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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: The LoopBeginning November 21st, Park Grill will be offering weekend brunch. Saturdays and Sundays 10 am-3:30 pm
Madison/Wabash (Orange, Brown, Purple Express, Green, Pink)
Monroe (Blue, Red)
Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Don't Just Wish Someone A Good Holiday, Give Them One With Chili's.
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Hey, I know its touristy, I know it's pricey, and I know you get raped by the $26 it costs to park in the garage. However, I love the local focus on their menu. Most touristy places are either chains or have pretty mediocre food. Here, they have amish turkey, produce from Nichols Farm, house-made sausage, you can't ask for much more.
So I've been here for three different occasions, and to be honest they all deserve their own review.
1) BRUNCH - 4 stars
came here for brunch last Saturday. Brunch is from 1030-3 (great hours bc a lot of people don't roll out of bed til noon) and they have a nice menu. Everything from french toast and pancakes to make your own omelettes and eggs benedict, but they all have a unique twist. The french toast was made with ciabatta bread, which soaked up the egg like a sponge (isn't that what ciabatta means? Sponge?) - soooo good. They also give you REAL maple syrup! The house made sausage weren't all that great, to be honest, but I think that's more because I have a preference for maple flavored sausage and those natural-casing links. THese were patties that, hate to say this, kinda tasted like hamburger! It's ok though the french toast was great. Here's a great deal that will make you forget about that parking and the prices - $10 endless mimosas! You can definitely get your money's worth from that!! Another nice thing - you don't have to order breakfast, you can get the rest of the menu if you are in the mood for a burger instead of breakfast.
2) OUTDOOR PATIO - 5 STARS
My dad and I come here like once a week in the summer. I don't know why, but I love sitting out here under the umbrellas, people watching, ordering those nice greasy chips with the guac, a blackened chicken sandwich, and a nice big quart of goose island summertime. Yep, a quart. 32 ounce beer. The service can be a little iffy, so believe me unless it's 100 degrees out it's the way to go.
one bummer though is that unless you are actually ordering food (like sandwiches, not chips and guac), they don't let you get a table bc it's so crowded. you have to sit in these outdoor wicker chairs under white umbrellas. not that that's a problem, unless you want to watch the tv. But then you'd sit at the actual bar anyways. it's all good.
3) THANKSGIVING BRUNCH - 4 STARS
Yep, we go out to eat for holidays. my family is small, my grandparents all passed, and none of us have time to cook all day. So park grill it is. all tables were taken so I suppose we weren't the only ones with this mindset. Unlike a lot of places, they did not have a buffet. You also had to get a lot of items a la carte (example: I ordered the amish turkey with sausage stuffing and cranberry-ginger compote, and if I wanted green beans/corn pudding/sweet potatoes/apples I had to get those on the side. However the sides were definitely big enough for two, so my dad and I split apples and yams. Yams were good, had maple syrup and cinnamon on them. Apples were the nichols farm apples, apple halves in a cinnamon ginger sauce. they were great, not mushy like most cinnamon apples. My meal was good except I ordered a guava BBQ turkey leg on the side (which was a steal for $5 and quite honestly was enough for me to eat so I took almost all my dinner home!), but they put it on top of my cranberry sauce instead of a seperate plate, so it ruined my sauce and part of the stuffing too. That ticked me off but everything else was nice.
you could also get a pork chop, halibut, and I think prime rib, in case you weren't a fan of turkey, as well as the rest of the menu. For dessert I got a "pumpkin roll" (like a pumpkin cake roll) with cream cheese frosting and cream cheese gelato. I've had better desserts there, like the cookie/candy sampler. It was okay but I wouldn't order it again.
Overall not bad for a thanksgiving meal out, although it still doesn't beat some good ol' fashioned home cookin'
Everything at this restaurant was amazing. The apps were wonderfully fresh and the wine was paired with the cheeses so nicely.
For the entree I had the Alaskan Fresh Caught Halibut. It was delicious! It was simple and not overpowered by any extravagant sauces. It was a simple dish with lots of natural flavor. The chef paired it with a nice white wine which was aged just right so to not overpower the light flavors of the fish.
The only reason I wouldnt give Park Grill 5 stars is because the waitress from Kalamazoo spilled half a gallon of ice water down my back and really wasnt as knowledgeable as she should have been to work in a restaurant of such caliber.
Just got home from a lovely dinner at Park Grill and felt compelled to write a five-star review immediately upon walking in the door. Yes, it was that good.
I ordered off of tonight's special menu, so I don't know how their regular menu offering is. My striped bass was perfection - there just are no words to adequately praise this dish. A simple, yet aesthetically pleasing presentation, phenomenal aroma, and succulent flavors and textures. The Riesling (Balthaser Ress, Rheingau, Germany) complemented the dish quite nicely.
The flight of 3 variations of creme brulee (ginger, pumpkin, and traditional vanilla) was a memorable way of ending the meal. The ginger-flavored one was particularly delightful.
Aside from the great food, I also really appreciated the restaurant's elegant-yet-casual atmosphere. Often, the "upscale" restaurants can be a bit stuffy and pretentious, but this one was most definitely inviting, warm, and comfortable.
Would definitely love to go back --- this time, to sit at a table near the windows facing the ice rink and enjoy a live entertainment of skaters alongside the meal.
I had been to Park Grill when it first opened and went back recently a few days ago. I don't feel like it's touristy* at all, overpriced? thats a different story. I had perfectly cooked shrimp risotto and steamed spinach. To me it was really good.
The thing that still irks me about this place as did years ago was that the staff was a bit snobby. So I won't be going back.
From reading previous reviews, I went into this place expecting it to be a tourist trap, being in Millenium Park, but I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised by my experience at Park Grill. I went with my mother and my sister for my sister's birthday on a Saturday afternoon. We were glad to have made reservations because it was a little crowded, but they had our table ready and we sat right down.
Looking at the menu, it was really hard to decide what to get. They have a good variety of options on the regular menu, and their seasonal specials were really well thought out. We each ordered soup to start and they were really great. Mine was a smoky tomato soup and my sister had one that was like a chicken tortilla, both awesome. For entrees, I had the salmon burger, which was really good. My mom had a steak panini and my sister had an amazing burger - it is true that their burgers are the best. For desert, I had carrot cake and my sis had a creme brulee flight, both excellent. I really liked their wine selection, too.
The service was really good for us - our waiter was attentive, despite the place being full, and they even comped my sister's desert and brought it out with a candle for her birthday. Little things like that really impress customers, but it seems like restaurants do it less and less these days. And I thought the setting was really nice - nothing especially unique, but it looked upscale yet was welcoming. I was also happy to see although we all had soup, sandwiches/burgers, and a desert, plus I had a glass of wine, and the total was under $90 before tip. I had definitely expected it to be more.
Overall, I would definitely go back and I wouldn't hesitate to bring anyone - out-of-town friend or Chicago native. I loved the menu and the ambiance and I didn't get the tourist vibe. I would say it's a safe bet for anyone, just make sure you call ahead and make reservations (or you can make reservations online on OpenTable, which I love! Extra points for that)
I like to think I don't count as a tourist any more; my mum and brother do count as tourists, so this is a two-thirds tourist point-of-view review. Two thirds of all the tourists I was with would 100% go back here. I would go back here. So one and a third people out of two would go back here. Um, whatever. Come on, it's under the bean and on a sunny day I can think of nowhere better to be, tourist or no.
The food was good. The burger was excellent; the California burger is beyond excellent. It's irritating they only serve kettle chips with everything. I'm not a huge kettle chip fan. I don't know anyone who is really. They're one of those foods that turns up on your plate, and then you turn round and it's not on your plate any more, but you don't really recall eating it. Meh. (Unless you're drunk and they're AMAAAAZING. But I digress.)
One HUGE error: our beer was not cold. The server also got the cups mixed up, and given that none of us knew what the weird lager my brother ordered was supposed to taste like, we had to do taste tests to figure it out.
So, 8 out of ten cats give this... 4 stars.
PS. you get a pager! to tell you when your table is ready! and you can go and sit on a sofa to wait! it was really exciting!
How can an outdoor bar, in the heart of the loop, on a sunny day that serves cold beer and great shots not get three stars?
Well the actual location is a little random, since it is right beneath the bean and in front of random souvenir shops which kind of takes away from the coolness of this outdoor bar. We didn't eat here, so I have absolutely nothing to say about that, except that the hostess people were not the nicest of sorts.....smile!! in this economy you should be happy to have a job! and if you aren't happy, you should smile anyway so you don't lose your job!!
The bar tenders were nicer, and they give you pretty good service, but the bar itself gets crowded even at off times in the day leaving very little bar room or stools to sit on while you knock back that shot of patron or sip on their mojito special (which btw was not a very good mojito....it was strong, don't get my wrong, but it wasn't very tasty ha, but then again maybe it is better that it was strong? more bang for your buck?)
The burger was very good, the fries were very good, and my fresh blueberry lemonade was QUITE good.
I was happy with my waitress.
Why 3 stars? I don't know, I just can't bring myself to give it 4. There's nothing "special" about it. It's just a nice touristy restaurant to go to if you're hungry while in Millenium Park.
overandout!
WOMP. I will never be tempted again.
I got a simple strawberry salad which included strawberries, hazelnuts and brie (yum)... plus a random chunk of chicken and rotten lettuce.
Only go here for the location - which is the only reason this place gets two stars instead of one.
Maybe my opinion is somewhat tainted because after walking around the art institute and hanging out for several hours in the park on a sweltering day, I was probably a little crabby, but I just didn't like this place.
The food was mediocre and a little overpriced, but I guess that's to be expected because it is smack dab in the middle of a huge tourist draw. I love visiting Chicago with locals so that I can specifically avoid places like this, but by midday I was just starving and didn't really care where we ate so my bf and I just stopped here. I wish we would have gone back to his neighborhood and ate somewhere, anywhere, else.
We did sit outside and it was fun to people-watch, but the food was nothing special - not good, not bad and certainly not memorable - and I probably would have given it three stars based on that alone except for the fact that the service was horrific.
When I visit the downtown area, I generally take into account that the attitude of those people in the service industry is that they seem to think that you should be grateful that they are allowing a peon like you to dine at their fine establishment - however, this was just ridiculous. Like I mentioned, it was extremely hot and I was extremely hungry so when the waiter finally came, we wanted to place our order all at once. Our waiter informed us that we were not allowed to place a food order, only drinks, and that he would be back later to see what we wanted (um, dude, I know what I want NOW!).
So, after flagging down a busser (who was very nice, in fact) to bring us flatware that didn't have crusted food on it, we had to listen as our waiter served as a personal tour guide to some random family from Omaha or something. Listening to him babble for fifteen minutes to the table next to us was infuriating as by that point, I could have started gnawing on my own arm because I was starving.
We finally got the pleasure of being waited on and then came the ketchup...we immediately asked for ketchup when our burgers came and we were then told to ask the busser because the waiter was busy (apparently he more tour guide duties to fulfill). We flagged down the busser again, who quickly brought us ketchup and then the waiter, for some odd reason, decided to bring more.
So, with approximately a gallon of ketchup littering our table, I had had enough of the Park Grill and my bf asked for the bill. Which took approximately 20 minutes to find it's way to our table. So, more sitting and waiting and waiting and sitting until our server could spare the 30 seconds it takes to swipe a MasterCard and then finally we were off - hopefully never to return.
That busser guy deserves four-stars for being a nice guy in general but the server we had deserves a punch in the kidney for being such a royal d-bag...so, overall, I would definitely find another place to grab lunch in the park, even if it was just off the hot dog cart.
Its outside bar (The Plaza) is my favorite place in summer. If it's a clear night, I will walk in the Park and stop by here to enjoy some drinks. What a lovely spot.... I fell in love with Chicago's night view & skyline and I know others will do! I liked this so much and I came back 3 nights in a row one time!
I tried the indoor restaurant. The server for our table was way too slow and not attentive. The atmosphere & food of the restaurant are great. Wish we had a different server.
So, The Plaza (5 stars) , Park Grill (4 stars) = Overall 4.5
yes..... it is touristy
but a great location for a date if you plan on taking a stroll through the park afterwards...
I tried the lamb, and seriously it was consumed in about 3 bites... not worth the cost at all.... it was good though
i would have to agree with a previous yelper.. that the washrooms are bad...
Location is great, especially if you are a tourist who has been walking all over the parks.
And the outside lounge setup is great - relax on a sofa and get your drink on with a friend. When the rain kicks in its even better, rain pours and you are still dry, still relaxing on a sofa outside, just watching it come down. And if you are super lucky, after the rain you get a full rainbow arcing over the The Bean (see pic).
On the other hand the service was slow, get up and walk to the bar to get your next drink twice slow. That might have been because we were way out by the sofas, but really the place wasn't busy enough to justify it.
We didn't eat, so I can't talk to that part of the equation.
My friend and I kicked off downtown out door drinking tour at The Plaza at Park Grill...
The location is prime if you have a visitor take them here for a drink (just one would be the best!) surrounded by all the excitement that is millennium park and the greatness that is the Chicago skyline!
The Drinks were decently stiff and I guess not to horribly priced in deep consideration of a great location! I had a very good Makers Mark mint julep and my buddy had the bloody which he said was quite good, I opted not to try it because it was made with Absolute Peppar and as a rule unless in an emergency drinking situation I avoid absolute vodkas at all costs...
The staff almost cost this greatly placed drinking and noshing connection into the two star world... Everyone from the hostesses to the bar tenders to the waiters were straight up unhappy, in in a couple cases rude! What in the fudge cookies batman? What are these people thinking? Overpriced food and drinks equal bigger tips, unless you all suck at even trying to act like you even thought you wanted to show up to work on a beautifully sunny day in the park...
I still tipped 4 dollars on the 18 dollars it cost for my two drinks why not? I thought I would try to find a smile on the bar temptresses face, not the case, at least she was serving me, rather then just avoiding all eye contact and walking with a visual scowl-like the other two bartenders I saw...
Id go back just for the location what can I say?
I went to here for a company event, we had a private spot outside under some cool modern reverse-umbrella-looking contraption. Very good service (the boys were pouring EXCELLENT drinks) and the apps were tasty and bountiful.
My only complaint about this very chic venue was that the bathrooms were uber crappy. No one wants to shell out that kind of dough to dine and then use a public swimming pool-type bathroom with no air conditioning. Anyone and I mean ahem anyone could use this bathroom to sleep, shave, whatever if you catch my drift. You would have thought the Parks and Rec Dept. would have installed a private one inside the restaurant for paying customers.
I've eaten at the Park Grill several times and have left please with each visit. On my last visit, we sat at the outdoor cafe and enjoyed the wonderful blueberry lemonade. This lemonade was FABULOUS. It was refreshing and not too sweet like some lemonade can be. It's also made with fresh blueberries instead of blueberry syrup. I recommend it. I also had a great turkey pastrami sandwich. It was so good I was only able to eat half.
The out door cafe was busy as Park Grill is in a very touristy spot. It can be a bit distracting having people walk by and gawk at your food. But overall, I love this place and will continue to dine there. Its also great for http://opentable.com points.
Love it.
My husband and I had dinner at Park Grill to celebrate our anniversary last night and it was fantastic.
The service was terrific, the food was very good, and the price was excellent ($22 three course on Tuesday). We both ended up with pretty much the same meal, but the menu was pretty big with reasonable prices for the ala carte meals.
I'm a bit of a sucker for the location too. The outdoor seating affords a terrific view of the Michigan Ave skyline. I'm a big fan of Millennium Park as well and it's nice to take a stroll through the park before or after your meal.
We will definitely be going back.
Decent food, rather slow service, but brownie points because they try. The inside has a more upscale feel so I always take clients here. Pretty reliable for a decent meal.
We came here around noon on a Wednesday afternoon. It was a nice, sunny day, although forecast did say there was a chance of thunderstorms. Weather seemed nice enough to sit outdoors so we decided to walk over to the Park Grill. This spot is great for people watching and enjoying beautiful weather.
The wait staff were all friendly. Our waiter was great. He made a couple of suggestions and even answered our touristy questions on the good things to do while in Chicago.
I ordred the Shrimp and Calamari Ceviche. Very good! I highly recommend trying this out. My friend enjoyed her Fresh Strawberry Salad and Chilled Tomato Gazpacho soup. My other friend liked her Seafood Tacos.
As it started getting overcast, the wait staff was scrambling in preparation so that the customers wouldn't get hit with a possible down-pour of rain. Great that they cared enough to try and keep us dry and happy.
Overall, our experience was great!
This probably some of the best american food around. Totally delicious. My friend and I went here to use a buy one entree get the second free coupon she acquired from running the shamrock shuffle. First we arrived and sat down right away. They took our coats and hung them up in a closet right by the entrance and gave us numbers to claim them after the meal.
They gave us two kinds of bread with tapenade and butter. The first bread is like french bread, and was decent, nothing too special. The second bread was a sort of wheat, but was really hard, and quite difficult to chew. We decided to split the jumbo lump crab cake. It was very delicious. I loved it. It was big enough to split between two people. Also, the green apple salad on the side went perfectly with it.
We also decided to split two entrees so we could both try the dishes. We ordered the Kobe burger as well as the English Pea Ravioli. The burger was very good, but incredibly messy to eat, so watch out. I ended up cutting it and eating it that way, since I had grease (or sauce?) all over my hands and napkin and nearly all over my nice-dinner-out skirt. I loved the Pea Ravioli. You could definitely tell the ravioli was home-made. The lemon and mint touch to the sauce gave it a very fresh and light taste, perfect for springtime.
Service was excellent. Our server, Denice, was kind, attentive and informative and did not hover. The decor was nice. As Meredith B. put it, elegant. I bet it is lovely in wintertime, when you can watch the skaters whiz by. Finally, I didn't think the two bathroom situation was awful, since I never had to wait when I went. I could see it being trouble when the restaurant is filled though.
Overall, great dining experience, and I'd love to come back.
Oh man, everything here was delicious. The interior was very elegant, which I really liked. Service was a teeny bit slow, and very non-intrusive, so we weren't interrupted much at all. My mango mojito didn't taste much like mango, maybe I just missed it, but either way it was a delicious drink so I don't much care.
The sea scallop appetizer was very small (3 scallops) which is great because then you can try more courses! Apparently the sauces surrounding the scallops were vanilla, pickled rhubarb, and basil. It was an amazing and unusual flavor combination! My pumpkin soup was outstanding. It was incredibly rich and creamy. I split the Kobe burger with my cousin, which was a good choice since we started with appetizers. It came with delicious hand cut fries, and the burger itself was really astounding. We got it medium rare, and it was incredibly hot and juicy on arrival. The gorgonzola cheese melted over the edges, and the balsamic grilled onions added a great flavor. The taste and texture of the beef was truly perfect. Every single thing that any of us tried was delicious - I would love to come back and try more great things!
I completely agree with Nate H. Going during a beautiful, sunny day for lunch during the work week, this place is CROWDED! It took us a good five minutes just to reach the reservation desk. Once we were sat, it was very loud and the whole meal, you really do have to strain to hear your table mates. And the service was slow.
BUT... the food was very good and the bloody mary's were fantastic! I had the homemade pea ravioli and it was so good that halfway through I was full, yet I ate until my plate was clean and felt like I was going to bust! My co-workers spoke very highly of the duck flatbread and the white bean soup. The lunch prices are pretty reasonable for a higher-end restaurant in the loop. Still, I think the lack of nice, sit-down lunches around millenium park may have made the restaurant more popular than they have the bandwidth to service. But, there aren't many other options, so be prepared to wait if you don't have a reservation. Or just go early or late.
I am extremely frustrated with the drinks and food being served in plastic "throw-away" containers. In a busy, touristy area like Millennium Park, that adds up to a lot of trash really fast... all in order to save on labor I'm assuming? Plastic isn't cool anymore. Get with it.
Great food, great staff, great location. Service was a bit slow, but they were very busy on a Saturday night so it was to be expected. Would surely recommend if you're in the Millennium Park area looking for a casual / slightly upscale dining experience.
Was there for lunch in the middle of the week, and you can tell this is a popular lunch place for the busy, power crew working in downtown Chicago. From noon to 2pm, this place was packed on a sunny beautiful May day.
Chicagoans love to get outside in those few months that the weather is great, and a nice grill in the park is a great choice. The menu options are plentiful. The French onion soup was perfect - with the traditional reduction that gives the soup it's deep richness, and the gruyere on top was nice and melted. I moved on to the pork belly sandwich on brioche bun. The pork had been sitting for a while since cooked, so it had the dryness of old bacon...without the flavor. The fried egg was interesting, and helpful in recovering some moisture from the overcooked pork. The big bun definitely detracted all taste from the contents.
Plenty of crispy fries came with it! The bread and butter was great, and also came with olive tempenade. Yum.
Service was slow at the beginning as our order was not taken for a while, and we had to ask for the waiter to come take it - not good during a mid-week lunch hour. Waiter seemed rushed and flushed...and then boom - 2pm, the place was dead. Ah, feeding time downtown! Overall, the restaurant seems to be ok to enjoy outside drinks and snacks, and I believe I just ordered something not a specialty known there. The place is roomy, professional, and a hotspot in the park. I would try it again at dinner - I bet it's a much nicer atmosphere after the workday is over.
I wanted to like the Park Grill, despite that it was overcrowded and very touristy (but hey, it's directly under the bean. Beggars can't be choosers). My Mom and I went after we checked out the new Modern Wing at the Art Institute, and as I turn into a Decepticon when I'm hungry we decided it was a good idea to get some food in my belly. We thought the Park Grill would be a good option, as it was a) close and b) close and c) perhaps less touristy than the outside portion that is usually the ice ring. Eh, not so much, but the two stars wasn't for the ambiance -- unfortunately it was for the food.
The restaurant itself was very crowded, and our server was nice but the food took forever to come out. I think they were having a problem handling the volume of customers (but that being said, if you can't handle the volume why is your restaurant so big?). We were excited to see that we were there for a special week that focused on gourmet burgers, and I got a $16 Kobe beef burger with blue cheese, while my Mom got the salmon burger. Mine was overdone so I honestly couldn't tell you if the meet was of Kobe quality. My Mom's salmon burger was ok, but not nearly worth the price. It was so disappointing on both counts, as the burgers had the potential to be amazing. The standout, however, were the fries. They were great, but I'm never going to go back somewhere just because the fries are good. I don't think Park Grill will have trouble staying open, given its location, but it isn't necessary for me to support them.
I haven't been here for a full dinner, but went in for appetizers and soup to warm up after an evening of holiday shopping and ice skater watching.
Nice atmosphere, great service, and great view of the ice skating rink in the winter.
I like that they didn't make us feel awkward for only ordering soups and appetizers for our late night snack.
Can't wait to come for a full dinner, apps, desert, the works!
Outdoor patio is a nice location for people watching. My wife and I split the turkey pastrami which was plenty of food for a Saturday afternoon. Olive tapenade and bread were tasty. All in all good enough but no need to come back anytime soon. The outdoor cafe across the sidewalk is better.
review is only for the plaza - which is the seasonal patio restaurant outside the park grill on the skating rink area, has a completely different menu, and a different reservation system. (yes i have been confused before...)
i've been here a few times for lunch and really enjoyed it. service is usually pretty quick and the menu is straightforward. it is over-run with tourists and screaming kids, but that's what you get with the location. just be glad they are enjoying our fair city and hopefully spending enough in sales tax to keep this place running!
there is a small bar in the middle of the skating rink that serves strong drinks quickly. i've read that they have live music on thursdays after work - sounds like the perfect happy hour spot!
I've been here for two business lunches and a friend brunch. The dining room is upscale casual. The service has been very friendly and quick, and attentive. They took our orders, told us to relax and take as much time as we liked to unwind over lunch. Free large baskets of bread come to the table when you are seated. The burgers are what they are known for, however I loved the cajun chicken sandwich and the pot pie. Was very busy from 12-12:45, however about 1pm it started clearing out. I saw lots of families in there too, so feel free, strollers and all. Once it clears out and you can hear the music, it's also pretty charming. LOTS of outdoor seating in the nice weather months!
Only con I can conjure up- there are 2 toilets in the whole place, set up as 2 unisex separate rooms. There always seems to be a line.
When my friend suggested eating at Park Grill, I went in with few expectations. I figured a place like this was a tourist area, the draw being location rather than quality of food and service. And yet, despite my lowered expectations, I was still disappointed.
The hostess seated us outdoors fairly quickly. Perhaps they were understaffed, because the same guy was serving the same group of 5 or so tables. We were sitting for 15 minutes before he finally got around to taking our order. We got our bread over 30 minutes after we sat down, about 10 minutes after we got our hummus plate. The table next to use didn't get their bread until halfway through their entrees.
On to the food.
The bread: inside was soft and chewy (yum) but the outside had a layer of salt. I had to rub it off.
The hummus plate: Good, chewy pita bread. Hummus wasn't spectacular, but solid. The artichoke tasted like they threw it straight from the jar they bought bulk at Costco.
Strawberry salad: unremarkable, it was spinach with some dressing tossed in. And one pitiful strawberry cut into 6 slivers. Really Park Grill? Is the economy so bad that you can't spare a whopping 2 strawberries for your Strawberry Salad?
Calamari and shrimp salad: the best of the bunch. The calamari was grilled and wasn't too chewy.
Mac & cheese: Kraft did it better. The pasta was bland. When I had a bite of bacon, it packed a bit more flavor. We finished half and left the rest.
Grilled peach with cherries, cake, and ice cream: The grilled peach slices (two) tasted good but there should have been more. The cake was dry. Maybe they should try Duncan Hines.
Honestly? Aside from the calamari salad, I think I could have made everything we ordered better. And I'm merely a competent cook, by no means a great chef.
At least I had good company for this lackluster meal.
The location is great but the food is completely overrated and rather pricey considering the quality. We went for the burgers and if they are any indication of what the rest of the menu would be then I'll pass.
Let's call a spade a spade, this place is a tourist trap and the service is decent to good, but never great....however, I actually really love coming here. I love the flat-bread pizza with frisee, bacon, and Gruyere cheese, I really like most of the sandwiches and salads, and they serve a mean bloody mary (with a cocktail shrimp garnish). The desserts are never as good as you think they'll be, but with that said, I always end up eating what I order :)
If you make a reservation, try to get a table with a view of the ice rink in the winter, it really gives you that "oh I love the holidays and the winter season, look at all the happy people" feeling, even if you hate the cold weather and overabundance of tourists as soon as you leave.
I also highly recommend the outdoor bar during the summer because they have some great drink specials and just amazing people watching!
It was snowing and we had about 2 hours before our flight to KC, MO.... The Park was beautiful at night but my toes were freezing! We stepped in for a quick bathroom for Cheryl but I NEEDED A DRINK! Well, a glass of wine. The bar was classy, people were classy but wines by the glass was just standard. Service was friendly, but in Mid-West everyone is friendly and nice....
I would come back just because of the location, decor and the large flat screen TV @ the bar
I was recently here with a friend, for a pre-opera drink and appetizer. We sat at a high table in the bar area, we waited and waited and waited, finally we had to grab the bartender in order to get some service. We made it very clear we were in a hurry and needed to be at the theater in 30mins. We ordered the Cheese Plate and two Mojitos... 15mins later we still have no drinks or cheese at our table. We again had to go to the bar and inquire and the bartender assured us everything would be up in a minute. 10mins later our drinks arrive, we now had 5mins before we had to leave. We had to request that the Cheese Plate be boxed up. So we chugged are drinks. 8mins later we still waited for the Cheese Plate and had to approach the bar again - finally our boxed cheese came out.
50mins to get a 2 drinks and cheese... Do not go here if your in a hurry!! I found the wait staff to be rude, condescending, and uninterested. The drinks and cheese were fine, nothing exceptional.
Went with my wife & daughter yesterday:
Food was good, not great, but prices were somewhat reasonable for location etc...
Service again was good but nothing special...Staff in general were friendly though.
Would recommend if hanging out by the Bean...
JT
We ate at the plaza and really enjoyed it. Food was a cut above what you would expect and came quickly. The California Burger was huge (with pulled pork and pineapple on top -- surprisingly good) and the chips/salsa was a great way to get started. Service was excellent with refills of drinks on a hot day. Plus, they gave the kids a coupon for free ice cream at the stand nearby. Yes, there are tourists and families, but that doesn't mean its not a good place to go. Great place to go when visiting the park on a lazy Sunday.
I had the Miso Honey Glazed Atlantic Salmon, and my husband enjoyed the daily special of pork 3 ways. Both were fresh and delicious. The service was very fast, especially for a busy Saturday night. I love that they offer quartino (250ml) servings of wine. It equals about a glass and a half and it is a better deal than purchasing a glass. Highly recommend Dashe Zinfandel. We enjoyed our meal on their patio and it was a lovely atmosphere. I highly recommend it! Great for dates or meals with friends.
Great location, but stuffy atmosphere. The staff is not very friendly if it looks like you won't be spending a lot of money.
They did not honor our booked reservation, instead bumping us to the bar area tables.
They were out of the my first choice entree so instead brought out a substitute, which was not what i was promised.
I have a feeling if i was much older, wearing a suit, and waving my money around, i would've had a much better experience.
The waiter would've for sure payed attention to us then.
My boss likes taking guests here for lunch, so I've tagged along a few times for lunch and dinner.
The service is OK
portions are small and overpriced, but quality is good
Drink prices are reasonable and they serve Blue Moon:)
My boss likes the hamburger and it's reasonably priced
During the warm season, there is an outdoor restaurant (not sure the name). It's separate from the indoor restaurant and they have more grill/pub type food. I've never ordered something I didn't like. Also, on Thursday nights, they have live music.
Overall, I like the outside restaurant better than the indoor restaurant.
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