Plush

Come for the music. leave for the crowd, small tables and extra small bathroom.
Hint to club owners, when your patrons drink, 9 out 10 must go to the restroom at the very least one time. The ladies bathroom was so small I felt like I was in a preschool or grade school lavatory. I enjoyed the music the food was good.
Let me speak about an experience I had at Plush. A friend had a little bday gathering there. I invited a friend to meet me there, she arrived before me and the bouncer/​security/​flash light wanna be cop wouldn’t let her in. I arrive with another friend and lead the way because I am dressed to kill (the girls are up and out), legs toned, shaved and oiled. With my natural girls leading the way the bouncer/​security/​flash light wanna be cop was looking down talking to me but looking at «the girls» and surprise surprise we gain entry. Men are so pathetic sometimes.
By one am, I know Plush was violating the fire code because there was zero room in the place.
The only good thing about Plush is the music, the drinks are average. bathrooms small, walking to and from your vehicle (be prepared to run or fight at a moments notice), the joint is super loud and crowded.
Oh another good thing the crowd is very diverse. There was some fine men from all nationalities there, Hmm hmm Hmm diversity is very good. lol

I came here on Tuesday night for martinis, and man it was crowded. It’s a diverse clientele and the service was average. It felt like Valentines day with all the velvet everywhere, and if you like hip djs then this is your place. The appetizers were solid, I was happy to get them off half that night. Salads were huge, and mine came with lots of grilled calamari. I’d definitely come back for more food specials.

Came here on a Wed. after a bulls game because a friend said they had $ 5 martinis so we wanted to check it out and continue the night. They had a variety of martinis to choose from and I tasted 3 different ones because they were on the sweet side and wanted to see if it was consistent with all of them. it was.
It was very mellow, lots of diners and we did order some appetizers which were good (calamari & bruschetta). The artichoke dip was not good at all and my friend had a stomach ache the next day.

Never had much of an issue here.
Great crowd (25+ thank you 8lb 4oz baby jesus)
Great appetizers
Good music
Limited sitting
Good drinks which are reasonably priced
Convenient to the highway to get the hell back to the burbs…

Oh Plush, you would be great on the east coast. Maybe I have something against Chicago, but it’s a very racist and segregated city. With that being said, I felt like when I walked into the place people were already judging me. My friends took me to Plush mainly because it had a large African American cliental (yeah, we all have our dating preferences). When we walked in we immediately sat down and ordered some martinis (they are $ 5 on Weds) and some appetizers (also priced $ 5-​$ 6). The martinis were sugary and sweet, definitely go with the classic one if you don’t want a sugar hangover the next day. The food was delicious, I ordered calamari and it fed 3 of us happily.
My only issue with Plush is the décor and the cliental, specifically some women there. I felt extremely uncomfortable getting glared at by people. Also the bar closed at 2am, but the waitresses were rushing us out at 1:15. I told my friends when were arrived (sober) that when the lights went on in this place, it was going to look so tacky. Low and behold, the lights came on around 1:30 and I felt like I was in a tacky bachelor pad in the 80s. Really, maroon velvet couches with stains? Update your décor!

City finally closed this place down. Guess enough murders, attempted murders and a willingness to disobey judges orders and not work with the neighborhood in which you do business was finally enough for the judge. Point being you can be a good neighbor or you cane a jerk. Being a jerk doesn’t work.
Well, the knock against this joint is that you never want to order a shot and a beer here, because you might get shot. Other libations to avoid would include a Kettle One and an Orange Slice, ’cause you might just get sliced. As some poor patron found out early this morning when he was critically stabbed. In the neck. Then there’s the Plush Clown who owns this joint, he’s proven once again that he cares for the safety of his patrons just as much as he concerns himself with being a good neighbor. People have used many cheap shots to malign folks who criticize the danger of this place, but the fact of the matter is the only thing neighbors are against is murder and that Allstate Mayhem guy leaving a permanent and often fatal mark in this largely residential neighborhood.

It’s reassuring yet sad to know that I am not alone in my horrible experience with Plush. Out for a celebratory night with three friends, we decided to start our night at Plush. We arrived at 9:50pm ready to eat, drink and hear good music (one particular DJ who plays there often is really good). After waiting for service, a young woman approached as if we were bothering her and told us if we wanted to sit down, it would be $ 150. No, «hi,» «welcome,» or «thanks for joining us.» One of my friends who has patronized Plush a number of times inquired about the «new» fee as she was just there a few weeks before. The waitress from hell rolled her eyes and said after 10pm they charged to sit. I looked at my phone and said it’s 9:58 and we’ve been standing here for 8 minutes. Her response was to pull out her phone and say «it’s 10pm.»
Ok, so not only does she not greet us correctly but she assumes that we had no intentions of spending any money. Again, we were there to START our night, only wanting to eat. Had they provided good or even mediocre customer service, they would’ve had a full dinner service and a free table after about an hour or so.
We went back and forth with her for another few minutes before asking to speak with a manager about the policy and her attitude. She walked across the bar to the manager and stood there talking to him. Clearly telling him what happened, my friend walked over to find out why he was not directed to us and to inquire, for the THIRD time, about the policy. He, as rude as his waitress, completely dismissed our questions and complaints about his waitstaff. When asked for the owner’s information, we were told that «he’s a private man who doesn’t like his name given. Really?! I’m done with this place!
I also think people should know that the bouncers discriminate. I happened to be standing by the door on the phone, when I witnessed one bouncer tell another to «turn them away.» It was two women who I assume they felt were not worthy of entrance for whatever reason. When the women arrived at the door, they were told «There’s a private party tonight» and turned away. That was completely untrue as my group had just walked in a few minutes prior to that.
This place gets a lot of business from certain promoters. While I don’t think this is a racial issue at all, the promoters need to be more responsible to the clientele to know that they are being treated rudely. There are too many places in this city to be treated as if our money isn’t as green.

Ok… so this place is where you go when you want to get your dance on!
I just recently left and didn’t like the fact that, if you reserved a table you get special privilege. No I don’t think so!
Me and my friend and others were in a reserved area having fun. Hours later this rude guy, had a issue with us being there.
What I didn’t appreciate was that we had to leave, I guess because «he paid for the table». The bouncer (s) had sided with the guy because of it.
I suggest that the owner get in tune with whats going on. People
whether they paid for a table or not are customers! If this behavior isnt change, the business will loose customers.
There’s a way to resolve conlicts without putting someone out just because someone else paid for a table.

Heard a lot about this place so when it was suggested as the night’s alternate destination, I was down. Attended of a Friday night with my lady and her cousin just to get out and chill. Parking was difficult to find but with a little perseverance we found a spot on the block. Place was jumping at 11:30 when we arrived, but not suffocating. Though it was obvious that the majority of the crowd were young African-​Americans, it was equally obvious that this was an Italian-​owned establishment. Décor, personnel, menu and the non-​black patrons was a dead giveaway. Made for a very nice mix.
Dress code was strictly enforced (no thuggery), food was delicious with large portions, price was very reasonable, no cover. Staff was courteous and attentive, to us anyway, but the ample seating was still limited for the kinds of crowds they draw. No complaints about the music, in fact the DJ provided a good mix for grown folks. No fights broke out and not a whole lot of pushing and shoving.
Improvements can be made on the lavatories, seating, parking and bar to make this a top-​rated place.
In all, if I had this kind of time on my next visit, this could definitely join Red Kiva or Blu 47(R.I.P.) on my favorite night spots list.

If Plush = velour seats that smell of the previous night’s perfume and body odor, then OO-​WEE Plush delivers.
The server was polite but looked like she’d rather be eating carpet tacks than serving us. She fought through that urge and brought us our very average meals, and showed up at the table enough that we knew we were there.
We were there on a Monday night during football season and they had the game so loud you couldn’t hear yourself scream in agony when your eardrums bled and subsequently ruptured. They did put obnoxiously loud music on instead of commercials during the game which I actually found a way to appreciate. Now, to get me to complain about music being loud is quite a feat — I’ve been a musician for a long time, and «if it’s too loud, you’re too old» was my favorite saying… so, yea, way too loud — but still better than commercials.
The staff was attractive, at least physically. If you like dark rooms for hot people and wish to pay a bit too much for alcohol then this place might be for you. It wasn’t for me.
I also ate there in the summer, outside, and that was nice. That gets Plush the third star… but really, you won’t be missing much if you just keep walking.

Yeah… where to begin? Ah! The beginning!!!
I was there this past Saturday night. Well, one good thing is that there’s plenty of street parking about a block north of the joint. The music was all right. Oh, and it was free to get in.
That pretty much concludes the positives.
The negatives? Hmm…
1. Bouncers with ego problems standing sentry at the door telling people on line that they’re at capacity, yet allowing other folks in that just arrived. WTF???
2. The place was soooo crowded that you literally bumped into somebody at every movement (I was accosted by the world’s rudest man, but that’s not a complaint the club can fix, I know).
3. Bottle service in order to sit. Wow… that was soooo 5 years ago. Memo to the club owners: If you have a dance floor and women that patronize your establishment are rockin’ the flyest of heels, seating is a necessity.
4. Weed smokin’ in the bathroom… really???
5. One shot of Patron (no Milagros… boo) was $ 10. TEN FRIGGIN DOLLARS for an ounce of liquored piss???
Yeah… next time, I think I’d rather pay for admission to a place where I can at least sit down.

We ended up at «Plush» because the Beer Bistro across the street was absolutely packed. So we decided on Plush.
This restaurant has a serious identity crisis. Beyond the cool seating and interesting design, this place is a zero. No personality, a seriously underachieving staff, a lazy manager/​owner sitting and slobbering at the bar, and a kitchen that lacks any luster. Is is a hip place to have a drink? Not when they charge nearly 10 bucks for every drink on the menu, and their service is mediocre. Overall, a disappointment– but wait, there’s more:
My complaints–
They didn’t have two of the wines advertised on their wine list, which was nothing but disappointing.
Then, their food was underwhelming– the hummus ($ 8) was clearly close to frozen and served with tortilla chips alongside a single diced pita.
Thankfully the burger was very hot and tasty, but this was ruined when the server brought our group a stack of appetizer plates that were clearly not cleaned at all. We started passing the plates around, only to find a sticky mess of mustard in between. Disgusting! With hardly an apology, we received some new plates, but by then– the damage was done.

I’m definitely a fan of Plush. I live in the neighborhood and I have a great time every time I stop by here for a drink or a bite to eat. The staff has always been friendly and attentive. Food is good, drinks are good, chill crowd, and the weekday drink specials make it wallet friendly.
My girls and I are all about our Wednesday nights at Plush, gives us something to look forward to during our sometimes crazy week. I mean really, $ 5 martinis, half price appetizers, and 80s and 90s music videos… how can you not be happy watching Bobby Brown, Prince, Boyz II Men, Whitney Houston, Eddie Murphy, New Edition… that’s right, you can’t.

WTF Plush!!! I don’t know what the hell you’ve got going on Monday nights. But, I really don’t appreciate your patrons cruising around the hood for an hour after you close waking everyone up in the West Loop. Last night we had the pleasure of being woken up by a fight taking place right in front of our home. Is it going to take someone getting shot before you put a lid on this? It would be great if you even gave the illusion of caring about the neighborhood that you attempt to do business in. Locals know better and that’s why we never bother stepping foot in your joint. Get your shit together Plush. Shut it down!

If I could give this place a negative 5 star rating I would. The service is terrible and all the staff need some serious customer service training. They are extremely rude and obnoxious.
Is it me or do the owners believe in hiring all young white girls that were a size 0? Is there no other races allowed at this club. Oh wait… they are, only to spend their money so the owners can get rich.
Today, I went for a viewing party and when I got to the bar the waitress was standing next to a chair and I asked her if she was using the chair. She was on the phone so I asked again and waited for a response and when I did not get one even though I know she heard me I began to move the chair. She then replied while she was still on the phone, «I’m glad I wasn’t using that chair» and I replied, «I asked you if you were using the chair», she said, «i was working» and I said that is why I didn’t think you were using the chair.
First of all that was so rude and if she was using the chair she should have said, «excuse me, I’m sorry but I was still using that chair, would you like for me to grab you another?»
Then the next thing I know the manager came and told me to leave and then called me nappy headed, told me to fuck myself and called me a bitch.
Needless to say I will never be back here. I hate to think it was a race issue because from the comments they treat everyone like crap.

Plush is OK.
The food is OK. Stick with the specials. The half price salad night is a great night to come.
Unusual cocktails.
I like the vodka cocktail night specials.
OK service.
Seriously red velvet boudoir décor. Fun
Not over priced
go for it

Usually I’m the one sticking my boot up the respective arse’s of places. It’s unusual for me to be in the position of defending a maligned business. Plush isn’t so bad, y’all. It’s got potential. Work with me.
Décor — the place is packed with crushed red velvet. It hangs in the doorway. It covers the overstuffed seats. It terrifies muppets worldwide. But, red velvet isn’t a bad thing. Red Velvet is a type of cake. Cake tastes good. Ergo, the décor is good? See? See what I did right there? That’s logic.
Drinks — yes, they have horrible names and questionable ingredients. BUT when I left Plush to return to Lakeview, it took me a while to realize that the #20 bus I was riding was going West. I was going west, late at night, and I had no clue. That’s a good-​azz drink!
Crowd — well, there’s not too much of a crowd to speak of. I have never seen it packed, but it could/​should be. While some of the patrons/​servers scared/​annoyed my drink partner, I was charmed by friendliness and taken with their willingness to listen to any/​all suggestions for beverages. I waved to people. I shook hands. I imagined standing in the velvet drapes while holding a boa constrictor around my shoulders and moving my hips seductively. Alright, that might have been the big screen. But, at least Plush dared me to dream! As a lounge, I think Plush does the job. It allows you to lounge around in comfy seating, drink the equivalent of roofitinis and listen to clubby music. What’s not to like?

Plush is a (bad) late 90’s theme party… unintentional, and lacking irony.
–Crushed velvet. Everywhere.
–Vases hanging from wall, with fake flowers. What?
–Big screens display big fail. Britney? Beyonce? Barf.
–Cocktail List is helter-​skelter, and without focus.
–Hynotiq is a mixer in well over a quarter of the drink menu. (ew)
–DJ for an empty space (go figure?)
–Our waitress had NO IDEA about anything on the menu. And was open about this fact. Several times. Quote: «well, ummmm, I’m not really sure what you would like, I’m not you.» Yeah, well. Um… thank GOD.
Plush = Pass.

So cruising around the West Loop after discovering that West End’s kitchen closed at 10, we happened upon the area around Plush, where it was obvious that people were still getting their eat on. We chose Plush because their awning was decorated with the words «Great Eats» thrice.
We are easily convinced people, apparently.
So I’m not sure what to call Plush:
Club — nice dance floor area, bumping loud hip-​hop, in-​sync music videos adorning the walls
Lounge — Good amount of area to sit and be looked at, with a nice dark and low-​key atmosphere (music non-​withstanding)
Sit-​down restaurant — A pretty extensive menu, ranging from pastas to salads to sandwiches
Pub — I assume because it was Thursday, but $ 3 beers and half off sandiwches
Overall, I have to show love for how cheap our late dinners were, and it seemed like a fun place, but it was also awkward looking up as I munched on my buffalo chicken sandwich. There not 10 feet away was a group of eight girls around a bottle-​service-​height table, looking about as confused as I was. I’d like to say I’ll be back, but I’m not sure what the reason would be.

$ 9 for a basic mixed drink? If you are coming to Plush you better bring your money belt cuz this place is on the pricey side for this part of town!
I stopped in here last night to grab a nightcap after a party across the street. I had been by here several times but had never stopped in. The sign out side is all about «great food» so at first I thought it was a restaurant only, but once inside– it is easy to see that this is simply a bar that serves food.
If you like «over the top» then Plush is for you. Huge red velvet booths along the wall, Murano glass chandeliers dripping with crystal jewels, floor to ceiling curtains on the front windows, modern oblong mirrors and a bar that is edged in hammered metal. Interesting choices.
We didn’t eat but took a look at the menu which has a range of food items from typical «bar food» to entrees, salads and sandwiches.
Service was good– the greeter was friendly, and for a Tuesday night– there was a steady stream of people coming in and out of the place. The music seemed to be a mix of 80’s and 90’s punctuated by music videos playing on screens behind the bar. Street parking is also easy in this neighborhood.
I doubt that this will become a regular hang out for me– but if I am looking for a break from all the «beer bars» up and down this stretch of Madison, and I have a pocket full of money I am looking to rid myself of– I might just stop back in.