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Terrace main photos - Upstairs at The Gwen, Chicago, IL

Upstairs at The Gwen

4.1
4.1
278 Reviews
$31 to $50
American

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 15 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Great for happy hour
  • Good for special occasions
Experience the premier terrace in River North, located on the 5th floor of The Gwen, a one MICHELIN Key hotel, nestled along the iconic Magnificent Mile! Savor creative cocktails and indulge in delicious small and large plates crafted by Executive Chef Matt Jergens, all while enjoying the warm ambiance of our firepits and the stunning backdrop of towering skyscrapers. Our candlelit indoor lounge and bar offer the perfect setting to unwind, relax, and embrace the good life!

Join us on the weekends for Chicago's liveliest, most unique tea service, Tipsy Tea! Featuring scrumptious savory and sweet bites, bottomless beverages, a DJ spinning, and a special themed menu every month, this is one pinkies-down tea service you will never forget!

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Cocktail Bar, Afternoon Tea
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 07:00–23:00 Fri, Sat 07:00–01:00 Breakfast Mon–Fri 07:00–11:00 Brunch Sat, Sun 07:00–14:00 Happy Hour Mon–Thu 16:00–17:30
  • Phone number
    (872) 271-6010
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Matt Jergens
  • Area
    River North (Chicago)
  • Cross Street
    Between Grand Avenue and Illinois Street
  • Parking details
    We do not validate parking.
  • Public transit
    CTA: Red Line Train ("Grand" Stop)Bus: 147, 148, 151, 145, 146, 3, 157, 29, 65
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, High Tea, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • "Dripping in Pink" Tipsy Tea Party

    US$70.00 per person

    Prepaid

    4 Jan 2025 - 30 Mar 2025
    Get ready to sip, savor, and sparkle at our "All Things Pink" Tipsy Tea Party from January to March! Treat yourself to an afternoon of pure pink perfection, where tea-infused cocktails meet delectable tea tower treats, all served up to the sweet sound of live DJ beats. +To reserve, please select one add-on per guest. You are welcome to upgrade packages upon arrival. +Please ensure to arrive on-time for your reservation to maximize the most out of your 2 hour experience. +We require 2 days notice in order to receive a full refund in the event you need to cancel your reservation.
    "Dripping in Pink" Tipsy Tea Party photo
  • Gwen's Winter Curl & Chill

    US$25.00 per person

    Prepaid

    23 Nov 2024 - 9 Mar 2025
    Celebrate the chill in style at Upstairs at The Gwen rooftop terrace! Challenge your friends to a game of curling, then cozy up with indulgent boozy hot chocolate, spiced mulled wine, and handcrafted signature cocktails. Pair these with a curated menu of seasonal delights for the ultimate cold-weather retreat. +Your $25/person admission includes access to the curling court and firepit table for 1 hour along with a featured seasonal treat. +Please ensure to dress warmly and wear comfortable shoes. Our rink is artificial, not made of ice; however, the surface still may be slippery. +Please ensure to arrive on time to maximize the most of your 1 hour experience.
    Gwen's Winter Curl & Chill photo
  • "Botanical Bliss" Tipsy Tea Party

    US$70.00 per person

    Prepaid

    1 Apr 2025 - 30 Jun 2025
    Step into a blooming wonderland at The Gwen with Botanical Bliss Tipsy Tea, available from April to June. Delight in a selection of fragrant teas, botanical-infused cocktails, and delicate seasonal bites, all designed to transport you to a lush floral escape. Sip and savor in elegance as we celebrate the beauty of spring—one petal, one pour, and one perfect moment at a time. +To reserve, please select one add-on per guest. You are welcome to upgrade packages upon arrival. +Please ensure to arrive on-time for your reservation to maximize the most out of your 2 hour experience. +We require 2 days notice in order to receive a full refund in the event you need to cancel your reservation.
    "Botanical Bliss" Tipsy Tea Party photo

What 278 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.1
4.1 based on recent ratings
  • 3.8Food
  • 4.2Service
  • 4Ambience
  • 3.6Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Upstairs at The Gwen offers a "great vibe" and "beautiful views" with a "lovely tea service" and "delicious, creative food." The rooftop venue is praised for its "excellent customer service" and "intimate place to enjoy friends." The ambiance is "exactly what we were looking for," making it a "wonderful hidden gem."

278 Reviews
  1. Jamila

    VIP

    Chicago

    44 reviews

    4.0

    44 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We attended the Tipsy Tea Party - it was really nice... the table setting made you feel like you were having afternoon tea at Buckingham palace...very dainty and elegant. The staff was very friendly, patient, and helpful throughout our experience. I rated them low on value because I believe that for the price of the experience, there is room for improvement to really make it seem worthwhile. 1)Instead of 90 minutes, they should offer 2 hour reservations. An additional 30 minutes would have been nice. It would help it feel more like an experience for the guest, not just a drop in tea. 2)They should either offer more savory food options (sandwiches, pinwheels, etc.) on the treats tower or include an appetizer in the price and adjust portions to fit the party size like they do for the treats on the tower. The music was good (pop genre) and added to the atmosphere. Overall, I think it deserves an 8/10

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  2. JESSICA

    Louisville

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, great drinks and great vibes! Would definitely recommend!

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  3. Lori

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 23 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Came here for the tipsy tea to celebrate a birthday with girlfriends. Service was good, treats tower, tea & drinks were nice and the little barrette hats they gave us were cute. Overall didn’t feel like the hefty price is worth the overall experience. A friend in the group was vegetarian/vegan and even though she was required to pay for the experience ($70 plus tax and tip) to attend there weren’t many options for her, they made some spanokopita so she’d have something to eat. I think the price would be more worth it if diners were also allowed to chose an entree from the menu. Also we had 5 at our table but there weren’t exactly 5 of each item on the tower. Given their “fixed,” menu there should have been enough pudding cups, rolls ect of each item.

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  4. Lisa

    VIP

    Washington DC

    30 reviews

    5.0

    30 reviews

    Dined on 23 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    My family loved Upstairs at the Gwen. We eat breakfast there every morning of our four-day stay and did our best to try everything on the menu. The food was consistently fantastic!! Especially the Chorizo Bowl and Breakfast Sandwich. We also did Happy Hour on several days and the drinks were very good as well. Best of all, we got to know several of the servers who were all wonderful, very friendly and responsive. Although there is limited seating, this lobby restaurant was always packed, with a vibrant crowd. A nice compliment to a very nice hotel!

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 22 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Unlimited tea and two food towers! Very cute and pink!

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  6. Palak

    Coastal Georgia

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 22 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Our server Kayla was amazing! Very attentive and accommodating!

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  7. Ashleigh

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    1.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 22 February 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    For someone who likes to have tea in an elegant setting, this was not for me. The decor was that of a vibrant dollar tree teenagers birthday party. We had a very nice waitress, but the service was subpar. We ordered some extra food, as the service only comes with four bites of food but It never came to the table. this was not worth the almost $200 that we paid for this experience. Also, the DJ was very loud. This is not a place to go and sit and have a peaceful experience. I only booked it at the recommendation of a friend and I have realized we have very different ideas of high tea. It’s 4 pieces of food and the top tray is all desserts, as someone who has a sweet tooth, you would think I’d be excited, except it was so sugary it should’ve come with a side of insulin. Would never recommend this to anyone

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  8. patty

    Louisville

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 22 February 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    This was the terrible ! What a rip off. Not sure how they can even take money for this. I am calling to try and get a refund.

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  9. Diana

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 16 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Very lovely tea service but a bit pricy for what you get. I wish they would make the teas from loose leaf and more finger sandwiches.

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  10. Cole

    Chicago

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Indoor seating is much closer. The venue’s ambiance tells you its a more casual bar atmosphere with a great quality chef if you’re looking to indulge. Overall a nice place.

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FAQs

Upstairs at The Gwen offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (872) 271-6010.

Upstairs at The Gwen is rated 4.1 stars by 278 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 15 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Upstairs at The Gwen

The Gwen Hotel, 521 N. Rush St., Chicago, IL 60611

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Between Grand Avenue and Illinois Street
  • Area
    River North (Chicago)
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu, Sun 07:00–23:00 Fri, Sat 07:00–01:00 Breakfast Mon–Fri 07:00–11:00 Brunch Sat, Sun 07:00–14:00 Happy Hour Mon–Thu 16:00–17:30
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Cocktail Bar, Afternoon Tea
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    We do not validate parking.
  • Public transit
    CTA: Red Line Train ("Grand" Stop)Bus: 147, 148, 151, 145, 146, 3, 157, 29, 65
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Matt Jergens
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, High Tea, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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