Shanghai Terrace Reviews

Celebrated Chinese New Year (Year of the Pig) at Shanghai Terrace and enjoyed our Prix Fix menu of 8 courses with wines and found this to be one of the best experiences ever at a Chicago Chinese restaurant. The creativity of each course, along with the plating and seasoning and light spices made for a very special evening. The ambiance and perfect service are a reflection of the manager, Julien Burnier. We suggest reservations as they are usually busy all year long. We dine here several times a year and are always impressed.

First off, I was visiting Chicago and had an early morning flight the day after my meal at Shanghai Terrace. With that in mind, I took home - to FLORIDA - the leftover food from the meal because it was that good. We got a bunch of stuff to share, soup dumplings and fried rice and some spicy chicken thing and spicy eggplant thing... Man, it was all amazing. Great portions too, I can't recall but I am pretty sure it was meant to be for sharing and it was shared for sure. I didn't end up drinking cocktails but I had the rosebud tea that was a thing of beauty. Service was impeccable and considering the hotel in which this restaurant is located, I'm not surprised in the least by the overall experience. If you are splurging on a night at the Peninsula, may as well cash out the 401(k) and go for a meal at Shanghai Terrace too. Treat yo' self!

I had the opportunity to dine here this evening as I am staying at the Peninsula hotel. The restaurant has very good ambiance, and the decor seemed very traditional Chinese. Given that Peninsula hotel's flagship property is in Hong Kong, I expected the Chinese restaurant on property to be serving authentic Chinese cuisine. The service provided was exceptional, our server, Christine, was very attentive and offered several suggestions. The presentation of the food was great. The flavor however was severely lacking depth and complexity. Our favorite dish was lobster and shrink dumplings with black truffle. While not traditional Chinese, that dish had multitude of flavor. The eggplant dish we ordered was way too sweet, and is something one word expect to taste at Panda Express...not a high end Chinese restaurant at the peninsula. The fried rice was just okay, it lacked depth of flavor. The rice was under seasoned in my opinion. The pork belly dish was good, but nothing amazing. The BBQ pork and duck was just okay. Cannot rival good BBQ restaurants one could find in Toronto or Vancouver's Chinatown. Overall, the service and ambiance is definitely upto Peninsula quality. But I would not recommend if you are looking for an authentic Chinese meal. Perhaps a restaurant like Motts32 would be a great addition to this Peninsula property.

Visited for a family meal and had a great experience. The service was fantastic and the setting is very beautiful. The food quality was also excellent- especially the duck and foie gras dumplings! Finally the cocktails are very tasty! Would highly recommend a visit!

The charm began when we entered the Peninsula Hotel and just getting better. A wonderful outdoor setting to enjoy food and drink. The service was impeccable and the food excellent. Perfectly sized portions of high quality food prepared with finesse. While expensive it is well worth the splurge.

What a fantastic dinner we had here. Good service except for the only lady working the dinning room who was extremely rude & discourteous. Other than her, wonderful. The food was as good as we have had in China or even better. If you want an excellent Chinese meal this is the place to go.

I love everything about this restaurant. The food is out of this world. The dim sum is a must. Make sure you don’t leave without someone from the table ordering the Peking Duck. Best I have ever had. It was even better then the Peking Duck we had in Singapore and Shanghai . You can’t have a bad dish here. Make sure you make a reservation. Bravo Shanghai Terrace.

Our first night in Chicago, we enjoyed dinner at Shanghai Terrace in The Peninsula Hotel. We started with a variety of different dim sum: -bbq pork buns -lobster and truffle dumplings -duck and foie gras dumplings Each order comes with four pieces each - and they were delicious! The lobster/truffle dumpling has been rated best in Chicago! For our entrees, I selected fried noodles with chicken, shrimp, and pork. It was absolutely wonderful, with many fresh vegetables... baby bok choy, tomatoes, bean sprouts, and more. My daughter chose shredded beef and scallions... perfect flavors and a generous portion. My husband selected chili shrimp which was also really delicious. Each dish was delightful and the service was wonderful and gracious. For dessert, we ordered a variety and then shared among the three of us: -mango rice pudding -sesame/chocolate rice balls.... Fabulous! -raspberry pavlova -napoleon with kumquats and sorbet Such wonderful flavor combinations and blends if classic desserts with Chinese flavors. The entire evening was perfect! Every part of our meal was wonderful and service was excellent. We will definitely return!

Glamorous with excellent service. Peking duck was best anywhere though can't recall if it came with the soup. Perfect splurge if the weather's bad and you don't want to go out.

Recently went to Shanghai Terrace for dinner. Overall our experience was ok. On the positive side, our waiter and staff were outstanding. The advised well and were very nice. They are the reason my rating isn't lower. Also, the terrace is nice. The average rating really comes down to the food being mediocre. The duck is good, but I have had better multiple times. The golden shrimp and beef were really good, but the rest of our food was pretty nondescript. When you go out to eat downton Chicago, paying close to $400 for 4 people, you expect great and something you can't get some where else. With this quality, you can. My advice is skip it, and go somewhere else.

My 85 yo mum (originally from Singapore) and I came back to ST and we were not disappointed: it still is the best Chinese in Chicago. Sure, we always ask to appraise Chef Mao that we want authentic but he always seems to please. On the first night, Christina waited on us - she is a part time worker and student - highly engaged, elegant service, good communicator. Kudos to her. We had assorted dim sum: the char siew (roast pork) and Peking duck (4 slices) was very pleasing as was Chef's version of the har kow. Then we had fried kai lan and rice. I paired this with the Two Hands Gnarley Dudes Shiraz. We loved night 1 so much, we returned the next evening (Monday, Oct 24). Christina was back to her studies and we had Max. Kudos to Max -- he is highly engaging, knowledgeable, obliging, humorous and hospitable. Because he himself cooks, he could give advice from a chef's point of view. We had a whole plate of char siew cooked the traditional way, Ma Po Tofu (more Shanghai style than say teochew) and stir fried eng choy. This was a beautiful Chinese meal. I paired this with DuMol Syrah (so it was a super treat). We shall return.

A great restaurant- every dish save for the House special for a ridiculous $19 was extraordinary. Don’t order the rice. Service is great and wine and cocktails. It is a bit cramped

this is a hidden gem great food and service that doesn't seem to exist..they entire staff works together like one, its cool to watch, everyones helps everyone and its done with class and sophistication! The outside terrace is great and relaxing, the view of the surrounding buildings is beautiful especially as the sun goes down. We tried many things on the menu, everything was awesome! the sampler is a great way to start and then order your main entrees! you won't be disappointed here! Its extremely clean and like I said before the staff is flawless!

What a pretty place inside the exquisite Peninsula hotel with excellent service and fancy food, but overall the food did not measure up to the hype or the prices. This is a 3.5 Star review. Our party of 12 had just about everything! Here's what I remember - Some stand-outs were: Peking Duck - great skin & tender duck Scallops with Truffle sauce - wow, my Fav* so yummy! Lobster & chicken Dumplings with Truffle - tasty Good: Chilean Sea Bass- Steamed Mkt Fish (Halibut ) - the ginger sauce topping was good Vegetables: Chinese Broccoli - simply made, fresh, good So-so: Pork Shanghai Dumplings - so disappointing as the juice inside the dumplings is key but each one was stuck to the paper in the steamer & broke before anyone could get one in our mouth... Spinach salad w/walnuts honey mustard- meh, just taste the salt Yoshihama Abalone - sad, super expensive ingredients but very underwhelming taste Dong Po Pork Belly - tasted bit off actually, very salty Shanghai Fried Noodle - so little taste & stuff in it, very boring Desserts: surprisingly pretty good for a Chinese restaurant as those are Not their specialties - Green Tea Creme Brulee w/Sesame Gelato - Good! Pavlova - raspberry cream, good Sesame Balls with Choco - I think they enjoyed that Tapioca pudding - looked decent They also brought out a slice of cake for my dad for his BD - Lovely!!! Some bottles of wine my brother ordered so I'm not sure what they all were.

Excellent service but the food was mediocre. We enjoyed the dim sum Sunday brunch several times but not the dinner. Our duck entree dish was a bit dried out, and our friends’ vegan dishes were so-so. Red pepper shrimp was good, however.

We were fortunate to visit Shanghai Terrace during our most recent visit to Chicago. Even though there were many options in the menu, we decided to order four to five different small plates to share from the dim sum selection, and a fried rice option for dinner. It was more than enough for two people without being too full, and leaving some space for dessert. We enjoyed the the pineapple and coconut dessert, but dessert options do change frequently from the regular menu. Overall, service was excellent, great ambiance, and would highly recommend for a special ocassion.

This is a hidden gem. Beautiful outdoor space, delicious food and excellent service make this one of my favorite places in the city.

Read many good reviews about the food and services of this exclusive restaurant. Here is my totally disappointed review. My family of five arrived on time for our 5 pm reservation. The hostess greeted us warmly and led us to our table immediately. Impressed with the first service encounter until later I saw she offered other guests to take their overcoats to be hung in the coat check-in closet. Maybe she was preoccupied and forgot about her task. After we were seated the waiter came and warmly greeted us and provided the essentials to begin our meal experience. We ordered four dim sum plates and the food was excellently prepared and tasted above expectations. The Peking Duck (full portion) presented well but the slices of meat were cut much too thick from what I've expected from my over hundred previous experiences around the world. Otherwise, the duck tasted about as expected. Of the four other dishes we’ve ordered, two (Monk Jumps Over the Wall and Chili Prawn) were prepared and tasted wonderful. However, the other two dishes, Dongpo Pork Belly, and Braised Eggplant Szechwan Style were speechlessly disappointing. Dongpo Pork is an iconic traditional Chinese braised pork belly dish. The pork belly, if it’s done correctly, is so tender it will just melt in your mouth. It should be a truly mouth-watering experience dish. However, the Shanghai Terrace Dongpo pork is nothing like the iconic Chinese Dongpo braised pork belly I’ve tasted hundreds of times in the past. It is more or less wrapped bacon braised in a salty sauce. I believe the person who prepared this dish should have learned how to make this dish just by doing a quick search on the YouTube topic “How to Cook Dongpo Pork.” The second disappointment was the Braised Eggplant Szechwan Style. Again, this is a simple Chinese dish you could order from any mom-and-pop Chinese restaurant and be happy with the dish. Somehow, the person who prepared this dish failed miserably. The dish was very salty and sweet and too much starch was used in the sauce to make it pasty instead saucy. The eggplant, instead of a buttery tender taste was gooey and mushy.

The best most elegant Asian food we have had anywhere. Beautiful setting and the service is exceptional. Everyone is treated like VIP's. Many options for wine and drinks as well as the most freshly prepared and beautiful presented food dishes. Even dessert is outstanding. We had not visited in almost three years, however when we walked in the servers remembered us!!! That is incredible. Highly recommend.

I fell in love with this restaurant. The hubby brought me here for my birthday dinner, and I was in awe. The ambiance was the first thing to catch my eye. Everyone was do nice, and attentive. They made sure you were helped. The food was scrumptious. I loved their dim sum. We had the lobster and chicken dumpling with black truffle, and the golden shrimp as appetizers, and it set our tastes buds on fire. I t.f w as af that good. As main courses he had the Chilean sea bass, and I had the Kung Pao chicken, both delicious. All, and all I had a great experience here. A night I'll always remember,and cherish!!

Celebrated my sister's birthday here. The food was out of this world and the service made it even more special. I can't wait to return.

The Shanghai Terrace is the best Chinese restaurant in Chicago. I am a big Peking Duck fan. I have had it all over the world, and theirs is one of the best. It is nice that you can have it without the usual ordering it a day in advance, you can even have a half order (enough for one person). The negative is that they don't carve the duck at the table, which is fun. They also have lots of another main course (chicken, pork, beef, fish, and vegetarian), but I never order anything but the Peking Duck. My wife and guests have ordered a variety of other main courses, and have found them all excellent. I do, always have dim sum which is fabulous, as are the soups.

As a salesperson I spend a few nights dinning aline which can be a relief but feel quite lonely also. This place made me feel right at home. Amazing food, all customised for me as I am a veggie, great service even as I was occupying a table for 4 on my own. And very good high end Chinsse food. Can't recommend it enough!

We had dinner with two Clients. Everything was excellent from the service through the fabulous food and superb wine. It wasn't cheap but it was worth every penny. I would recommend it strongly and will visit again should I go to Chicago

Last year on my wife's birthday we had dinner here and it was GREAT! Not cheap, but well worth it. We would definitely go back.

We ate dinner at Shanghai Terrace during a recent girls' trip. The food was fantastic. My sister took a bite of the duck appetizer and claimed that single bite made it to the top ten lifetime bites. The appetizers and chicken entrees were fantastic. We also got the fried rice, which was good, but not as excellent as their other signature dishes. As it grew busier, service was a bit slow, but overall, a great place to eat. We will certainly be back.

I had a quick lunch there: I took a Pekin duck. the duck itself was tasty, sides were disappointing. Services is perfect: attentive, efficient and discreet. Room is very stylishly decorated which was a plus. Prices are on the upper side. I would come back a try a full menu.

We were nearby so dropped in. Great food out on the deck and a nice range of cocktails Nice selection of small plates

We recently celebrated a birthday dinner at this wonderful restaurant. The dumpling appetizers were flavorful and so were the unique cocktails. We shared the main course of Peking duck and were not disappointed. Sides of vegetables and rice complemented the pancakes and duck. The dessert was large enough to share and also very tasty.

I was really disappointed in Shanghai Terrace after dining several times at the hotel's Lobby Restaurant. My husband and I visited for Chicago Restaurant Week. The menu posted online did not indicate limited availability. When we were seated, we were handed the regular menu. I asked for the Restaurant Week menu and was told, "we decided to limit that to Monday-Thursday but didn't post it." When I asked if it was available, our server said it was, and left to get us the menu. The first course was tasty. My husband's sweet and sour pork was mediocre at best. He has traveled extensively in China and said it was disappointing compared to food he would have there at a superior class hotel. I ordered spicy chicken, and no one came around to fill my empty water glass. A restaurant needs to replenish water when dishes are spicy! Finally, the mango dessert tasted like the mangos were not ripe--it was a very bland dish. We had poor service throughout, but there must have been six different people saying goodbye as we left. A little more attention at the table and better food would have been appreciated instead. The decor is lovely, and the chop stick rest is adorable.

I’m not really a big fan of Chinese food but Shanghai Terrace could convert me. My husband and I were given a gift certificate and made the trip into the city on a Friday night for dinner. The atmosphere was great in spite of being seated next to a huge party of business people trying to be heard by everyone seated around their table. The decor is warm and inviting and the service was exceptional. My husband got one of the specials and unfortunately I don’t remember anything about it other than that he was very pleased. I ordered the Peking Duck. Since a trip to Hong Kong a few years back I have been searching for a Peking Duck just as good as what I’d experienced there and I have to say that Shanghai Terrace surpassed my expectations. The serving was generous and I was full halfway through but I ended up eating the entire thing because it was simply too delicious to leave any behind. My husband can take me out for Chinese food again someday as long as he brings me to Shanghai Terrace. Delicious!

From first impressions of the beautiful Peninsula Hotel to the nicely appointed dining room that spills out into a lovely terrace, Shanghai Terrace does not disappoint. The service, the food and the surroundings were perfect. I would highly recommend this restaurant for their excellent Chinese cuisine. It is the perfect spot for an intimate dinner or cocktails.

My Chinese boss took me here, and she was right, it's way the best Chinese food you can get in Chicago. The sake choice is limited but brilliant: even if you are not an expert, it's not difficult to choose between premium, deluxe and drops of heaven!! The dim sum as appetizers were delicious, especially the fois gras and duck ones. I recommend the boneless duck, which of course you gotta eat peking style with pancakes! The sweet and sour prawns were really good too. Just the dessert was nothing special

The food, decor and service are all impeccable at Shanghai Terrace. You absolutely cannot go wrong with this restaurant, unless you are expecting cheap eats. The food is expensive but the portions are ample and the service is smooth and well-timed. You can eat quickly or slowly as the staff clearly picks up on your mood. I have dined here for business and for pleasure and it is equally good for both.

While I've had dim sum in many stops throughout the United States, the Shanghai Terrace in Chicago has taken a superior place on my listing. The restaurant is immaculate and the food excellent. The vegetable dumplings, streamed pork dumplings, and shrimp siewmai Hong Kong style were tried and are excellent examples of well-prepared dishes. Added to this was the wok-fried scallops in black truffle sauce which I can highly recommend and will order again when back in this great city.

A very good place to be and enjoy nice atmosphere, feel you are welcomed and cared about. We really enjoyed our meal and being together with Paula and Max! Next time in Chicago, we certainly visit Snanghai Terrace again!

The Peninsula Hotel chain never disappoints me and the restaurant in their Chicago outpost is no exception. It is a stylish Asian inspired place with both inside and outside seating. Like all great restaurants it's a place where you can loose yourself in the total experience and be transported to another time or space. Shanghai Terrace can do just that. The food is unique and delicious. We started with the spicy beef pot stickers and steamed buns from the dim sum section of the menu. Both were great. Next we had Chinese Style Beef Tenderloin in a black pepper sauce, wok fried Asian vegetables with roasted garlic and Shanghai noodles. Everything was exceptional. Dessert was the Banana Coconut Lime cake and the Dessert Trio. The trio featured an dessert spring roll stuffed with almond and caramel. The warm roll bursting with these two flavors worked perfectly together and banana coconut cake was sublime. I wish I lived in Chicago so I could have dinner here every week.

We had a banquet in the private room and cocktails on the outdoor terrace. The terrace is fabulous as are the drinks. The banquet food for the most part was very good. Highlights include the Peking duck which is excellent and the abelone with braised pea shoots which was very good but would have been even better with less cornstarch in the sauce. The raspberry and lychee pavlova was also very delicious. The dumplings were not very good. Serving sizes are generous and staff excellent.

Grand terrace, decent food, and excellent service. We ordered the duck and it was delicious. Desserts could be improved.

This lovely restaurant is tucked into a courtyard in the Peninsula Hotel. We live nearby and decided to try it for a special occasion. We were late in getting a reservation but they accommodated us with a very nice table. The food is beautifully presented and outstanding quality. And the garden setting couldn't be more perfect.

Somewhat secured inside the Peninsula Chicago hotel, it is an elegant retreat from the robust street energy of Chicago. Its main dining room is a long, low-ceilinged chamber with one wall of French doors opening onto the terrace above Superior Street. Cooking and service are first rate. Lighter eaters will especially appreciate the Dim Sum menu from which small servings can be ordered as the meal progresses: still hungry? order more. The Peking duck is particularly outstanding.

We stopped in late afternoon for something to tide us through Hamilton. Not busy, lots of setting up being done. Because we were walking miles to our show, we had on sneakers. We felt that we weren't treated the same way the Jimmy Choo crowd would be. Our waiter was fine until he disappeared, maybe a shift change. It took a long time for anyone to give us/take our bill. Plates wern't cleared. The staff is polite, just not attentive at this time of day. Our apps were very good. Guess this venue pays homage to the Guicci bag set. We travel extensively, independently as well as highend cruises and tours (Regent and Tauck) and found this experience underwhelming. We usually visit Chicago once a year; not sure if we will be back.

Tucked away off the main lobby of The Peninsula Hotel is a door that leads to the Shanghai Terrace restaurant. From there French Doors open to a serene patio with couches, tables, umbrellas and flowing red fabric. You forget about the crowds, noise and traffic of the city and quietly get to admire the views of the John Hancock and Water Tower. It's the perfect spot for a mojito (non-alcohol version is available too) and walnut shrimp or spicy potstickers. The bill for 2 drinks and 2 appetizers was $50 and our lovely Asian waitress practically laid on the floor to make sure the J Hancock was perfectly positioned in the photo she took at our request! My only complaint is that the napkins were really worn for such a beautiful setting.

Highly recommend this classic for an unhurried dining experience! Our party of four shared dim sum, soup, 3 entrees and 3 desserts and a bottle of wine. All dishes were expertly prepared and presented, the Sea Bass was set off with a gathering of baby bok choy, and the red rice had too many flavorful inclusions to list. Our server Jade made the sharing easy with extra plates and even individual spoon/bowls for soup. The desserts were dazzling.

We had lunch here on Labor Day. Service was a little slow but they could've been short staffed for the holiday. However, the lobster and crab dumplings were divine. I ordered the lunch special that had the most incredible set of 3 dumplings, bbq, veggie and shrimp with 2 amazing sauces. My husband had a tapioca pudding with fruit for dessert with a raspberry sauce that knocked my socks off. The servers were well trained and extremely attentive. We will back for dinner for sure!

We were in town visiting family and the hotel told us about this place. We could only get a late reservation, but it was worth it. They could add more the menu, but one good thing is that they had no problem customizing the meals to make their customers happy. I had the Shanghai Fried Noodles. Normally I'm not to much of a noodles fan, but the description of this sounded good. I substituted the shrimp for beef along with pork and chicken. It was very good. A nice portion and the noodles were very good. Other people at the table had Happy Fried rice and Kung Pao Chicken. They all said that these meals were very good also. If there were additional options on the menu I could give this 5 stars, but I will definitely come back and try the same thing or something new.

Some of the best Chinese food I have ever tasted. Everything was well prepared and presentation was outstanding! Spectacular would be an understatement!

This restaurant came highly recommended by friends and we were happy we followed their recommendation. The dim sum dishes we enjoyed were outstanding and the Peking duck was by far the best I've ever had. We dined outside on the lovely terrace. The service was outstanding from the moment we entered the Peninsula Hotel where this restaurant is located, with staff not merely giving us directions, but escorting us to the elevator or staircase we needed to access on our way to the restaurant. Wonderful evening at a great restaurant!

We hah lunch on the terrace and loved the soup, dim sum, fried rice and fruit. Lovely setting and impeccable service. The $9 iced tea was a shocker though.

A number of reviews tout this as the best Chinese restaurant in Chicago or the best place for Peking duck. Based on these, we went recently. Not sure where else those reviewers have been, as this was not the best by any means. We went on Saturday night. Warm but not hot, low humidity. Sat outside and it was delightful. Very nice service, although a bit obsequious at times. But the food.... We started with two different types of steamed buns. Both quite good. My wife had the Peking duck (one of their specialties) and I had Kung Pao Chicken. The duck was good but not very juicy. The chicken was perfectly cooked, but not at all spicy (and I was asked if I wanted it spicy and I said I did). We had their mixed fried rice as a side and it was wonderful. The meal was not horribly expensive (as I would have expected) but fairly priced. Don't expect to return. Many other places do both dishes better.

After coming in off the terrace in the rain we had a very nice meal with exceptional service and well prepared and presented food. We are on holiday from the UK so unlikely to return anytime soon but would definitely recommend this restaurant.

Lovely restaurant , everything about it screams luxury - but the old money luxury -- the service was good , quick the food was divine, we could have sat there all night long. I highly recommend it - not cheap but well worth your money

The service and food are both wonderful. We went for both lunch and dinner recently, and every dish was a delight. We had one meal inside and one on the terrace. My advice would be to grab a table outside while the weather allows. The only slight complaint is that the wine list is not as robust as it should be- and the wine prices were pretty usurious. Can't wait to go back. Psst- the fixed price lunch is a very good deal.

Quite simply stunning. Not only is the food of exceptional quality the service is as good as it gets. Attention to detail good and timing of servings perfect. I stayed at this wonderful hotel for 4 nights and ate at the restaurant twice. Coming from London , England we need something like this. Can't wait to return. Thank you.

We had our dinner on the outdoor terrace on a lovely August evening. Even though it is several stories above, and set back from, the street, traffic noise was surprisingly loud. However, it is a lovely space with well-tended plantings, red umbrellas above the tables and comfortable chairs. We ordered cocktails, 2 kinds of dumplings for appetizers (4 to an order), 1/2 Peking duck and the salt and pepper Maine lobster. The lobster and chicken dumplings with black truffles were outstandingly good; I'm glad we chose them. The Peking duck, which we've had at several restaurants around town, was the best one yet. The skin was perfectly crisp and the meat had a wonderful flavor, as did the accompanying sauce. There were a generous amount of pancakes also, in which to fold the sliced duck meat. The lobster, while delicious, included mostly the tail meat, not the claws. For $58, it was pretty skimpy, we thought. We ordered one dessert: the green tea creme brûlée with black sesame ice cream. The flavors were subtle. I quite liked the creme brûlée but was less enthusiastic about the ice cream. A small plate of cookies and chocolates came with the bill. Service was gracious but the dishes came out of the kitchen rather slowly. We had a fairly long wait after ordering for the dumplings to appear, then another long wait before the main dishes arrived. Still, on a warm late-summer evening, it was pleasant to sit and take in the atmosphere. This was the most elegant Chinese meal we have had in Chicago and the most expensive. It was a fine choice for a celebratory meal.

2 of us for lunch ordered he shrimp dumplings and the vegetarian dumplings and hot and sour soup, which had to me specially made due to my egg allergy. really fresh and delicately flavorful. lunch was a noodle dish off the menu that the server helped us with and Sechuan sea bass. both were great throughout the meal they poured an amazingly fragrant jasmine tea. I think this could well be my most favorite Chinese cuisine restaurant

It is hard going to a hotel for a meal but in the case of the Peninsula how can you go wrong? Beautiful setting with outside terrace seating, service you would expect and a meal that is nicely balanced. Shrimp Cucumber appetizer was the highlight with crisp, sweet shrimp atop cucumber rings that just popped in your mouth, started with a crunch, ended with a sweet and refreshing taste. Wonton soup was pleasant but with rather bland broth yet provided beautifully made wontons afloat. Recommended fresh veggie's by the attentive waitress was well received and atop the best Rice i've had in years was a good combo to the duck dishes. Half of the Peking Duck, gently pre rolled in the light pastry with plumb sauce is enough for sure for one and a unique presentation. Good, just unexpected. XO duck was really well balanced with no real heat, just a hint and then with the sweet coating on that awesome rice...No need to take a 20+ hour trip to China when you can be there on MI ave and have one LESS deep dish Chicago style pie....

Tonight, six of us dined at this beautiful Chinese restaurant in the Peninsula Hotel! Anna, our server was excellent and guided us every step of the way! All of her suggestions were spot on and were enjoyed by all! We started off with a dim sum sampler that Anna created for us and then we moved into our main courses. All of them were very good, but the scallops, the beef tenderloin, the Chilean Seabass, and the Peking Duck were exceptional! Even dessert was a special experience! If you really want to enjoy a special evening out in Chicago, this should be near the top of your list!

Stayed at the Peninsula and decided to eat here at the last minute. Great selection of sushi and great service. We brought our seven year old twin daughters and they were treated like royalty!

Sometimes other reviews make you think the restaurant is tops at their cuisine and that’s what I expected. Unfortunately we apparently had an off night or off experience or maybe we’re just too picky or ordered the wrong items. But honestly when you see the kind of reviews we read you anticipate NO bad experiences. We started with salty fried tofu which was just too darn salty, as was my house special beef dish. My husband’s eggplant was basic but nothing fantastic. We saw other patrons loving their Peking duck but we’ve had great Peking duck in NYC and frankly were not into it that night. So in total, the food we had was very disappointing. Now this is where the experience gets embarrassing and I hesitate to include this but feel it’s probably too important not to mention if anything can be done to prevent it from happening again: our server had a very bad gas attack while answering our question about a huge art carving at the back of the restaurant. He should have excused himself and removed himself from our airspace but he really went on at great length, adding all kinds of details about feng shui as well. I cannot emphasize enough how really bad the odor was. And as there was no one else remotely close it was most assuredly him. A compliment: The restaurant host was a lovely young man who tried very hard to be the best of the best. But the rest was fair to dismal. Sorry to have to write such a review. Really.

This is probably the best Chinese restaurant in Chicago. It is upscale and the prices are higher than what you would expect for a typical Chinese restaurant, but you have to keep in mind that it’s inside of one of the best hotels in the city and that is in a magnificent location. In the summer with the open Terrace it’s absolutely sublime. The attention from the staff was excellent, they were not pushy they simply focused on recommending the dishes that would fit your palate and they quietly stayed in the background meeting your needs. The food was actually excellent and we had both a chicken and a beef dish both of which were perfectly prepared and this is particularly true for the beef with bean sauce where the meat was perfectly cooked medium with a nice pink center and was very tasty. This is definitely a place I would come back to and was an excellent experience.

Great dim sum items to eat. Ate outdoor on the patio on beautiful summer day. was a great experience.

We visited Shanghai Terrace while on a weekend getaway with friends. All of us enjoyed our meal. The best for me was the shrimp and chicken dumplings with truffle - absolutely amazing! The service was very attentive and personable. I will come back to Shanghai Terrace on my next visit to Chicago.

This restaurant is a must for anyone who goes to or lives in Chicago. The outside terrace is beautiful. A perfect venue for a Summer evening! The food is outstanding. The energy is perfect! The drinks are great and the staff is friendly and professional. It is located in the best hotel in Chicago, The Penninsula. Best Chinese food I have ever had. It is perfect for special events from romantic dinners to large group dinners. Very upscale. I recommend this to everyone and they are always delighted.

This is the only 1 star review I have ever posted over many years of using Tripadvisor's review information. Talk about a dissapointment. Made reservation for an early dinner on a Sunday night. Having read all the great reviews posted for this restaurant we had very positive expectations. The setting is nicebut the food was worse than any local "all you can eat" buffet. Dim sum orders were delivered to the table lukewarm and bland. Our third dish of Cispy Golden Shrimps was also delivered cold and flavorless. We said " No more". Sent it back and asked for check so we could leave to find a dinner worth paying for somewhere else. The front of house staff was professional and courteous. The kitchen on the other had needs to be retrained or replaced. Do not waste you time or money here.

A delightful experience. The food, the service and the ambiance were all truly worthy of 5 stars. This new find will definitely figure among our picks for top world restaurants.

Can’t say enough about the service, ambiance and quality of food. We make this restaurant an annual event during our business meetings in Chicago. Maximize the experience and request seating on the outdoor terrace

Read some of the “meh” post-COVID reviews. We had a lovely late lunch here and felt the food and service were wonderful. The beef pot stickers and Peking duck salad were exceptional. Thanks for the kind welcome and wonderful service. Happy to be back in community with others.

Shanghai Terrace is an OUTSTANDING Chinese restaurant located in a most lovely setting of the Chicago Peninsula Hotel. Ambiance, service (Thank you to our excellent waiter Max - phenomenal service and great recommendations) seating are all outstanding. The cuisine is exceptionally delicious! We enjoyed cocktails, and mostly vegetarian food choices (vegetable dumplings, vegetable spring rolls, braised eggplant, szechwan string beans, red rice) - all dishes were delicious! Chili prawns were yummy sweet & spicy. A layered chocolate ganache cake was an outstanding dessert. Shanghai Terrace is truly outstanding! We can’t wait to return!

The terrace is nice, service is good, welcoming employees, the food was good excellent chicken soup and deserts which massively disappoint! Dumplings were ok! Funny are the automatic chopsticks we got🙈 see pix

I am not well acquainted with this cuisine, but enjoyed my food very much. The Peking Duck is touted as the best in town, but I can’t judge it although my dining companions loved it. The service is friendly and efficient. It is a tight, crowded restaurant and very loud, so if you are hard of hearing, bear that in mind.

This is one of the best Chinese restaurants I have ever been to. Delicious food. Professional service. Fantastic wine list. Great view of John Hancock Building from the tables outside. Highly recommend this restaurant to everyone.

Absolutely delicious from appetizer to the meal- too full for dessert. The presentation of our dishes were special and the taste even better. The Shrimp with mayonnaise type dressing was great and our beef dish in the pepper sauce was just as great.

What a delicacy of an experience. Went with a local friend. The food here is some of the best, and the service is all-around friendly professionals working as a true team. We asked the chef to send different foods and to include Duck (perfect duck). We need to come back when the weather permits terrace dining. Simply delightful!

My mum and I always try to return to Shanghai Terrace for dinner when we come to Chicago each time. Not having been in quite some time, we had dinner last evening. Having appraised Chef Mao that we were back and wanted traditional style (ie authentic), he pleased with char siew and fried kai lan. These were beautiful and well balanced. We also had the shrimp har cao and shrimp siew mai - both nice but for the skin could be made more paper thin. Unfortunately, Max worked lunch that evening and he was missed. Christina came over to say hi and we were delighted to find her studies had progressed.

We went to the restaurant for references on the internet and it is definitely the best oriental restaurant that we have been to, when you eat you feel that the flavor explodes in your mouth because it is delicious and the service was first class. I do not remember exactly the name of the dishes but we ordered Shangay rice, noddles, wantan soup. For the birthday of my cousin they had the delicacy to give us a dessert and it was exquisite. The decoration of the cute and elegant place. Today we will return before leaving Chicago. :)

First of all this restaurant is inside the beautiful Peninsula Hotel and then the setting for this restaurant outside terrace was just beautiful. Surrounded by greenery and the beautiful sky - the food however was the best asian cuisine I have ever tasted. The golden shrimp was fantastic, the dim sum apps were amazing, I have never really tasted asian food this good and I have been to several restaurants. Can't wait to try this place again. The only feedback I would say was the service was a little slow when it came to follow up after we got our initial food.

It was nice, but overpriced and not terribly interesting food. Much better options in the Miracle Mile area, though service was good.

I really liked this place. We were hoping for some late night outdoor dining but the night we were there the weather was rough. But inside was pretty elegant. Understand this restaurant is part of a hotel building which was very elegant and we spent time actually exploring some of the public areas which you can see in my pictures. One important point. I felt way underdressed in shorts and a tee. This place is pretty dressy which makes it a good spot for a special date and not ideal for kids but I'm sure they are welcome. The third pic is of the hotel lobby.

I had dinner here with a colleague after work on a Wednesday and the food was fantastic! We started with spring rolls, shrimp dumplings and vegetable dumplings. My associate ordered a vegetarian pasta for her entree and I the sea bass and both were phenomenal. We also indulged in dessert and had tried out a variety of sorbet that topped off the meal perfectly! my colleague is vegetarian and I lactose intolerant and the server pointed out items that were safe for both of us. The server was very helpful and was a joy to deal with. Our main courses did take quite a long time to come out which was strange as everything else was perfect. I would definitely recommend this restaurant!

Had a lovely birthday afternoon tea here.....a nice variety of sandwiches, tasty quiche, fine pastries and lovely warm scones washed down with champagne and tea. Service was very attentive and we were offered refills of ever thing...luvly birthday treat.

This was a lovely meal with great service. The dim sum was good, but not excellent, the peking duck was exceptional. The service and atmosphere is charming and I would return again.

Visiting my son who is stationed at Scott AFB. Wanted dim sum .. ordered the crab one with roe excellent.. I was expecting more from our entrees but still good... the service was interesting.. once we had our food and drinks the staff seemed to disappear.. would have lived to go the terrace but it was closed due to weather.. will give another try when I'm back in Chicago..

An extraordinary place. We had been there 3 times in a week. Perfect service, great ambiance and really outstanding food. Original and creative, not the usual Chinese stuff. A place to return!

Be prepared to enjoy amazing views of John Hancock and lovely asian decor. Service was commendable. Cannot say the same for food and cocktails.Price are on higher side for that taste. However, loved every bite of the desserts we had. I would go back only to have desserts there!

We always come here when we come to town. This time it is a disappointment. Service is ok. Food is not good. Left over from a big banquet??? Not fresh. Table cloths were all over the floors. Appetizers soup main courses all came out at the same time. I hoped for a better experience with the $$$$$$ we paid.

From the moment you step into the Peninsula Hotel you are greeted with gracious service. The Maitre D at the Shanghai Terrace asked for my surname and every waiter used it. He saw I was alone and asked if I wanted a newspaper and went out of his way to find a crisp new copy of the New York Times I could read over dinner. The decor is beautiful. Upmarket, Asian chic. Naturally it costs money to provide this level of service and such a nice decor and this is reflected in the pricey food. I was prepared to give this restaurant a 5 out of 5, until I tasted the food. The vegetarian dumplings were great but the Chilean sea bass wasn't. It looked and tasted bad. I had to leave most of the fish that had crust which didn't leave much. Such a pity as everything else is top notch.

New Year's Eve dinner is always special at the Shanghai Terrace and if we missed it in past years, we would try to go on New Year's Day. Their menu had been evolving over 2019 so we tried some new things tonight after the loss of some old favorites. The 6 course holiday dinner offering looked fabulous but for me or my companion, just too much food ... absent was a four course option like the Phoenix tasting menu at Thanksgiving (I think that the main dinner was a bit different) but if there was the option to knock out one early course and one of the two main courses, I would surely have jumped for it! But the regular menu is special in its own right and we indulged in some of the newest offerings. With the passing of the Duck Fois Gras dumpling (which was briefly available on the secret menu at Thanksgiving but now, no more it seems), my companion opted for the lobster and chicken with black truffle dumpling which is now her new favorite (warning: she will ask about the secret menu again!) while I opted for the classic beef sil mai, which still beats what I get for dim sum on business trips to Taiwan, Hong Kong, etc. Her main course was the new wok fried scallops in black truffle sauce which were spectacular, while I opted for the very flavorful steamed tiger prawn. Dessert was a shared Strawberry Szechwan Vacherin with coffees ... a wonderful way to end the year, a year that would have been incomplete without this amazing restaurant!

We had dinner outside on the terrace. Food and service were both excellent. You cannot go wrong with this restaurant.

Zagat gives Shanghai Terrace a 4.8 rating for restaurant decor -- the highest of any Chicago restaurant. (They gave the Lobby -- in the same hotel -- a 4.6.) There's no dress code, but the management suggests "smart casual." I have been to Shanghai, and yes, the setting here did remind me of an understated '30s supper club. But I'm not so sure about the lucky bamboo table arrangements. The chef can be very flexible -- there are vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. The prix fixe menu choice at $39 is probably the most inexpensive way to sample the offerings. Parking (when you're dining in) will be another $25.

After Hong Kong, had difficulties finding the right stuff here (and was sorely disappointed in the Argyle / Broadway area; should have tried Chinatown...). But logically, the Peninsula does provide it as well and in style. But that is detail in an overall perfect experience. Weather permitting, the outside tables offer a great ambiance and staff is beyond friendly (Kudo's to Max and Michelle). Standard noodles and fried rice are superb as well by the way. This place works wonders for more informal business lunches in a formal environment

Dined on a Sunday evening. Service is very good with delicious food to match. Servers and staff were friendly, attentive and helpful. Greetings and appreciation from beginning to end. Had some unique dishes and cocktails. Cucumber salad, lobster dumplings appetizers were very good. Salad was unique. Lots of cucumbers in snake shape. Possibly too many cucumbers with little else. Sea bass was excellent in a unique, tasty shell with fresh greens. Shredded duck was also delicious. Had the the matcha walnut cake and assorted cookies for dessert. Those were ok. Overall a wonderful dining experience.

The restaurant is located inside the Peninsula Hotel, which makes it a bit hard to find, but it's definitely worth the effort. The Dim Sum Trio and Crab Hot & Sour soup were outstanding. The Peking Duck salad was fresh & delicious.

Honestly, $200 plus for very average chinese food for my wife and I. The duck was average and the beef was very salty to the point it gave me a headache. You can get much better food in china town. I would skip it and have the grilled cheese in the main restaurant up stairs if you are staying at the Penn.

We were looking for a roof top ding experience, we looked the the web site and understood you could not book outside, it was "first come first served" MAY HAVE BEEN US! However we did get chance to sit down and just have cocktails and bar snacks, we were impressed, as we would have missed some great food and a nice experience. Between 4 people we had almost all of the items on offer! Of particular note was the shrimp, the beef, the pork. Great cocktails. IT was our last evening in the city otherwise we would have gone back.

The reviews about Shanghai Terrace were definitely true; it is an amazing Cantonese dining experience. We loved the Peking Duck, the fried rice, and the beef tenderloin. However, the most amazing moment of the meal were the dumplings. I loved them so much that when we returned from an evening at Hamilton, I was sad that I couldn't order them from room service. And, I still think about them daily. Finally, if you get a chance to eat outside on the terrace, don't hesitate, it's a wonderful place to enjoy a dinner together. When we return to the The Chicago-Peninsula, Shanghai Terrace is at the top of the place to dine, again.

Wonderul meal but was given back someone else's credit card! Huge inconvenience around the Holidays as I had to cancel card and get a new one from Amex. When contacted the restaurant, recieved a phone call apologizing but also contacted the hotel to discuss my HUGE inconvenience and received one attempt of a call back! You would think a hotel, restaurant of this caliber of the Penninsula would offer some gesture for my inconvenience. Lesson learned...always check your card when returned after being processed!

Went with a friend to Chicago and chose to dine there. We didn't have reservations, which I would recommend, but they were able to seat us immediately out on the terrace. Everyone was prompt and made sure we were attended to at all times. They had a nice wine collection to choose from and for dinner we chose the Dim sum for the variety. We had shrimp spring rolls ( my favorite), steamed buns with barbecue pork, spicy beef dumplings, and chicken/shrimp rolls. The sauces were excellent and well paired. We then added fried crab wontons and lobster/chicken dumplings. They were all excellent. We split a dessert of green tea cake with white chocolate icing and raspberry ice cream. Every dish I saw come out to other tables were hot, professionally served and looked delicious. Prices were reasonable and I hope to visit there again in the near future.

This restaurant is in the Four Seasons, and has a lovely outdoor terrace. We checked in on a Monday night after 9 pm and did not have a reservation. The lobby restaurant was closed so they suggested this restaurant. We almost left because all of the menu items marked "gluten free" were vegetables-- no beef, poultry, or seafood. When we told our waitress we would need to pass on ordering dinner, she explained that almost the entire menu could be prepared gluten free, and they even had gluten free soy sauce. Their menu designations do them a great disservice. They should change the designations and leave off the symbols or add a footnote regarding the fact that they are extremely allergy accommodating. The service and ambience were perfect on a warm July night. The food was excellent! Thank you to our waitress for her kind service.

We were staying at the Peninsula and booked a table at ST. Somewhat noisy, with table spacing not ideal. Had to ask for the wine list, and then the wine was slow in coming. Food was absolutely first rate, beautifully prepared and presented -- hence the overall very good rating. Service was good, not great (maybe a bit understaffed for a busy restaurant, and we were never sure exactly who was responsible for our table). Overall experience probably suffered in comparison to the hotel experience, which was flawless.

Probably the worst Chinese restaurant I’ve ever been to. The peninsula chain should fire the chef or close the restaurant before it damages the good name of Peninsula. We ordered pot stickers had to return them as they were ice cold. The hot and sour shrimp soup with a generous portion of one shrimp was hot Nd edible. The Kung Pao chicken was sent back as it was cold and one could only see peanuts. The beef was inedible and sweet we sent it back two times the taste remained the same. Egg fried rice most probably couple of days ild dry and hard. Bock choy was the only decent item in the menu. It would have been better to have visited a hole in the wall most probably better food and for less than $50 bucks. If you want to be ripped off with the worst food then welcome to visit this restaurant.

Shanghai Terrace has one of the best dim sum in Chicago and we highly recommend for those who have not experienced. They use the finest ingredients and the chef from Shanghai makes great Shanghai dumplings, pork Shui Mai with truffles. How can you go wrong with that? Great service and ambience.

Wonderful place, from strters to main courses. Service impeccable in a lovely setting. Frankly I was surprised about how good it was.

Amazing experience visiting this restaurant. After seating your server asks for your name and during your course of meal refers to you by name. Service is a very upscale and courteous, with smiles sometimes. Expect to wait a bit between appetizers and main meal. I guess they give you some time to digest appetizer before you start your main meal. Dishes are delicious as well as desserts, prices are high, but I guess it's worth it. Selection of wines is big and for every taste. Location is right over the Michigan avenue (Magnificent mile) so it may get a bit noisy if you are sitting outside. But they have indoor seating as well. Be prepared to spend a triple digit amount for lunch and dinner also :) but I'm sure you will enjoy this experience.

The Peking duck was fantastic! I ordered the half order. It was beautifully presented, crispy ( not greasy) and flavorful. The lobster hot and sour soup was great on a cold, rainy Chicago day. The soup had a mild kick to it. The service was perfect, attentive but not over bearing. I would certainly return. The meal was a little pricey but certainly not unexpected for upscale premier Chinese food

My friend and I both loved it. When I lived in Chicago, which I did until three years ago, it was one of my favorite restaurants, and it remains just as good. The surroundings are lovely and there is an outdoor patio for when the weather is nice enough. My favorite dish was the lobster entree. It would be a wonderful place for a date or special occasion, or any time you want to have a lovely meal in a stunning place.

Today is the Autumn Moon Festival so we had to try out their mini-mooncakes. They have an egg custard filling and a crust. We paid $98 plus tax for a box of 8 mooncakes. We are willing to splurge for delicious treats but unfortunately they were overrated. They were good but not worth the price. The filling was bland and the crust was not flaky.

Elegant Chinese restaurant inside hotel Peninsula. We have dined here before and had a good time but now we returned after many years. We were a group of 7 and were celebrating a friend's birthday. Most of us were vegetarian. Now the menu has a lot of vegetarian choices... The food and service were both really exceptional....

Stopped in with my wife for a Dim Sum brunch. Everything we had was really good. Yes, it’s about 3 times higher priced than a Dim Sum place in Chinatown but I’d do it again in a second because we really enjoyed it. Also ordered Ning sling and passion sunrise drinks, they were also great. The bill was $126 for two of us. I don’t have a single complaint about this place and I’d recommend it if you are in Chicago and want to try something different.

My first trip to Chicago so it was recommended that we stop by the Peninsula Hotel. We found this place so decided to come back for dinner here. What a trip. Our waiters were Ryan & Michelle. We were treated royally. We had aired dim sum that is made there daily. We had the Peking Duck and noodles. All were excellent. Also at the end had the green tea cream brûlée. What a treat our evening was

A perennial favorite - this place has a great balance of ambiance, food and service. Nice place for dinner - and special event. Highly recommended

There is no need to be concerned about eating at 5* Hotel Restaurant! Shanghai Terrace is located within The Peninsula Hotel. From the moment you enter, during your dinner time and until you leave, you will feel like being in Asia while well taken care of. The Restaurant Manager, Julien, greets all his guests with a natural smile and very professional approach. Service is amazing, Max is very knowledgeable about the entire menu and his suggestions were well received. Great selection of Dim Sum, well presented and flavors are out of this world! You have to go with the 6 pcs Dim Sum sample platter to really try the most popular ones. I went for the black truffle scallops as my main dish and let me tell you...the execution of this dish was spot on! I will definitely pay one more visit to Shanghai Terrace as there were more dishes that I want to explore! Thank you for an amazing dinner time!

I love the ambiance of the restaurant, their cutlery and their servers. I had ordered a seafood noodle dish along with prawn dim sum and the whole experience was something to take home. The server were so attentive with their service and understanding of what the guest needs or wants and I was just so amazed at their people-skill and highly attentive service intuition.

The only saving grace for this expensive dinner was the attractive terrace, surrounded by spectacular buildings. We eat Peking Duck at our local Chinese in Australia on a regular basis and lived in Hong Kong for over 5 years, and this was, without doubt, the worst Peking Duck we have ever eaten. For the top Hong Kong based hotel to serve dry over cooked duck with soft skin in a pile on a plate and charge $88 for the privilege , was an insult to good Chinese cooking anywhere. When asked why it was not carved at the table like every other such dish we have ever eaten, the server said they tried that once, but it was too difficult for the staff! Apart from that, the dumplings were average and no better than any dim sum place. Very disappointing meal.

Excellent chinese food. Intimate and fantastic service. have dined here many times. Inside the Pen to boot.

While staying at The Peninsula, I decided to try Shanghai Terrace. The positive: the steamed pork soup dumplings were delicious. The mediocre: the peking duck and szchewan string beans were less than stellar. The string beans were cooked in garlic and chili paste but lacked a strong spice that is traditional. The duck was just average. If you’re looking for average, semi-traditional food paired with a lovely ambience and a premium price point, this is the place for you. If you’re just looking for good traditional food, head to Chinatown.

We were in Chicago for a week and of all the restaurants we visited, all outstanding themselves, Shanghai Terrace was heads above all of them. Located in the beautiful Peninsula Hotel, friendly, attentive and knowledgeable staff, excellent food and the terrace view was just such a wonderful experience. From letting us test the temperature on the terrace (105 heat index that day) to recommending food to bringing me a "purse chair" to educating us on drinks (Lucky Buddha and Passion Fruit) to explaining Peking duck pancakes to the absolutely beautiful and delicious desserts, this place exceeded all my expectations. I cannot recommend this place enough and I'm very thankful we got to experience it. Thank you to all the staff at Shanghai Terrace.

Very good Chinese food lovely chicken dishes Great options for vegetarian ad well In good weather the terrace is just the place far superior

We were lucky to have had Rene guide us through not just a dinner but a full experience. We had a relaxing unrushed experience outside under a heated umbrella. After eating the best Peking duck at Rosewood Beijing a few months ago, we decided to test Shanghai Terrace's chef from Beijing. The Peking Duck was just as tasty, and a more generous portion than in China. Great teamwork by Edison, Max (also a true professional and delightful conversationalist), and fellows. Rene helped us order (we appreciated no pressure or upsell), just the right amount and cost. Shanghai noodles; dumplings (vegetable, and spicy beef potsticker

We highly recommend the Peking Duck, Shanghai Dumplings, and Golden Shrimp. These dishes were exceptionally well-prepared and presented. The Lobster/Duck dumplings, free range chicken appetizer, and signature cocktails were good but not of the same quality. We were expecting a little more for the high prices. The Peninsula bestows its elegance on the restaurant. Service was attentive and the experience was most pleasant.

This restaurant was exactly what I had in mind when I craved well well executed Chinese food. Mainly Cantonese options with the added surprise of offering half portions for lots of dishes. Meant we could order more!! I would come back in a heart beat.

This was my first visit back to Shanghai Terrace since the pandemic started. My wife and I had lunch on the outdoor terrace. The food was excellent, but the service was poor. The problem did not occur until after we had finished our meal. We ask our waiter for a dessert menu. After about a half hour wait, we decided to get our check and leave. It took another half hour just to get the check. So, we spent an hour for lunch and another hour just waiting.

Elegant settings at the Peninsula Hotel. Good Wine list. Excellent service and food! Reservations very much necessary.

Beautiful setting, indoor and out a level below the elevated lobby level at The Peninsula. Excellent service, and a truly excellent Chinese menu. Loved the shu mai dumplings among a choice of various dumplings and soups. The Peking Duck was as good as it gets; and perfectly lightly cooked shrimp fried rice. Terrific mango tapioco for dessert. Excellent service.

Absolutely wonderful experience. Every dish was immaculate. Service impecable and atmosphere was soothing

Nice ambiance, modern and clean, lots of Chinese customers, and this is a positive sign. Service is outstanding. Food is rather unique. I had the foie gras dumplings, a sampler of Beijing duck and pork and as a main dish the pork belly. Not only all plates presentation was perfect but the taste was outstanding. In particular the pork belly was incredibly delicious. To be tried.

Food and service were excellent. Wait staff is efficient without being intrusive, informative on menu choices and eager to please the customer. Menu offers Dim Sung and many other Oriental specialties. Food is creative and combines many different flavors to produce outstanding dishes. Highly recommend this restaurant to everyone!!!!

This is our favorite Chinese restaurant. Its fine dining but the tastes are just delicious--5 spice duck, lavender ice cream, great alcohol selectiion. Has outdoor dining on a first come basis. Make sure to make a reservation.

We dined in a Friday evening and it was packed. Elegant decor and lovely staff made for a very nice meal. The menu has many American Favorites but the dishes are prepared with superior quality ingredients and the presentation very good. The dumplings were excellent with some imaginative offerings like the foie gras and duck. My stir fried beef entree was excellent. Overall a very good meal, but of course the prices do reflect its location and four star rating.

Concierge at my hotel recommended this place for upscale Chinese food. Setting is on 7th floor of the Peninsula Hotel. The decor is traditional Chinese. Staff helpful, efficient but not overbearing. Food is very tasty, visually a work of art and overall a great dining experience. We tried the dim sum sampler and soups. Lobster hot-n-sour was excellent as was the wonton soup. We split 2 dishes. Steamed fish (halibut). It was steamed to perfection with a ginger topping. Beef roll was unusual and very good. Too full for desert! Loved the place, but it is not cheap. Very much a must visit for a great dining experience on the Miracle Mile.

Since it is so bitter cold, we opted to eat in the hotel. This is a whole new take on Chinese...scallops with truffles, foie gras dumplings, great service and perfect atmosphere.

I went to Chicago with my wife and my two small kids (2 and 1 years old) I thought that it would be imposible to have dinner here with baby kids. The restaurant staff gave us a table with enough space so that we could accommodate our sleeping kids. The food was amazing. We love Chinese and this was one of the best Chinese dinners we ever had. Service was from another world and the hotel is beautiful

Lives upto the reputation. The Dim Sum's were exquisite, some very creative ones Lobster/Chicken with truffle, Shrimp & peas etc. Main courses were authentic Chinese, the Seafood Chop suey was tasty, Kung pao chicken very different than the pedestrian version. Scallops were huge & prepared with care, awesome. Lastly, service was extremely courteous. Fully satisfied.

My friend recommended Shanghai Terrace in the Peninsula Hotel for dim sum during my vacation and we gave this restaurant a try. We ordered the dim sum trio combination with duck fried rice and seafood chow mein. The truffled shui mai and har gow were elegantly plated and they were delicious. We didn't really need all the sauce provided since they were well seasoned already. Service was wonderful and restaurant decor is exquisite.

This is one of the restaurants at the Peninsula hotel. Located several floors above street level, it offers indoor and outdoor seating. Service is careful, helpful and effective. The menu is based on Chinese culinary creations and everything it offers is perfectly done and beautifully presented. Our favorite selection was the Peking duck: done to perfection and served with the classical accoutrements. The wine selection is quite good, especially for an Asian restaurant.

Shanghai Terrace is not like the great small and/or hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurants in Chicago's Chinatown. It is an elegant white tablecloth restaurant in Chicago's Peninsula Hotel, and it is priced accordingly. But do not think that you get standard, Americanized Chinese cuisine here. What you get is very high quality Shanghai and Cantonese style cuisine, expertly prepared with extraordinarily fresh ingredients cooked to precisely the correct degree. Very fresh vegetables never overcooked, delicate sauces applied lightly, and a rich array of flavors. The Peking duck is wonderful, the Tea soaked Chilean sea bass is exquisitely delicate, the spicy sweet chili prawns have a nice kick to them (not of course as spicy as a Sichuan dish would be, but still with a nice hotness), and so it goes. A wide selection, very helpful servers, and first rate food; it all makes for a terrific fine dining experience.

We've been meaning to go here for years. Our friends, who live locally, have always said how great this restaurant is. They were SO right. Food is amazing, very cleanly presented and you can tell with the freshest of ingredients. The service was impeccable. And the location and ambiance were absolutely terrific. GREAT Chinese food and we will go back as often as possible. Too cold for us to sit outside, but weather permitting, we understand this makes it an even more extraordinary experience.

Ate here as a guest in the hotel recently as reviews seemed very positive. Was quite disappointed on the whole. For a place where folks' reviews focus on the food my only positive was the cocktail. Dim sum were actually very nice but main was too sweet/sickly and for the amount it costs it was quite literally no more tasty than a regular chinese takeaway which we could have had for a feaction of the cost. So no differentiator for me.

Food was awesome. Servers were friendly. They even let us order a few items from lunch menu for dinner....steamed pork buns! Definitely get a reservation.

To start, I'd like to make a full disclosure that the hotel Management generously credited us the entire cost of our meal after I explained my disappointment the day after our dinner. Nevertheless, I feel I must still write this review despite the truly generous response by the Peninsula. I felt embarrassed to have voiced my incredibly bad experience because I wasn't appealing for a comped meal. I was simply livid from our experience. Perhaps I seem ungrateful under the circumstances. But my experience was not caused by mistakes that happen or by service glitches or even cold food. Our experience at this restaurant was so poor: food and service. As guests at the Peninsula we were really looking forward to a special dinner at the Shanghai Terrace. In fact, days (at least) before my arrival I contacted the hotel concierge to book a table. I also confirmed that this was a truly elegant restaurant with great food. He responded it was #1 in Chicago: the Peking Duck a specialty. At some point I had also mentioned it was my son's 17th birthday and I simply asked for a nice table: my one and only request. First: I was really surprised the restaurant looked nothing like the photos. The restaurant looks elegant on the hotel's website. When I arrived at the restaurant, basically in the basement of the hotel, I was caught off guard: i couldn't believe this awkward, narrow room was the whole restaurant. It was neither elegant nor intimate or special. It struck me as a retro-fitted coffee shop; with ugly granite-topped tables that were shoved in so tightly to each other. The reception desk was packed in awkwardly: it was so close to the first table that a gentleman dining solo refused to take it. When I approached the receptionist I told her we had a reservation. She preposterously had "trouble" locating it even though I had reconfirmed about thirty minutes prior to our arrival, we were staying at the hotel, and (as I later learned) they had already noted my son's birthday which I had not mentioned. (Im sure the concierge gave the message.). She started the evening off in a terrible note and we should have left. The incredibly condescending young woman basically sneered at us (and we were dressed appropriately which I cannot say for many of the other patrons). She proceeded to give us the absolutely worst table in the restaurant. It was so close to the bus station that my son's elbow was touching the station and it was hidden in a back corner as if it wasn't really in the restaurant. If a bad table is generally referred to as located in "Siberia", this table was on Jupiter. I said something to this haughty (comically superior, really) person; she only offered us the tiny table right when you walk in (which had been rejected by a solo diner)...clearly too small for three of us. She then said we could eat in the private dining room. I'm not sure what that meant but it was an even more coffee-shop looking alcove off the main dining room occupied by single diners, wearing sneakers and skyping or video chatting with computers fighting for space on the tables. It felt, looked and sounded little Starbucks. "Elegant" and this " Shanghai Terrace"are not synonyms. As we had especially asked for a nice table we noticed one empty table that was a bit nicer. I was told it was "reserved for someone special." Our drinks were thoughtlessly made and poorly presented...like a cheap restaurant. Laughably, they wouldn't serve my 34 year old daughter until she went all the way back to her room to get her driver's license! She had checked in to the hotel, had her own room and has her own Platinum Amex; I personally vouched, on my word, as to her age, etc. Nope. (a random bar, ok...but here? ) I am certain it was retaliation from the receptionist who never stopped whispering and pointing at us all night. We ordered far too much of the most expensive dishes. Our main dishes were stone cold. (scallops were excellent although cold). The fried rice was terrible. And then the dried out Peking Duck. Not only did our waiter fail to serve this $78.00 dish, the kitchen runner dropped the food, and as he was carrying away dirty plates he actually said: " did you ever it this before? Just eat it like a taco! There are two sauces. Try them!" That's it!?! The most elegant Chinese restaurant in Chicago serves their expensive $78 specialty without any respect whatsoever? Our server never made an appearance. The cold food aggravated me but the hostess had been so awful I was afraid to send the dish back or complain. Finally, the crowning moment: I noticed the people who had also ordered duck had small bowls of rice. I asked for some rice. I was told we were entitled to two portions of rice. Just insulting, petty and wrong! She didn't bother to ask why we hadn't been eating the special rice we ordered or if the food was good. Awful food, awful service, awful table. I just couldn't stand anymore. I got up and left and instructed them to give the check to me daughter. Bizarrely they brought out a small dessert cake thing for my son. And insisted on packing up all the leftovers even though we were staying at the hotel. I appreciate the hotel manager listened to this tale and generously refunded the dinner. But the smack in the face of that mean spirited hostess and cold, indifferent food and inelegant service in a coffee shop m/Starbucks setting still added up to a notably horrible evening. Sad.

The weather, the wine, the food, the occasion,just absolutely the best .the food and service top notch. Please have dinner here, whether or not you're staying at the Peninsula!!

Dined with husband on a Saturday night. Nice ambiance. Service is very good. We got carded when we ordered cocktails which I thought was strange for high end restaurant. Cocktails are liberal with the alcohol. Had the Peking duck salad and it was excellent; tangerine hazelnut dressing was delicious; wonton shell added great crunch. Spicy sweet prawns and grilled prawns also very good. A bit pricey for Asian dinner. Over $200 for 2 for dinner with drinks. Dessert menu had little to desire. Overall very good meal.

COVID has simply changed everything - our mental, physical, and social lives. Restaurants are no exception to this and during my last visit to Shanghai Terrace on Aug 7th - Friday, you could see areas where service, quality of cooking, and management have deteriorated. Shanghai Terrace personally has a special spot in my heart as I used to go least once a month with various friends or family members and still expect to. This may have been an off day, but I'll update the review on my next trip coming up soon. We ordered about 6 dishes for two of us and none of them were exceptional except the dimsum. Dimsum - 5 / 5 - We ordered the Black Truffle and Chicken / Lobster Dimsum which was actually amazing - not overly salted with the perfect flavor and piping hot which is always good for dimsum. If you are coming post COVID shutdown, i would stick to dimsum as the main dishes are some what off compared to previous seasons. Dishes - 2/5 to 3/5 - We ordered the String Beans (way too salty - even had to send this back to be recooked with no / less salt --> when you put an item in your mouth, you shouldn't be expected to be overwhelmed with actual salt crystals all over your tongue - this should be dissolved or mixed into the food), Asparagus (Vegetable Trio Treasure - salty); the dongbo pork belly (great presentation but the salt was excessive); the kung pao chicken and the Beef Wagyu Fried Rice were decent and less salty compared to the other dishes. Drinks - Ordered the Lychee Martini and Old Fashion - 5/5. Strong and perfectly balanced. Service - 3/5 - Waters were not refilled proactively. I asked on 2 separate occasions - with an empty water glass for over 10 mins. White rice wasn't brought out until we asked twice. They may have been understaffed given COVID - or the tables are spaced too far apart which impedes their ability to have awareness of other tables' service needs. The bill including a 25% tip I personally wanted to give - yes, for mediocre service - was around $225. (I'm still very understanding of all service staff during these rough times due to COVID and them figuring out their 'norm' so I'm giving everyone a pass for a month or two) All in all, my guest didn't like the food claiming everything was overly salty. I told her it was an off day and next time, we could expect the great service and food that I was historically accustomed to. Let's hope...

Brillant food and service. Half order of Peking Duck now on the menu and fabulous. Everything on the menu quite good as have tried most of the items. Abalone is for high rollers and a specialty item that you have to love to order and pay the price. I pass on the abalone dishes. Only complaint is that the wine list is very expensive and corkage fee is high at $45 a bottle.

The 6 piece sampler with 3 sauces was a delight of dim sum. Followed by Peking Duck with 8 pancakes for a half order. Service and decor were impeccable.

If you enjoy Chinese food; hold your chopsticks!!! This one is a "must do" on your next trip to Chicago. The Drake Hotel concierge recommended this restaurant and what a fantastic experience. This restaurant is located in The Peninsula Hotel and I would recommend a reservation. Setting is very nice and comfortable and the food is the best Chinese I have ever had. The staff truly makes this dining experience outstanding.

I love rooftop views, and Shanghai Terrace is a great one. With views of the Hancock building among others, this tranquil terrace surrounded by beautiful foliage is the perfect place to relax for an hour. We got downtown early for our dinner at Joe's Seafood and Prime Steak (great meal), and wandered up Michigan avenue to the stunning Peninsula Hotel. The terrace had a perfect couch and comfortable chair section available for our party of two adults and three teen kids. The drinks were great - including several fun virgin drinks for the kids. Highly recommend this spot day in the evening!!

We were staying in the peninsula hotel so this was convenient. However, the food was superb. Usually hotel food is not but this is a great exception! We ordered several items to share. Dim sum was wonderful. Crispy duck and spicy prawns great as well. Since it was late fall we could only eat inside but the terrace (with view!) in nice weather would take this over the top! And such a great location!! The wine and drink selection, and service were great. If I lived in Chicago this would be a great go-to destination! Also good for special occasions and group sharing.

Stayed in Peninsula and had 3 dinners in this restaurant. Always perfect! Wonderful service, great selection of food and alcohol. Food was fantastic! Love this restaurant!

Exquisite food and impeccable service in a casual, comfortable setting. Every staff member seemed genuinely concerned with our satisfaction.

We were 6 people and had a table with a beautiful view. The menu had a wide variety and it all sounded so good. We ordered a lot of different dishes. Highlights for me were the eggplant, the shredded beef, and the steamed halibut...but it was all very very good. The staff is very attentive and charming. It is expensive and has a bit of a party atmosphere but not too loud. The tables are well spaced apart from each other. Highly recommended for locals and out of town guests too. Delicious, well-prepared, interesting food....a far cry from a typical neighborhood Chinese restaurant.

We loved it here-busy Saturday night and we were seated promptly at reservation time. Attentive, knowledgeable and friendly service paired with delicious food. The chocolates served with our check were absolutely divine. Highly recommend.

My mum and I hosted a dear (Asian) friend (almost family) to his first time dinner at Shanghai Terrace and he was extremely impressed. We ourselves come to ST at least once whenever we travel to Chicago, and we've been doing so for 10 years. This dinner was the best ever in these 10 years. Instead of trying to be modern/cutesy, last evening's dinner was authentic Chinese (but not old fashioned) at its very best. Thus, making the evening special in every way. From the dim sum sampler (yes, well balanced flavors and thin skin for the dumplings) to the Peking duck with crispy skin, and the stir fried Chinese veggies, sea bass (exquisite), char siew, mapo tofu and seafood fried rice, everything was outstanding. As always, Max gave superlative service. I am looking forward to returning when in Chicago.

This restaurant is inside the Peninsula Hotel and is very beautiful. I ordered the 5-course tasting menu, and my husband had the 3-course tasting menu. The food was good but, for the price, we expected better. For example, my soup course was some type of sweet potato broth that I didn't care for; my husband's hot & sour soup was much better. Not until removing our soup dishes was I offered a substitute -- too late! It's a lovely restaurant with good food. We enjoy "fine dining" but didn't feel that this place hit the mark for us.

What a treat to dine at Shanghai Terrace. Dined indoors since it was raining but it is a beautiful space. Patio/terrace looks awesome when weather permits too. Enjoyed service, space and ambience. And, our meal was expectedly superb—everything else pointed to food that would deliver. The dumplings are excellent and the half-orders for entrees are generous so we enjoyed exploring a few dishes. The Peking duck is great but the fried rice was surprisingly delicious and so are the vegetables. This is a lovely and special place!

Yum!! I love the Shanghai Terrace. It had been awhile since we had enjoyed it but we were glad for a revisit. We sat on the lovely outdoor terrace and it was a magical setting and evening. The food was as always, delicious and the service was excellent. I feel like the experience is rather intimate with the tables not too close to each other. My husband and I could enjoy a meal and a conversation feeling like we didn't have people so close to us and listening in on everything we were saying. Each time I visit Chicago, I have to eat here and I have never been disappointed.

Most of the dishes we had were fabulously delicious. We were disappointed with the Peking Duck not because it wasn't good but because it was only one course. Usually (we are from Vancouver with some the of best Chinese Restaurants) it is served in 3 courses. The dumplings were to live for and the other dishes really good. The service was excellent and the restaurant had very nice ambience.

We have dined at Chicago's Peninsula Hotel at 108 East Superior, a few steps west of North Michigan Avenue, on several occasions. Its former signature restaurant closed a few years ago. But we never tried the Shanghai Terrace until recently, perhaps because we never were anxious to sample Chinese cuisine. But we like Thai food. So why not Chinese? Shanghai Terrace is one of Chicago's finest restaurants, high-end Chinese dining amid a swanky 1930s-era decor. According to the Zagat Survey, it is the top-rated Chinese restaurant in Chicago. And chef Elmo Han's establishment has earned a AAA Four Diamond Award. The service is impeccable, the atmosphere is elegant, the menu is overwhelming and the food is exquisite. The only problem was, because we are newcomers to the Chinese dining scene, we didn't know which items to choose. There were so many to choose from. Finally, with our waiter's knowledgable assistance, we settled on Shrimp Spring Roll and BBQ pork bun for appetizers. Next time, we definitely will sample the steamed pork dumpling Shanghai style and the lobster and chicken dumpling with black truffle or the bean curd roll with shrimp and scallop or the spicy beef pot sticker. See what I mean? There are so many tasty options. The Cloud Ear Mushroom Salad was very appetizing, too, with bamboo, bell peppers, spring onion and black vinegar sauce. For an entree, my wife ordered the signature Peking Duck, a traditional Peking Duck with mandarin pancakes. I couldn't resist the Golden Shrimp. But I must admit I was tempted by the Chinese style beef tenderloin. Probably next time. For dessert, we wanted to share one item but we couldn't decide which one. So we ordered the Green Tea White Chocolate Raspberry Cake with raspberry sorbet and the Asian Pear Tatin, macadamia cake (my wife's favorite) with pineapple cream and mandarin sorbet and shared them both. It was the first time we've ever had an all-Chinese meal and it was wonderful.

Food reminded me of my time in Asia. The dim sum was just right portions and very tasty. The shanghai pork dumplings were just like I had in Shanghai and we had 2 mains to share that were plenty tasty and right portion for sharing. Service was spot on. This isn't typical "American" Chinese but fine dining. Very nice and well worth it.

We ate quite late on a Friday night and the staff politely seated us, even though our reservation was for 2 1/2 hours earlier. Plane delay at Midway. Waiter was a fun guy and did his very best. We had the cucumber salad which is not a salad. It is a thinly sliced pickled cucumber. It was just OK, not any unique or memorable flavors. Bad explanation of the actual dish. For a main, we split the Peking duck. Duck was dry and not very tasty. Pancakes were getting stale and chewy. Greens were good. Sauces were good. Overall, one can find great Chinese cuisine at any number of other places - just not here. And not for these crazy prices.

Ordered a bottle of wine and dim sum on the patio. Beautiful views, menu, wine list, and service. Period

it has really improved from the last time we went there .we loved the crab and sweet corn soup. But the brownie tasted like chocolate 🍫bisscut pudding 🍮 evrithing was perfect. Service was awesome. I would surely go there again

Shanghai Terrace is part of Chicago's Peninsula Hotel, but it's not your typical hotel restaurant. The indoor section is relatively small, and tastefully decorated in a vaguely old-time Shanghai style. There is also a larger outdoor terrace area that can be pleasant in the right weather. The servers are very professional and willing to help with menu selection. Most of them are from the far East--we've had several from Hong Kong and one from Thailand. The menu is not cutting-edge or particularly exotic--mostly your standard Shanghai-Canton offerings (though they do offer Peking duck). But, the dishes are well cooked, well seasoned, and attractively plated. We like to take a party of three or four and select dishes that we pass around and share. On our last visit, we were three diners, and we shared three dim sum dishes followed by three entrees. In the dim sum, we particularly liked the beef potstickers and the lobster-chicken dumplings. For entrees, we were very happy with the market fish fillet (halibut) and the kung pao shrimp (not on the menu, but the server was happy to arrange). We weren't as fond of the Asian vegetables--too much broccolini. For the three of us, including copious bottled water and a drink each, the bill came to just under $225.

I like the delicious and authentic Chinese food. Service was great and the restaurant was easy to find.

Peking duck was highlight of an exquisite meal in every way. Dumplings were delectable too. Reservation a must. Cocktails were expertly mixed too.