A Night at Chef's Kitchen - Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile

Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile's lobby was decorated with Christmas decorations when we visited and has a nice sized bar, music playing near the west entrance, lobby artwork and bright, high ceiling chandeliers with a section in the corner with a Starbucks stand. The hotel is a must for first-time visitors to Chicago in the middle of the Mag Mile located in the heart of downtown near the shopping district, bars, restaurants and movie theaters. It is in the middle of major parades celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas festivals. The food and drink selection, Christmas decorations, artwork and live music in the lobby will make for a fun outing. The Christmas tree in the lobby and decorations were pretty, and there is a TV screen by the bars. The hotel has a beautiful layout that is committed to sustainable practices in serving foods, the furniture section in each room and even a green space and rooftop bee garden that is used in the kitchens. The second floor is home to a private restaurant and incognito bar that is tranquil and peaceful.

The food and drinks were superb by Chef Travis Wilson and the drink and dinner menus in the lobby are also great. If you are in Chicago on a visit, or just want to hang out with friends and family to wine and dine, here are my recommendations:

The appetizer was honey from the bee farm on the rooftop made with sustainable beekeeping practices with a French brie spread. Not a big cheese eater, but it is the right balanced taste and will melt in your mouth with that sweet organic honey. Then there were beets, cherry tomatoes with coriander and almonds with a lemon sauce that were pretty good. The drinks were varied, with a bourbon drink that was pretty strong but the right flavors. The cherry cocktail was too sweet for my taste, but many liked it to finish off the meal. Our dinner consisted of tender beef topped with a sauce that I cannot explain, along with grown carrots, delicious mashed potatoes that I recommend everyone to try and coriander added with olive oil. The beef itself was buttery and easy to cut .

For the grand finale, the dessert was my favorite. It was caramel sauce with tapioca infused on a cream cake with blackberry and blueberry topped with a nice purple flower to die for.

In the lounge area, the one drink I tried was "Turn off the Lights" which is a mix of sotol, vodka, mezcal, pecans, Schnapps, lemon, and well, you need to go there and try the rest. Overall, the Marriott Hotel is the perfect outing for a gathering and to celebrate the holidays with its beautiful and bright Christmas decorations, comfortable atmosphere, more intimate setting with the upstairs lounge and kitchen, and it's great to be in the middle of the Mag Mile close to all amenities.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Chicago page.