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Atwood Cafe

1 W Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 368-1900
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Ranked #407 of 7,336 restaurants in Chicago
Price range: $31 - $80
Cuisines: American
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Restaurant details
Good for: Romance, Doing business, Outdoor seating, Special occasions, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Breakfast/Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Reservations, Dessert
Dining style: Casual Dining
Cross street: State and Washington Streets
Transit: Red Line - Lake Blue line - Washington
Description: Atwood Café is an intimate, romantic, must dine Chicago classic restaurant adjacent to the world famous Burnham Hotel. (An Al Capone hangout) This is one of Chicago's most historical buildings located in the heart of Chicago's Central Business District. Only blocks away from Architectural river boat tours and directly along the State Street retail shopping circuit and the many Art’s of the theater district. Enjoy fresh, locally farmed ingredients while dining in our vibrant, must see, dining room. Chef Derek Simcik and our attentive staff offer excellent service, “contemporary” American comfort food in a memorable setting. Atwood Café is a Chicago staple, casual restaurant in the heart of the Loop, featuring a creative twist on what, in one time, was referred to as American comfort food. Come and ENJOY an inexpensive lunch, business breakfast, great brunch or fabulous intimate "one of a kind" dinner. Very close to tourist attractions too. See you there!
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175 reviews from our community

71% Recommend
    61
    65
    36
    11
    2
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Chicago, Illinois
Top Contributor
53 reviews 53 reviews
22 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 25 cities Reviews in 25 cities
74 helpful votes 74 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 13, 2013 NEW

The last time I had rabbit it was pretty weird. Since it was on the menu I decided to be adventurous and try it again. Gotta say it was pretty delicious the other night. So was the hen and pea soup with mint and pan fried crispy fish on top. If you're hungry ask what porions have a larger portion... More

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See 2 more reviews by bermuda_explorer for Chicago
Damien P, General Manager at Atwood Cafe, responded to this review
May 14, 2013

bermuda_explorer! Thank you for taking the time to write such a nice review. It will be shared with the staff as we get very excited when guests such as you love the Atwood Cafe and write about your experience. And the rabbit is delicous! Damien General Manager damien.palladino@atwoodcafe.com More

Stamford, Connecticut
Top Contributor
114 reviews 114 reviews
69 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 34 cities Reviews in 34 cities
27 helpful votes 27 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed May 12, 2013 NEW

The look of Atwood, even though it is in a hotel, is great. I was expecting amazing food and it was all ok but felt like it was missing a little note each time, either could use some spice or a sear on scallops. Service was not great either...we didn't even get our drinks until after the 1st course was... More

Was this review helpful? Yes
See 34 more reviews by Shelliu for Chicago
Damien P, General Manager at Atwood Cafe, responded to this review
May 13, 2013

Hi Shelliu! Thanks for the review. I’m happy you enjoyed the décor of our restaurant. As for the rest of your experience I apologize. Next time you visit us from Connecticut please contact me directly if you choose to dine with us again. Damien General Manager Damien.palladino@atwoodcafe.com More

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
3 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
2 of 5 stars Reviewed May 7, 2013

Paid a lot for brunch, but even more for Book Of Mormon tickets afterwards. The brunch caused my wife to suffer through the 1st act of the show. Sometimes a location is so good, quality doesn't matter. This place is well situated. I would skip it.

Was this review helpful? Yes
Damien P, General Manager at Atwood Cafe, responded to this review
May 10, 2013

David, We pride ourselves not just on our location, but also our exceptional food quality and attentive preparation. We hope your wife recovered quickly, and fortunately haven’t received any similar complaints. Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly should you wish to give us another try. Damien General Manager damien.palladino@atwoodcafe.com More

Austin, Texas
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
3 of 5 stars Reviewed May 7, 2013

Great service and nice atmosphere but the food is pretty average. I had room service deliver the chicken salad sandwich one night, and had a trout salad for lunch one day. I'd get the salad again, but the chicken salad wasn't anything special considering it's price.

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See 2 more reviews by Jane K for Chicago
Damien P, General Manager at Atwood Cafe, responded to this review
May 8, 2013

Hi Jane! Thanks for taking the time to write a review. We hope you enjoyed your stay at the Burnham Hotel. I will certainly share your comments on the two dishes you pointed out to the chef. Next time you visit come by and see if we have made improvements. Damien damien.palladino@atwoodcafe.com More

Grand Rapids, Michigan
Top Contributor
102 reviews 102 reviews
46 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 32 cities Reviews in 32 cities
35 helpful votes 35 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed April 29, 2013 via mobile

I was staying overnight at The Burnham and figured the Restauraunt menu would provide more options than room service. Nope! Oh well. I chose a french sav blanc (lovely), celery root soup (way too salty) and the whitefish (crab/corn/cream sauce was much richer than I hoped and salty). Service was attentive but not friendly. Wouldn't choose this place again.

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See 4 more reviews by Kwchilily for Chicago
Damien P, General Manager at Atwood Cafe, responded to this review
May 1, 2013

So sorry to hear that you we underwhelmed with our food and service. I will share with the chef and correct these issues. Keep in mind that we offer almost all our dining menu in the rooms so that you have more of a variety during your stay. As always, we appreciate you taking the time to write a review.... More

Chicago
Senior Contributor
26 reviews 26 reviews
13 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 23, 2013

Went for brunch with a friend who is newly relocated to Printers Row. It was a busy Sunday morning so we ate at the bar. We started with a blood orange Mimosa and a spicy bloody Mary, then another! We ordered an omelette and French toast to share and both terrific. I am also a big fan of the decor... More

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See 2 more reviews by aulocks for Chicago
Damien P, General Manager at Atwood Cafe, responded to this review
April 25, 2013

Thanks for taking the time to write a review...glad you enjoyed! Next time you drop by try the "Inferno Mary" - you will love it! Damien Palladino General Manager damien.palladino@atwoodcafe.com More

Madison, Wisconsin
Contributor
12 reviews 12 reviews
5 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 19, 2013

Went here with 3 friends for lunch while in town for a conference. We each had something different, and all were excellent with portions that left us all full (and two of us are big eaters!). Waitress was very helpful and the atmosphere is second to none with high ceilings and lots of glass overlooking the streets -- almost like... More

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See 2 more reviews by Scott H for Chicago
Damien P, General Manager at Atwood Cafe, responded to this review
April 21, 2013

Hi Scott! Thank you so very much for taking the time to post a review on your experience at the Atwood Cafe! So pleased you and your friends enjoyed dining with us. Come back the next time you are in Chicago as we are like a fine wine...we only get better with age:) Damien Palladino General Manager damien.palladino@atwoodcafe.com More

Chicago, Illinois
Contributor
12 reviews 12 reviews
5 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 17, 2013

The food and service were very good. Love the Sunday brunch! The burgers are really good, too. It's in a good location - we went there before a show and the servers made sure we got in and out on time.

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See 4 more reviews by hawkeykids for Chicago
Damien P, General Manager at Atwood Cafe, responded to this review
April 18, 2013

Hawkeykids! Thanks for the nice review. The burger is killer:) Hope to see you again soon! Damien Palladino General Manager damien.palladino@atwoodcafe.com More

Moorestown, NJ
Top Contributor
52 reviews 52 reviews
30 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 33 cities Reviews in 33 cities
51 helpful votes 51 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 16, 2013

Great service, waitress was very helpful - general manager was there to greet guests and the staff were very accommodating. Our waitress was even able to tell us about architects Atwood and Burnham! Oh! And the food was great. Tried the ramps! A fresh local cross between onion and garlic - beautifully presented and very flavorful - a must try-... More

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Damien P, General Manager at Atwood Cafe, responded to this review
April 18, 2013

WOW! Thank your for such a great review! It certainly was a pleasure meeting you and hope to see you next time you visit our fine city. Come back soon because those ramps are only available for a limited time. Damien Palladino General Manager damien.palladino@atwoodcafe.com More

New York City, New York
Top Contributor
62 reviews 62 reviews
16 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 26 cities Reviews in 26 cities
55 helpful votes 55 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed April 16, 2013

Since I was staying at the Burnham, I opted to have dinner the first night at the restaurant on the ground floor, the Atwood Cafe. Restaurants sometimes make a single customer feel out of place, but the host at the Atwood went out of his way to make me feel comfortable. I believe that his exact words were "Let me... More

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See 4 more reviews by Austinex for Chicago
Damien P, General Manager at Atwood Cafe, responded to this review
April 17, 2013

Austinex, Thank you for writing such a kind review. It is important to us that you feel welcome and at home as a single diner. So many restaurants think oppositely and it drives me nuts! Hope to see you again soon. Damien Palladino General Manager damien.palladino@atwoodcafe.com More

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