Entertain my manager - Lunch in Loop

Help! I need to take my manager out to lunch next week. She's coming in from Austin, TX, and scheduled a 2-hour lunch meeting with me. I have NO idea where to take her.

Any suggestions on where we should go?
Work near Franklin and Monroe and would like something within walking distance.

Thanks for your help.
Rebecca

I've taken clients to One North Kitchen in the past, and thought it went over well with everyone. It's definitely got a "lunch meeting-friendly" atmosphere, and more-than-decent food. Prices are a touch steep, ~$40 per person for an app & an entree each, assuming no booze (gotta love the nonsensical American taboo re. having a glass of wine with a nice lunch). Interestingly, it looks like One North Kitchen is owned by Restaurants-America, the same folks who own Bar Louie.

I've also taken clients to, & had team lunches (where my spending limit is a bit lower) at, Lloyd's Chicago. Some good seafood dishes, and lower prices than One North Kitchen, ~$25pp for an app & entree each. Both the atmosphere & the food is slightly less "upscale" than One North Kitchen, but it's still totally fitting for entertaining clients (or bosses) and talking business over lunch.

One North Kitchen & Bar
1 N. Wacker
(312) 750-9700
(northeast corner of Wacker & Madison, 5 minutes' walk from Franklin & Monroe)

Lloyd's Chicago
1 S. Wacker
312-407-6900
(southeast corner of Wacker & Madison, also 5 minutes' walk from your office)

I had lunch at One North today and can second the recommendation. It is very popular -- a reservation definitely is a necessity, and I would call soon (if you decide on it). Rivers also is a good choice. Both of these places are slightly better than Lloyd's, IMO.

In addition to 1N and Lloyd's, there is Townhouse Restaurant and Wine Bar, which is also owned by Restaurants America (ie. 1N). It is on Monroe/Wacker on the SE corner.

However I agree, 1N is a very nice option. I've had lunch, dinner and drinks with co-workers there. I'd probably say it is my favorite of the bunch. They have great scotch/whiskey (including a crazy whiskey binder for the 'pros'), with Townhouse favoring wine and Lloyd's is the seafood joint.

Enjoy,
miss ellen

One North is probably your best bet (although I find it to be a bit loud at times).

Do not, under any circumstances, go to Lloyd's. I've been to countless work meals there and the food is just about at soul-less as could be.

Is this a working lunch? Because the one downside of 1 North is it is usually very noisy & not work condusive.

Alternative quieter options to consider (particularly also if you can't get a table at 1 North - its v popular)

Restaurant We (in the W, Adams & Lasalle)

Pazzo - 311 S Wacker

312 Chicago (Lasalle & Randolf)

Trattoria #10 (10 N Dearborn)

Rosebud Theater District (Madison & Dearborn)

& if you're prepared to go a little further Catch 35 (Clark & Wacker) & Petterino's (Dearborn & Randolf).

I've eaten business lunches at all these & they are all reasonable options. Rosebud & Pazzo's probably the least expensive.

Now that you mention it, One North is pretty loud. If the purpose of the lunch is to talk business in a quiet setting, there may be better options. I'm partial to Rivers, and think it's a better choice than most of the other places mentioned, but that's just my opinion. Pazzo's and The Townhouse also are decent options in the immediate area (i.e., Monroe and Wacker).

Edit: I was thinking of the Pazzo's at Monroe and Wacker, not the one in the 311 S. Wacker building.

Athena wrote:if you're prepared to go a little further Catch 35 (Clark & Wacker) & Petterino's (Dearborn & Randolf).

i think petterino's had a taxi crash into the window yesterday... not sure how that's going to affect their business hours.

Most of my normal business lunch spots are mentioned up thread, but when picking up a lunch on a business tab I have no problem spending money at N9NE.

Now I know this place is not in the top tier of steakhouses here, but at 440 W. Randolph, its easily a place to go from that side of the Loop

N9NE
440 W. Randolph
312-575-9000
http://www.n9ne.com

Any other suggestions for an upscale business lunch around the dearborn/madison area? Rosebud prime seems like an option. Interested in anything that might be more interesting. No upper limit on price, can't be too cheap given the constraints of this particular lunch. Need walking distance, not cab, for various uninteresting reasons. Many thanks.

ChrisH wrote:Any other suggestions for an upscale business lunch around the dearborn/madison area? Rosebud prime seems like an option. Interested in anything that might be more interesting. No upper limit on price, can't be too cheap given the constraints of this particular lunch. Need walking distance, not cab, for various uninteresting reasons. Many thanks.

Italian Village? Petterino's?

Trattoria #10 is still good.

Atwood's

The Gage/Henri

i would 2nd the rec for Henri.

Went to Henri. The food seemed good. It was the kind of business lunch where I was talking one on one and couldn't really focus on my food. The room is very nice. My only issue is that we both had sandwiches (I had the lobster club) but it was hard to eat. Picking it up seemed a little indelicate and the sandwiches were not unmessy, but they weren't that convenient to eat with a knife and fork. Probably my fault for ordering a sandwich but that's what I felt like eating. And wouldn't have been an issue for a less formal lunch or a personal lunch.

I guess it would depend on the goal of your lunch. Are you trying to impress her or just find a good comfortable place to have lunch and talk? Two hours is a long time for lunch.

I don't think anyone has mentioned Rivers, in the Board of Trade building. Kind of upscale but not too much and nice big comfortable booths. If you get lucky and the weather is super nice you can eat out on the River.

The other thought I have, which someone else mentioned is Pazzo's which, despite it's boring food, is never crowded, and has the advantage of enabling you to eat in their large mezzanine with palm trees and weird sculptures and fountain. That could be a nice way to have a long lunch meeting.

I mentioned Rivers in response to the original post (which is from April 2009). I still think it's a good, solid (though somewhat mainstream) choice...It certainly is better than Lloyd's.

Rivers is in the Chicago Mercantile Exchange building, not the Board of Trade.

Rivers
30 S. Wacker Dr.
Chicago 60606
312.559.1515

Primebar is a nice alternative to Lloyd's and 1N. Primebar is a 155 N Wacker. A little bit of a walk but nice if you're sick of Lloyd's/1N. We go there b/c of convenience and they can get pretty stale.

http://www.restaurants-america.com/uplo ... 10_WEB.pdf

From this website, it appears Primebar and 1 North are under the same management:

http://www.restaurants-america.com/ra/r ... s/primebar