Cerise

Been here a couple times mostly for day drinking with buddies. The view is amazing!!! Have never been here at night, but I’m sure it would look just as great as it does during the day. The place looks pretty cool, a little narrow could be a bit «spacier» as others have said. Had many of the cocktails on the menu, nothing really good or special. Service is okay. Last time I was here only one bar was open at the other side of the place which was annoying. Don’t know if this is more of a «party» rooftop, but it a great place to relax and chill and enjoy the views.

Amazing rooftop bar. It had spectacular views of the whole city! Also one of the managers heard we were celebrating a birthday and brought out shots to our group. All the waitstaff was friendly and welcoming. This bar was beautiful. Signature cocktails were also on point! They had so many delightful under notes of flavor. I also lovedt the somewhat African décor the bar had. It gave it a very fun eclectic feel. I would without a doubt recommend this bar to anyone looking for a fun place.

Went to this bar after a nice dinner at the Signature Room. I was a little disappointed with the seating. There are several high back bench seating with large throw pillows. It was a little hard to sit like a lady with a skirt and heels. These seats give you privacy from behind but it faces another seat, so you’ll be facing another couple. The high backs don’t allow for the best views on the deck. The signature drinks are creative. I had a Colada Frada. It was tasty without being too sweet. My husband had a Sailor Jerry and Diet Coke. He really doesn’t think it was Sailor but more like Bacardi Gold. The bar tender did poor him a new one in front of him but it still didn’t quite taste right. I was sad that the outdoor patio closed at 11pm and we had to come inside. Bummer! I mean that’s why we chose this place. We hung out only for about 15 minutes inside. The music was not our taste or what to us would be popular.

This place is so cool!
The decoration is awesome with a hippie style. Music is loud but it is good music — 80’s.
The view is breathtaking! One of the best rooftop views I have seen in the city.
The only thing that didn’t collaborate was the weather. I wish I could be here in a sunny day to enjoy even more the outside area.

This is a rooftop bar on top of the Virgin Hotel in Chicago. I has really nice view of the nearby skyline including the Trump Tower. Looks really nice at night. Trendy looking place but I’ve been at better rooftop establishments in Chicago.
Visited May 2016

My scale:
5 Stars: I recommend this without any exceptions. I will come back (more than once) and bring friends!
4 Stars: I recommend this under certain circumstances. Worth going, but ONE thing was off.
3 Stars: I was ok, but in a city like Chicago you can find better places. I wouldn’t come back.
2 Stars: Disappointed. I wouldn’t come back, even if it was the last place in Chicago.
1 Star: Don’t go here! Rip-​off, Tourist-​trap, dangerous, or something like this. Please close this place.
I like it and usually bring friends here too.
Unlike other rooftops, this one is pretty modern and young. They usually even have a DJ and the music is playing louder. But this totally depends on when you go there. I have had relaxing afternoons there as well. It would say, that it is comparable to the Wit. However, Cerise has a nicer and bigger outside space.
But here comes the real reason why I come back: They have on of the best Gimlets in the City! Their house gimlet, tastes great since they are making their own lime juice.
Unfortunately, the last time I went it tasted different. Lets just hope the bartender was sick… oh wait, lets not hope that.
Lets hope the Gimlet will taste as good as it used to last fall again.

Took my boyfriend here for his birthday just to enjoy the view. This place has a great view of the city, but I wish the rooftop was a bit spacier though!

Cerise has one of the best views of the city toward the Loop and River North but not much of the Lake. It’s interesting to see the modern décor of the place contrasting with the beaux-​arts and Chicago School architecture around as well as other modern buildings. Great view and ambiance. When I went with a cousin for drinks in June 2015, the apps menu there didn’t really appeal to us, so we went to their first-​level restaurant to eat and returned after. The bartender was nice and a security guy who took a few pictures of my cousin and I, but a server was very rude to us – ugly stare and pushed my cousin as she turned a corner without an apology. If we were the few people up there who made it out on a cold day, we expected better treatment. Not going to let one bad apple ruin the experience for us because the other employees were very friendly, quick, and approachable. I will return again for happy hours with friends, and I hope to have a better experience.

This spot is a hidden gem!
When talking about rooftop bars, clubs and lounges in Chicago, nobody talks about Cerise and I have no idea why. Amazing views, great service and yummy cocktails. I’m so glad we came here while out in Chicago. Our waitress was the SWEETEST! Tipped her extra because she really took care of us and made sure us Californians never had an empty glass. The outside lounge area is super cute and open. I much prefer this spot over Trump or Sky Lounge.
Come here if you’re out for cocktails in the windy city, you won’t regret it!

Came here for happy hour on a weeknight for the first time and must say I felt quite underdressed! This place is NICE but not snotty, bartenders were attentive and made my drink strong. The view from the rooftop is pretty amazing, as is the décor.

TL;DR: GO TO THIS PLACE NOW.
I was visiting family who lives about a block away, and they have a 3 month old baby, so I had to find someplace I can go on my own and still have fun. I was nervous that I was in a city I was unfamiliar with, and that I was going to be a loner the entire night, lol. But not at all, thanks to this place!
— Amazing drinks. Their homemade honey whiskey is phenomenal, and it definitely gets the job done. I had about 4 of those (plus some other drinks) and I had a reallllly good night.
I also met the gentleman (I’m so upset I forgot his name– He was super handsome and kind) who came up with the recipe for the honey whiskey, and he was just fantastic. He even made me another recipe of his which was very herb-​y, and tasted like sage. I didn’t even know I liked sage until I had this drink. Super delicious.
— Beautiful venue with strange, but fun decoration. I was standing at the bar and wanted a chair, and one of the bartenders somehow snuck a chair out for me.
— Speaking of bartenders. OMG. How are these people so beautiful and angelic and just perfect human beings? They knew I was alone at the bar and visiting from LA, and they were just extra attentive and charming and friendly. TOMMY, GENO, and one other tall, bearded bartender whose name slips me :’(you guys are superstars and totally made my first night in Chicago. I hope you all get raises!!!

Unfortunately we arrived after midnight, and the outdoor veranda was closed. Of the things we saw from the inside looking out, it was breathtaking. I can definitely see the appeal of that.
The décor is unique and interesting; the crowd mirrors this. Music was great! There was a live dj there when we arrived.
Although it was nice, it’s not a place I would come back to again. Drinks are stiff, but the price is too! It came out to about $ 50 for two crown and Coke doubles.
Note: you should dress nice! People who were wearing flannels and jeans (dudes) who were interested in going to the lounge were turned away for not looking snazzy enough.

New Richard Branson hotel and new über trendy rooftop bar that opened this summer. Small and quite a scene.
Highlights:
— Shrimp dumplings: wasn’t planning on having a snack but these were divine.
— Cocktails: appreciated that the menu got creative as a departure from all the run of the mill stuff. I enjoyed the ones I got.
— Rooftop: views of close buildings like trump
— Seating: some small tables inside the long room and some outside (couches and tables) around 2 walls
— Clientele: definitely those who want to be seen at a place to be. An entertaining scene
Lowlights:
— Weird route to the bathroom: down the stairs amidst black walls and bit hard to determine which door to go into
— Gets crowded: we were there right when it opened that day and within minutes space was filling up. I can only imagine what it’s like during nighttime party hours.
Cool small rooftop bar if you can sneak in before the masses.

Gorgeous rooftop! Loved the ambiance. Great views at a great happy hour spot in the loop. Less busy than Cindy’s (which, yes, has a better view of the lake/​Millennium Park) with more outdoor seating. Lots of little loungey areas and an open communal table. Drinks were good and decently priced. Staff was friendly and unpretentious. We went on a Thursday at happy hour so I can’t speak for the busyness/​atmosphere at other times, but we really enjoyed ourselves.

I arrived around 5:30PM for happy hour with friends. Thankfully two of them arrived earlier and were able to snag a table for us. The location itself is very nice with a great view of the river/​Trump Tower. I liked the rotating pitcher special. I can’t comment on any of the other drinks. The food is expensive. You couldn’t really hear any music while you’re on the patio which is nice because you can have a decent conversation. There is a variety of seating. I was not a fan of the stone table with the stone lamps. But at least they have complimentary flavored water stations.
It wasn’t difficult to get up, but be aware that they do enforce a dress code at 8PM.

Came here for drinks with some coworkers and was really unimpressed. It’s new, so I guess I wasn’t surprised how crowded it was, but the set up is very strange, not really geared towards the 5pm crowd. There are loveseats set up everywhere, which would lend itself to a cozy date, but not so much large groups trying to soak in some rooftop rays.
The bar is very scene-​y, and relies on the «coolness» factor rather than solid drinks and service. It took about 15 minutes of waiting expectantly, plus a 5 minute walk around the bar searching for service before we actually got some. The cocktails were fine, but didn’t blow us away. We had a carafe of the gin/​prosecco cocktail and it was very light and refreshing. It’s not somewhere I would come for a proper cocktail though.
I think if you’re looking for something trendy, a cool date spot, this could be your place. Otherwise, I’d skip it. Chicago has so many great rooftops with amazing service, I’ve definitely experienced better.

Came to Cerise around 8:30 on a Friday night. My gf and I lucked out because we got there just before they started wait-​listing people to go up to the top. Cerise has more of a club feel to it, especially the music and furniture. Bartenders weren’t super friendly but the staff/​security was better than what I expected going in. Unfortunately, and this is part of why I have to give 3 stars, a rainstorm was coming and they were shutting down the outside section/​patio shortly after we got up top. This place definitely isn’t worth it if the outside isn’t open. I have a feeling they weren’t telling people that on the ground floor either, given how many people I saw that were sent to the second floor bar while I was waiting on my gf in the bathroom.
I don’t mind paying a little extra for drinks at a bar like this, or having to wait in line to get up top, but this place just wasn’t my scene. I liked Cindy’s a lot better over at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, which is a little calmer and has a MUCH better view.

I go out. A lot. This place really needs to get its act together in order to survive in Chicago. It’s like no one here wants to help anyone let alone go out of their way to service the guest.
Dropped some dough on three drinks and cut out. Quickly.
Dear Mr. Branson… Fire someone or at the very least, have them flogged and re-​trained in the Virgin way.
Thanks.
8÷4÷15
The day after I reviewed Cerise, I received a notification on Unilocal from Virgin with an email address for the F&B director. I sent an email to her… that was two weeks ago.
I would assume the lack of reply is because she is (1) receiving so many of these terrible reviews that it is taking her time to reply to them; or (2) there are so many terrible reviews that she is no longer at her post.
Regardless, I’ll never be back. There are too many other options in this great city.

On the 26^th floor of the new Virgin Hotel at Wabash and Lake is Cerise, the new rooftop lounge/​bar. I was immediately impressed by the décor — chic and elegant. A lot of conversation pieces. A large variety of seating options from communal tables — sofas — outdoor — individual chairs. Large outdoor wrap around deck with western views. You have the option of ordering directly from the bar or cocktail service.
I saw a ton of board games near the indoor communal table and interesting books. At 5pm on a Friday this place was busy. Live DJ and folks from all walks of life. Drink prices were average for Loop. Perhaps I was having a «senior moment» but I thought the music on the 26^th floor was a tad too loud. I was practically yelling at my friend and found it difficult to follow our conversation. Luckily they have a bar/​lounge on the 1^st or 2^nd floor and it was toned way down and I could have a proper conversation with my friend. Our server was extremely friendly and provided some drink recommendations. I’d definitely return and would bring out-​of-​town guests here for a drink or two.

Another fun rooftop bar has come to Chicago! I came with a few of my girlfriends on a Saturday afternoon. We stood in line for about 15 minutes. After that, we were given a stamp, proceeded to go up the staircase, to take an elevator up to the rooftop. The person managing the rooftop was confused because we were suppose to have a ‘text’ but we told we were stamped so we got in.
If you’ve ever been to the WIT, then I’ll tell you– it’s pretty similar. As soon as you walk into the tight bar space, you hear loud dance music. The small bar is messy and the bartender made me a bad mojito. I’m picky about cocktails so I would stick to beer or wine if I was you. Then there is outdoor space with good views.
If you like to party– then go here. But if you’re looking to relax, then go elsewhere. It’s fun! But nothing more special than that.