The Dec Rooftop Lounge + Bar

The Dec was Disappointing. I expect more from a Ritz Carlton. What’s sad is that it could be so much more, but seems more like a tired B hotel bar rather than an awesome supercool space in the heart of a great city. Specifically, cocktails are the name of the game in this town right now, and these were overpriced and nothing special — sounded good, but the actual product fell flat. No small snacks which was really odd — not everybody wants to eat full on salads, sandwiches and entrees on a rooftop bar — more appetizers are needed, and nuts or pretzels would be appreciated. Livingsocial coupon adverse — staff was not trained on how to take it, and it was awkward. I really believe that if you put out a groupon, then be prepared, and be gracious — after all, it is a great business opportunity to win some customer loyalty! I went twice, and the second time did not really improve over the first. C’mon Ritz, step it up and be the great hotel destination that we know you can be!

Fabulous sunny afternoon on The Dec! After a disappointing experience on another hotel rooftop, we headed to the Four Seasons. I expected it to be stuffy and really not my style. Boy was I wrong!
The rooftop is chic and has plenty of seating for various sized groups. Sarah was our server and took great care of us. She was funny, had great suggestions and always appeared as our cocktails were drained. Totally added to the experience.
The Cottontail (vodka, peach, apricot and mint) was the winner of the day! Light and refreshing, it was the perfect summer cocktail. I was nursing Old Fashioneds, which were perfect and my friends tried a couple other classic cocktails, all of which were perfection!
We sampled the pretzels (yum!), bucket of bon bons (how can you go wrong??) and the sundae, which had donut holes at the bottom. I mean, how can you go wrong?
Highly recommend, it’s my new fave spot!

We went here on a beautiful Saturday to soak up the sun and enjoy some drinks. We were told that The Dec isn’t open for another 2 weeks, so there’s no service outside until then. However, you can purchase a drink at the bar inside and just bring it w/​you outside, which is what we ended up doing.
We kept it simple and ordered a few Jameson and ginger ales. Our drinks were good (it’s pretty hard to mess up a Jameson and ginger ale anyway), the bartender was super nice, and the prices were as expected (for being at the Ritz-​Carlton and in a major city like Chicago).
The ambiance here is great. The outdoor lounge is upscale, modern, and casual. It’s a very relaxed environment, as the other couples that were there were doing the same thing we were — sipping on some beverages on a nice warm day and having a nice conversation. Throughout the 2.5 hours that we were there, it never got crowded, which added to the laid back atmosphere. Although there are other rooftop lounges/​bars w/​a better view, that didn’t make us like The Dec any lesser.
Although there wasn’t service outside, every staff member we encountered was very friendly, professional, and helpful (as expected at the Ritz). One of the staff members even gave us recommendations for OTHER rooftop bars — how many establishments will recommend that you check out their competitors?! That was awesome and super helpful, as we took him up on one of his recommendations and it was indeed a great rooftop bar.
I’ll probably be back cause 1. I appreciate great customer service, and the staff here is amazing, and 2. I want to check out how it is when they’re officially open.

I AM APPALLED at the experience I had last night. Yes the drinks are great, but the outdoor bar is INFESTED with these huge spiders! At first we just saw them crawling on the glowing wall to our right, but soon enough, we came to realize that they were crawling on the surrounding chairs and cushions, and these are the huge kind of spiders that dangle outside skyscraper windows. It was so obvious that they were everywhere and I can’t believe that a place as highly esteemed as the Ritz would tolerate something so disgusting. We left as soon as one fell on my boyfriend’s head. Horrendous experience, and what if someone gets bit by one??! So outrageous. This is supposed to be a high class hotel :(

The rooftop is nice, but the service was slow as molasses. I’m not sure if it’s because we rolled in at 11pm and they close at midnight.
Come here to feel «ritzy» (yup, I went there), but otherwise there are better rooftops.

Obstructed view and overpriced drinks that aren’t any good. I ordered a specialty drink and sent it back, opting for a beer instead of risking another bad drink. The atmosphere is cool and the lobby was beautiful. The bar however is overrated.

Fantastic spot for afternoon and evening drinks! The staff is wonderfull and the atmosphere is great. If you’re looking for a date night or a place to relax away from the bustle of downtown Chicago, this is where the buck stops. With a vast selection of well thought out wines and beers you can’t go wrong and the liquor compliment is equally impressive. Have a drink-​have fun-​relax… Because this is the place to do it.

The Dec is the awesome rooftop space next to the restaurant at the Ritz. It’s a casual upscale patio that looks up at the John Hancock — you can event see the new feature ‘The Tilt’ is as it moves in and out. The food and drinks I sampled were great including a bratwust sandwich, house made bon bons, tuna tartare push pops (I mean who doesn’t love that?) and a beer made especially for the Dec. The Dec also has some house bottled cocktails which is always fun. I think the Dec is a great alternative for that ‘impress out of towners with drinks with great Chicago views’. It may not have the views of the lounge at the Hancock but it makes up for it with it’s relaxed casual classy atmosphere. I’m sure they will be seeing a lot of me this summer.

Pretty nice spot that I never knew was there. Prices are okay, the drinks are great and the atmosphere is great. They have heat lamps for the cooler nights. The view is great and it has the outdoor/​indoor option. Couches and lounge chairs available. We’d go back.

We were in the area with about six girls and decided to check out the DEC for some drinks since we were already full from lunch. Plus, we figured it had to be super classy and upscale since it’s located in the Ritz hotel so we figured, why not.
Here are the pros of this place:
–The place itself is very cute and classy with nice couches, comfy little booths and an overall intimate vibe
–It isn’t so hyped up yet so it’s easy to get a seat, we got in at around 5pm on a Saturday afternoon and got a table in two seconds
–The location is wonderful in the heart of downtown and a direct view of the Hancock building
–They have tasty push pops for $ 6 a piece
Here are the negatives we thought of this place:
–We felt like the drink menu was a tad limited, I don’t like vodka or bourbon in my drinks, so if they came up with more concoctions with tequila I would be a fan.
–Limited selection of bubbly and the cheapest glass of any kind of champagne will cost you like $ 22 (per the glass) and that’s the cheapest option.
–The small bites didn’t seem too intriguing so I would only come here for some beers or ciders and pushpops
–The place itself isn’t big which if gets busy on a busy Summer night, that could pose a problem in getting a seat.
Overall, an adorable, intimate rooftop that’s worth a try, but of course it’s overpriced, but that’s everything you should expect from a Ritz Carlton establishment. Not dying to go back but still recommend it!

I was here the other night .
Unlike some of the other reviewers I dont mind if there is no music.
Sometimes you have to enjoy the ambiance without music :)
I will be back again… awesome

The Dec is great for what it is. It’s reminiscent of a swanky outdoor lounge you’d find in Miami or LA (not better than Chicago, just different). The space is beautiful in the evening and sufficiently lit. I’d worry if the Dec gets too crowded because walkways are thin. Views away from the Dec are minimal, so count on looking at who you came with.
For what it is, a cut above the typical overpriced downtown lounge with minimal food options, I’d give them four stars, but I’d like to see a more substantive menu, perhaps a few entrees from the restaurant. I was also annoyed to be told no reservations were allowed on the rooftop only to arrive and see three tables reserved and insufficient seating available for my party. After speaking with a gentlemen who appeared to be the manager, he was very accommodating and opened the tables for our party and another couple. Reserve or not Dec, but don’t go half way!
Because the menu was limited and we really wanted more substance, we were forced to take the party indoors to the full service restaurant.
All in all, I’d recommend Dec for lunch (expanded menu 12 – 3 pm), or evening cocktails before or after dinner.

Good for: a chill evening on a pretty «rooftop» deck.
No wait (easy seating for 10 on a Saturday at 9:30)
Direct view of Hancock
Not so much for: expansive overhead views (blocked by heat lamps).
Expensive, not so thrilling bites

Slick place, legit rooftop bar, great date destination. Service could have been a touch better. Ill be back!

beautiful outdoor bar, nice break from the busy city below, if you are at the mall below and want to unwind, take the elevators up to the Ritz Carleton & enjoy a bite to eat or grab a few drinks

The fountain in the dining room is awesome. The dec itself is pretty chic. That accounts for one of my three stars. The push pops were pretty good, but there was no one thing we ate that we loved, and there was a few things we just plain didn’t like. I wont list everything but we ate half the menu. Of the two drinks I had the first was sickly sweet and the second I think I loved so much for the simple fact it wasn’t bad. I think a place so beautiful as this should put out better cuisine and cocktails. They’re letting themselves down.

Girls night out last Friday with my two BFFs. First night out together in months. We wanted to go somewhere quiet yet chic and preferably outdoors to enjoy the beautiful 60-​degree night air. The Dec was the perfect rooftop venue for us to enjoy a few glasses of wine while catching up and sharing laughs together. The Ritz itself is classically elegant and the Dec with its understated modern elegance, is the perfect complement to the Ritz hotel.
The Dec is located on the 12^th floor of the Ritz-​Carlton hotel, just outside the Deca restaurant & lounge. It’s a fairly compact deck space, but still accommodates a good-​sized crowd (maybe up to 100?). A variety of seating adorns the rooftop, from bar seating, to 2-​to-​4 seater tables under heat-​lamp equipped canopies, to comfortable lounge and wicker chairs. The Dec’s Modern décor mixes well with the beautiful Chicago skyline backdrop and on this clear night, the twinkling stars in the night sky were an added bonus. It was busy on this Friday. We managed to grab a few loungers after waiting about 10 minutes.
There is one full-​service bar outside on the deck. The Dec’s bartenders were working non-​stop to push out drinks and they were friendly and quick. They also had servers attending to each table, and we ordered fries from the Snack menu (food menu available until 3p and then snack menu from 3 — 11p). Not just any ol’ fries, though, they were a mix of sweet/​hot seasoned with sriracha. We debated on the push pops, and we had a laugh at the «Ritz» crackers (calling first to mind the red Nabisco Ritz cracker box), but the fries were more than enough for us.
The crowd this night ranged in age, from 20-​somethings to 60-​somethings. There were several patrons of the hotel, but also locals like us enjoying a beautiful night out in the greatest city in the world. Conversations were not overly mixed or loud. We spoke in normal conversational tone and at times laughed loudly but weren’t disturbing to the others around us. We were semi-​casual, dressed more on the up side than the down (intricate top with dressy jeans), but we saw a wide range of attire here from those dressed to the nines, to semi-​casual like us, to semi-​formal, to down-​out casual (tshirt/​jeans/​shorts). It was a nice relaxed feel in some areas of the rooftop, to more formal in others (there was a semi-​private, pre-​wedding event going in one section of the deck). Regardless, the crowd mixed well.
We love our usual bars and haunts throughout the city and rarely hit the downtown night scene, but GNO in the swanky Ritz Dec rooftop was a nice change and we had a lovely time.

I came here early in the day on a weekend. Quietly tucked away just off the Mag Mile and within the Ritz, the Dec offers a quiet place for the guys to sit and enjoy a few drinks while waiting for the girls to finish up their shopping. I could spend all day here (and almost did!). The beer selection is limited but decent and they have a full bar. I didn’t once feel rushed to leave nor did I feel out of place amongst the rich folk staying at the Ritz.
I had heard about the push pops and as soon as 3pm rolled around, I had to have one. An order is $ 6 and you get three. They’re small (one shot push pops), wonderfully delicious, and totally worth it (calories n all). I *highly* recommend them as a sweet pick me up (I can always convince myself that I deserve a sweet treat!).
I’ve only had the pops and the beer here but think I could see myself coming back with a tablet or laptop to spend some quiet moments (if I ever get suckered into shopping again).

Open for only a month at our visit– this new addition to the list of rooftop bars in Chicago has everything that you would expect from a Ritz Carlton.
We went on a sunny Sunday afternoon. surprisingly– it wasn’t busy at all. Plenty of comfortable couches and chairs, a artistic sculpture, and a fire feature make up the intimate space located on the 12^th floor (lobby level) of the Ritz.
Service was quite good and our server was quick with a couple of suggestions off of their drink menu. They also have a range of food to enjoy from lunch to dinner to snacks. And while I didn’t see it on this visit– I also hear they have a ice cream cart-​perfect for those warm days in the Summer.
What didn’t this place have. Unfortunately there is no music. When asked, I was told that the neighboring condos have an issue with it which is too bad. It’s just the kind of place that you would love to sit and listen to music while you enjoy your cocktail surrounded by the beauty of the city.
It’s a small thing– but one that is noticeably absent.
It just makes it classically understated. Hmmmm.. .. . Kind of like the Ritz itself!

Classified Information: the Ritz now has a beautiful rooftop bar. It’s secluded, modern, and beautiful. They have snacks, full meals, great mixed drinks, and an amazing waitstaff with the cutest uniforms I’ve ever seen at a hotel. Try the popcorn; it’s fantastic. It’s a little pricey, but I think that ambiance is included in the markup, and it’s well worth it. This a great new place to check out this summer.