Cite Restaurant

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505 N Lakeshore Dr
Chicago, IL 60611

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(312) 644-4050
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Reviews
( 7 )
( 4 )
( 3 )
( 1 )
( 7 )

Best

I was skeptical to try this place since I read so many reviews here about poor service and bad food. But I had a GREAT experience. I went on a Sunday evening. We were greeted a...

Worst

I want my money back! I truely felt taken after the experience. The view was breathtaking, but not worth the cost. First on the entree list was lobster. One would expect for t...

chicag's Biggest Failure 6/24/2011

Furgettaboutit. Spectacular view and wretched everything else. Undistinguished food spoiled by untrained waiters who wanted to know what ""you guys"" want to drink. Us guys were an 80 year old guy and a 73 year old non guy. The red wine (which should be served at the temperature of an unheated room in Europe i.e. about 60 degrees, came at about 80. The music was too loud. The waiter told us what he was going to do before he did anything. Intrusive, inelegant, all in all cheap trying to be pretentious and failing miserably. Where they seated us before we moved, the music was much too loud and that too was far too intrusive for what Cite tries to bill itself as. Save your Groupon money for something else. more
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Wonderful!!!!!! 7/6/2009

I was skeptical to try this place since I read so many reviews here about poor service and bad food. But I had a GREAT experience. I went on a Sunday evening. We were greeted at the door right away and shown to our table. Our server was Lydia who was excellent. I had fois gras with strawberry and pistachio as an appetizer, filet mignon oscar, and chocolate fondue for dessert. And a glass of champagne. (it was my birthday) Everything was great!!! I even have leftover filet mignon so I'm having it for my lunch today. Pros: Gorgeous views of the city, delicious food Cons: Parking was $32 more
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Ridiculously horrible 4/13/2009

Obviously the views are the only thing keeping this restaurant open....and given the number of people we saw, can't imagine that is even going to save this place for much longer.\r \r The food was cold & boring. Seafood was clearly not fresh. The service was horrible. We constantly had to flag people down, and then we were just made to feel we were putting them out for asking for a drink of water or wine. There were more staff than guests and it still took a lot of effort to get anyone to help us. \r \r Honestly, the venue is a great restaurant waiting to happen. We'd heard it wasn't great, but figured since we lived in the building we should at least try it. Needless to say our expectations were low, but they still managed to surprise us with how bad it could be. Everything is overpriced, even for good quality (which this wasn't). \r \r Please heed the warnings. Never ever go to this restaurant. Save yourself the small fortune you'd spend making yourself miserable. Pros: View Cons: Everything else more
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Go to the Sears Tower for the View, Stay Away from Cite 2/19/2009

The view was great..........ok that was the only good thing I can say about this place. The service was horrible. Our waiter knew nothing about the wine or food on the menu. The kitchen sent out our meal before apps arrived. Worst of all the food was horrible. We went on a night they were only 1/4 full. They had no excuse for stealing our money that night. Do not ever go to this restraunt. Pros: View Cons: Ignorant service staff, Talentless chef, Overpriced for quality more
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Great food, great service and excellent views 5/5/2008

I dined here last week with my wife and daughter; let me tell you this is one of those places you don?t hear about but once you go it feels like you?re in a different world. The views were first class, the food was excellent (I had Filet Oscar, my wife had the sea bass and my Daughter had the seafood tortellini). The service was even better than the views; we had a gentleman serving us, explained the menu and were making sure our every need was attended to. This restaurant is not as expensive as everyone believes unless you get a pricy bottle of wine; my daughter already wants to come back. The most wonderful part of our dining experience other than the food, view, and service was that Tom Cruise, Oprah, Katie Holmes and a few other people walked by our table with their security and that you don?t see everyday??. Pros: great dining experience Cons: Wish i had a camera with me more
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Romantic & Awesome view 3/30/2008

My boyfriend planned this weekend Downtown Chicago getaway for my birthday.... we went to Cite friday evening -03/28/08.... the view was spectacular.... really romantic place.... customer service though sucked.... after we got seated, we waited for about 10-15mins before we got our wine list and menu... *roll eyes* ...... food is OK, i dont think its worth the price... our bill was like $220 ( not including tip ), but we got a good bottle of pinot noir, appetizer, salad, filet mignon for my boyfriend, and NY Strip for me, and creme brulle for dessert... and that's it.... i love the way, they serve some appetizer that they just want you to try out, and some sorbet to cleanse your pallette.....over all, I think we would be back just because at night the view is just magical.... but customer service must be improved, and food should be at least tasty and not bland..... Pros: magical view at night Cons: bland food, and poor customer service more
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Heavenly food but ok service!! 3/23/2008

The place is awesome #1 for it's view of the city then it's food and lastly the service. Cite is really elegant for a romantic dinner, the appetizers, main course and desserts were all awesome but our server was a lil snotty and felt like he was doing us a favor by serving us.Overall i recommend the food and experience but they need to shape up thier service. Pros: View of Chicago, food. Cons: Service more
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Overpriced with two-star food and service 3/23/2008

Just finished Easter Brunch at Cite. The food is about as good as I would expect for a $25 buffet. We were asked if we wanted a Bellini to start. We learned later it was not included. For a $68 brunch (per person) I would expect at least one glass of cheap champaign. So another $28 was added to the bill for two drinks. The Bellini's were not very good either. The place was overheated at about 80 degrees (due to the sun) but, come on ... this must not be the first time brunch has been served on a sunny Chicago day. The hosts and wait staff was about a 2-star quality. 'How is it guys?' is not a sign of fine dining. Then to top it off ... a 20% gratuity was included. At a buffet? With only two people at the table? And I had to take the silverware at the next table as they did not replenish mine after taking my plate. The view was nice ... but no better than the Hancock or Sears Tower. The 'no jeans' policy did not apply ... seems they will let anyone in. Pros: View Cons: food, service, atmosphere, valet price, more
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Going downhill with no recovery in sight. 12/23/2007

If you are considering dining at Cite, note the MOST RECENT reviews. This once good place has degraded into a dump with about as much going for it as your local greasy spoon.\r \r Awesome view.\r \r Crappy food. Lame service. Over-priced.\r \r Really, really, really, awful.\r \r Saturday night experience summary:\r Sat us at the worst table when there were only two other tables occupied.\r Brought me the wrong drink.\r Soup was so bad we couldn't manage to eat it. Trust me, we tried, but it tasted like it had gone bad.\r Cheapest bread serving ever. Can they spare the one piece of silver dollar sized bread they give you?\r Under-cooked food. Really bad.\r \r Go somewhere else. So,ething happened to this place along the way that took it from a Chicago institution to a Chicago shame. Pros: Spectacular views Cons: Everything else is awful more
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Only leave the bar to dine somewhere else 11/6/2007

\r The reviewer on 9/07 hits all the pluses and MINUSES of Cite. While the views are world class, the dining experience is noticeably missing a step. Our order included the cheese plate, crab cakes, and surf and turf. Everything tasted fine however the service was awkward. It lacked personalization and attentiveness that you come to expect from a high end restaurant. Heck, the attendant at the Taco Bell drive through window felt more personal at 2am. As for the cuisine, it was billed as French however the choices did little to exemplify that and further more the choices did nothing to differentiate it from other ""American"" fare restaurants. more
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Best view, worst food 9/29/2007

Wow, The views here are amazing, however the restaurant misses the mark on everything else. The decor is dated and there is a very strange photo (circa 1981) of a woman on the bar. Pros: views Cons: decor, service, food more
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Wow!!!! 1/22/2007

This was definatley one of the best experiences in Chicago. I have been here a number of times with my girlfriend and it has been more than satisfactory. The last time that we were there, we ordered the ostrich (however you spell it). It was the best thing I have ever tasted. They put an amazing rasberry sauce on it and the meat was so tender. If I could eat it every day, I would. Also the chef gaves us a great pallete cleansing champaign sorbet and it was out of this world!!! Not only was the food great but combined with the great view, it was worth every penny!!! I have recommended this to all of my friends, and they have been just as pleased. Best restaurant in Chicago!!! Pros: Best Tasting Food in Chicago Cons: Pricey but worth every penny! more
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A VIEW WITH A PRICETAG 10/23/2006

It is true, (at least for my fiance and I), we too had to wait about 15 minutes before being seated or even approached. Although i didn't mind because of the breathtaking view, i was a little thrown off by not getting the window seat i had requested 2 weeks in advance. i understood that they couldn't make promises, but as i sat through my dinner i noticed 3 window tables available. the food on the otherhand was more than expected, as it should be for being over $45 a plate, and the little palette cleansing sorbet was a very nice touch. all in all, just being in the restaurant was romantic-you know what you are getting yourself into before you go--downtown busy 'upperclass' atmosphere, and expensive fine dining. i would reccomend this restuarant, very classy, just don't get your hopes up for a window seat. Pros: view-even if you don't get a window seat, location, and service Cons: price, traffic through downtown!!! more
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I expected more 6/4/2006

Fine dining- not really. Since no one was around to greet us upon arrival, we sat at the bar (which by the way has no bartender, so you can't get a drink while waiting) Finally someone came up and asked if we had been taken care of and promply moved us to our table. Sat at our table for 20 minutes waiting for a bottle of wine and bread. Waiter was fairly unfamillar with the entrees and couldn't answer questions about them. Food was good- not spectacular. The view was the best thing about the evening. Overall, it was not as pricy as I expected, so all things considered it was not a horrible experience. If you are expecting to be well taken care of for a special evening- this is not the place to go. Pros: Great View Cons: Slow Bar Service, Unknowledgable Staff more
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A Must-Experience Restaurant 1/16/2006

Cite was truly an exceptional experience. The food was very good, and included a few chefs extras that were a pleasant and tasty surprise. The service was the best Ive experienced. The meal was a great value; with the total bill per couple ranging from $100 to $140 (can be greatly exceeded depending on what you order, especially in the wine category). The atmosphere was amazing. The only exception in this area would be the temperature. We dined on a cold and windy night, and it seemed like the heating system would run until the restaurant was fairly warm, and then wouldnt run until the room was relatively cold. Not sure what the thermostat range was, but the temperature window should be narrowed. All in all it was a great experience and I would recommend Cite to anyone in the city, as well as to anyone who is visiting Chicago. Pros: Picturesque, Presentation, Service more
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Great for Kids 9/18/2005

Who ever said no for kids THATS WRONG! My kid was so happy and loved the place he want's to go back. He had the Osetra Caviar Service, French Onion Soup, and New York Strip. It is truly a dinig experience. Pros: Views, Flavor, Parking Cons: Long Wait, Expensive, Pricey Store Wines more
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Cite - An Excellent Choice! 8/28/2005

We chose Cite to celebrate our anniversary, and couldn't have made a better choice. The food, service, and view exceeded our expectations. We had the chef's tasting menu, which is an excellent value six course meal. The food selections are unique and flavorful. We had an 8:00 P.M. reservation, which was perfect because at the time desert arrives, the Navy Pier fireworks begins (Saturday @ 10:15 PM). I would highly recommend Cite for special occasions and treating out-of-town guests. Pros: Service, Very Flavorful, Adequate Portions more
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You are paying for the view 3/11/2005

Don't get me wrong, the food was great and tasty but not worth what we paid for. I took the appetizer of duck and foie gras for 18$, I would have expected more than one tiny slice of duck and another tiny slice of foie gras on a miniature plate. The entree was the rack of Lamb...this was definitely worth the 32$ they ask for but you don't get a rack, only part of it, once again the menu was not to be count on. Over all a nice place to go to get a nice view of the city but don't expect not to be hungry at the end of the meal. Pros: View, food, small restaurant Cons: Too pricy, Too friendly manager , Still hungry.... more
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Exceptional 4/7/2003

My friend from England and I went for a lovely dinner. The view of the city was spectacular, along with the service. Food boasted of flavor. Definitely one of our best dining experiences. Pros: Beautiful View more
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I want my money back! 2/15/2003

I want my money back! I truely felt taken after the experience. The view was breathtaking, but not worth the cost. First on the entree list was lobster. One would expect for the cost, lobster would be a good selection, but the waiter explained due to the size of the lobster this would be the least filling. So, why is it on the menu? The six course meal should have been two, the salad and entree. Escargot were good, but not very flavorful Small leaf salad or baby greens Leek/potato soup - An average poatato soup Lamb glazed in plain brown sauce supported by sliced potatoes Pears and cheese If you are still looking for the ""WoW"" in this meal, so am I. V/r - Don * 1 bottle of Pinot Grigio $68.00 * Included tip $67.00 Total with tip - $440.00 Pros: View, Bread man stayed clos Cons: Window Temperature, Overpriced, Professional Serv. more
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Menu for Cite Restaurant


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Editorial

  • The Scene
    Perched atop the Lake Point Tower, overlooking Navy Pier, Cite boasts spectacular views in all directions. The elegant dining room has a luxurious feel with carpeted floors,...

  • 5/30/2006 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Sun-Thu 5:30pm-10pm Fri-Sat 5:30pm-11pm
  • Payments: Master Card, Visa, American Express
  • Neighborhoods: Near North Side, Central
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