Where to work when you don't want to go to the office
Sometimes you need to get out and take a break from your office (unless, of course, you work in one of the coolest in the city) or set up an off-site meeting. And you want to settle into someplace a little little more comfy than your corner Starbucks. Head to one of these non-co-working spaces downtown, where you can log on to free Wi-Fi, order food and drink, and have a conversation in a nice space without having to yell.
The Allis at Soho House
Soho House's upper floors are for members only, but anyone can enjoy the creative energy at the Allis on the first floor and the mezzanine level off of it. A cafe by day, lounge by night, the Allis offers an all-day seasonal menu for a power breakfast, lunch or dinner—or to simply meet for coffee or afternoon tea service (with or without sparkling wine). The high-ceilinged renovated first-floor space features a fantastic art collection (including a custom Damien Hirst), great music, tons of outlets and stylish people
Artist Lounge at Renaissance Chicago
With its great outdoor roof bar, Raised, overlooking the Chicago River, you might want to forgo work altogether, but when duty calls, there's ample space on the Renaissance Chicago's first floor to get stuff done. The Artist Lounge, just off the lobby, has midcentury modern-style chairs, long couches with throw pillows, communal tables, black-and-white photography and tall windows that flood the space with light while you sip Illy coffee. Another area, Bar Ritual, offers food and drink—with plenty of outlets at the bar to charge while you work. Stick around until 5:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday for some gratis boozy punch while it lasts.
Between at Acme Hotel
Open on the second floor of the Acme Hotel in River North weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (4 p.m. on Fridays), Between is a quiet, intimate space with complimentary coffee and jars filled with free candy and salty snacks. Pop in for a quick respite, charge up your phone or laptop and kick back on the comfortable forest-green couches or gray high-back chairs. West Town Bakery is one flight down
City Mouse Lounge at Ace Hotel
The hipper-than-hip Ace has finally landed in Chicago in the hipper-than-hip Fulton Market District. The lobby flows into a lounge, which flows into City Mouse, a treat of a restaurant from the team behind the much-lauded Logan Square restaurant Giant. Hang in the Bauhaus-inspired lounge, which feels like your coolest friend's living room, with great art, couches, drinks (coffees, fresh-squeezed juice and a full bar) and food (avocado toast, Thai chili chicken wings, cheeseburger and fries) to keep you fueled while you crank out your next web project or edit a video. Enjoy the patio if weather permits and fire pits stay lit (Wi-Fi extends out there). Or grab a coffee from Stumptown Coffee. And yes, you can bring your dog.
Commons Club and Commons Co-Op at Virgin Hotel
The Commons Club offers elegance with a bit of whimsy. The art deco-inspired second-floor space has an open kitchen, high ceilings and plenty of natural light. Coffee and tea available for purchase, or order lunch from Miss Ricky's downstairs. A fee of $55 a month gets you membership in the Commons Co-Op, an intimate space with high-speed Wi-Fi, large high-definition monitors for presentations and wireless printing. Also included is coffee and tea, 10 percent discounts at the Virgin's other bars and restaurants, and a discounted rate for a private meeting space.
Drawing Room at the CAA
Once a posh private men's social club, the Chicago Athletic Association is now one of the city's hottest hotels. The Drawing Room, as the second-floor lobby is called, has communal tables with outlets, nooks with deep leather couches, three original grand stone fireplaces, a library, rotating art installations, and food and drinks supplied by Land & Sea Department (Parson's Chicken, Longman & Eagle). The massive Game Room adjacent offers bocce, billiards, checkers and chess, as well as cocktails from a list crafted by award-winning mixologist Paul McGee.
Freehand Chicago
If you've ever wanted to work inside an Instagram photo, this is your chance. The super-cool hotel offers a Morocco-meets-Polynesia-inspired living room-like experience throughout the first floor. Sip fair trade Nicaraguan coffee and fresh juices from Cafe Integral, which also has a seasonal menu with all the requisite dishes-of-the-moment: kale, avocado, shakshuka, hipster burger. Cocktails from Broken Shaker are here, too, as well as a human-size Jenga if you need inspiration for that spreadsheet you're working on.
The Lounge at Leviathan
While Leviathan's bar doesn't open until 4:30 p.m., its cozy lounge back from the check-in area at the Dana Hotel and Spa on the mezzanine level is open all day—if you're willing to get your own drinks and snacks downstairs. This cozy nook offers tufted leather banquettes and couches, an eight-seat white communal table and plenty of household knickknacks to grab your attention if you need inspiration. Dark Matter coffee, Rare Tea Cellars teas and other drinks are on offer, along with muffins, doughnuts and a ham and cheese danish downstairs at Portsmith's quick-service bar.
Marshall's Landing
Climb the Merchandise Mart's marble-clad Grand Stair and enter Marshall's Landing, a 12,000-square-foot space comprising a full restaurant, coffee bar, full bar and private dining areas all run by DMK Restaurants. Marshall's Landing was designed as a place to work and have meetings, as each seating area—whether a communal table, couch or leather-and-fabric-clad round booth near the windows—has a service call button to let staff know when you're ready to order
Revival Food Hall
This food hall took over the ground floor of the historic 1907 Daniel Burnham-designed National Building. The 24,000-square-foot space has 15-plus vendors from all-local chefs and restaurateurs, including Smoque BBQ, Hot Chocolate Bakery, Furious Spoon, Union Squared Pizza and Antique Taco. The space has ample seating, whether in the cafe/bar near the entrance or toward the back. You can usually find a spot, especially during off-peak hours, and with a great coffee bar that turns into a full-service bar, drink options abound.
Salone Nico
Salone Nico at the Thompson Hotel in the Gold Coast has plush couches, exposed brick, metal and wood accents, and a warm color palette of gold and burgundy hues. Menu items from Nico Osteria chef Bill Montagne include veal sugo arancini, rock shrimp bruschetta, grilled octopus with dill cream and rigatoni Bolognese, and are available from midmorning into the night. To drink: coffee and tea service or order from a full bar with an extensive amaro, whiskey and Italian wine selection.
The Street at the MCA
Just outside the highly rated restaurant Marisol inside the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Street offers cafe counter service where you can get local Metric Coffee or Spirit Tea alongside daily house-baked pastries. The Street, with about a dozen tables set among beautiful art installations, offers a seasonal breakfast and lunch menu—think lox toast with pickled zucchini and dill cream cheese; avocado sandwich with watercress, feta and black lime on sourdough toast; and a carrot and quinoa salad with pistachio and coriander vinaigrette.
3 Arts Club Cafe
Sit among olive trees—and ladies who lunch—beneath a grand atrium at the Gold Coast cafe on the ground floor of RH Gallery. A towering glass-enclosed ceiling floods the space with light where you can kick back with your laptop on plush gray couches next to a bubbling fountain. Or perch on the side alcoves away from the main activity while enjoying daily pastries, cold-pressed juices, coffee drinks or a glass of wine
3 Greens Market
By Brendan Sodikoff's Hogsalt Hospitality, 3 Greens makes for a great little hideaway with a mod '70s rec room vibe. Set up at a variety of seats—two-tops with lounge-like chairs, long communal tables, clusters of leather couches and plush seats—or at the full cocktail bar. The menu offers a priced-by-the-pound 18-foot salad bar with hot and cold offerings that change throughout the day; cut-to-order pastrami; Doughnut Vault old-fashioned doughnuts; and Small Cheval burgers.
Where to work when you don't want to go to the office
From Crain's Chicago Business, 4 April 2018