Photo reference: http://www.pumproom.com/
So the Pump Room is essentially a restaurant / lounge area located in the Public Chicago Hotel. It was first established in 1938 as part of The Ambassador East hotel. The Ambassador East hotel was sold in 2010 and completely remodeled as the Public Chicago Hotel and the Pump Room was reopened in fall 2011. To add to it's new attractions, it's food concepts are by world renowned culinary chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
After reading about the history of the Pump Room, my first appeal towards it was the impressive list of who's who of 1920's pop culture icons such as Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Olivia Newton-John (absolutely adore her!), Humphrey Bogart and so on who were regulars at the Pump Room. The location was a little hard to find being as it is a part of the Public Chicago Hotel. On first glance, the hotel is evident and a closer look reveals the entrance to the Pump Room towards the side of the hotel. The area surrounding it is your typical plush and quiet Gold Coast location, as good as it gets. Surprisingly there was ample street and public parking seconds away from the entrance and a seemingly efficient valet service as well.
Upon entering, you are greeted with photographs of the aforementioned celebrities (and many more) in the passageway. The black and white photographs are an instant contrast to the interior decor of the place that can be glimpsed through the glass entrance doors. Having said that, once you enter in you are taken aback by the contemporary and classy decor. No points for guessing that the original Pump Room has been completely revamped but hey! we ain't complaining.
It was a good thing we had reservations since the wait was a staggering 2-2.5 hours (ouch!). The lounge and bar area of the Pump Room was super packed. If you have a suit or a fabulous dress that you're itching to wear, wear it! You will not be disappointed. All around you are folks dressed to kill and having an excellent time. And that's exactly what we did too!
We ordered a couple of martinis (for the girls) and beer (for the guys). The cost was on the high side, but that was expected from a place like this (think $12 martinis). The service was a tad bit on the slower side, but I want to let that pass given the sheer number of folks who were there. The bartenders wall with the uber cool brands and names was very very contemporary and chic. Unfortunately we had decided to meet here for drinks and so had already eaten by the time we reached this place. Sure wished I hadn't though. Well, something for the next time, eh? So all in all, we had a fabulous time. Would highly recommend this place for the decor, the people, and yes the history attached to it! Ciao!
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