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RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere

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PRICE RANGE
$50 - $200
CUISINES
American, Contemporary, Fusion
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly
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Reviews (359)
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Reviewed November 10, 2022

FINE DINING?! McDonald’s then should be considered FINE DINING. Food - 0 Service - 0 I sent an email requesting to have a manager reach out to me due to our experience the night we went - no answer. We had an horrendous experience for...my boyfriend’s birthday dinner. and we spoke with the “manager on duty” Carlos who was also the Bartender. We shared our grievances about tonight’s service and was given absolutely no respect nor response except for “okay, pay the bill.” We were not ever going to not pay the bill, but expected acknowledgement/responsibility for what happened. But all Carlos could say was, “okay.” He was 1) obviously not the manager; or 2) untrained manager, because he did not act like one at all. I have also never seen a manager behind the bar dressed in all black and no suit jacket in a fine dining restaurant. On top of it, Carlos said he was unable to come to our table because he was “very busy”, if he had to come to the table to hear our grievances, which would have taken just a few minutes out of his time, it could have been resolved. I told asked him if he cared about his customers, he said yes, I asked why he couldn’t stop by our table to speak to us, he said he was busy with the bar. Doesn’t seem to value customer service especially when there is a grievance. Our main grievance was that we asked for a table by the window. I understand it was first come first serve. We asked blanca, our waitress, and she said none were available. However, we saw two parties be sat at empty tables next to the window 10-15 minutes later. The table behind us threatened to leave if they did not get to move to the other table. I respect the service industry as I was once in that industry when I was younger. I did not think we would need to THREATEN to leave to get our request fulfilled or good service.  We got our food. DISGUSTING. ABSOLUTELY not fine dining but more of mediocre banquet food that you have to eat because you did not eat all day. We only saw our waitress twice, once to order a $140 bottle of wine, second to take our food order and never again. The food was brought out on a black utility cart. Our waitress finally walked by and we had to wave her down, we asked for boxes shortly after receiving our food while watching more tables being sat by the window. Once we requested to speak with a manager, the service went downhill even more. We had to box our own food and was given absolutely no acknowledgment from our server, Blanca, for our experience. She just said, “sorry” and ran off to get boxes and the manager. It seemed like no one wanted to provide customer service nor deal with the situation at hand except to bounce it from one person to another.  From my knowledge, Cite is know to be a high end, fine dining restaurant (their prices definitely show it) that prides themselves in their food, experience and service. None of that was met tonight. A $630+ bill does not equate to the service we received tonight. I realize now why they add a 20% gratuity because no one would tip 20% for the service provided. In short, the service and handling of our grievance was horrendous. They do not care about their customers and just want to get you in the door with their “fine dining” and “view.” Decor is tacky. Food is disgusting. Service is incompetent. ABSOLUTELY AVOID, there are so many better options in the city and you would still be able to keep at least $200+ in your pocket.More

Date of visit: November 2022
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed October 26, 2022

The staffing was good but the food was horrible and extremely over priced for the quality and super small portions. I paid over 350.00 for a meal for two to celebrate my wives birthday which I think was not worth 50.00 for. Also I wanted...a view over the city and they gave us a view overlooking a dark lake that had no view at all. Also the restaurant was only 25 percent full for a Friday night.More

Date of visit: October 2022
Helpful?2  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed September 29, 2022

We went here for our 50th Wedding Anniversary! We had reserved a table to see the fireworks and ordered the rose package - which we never got! We were put in a hallway and had to get up and walk to the other side of...the restaurant and stand in a narrow space to see the fireworks! Jorge our waiter was told it was our 50th Anniversary but did not care and was attentive to All his other tables! Since we were unwilling to pay $200 - $900 for a bottle of wine and just ordered single drinks we were not worth his time! Our shrimp appetizer, fillet steaks and creme Brulle were poor quality. We were automatically charged a 20% tip for service we did not receive! Our bill was over $300 for an unacceptable celebration! We will Not be back!! We spent the same amount of money at the Capital Grille the evening before and had an outstanding meal and service!More

Date of visit: August 2022
Helpful?4  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed June 22, 2022 via mobile

We had an early reservation time (5:00 Tuesday evening) because of other activities planned for later that night. We were the only customers there at that time and we got the best table in the restaurant. The view was amazing and the White staff was...very attentive. We ordered drinks and an appetizer and they came out very quickly. Later we ordered our entree and it arrived fairly quickly as well. The food was very tasty and was cooked to perfection. It was actually pretty nice to have the restaurant to ourselves. We enjoyed a leisurely meal and great views of the city and Lake. The meal was quite expensive but remember you are paying for the whole experience.More

Date of visit: June 2022
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Reviewed May 26, 2022

They claim to be an "elite" restaurant, but they are corrupt and provide horrible service. If you make a reservation, they will not honor it. Do not attempt to go here because they will not let you in, even if you have a reservation booked...two weeks in advance. They need to be punished. I made a reservation two weeks in advance. They even took a non-refundable deposit for me to secure the reservation. I made elaborate plans specifically for this place including my guest searching for and buying a new dress for the occasion. I also paid extra for the additional services for the "romance experience". Less than 24 hours before my reservation, they called me and told me it's "closed to the public" and I'm not allowed to go. I asked "why are you telling me this now? I made the reservation two weeks ago. Where am I supposed to find another reservation on a Friday night with less than 24 hours notice? That's why I planned this two weeks in advance and orchestrated everything to revolve around this reservation." The person kept repeating that there is nothing she can do. I asked to speak to a manager and the person said no other workers will be there for two days, which is an obvious lie. The person said she would make a note about a refund. I asked to refund it now and she refused. This is not an "elite" restaurant like they claim. They are corrupt and do not honor their basic commitments. They will not change because they will not suffer consequences for violating their agreements. They are hypocrites. They keep your money if you cancel on them, but they do not have any penalties for canceling on you and ruining the one night you plan two weeks in advance.More

Date of visit: May 2022
Helpful?3  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed March 23, 2022

The waiter Dimitri must have taken an instant dislike to our party as he shoved the chair smack into the back of all the men's calves as he 'helped' them to push their chairs under! A mistake??? Well if the rest of the evening was...anything to go by I think not! He tutted when we didn't choose the $250 wine! He ignored the fact I said I didn't want another drink and kept pouring them! He was not pleasant when we didn't choose the most expensive dish on the menu. (The lobster tail was $80 and my friend couldn't get any fish out whatsoever). As my husband went to the toilet he literally barged into him with no apology and as we left he barged into our friend causing him to stumble. We honoured the American service charge but didn't add any extra to the bill ...well that was the last straw! Dimitri aggressively came over and sarcastically (to the extreme, you had to be there to witness it) said thanks for nothing!! Reading back it sounds pretty trivial but the whole evening was aggressive, uncomfortable, intimidating, hostile, antagonistic...... A VERY expensive mistake. Still can't fathom his behaviour, we were middle aged, smart, relatively well off, polite customers????More

Date of visit: March 2022
Helpful?
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Reviewed March 15, 2022

November 30th of 2021 it was our 3 year anniversary of marriage with my husband, he booked this restaurant in a month in advance and paid for the romantic package. We got hit in the highway in the way to our reservation so we called...to let them know we will be there a little late and they DID NOT picked up the phone 4 times at the 5th time they picked up the phone and told us they had kitchen problems and they let us know we NEVER GOT ANY EMAIL. My husband got a confirmation the day before. We have called servers times to get our money back and NOTHING we sent an email and NOTHING. This place sucks and literally played an important part on ruining our wedding anniversary !!! They just responded to my post today after this happened November 30th. This place sucks big time !! SAVE YOUR MONEYMore

Date of visit: November 2021
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed February 7, 2022

Booked a dinner for 2 and each person carries a $20 reservation fee (?? stupid ??). Anyways, a few hours before the res, we are notified from opentable that our reservation has been cancelled. The restauarant later on calls us themselves to tell us. Its...then closed for the next few days (thinking it was covid related.) however i had already paid $40. The woman on the phone said it would be refunded to my card. I trusted them and checked today, almost two months later and they NEVER REFUNDED ME. Calling tomorrow. Ridiculous. Keeping $40 after cancelling on me. I shouldnt be the one having to track this down.More

Date of visit: December 2021
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed January 21, 2022

We had Thanksgiving dinner at Cite. The food is not memorable but it is worth the price of dinner to see the spectacular view. The staff was very friendly.

Date of visit: November 2021
Helpful?
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Reviewed January 1, 2022

Bad food, bad service,just a warning: do not go there! Upon arrival no cloak room available so the winter clothes were piled on a chair. Canapes on bread that was so dry that it seemed three days old. Salad, Lobster bisque all blunt, steaks not...soft and the overall menue composition had the sophistication of bad canteen food. The set price for the menue was $400 plus and tax and 20% service (which I negatiated down as it was just too much to accept.) Service, well he asked for the wine list (they sell at a 400% marl-up to retail prices) but we could not get a bottle as nobody came ever back to take the order. The whole experience was very disapointing. At New Year‘s prices are up, ok but even taking this into consideration it was an extraordinary ripp-off . Best to avoid this place.More

Date of visit: December 2021
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Reviewed September 17, 2021

I brought friends and family to Cite for a birthday dinner. I should not have. Weeks before my birthday, I paid the reservation fees. No problem. I then called the restaurant to be sure I'd booked the right package and could get the table I...wanted. Back and forth a few times, extra tips and requests, I was assured that the table would be provided. When I arrived for the evening, sure enough, the table I'd reserved was on the reservation - I saw it. But for some reason, the hostess seated us at another table. I asked why and she said the table I reserved was occupied. When I noted that it was what was on my reservation, she said "we don't do that." That should have been my first clue. Cut ahead - 10 minutes, 20 minutes, a full 30 minutes and no one has come to take even a drink order. We just sat there waiting. Honestly, 30 minutes. It was so bad, that the person who filled the water and brought bed noted the lack of service and apologized. Finally, after 30+ minutes, I went looking for help. I found the hostess and told her no one had come to even get our drink order. She seemed frustrated and apologized. I was embarrassed for my party, at my birthday celebration. Another ten minutes and still nothing - no one even checks. I get up again to go find someone and find the same hostess. I say "still - not even a drink order - 45 minutes after being seated." She says again that she'll find our server and starts asking people - have you seen so and so? I say, can someone just come get our drink order at least? Anyone? She says she'll do it and walks over with me, back to the table. Problem is, she has no idea what's on the drink menu. So, she can't really help at all. Everybody is now hungry and frustrated. Another ten minutes - nothing. Pushing an hour now and I'm done. I get up a third time and go find the hostess - I still have no idea who our server is supposed to be. I tell my family that we're done, we're leaving and we begin to pack up. When I find the hostess, I say it's been nearly an hour and we have nothing and that we're leaving. I say, just bring me the check for the drinks. I expect her to say no, that she's sorry and since I did not get the drinks, that's fine. But she doesn't - she goes and gets the check. So I, not wanting to get even more angry, just hand her my credit card. So, I end up paying, I think, $80 for the reservation and another $120 for drinks we never got and wasted an hour waiting for anyone to come by. Not counting the extra tip to get the table I wanted, which I didn't get either. Also, the place is very dated - as in holes in the table cloth. At one point, I moved my chair and the slip cover came off, revealing torn foam padding underneath from a chair that had clearly broken and the management just decided to put covers over them. Gross. Bottom line, I was deeply embarrassed and frankly stunned by the complete failure - ignoring me for so long and charging me for literally nothing. This should be the best restaurant in Chicago given its location, but it's not. It's the worst place I've ever tried to eat in Chicago and among the worst ever. Just terrible.More

Date of visit: July 2021
Helpful?4  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed September 13, 2021 via mobile

This might be the only restaurant in Chicago with a cover charge. $20 per person admission plus 20 percent service fee added to the bill. It’s ridiculously overpriced and the food is very average. Also why have a dress code then allow people in who...dress down!More

Date of visit: September 2021
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Reviewed August 16, 2021

I booked this restaurant for my husband's birthday. I was excited to see the pictures where we could sit and look out the window as the sun set and have a romantic dinner. It was anything but romantic!! First of all I should say, our...server was FANTASTIC!!! She was on top of it and so sweet and attentive. I give her rating a 5+. The rest of the visit is a ZERO. The restaurant is dirty and aging. From the moment we sat down I knew this wasn't going to be good. The blinds were all damaged and mismatched throughout the restaurant. The carpet wad dirty and the trim was falling apart. We had received a call earlier in the day letting us know the dress code. My husband was in a suit and I was in a lovely dress. Others were in run down clothes, or shorts, even jeans. The meal was AWFUL! I have been to $ restaurants that were better. I ordered a medium filet and ended up needing to eat it with sips of water. It was so dry and tasteless. My husband ordered the lobster and steak combo (for $130 might I add!) and he was sadly disappointed in the flavor. The only good part was the salad and that was even watered down. I was in tears by the time we left because this was not the experience I had hoped for for my husband's birthday. After spending $400 I would have thought we would have left being fully satisfied. We didn't even eat half of our meals it was that bad. And PS is it super distasteful to have a photographer walk around and interrupt you meal asking to take pictures, then charge you for those pictures. Classy restaurants DO NOT DO THAT!!!! This restaurant really needs to rethink it's prices, and clean the place up. We will NOT ever return and have already told our friends who live in Chicago and others who visit regularly to not visit. I hate doing that as I love supporting all types of businesses, but this one I just cannot support.More

Date of visit: August 2021
Helpful?2  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed June 15, 2021

If I could give 0 I would. On June 1st, my brother got engaged. I called Cite to arrange for a champagne toast to be brought to his table (because it says they do this on the website). I asked if I needed a credit...card authorization form (because it says they do this on the website). The hostess rudely said no, we don't do that. The hostess then spoke with the bartender who said she could do cocktails instead, they are about $20 each. I said ok, please charge $40 to my card then, and let my brother know they're from me. I checked my bank account a few days later and was charge $395! I have been calling all week, speaking with Antonio the Manager who apologizes and says someone will get back to me. I am emailing the contact listed on their website. No responses. I am demanding a refund for the overcharge and am getting silence. Absolute worst customer service and professionalism I've ever seen. Avoid.More

Date of visit: June 2021
Helpful?5  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed May 23, 2021

This place is a complete and total FRAUD!!!! Outback Steak House is better. The website makes this place look fantastic. The dress code, ambiance and the price gave us the impression this place was upscale. It could not be farther from the truth. We paid...almost $400 a couple for dinner and the moment we walked in, there were people with jeans and tennis shoes on. The carpet was filthy, and the whole place was in disrepair, the chairs had old seat covers to hide the rips in the leather seats. One bathroom was out of order and the other looked like a gas station. We sat by the window filled with spiders and you could barely see out because of the dirt. The waiter was so dishonest, he made us believe he was giving us things that were included in our meal just to give us an additional $368 bill on our way out. If this restaurant stays open another 6 months, I'd be surprised. Never go here if you are visiting Chicago. This is the worst "high-end" restaurant I've ever seen and I've been to a few.More

Date of visit: May 2021
Helpful?8  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Questions & Answers
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DayTrip07527690067
December 30, 2018|
AnswerShow all 3 answers
Response from ethan3w | Reviewed this property |
I spent $100 (without tax) for 2 people. We both had water since we are under 21 years old
1
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Waterbug8285
October 19, 2017|
AnswerShow all 3 answers
Response from jimabuckeye | Reviewed this property |
Yes there is. We were there 4th of July weekend
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brenamos
July 30, 2016|
AnswerShow all 5 answers
Response from Greg G | Reviewed this property |
No it does not rotate, but the venue is circular, so you can walk around and see a complete 360 degree view. I took pictures from several different vantage points when I was there
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CITE, Chicago - Near North Side - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Cite

Cite is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travelers:
  • Food: 3.5
  • Service: 3.5
  • Value: 3
  • Atmosphere: 4