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Categories: American (New), Lounges
Neighborhoods: Streeterville, Magnificent Mile, Near North SideChicago (Red)
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Yes it's overpriced and the food is short of noteworthy, but this place is amazing all the same. I first came here years ago for a dorm event. We had our ball on the 96th floor and it was beautiful. I also noted that they had live jazz playing in the Signature Room, which is something to keep in mind when deciding on where you want to have your next date.
When my boyfriend came to visit, I took him to Signature Lounge for lunch. The food was mediocre, but since we were there for lunch, the prices were much more affordable. I had a club sandwich and it was nice. The only thing that made it different from most other club sandwiches was the sun-dried tomato spread.
That said, what you're paying for at the Signature Room is the view. It's well worth it, and I'm sure it keeps the restaurant's bills paid as it's prime real estate offering the best views of the city. Words and pictures don't do it justice. You must see it yourself.
If you can't afford an expensive fancy dinner here, go for lunch, brunch or drinks. You won't be disappointed with the experience--if the food doesn't send you to cloud nine, just look out of the windows.
Went last night with my husband, hoping it would be a romantic spot to celebrate our first anniversary with a drink and views of the city. We saw the city, drinks however, not so much. After waiting 15 to 20 minutes a waitress finally took our order, which she wrote down. Maybe 5 to 10 minutes later we saw her bringing out drinks, two of which were ours. She asked the people behind us if they were their drinks, then went back in the kitchen and back out with the drinks. She gave our drinks to another table. Then asks us what we ordered. After a few minutes we decided it wasn't worth waiting for however long to pay for $30 worth of drinks. As we walked back to the elevator she ran after us with the drinks. We told her we've waited long enough, we don't want them anymore.
I think we're rather patient customers and understand when it's busy. I never want to give someone serving me a hard time. It wasn't that busy and there were at least three waitresses. I felt bad, but at the same time just didn't have the patience to waist my time further.
It definitely has great views, and maybe if you go, you'll have a better experience. Maybe sit at the bar instead?
Not impressed!
I met up with some people last night and we had nabbed one of the much coveted corner tables by the window. The only thing I liked about this place is the view of the City. It's overcrowded, service is seldom, and the prices for the drinks are overly expensive for the quality. From what the group told me, some drinks were overly strong and some were skimpy on the booze. You'd figure a place like this would be more consistent.
2 stars because they F'ed up my order of water. Who messes up an order of bottled sparkling water?!? The place serves VOSS sparkling water, which is rather decent, but it was served warm, and all the effervescence was gone by the time I got it. I wanted the tactile sensation of cold, clean bubbles! I can understand messing up an alcoholic drink...but BOTTLED water?
All dressed up and ready to celebrate, The Brit and I arrived to The Signature Lounge for some nibbles and dribbles. Fresh from The Brits' admission into the Bar, we were dressed up all fancy-schmancy and wanted a nice place to see and be seen. He leads the way, telling me nothing, and before you know it, I'm sky rocketed up 96 floors with popping ears to see all of Chicago beneath me. Turns out Chicago's pretty flat.
We enjoyed a couple of glasses of Marquis ($12 per glass) and The Hot Trio ($22) of chicken tenders, breaded mushrooms, and steak, each with their own dipping sauces. The steak turned out more tender than we had anticipated, and it's all pretty good food. For a Thursday afternoon in November, it wasn't busy at all and the service was pretty good. There are plenty of tourists and when left waiting on your all-important business guy, you might be asked to take a few shots of them looking out over the edge of the river.
The decor is art deco, but there are some random modern photos lining the halls. Some of them fantastic, some of them "meh." It is a lovely place with a great atmosphere with really good music as well. We stayed a few hours and then shuffled out tipsy, bubbly selves off to another bar to celebrate. Chicago's got no shortage of them, that's for sure.
Cougars live here. I mean chill at the bar. This place is awesome for the beautiful scenery !!! And by scenery I mean the billion dollar view from the 95th floor and not the botoxed out ladies at the bar stacked with their double deez and whitened teeth and bleached manes. But I mean, that can be fun to look at too.
Definitely get a seat next to the window. And enjoy your overpriced drinks. Get some dessert, and enjoy the beautiful scenery that is the Chicago skyline. Beautiful.
Then, you excuse yourself to use the ladies room and lo and behold, you got more cougars. And more view. The bathroom stalls are situated straight across from more view of the city lights below. Girls are busy usin' the loo, primping themselves, and taking pics of the fantastic view.
Not sure if this place is worth it for the $7 iced tea but.... I'll let it slide. The view. It's the view.
My go-to take tourists to destination. In the seven years I've lived here, I've been here numerous times but never to the observation desk. What's the point when you can sip a cocktail, see a view, and delight your friends and relatives.
My most recent visit occurred during my Saturday interlude between bachelorette party and wedding shower in July. My best friend had never, ever been to Chicago, so naturally we had to take her here for a drink. The line was long getting up the elevator. In seven years, I've never seen this long a line. I guess word got out that this is the place to be for the view and drinks. We waited in another line to get a table. I half expected another line to wait in another line (joke from South Park).
When we got a table, we ordered our drinks and enjoyed the view. The drinks are average, nothing spectacular. The service is fast and friendly considering how many tables one server has to manage at once.
Again, it's my go to take out of towners, tourists, family to gaze at the Chicago skyline and take in the view.
We got dressed up and had a few drinks overlooking the city on my last night in Chicago. It was a clear night and we were able to see the lights from 96 floors high. My strawberry mojito was not too sweet but had the perfect amount of alcohol.
The women's room also has a spectacular view. Of the city. Shut your mouth.
I loved this place. A few friends of mine dressed up, and, as I'm trying to get the whole Chicago experience, they took me to the signature lounge.
We got in the elevator and rode all the way up to the 96th floor. We got there around 11:00pm, and the sight and setting was so nice- the tables were candle lit, and as it was a clear night, you could see all of Chicago.
Once we got in line for a table, I thought we would be standing there for a while. The line was long. Somehow and for some reason, a waiter came up to me and my 2 friends and asked us how many people we had. We said three and he said, "follow me." I felt bad for the people around us. haha. He led us to a table and we got instant service.
Yes, the drinks are pricey. You got to pay for the view somehow. I ordered the Lake Shore Martini which I thought was GREAT- grey goose, sparkling wine and a hint of raspberry- it was strong, but I liked it. My friend got the Skyscraper (a tad too fruity for me) and my other friend got the strawberry daiquiri (good because of the FRESH strawberries.. but I'm not sure if it was worth the price).
For dessert, we had wanted to share a tiramisu- my favorite. However, that night, they were "out" of it. That saddened me, but we ordered the white and dark chocolate mousse cake instead- and as I LOVE dark chocolate, I thought it was great. The right amount of creaminess and the right amount of bitterness for the dark chocolate. Mmmm. yum.
The view is gorgeous. I loved it. My friend suggested to me that the women's bathroom actually has a better view.. so I went to check it out. Surprisingly, it did! So I pulled out my camera and started snapping away pictures in the bathroom. ahha.
Great place to go. Would have been better if it was a date. Nonetheless, if you're looking for a nice place to relax, to hear each other talk, and to look over Chicago, the Signature Lounge is a must go!
There's something beautifully surreal about having cocktails 95 stories in the air. All of Chicago spreads out before you in 360. It's a place you really have to come at least once in your life to see Chicago as you have never seen it before. Even being a lifetime resident, the first time I went there I was speechless watching the city at sunset turn into this glowing tron-like grid of life and light.
Amazing.
Great place to take a tourist to or go on a date . Love it a little pricee but would recommend it. And definitle go back to.
"Put your money where your mouth is." Literally.
Instead of paying to $15 to visit the observation deck or $30 for the FastPass, buy yourself a drink at the Signature Lounge on the 96th floor. I headed over here before going to United Center for a quick drink and to take in the spectacular view of Chicago. I decided to get the Malibu View - Malibu Rum, cranberry, and orange juices. Very similar to a Malibu Bay Breeze and it was good.
This is my second time up here and since it was cloudy, the view wasn't as good as it would be on a clear, sunny day. On those days, you can see 4 states - Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and of course, Illinois. I went here on a Tuesday so the wait to use the elevator wasn't too bad. Weekends can get be busy here. When I got up here, all the prime seats near the windows were taken, so I stalked by the bar until a spot opened.
I have always come here during the day, but I would like to come here again at night to check out the view. I'm sure that it's awesome.
Forget paying money for the John Hancock Observatory or for the restaurant, simply head over to the lounge area to check out the spectacular Chicago skyline. My favorite vantage point would have to be the along the coast of Lake Michigan. To see endless skyscrapers peering over the water, the freeway, and Lincoln Park, it was beautiful.
Our Chicago greeter took us here during a quiet weekday in the morning, so nobody bothered us into buying drinks or anything. I suspect it's a different story when the sun comes down, when there would be more of a crowd. The drinks are obviously expensive, for that amount of money per drink, I better be in Vegas.
I also heard there is an awesome wall panel view from the women's restroom. My wife ran in there with the camera and took a few pictures. Why is it that the men's restroom has nothing? Not even a little window to peek out from? Whoever designed it must have been a woman. Go figure.
If you want an amazing view of the city and want to skip out on the Signature Room restaurant and it's pricey food, then go up one more floor to the 96th of the Hancock Tower - The Signature Lounge. Though the drinks and h'ordeurves are pricey, you can't beat the view. And, you can have one drink and stay and hang out as long as you would like. You have almost a 360 view of the city, which is incredible.
The h'ordeurves are alright, but for the price I've had much, much better. I had a glass of Rose which was about $12.00. Pricey, yes - but I couldn't beat the view and the great company. Also a great place to take a date!
Five stars for the view.
One star for the meh service.
One star for the drink. The drink was tiny and was made even smaller by the 1/4 lime garnish. I love lime but I also like vodka tonics. At least I had my vitamin C for the day.
Hey, I love this place. You could pay $15 to ride up and look off the observatory deck for 20 mins, or head up here for free, and spend $12 on a drink and a beer, and sit in the window and enjoy the view for as long as you want. One of the best deals in town in my opinion. If it's busy, be patient, people eventually have to get back to spending on Mich Ave, and you can grab their chair by the window to relax.
Fine place to take out-of-towners, but be prepared to wait in multiple lines and then shell out a lot of $$$$ for tiny drinks.
It's good for the obvious-- overlooking the city in a swanky environment. Definitely not a place that I would consider frequenting.
Overpriced? Check.
Still cheaper than the observatory? Check.
Unparalleled views? Check.
Easy to find? Not so fast, my friend.
At the end of a long day, I had a friend coerce me into coming here to cap off the night. We hadn't done much Chicago-specific touristing, and he'd never been there before. I'm a good friend, so I tagged along.
Thankfully I did, because at night this is one of the most stunning, romantic spots in the city. Sure, it's a tourist trap as well, but as long as you get a spot by a window, you can spend all evening admiring the endless roads that seem to go on forever, the clouds passing below you and, if you're feeling lucky, lean your head up against the glass for a look almost straight down.
Sure, the drinks are expensive and, even if you're dressed up, that doesn't guarantee everyone will be, but it's a great spot once you find it (which is hard, especially later at night -- go down the stairs as if you're going to the Cheesecake factor, go to the right and past the security guard and look for the elevator to the Signature Lounge).
I highly recommend it, especially if you're looking to impress someone.
ok. yah. go.
the only really neat bit about signature lounge is there's a great view from the ladies bathroom. and the it's the bathroom part that makes it unique. view wise, there are similar sights of the city available elsewhere.
make nice with some city-dwelling folk and peer out their windows, then take them to violet hour with the money saved from ditching the signature lounge, where you'd undoubtedly pay for over-priced and un-inspiring drinks.
Expensive Drinks? Check!
Amazing Bathroom Views? Check!
Awesome Experience? Check!
Took an out-of-town guest here since secretly I was dying to go. We went around 5pm on a week day and were lucky to score a great table for 2 right next to the window in the corner between the lake view and the city view. We got to enjoy the sunset just as the crowds were rolling in and eying our table.
We each ordered 2 drinks, which was pricey (over $30 for 2 drinks, tax & tip), but fun as a treat. You're absolutely paying for the view. The views and the photo ops here are incredible. I had the Skyscraper and the Watermelon Margarita. Both were tasty. My friend ordered the Peach Cosmo. Our server was pleasant, but busy.
It was a very enjoyable experience,albeit expensive, and the next time I have an out of town guest, I will probably insist we have to have drinks here!
We went here a few times but the first time for my friend V's birthday! We got a table right by the fireworks that were going off during the summer and got some great champagne with strawberries. The champagne list was very nice (price and quality relatively). We've tried the food there and its something small to get when you are sitting there for a while getting drinks after drinks. I always get 2 strawberry daquiris when I go there.
Besides the tables with the view, I'm not sure if I really like the booths at all. Also if you get the tables too far on the left side when the fireworks in the summer go off then everyone crowds your area. This was a great place to meet up with the girls before a night out on the town since the view is great just as it gets dark (which isn't very late).
Once you know the bouncers it's easy to get the seating you want....once when we went there were a bunch of rowdy guys who offered to buy us drinks and sit with them...but it killed the relaxing mood of the place. It's not somewhere you need to dress up for since its a bit touristy, but if you are going to the resturant, formal attire is needed.
As opposed to the restaurant on the 95th floor...the Signature Lounge is by far my favorite bar in the city...and yes, the view is half the reason.
This is where I typically take my out of town guests for a view of the city...no cover charge...and costs less than the observatory...
I am a bit sad that they got rid of the Signature Colada though...I need to write a letter!
Ok, drinks are nothing to call home about, but... you're on the ninety sixth floor for cripes sake!!!!!
enough said.
My fav place to go in Chicago when I'm either toting around tourists for the day or feel like playing tourist myself. A tad expensive, but hey, I would much rather enjoy the view with a drink in my hand than pay the same price to hang out just a floor below in the Observatory. Great view both during the day and with all the sparkly lights at night.
sometimes when i just need to act like a tourist a bit, i hit up the signature lounge, - at night for a martini or in the afternoon for a bloody mary. all the cocktails are pretty standard and the food pretty decent (i like the surf and turf skewers) but the view is truly outstanding... that, is on a clear day. cloudy days are cool too, if you're into that and don't care about the cityscape.
Cool view, pricey drnks as expected. worth dropping by here if you havent been or you want to show someone around.
I think 96 floors is the highest I've ever been in a building. You have a fantastic view of downtown Chicago, especially at night with all the lights illuminating the streets and skyscrapers. You can enjoy the view with overpriced appetizers and drinks, but you are really getting two for one since the view is free. When we first got here, there was a line to get seated, but we were pulled out of line and seated very quickly by the manager for some reason. I had a great time chilling with new friends and without a worry in the world (for the time I was up here anyway). Also the women's restroom has a view as well. This made me excited as I ran to check if the same was true for the men's restroom. It was not.
There's no denying the view here. Its amongst the most spectacular in the world. Seriously. The Chicago lakefront stretching to the distant and infinite horizons... dizzying clusters of skyscrapers, soaring above the world... It is breathtaking.
That said, were it foggy outside, the Signature Room would be no more than an overpriced airport terminal bar serving low quality wine and sophomoric cocktails by a harried, overextended staff. The disappointing menu of chicken fingers and the like is obviously designed to satiate the armies of yokels that are ushered in waves from the elevator bank by hostesses who might as well have cattle prods. Done well this place could be ethereal. As it is, not so much.
What. A. Bore.
I brought my sister here when she visited me from out of state for drinks and apps. We snagged a couple of stools right next to the window. My sister was impressed with the view. We perused the menus in front of us for a couple of minutes and then waited for waitstaff to come around.
After 10 minutes of being ignored by waitstaff, I walk over to one, but she informs me that she's not covering our area. We waited an additional 10 minutes for ANYONE to come by. I was literally staring and trying to get the attention of every one of the waitstaff to indicate we were ready to order only to be ignored. My sister just shrugged it off and suggested we go somewhere else, which we did.
I don't know if it was an off night or if they were short one server, but it was seriously unacceptable.
Some Chicagoans I've spoken with seem to think that the Hancock is a cliche and are almost proud of the fact that they've lived here their whole lives and have never been up in the famous tower. They are missing out on something spectacular!
I took a visitor from France out for a nightcap to the Signature Room last night; I had previously been to the Observatory during the day but never the lounge. It's dark and clubby, the decor receding into the background: the great show is of course outside the windows, where the city spreads out below you in a twinkling grid of lights, the lake a dark shawl flung off to one side. The moody dimness was broken only by the intermittent flashing of people's cell phone cameras (figure it out, folks: your flash will glare off the windows and you won't get a good picture! Plus you blind everyone in the place.)
We had drinks (a Raspberry Fizz "mocktail" for me since I was driving -- too much mint but that was easily remedied by fishing it out with the straw; the "Ultimate Margarita" for my date, which he pronounced perfect); both came with a lime quarter skewered with a black plastic Hancock Building-shaped toothpick -- now that's branding! Not much costlier than the average Chicago drink, either, and with a much better view.
There is a selection of appetizers and desserts up here; true meals are available in the Signature Room one floor below. My companion had a turkey panini, which he said was quite good, and we both got dessert: tiramisu for him and the white chocolate and dark chocolate mousse cake for me. Mine was a rich block of varied strata of chocolate mousses, with a garnish of tart raspberry coulis on the plate. I don't care for tiramisu so I didn't try his; he said that mine was the better choice, though his was good as well.
As many people have stated, the ladies get an extra surprise here: the women's restroom has perhaps the best view in the house! Huge windows get the full city view with less of the lake. Don't be surprised to walk in and see a few gals huddled together getting their photo taken as someone else washes their hands just out of the frame.
Guys, no such luck for you; I'm told that the men's room doesn't have such a window.
Service was good; our waitress was hopping but managed to keep us in her sights.
All told, the Signature Lounge has the whole package of view, ambience, food and service; this is a great spot to cap off your evening out in the Loop. Chicago natives, get over it and check it out! You just might enjoy it in spite of yourselves.
A tip we got from our tour guide over at Chicago Food Planet, skip the Observatory (and the fees) and go up to the lounge for drinks to enjoy the views of the city! Absolutely beautiful!
Note: Seating is first come, first serve... so keep an eye out for people vacating their tables by the window!
So who cares that this is a touristy venue? Let people think I'm a tourist because I love great drinks with good friends and an awesome view of The Windy City!
Perched on the 95th floor, you have to choose one of the tables by the window! ...if you get there early enough. Be sure to go there after dark so you can catch a magnificent view of the city in all its glory! But rest assured, there ARE better views, and that's in the women's bathroom! Why you ask? Just go check it out. I wouldn't lie to you.
Be sure to order a drink, but steer away from the desserts - nothing to rant or rave about.
When it's all said and done, sometimes it feels good to play tourist! :)
An Amazing view!
Food is 10 star delish!
About 4 $$$$
A great time!
(See pics)
If you only have 1 day, evening or even 1 chance to visit Chicago, this will be the place. Go when it's late afternoon to enjoy both daytime breathtaking views and nighttime serenity. The drinks were okay but obviously people come here for the view!
And if you can't get a table right by the windows you can catch the view in the bathroom. Now that is a bonus!
So why pay money to go to the Hancock Observatory when you can just buy a drink at the Signature Lounge and get the same view?
Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who know this so there is a small wait at the elevator for the lounge. It took us less than 10 minutes to get upstairs, right in time to see the views of the sun setting over the west.
FYI: The best views are from the bathrooms!
Def. a must go to for out-of-towers! We came here after dinner on a Sunday night @11pm and was able to score a table for 3, right next to the window!! BEAUTIFUL views of Chicago - esp @ night! On top of the John Hancock tower, this is def. a must go to lounge for some awesome views of the city. Doesn't hurt for guys to bring their dates here too - very romantic.
As all the reviews say, the best view is the girls restroom. We were there for a while just checking out the view. I even helped a few girls take pics in the bathroom with the view in the background! There are desserts/appetizers if you don't want to drink. Drinks here are pricier, but hey remember the view itself is worth a million dollars!
The view is great from the this 96th floor lounge. However, be prepared for many people who have the same idea. Several times I felt like I was being surrounded by people with cameras trying to get a pic of the great view. Bought 2 drinks and it came out to be about $27. Honestly I'm glad that we got a chance to sit down late at night and enjoy the view with drink in hand.
Oh, and make sure to check out the ladies bathroom. You get an unobstructed view that is awesome!
This is a great place to bring those visiting from out of town. Drinks are expensive but you get an impressive view of the city from the top of the John Hancock.
I highly recommend to go there on a week night... Monday, if possible. Your chances to get a seat by the window are 10 times better and there's more chance to walk around and take pictures without bothering others.
Girls, go to the bathroom... I heard the view from there (of the city, that is) is breathtaking!
Boys, go to the bathroom and just pee... there's no view to anywhere from there!
Real quick: Go here for the view. Not the food, not the drinks, and definitely not the service.
We went on a Wednesday and the pier where the Ferris wheel is was doing fireworks. It was amazing to be ABOVE the fireworks. We arrived right after sunset, but I can only imagine how beautiful that would have been.
I ordered an Old Fashioned and was disappointed. I'm not sure how you can mess up an Old Fashioned, but they did. I was trying to be pretentious by ordering it and I couldn't deal with them messing this up. Maybe it my being pretentious that believes this.
I ordered a rib eye and it was likely one of the top 3 worst steaks I've ever had in my life. I wouldn't even give this steak to a dog that ate off my unborn daughter's face. My better half had lobster (she's fancy) and that was really good. Then again, how is lobster ever bad.
I had a sweet corn soup which was delicious.
Dessert was so average that I would think that they give away better samples in the aisles of your local food coop.
The service was so rushed that it made my dining experience uncomfortable. Maybe because I waited my way through college, but come on, when I'm paying serious cash for dinner, treat me with some common decency and don't rush me through dinner. This was seriously one of the worst service experiences I've ever had.
Would I go here again? For the view, yes. Maybe just for drinks. I noticed there is a Cheesecake Factory downstairs...
Taxi cab drops us off at the Hancock Building and we look up in awe.
Then we realize that we have no idea how to get to the elevator. I would say go down the stairs like you are going to The Cheesecake Factory and then follow the signs once you enter the building.
We arrived around 5:45pm on a Friday and there was no line to take the elevator. We found a table one row back and we got our drinks. Me being my typical self was on the prowl to pounce on the first window-side table that opened up. One opened up about 15 minutes after we sat down and I got it.
Let me tell you...the view by the window is absolutely breathtaking.
Also, the service was fine, so I am not sure what everyone is complaining about.
I was invited to join a friend's family for Sunday brunch at the Signature Lounge in the Hancock Building. Being that this is such a far cry from my normal brunch rotations, I gladly took them up on the offer. All in all I was quite impressed, but it's definitely the kind of place I'd only go to with clients or visiting relatives.
Amazing:
- Norwegian Smoked Salmon
- Eggs Benedict
- Skirt Steak (I didn't try any but half our table was gushing over it so it musta been good)
- Lobster Claws
- Assorted Cheese (three different types of goat cheese. Holla!)
- Bite-sized carrot cake, coconut cookies, and other super yum desserts
- THE VIEW!! We were seated in the Chicago room, which had a phenomenal view of Navy Pier all the way to Millennium Park.
Good, but less than stellar:
- Table Service (my coffee was empty for quite some time)
- Buffet Service (I really would have loved to sample a few other items off the buffet, but they were empty and nobody seemed to be refilling them)
- A few food items on the buffet (wild rice comes to mind), but really, most everything was great
- Live Piano (nice touch, but completely inaudible the second I stepped away from the buffet)
Not so hot:
- Price (even though I wasn't the one picking up the tab, I cringed at the thought of it)
- Buffet layout (soooo narroooow!!)
- Elevators (I really wondered if we were going to make it down in one piece)
- Bread/ pastries. Meh, at best.
- Cocktails (including mimosas) were all $14+
I'd love to go back sometime for dinner, but at those prices I'll probably hold out until the 'rents are in town.
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