The Exchange

Review summary

1. EM

   EMBchicago

   Chicago6 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 17 February 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The food, drinks, and service were all excellent.
   

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2. SB

   ShawnaB

   Chicago1 review

   2.0

   Dined on 11 February 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   The server was sweet but had no clue what she was doing and it was very clear we were not the restaurants priority (and as the only table in there you would think that wouldn't be the case). There were many mistakes but I think the biggest one, which would be the first impression of the restaurant and server, was the fact that it took 20-25 minutes to even me greeted once sat. The server finally approached us and asked what we wanted to drink, we then waited another 20 minutes for 2 canned beers, a glass of wine and one mixed drink. Completely unacceptable for their prices, no wonder the restaurant was empty on a Saturday night at 7:15. Not to mention, everything took so long that we didn’t leave the restaurant until 9:45… awful experience and unfortunately seems like this may be a regular occurrence. Don’t go here unless you want to be forgotten about and spend too much for poor service.
   

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3. A

   Artemisia

   Chicago11 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 10 February 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   Love the ambiance and the drinks are amazing!
   

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4. PD

   PDiddy VIP

   Chicago4 reviews

   3.0

   Dined on 9 February 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   Our waiter was attentive and friendly, unfortunately after waiting nearly an hour, our dinner order had yet to arrive! We had to leave to attend a time certain Chicago Symphony Orchestra performance so we had to go without dinner that evening. It turned out that many other patrons dining at the Exchange that evening had to leave without being fed as well. Since we were not given a reason for the order delays, we can only guess the kitchen had a major meltdown!
   

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5. MB

   MarkB

   Chicago3 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on 8 February 2024

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We ate in The Listening Room. Overall, it was a good experience but not an outstanding one. The things that got us interested were the location (a short walk from the Studebaker Theatre) and the idea that the sound system would be unusually good. We liked the music choices, and the sound was good, but not unusually so. The menu was quite limited although the food was good.
   

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6. DS

   DavidS

   London5 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 4 February 2024

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The waiter was great. He accidentally photo bombed a group picture which was hilarious !
   

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7. CB

   CB08 VIP

   Chicago7 reviews

   2.0

   Dined on 4 February 2024

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 3

   The space is nice but the menu is very small and the service seems a little chaotic.
   

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8. GC

   GaryinChicago

   Chicago4 reviews

   3.0

   Dined on 3 February 2024

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 4

   Lovely space with the restaurant taking the entire 1st floor lobby is a historic Chicago building well located between the Art Institute, orchestra hall, and the Auditorium Theater. Good wines by the glass. Food limited and rather average. The service was terrible. Wine did not show up with the meal. Very noisy space throughout. Without a quieter space for a dinner conversation and timely table service, I am unlikely to return.
   

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9. CD

   ChicagoDiner

   Chicago13 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on 3 February 2024

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   We like the Exchange a great deal and it's very handy for events at Orchestra Hall. We will keep dining there. Our one suggestion is to not blast diners with loud music - check out the size of that huge speaker and the volume level! If you polled those eating there, they'd probably favor not having to shout over the music and preserving their hearing over the false sense that if they are being blasted with loud music they must be having a good time. This restaurant is better than that. And so many of its patrons are going to the CSO and other events at Orchestra Hall - on balance, the restaurant's patrons are likely not the type to want painfully loud music basted at them. Thankfully, after our second request, the staff lowered the volume.
   

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10. s

    sharont

    Chicago3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 3 February 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Fresh well prepared food and bar staff excellent as well
    

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