Upstairs at The Gwen

Upstairs at The Gwen reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Review summary

1. C

   Christopher

   Unspecified1 review

   5.0

   Dined 1 day ago

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

   This was my first time there and I loved it. Good food, good service. Definitely coming back
   

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2. F

   Freda

   Chicago1 review

   5.0

   Dined 2 days ago

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

   We had a great experience. It was beautiful and the food was awesome and yummy 😋.
   

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3. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Los Angeles1 review

   1.0

   Dined 2 days ago

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

   Every year, my sister and I take our mom to a special Afternoon Tea for Mother’s Day. We’ve celebrated in style at places like The Drake and The Ritz-Carlton, so this year we were excited to try something new at The Gwen. Unfortunately, it ended up being a major letdown, especially given the price, which was higher than our past experience at the Ritz. The event was held in a windowless, undecorated room that lacked ambiance or a festive feel. A DJ played music far too loud for the space, making it nearly impossible to hear each other or speak with the servers. The “bottomless” drinks were a great idea in theory, but in practice, we waited 20+ minutes with empty glasses, and were told the bar was backed up, despite the event being only half full. The tea itself came in a charming kettle, but upon opening it, we found a single tea bag floating inside with the paper tag still attached - Not exactly what you’d expect from a high-end tea service. The food was where the experience really fell flat. No tea sandwiches, no scones — just deep-fried bar snacks and store-bought pastries, placed directly onto the tiered tray. It looked nothing like the elegant “Tipsy Tea” photos we’d seen on their site or social media. This one had the overall feeling of a thrown-together, underwhelming event. To be fair, our server was kind, attentive, and did his best under the circumstances. He was new, and it was clear the issues weren’t due to him- he deserves recognition for staying warm and professional despite the setting. Overall, this felt like a missed opportunity- more of a money grab than a luxury experience, and not at all on par with other afternoon teas in the city. I hope The Gwen takes this feedback to heart and rethinks the execution for future events. Until then, I’d recommend looking elsewhere for a truly special Mother’s Day tea.
   

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4. E

   Edward

   Chicago8 reviews

   4.0

   Dined 2 days ago

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

   i wanted an outdoor rooftop, and that's what i got. Views not the best but the space was nice. Food was excellent and the portion sizes were great. Prices were about par for the area. service was great.
   

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5. L

   Lila

   Chicago1 review

   2.0

   Dined on April 26, 2025

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

   This review is for Tea Time: All of the pastries were of low quality (heavy, oily, expired, and absolutely too sweet). The service was sub par - our waiter left us for very long periods of time and focused primarily on his larger group. Since we had to pay the 20% gratuity on Open Table at the time of making the reservation, why would he need to give us anything? He already got his tip days ago... Furthermore, one person in our group of 3 drinks and ordered a mimosa and when I got the final bill for the extras that we ordered, it was $95 for the mimosa - one mimosa, orange juice mixed with Prosecco not Champagne. Just a heads-up... apparently they offer bottomless drinks so, if you just want one you still have to pay the bottomless price. Lastly, the etiquette of the servers is mediocre. I miss the days when servers knew that they should serve from the left and clear from the right. Never again. Would not recommend or repeat.
   

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6. M

   Mandy VIP

   Chicago4 reviews

   3.0

   Dined on April 26, 2025

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

   Ambiance was great, but service is lacking. Waited over 30 minutes for a waitress to greet us and there were only 3 tables on the rooftop. When she finally came over she was quite rude.
   

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7. F

   Frank VIP

   Chicago1 review

   5.0

   Dined on April 13, 2025

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

   One of the best rooftop I have visited in Chicago. Very romantic ambience.
   

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8. J

   Janice

   Chicago1 review

   2.0

   Dined on April 12, 2025

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

   We were underwear by the food. Overall over priced.
   

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9. A

   Amie

   Coastal Georgia4 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on March 27, 2025

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

   Loved our time there!! Food great and service excellent!!
   

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10. E

    Elizabeth

    New Orleans3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 15, 2025

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

    Our server was amazing! The food was fantastic. I loved the hat hair clip!
    

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