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Relax Lounge - CLOSED
Categories: Nightlife Bars Lounges Restaurants American (New) Lounges, American (New) [Edit]
1450 W Chicago Ave(between Bishop St & Greenview Ave)
Chicago, IL 60622
Neighborhood: Noble Square
(312) 666-6006
- Nearest Transit:
-
Chicago-Blue (Blue Line)
- Parking:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Mike S. said: "TRU is serving up some of the most playful, original food we've seen anywhere. Not what we were expecting, but we were very pleasantly surprised! I won't spoil the surprise of how each dish is plated, but I will say that the chef is…" read more »
81 reviews for Relax Lounge
Review Highlights
"Just finished an awesome night of Dining with Dale."
(in 5 reviews)
"Great burgers and fries."
(in 6 reviews)
"My favorite has to be the Calientini."
(in 5 reviews)
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81 reviews in English
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Review from Laila C.
9/17/2009
Just finished an awesome night of Dining with Dale. I showed up early to the dinner date with a friend. Sat at the bar and had their RX Mojito. Pretty good, a little bit sweeter than I like, but strong. Sarah, also from Dale's season of Top Chef, was there as a host/server. Two top cheffers in one night! COOL!
I was a little hesitant about the dinner, after reading one yelper's comment about needing to eat more food after the meal, I was fully prepared for tiny portions. However, my fears were unnecessary. The brandade was a delicious starter. The charred brioche was slightly overcharred, but the brandade was well put together, very creamy and worked well with the asparagus and radishes on the plate. The lamb was DE-LI-CIOUUUUS!!!!! Everything on the plate worked so well together! A bit of perfectly cooked lamb with some potatoe, bacon, a bit of apple dipped in the mint pesto....YUUUMMMMMMMMMMY! There were 2 big lamb chops on the plate and a generous portion of the apple-bacon hash. I'm not a big lamb eater, but it was delicious!
The final course was a cheese plate instead of regular dessert which made me super happy! The 3 different cheeses; goat, bleu and a mild cheddar, worked really well with the poached pear, fig and the sweet walnut.
The wine Sarah recommended for the lamb complimented the lamb very well. Overall the meal was $60/person and absolutely wonderful!
I was expecting it to be more crowded but there were 3 tables for the 7:00 seating and 2 more for the 8:30. My friend and I ate, chatted and drank for 3 hours and was never rushed felt like we needed to leave. The best part!!!! DALE was suuuper night and talked to us and took a picture with us. It was a wonderful meal and very fun! -
Review from Colleen C.
Brooklyn, NY
Updated - 10/6/2008 1 photo
I find it mildly disturbing, yet strangely fascinating how many people do not wash their hands after using the restroom...
Relax Lounge indulges my curiosity by having a communal hand washing station between the two bathrooms, in plain site of patrons, and thinly veiled with bead curtains.
It's actually really gross.Listed in: West Town/River West, Noble(Noble)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/20/2007
Edit: 1/1/08: Went for NYE. Eh. Bartender was ultra rude.
Trust me, this is gem. Sleek, cool… Read more »
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Review from Matt L.
2/6/2009
Yeah, I dined with Dale. I'm better than you. (Unless you're my overly-demanding wife or our daughter that keeps referring to me as a deadbeat.)
I guess this review is more for the special event dinner than the "lounge" that Relax would typically be thought of as. Wait, was that English? Sorry, I couldn't think of a better way to construct that sentence, and I just ate Jalepeño Krunchers for breakfast and played a scratch-off ticket (epic loss).
Well, we're two paragraphs in, and so far I've displayed delusions of grandeur, self-doubt, and poor lifestyle decisions. OMG, I'm preggers! Somebody falcon punch me!
The people at Relax seemed appreciative of our patronage and apologized in advance for any shortcomings, as Relax is not a restaurant, and this was their first night of Dining W/ Dale. Their preemptive apology, however, turned out to be extraneous, as everything was lovely. (I just said "lovely" for the first time in my life, I must have swallowed a baby or something.)
The quick 3-course tasting menu was impressive given Relax's lack of kitchen space. We saw Dale plating the salads on a makeshift countertop, i.e. a folding table. I don't know what he did to the pork tenderloin, nor where he got it, but it was served medium rare and the taste and mouthfeel resembled venison or something much better than what you typically think of as pork. If I don't wind up with trichinosis, I'd probably go so far as to say it was the best pork I've ever had. It was nicely accompanied by some cauliflower mash on the side. For some reason there was ginger-candied bacon in the middle of the plate. I wasn't sure why it was there, but it tasted good on its own.
The salad and dessert were very edible, but not quite as impressive as the main course. Dessert was chocolate-filled wontons with peanut butter (yes, peanut butter... am I going to lose my baby due to food-borne illness?). While not the best dessert ever ever, it was, imo, brilliant use of the deep fryer.
Great work Dale. Keep it up. Also, great work little j. Your chocolate rice krispy treats are great with pickles on top! I'm sorry I haven't been a better father to you, but raising a daughter at the age of 8 is no easy task. -
Review from Vaughn C.
Chicago, IL
12/12/2007
First off, Why I Like the Bathroom issue:
The unisex sink area forces guys to wash their hands. Most don't. After fondling their smegma dampened johnsons and spraying all over their fingertips, most dudes just breeze out of there and put their hands all over everything as if their dick germs had Manifest Destiny. Ladies, watch the small of your backs.
And there's no better satisfaction than saying "Dude, gross. Wash your hands, you hobo" to a douchebag in front of a bunch of girls who could use a douchenozzle. I know, I know, this makes me a total enema.
With that said, the modern interior can be too minimal and too idiosyncratic at the same time, which happens in really narrow spaces. It affects the service, though, and every time I've been here, the staff has been incredibly slow working around the clusterfuck of a crowd. I think it's acknowledged, as the last time, I was comped a round after waiting at the bar for a pretty unreasonable duration.
Beer prices are reasonable, but mixed drinks are on the expensive side, especially with the weak pours.
Otherwise, it's a fairly lackluster bar that's well-intentioned in concept, but falls short in execution. Too bad it couldn't have been called Pharmacy--not that it has any relation to DC's fine watering hole.Listed in: HomoerotiCity!
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Review from Kristin C.
Chicago, IL
9/5/2007
If Frankie came to Chicago instead of Hollywood, I bet he would wind up here in his piano tie! It's swank without being to swank-kay and I appreciate that. Little rela, big X kind of reminds me of the Long Room. . if someone doused it in glitter!
I was here for a private b-day party on Saturday night but there was nothing really private about it. The guest of honor had his own giant paper mache head! Yikes! One complaint would have to be the super pricey shots (I ended up buying these but nothing else, so that's OK). Jager and Red Bull seem to be like gasoline these days. . . -
Review from Ingrid G.
Chicago, IL
2/2/2009
Sonotheque lite?
Nightclub Denny's?
Early bird special?
Not crowded on a Saturday night at midnight. Fine for us old codgers. A place to take a load off and set a spell. -
Review from Erin P.
Chicago, IL
11/19/2008
So I live nearby and run past this place all the time and had no clue it was even here. Look for the neon green cross and you have found the right place. The name makes me think of the "relax don't do it song" and then it gets stuck in my head. On the topic of the name- it's kinda lame. Maybe it would be a better name for a yoga studio but not a lounge. I expected it to be boring and make me want to go to sleep.
Midnight on a Saturday it was a great place to be. Although I am not usually a lounge person, I enjoyed the atmosphere here. The energy was upbeat and it was busy, but not so that it was difficult to order a drink at the bar or snag a table for 5. Prices were comparative to WP/UV places of similar caliber. I think this is a great option if you want to break out of the habit of the Wicker Park places but still want to stay in the area. It was also easy to catch a cab outside when I was ready to depart. -
Review from jenise r.
Berwyn, IL
3/2/2009
Decided to have my birthday party here because I needed a bar thats empty on Fridays and where my pals could all fit comfortably. This was perfect. They let me reserve sections all over the place and they served food until about 1am.
I remember having a great time but apparently the staff was mean muggin my friends. Even my boyfriend! They kept giving some people problems which I wasn't to happy about.
It boggles me when you bring about 50-100 people to an establishment thats empty otherwise, give them enough business for probably their whole weekend and you still have the nerve to act rude. Sorry if they were too loud for you. We were having a nice time! Lesson learned.
I'm just glad no one told me the night of. I would've been one drunk pissed off female. The 'ghetto' Puerto Rican may have come out. Not a good scene, not at all.
All in all everyone seemed to have a good time but this is not a place to throw a party. However its perfect to go hang with a small group and chill. -
Review from T S.
Chicago, IL
3/6/2009
Please note that this review is specifically for my experience Dining with Dale on Thursday, 2/19.
I read about Relax's Dine with Dale dinners on Chicagoist and was very excited to finally have the opportunity to sample some of his creations! The lovely Zach from Relax helped me to make a reservation and also had no problem adding two more people to my reservation given only a few days' notice.
Relax is an interesting space--the neon green cross is impossible to miss, and my cab driver actually asked me if he was dropping me off at a church. I, of course, assured him that it was MY kind of church and while he chuckled, I'm sure he was calling me a heathen under his breath. The place isn't incredibly cozy, but more minimalistic. The bathrooms are behind a fun beaded curtain and the sink area is communal.
Before we were seated for dinner, we sampled their most popular drink--the Calientini. Best. Drink. Ever. Pear vodka shaken with jalapeno, cilantro and cucumber. Amazing. They were so delicious we found ourselves drinking them like Kool Aid and it wasn't until about two hours later that we realized that those drinks were a tad bit stronger than we'd initially thought.
It was clear through the service that Relax is not equipped to be a restaurant, but we understood that. However, our waitress couldn't even remember our drink orders, which was a bit of a surprise but perhaps it was her first day.
Anyway, on to the food!
Amuse: Seared scallop with grape & fennel salad
A single scallop perched upon a salad of grapes and fennel with toasted corn kernels. The scallop was cooked to perfection and all of us wished we could have had more than one. The toasted corn kernels added a wonderful texture and taste to the salad.
Main Course: Braised short rib, basil dumplings, brussel sprouts, mustard jus, bacon
This one was a flop in my mind. The short rib had the taste and consistency of the roasts my mom used to make and by the time the food got to us it was cold (forgivable given the circumstances). The basil dumplings were very good and there was only one sliver of brussel sprout on my plate but it was a good one!
Dessert: Cardamom brulee, lingon berries, lemon crepe
The dessert was absolutely incredible. The 'crepe' was more like a big elephant ear perched behind the brulee. The spices combined so wonderfully and like nothing else that I have ever tasted before.
Overall, the food was delicious and everyone was friendly. My only complaints were the cold main course, flighty waitress, and the portions were a tad small. I was okay, but the two men in my party were still hungry when we left (luckily Five Star had $1 corn dogs--gross).
Oh, and Dale never came out to greet anyone, etc. I at least thought we might get some face time with him! Instead we were hurried out for the next seating.
I'm not sure that I would go back to Relax just for drinks (not a 'hood that I get to very often) but if I can't recreate the Calientini at home I may have no choice. -
Review from Megan O.
Palatine, IL
11/28/2007
I had a good time when I stopped by here with friends a couple weeks back. "Stopped by" is the key phrase in this sentence. Relax is a sweet spot to visit for a couple of cocktails or bottles of beer before you move on to your next destination. The reason I say this: it gets a bit cramped being shaped long and narrow and there is not much space to dance...if that's what you're into. But if you're on a date, or just want to sit, talk with friends and enjoy many a cocktail while listening to a mix of decent music, then Relax is your spot.
The interior is pretty representative of its name. Not very colorful, fairly monotone with little decorations. The decor almost forces you to just sit back and relax offering little or no distractions. There is some artwork as well as black and white photographs worth noting, however. I mean they did a good job with the whole "pharmacy theme" and I'll be one to admit that that's a pretty damn clever and creative idea for a bar scene.
The unisex bathroom seems to be the big issue with this place. I can't say I adore anything about the bathroom set-up. From the opaque bathroom stalls to the beaded-curtain entrance and unisex sink area, the set-up forces you to get in and get out without dawdling. The fact that the line moves fairly quickly is the only credit I'm willing to give.
I didn't have a terrible time here, but I think it can be better. I'm an optimist so I'm willing to give it a second chance, and next time, I'll try some of the bar food, which I heard is pretty dece.
Note: You can't miss this place...it has a huge green cross on the outside. -
Review from Jelena Z.
2/17/2008
You'll dig RelaX if you're looking for an unpretentious lounge with a chill vibe. We got bottle service which was actually (relatively) affordable. Not a bad price for the new Irish vodka our super-attentive server suggested. We also got sat at a HUGE comfy U-shaped booth. Perfect for our large-ish party. My only complaint is the music-- the DJ seemed to suffer from a slight touch of schizophrenia. Rock, hip hop, top 40, house genres were heard and each song was only played about halfway through-- reminiscent of the Vegas-style that I'm not at all into.
Otherwise, great place to hit up with friends on a Sat. night! The perfect "in-between" if you want to upgrade from trendy dive/sports bar Five Star but aren't in the mood for a true club such as Sonotheque, both down the street. -
Review from Paul L.
Chicago, IL
10/15/2007
Not a bad place if you live close by. The signage inside and out keeps me wanting to call the place "The Pharmacy."
Staff: Not bad, everyone was nice except the waitress who just couldn't be bothered that evening
Drinks: Average pricing and pour, they don't jip you.
Decor: Long and narrow but with PLENTY of room. Music was so-so, but I didn't really notice because I was busy having a good time talking to friends.
Some say the bathrooms are weird and dimly lit but I think they're ok. If you have never gone to the bathroom half-asleep and half-drunk in your own place when it's pitch black in the middle of the night and make it just fine, then every single bathroom you enter has good lighting.
Worthy of a return? Sure, if you live within a few minutes away. -
Review from Andrea R.
4/8/2008
Eh. My friends have been raving about Relax so when we decided to celebrate a friend's engagement there this past Saturday night I was stoked to check it out. Not sure if this was just an off night for Relax, but I left so disappointed...
The lounge was packed...by the time I made my way to the back room (where our party was gathering) I didn't feel quite so "relaxed". My feet were hurting me from a long night of party hopping yet it was too crowded to score a seat. I guess the pharmacy theme was cute, but my friends were confused of how it went with the name Relax. I personally think they should have stuck with their original name, Pharmacy.
The crowd wasn't as trendy as I expected, although they were friendly...my best friend's coat disappeared and a bunch of people standing were nice enough to help her find it. After an hour or so we headed home (my friend coatless) to relax because it certainly wasn't happening here. -
Review from Emily S.
5/1/2009
A group of six crazy girlfriends/Top Chef fans went for Dinner with Dale last night. It was so much fun, and the food was really good.
I had the Calientini, which I was a little hesitant to order because it is muddled cucumber, jalapeno and cilantro with pear vodka and champagne. I was hoping it wouldn't be spicy, and it wasn't - it actually tasted like a healthy concoction.
The three-course menu was pretty good. Everything was very well-prepared, but there were a few elements that didn't really suit my personal tastes.
The salad of artichokes and butter lettuce was fabulous.
The second course of pork tenderloin with a curried yogurt was OK. I don't much care for Indian food, so the curry and the fruit compote on the pork was OK, but not something I would have chosen off a menu. The pork was cooked perfectly though! The mushroom-stuffed potato that came with the entree was really yummy as well.
The dessert was so good - it was a dried fruit and apple crisp with a red wine sauce with blue cheese crumbles. My only complaint was the blue cheese. I like blue cheese (a lot) but this was a particularly potent and stinky blue that overpowered the yummy cookie crumbly thing and the fruit - all I could smell and taste was the cheese. I scraped the cheese off and ate it separately - problem solved!
At the end of the meal, Dale came out and was so gracious. I apologized for making an ass of myself at Schwa (see review below). He took a pic with us and told us about his new place that will hopefully be up and running soon. I would definitely go back...it was just under $250 for 6 dinners, two bottles of wine and a bottle of cava. Not bad. -
Review from Kiarash Z.
Lima, OH
8/16/2007
Relax is never really crowded, but it's never really empty. It's loud enough to not feel like you're in a library but not so loud that you can't hear your friends talking.
It's pretty much the Goldilocks of lounges, but what makes it truly great is the pricing.
On Wednesday nights: No cover, $1 fries, $2 Budweiser and cheap burgers. Match that with rock music from live DJs, and you have yourself the joys of dive bar drinking in a very clean, modern joint.
I must go back and try the spiked milkshakes. -
Review from Phillie P.
Chicago, IL
7/26/2007
It's new in my hood. The place looks fantastic and the burger & fries are dangerously yummy. I have my special cocktail there and it's a nice way to start/end a night. Can't really complain because the place is next door to me.
I'd like to have a funny story to tell, but it hasn't happened yet...
Get your funk on Wednesday nights because John Simmons provides the toons and the obvious drink & food specials. -
Review from Damian C.
10/9/2009
I feel like this place has some potential, but unfortunately, it was an off-night for me and the bar.
It may have been the two bottles of wine I finished at my friend's birthday dinner that caused me to be slightly ridiculous that night - I dunno. I found myself enjoying a mix of good pop songs tucked in a table booth right in front of the DJ, but still wanted more. Unlike many other bars, wedding receptions, etc. this DJ was not up for playing my favorite 'hits', no matter how many of them I requested in writing on little bar napkins. I really thought EVERYONE would want to hear smash singles like "What's Love" ft. Fat Joe and Ashanti.
Worse off, I inadvertently ordered a $7 Stella. Really? $7? Ouch.
The one thing that saved my night was the two-ton beaded curtain that separated the bathroom area from the bar. I'm not really sure why it is necessary, but I was able to do my best Britney Spears "Oops I Did It Again" album cover impression. -
Review from christine f.
Chicago, IL
11/19/2007
I like this place because it is walking distance from my house, and Wednesday nights they have Effen cocktails for five bucks. The decor/space/layout is nice: a very loungy laid back look and feel, not pretentious at all. Service has been really great the few times I've been here.
My problem with my last visit on Saturday night was with the music. It was piercingly loud, to the point where it sounded distorted and muffled. It was hard to have a decent conversation. It was obscene how loud it was. On top of that, the music selection was confusing. For the first hour that I was there, it was all rock (some good, some bad) then the DJ switched it up and played a Kanye song and a Jay-Z song and I thought, "Finally, the music's getting better!" and then he went 80's rock on us. It went back and forth like this for quite a while. He even played that stupid "Jump On It" song, like we were at a Bulls game or something. He seemed to be all over the place. It just didn't work.
I personally think they should move away from the rock tunes because that stretch of Chicago Ave. already has a rocker bar in Five Star. And they don't need to go clubby b/c you can go to Sonotheque for that. But they do need to work on matching their music with their laid back atmosphere and they do need to work on their sound system.
I'm still going to give them a favorable review b/c I like the place itself and I realize that they're fairly new and still figuring out what they want to be. -
Review from Michael E.
Charlotte, NC
7/3/2008
I've been to Relax at least once a month since I moved here and even on NYE.
This classy, cool decor hang out claims to be a bar for the older over 20's crowd and does hit hte mark most times. With affordable drinks, attentive bartenders, and some good food deals (i.e. their Burgers).
DJ's coming in from time to time and spicy things up. There is an ability to reserve the area in the back and have bottle service, though you face the bathrooms....which is never cool in my book.
Folks are very friendly here and parking is good. Folks in the public transportation arena would take the brown line up to the Chicago stop and head north...via a cab or bus....I'd recommend the cab if you want to get there before retirement....sorry CTA...call it like I see it.
So if you are looking for something cool, mature, and affordable, this is a slice of nightlife you need to try this summer. -
Review from julie a.
12/4/2008
I kind of just think this place is dumb. Sonoteque is so much better, I'm not sure why I wasted my time here.
I'm also confused because I knew it used to be called Pharmacy, and now its called "Relax" but then can someone explain to me why there is a girl in an extremely tight vinyl nurse uniform standing behind the bar but not doing anything, such as get drinks and there was only one bartender working?
Maybe I went on a bad night, but I really don't want to go back to find out. -
Review from Christine M.
Chicago, IL
8/11/2008
When I first entered this place I did not feel relaxed, I felt a little bombarded by the cookie cutter Urban Outfitters wallpaper and the music/band pictures poorly framed in spray painted wood. There was a candle that flew across the room and almost hit this poor girl minding her Blackberry, and I'm pretty sure that the only thing on their late night menu is...fries?
That being said, why the four stars? Well...I liked the mix of people there. The clientele is as random as the decor style. I like that one table is filled with teva sporting cubs fans, table next to them is hipsters a go-go, and the large table in the back is a sea of the "cute shirt clutch purse" crowd. It never got too full and the barkeeps were pretty on point.
I met a lot of interesting people and didn't break my bank. Good times. -
Review from chris r.
Chicago, IL
5/27/2009
Since we're comparing apples to apples here (they sell themselves as an upscale lounge...not a dive bar), Relax really has no reason to deserve anything more than one star. I've been here on three occasions now and it's been thoroughly disappointing each time. The ambiance is actually pretty promising. The place was once called "Pharmacy" and had a pretty cool "theme", if you could call it that. I don't know if it's under new ownership now, but this place has now been given a half-assed do over which hasn't helped at all. The staff could care less that you're there. The place is always empty. An Amstel Light (in West Town, no less) cost $6. And the Dave Mathews Band being blasted doesn't really complement...well, anything.
I initially came for the Tuesday $4 burger special...which I remember being really good at one point. Gave it a chance twice more and I must have been really hungry that first time because those burgers BLOW. -
Review from ashley H.
Chicago, IL
8/23/2008
Great 2.00 burgers and fries.
Cheap drinks
Amazing staff and owner. seriously, these guys/girls are some of my favorite bar staff EVER!
Oh yeah, and try the American Honey, it's the most amazing thing!
but how can you go wrong with a bar obsessed with Bourbon and the Rolling Stones though?
and my advice to the dude who lost their stuff, It IS CHICAGO, my garbage gets stolen out of my car. Try putting your presents in a trunk, or a locked car BEFORE you get hammered. -
Review from Diesel D.
Chicago, IL
6/16/2008
Great atmosphere, music is different every nite! Rocker djs play anything from Motley Crue to Marvin Gaye to 80's/Electro.
If you're hungry for a quick burger, this is definately the place to be..burgers are sensational along with their handcut fries!
Bartenders are extremely friendly. I like the fact that it's not over crowded & it's a good space to kick back & have a drink. -
Review from Sunshine A.
Chicago, IL
10/25/2007
First, I truly love the logo of the lounge. Simple, but yet there is a flashy flair to it, so that pulled me in. Met friends for drinks last night and I really like the place. Its a nice size, with a lengthy but narrow structure. Put me in the mind of Lumen, decor-wise. A bit of a zen-like feel, hence the name "Relax." I really like the bathroom set-up also, no worries about cramped bathrooms and standing in line while girls fiddle with their hair, when all you want to do is get to the sink, and get your hygiene on.
Anywho, Ill be back! -
Review from Beth M.
12/14/2008
The decor was neat; usually I hate the cold, medicinal aura of doctors' offices, but the warm, dim lighting of the "Pharmacy" was relaxing. I was a bit confused by the rocker photos on the wall; I think vintage photos would have fit better with the theme.
Prices for mixed drinks were a little higher than expected, but they were pretty tasty. I didn't order anything from the menu, but I noticed a (possibly vegan?) veggie burger, which was cool.
The communal open sink area was a bit of a turnoff for me. Without trying to be gross, women would probably appreciate a private place to wash up when it's the time of the month.
I had gone for a friend's birthday; I'd probably go back only for a special occasion like that. -
Review from Jeff H.
Chicago, IL
7/9/2008
Oh hey, this seems to be a pretty cool bar. It's plenty big: all my friends on my birthday were easily accommodated even on Saturday night. Classy interior without being too pretentious, nice. Ooh, cheap bar-eats late night: that's a nice touch. Hey wow, they even have Dogfish Head on tap. That earns major points!
But wait! I seem to have forgotten my birthday presents from last night. I'm sure I can just pick them up the day after at the beginning of the night. Hmm, the bartender doesn't remember anything, even though 2 small gift bags were right in the center of the bar all night long. Weird, maybe he hated them being in the way? Guess I'll come back later in the week when the guy who puts stuff in the safe is around.
Oh no, another friend of mine left some stuff there too. Well we can just go back together to scoop it up. Hey why is the same guy I saw a few days earlier telling my friend a completely different story? No magic boss with keys to the safe? No stuff? So awesome!
Well this place either doesn't give a shit about your stuff or has a kleptomaniac cleaning crew. Watch out though Relax Lounge: I found out what my present was and now it's a sting operation on your bartenders! When I find the guilty bastard I'm going to break his glasses and take my toy back! -
Review from Kevin S.
Philadelphia, PA
5/20/2009
I went to to Relax Lounge to enjoy Dale Levetski's Supper Club. It was seriously one of the best meals I have had in months. Here is my take on how everything went down...
Atmosphere:
It was my first time at Relax Lounge and it was - REALLY CHILL! I liked the way this place is set up, a lot of thought was put into the design of the space. The tables were close but not right on top of each other and the decor was right up my visual alley.
Food:
First course was a tasty bean and veggie soup. It was a great way to start a meal - perfectly seasoned and left us all wanting MORE!
Main course was shrimp scampi on a risotto cake. The taste of the shrimp and the stickiness of the risotto was seriously delicious. This is the type of main course that you remember the following week and wish you could have it again!
Dessert was Dale's take on strawberry shortcake. I'm not sure how he got the strawberries to melt in my mouth the way they did, it was a perfect end to a VERY delicious meal.
I mentioned to the waitress I wanted to meet Dale and he came out to our table and introduced himself to me and my friends. He was super personable and shared with us that he decides on the meal he is going to prepare by seeing what is fresh/seasonal at the market. I found out our waitress was also on Top Chef - she is a friend of Dales from the TV show and will be his su chef when he opens his new restaurant. He mentioned he is in the final stages of starting his own restaurant, Town and Country, in the West Loop near Union Station. I can't wait for his new space to open so I can have his food more often!
For a unique tasty dinner in a cool CHILL environment, I highly recommend having dinner on Thursday at Relax Lounge - Dale is an ALLSTAR and I am sure you will enjoy EVERY meal he prepares for his weekly supper club. -
Review from Sami A.
Chicago, IL
5/21/2009
I've read the reviews and almost everyone loves this place so maybe I went on a bad night?
Food, I mean burgers since that's the only food they have, is good. Wait, I've never heard of a lounge that serves food. Trying to be something that you're not?
Atmosphere is good.
However, give me a dirty martini made with Grey Goose that I can gulp down in less than 10 secs and my whole world crumbles. I don't care how awesome the place is, if the drinks are weak then I'd rather go to a shit hole and get my drink right. Although, would a shit hole make a good dirty martini?
Maybe go there, before partying, for a burger and a beer then go somewhere else. -
Review from mdo s.
Chicago, IL
10/25/2007
I waited a long time for this bar to open. Originally the bar was to be called Pharmacy, hence the green cross outside and the pharmaceutical decor behind the bar. However, they ran into some problems with their liquor license and we waited, and waited, and waited. Finally months later they open under the name Relax. So a couple weeks after they had been open my partner in crime and I decided to check the place out.
Right off the bat the first thing we notice when we walk in is the smell from the kitchen. Seriously people, get an exhaust fan. The lighting was abysmal. It was like they were some super bright halogen or something. The food here is decent, for bar food. Music is supplied by a DJ in the back- good mix of punk and rock the night I was there. He jumped from Guns and Roses to Social Distortion and that's just fine with me.
Drinks- pretty averagely priced and compared to the Five Star a block down- this place is dirt cheap. I didn't have to deal with the wait staff since we sat at the bar. The bartender was nice, very talkative and engaging.
But overall something was missing. I don't know what it was. Maybe it was the unisex area outside the bathrooms, or that ridiculous metal beaded curtain that was throwing the vibe off. I think overall the place kind of suffers from an identity crisis. I'm not sure how the pharmacy\relax theme works into the rock and roll theme that rolls into the modern stylish seating. This bar lacks focus. They need to pick a theme and then execute it really well. I'll come back in a couple months to re-evaluate and let you all know what I find.
Bottom line- good place to grab a burger and a few drinks; but not some where I would hang out the whole night. -
Review from Jackie o P.
Chicago, IL
10/8/2007
I will start off with a few nice words before slashing this place to bits. Great burgers and fries! Plenty of seating options! Aaaaannnd that is IT.
Let's begin our stroll down suckroad starting with the waitress. I have much respect and sympathy for the cocktail waitress. I've been one and it's difficult, grueling work if you are working a busy room, dealing with massive idiots. This place wasn't really busy at all for a Saturday nite (although I did witness some real dummies).
From the moment we sat down, our waitress couldn't handle our minimal requests and by the end of the evening, this lady had left us high and dry for hours, effed up the tab, and essentially just pissed us all off for being m.i.a. We would have left but hey we're lazy.
The worst part of this bar is the DJ. NO ONE LIKES "DUDE LOOKS LIKE A LADY". NO ONE. This DJ could POSSIBLY work at a low grade strip club where Whitesnake and INXS are still acceptable. He should definitely look into some gigs in Davenport, IA. Anyhow, I love some crusty hair metal don't get me wrong, but this guy could not work a crowd to save his life. Each time he put on a new song, he drained a little bit of battery life out of each person in the room.... Nnn..nnn..n....oooooo......oh.
This bar seems to exist without a purpose. I saw a lot of overly tanned bodies, jacked up boobies, super jocks, drunk Cubs fans, mom jeans, a restaurateur, a very old Carlos D copycat -- the whole lot yet NO ONE seemed to be enjoying themselves. -
Review from Katja L.
Chicago, IL
12/4/2008
Oh my god, it's full of douchebags!
Dig the beaded curtain, though. -
Review from Don J.
Chicago, IL
7/10/2009
I ate here last night for the Dinner with Dale evening and I thought it was one of the best meals I've ever had and definitely the best value for money.
To start was a chilled cauliflower soup with curried raisins. It was a good tasting soup with the raisins giving it an extra kick. I would have preferred if the soup was served warm but that is just because I am not used to eating a chilled soup. I still thought it was excellant.
Next was a Grilled New York Steak with Gazpacho and Dale's steak sauce. He could bottle the steak sauce and make millions as it was amazing. One of the best steaks I have ever had and enjoyed it as much as the steak in the famous Peter Lugers restaurant in New York. My girlfriend asked me not to lick the plate as I devoured the steak in about two minutes.
I'm not a big dessert fan but the triple berry crisp was very flavorful and again one the best desserts I have ever had. Including one Mojito and a glass of red wine the bill came to $79 which I thought was a steal. Great food and I enjoyed the "relaxed" atmosphere. Service was friendly and I would highly recommend the Dining with Dale experience. -
Review from Rebecca T.
Marina del Rey, CA
4/18/2008
We went there shortly after it opened on a weeknight, and it was basically empty. Not many food options, and they only had Bud Light [as opposed to Miller Lite] which is a big no-no in my book.
Btw - what's with the pharmacy neon cross sign in front of it? We weren't even sure this was the place since there wasn't a sign. -
Review from Angie M.
9/21/2008
One of my friends had been raving about Relax for a long time and always tried to corral me into this place. I don't know why I resisted; it's fantastic. Sleek, urban and unpretentious with great music and food, Relax Lounge is the just kind of place I've been looking for in my neighborhood.
We snagged a seat at the bar and after perusing the drink menu, our bartender slyly told us of the "special drink not on the menu," his own creating of a cucumber and jalapeño martini. Intrigued, I decided to order it up. Best described as a garden in a glass, this martini was nothing short of spectacular. The aroma was heavenly and the cocktail was boozy, not too sweet, refreshing from the cucumber and just enough heat from the jalapeno. I'd go back just for that cocktail alone!
Let's not stop at the well-poured drinks... the hummus platter with cucumbers and pita bread and the $1 basket of homemade fries were nothing to scoff at. The basket of fries is large and in charge and covered in a spicy, tangy seasoning that is oh-so delicious. The hummus was fairly standard issue, but props to our bartender for keeping us in constant supply of cucumbers for maximum noshing pleasure.
With the great eats, mind-altering martinis, kickin' music from the DJ and great company with one of my favorite friends, I walked out of Relax Lounge as one very happy camper! -
Review from Amanda Z.
10/6/2008
"Relax...go to it, when ya wanna go to it..."
Yeah, not quite so relaxing, this relax lounge. The music was blasting out, but it was strange, not-usually-blasted music. The DJ sure seemed to love it, that's for sure. And ya know what? I kinda loved that he loved it. Gotta love someone who's diggin' on his job in his ski cap and headphones, right?
Actually, I didn't hate this place, and might return if I was in the area. My group got a table without having to hover...got a cocktail server, which was nice. However, they ran out of olives.
A slight digression: I HATE olives. The ONLY thing remotely olive that I would say I like is olive green. And in fact, I LOVE olive green. But I hate olives, black, green, Spanish, Greek...doesn't matter, hate 'em all. So a bar running out of olives does not affect me in the least. HOWEVER, I feel like that's a staple in a bar, and if my girl wants a dirty martini, she wants a dirty martini...WITH OLIVES.
Olive absentia aside, this place wasn't too bad. I like the decor, the exposed brick, the comfy seating areas, the beads for the communal hand-washing area...just kinda fun (aside from the dudes not washing their hands...yeah, the gal hollering at you, that was me...You are nasty, you must learn to wash 'em, even if just for appearances, girls dig dudes with clean hands).
In sum, Relax Lounge = not so relaxing, but bring your own fun (aka peanut gallery), and you'll have a good time! -
Review from Eileen L.
Los Angeles, CA
4/13/2009
Best veggie burger in the city, hands down. and i have consumed alot of veggie burgers, trust me.
So back to the burger. the bun is homemade, light not dense with an egg wash which makes the crust brown and crisp but still oh so soft. veggie patty itself is mainly rice with vegetables. add in all the toppings ( + pharmacy sauce!) and you've got a winner.
Aparently tuesdays are $4 (half off) burgers, perfect for my newfound VB addiction.
They have really good drinks too. a bit pricey but well worth it for the unique flavors/drinks that they come up with. My favorite has to be the Calientini. Great place to check out if you're in the neighborhood.
Love the decor inside. red flasks are re-purposed as lights. nice, modern clean design. -
Review from neil r.
Columbus, OH
3/21/2009
Came here for a birthday a few months back and a second time for the dining with Dale experience. The birthday party was great. It wasn't packed nor empty. The drinks were strong tasted great. Great place to have a chill relax birthday party.
Dining with Dale was a good experience. First off there was lots of good looking women in this place. This place is very trendy with a real chill atmosphere. Walking into the place, I was met by the hostess who walked us over to a table and sat us down. As my date went to the bathroom, she overheard one of the waiters saying we rudely sat ourselves down when I was making our way to the bar instead. Whatever, I could care less what the waiter said it just seemed a bit rude to say we sat ourselves down.
On to the food. We had salad with calamari in butter ranch dressing. I would have never thought calamari/salad/butter ranch dressing would go together well but it did. Ranch does taste great with everything!
The main couse was italian sausage with fennel pasta. It was good but I felt some of the noodles were not fully cook. The place doesn't have a full out kitchen so from my understanding, the food is precook and warmed on the spot. The dish was good but it wasn't any different than fancy spagetti.
Marinated Fruit and Meringue was GREAT! Meringue went well with the shave cocoanut, pinnapples, cashews, and other fruits. The one fruit that clashed with the dessert was the grape fruit. all other fruits were sweet while the grade fruit was too sour for my liking.
Overall great experience! I would definitely come again to try his meals. Next time, I hope to try one of his protein dishes. -
Review from James V.
Chicago, IL
10/20/2009
In a word: Pricey
Went here after starting the night off at Five Star Bar, and it was a massive change. Maybe it was because our last stop of the night, but the guys looked a little tired and bored (or drunk?) after half an hour at this place. Didn't have a miserable time, but not a great time either.
The good:
The music was excellent as the DJ (at least Saturday night) played some good old school hip hop and rap. The highlight of the night to me was when the DJ played "Big Poppa".
The furniture and lounge area isn't too bad. They were good for talking (but who can really do that at a lounge) and interacting with others. It also looked very trendy and nice, but not in a bad way.
The bad:
Seriously $10 for a Patron shot? This isn't Vegas guys. I really felt bad for my friend who bought 10 shots for everybody and got stuck with the tab. Sorry about that one buddy.
The service is a little slow even though the place wasn't really very packed. The waitress even forgot about us at one point when my friend really needed to close his tab.
Why are the sinks outside the bathroom? Yes, I get that it's "health" issues, but no one died from washing their hands in the sink inside the washroom. It's funny too since you can see all the women and men checking themselves in the mirror outside the washroom. Now you can see who's really vain haha.
Finally, the atmosphere was a little off. There wasn't really a welcoming feeling in the place and from the outside the place looked dead (everyone was in the back area). Everyone wants to have that feeling that they are welcomed the first time they step in a new place.
Not the worst place in the world, but certainly not the first choice. -
Review from marisa s.
Chicago, IL
1/18/2008
do your curtains match your drapes? can i get some meds or can i get some drinks? HELP.
we dropped into Relax which was suppose to be called Pharmacy - but apparently that's illegal - you can't order a qualud and a vodka tonic.
the wallpaper is a little old man-ish. music was OK...crowd was pretty fun and the bathroom was all jacked up with a sign above the toilet i went in that said "hold down the flusher for a while so it fully flushes" or something like that. wtf man, i was in there for an an extra 5 minutes flushing after finishing my peepee and everyone waiting for me thought i took a deucedeuce.
overall a chill lounge to hang at, i'll have to go again and see if i get a good flusher and the wallpaper doesn't bother me.
UPDATE: i went back to relax for my boyfriend's birthday - we had a friend who is friends with the owner, set aside an area for us. service was great, the owner came over to say happy birthday to my boyf and i think a good time was had by all. the bathroom was working, so that was a plus! great customer service - i had a "didn't close out my tab and left my card" incident and the owner dropped it at my apartment building, but he also knew one of my boyf's sister's friends from growing up...but still, pretty awesome!!
