The Field Bistro

What a great way to bring life back into a museum and make it relevant. The food is as you would like think but better. It is burgers, chicken fingers, paninis etc… but the food was really fresh and very good. They had a fun bar in the back for you to look out on the lake while taking a break from the sights in the museum. When we do another day there, we will definitely stop in for some relaxation.

It’s Ok to eat here, but it gets really busy around lunchtime, and there’s usually a long line. You can get some hot food but I decided to grab a cold sandwich from the cooler; they have yogurt and fruit and other healthy options too, which I’d recommend. I also recommend grabbing a bottle of water and taking your lunch outside instead of eating in there, unless you want a glass of wine but I didn’t feel like drinking in there because it was so crowded.

Prices are pretty expensive but what do you expect for convenience?!
We went on a Sunday afternoon. Get to the bistro before 12 because the line gets pretty long with hungry families!
It is located on the main floor of the Field Museum and I am happy to say that what I had for lunch was pretty satisfying. I had the turkey bacon panini and tomato bisque soup. Both were very good! My panini was freshly grilled and crispy and the soup was creamy and well seasoned. I must say that $ 8 for a panini without sides is pretty steep but again, the prices are hiked up because convenience and they know that if you are hungry it is unlikely you would leave the museum.
I really liked that almost everything is recyclable. The plates, forks, soup bowl was able to go into the compost bin!

I expected this place to be ridiculously expensive but it wasn’t all that bad… the food was good, lots of places to sit (at least for an early lunch), well designed room with a timeline of the museum on the wall and very clearly labelled garbage/​compost/​recycling. Great break while visiting the Field.

N I C E M U S E U M C A F E T E R I A
Wow, what a trendy and unique selection of food and drink ! Was I ever pleasantly surprised! And what a location, with a view… people watching… surrounded by so much incredible history. Absolutely a memorable experience in a memorable building
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It makes sense to eat here so you can continue seeing the entire museum without losing momentum. There are vending machines downstairs, oh yum. Or, right outside the front door there is a hot dog stand :-)
Well planned, well executed, well cleaned, well cooked, well serviced, etc !!
C U T S E Y C U T S E Y C U T E S E Y

The lattes are good. I had a dark chocolate latte and it was the right amount of espresso with the chocolate. A very good pick-​me-​up.

Non-​blah attraction food! Yay! We had the T-​Rex panini (salami, black forest ham, cheese and an olive mix), Turkey bacon panini (with a pretzel like bread) and fries. Paninis were amazing. We bought two and shared so we both could try a bit of each. I have to say T-​Rex was my favorite out of both. Fries had little pieces of potato skin on them and were slightly crisp. Very tasty! Be forewarned on the T-​Rex tea though! It’s a dollar more than soft drinks and has a mint flavor to it like a mojito. Also there are several lines once you walk in so pick something and pick a line. Three choices of soup with bread bowl option, make your own salad, burger/​chicken sandwich line, world fair was stir fry with choice of protein and sauces, and paninis. So give it a try! It beats leaving the museum early for sure!!!

I am surprised this place has so many decent reviews. I found the food to be horrible. Literally no flavor whatsoever. My 3 year old son got the Mac and cheese. I took a bite before giving it to him and it was 100% bland. Tasted like plain noodles. There was no cheese taste whatsoever– not even a salty flavor. He took one bite and spit it out. The cashier let us get a refund on it with no questions asked.
I had a specialty salad that came with a poblano ranch dressing. The dressing tasted like water. The salad had absolutely no flavor. The fries had no seasoning. Tortilla soup was decent. My mom liked her turkey burger. I really wasn’t expecting much since it’s just a museum restaurant, but I did not expect it to be as bad as it was.

Food is good enough and there is some variety but otherwise it is overpriced for the amount if food you get.

For a rather informal museum restaurant, this is pretty good ! We both had paninis with — I think cheese, ham and turkey. They have good beer on tap. I had a Matilda from Goose Island– Belgianish– and an IPA of some sort. Wife had a glass of Chardonnay. It makes sense to eat here when you go to the museum because you aren’t close to anything else and the museum is huge and when your done, you can say, that was rather nice. It’s quick and attractive.

I had the salad with spicy mustard dressing. Would recommend getting it on the side. Turkey bacon panini was good and the fries were great

I operate under the impression that tourist attractions are bound to have crappy food. You spend too long at the place and get starving so they can over charge you for marginal food items– NOT THE CASE here!
After two hours of walking around, and fighting crowds, coffee and a snack were desperately needed. With the main goal being to just sit down, we decided to stay in the museum and rest here. We wanted coffee, which they have (Self serve), but just a basic decaf and regular option. They do have cinnamon, etc you can shake in for extra flavor, though too.
Looking around, they had a lot of pre-​made fancy-​sounding items under heat lamps ready for consumption, and made to order items as well. I spotted cups of fries and decided coffee and fry break sounded idea. The damage for two cups and a cup of fries was $ 8, which wasn’t bad for a tourist attraction.
The coffee was VERY hot and delicious. Hit the spot for a pick me up. The fries, I wasn’t expecting much from, but ended up falling in love! They were crispy, fresh, perfectly salted and seasoned, but smooth and soft inside.
It was only after we sat down with our food that we realized they also had beer on tap and wine for sale– a nice idea/​treat for patrons/​stressed out parents! I would definitely stop back in on my next trip to The Field Museum!

Ummm, wine and beer anyone? Yes please! Especially if there are a ton of field trip groups that you are maneuvering around all day.
The food is delicious. There are many different things to choose from; burgers, salads, soups, sandwiches. And coffee. And beer. And wine. Did I already mention that?
It’s also in the perfect setting. Right off the Main Level, very modern, comfy, and nice employees. I found this to be a great spot to have lunch and take a quick break from the crowds.

This is the best place to eat if you don’t want to leave the museum. It kind of has a captured audience. French fries are ok. Salad is served in a cardboard bowl. They have cheesburgers, bread bowl soups and a few items for kids.
Decent. When we went it was extreemly crowded.

Spot-​on changing menu, a wine bar and gorgeous views of the large hall and Sue, the T-​Rex, from one of the seating areas. This is one of the best museum restaurants in the Midwest, quality-​wise. The menu isn’t large, but they offer some interesting things here. Over the past year, I’ve tried soup in a bowl, different sandwiches, pasta dishes. Limitless coffee, sodas, teas, etc. It’s also surprisingly affordable, compared to other museum restaurants I’ve eaten in.
Eat here and skip that crappy «Explorer Café» in the basement that’s a complete waste of space and a joke.

My husband and I are Field Museum Members, and we will never eat here again based on the rude staff and poor customer service. We requested a receipt and when one was never printed, I was told by check out they needed to find a manager. She wandered the restaurant for 10 – 15 minutes before bringing a manager over, who tols me to «Stop being impatient, Sweetheart.» Again, very poor service skills, and general lack of caring about customer service. On top of that, food is only ok.

As far as museum food goes, the Field Bistro is actually pretty decent. It offers everything from standard burgers and hot dogs to paninis, soups, and salads. I found my half Panini/​small soup combo to be worth the $ 6.50…it was more than enough to refuel me for my museum campus adventure.
Line moves fairly quickly, but can be a bit disorganized. Entry into the bistro starts as one line, but then splits into multiple lines to each station… however, there is no dedicated «exit» to each line… so it does get pretty hectic at high time. The staff does try to control the chaos though and even through it all, the staff behind the counters are always friendly and ready to expedite your order. Food and drink is meant to stay within the area, but have no fear… ample seating is available.

This is a good place to break away from the crowd at the museum. There are less screaming children and less ill-​mannered adults… probably because they have wine, beer, and espresso drinks… oh and cupcakes…
I’d have to agree with another Unilocaler. The staff is outstanding. Super friendly people and the seating is decent too. There are a lot of big windows in the back that brighten the area up and give a good view.

Wow! Quite a step up from the Corner Bakery that formerly occupied this space. the food selection is varied, but not large. I had the tacos and was pleasantly surprised but not overwhelmed. The staff are nice and knowledgable. The atmosphere is the museum atmosphere, so it will vary by what day and time you visit. It’s a but pricier than the McDonald’s downstairs but worth the price.