Big Bar Reviews

Stayed at the Hyatt and used the Big Bar as a watering hole several nights. While the drinks are priced at downtown levels, the bar is just so cool, with a great view and huge interior of the hotel lobby that features great lighting and vaulted spaces.

The big bar is a bright and spacious bar with great service and a good selection of drinks and bar food. It is situated in the Hyatt Regency on east Wacker St and is handy to everything if you are meeting before heading off to do some shopping or sightseeing.

Drinks are a little on the pricey side but it's a hotel bar after all, the atmosphere and the service is great.

Went in on a busy night, waited for service for 15 min, waitress arrived said 'will be right with you', waited another 15-20 min, no one came up to take our order, ended up leaving without getting a drink. Very nice atmosphere, great looking bar. Wish we could've enjoyed one of their big drinks....

If you are too lazy to go out for a drink just go to the hotel bar. It's just ok, for me it's just a regular bar.

We drink and/or ate at the BIG Bar a few times during our stay at the Hyatt, and the service was always very good and the drink menu extensive. The bar menu included such fayre as hotdogs and burgers – both of which were tasty and filling. The atmosphere is fun and relaxed with rows of tvs showing sporting the evening’s sporting events, and many tables also have individual tvs (you can change the channels). A nice place for a drink and bar food.

Beautiful bar with an incredible view and a host of TVs. Good variety of cocktails but they lacked alcohol. It was undetectable in both drinks that I consumed. Turn on the captions on your televisions. I’m a horrible lip reader.

The food was good and the drink were good also. Our server was very nice and on point with service. We would definitely return to this bar and hotel.

this bar is big but so is the hotel. Drink pricess are a bit high .. big city prices- bartenders are great

Fun bar at the Chicago Hyatt Regency. Lots of choice. I recommend the Seeker Riesling. Relaxed atmosphere - sit at the back in the lounge area for more comfort.

The Big Bar is just that.. a big bar on the second level of the Hyatt. A long expanse of tv's behind the bar can be distracting or enlightening. Tables have tv's too. They have an expansive drink menu and a decent food offering. You'll pay hotel prices for drinks, because they can. We ordered the nachos, which was the first time I have had deconstructed nachos. A bowl of chips, with a bowl of chili and melted cheese, along with another bowl of sour cream, guac and pico. We also had the wings, served with a bowl of buffalo sauce and ranch/bleu. The wings were really fried chicken wings and a bit small for the price. Service was friendly and efficient. The place works perfectly for what it is.

Great bar with great views. A nice place to stop to get in out of the cold. Typically opens after 5.

Ignored whilst at the bar for 15 minutes. Lazy bar tenders. Used glasses left on the bar. I’m amazed that this is acceptable. When I asked the bar back where the bar tender was his reply was ‘over there’. Good job!!!

Met friends for early evening meal. Food was decent but nothing special. Prices quite high. Mixologist clueless about the mixing a proper Painkiller; the drink purporting to be one did not even bear a faint resemblance to a British Virgin Islands Painkiller. Pleasant but would not return

This bar is huge with a massive tower of spirits that I'm sure is the reason people check it out. The drinks were good, albeit a little overpriced. The atmosphere was great and you can not beat the view.

Can't even hear yourself think in this place, let alone talk. Not a place to enjoy a drink or a conversation.

Can be a bit busy, maybe use a few more servers during those times, otherwise, nice place for a night cap, snack or a game.

we could sit at the bar and enjoy a pre dinner drink and watch about 15 screens of sport, not particularly romantic, but fun

This place has a great selection of beers and liquors. It's a modern feel, overlooking the beautiful hotel lobby on one side and E. Wacker on the other. Prices are a bit high, but you can't find a more convenient bar if you're staying at the Hyatt!

I went in one evening last week with my girlfriend. We were seated by the bar. It is so beautiful and they have an extensive selection of liquor. While we were waiting to order our drinks, the manager Zack came over to greet us and he actually ended up helping us order. He had quite a knack for pairing us up with these amazing martinis. I am a fruity person and he recommended the pear martini. It was amazing!!! Sweet, but not too sweet, and ROBUST! I couldn't be happier. My girlfriend ended up going for a sangria - totally out of her comfort zone! Zack was on point and he seemed to know what people like to drink! Not a lot of people are good at what they do, but obviously he has a good background in the culinary arts - one can assume. Definitely going back and hoping to catch the manager Zack there!

THis has been the meeting place for many people after a hard day at the conventions, great bar has been a favorite for years

This is a good bar for watching sports as there are so many televisions all showing different sports. The service was quick at the table we were sat at and a good selection of beers and cocktails which were not too expensive. There is a cool tower with loads of drinks on. There should be a good view through the windows by the bar but as it was foggy we could not see much but on a sunny day would be a nice view. A good bar to stop at for evening drinks.

The happy hour doesn't include cocktails, just wine and beer. During the summers, it got hot in the afternoon and pretty crowded. It has a nice view of the city though.

We have been twice here during our Chicago-trip. I guess there is no whiskey or wodka someone would miss... Enjoy the thursday-parties!

This bar poor one of the best Cadillac Margarita's "Top Shelf" in the city. There martinis and apps are excellent too.

If this bar were a person, I’d say that her photos are very flattering. When I arrived, it was not as impressive as I expected… at all. First of all, it’s on the second floor of The Hyatt Regency - not much height for a stunning view. If you like looking through big windows, though, this bar has that. I sat down and looked through the menu. I asked the waitress if she could show me where the “big drinks” were, and she answered, “We don’t do that anymore.” So BIG BAR doesn’t do BIG DRINKS anymore? I thought BIG DRINKS were the point. Apparently, they stopped a couple months ago. They’re just a regular bar, now. It was completely packed when I went, and the staff I interacted with were very friendly and polite. If you’re on a business trip and want to expense your drinks without going far from your hotel, Big Bar would be a great time. If you’re visiting Chicago for pleasure and want to have an experience, this is not the bar to go to.

The bar was excellent with a great view of the city. I liked the hustle and bustle of it. The drink I ordered was great and the waitress was very kind in suggesting an addition to my drink and it tasted wonderful. Thank you!

I've visited Big Bar multiple times and it's consistently been an excellent experience! The view is great and the drink selection is true to the name. The manager there, Zack, is extremely accommodating and always checking in on tables to ensure everyone is enjoying their time there! Even as a local Chicagoan I strongly recommend this place

Staying in the Hyatt. Quite the hopping place this trip. Wanted to just have a sandwich and drink so went down to this spot. Food is not served until 5pm. Crowded and loud but ok that a single diner was allowed to take up a table for 6. Individual TVs so could change channel. Several martinis -both good yet sweet. Steak sandwich was EXCELLENT. Tries to be a French dip with horseradish and dipping sauce but really excellent. Good, thin crispy fries. Bar food/drinks but not at outrageous prices. Good, efficient, friendly service. Good choice for hotel dining.

My staff and I get after dinner frozen drinks here when we stay. The drinks are good and the atmosphere and view of the hotel lobby are great.

The bar is very large and the service was good. A lady I was sitting next to had 4 drinks (she thought it was 3) and her bill came to over $80. I had the same drink two different times with 2 different prices. Bartender could not explain the difference.

Jose mixed us a set of great cocktails here. If price is a factor, don't play this game and gripe about it later. We kept it within budget here ... were happy ... and bought bottles at the store behind the hotel for less elegant libations later. All good!

This great big bar (formerly Sky Bar) is a wonderful spot to grab a drink/brew and watch people and/or ball games. A great selection of beverages can be had and it is a great meeting spot before heading out to the sites and sounds of Chicago!

Had a quick, light dinner at the Big Bar. The waitress was attentive and helped me make great choice based on my desires after a long day of getting into town.

The bar is definitely loud when crowded...and it's definitely crowded at times! When we were there, as non-hotel patrons, it was definitely apparent that this bar was as popular with non-hotel guests as guests. The drink and beer selection was good, there was a decent amount of seating, and the open-air atmosphere interesting and inviting. Overall, a decent bar stop.

This is located inside of a hotel and is extremely convenient for those staying in the hotel. Drinks are fantastic service was awesome food surprisingly delicious

BIGGEST BAR in Chicago....great place to unwind and even watch the game and have drinks and food. Late night spot then head up to the room...that simple!

What a great selection of drinks! There was also a nice view and lots of televisions to watch sports. The service was excellent and it was a nice bar in the atrium of the Hyatt Regency.

It’s just a bar, nothing more, but conveniently located just inside the entrance. Not exciting, nothing cool about it but a great gathering place for those at a conference.

Stopped at Big Bar twice during my conference. The atmosphere was low key yet buzzing, the drinks were generous, and the bartender entertaining.

Enjoyed a nice bar menu dinner here while attending a conference at McCormick Place. Decent selections, GREAT steak sandwich.

Yes a Big Bar it is along with Big pricey drinks but with a location at the Hyatt Regency in a city like Chicago that would be expected. Good meeting place. Bartenders sort of friendly but nothing to rave about here except the BIG BAR TOWER which is a sight to be seen

My husband and I often stay at the Regency, and frequent this bar almost every visit. Prices for even a Miller Lite can be expensive downtown and this is no exception, but the convenience and great people watching make this worth it. Hours can be spotty, due to private parties or they sometimes close early if it's a slow night.

Can be noisy but one soon gets used to this. Service is good and prompt. Food is nice too. The small portions are dead right for a large snack. There is a good selection of just about everything and it is open until very late. Staff are really friendly, behind the bar and at the tables. The one thing that really irritates me as a lover of good gin are these big hotels and chains in the USA that insist on serving fizzy drinks from a machine. I had some expensive gins totally ruined by flat tonic water from a fizz machine. I asked if they had cans or tonic in bottles and they dont. So for heavens sake folks, dont spoil an expensive drink with flat tonic water.

Very cool atmosphere. Loved the lights, color and changes. Music was great and soft enough you could still have a romantic conversation without saying what?. Coolest display of liquor I have ever seen.!

Love the themed nights at this bar! Whether it's trivia, karaoke, or live comedy, there's always something fun happening here. Fun and funky decor combined with delicious drinks make this bar a standout in the city. A must-visit for cocktail enthusiasts.

Service was great and always responsive, no matter how busy. Lots of TVs if you want to watch the game. Drinks were varied and a good list of scotches and bourbons, but perhaps a bit pricey, even for Chicago. But it was a great place to meet friends and have a couple of cocktails.

The Big Bar is a modern and lively feature of the renovated lobby space in the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Go early if you want quiet since the bar gets very lively and loud as it starts to fill up before dinnertime. Service was prompt and efficient and this was a great meeting spot during a recent business trip for a large ABA convention. The Hyatt is a huge facility and the Big Bar is a perfect compliment to this! The bar serves snacks in addition to drinks, I did not try them but they looked like standard American bar fare.

We stopped by Big Bar after a business dinner for a night cap and it was swamped. It took several minutes to order our drinks, which were phenomenal (highly recommend Lincoln Park After Dark) but super expensive (over $19 for a cocktail). We then waited 20+ minutes for our tab. The server was apologetic and really busy, so do not go to Big Bar thinking it will be a quick trip.

We ordered two cocktails and they were super weak, even though we ordered ones that should’ve had 2 to 3 different types of liquor in them. If you’re going to charge that much for a cocktail, at least put a couple ounces of alcohol in each one.

In a large atrium space open to the lobby below, this is a great bar with lots of room and an attentive staff. Terrific view of the Streeterville skyline to the north.

had a fun evening in this bar at halloween. great drinks nice bottle presentation. where else in the world does the bartender need a ladder to get you the bottle? :)

I was staying at the Hyatt Regency the weekend of 12/11/15. Upon arrival, we decided to grab a drink and something to eat since we were both hungry. I ordered a Moscow Mule but was disappointed since it didn't even come in the appropriate glassware. It kind of changed the flavor. We also ordered chips and guacamole and jalapeno cheese stuffed pretzel. The pretzel was rather good but the chips were awful so we couldn't even finish the guacamole. The bar itself has a good vibe and gets pretty packed in the evening. If I stayed at this hotel again then I would visit the bar. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother.

Great place for a drink and eats. Overlooking first floor and views of the city. Drinks were a bit high for my tastes, but you are in downtown Chicago. We only had snacks but they were very good and the service was great.

great bar for taking in the street views and your favorite drink. selection ranks with the best among a wide variety of spirits !!

Good drinks but expensive, which is not unlike all other bars right downtown. The atmosphere is pretty cool.

We met here before dinner each evening & the wait staff remembered our drinks order & made a point of welcoming us. Nice place to finish an evening too

The only complaint is they are not very good at making martini's. But otherwise it is a pretty cool place to start off your night in Chicago.

This is a very cosmopolitan place. It offers a variety of sporting entertainment, beautiful decor and a view of the cityscape. The food is delicious and a good selection of alcoholic options. Ita good hangout place!!

Located in the Hyatt Regency right on the Chicago River this bar is a convenient place for the guests of the Hotel (and others) to meet.

Have been coming here for over 40 years. For NYE parties, when I was 20 and again last year when I was 62. Always a great venue for NYE. This week we stayed in the Hyatt Regency and came for breakfast every day to Big Bar. Nice atmosphere and great service. Food was delicious, hot, fresh and tasty. There are not allot of places in downtown Chicago for breakfast, particularly on weekends. Insider tip, enjoy. Also great for convention parties and cocktails.

The Big Bar is a great place to either start or finish your evening. An expensive drink or two is required for the full experience.

Should change their name to tiny bar Big Prices, waste of time n money. The name use to speak for its self but no more does it, they suck

This is such a beautiful and trendy bar. Each sitting area had a flat screen TV, plenty of outlets and nice seating! Service was excellent, my drinks were fantastic and the overall ambiance was very very nice!

Great drinks and nice atmosphere, but you really pay for the privilege. Bartenders can make anything you can dream up. Lots of big screens to watch local sports (since you can't in your room).

Typical hotel bar prices (expected), but interesting bar and worth the visit. I wouldn't go out of my way to stop here, but it's worth visiting if staying at the Hyatt Regency.

Looks like there was a big convention in the Hyatt because the bar was packed.. I sat at the bar and smiled sweetly and was served relatively quickly. The IPA was great, the burger didn't look to good but it was very tasty. One the whole, pretty bloody good. But I felt sorry for all the younger folks who stood at the bar waving there dollars - the bar was way understaffed.

watched the warriors game…yikes fun environment, not a good outcome for this bay area girl LOL but nice service

It's in the hotel lobby (mezzanine). They got TVs everywhere tuned on sports channels. I had a couple of Fat Tires and a cheeseburger. The beers were cold, and the burger was just OK...

Excellent choice of drinks, great atmosphere and wonderful service. The choice of drinks is awesome, with many I’ve never seen before. Will definitely be returning soon to sample more!

The crazy bar shelf that showcases all the adult imbibles you can imagine makes it a fun place. Excellent city view and river view - and fairly open so you can carry on a conversation.

WOW - it is beyond BIG. SUPER SUPER cool and if you have a chance I would check it out, it's one of a kind!

From the moment we got off the elevator every thing was great the view, the bar , the atmosphere, they played mixed music fast service respectful waiter everything was nice , we sat in the corner on the leather couch a large group of men and women sat next to us they was so nice and respectful kind and even sent over a bottle of wine and a 100 ounce jug of beer when they heard it was my sister party much love for this place keep up the good work 💪🏽🍾☺️ drinks on point 🍻🍾 food on point

Great looking space, and had very good service recently with good appetizer choices. This is a place I would definitely return to.

Had experienced going to the BIG BAR on my recent visit to Chicago and having stayed at the hotel hyatt. The moment I checked in at the hotel this bar catched my fancy and I thought to experience it . I went there the same evening with my cousin and we both had a very nice time there. very modern and plush bar. we ordered a few apetizers and were very satisfied overall. would love to go here again if ever get a chance. full marks to the htoel for its chick upkeep and amazing service of waitresses with a smile. high on quality.

There isn't anything really big or special about Big Bar, really a typical hotel bar with many TV screens playing sports. Flatbread pizza was good. I had to ask for the large (aka big) chocolate cake as it wasn't on the menu. While there we witnessed an over served customer who clearly needed assistance get very little assistance from the bar or hotel. He did get some help, but I was very disappointed in the piss poor response to a customer in need. Overall I was rather disappointed. If you are expecting anything big, you won't get it here.

Big Bar is very open and large with multiple TV's and a great menu of normal bar fare. Service was good and priced at normal downtown Chicago pricing

This is a Bar/Resturant that become an attraction becuase of the amazing view and location, specially if you go at the end of the day and watch the change of the city between day and night. Drinks, good food, bunch of big screens for sports fanatic and awesome Iconic view of Chicago on Wacker.

The service was a little slow, however, it was packed, the Cubs won and were going to the World Series :) Hummus and Naan were awesome and so were the nachos. Great atmosphere, would go again!

Had drinks and munchies with a small group before Cubs game. Great choices for all types of drinkers. Nice selection of appetizers as well. It is an open type bar, so the noise can be overpowering.

Every drink you can imagine, plenty of seats at the bar, big full HD screens show sport and news, food ok, fast service. Good for solo travellers.

So, I do have to preface with this is a review of the bar, not the hotel itself, but still... if the customer service at the hotel is anything like it is at the bar, I would not stay here. BIG Bar is hands down the worst bar I have been to in River North. My fiance and I have been living in the apartment building next to the Hyatt for the past two years, but have never gone to BIG Bar because it's another hotel bar, and there are tons of great options in the River North area (think: DrumBar at the Rafaello, Allium at Four Seasons, ETA at Loews, LuxBar, Hubbard Inn, Three Dots and a Dash, Untitled, Bubcity...etc. etc. etc... ). Still, on a Thursday night, it was my fiance's birthday so we decided to go over for one quick oversized drink to celebrate. We both ordered margaritas, and the waitress asked to swipe my card before we received the drinks. Weird, but at the time, I didn't think anything of it. The drinks came, and I'm not exaggerating....they were both 100% margarita mix. Now, I'm not usually one to call a server over to send drinks back because I usually feel like it's not the waitress'/waiter's fault, but these had NO alcohol in them and were $13 PER DRINK!!! That is a ridiculous price, even for River North, so, finally, we just decided that it was worth it to ask for a refund. The waitress refused, but I was persistent, so she got her manager involved. The manager explained how these were made with 1.2oz of alcohol, and correctly measured out, so, no, we could not have a refund. 1.2 OZ?! That is less than one shot per drink... I was floored and again, asked to just have our drinks refunded and sent back (we each had taken less than ONE sip) and the manager refused, but because it was my fiance's birthday she offered one complimentary tequila shot. At this point, neither of us wanted to spend any more time at the bar so we declined and left. But, you better believe I will NEVER go back and for anyone who is even slightly on the fence about going to their bar... DO NOT GO!!!! See above for so many better options of fun places to drink that are right around this same area. TL;DR? False advertising, poor customer service, and drinks with almost no alcohol.

At the Hyatt for a business trip and conference was able to catch the Pats game in the big screen while hanging out in a vibrant atmosphere and having great drinks. Just wish I hadn't already eaten the nachos looked great!

I wouldn't put this on my list as a must do, the old days of big bar that we saw on the Travel channel with the super large foods and drinks are no longer an option, basically a hotel bar with a really tall circular storage area for bottled liquor. However, both times I was in there during my stay at the hotel the service was fantastic.

Excellent place to have a drink with friends. It tends to get very noisy and crowded, however. Great Martinis.

Loved the openness of this bar at the Hyatt Regency. A large number of drink choices, outstanding selection of craft brews. It was cool that tables overlooking the hotel had individual TVs to watch what you want to see. Very cool. Nice place.

You have to meet Mario at the Big Bar....I've known him for 30 years and he is only 40!!! Just ask him...recently remodeled any sport that is playing is on the 30 tv sets, service is fast and good...

Came in on a Sunday - had some time to spare and watched the NFL games at the bar. Well set up, and was not packed when i got there. Bartenders were very friendly, and drinks were good. It's expensive - but keep in mind it's a hotel bar.....they have a massive selection of brands to choose from. Food was good - standard bar fare. My only "huh" moment was that there are only flat bar stools - not chairs with backs. Yeah yeah yeah not a big deal but can get annoying,

I found it an attractive place with a great look to it. For cocktails the staff was friendly, attentive and efficient! A good stop on your way out or before heading upstairs to your room. Worthwhile if your staying at the hotel or in the area and want a well made drink.

Since I was hosted in the Hyatt Regency, the Big Bar was the easiest choice to have a drink and some appetizers. However, I was quite disappointed by the quality of the food (I asked for a buffalo chicken pizza) and the cocktails (I had a mojito and a martini). The service, on the other hand, is of very high quality. All attendants are very polite and friendly.

The Big Bar has a great selection of drinks. It is always packed though, so you'll end up waiting for a while during trade show time. It also gets so packed then that you can barely walk and certainly can't find a seat!

We were staying in the hotel so stopped at the Big Bar for a drink. The waiter came to the table and talked for a bit, making us feel welcome. We ordered margaritas, one on the rocks and one frozen. They were spectacular! Much better than the kind you get in a chain restaurant. It was nice to be able to walk right back to the room. Best hotel bar ever!

We were there for St. Patrick's Day weekend. Saturday, the day before the actual holiday, was the big night for the city. There was a good Irish band during the day, and in the early evening they had some bagpipers play. It was really fun. We ordered food: a burger and some of the best wings I've ever had. They came super crispy with sauce on the side. We wish they hadn't of run out of onion rings because when we saw them earlier in the day, they looked delicious!

Had a great time at the Big Bar! Excellent service from Martin, our bartender for the evening. Hard to beat the view of the river and the city skyline when sitting at the bar. Nice selection of beers on tap and a huge selection of liquor. And the bar stools are some of the most comfortable I've ever encountered.

If you especially happen to be staying at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, this bar is a great place to stop in. A bit on the pricey side, but the views are awesome. The drinks are good, as well. The staff was friendly. A great place to meet others if you're there for business.

We really enjoyed the little time we got to spend at this bar. Very cool place. Will come back here!

Most hotel bars are nothing impressive but this hotel bar was more than expected. Great location, cool view and festive for St. Patrick's Day!

This is a cool bar located on the second floor of the Hyatt Regency. The bar itself is a good size and nicely decorated with windows looking out over the river. It was consistently pretty packed at night and the wait staff was generally friendly. It doesn't open until the evening though which was annoying as there is only 1 other restaurant in the hotel open for lunch. The food was ok- nothing to write home about...your typical bar food which is to be expected. I would definitely hang out at The Big Bar over American Craft, which is located one floor below in the Hyatt. Generally, I would recommend Big Bar once during your stay but you're in Chicago- venture out and there are tons of better options!

Couple of night there and you will enjoy the very best of Hyatt. Anything better than having a drink with your colleagues

Great view of the Chicago River and skyline. Large floor to ceiling windows, lots of tables and colorful at night. Drinks are a bit pricey, but expected in a Downtown hotel bar.

This is a really cool and swanky lobby bar at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. It's a really nice open space where there is ample room for everybody even during a busy happy hour. If you have some time just hang out here and get a couple of drinks

It's impressive to look at. Centers the hotel lobby. Friendly bartenders, I was there on a Wednesday night for a night cap, was very busy but still managed to get a seat at the bar. Quick, friendly and efficient bartender. Lots of TVs, cool place to watch a game.