Restaurants near Chicago Water Tower

My favorite restaurant in all of Chicago. Consistently fantastic. The crispy veggie egg rolls, chicken dumplings, signature fried rice, and shaking beef are musts. The cocktail program could use some TLC but the food is so good it doesn’t matter.

Alpana made for an excellent celebration dinner for my and my fiancée's proposal! The foliage and soft lighting in the evening made for a charming and fairly intimate ambiance, and the food was just delicious — we got the vodka and pesto pastas, as well as an excellent peppermint sundae. We enjoyed the complimentary non-alcoholic "wines" for the celebration too! On top of all that, the prices were impressively reasonable given the quality they provided, adding up to a very rewarding visit.

This is our favorite place in the city for many reasons. The drinks, the food, the look and feel of it, but the number one reason we keep coming back is the people who work at RL. It was a wildly busy evening this last time we came in and while many would have folded, the team went out of their way to take care of us. And that’s what sets this place apart. You’re cared for here. We were listened to and made comfortable. It ended up being a wonderful evening all thanks to obviously the food and drink, but mainly each employee we came in contact with. Come for the lush martinis, the perfect dover sole, the rich wood and dim lights but keep coming back for the people.

We were seated promptly at 11:00 when the event started. Most of the foods were very good; one of the little cakes was a bit tough, required a knife to break apart. Service was good, but I was surprised that there is usually a charge to change to a different type of tea than I started with. They said they’d make an exception for me, and I was not charged extra, but at other tea places I’ve visited one can sample several types of tea in one sitting. It’s almost expected. But on the whole I enjoyed the event very much.

Was my best experienced truffle caesar salad, cocktails were delicious and our waiter was very sweet. Beautifully decorated now for Christmas place where you can enjoy your evening with people you love 💕