicago Club has a long history in our city and, since 1869, has been welcoming members through it’s doors.
As with most private clubs, there are rules for everything as to what to wear, to where you can use your cell phone (only in phone booths, or meeting rooms, not allowed in public areas) Also know that unlike many clubs in our town, there is no valet parking so you need to use one of the many parking lots in the area (there is one just west of the club)
While the entire building is lovely and elegant, the Terrace on the roof is special as it overlooks the park, Buckingham Fountain and in the distance the lake. There are seating areas clustered about the fireplaces and in one area is a fountain. Stunning in every way!
The service and food are second to none and the staff go out of their way to make sure your visit is perfect in every way.
While I’m not a private club kind of gal, you can bet if I was, the Chicago Club would be high on my list to consider. Oh– it’s by invitation only so first I’d have to sweet talk some of my friends who belong! Ha!

I love the unparalleled generosity to Feinberg Medical personnel at the Chicago Club. It is always a pleasure to be here, with excellent dining space, conference rooms, and private accommodations.
One of my favorite professional venues for medical and global affairs.

I’ve been here a few times for banquets hosted by a law association as well as the engineering firm I work for that’s located a couple blocks from this establishment. It’s a beautiful location for such events. My HUGE complaint is with the valet attendant, Nate. After turning onto Van Buren to park on the opposite side of this business, the flow of traffic forced me on the left side of the street. If anyone is familiar with the intersection at Van Buren and Michigan, it’s difficult to see oncoming traffic coming from East Congress because the traffic flows at a curve. I had my right signal on to get over when the valet attendant, Nate, walks towards my car and shouts «You have to move now!» I stated calmly, «Yes, sir, I plan to move as soon as traffic clears». Then he states «You’re not going to tell me what you are going to do. I’m going to tell you what you are going to do!»
WTF? Did he seriously just say that to me? My jaw literally dropped to the floor! So once I was able to get over, I walked across the street to explain to him how disrespectful it was to speak to a lady in such a manner and I gave a re-​account of what transpired. He then states that he «never said anything to me and was going to politely suggest I move.» Again, WTF? So, I took a picture of him for record. And it’s NOT as if I pulled up in a beater car and idled in front of the entrance for a long time. I was there for less than 30 seconds near the door of the sushi business, had my right signal on with my foot on the brakes and I was driving my 750li BMW! He didn’t even consider when he was approaching my car to ask if I needed valet service.
I find it even more sad that he has no clue that my employer patronizes this establishment, and with me being a senior engineer that often has major clients coming into the office, I’m responsible for making the decision of where to host events at locations such as the Chicago Club. I can guarantee that I’ll put the word out to my HR department and the owners/​partners in regard to the this type of treatment. I would totally hate for valet attendants to treat any of our clients in the same manner.

One of the bell hops is extremely rude. I received an email saying my previous review was not a customer experience so here it is
. I have interacted with the man several times and he is rude and unprofessional. I have spoken to one of the other bell hops that’s is a very nice man I don’t know what issues the rude bell hop has he needs to leave all that at home.

The food in the Library was surprisingly good — the salads, the pastas and desserts!

I had a horrible experience with the bellhop that will keep me from ever considering going here. I was leaving the business next door when it suddenly started pouring rain. I ran under the nearest awning to figure out a good plan to get home. It happened to be the awning of the Chicago Club. I see the bellhop and ask if he can assist me with hailing a cab. He replies «I most certainly can NOT. You are NOT a guest here.» I am irritated, but decide to pull out my phone to use Über. The bellhop then says «Excuse me, miss?» Thinking he has a heart and possibly changed his mind, I put away my phone. But the bellhop says «You can’t stand under this awning either. Again, you are NOT a guest.» He then walks inside, leaving me standing alone in the dark and rain. I got drenched. NEVER will I take my business to the Chicago Club after this glimpse into their service.

Great exclusive old time club where serious business gets done. Quite conservative all around.

nice building, lots of history… but i once knew a prostitute that worked here… huh

The elegant and elite Chicago Club is a meeting place for the highest echelon of Chicago business. It has an impressive array of members, known for their leadership in civic and business enterprise.
The rooms have the old school private club look and feel, and if you use your imagination, you can almost see the stereotypical cigar-​chomping fatcats hob-​nobbing here.
I have attended a few events here, and found the facility to be impressive, although the service was almost cavalier and inattentive. I surmise things may be different for members and non-​members, as they tend to be at private clubs. It remains a jacket and tie venue in the dining room, which pleases some die-​hard private club aficionados.
While dining, I think my server forgot my order and instead produced something else from the kitchen that resembled my steak, yet it was badly carbonized and inedible. I sent it back and waited quite some time for its replacement. It was an altogether unpleasant experience and I never saw a General Manager or a Food/​Beverage Coordinator to apologize or even inquire about my visit.

The Chicago Club is a secretive, Romanesque, eight-​story red granite fortress for Chicago’s power elite, located at Michigan and Van Buren. The interior resembles a stately English home laden with perfectly shined brass bannisters and water fountains, with extensive rich wood paneling and an army of fawning, uniformed staff who know each member’s name (or else!).
The Chicago Club was founded in 1869, and designed by architects Alfred Hoyt Granger and John Carlisle Bollenbacher. This is by far Chicago’s most exclusive private business, social and politico club.
Plebes like me enter with guests only. I’ve been here often, oddly enough, with two university presidents, who are members (well, one of them is dead now). I had breakfast here today with the «surviving» one of them who is sort of my «boss,» but really my friend. The food was good, as usual. The cache and mystery is as entertaining as always.
The haut toit (hoity toity) publication, «Who Runs Chicago?» says «The Chicago Club is the center of power in Chicago. It is mandatory for the city’s biggest executives to join it, unless they want to be considered not-​so-​big executives…»
The Chicago Club’s passion for secrecy is well-​illustrated by it’s limited 1,200 carefully selected membership, which has only recently been opened to women.
How do you get in? If you need to ask, don’t bother. There is a long waiting list, and applicants need a sponsoring member, a seconder, numerous letters of support, and patience.
The Chicago Club’s by-​laws ban entry by working members of the press. The one known exception to this rule occurred about 25 years ago when a Chicago Tribune editor was allowed in, but the club’s ban on press photographers required the Tribune to produce water-​color paintings of the club interior.
A former sociology professor of mine at the University of California, Santa Cruz, G. William («Bill») Domhoff, author of «Who Rules America?» and it’s sequel, «Who Rules America Now?» conducted a power structure study on the membership of think tanks, policy-​planning groups, and social clubs across the country for a research project concerning San Francisco’s Bohemian Club. The Bohemian Club was ultimately the 11^th «most connected» social club nationally, and only three ranked higher: New York’s Links Club (3^rd), San Francisco’s Pacific Union (7^th), and The Chicago Club (8^th).
Five starts for FINICKY!