Pomp & Circumstance

I recently had the worst brunch experience of my life at this place. First, I called and left a voicemail to reserve a table for 3. No one called me back and I called twice more to try and get someone and no one answered. We walked in at 12 and asked for a table and they immediately asked if we’d made a reservation. I explained that I had called three times to attempt to and they did not apologize but said they had been really busy that day. This was all pretty understandable and I would have been willing to let it slide if we’d had a good experience…
We waited a half hour for a table, not unusual. The restaurant was cold due to the front door not ever shutting properly. The people sitting close to it kept their coats on the whole time.
We sat down and waited a good 15 minutes before someone checked on us. We asked for coffee. The coffee never came. When the server came back to take our order we had to ask for the coffee again. When it came it was a tiny cup and we figured, welp, that’s all we get I guess.
We ordered our food and waited over an hour for it. It finally came at 2:30pm (2.5 hours after we walked in the door). One of my friends never got her toast, another had to ask several times for missing things (side of sausage, potatoes, jam and butter for the toast). My burger came without the lettuce I’d requested and was extremely dry (I ordered medium rare and was looking forward to the Pomp Sauce but barely found a trace of it).
My friend gave up on her toast because we wanted to get out of there ASAP. Our server was visibly stressed out and overwhelmed so we felt bad asking for anything. They did knock a few dollars off our bill at the end after we requested it, but I will never be going back.
I’ve never felt compelled to write a Unilocal review before this, it was that bad.

I can’t speak to the bar or what this place is like in the evenings, but I can easily say that our brunch experience was the worst we have ever had in Chicago. Showed up at about 12:30 on a Saturday — waited about an hour for a table when we had originally been quoted a 15 minute wait.
Had a bloody mary while we waited — fine.
Once we were seated it took another 15 – 20 minutes for the server to come. We eventually placed our order. Had to remind the server about out coffee — we got it about 30 minutes after we ordered.
Food came an hour later — kind of. They forgot about half the items, dishes were different than stated on the menu and when we asked why we didn’t get them, the manager (who at this point was bringing out all the food for the whole restaurant), acted like we were crazy. We ate as fast as we could and got out of there. We were in there for over THREE hours. Insanity. All I can say is don’t go for brunch — it was a nightmare.
It was clear they were extremely understaffed and that the kitchen staff didn’t know the menu. It was also FREEZING cold.

The boyfriend and I decided to give Pomp & Circumstance a try on a Friday night. We were able to get a reservation last minute which was great, albeit I was a tad skeptical because let’s be real, it’s not easy getting a last minute reservation in Chicago on a FRIDAY night. But we made it!
Initial thought upon entering: Awesome vibe, unique vintage décor, and real candles that were lit with real fire! I loved it! And the photos following you up the staircase to the lounge were right up my alley.
Play-​by-​play: Once we were seated, we had to wait quite some time for our waitress to notice we were even there. Granted it was a busy night and we were in a corner, but I was still a little surprised that it took 15 minutes to be noticed. Finally! She does!
First, we order our drinks. An Old Fashioned for me and a PBR for the boyfriend. This took about another 10 – 15 minutes to receive. They weren’t the craziest of drink orders so once again, we were surprised at the wait. Now by no means do we want to be rushed through our date, but it would be nice to have our drinks early so we can peruse the menu whilst sipping. Then we ordered our food which consisted of a Chicken Caesar Salad and Scallops. And yet another long wait for a surprisingly light meal. Last, but not least, we order the cheesecake for dessert. AND OH MY GOSH, it was amazing! This was, by far, the highlight of the meal for the both of us. It was surprisingly big and only $ 7 so that was a nice.
Final synopsis: Even though our waitress was very, very nice, she could have been a little more attentive. The table next to us told us that they had been having the same issue with waiting a long time for drinks and food so we weren’t alone in our feelings. All in all, we will go back again for that cheesecake! And to give the menu another try. Hopefully this time around, the service will be a little quicker!

This restaurant has the makings of something great, but doesn’t yet deliver. The gorgeous building, great décor, and old fashioned table-​side bar cart are but a few of the great elements of this restaurant. Unfortunately the service – while very friendly– was quite underwhelming. Our entrée order was completely wrong, when we ordered old fashioneds from the bar cart they were made at the bar, our steak was overdone and everything else was quite average. The brownie dessert is a definite no. The cocktails, however, were quite good (try the sidecar)! I would consider coming back to see if this was an off-​night, but in a city like Chicago with so many exceptional restaurants, it is not likely.

They painted a turd gold.
–Service was slow.
–It’s absolutely freezing up front.
— food was mediocre and expensive
— Poor attempt to lure Old Town crowds into thinking they are getting a quality dining experience.

I’ve been too Pomp & Circ a few times now and the food and drinks are always utterly amazing.
I was in a week or so ago for a friend’s birthday party and ordered a classic cocktail the bartenders weren’t familiar with, but they made it anyways although I was quite dissatisfied with it. One of the bartenders Sean, however got wind of my lack of desire to order a second one and remade it multiple times with his fellow barmates Ty, and Brandon until they all got it just right! Sean was just great and genuinely seemed to care whether or not I loved my drink!

Overly disappointed in our visit here. We wanted to stop by for drinks. It was pretty crowded when we got there. The first thing we noticed was how awkward everything was arranged. There seemed to be no order to anything. Service was slow. We ordered our drinks and asked for water as well. It took awhile to get our drinks, but they were busy so it was expected. We never got our waters. The drinks were not $ 13 quality. There was too much ice and they didn’t taste like anything special. I’d been wanting to try this place for a few weeks, but now I’m wishing we hadn’t even gone. It looks to have so much potential, but it was a fail for us.

A play on words? For «Pomp and circumstance» is all about grandeur and this place is about as down to earth as they come. But the name did give us something to talk about during our dinner here the other night.
Pomp and Circumstance (P&C) surely has one of the longest bar names in Chicago! But a bar with all of these little nooks and crannies to tuck away into, it worthy of such a moniker.
As you enter the first floor bar and dining area, there is a fireplace and hightop and booths tucked away on one side with the bar lining the other. The bar is showing vintage movies from the 40’s and 50’s and on the day I was there they were offering a «Beatnik special «(Malort anyone? I had to order some just for the uninitiated in our group). Crist (sp?) at the bar was great, mixing up our drinks and quick with suggestions. He even stuffed some bleu cheese into olives for my martini. Sweet!
We were a group of 8 so we had a couple of tables pushed together on the back patio. The roof looks to be retractable so this will be a great place to sit outside in the summer and have some cocktails. And during the cooler moths, they also have heaters out there so you are never cold. The only downside? It’s loud out there.
Upstairs there is a more loungey type space, with softer chairs, another bar and a corner banquette that looks perfect for gathering with friends.
For dinner we had a wide range of the menu. Our favs? The bacon wrapped dates, the Cheeseburger and the mussels. We ordered the cheese plate but felt it was a little colloquial, offering up some pretty basic cheeses and in need of more bread. The chicken came in a close second to the burger, though. Service was just okay as there were long gaps between seeing the server and we had to flag someone down to get us more water.
The décor is comfortable ad not fancy. And the music ranged from the 50’s to the 80’s with the 60’s being the sweet spot.
All in all, P&C is off to a great start. Hopefully with a name like that, they are going to have a whole «parade» of great reviews!

Jon and I were in town to celebrate the New Year and what better way to kick off 2016 than with a little Pomp & Circumstance (pun intended!!).
AMBIANCE:
* This review pertains to the second floor only. I was told that the manager was a former Manhattanite, which may be why the restaurant has that underground-​hipster, but shabby-​chic vibe. Depending on where you sat, you could envision yourself in a speakeasy or in someone’s parlor. We reserved the best seats in the house, the booth next to the DJ and in front of the bar. If you’re coming with a group of friends (seating approximately 4 – 6), get that booth! Who knows, karaōke night might be in your cards since you’re so close in proximity to alcohol and music.
COCKTAILS:
* Sean was the best bartender, and he whipped up some fun drinks through the night. I loved «When the Smoke Clears,» it tasted like a mix between a mojito, a julep, with bubbly champagne. And many thanks to the restaurant for the additional champagne throughout the night!
FOOD:
The New Year menu was drool-​worthy, I’m still dreaming about that medium-​rare steak and mushroom ravioli. I noticed that the New Year menu is not offered on the regular menu, so I won’t bore you with the delicious, delicious details. However, if steak and or ravioli are ever offered on the menu, GET IT! Or if you’re hosting a private event there, ask about that steak and ravioli you read about on some random Unilocaler’s review.

Walked in and loved the vibe and music.
We had a great time last night with Sean and Chris behind the bar. Their knowledge of the cocktail menu, as well as being awesome conversationalist made my time enjoyable. Sean suggested a cocktail called, when the smoke clears and it was amazing.
When we asked about food, they suggested the bacon wrap dates and the cheeseburger. Honestly both were tasty, and the burger was one of the best i have had in quite sometime.
Overall we had a great night. I strongly recommend checking out this one of a kind place. I know we will be back to see our two new favorite bartenders soon. Thanks guys!!!

Love this new spot! Great music, great atmosphere and amazing drinks! The bar downstairs is cool and the food is great. On the weekends, go upstairs! Sean is awesome… he makes amazing cocktails (who knew an OF was an old fashioned??!) and good conversation all night to boot. Love this addition to the neighborhood!

Came here last night to try this new place out. I had the pork chop and my friend had a burger and the hot fudge brownie dessert. My pork chop come without a bone and cut into pieces and was a little too fatty but I ate it all because it was good with the fries. My friend said her food was good too. The place was packed by 8pm but it is a smaller venue. The temperature also fluctuated from being warm to cold. Overall pleasant experience and affordable. Will come again to try the drink menu.

Overall just an okay experience from ambiance to service to desserts to cocktails. The only highlight was the apple cobbler — everything else was just blah.
They have a cute patio in the back which they’ve tried to convert to a winter-​proof spot but it’s still really cold. The cocktails took so long and weren’t even mixed well.

New, trendy place in the Old Town neighborhood. The ambiance is nice but I’m not sure I’d go back. The food is nothing special. I tried the lobster roll. I’ve had better at other places in the city. Everyone else I was with like their food but it was nothing they’ve rave about.

Very cute place! Outstanding food, anything you order is a winner! I was very impressed with their oysters, crab rangoon, their gourmet burger and a side of brussel sprouts… A+ on food and presentation!
With this said, I still gave them only 3 stars, here is why:
Terrible diner-​style dessert. The brownie felt old, and was presented barely warm with a scoop of very average ice cream and a canned cherry on top… Sad.
The place is tiny and has two entrances near each other, with no double-​doors (a must for Chicago!) so it gets really drafty and cold with every person walking in or out, you have to sit with your coat on.
Another strike against them was the service. Although the rest of their staff were very nice and willing to step in to help us, our waitress (also polite) was unfortunately not capable of waiting tables. She mixed up our orders and was MIA most of the time.
Wine list needs improvement. The only non-​California red was a Malbec and they were out of it. All the other reds were California cabs. If the management is reading this, please feel free to reach out, it would be my pleasure to help you with your wine list!

Welcome to Old Town, Pomp & Circumstance! Check out the statement-​making 10 foot entrance door.
Think speak easy interior décor, fresh farm to table food, and crowd pleasing hits from the 60s and 70s playing («Thriller», «Hit the Road Jack», and a few token Stevie Wonder jams). It makes for a fun environment! I can’t wait to come back! The extensive drink list is calling my name.
Though the food is incredibly tasty, you won’t have to graduate into your fat pants because the portions are appropriately sized. I enjoyed a lobster roll (mayo based), though it wasn’t my favorite, as it could have used more lobster (like always!) and less greens. Highly recommend the roasted cauliflower or brussel sprouts as healthy and flavorful sides ($ 8 each)! The brussel sprouts were extra crispy on the outside and dressed perfectly. My husband inhaled the scallop entrée, which is served on top of onions and a butternut squash purée.
My only gripe is that the price point is a bit high. Our dinner for 2 was about $ 85 after tax and tip.

Stopped by on Saturday night with some friends to grab drinks. The atmosphere and ambiance of this place are great. On top of that, service here is amazing! Our bartender, Ryan, was the BEST! He was really friendly and took care of us even though we were sitting in a booth behind the bar. He recommended some drinks and they were all fantastic.
It sounded like they have additional seating on the back patio and upstairs, but we didn’t venture to check these areas out. They also have a few TVs in the main bar area if you want to catch a game. If you’re in the Old Town area, I highly recommend you stop by!

Hmmm I’m really debating between the 4 and 5 stars, but I think this place is worthy of 5 stars.
I stopped by for a preview last night and was very pleasantly surprised. Old Town usually isn’t my hood of choice, but I think I can make an exception for Pomp & Circumstance. I didn’t care much for the watermelon cooler— a lot of watermelon cocktails seem to disappoint me though, so I guess I have high standards for that. I really liked the Pink Lady though– had a few of those last night. I tried a sip of the North Park Ave, and as much as I love me a stiff drink, this is definitely a man’s drink — - there is no frou frou in any of that shit.
The bacon wrapped dates were done superbly here, but what blew me away were the burgers here… omg the sides of the burger bun were crisp, and the burger was so juicy that the juice squirted out the other end when I bit into it. Soooo good.
Will definitely have to hit up this place again.

Just visited Pomp and Circumstance and the only thing that topped the food was our amazing bartender John. Not only was he super friendly, he was very knowledgable about the cocktails and beer that matched our style. I recommend the Pink Lady and the North Park Ave. Both were very tasty and I enjoyed watching John work his magic! If you go for dinner try starting with the bacon dates. The bacon was perfectly crisp and the dates were big and plump. The Pomp Burger was also delicious. It’s a double patty topped with butterkase cheese, house pickles, pomp sauce, shredded lettuce, tomato and red onion. The burger was perfectly cooked and perfectly juicy.
Pomp and Circumstance is a great addition to Old Town. For amazing drinks and great food go check this place out!

Old Town’s latest attraction! And by the looks of it, one that will last! A speak easy kinda cocktail bar with amazing drinks.
The roasted cauliflower is a must must must try!
Ambience is so 60s, which I dig!
Staff is super friendly and music is perfect!
Will most certainly be coming back here for more.