Relax Lounge

HAD NYE 2010 here! It was tons of fun… This place fits about 200, seating for 4 – 6 all along the wall with a long bar. The back is cute for bigger groups that want a bday or etc held here. The service was great and super fast. The bathrooms are large stalls, clean!!!, and the sinks in the middle are unisex. Sorta nice how there were big mirrors in the stall and there were beads that seperated the sinks to the main area. They serve food here too and the drinks were good!!!

In a word: Pricey
Went here after starting the night off at Five Star Bar, and it was a massive change. Maybe it was because our last stop of the night, but the guys looked a little tired and bored (or drunk?) after half an hour at this place. Didn’t have a miserable time, but not a great time either.
The good:
The music was excellent as the DJ (at least Saturday night) played some good old school hip hop and rap. The highlight of the night to me was when the DJ played «Big Poppa».
The furniture and lounge area isn’t too bad. They were good for talking (but who can really do that at a lounge) and interacting with others. It also looked very trendy and nice, but not in a bad way.
The bad:
Seriously $ 10 for a Patron shot? This isn’t Vegas guys. I really felt bad for my friend who bought 10 shots for everybody and got stuck with the tab. Sorry about that one buddy.
The service is a little slow even though the place wasn’t really very packed. The waitress even forgot about us at one point when my friend really needed to close his tab.
Why are the sinks outside the bathroom? Yes, I get that it’s «health» issues, but no one died from washing their hands in the sink inside the washroom. It’s funny too since you can see all the women and men checking themselves in the mirror outside the washroom. Now you can see who’s really vain haha.
Finally, the atmosphere was a little off. There wasn’t really a welcoming feeling in the place and from the outside the place looked dead (everyone was in the back area). Everyone wants to have that feeling that they are welcomed the first time they step in a new place.
Not the worst place in the world, but certainly not the first choice.

I feel like this place has some potential, but unfortunately, it was an off-​night for me and the bar.
It may have been the two bottles of wine I finished at my friend’s birthday dinner that caused me to be slightly ridiculous that night — I dunno. I found myself enjoying a mix of good pop songs tucked in a table booth right in front of the DJ, but still wanted more. Unlike many other bars, wedding receptions, etc. this DJ was not up for playing my favorite ‘hits’, no matter how many of them I requested in writing on little bar napkins. I really thought EVERYONE would want to hear smash singles like «What’s Love» ft. Fat Joe and Ashanti.
Worse off, I inadvertently ordered a $ 7 Stella. Really? $ 7? Ouch.
The one thing that saved my night was the two-​ton beaded curtain that separated the bathroom area from the bar. I’m not really sure why it is necessary, but I was able to do my best Britney Spears «Oops I Did It Again» album cover impression.

Just finished an awesome night of Dining with Dale. I showed up early to the dinner date with a friend. Sat at the bar and had their RX Mojito. Pretty good, a little bit sweeter than I like, but strong. Sarah, also from Dale’s season of Top Chef, was there as a host/​server. Two top cheffers in one night! COOL!
I was a little hesitant about the dinner, after reading one Unilocaler’s comment about needing to eat more food after the meal, I was fully prepared for tiny portions. However, my fears were unnecessary. The brandade was a delicious starter. The charred brioche was slightly overcharred, but the brandade was well put together, very creamy and worked well with the asparagus and radishes on the plate. The lamb was DE-​LI-​CIOUUUUS!!! Everything on the plate worked so well together! A bit of perfectly cooked lamb with some potatoe, bacon, a bit of apple dipped in the mint pesto… YUUUMMMMMMMMMMY! There were 2 big lamb chops on the plate and a generous portion of the apple-​bacon hash. I’m not a big lamb eater, but it was delicious!
The final course was a cheese plate instead of regular dessert which made me super happy! The 3 different cheeses; goat, bleu and a mild cheddar, worked really well with the poached pear, fig and the sweet walnut.
The wine Sarah recommended for the lamb complimented the lamb very well. Overall the meal was $ 60/​person and absolutely wonderful!
I was expecting it to be more crowded but there were 3 tables for the 7:00 seating and 2 more for the 8:30. My friend and I ate, chatted and drank for 3 hours and was never rushed felt like we needed to leave. The best part!!! DALE was suuuper night and talked to us and took a picture with us. It was a wonderful meal and very fun!

I ate here last night for the Dinner with Dale evening and I thought it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had and definitely the best value for money.
To start was a chilled cauliflower soup with curried raisins. It was a good tasting soup with the raisins giving it an extra kick. I would have preferred if the soup was served warm but that is just because I am not used to eating a chilled soup. I still thought it was excellant.
Next was a Grilled New York Steak with Gazpacho and Dale’s steak sauce. He could bottle the steak sauce and make millions as it was amazing. One of the best steaks I have ever had and enjoyed it as much as the steak in the famous Peter Lugers restaurant in New York. My girlfriend asked me not to lick the plate as I devoured the steak in about two minutes.
I’m not a big dessert fan but the triple berry crisp was very flavorful and again one the best desserts I have ever had. Including one Mojito and a glass of red wine the bill came to $ 79 which I thought was a steal. Great food and I enjoyed the «relaxed» atmosphere. Service was friendly and I would highly recommend the Dining with Dale experience.

Since we’re comparing apples to apples here (they sell themselves as an upscale lounge… not a dive bar), Relax really has no reason to deserve anything more than one star. I’ve been here on three occasions now and it’s been thoroughly disappointing each time. The ambiance is actually pretty promising. The place was once called «Pharmacy» and had a pretty cool «theme», if you could call it that. I don’t know if it’s under new ownership now, but this place has now been given a half-​assed do over which hasn’t helped at all. The staff could care less that you’re there. The place is always empty. An Amstel Light (in West Town, no less) cost $ 6. And the Dave Mathews Band being blasted doesn’t really complement… well, anything.
I initially came for the Tuesday $ 4 burger special… which I remember being really good at one point. Gave it a chance twice more and I must have been really hungry that first time because those burgers BLOW.

I’ve read the reviews and almost everyone loves this place so maybe I went on a bad night?
Food, I mean burgers since that’s the only food they have, is good. Wait, I’ve never heard of a lounge that serves food. Trying to be something that you’re not?
Atmosphere is good.
However, give me a dirty martini made with Grey Goose that I can gulp down in less than 10 secs and my whole world crumbles. I don’t care how awesome the place is, if the drinks are weak then I’d rather go to a shit hole and get my drink right. Although, would a shit hole make a good dirty martini?
Maybe go there, before partying, for a burger and a beer then go somewhere else.

I went to to Relax Lounge to enjoy Dale Levetski’s Supper Club. It was seriously one of the best meals I have had in months. Here is my take on how everything went down…
Atmosphere:
It was my first time at Relax Lounge and it was — REALLY CHILL! I liked the way this place is set up, a lot of thought was put into the design of the space. The tables were close but not right on top of each other and the décor was right up my visual alley.
Food:
First course was a tasty bean and veggie soup. It was a great way to start a meal — perfectly seasoned and left us all wanting MORE!
Main course was shrimp scampi on a risotto cake. The taste of the shrimp and the stickiness of the risotto was seriously delicious. This is the type of main course that you remember the following week and wish you could have it again!
Dessert was Dale’s take on strawberry shortcake. I’m not sure how he got the strawberries to melt in my mouth the way they did, it was a perfect end to a VERY delicious meal.
I mentioned to the waitress I wanted to meet Dale and he came out to our table and introduced himself to me and my friends. He was super personable and shared with us that he decides on the meal he is going to prepare by seeing what is fresh/​seasonal at the market. I found out our waitress was also on Top Chef — she is a friend of Dales from the TV show and will be his su chef when he opens his new restaurant. He mentioned he is in the final stages of starting his own restaurant, Town and Country, in the West Loop near Union Station. I can’t wait for his new space to open so I can have his food more often!
For a unique tasty dinner in a cool CHILL environment, I highly recommend having dinner on Thursday at Relax Lounge — Dale is an ALLSTAR and I am sure you will enjoy EVERY meal he prepares for his weekly supper club.

Please note that this review is specifically for my experience Dining with Dale on Thursday, ²⁄₁₉.
I read about Relax’s Dine with Dale dinners on Chicagoist and was very excited to finally have the opportunity to sample some of his creations! The lovely Zach from Relax helped me to make a reservation and also had no problem adding two more people to my reservation given only a few days’ notice.
Relax is an interesting space – the neon green cross is impossible to miss, and my cab driver actually asked me if he was dropping me off at a church. I, of course, assured him that it was MY kind of church and while he chuckled, I’m sure he was calling me a heathen under his breath. The place isn’t incredibly cozy, but more minimalistic. The bathrooms are behind a fun beaded curtain and the sink area is communal.
Before we were seated for dinner, we sampled their most popular drink – the Calientini. Best. Drink. Ever. Pear vodka shaken with jalapeño, cilantro and cucumber. Amazing. They were so delicious we found ourselves drinking them like Kool Aid and it wasn’t until about two hours later that we realized that those drinks were a tad bit stronger than we’d initially thought.
It was clear through the service that Relax is not equipped to be a restaurant, but we understood that. However, our waitress couldn’t even remember our drink orders, which was a bit of a surprise but perhaps it was her first day.
Anyway, on to the food!
Amuse: Seared scallop with grape & fennel salad
A single scallop perched upon a salad of grapes and fennel with toasted corn kernels. The scallop was cooked to perfection and all of us wished we could have had more than one. The toasted corn kernels added a wonderful texture and taste to the salad.
Main Course: Braised short rib, basil dumplings, brussel sprouts, mustard jus, bacon
This one was a flop in my mind. The short rib had the taste and consistency of the roasts my mom used to make and by the time the food got to us it was cold (forgivable given the circumstances). The basil dumplings were very good and there was only one sliver of brussel sprout on my plate but it was a good one!
Dessert: Cardamom brulee, lingon berries, lemon crêpe
The dessert was absolutely incredible. The ‘crêpe’ was more like a big elephant ear perched behind the brulee. The spices combined so wonderfully and like nothing else that I have ever tasted before.
Overall, the food was delicious and everyone was friendly. My only complaints were the cold main course, flighty waitress, and the portions were a tad small. I was okay, but the two men in my party were still hungry when we left (luckily Five Star had $ 1 corn dogs – gross).
Oh, and Dale never came out to greet anyone, etc. I at least thought we might get some face time with him! Instead we were hurried out for the next seating.
I’m not sure that I would go back to Relax just for drinks (not a ‘hood that I get to very often) but if I can’t recreate the Calientini at home I may have no choice.

Decided to have my birthday party here because I needed a bar thats empty on Fridays and where my pals could all fit comfortably. This was perfect. They let me reserve sections all over the place and they served food until about 1am.
I remember having a great time but apparently the staff was mean muggin my friends. Even my boyfriend! They kept giving some people problems which I wasn’t to happy about.
It boggles me when you bring about 50 – 100 people to an establishment thats empty otherwise, give them enough business for probably their whole weekend and you still have the nerve to act rude. Sorry if they were too loud for you. We were having a nice time! Lesson learned.
I’m just glad no one told me the night of. I would’ve been one drunk pissed off female. The ‘ghetto’ Puerto Rican may have come out. Not a good scene, not at all.
All in all everyone seemed to have a good time but this is not a place to throw a party. However its perfect to go hang with a small group and chill.

Yeah, I dined with Dale. I’m better than you. (Unless you’re my overly-​demanding wife or our daughter that keeps referring to me as a deadbeat.)
I guess this review is more for the special event dinner than the «lounge» that Relax would typically be thought of as. Wait, was that English? Sorry, I couldn’t think of a better way to construct that sentence, and I just ate Jalepeño Krunchers for breakfast and played a scratch-​off ticket (epic loss).
Well, we’re two paragraphs in, and so far I’ve displayed delusions of grandeur, self-​doubt, and poor lifestyle decisions. OMG, I’m preggers! Somebody falcon punch me!
The people at Relax seemed appreciative of our patronage and apologized in advance for any shortcomings, as Relax is not a restaurant, and this was their first night of Dining W/​Dale. Their preemptive apology, however, turned out to be extraneous, as everything was lovely. (I just said «lovely» for the first time in my life, I must have swallowed a baby or something.)
The quick 3-​course tasting menu was impressive given Relax’s lack of kitchen space. We saw Dale plating the salads on a makeshift countertop, i.e. a folding table. I don’t know what he did to the pork tenderloin, nor where he got it, but it was served medium rare and the taste and mouthfeel resembled venison or something much better than what you typically think of as pork. If I don’t wind up with trichinosis, I’d probably go so far as to say it was the best pork I’ve ever had. It was nicely accompanied by some cauliflower mash on the side. For some reason there was ginger-​candied bacon in the middle of the plate. I wasn’t sure why it was there, but it tasted good on its own.
The salad and dessert were very edible, but not quite as impressive as the main course. Dessert was chocolate-​filled wontons with peanut butter (yes, peanut butter… am I going to lose my baby due to food-​borne illness?). While not the best dessert ever ever, it was, imo, brilliant use of the deep fryer.
Great work Dale. Keep it up. Also, great work little j. Your chocolate rice krispy treats are great with pickles on top! I’m sorry I haven’t been a better father to you, but raising a daughter at the age of 8 is no easy task.

Sonotheque lite?
Nightclub Denny’s?
Early bird special?
Not crowded on a Saturday night at midnight. Fine for us old codgers. A place to take a load off and set a spell.

The décor was neat; usually I hate the cold, medicinal aura of doctors’ offices, but the warm, dim lighting of the «Pharmacy» was relaxing. I was a bit confused by the rocker photos on the wall; I think vintage photos would have fit better with the theme.
Prices for mixed drinks were a little higher than expected, but they were pretty tasty. I didn’t order anything from the menu, but I noticed a (possibly vegan?) veggie burger, which was cool.
The communal open sink area was a bit of a turnoff for me. Without trying to be gross, women would probably appreciate a private place to wash up when it’s the time of the month.
I had gone for a friend’s birthday; I’d probably go back only for a special occasion like that.

I kind of just think this place is dumb. Sonoteque is so much better, I’m not sure why I wasted my time here.
I’m also confused because I knew it used to be called Pharmacy, and now its called «Relax» but then can someone explain to me why there is a girl in an extremely tight vinyl nurse uniform standing behind the bar but not doing anything, such as get drinks and there was only one bartender working?
Maybe I went on a bad night, but I really don’t want to go back to find out.

So I live nearby and run past this place all the time and had no clue it was even here. Look for the neon green cross and you have found the right place. The name makes me think of the «relax don’t do it song» and then it gets stuck in my head. On the topic of the name– it’s kinda lame. Maybe it would be a better name for a yoga studio but not a lounge. I expected it to be boring and make me want to go to sleep.
Midnight on a Saturday it was a great place to be. Although I am not usually a lounge person, I enjoyed the atmosphere here. The energy was upbeat and it was busy, but not so that it was difficult to order a drink at the bar or snag a table for 5. Prices were comparative to WP/​UV places of similar caliber. I think this is a great option if you want to break out of the habit of the Wicker Park places but still want to stay in the area. It was also easy to catch a cab outside when I was ready to depart.

I find it mildly disturbing, yet strangely fascinating how many people do not wash their hands after using the restroom…
Relax Lounge indulges my curiosity by having a communal hand washing station between the two bathrooms, in plain site of patrons, and thinly veiled with bead curtains.
It’s actually really gross.

One of my friends had been raving about Relax for a long time and always tried to corral me into this place. I don’t know why I resisted; it’s fantastic. Sleek, urban and unpretentious with great music and food, Relax Lounge is the just kind of place I’ve been looking for in my neighborhood.
We snagged a seat at the bar and after perusing the drink menu, our bartender slyly told us of the «special drink not on the menu,» his own creating of a cucumber and jalapeño martini. Intrigued, I decided to order it up. Best described as a garden in a glass, this martini was nothing short of spectacular. The aroma was heavenly and the cocktail was boozy, not too sweet, refreshing from the cucumber and just enough heat from the jalapeño. I’d go back just for that cocktail alone!
Let’s not stop at the well-​poured drinks… the hummus platter with cucumbers and pita bread and the $ 1 basket of homemade fries were nothing to scoff at. The basket of fries is large and in charge and covered in a spicy, tangy seasoning that is oh-​so delicious. The hummus was fairly standard issue, but props to our bartender for keeping us in constant supply of cucumbers for maximum noshing pleasure.
With the great eats, mind-​altering martinis, kickin’ music from the DJ and great company with one of my favorite friends, I walked out of Relax Lounge as one very happy camper!

I’ve been to Relax at least once a month since I moved here and even on NYE.
This classy, cool décor hang out claims to be a bar for the older over 20’s crowd and does hit hte mark most times. With affordable drinks, attentive bartenders, and some good food deals (i.e. their Burgers).
DJ’s coming in from time to time and spicy things up. There is an ability to reserve the area in the back and have bottle service, though you face the bathrooms… which is never cool in my book.
Folks are very friendly here and parking is good. Folks in the public transportation arena would take the brown line up to the Chicago stop and head north… via a cab or bus… I’d recommend the cab if you want to get there before retirement… sorry CTA… call it like I see it.
So if you are looking for something cool, mature, and affordable, this is a slice of nightlife you need to try this summer.

Eh. My friends have been raving about Relax so when we decided to celebrate a friend’s engagement there this past Saturday night I was stoked to check it out. Not sure if this was just an off night for Relax, but I left so disappointed…
The lounge was packed… by the time I made my way to the back room (where our party was gathering) I didn’t feel quite so «relaxed». My feet were hurting me from a long night of party hopping yet it was too crowded to score a seat. I guess the pharmacy theme was cute, but my friends were confused of how it went with the name Relax. I personally think they should have stuck with their original name, Pharmacy.
The crowd wasn’t as trendy as I expected, although they were friendly… my best friend’s coat disappeared and a bunch of people standing were nice enough to help her find it. After an hour or so we headed home (my friend coatless) to relax because it certainly wasn’t happening here.

You’ll dig RelaX if you’re looking for an unpretentious lounge with a chill vibe. We got bottle service which was actually (relatively) affordable. Not a bad price for the new Irish vodka our super-​attentive server suggested. We also got sat at a HUGE comfy U-​shaped booth. Perfect for our large-​ish party. My only complaint is the music– the DJ seemed to suffer from a slight touch of schizophrenia. Rock, hip hop, top 40, house genres were heard and each song was only played about halfway through– reminiscent of the Vegas-​style that I’m not at all into.
Otherwise, great place to hit up with friends on a Sat. night! The perfect «in-​between» if you want to upgrade from trendy dive/​sports bar Five Star but aren’t in the mood for a true club such as Sonotheque, both down the street.