Fulton Lounge

RIP Fulton Lounge… last night of business was Friday May 14^th and you better believe I was there to suck up every last bit of swanky martini goodness
This has been a favorite of mine since it opened… a true city lounge… and I am sad to see it close… it was just the right mix of cool and sophisticated with a laid-​back atmosphere. Comfy seating areas, great chill grooves and a damn tasty martini list. Ahhhhhhh Fulton… I will miss thee

Fulton Lounge became the destination for «just one more» after a recent party, and it was a lovely spot. We were able to snag some comfy seats to park our tired tootsies and cozy up and chat.
I loved the cocktail list, and locked in on what seemed to be a cocktail tailor-​made for me: the Iced Ginger. It sounded like a drink that my dreams were made of… unfortunately, this was a bit too heavy on the vanilla so too sweet for my tastebuds. I’d venture away the next time. Lucky for me, FL has a great list and I likely will find something that I like better next time.
The music was a bit loud for the laid-​back crowd, which makes me feel that this bar potentially has an identity crisis: lounge or dance club… you decide. The vibe was loungey, the music just didn’t quite fit it.
Single bathrooms are rather nice, lead to no wait, but a trip down those stairs after your martini could prove to be dangerous. Hold on to the hand rail, kids, trust me. (I didn’t fall, but I imagined that I could’ve very easily!)
I’d definitely not be opposed to going back. Aside from the loud music, it is the perfect place for «just one more.»

This was the perfect place for a couple of drinks before our last Unilocal event.
We met at 7:30pm on Friday, and it wasn’t too hard to get a good seat. We had enough space so that our group could continue to grow as more people showed up.
The space is very cool, and I absolutely love the bathrooms. I know that’s weird to say, but they were awesome! Each stall was it’s own room, and there were plenty of them, so you didn’t need to wait for one. There was even an area to sit while waiting for the bathroom!
Back to the main part. Our service was wonderful. Water glasses were refilled fairly quickly, drinks were brought out quickly, and the server told us about the specials right at the beginning.
With the Friday drink specials, this place wasn’t too bad. I had a chocolate martini for $ 7 and a raspberry Van gough vodka cocktail for $ 5.50. Both were very good.
I also tried the sweet potato fries. They were a little sweet for me, but I’m not generally too found of them, so they may have been wonderful to everyone else.

Stopped into the Fulton Lounge for a few warm-​up drinks before a Unilocal event. This was pretty much the perfect spot for our group. Fulton Lounge was chic but low-​key and chill. The kinda place where a casual girl like me could feel both classy and comfortable.
We were there early and it wasn’t too crowded. Our group got a nice spot in front of the fire place on the couches. As a side note, I think drinking on couches is far superior then tables or stools. I am a fan to be sure. I had a few delicious martinis. Drinks were moderately priced. Perhaps not economical for getting drunk, but fine for sipping and chatting.
Our service was excellent. In fact I awarded one whole star extra based on the «water incident» I found myself in need of hydration and tragically discovered that my fellow Unilocaler, Anne S. had poached my glass of water. I quietly commented to another member of our party, and before the words had finished leaving my mouth, a server with a fresh glass appeared before me. It was psychic, magical, and down right spooky. Perhaps our table was bugged, but I was impressed nonetheless.
Fulton Lounge is off of my beaten path, but I do hope to end up back in here again.

I haven’t paid a visit in several months but this is the type of place you HAVE to be in the mood for. It is very chill, mellow and laid back. Usually not loud, at least not due to the music, and usually not packed to the point where you’re rubbing sweaty backs with strangers. This is the type of place you meet someone to catch up or to discuss certain plans. It’s pretty quiet so don’t come here if you’re trying to get loud and obnoxious.
They’ve got some great martinis here. I remember sitting at the bar but wasn’t impressed with the personalities of the bartenders. Not warm I guess you could say.
I did love their loungy area with the fireplaces.

We meet again, Fulton Lounge. I hadn’t been here in years. Years! I came here a lot back when it first opened. It was standing room only, bitchiness was readily available (usually from me), the restroom was _​the_​place for shakedowns and I would have the occasional drink. Did they play music? Maybe. I can’t remember.
I recently came back here to say ‘adiós’ to a friend and was sorta saddened. This Fulton, for me, was like bumping into a good acquaintance you hadn’t seen in years. He looked the same just… older, fatter, grayer. The median age was older, the bar was slower, the crowd was less packed. It just seemed… you know? I mean, good for them for being able to sustain a bar in the rapid turnover that is the West Loop but it just wasn’t the same. The drinks were decent, I had fun visiting with my friends and it was nice to not have to s.a.b. in order to move around or belly up to the bar. That said, I think that was my last visit. I want to remember Fulton in all its glory. Seeing it past its prime did neither one of us any favors.
KIT, Fulton Lounge. I’ll see you at the next reunion.*
*I totally won’t.

I have a mental image of what a «lounge» should be and if you replicated my internal vision into reality, it’d look a lot like Fulton Lounge. The place is clean, spacious, relaxed and unassumingly downtempo.
Essentially, it’s a large, comfortable living room. Every space that could conceivably accommodate a seating arrangement has been arranged in such manner. It’s homey, warm yet contemporary and hip. It’s not pretentious though… or at least not from what I could remember.
The bartender was very nice. She was prompt, professional and poured the drinks w/​precision. The only complaint here is that they would not let us do car bombs w/​a shot glass. Instead they gave us the Baileys and the Jameson in a tumbler and we had to dump the contents into the Guinness.
Look, I know it’s a «similar» process to dropping in a shot glass but it’s really not. The end result isn’t nearly as satisfying.

The Fulton Lounge is, quite frankly, one of my favorite places in the Fulton Market to grab a drink with friends.
Whether you sit outdoors on their patio or indoors in one of their comfortable seat groupings, the Fulton Lounge is that perfect mix of sophistication with a casual attitude.
The drink list is extensive, and I like that the martinis change with the season– with the richer ones being in the Winter to enjoy by the fireplace and the cool and refreshing ones to be had outside in the Summer sitting at one of the tables or along the «seating wall».
The bartenders are friendly and always have a drink suggestion for you. And other than one time when I had a server who needed to go to an «attitude adjustment class», the waitstaff is quick and friendly. Also know that if you are hungry– ask your server to order one of the fabulous pizzas from Follia next door. Delicious.
Speaking of Follia– it combined with the Fulton Lounge is a great suggestion for a night out. Start your night with dinner at Follia and then walk through the adjoining door and sip your after dinner drink at the Fulton Lounge.
If you drive– valet parking is available but you usually can find a spot on the street.
Sophisticated yet casual, vibrant yet intimate, the Fulton Lounge is the perfect place to share a cocktail with friends no matter what the season.

I’ve been here twice in the last month now, and my verdict on Fulton Lounge? Solid spot.
The champagne flights are the route to go if you’re looking for instant gratification– if 3 full glasses of the bubbly don’t ignite your buzz, I’m not sure what’s next… Everclear?
Personally, I’m crazy for the Holly Berry martinis, sans the graham cracker crust rim. It starts with Grey Goose La Poire and ends with me smiling. A lot.
If you’re looking for some swank and swish without facing throngs of sweaty clubbers, fighting your way onto a list or standing in line, then you’ll probably be just content at Fulton Lounge. Even on a busy Sat. night we scored a table. Getting cocktails at the bar took but a minute and the prices are on par with similar establishments in the city. My only gripe? My party agreed that the playlist needs an update.
Oh and the scene? Pretty people-​watching.

After a particularly harrowing experience (that I’ve since wiped from memory!), entering Fulton Lounge was almost like… coming home. Except, I don’t have super smart looking books embedded in the walls.
A comfy chair, a private bathroom, sweet champagne cocktail with angostura bitters, smiling faces, decent music… room to move, scene to groove. A overall good vibe. Exposed brick and earth tones… thank you, I was a bit fed up with floor to ceiling black and chrome. For real.
I chose the bar route, and opened a tab… I was quick to be served each time I arrived, and thought the drink prices were on par for this area. I much loved the specialty list, which went on for pages and pages it seemed… of course my extra special bubbly vision led me straight to my heart’s desire, and then consequently for 4 glasses of water. Nice.
Is it a scene? I guess. I mean, what is THAT anyway? The scene is what you want it to be. I wanted it to be where I wasn’t prior, and it did the trick. It’s not a dance club, it’s a lounge. I like that. Or, I REALLY liked it that night…
I would most definitely be back. I was absolutely «feelin’ it,» whatever that entails… great for a few rounds with the girls, a DATE, or a quick drink before/​after dining at any of the nearby restaurants.
Add it to the list, I’m a fan. Bravo!

This really isn’t my scene. I don’t enjoy leaving an establishment and have a car full of douchebags yell «you look like a bunch of whores» at me and my friends. Why so angry douchebags? You’re lucky that I didn’t have my knife with me or your precious ride would have four flat tires.
The establishment? Eh. It was ok. Couches. Oonsk, oonsk, oonsk music. Overpriced and weak drinks. There was some crazy good people watching, but other than that there wasn’t anything really special about this place.

This place really is just A-​Ok, and there is nothing wrong with that.
The space is open with sofas and couches in the center of the room. Along the walls is extra seating, which operated more as of a holding area for when the couches in the middle became available.
I really liked the bathrooms located downstairs. Individual rooms that were clearly marked with a W or an M. I’m a fan of the no guessing which bathroom I need to use, especially after several tasty martinis.
Speaking of said tasty martinis, I enjoyed the Holly Berry (s). I mean, I really enjoyed them. The graham cracker crumbs sprinkled around the rim of the glass was the perfect amount of sugary flavor I needed.
The price was on par, if not better, then most places in the city. Ten dollars was listed on the menu, but I was charged 11. I wasn’t buying so I didn’t complain.
Overall, Fulton Lounge is the type of place I like to go to every now and then, and I just might return.

Very swanky. Wide open space with lots of loungy couches and chairs (my high-​heeled feet thank you, Fulton Lounge!) and sleek décor.
The staff was very nice considering we dropped about 30 Unilocalers on them in the span of ten minutes. Upon walking in they asked us if we wanted a table, a nice gentleman took my coat to the coat check and I had a drink in hand, all within minutes.
I expected this place to be very pretentious and snobby but it wasn’t at all. I only got hit on by one total douche, a low number considering the location. (Thanks to the lovely Unilocalers who came to my rescue on that one!)
I loved that this place is appropriate for an intimate, cuddle-​close conversation and also for mingling among the spiffed up singles.
A nice little spot much different than the rest in the neighborhood.

hmm… I will have to go back and get another taste of what this place has to offer. My first brief visit didn’t leave me wanting more nor did it leave me with a «WOW» feeling. I actually felt like I was in a really nice waiting area at the airport.
At one point I was bumped into by one of the staff clearing glasses and I said excuse me but he kept walking with an annoyed look on his face. HEY MAN… you bumped into me. Maybe he thought I was drunk? How could he have known that I was 4 days from payday and nursing one drink like a baby :)
Fulton Lounge… we shall meet again.

Enjoyed the short time I spent here this past Friday evening after our event @ Bön V.
A very nice space with a chill ambience. Drinks were sort of expensive, but my girlfriend Stella was about $ 5 (a-​okay in my book). This is a pretty upscale joint with nice, plush seating and everyone dressed pretty nice. I’m glad my buddy Colleen C turned me on to this spot and if I am in the area I will stop in for a drink

I really like this place! The open space with plenty of couches and sectionals to lounge around while enjoying good drinks and good company! The décor is nice and bright, while still retaining a low-​lit relaxing feel. The bathrooms downstairs were spotless and no line no waiting on a weekend is nice.
Our server was attentive, the coat check and door people were especially polite and friendly. I’m not often in this area, but I would definitely come back to Fulton Lounge to cap off a nice date, or with a group of friends small or large!

I’m not usually a lounge kind of girl, but I could get used to a place like this. At least on weeknights when it’s slow.
We wandered over here after the Elite event at Mars, not ready to go home, but prime for something low key. We couldn’t have picked a better spot. I’m not sure if it was that it was later on a Thursday evening or that it had been raining steadily all night, but the place was fairly empty.
The best way to describe the place is sleek, cool and creamy. The effect is completed by soft lighting, a pretty, long sleek bar; comfy chairs surrounding low tables; velvet, modern mini couches with marble topped square tables; and a tasteful off-​white shag rug gracing the floor (I wonder how they keep it from looking dingy especially in winter).
We settled in to some comfy couches in the corner ready for some drinks and conversation. Our server told us that the left side of the specialty drink menu and a couple of other items were only $ 7, down from their usual price of $ 10. Unfortunately, I was off the sauce for the night so I couldn’t imbibe, but all of the drinks looked really nice.
Maybe it was because it was slow, but we were left to chat without ever feeling pressured to order more drinks or leave. The only awkward hiccup was our check. Our server brought the drink tab sans discount, when we mentioned it she acted like intentionally handed us a wrong one and seemingly discount our drinks later. Whatever the reason, she quickly and nicely replaced it with an accurate one.
Bottom line: If you want a comfortable, intimate place to grab a drink and have some nice conversation without screaming over a crowd, (insert sporting event), or loud music this is a good choice — at least on a week night.
TIP: It may have been the weather, or that it was 11 on a Thursday, but there were no cabs in sight. Make sure you bring a number to call one if you need a ride home.

I’d like to consider myself contemporary in many aspects… cars, computers, TV, housing, art, my thinking… even outdoor clothing, but when it comes to lounges… I usually conjure up only two images. 1970’s Las Vegas or truly contemporary lounges in places like NYC, LA, and Miami. Though Chicago is a bit more edgy than the previously mentioned, Fulton Lounge is a contemporary place with a look and feel that makes you realize that it really is worth living in a big modern/​contemporary city.
Deep in the meat packing district… or what is left of it… this lounge looks simple from the outside, but once inside the place is open and well laid out and just oozes of contemporary and cool. Plenty of seating, dim lights, sexy people and a nice drink menu make having drinks with friends an excellent experience.
My visit wasn’t late night and certainly not on a weekend, so the place was not packed, which is a hint if you are looking for something a bit intimate with your significant other.
Not sure what the **public sex** comment that was made in an earlier review, but the bathrooms are down stairs and at least with the Men’s room, you think you are entering a private/​single bathroom when in fact there are 3 urinals. The funny thing is about the bathrooms is this place has more than any other bar I’ve been in the city new OR old.
If you like a good drink in a sexy place with a contemporary look and feel then bookmark Fulton Lounge and make it your next Unilocal review.

It had been a while since I visited Fulton Lounge. Nightlife in Chicago is pretty lacking, but Fulton Lounge seems to be one of the better ones in the city. The seats are comfortable, crowd is casual, but not dressy, and the drinks are good.
I hate when you have to go downstairs to use the ladies room. For a girl in high heels who has had a few cocktails, that’s not fun.

Fulton Lounge is my go-​to F.A.W. (Friday After Work) bar. I started coming here because its close to my office, you can always find street parking and they used to carry Wild Horse by the bottle, which, I’m sad to report, they no longer have on the wine list. *single tear*
I choose the Fulton Lounge as my F.A.W. bar because when I stroll in at about 5:30 after a super-​stressful week and desperately need a strong drink in a relaxing environment, I’m never let down. I bypass the Chad-​infested Loop bars like Rivers and Blackie’s because I don’t want to be sardined into an overpacked pub to have Bud Light spilled on me by some fool in a CDW polo shirt.
Fulton Lounge has a seasonal martini list that rocks. Last summer I ordered the basil martini, which I’m fairly certain was lighter fluid in a martini glass with a basil leaf floating on top, but it was everything I need in a drink. Stiff and delicious. The winter drink list is nothing to scoff at, either. The Holiday Hiccup delivers on its promise.
All in all, an excellent after work experience. It has a much different vibe as the night progresses, but I secretly enjoy my low-​key version of the Fulton Lounge.