Cherry Circle Room — Restaurant in Chicago

I really wanted to like it especially because it was a very well given hidden restaurant and you wouldn't expect the ambiance to be so rich. That is one thing I cannot take away from that restaurant, the vibe and the environment was fantastic.

I'm sure they have some items which are really good. For example, their beef tartar was straight up. Unfortunately that's the only positive comment I can give. I had the grilled sea bass which I was looking forward to. However, I could not continue eating it after 3 bites. Flavorless entree. I decided to take it home so at least my cat could eat it because he loves seafood. My cat took one bite and then went the other way and that entire entree went to waste. And like I said the beef tartar was really good so I told the waiting staff if I can get one order of it to go another one to bring on the table so I can eat that instead. They picked up the plate with the beef tartar with the intention of boxing it up. 20 minutes later, we were told that kitchen won't be making it tonight. Not only did we not get the 2 appetizer, The one that was supposed to be packed never actually made it and I assume they threw it out which was very frustrating.

The wait staff was acceptable at best often requiring customers to repeatedly try to get some attention. The dessert took way too long considering it was just a molten chocolate cake which was then boxed.. needless to say, it didn't get eaten either. I was really looking forward to this place because I had heard great things about it. Unfortunately I think they may need to add a couple of people to the wait staff and secondly upgrade the menu or at least present food that would be worth the money. After the $200 dinner, I came back home and ate my Panera bread from that afternoon instead. It tasted better in my in opinion. Maybe I would go back there if the menu changes or they make some strides towards giving more attention to their customers.

But at least they have the ambiance thing down. As of now, I think there are plenty of other options which would be much preferred...

I'm visiting from out of town on business and thought I might stop in for a cocktail and a snack before wandering the gardens across the street. When I walked in and asked the person at the desk where the Cherry Circle room was, he directed me to stand in line in front of an elevator. I asked if that was normal and he said yes. So I went and stood in that line for about 20 minutes. Finally was ushered into an elevator and taken to the top floor where I could see immediately that this was not the Cherry Circle room. It was Cindy's. So then I got directions to the actual Cherry Circle room and made my way down there. It turned out they didn't open till 5 and it was 456 so I just waited a few minutes. When the restaurant opened I told the hostess it was just me and she placed me at the far end of an empty bar with about 30 stools. Since most of the restaurant was empty at that point I decided to move myself to the middle of the bar. The bartender was really nice and I got a martini, a truffle croquette, and the burratta mint peas dish. The croquette did not taste like truffle and was cool in the middle. The peas with fresh cheese was flavorful. Oddly, after I got my Martini but before I ordered any food two other people came into the restaurant and they were seated right next to me. So out of 30 bar stools, we three were seated right next to each other. It was really odd and I couldn't help wondering if the hostess was being passive aggressive because I moved earlier. Luckily we were all sociable types and didn't mind the close contact. But it did seem kind of inhospitable. We asked why they did that and they said for the convenience of the bartender who was serving us. The other thing is the ambiance is not that great. A lot of medium tone wood paneling. Very masculine feeling. I was hoping for something more beautiful. I wouldn't go back. Even though the bartender was great, the rest of the feel of the place was weird and also...

Disappointing Experience – Not Worth the Hype

I visited Cherry Circle Room last night expecting an upscale dining experience, but unfortunately, it fell far short. While the ambiance and focaccia appetizer were nice, everything else—especially the service and main courses—was a major letdown.

Our server, Francisco, seemed disinterested from the start. He repeatedly took our wine bottle away from the table, forcing us to rely on him for refills instead of simply leaving it with us. When he asked how the meal was, I was honest and said it was "just okay." His response? A shrug and walking away—no acknowledgment, no effort to address the issues, nothing.

The food itself was wildly inconsistent. The steak special was one of the worst steaks I’ve had in a long time—tough, lukewarm, and oddly seasoned. The mushroom side dish was completely cold, making the texture unappetizing. The mashed potatoes were decent, but not enough to redeem the meal. Given the high prices, I expected far better execution.

On top of that, the service overall was sloppy. I noticed servers casually placing dirty wine glasses and bills on the tops of booths in the center of the restaurant—something you wouldn’t expect at a place that markets itself as refined.

For the price, this restaurant is absolutely not worth it for dinner. Perhaps it would be okay for drinks and an appetizer, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a full meal. I’d give the restaurant a 2-star rating overall, with a 1-star rating for the service.

Save your money and dine elsewhere—there are far better...