The Walnut Room at Field's

The Walnut Room is on the 7th floor at Macy’s (Marshall Field’s) on State Street. It’s a terrific deal for folks seeing the shows. On the menu they even note to mention your show time to your server and they’ll get you in and out in 45 minutes in time for your show. Sweet Charity in this instance.

It must be a secret because it’s always nearly empty at dinner (not empty around X-Mas). The
view from the desolate 7th floor white-tablecloth dining room is
terrific. The menu is incredibly reasonable,inflatable water slide entrees hover around
$10-12 dollars (Steak will run you $16) and the service is fantastic.
It’s really old school. You even get “Walnut Cookies” with your check. You feel like your grandmother would stoically
approve of the formality and the price. And the warm roll they give you
promptly.

The food is straightforward and somewhat reminds me of catering
tastings. Everything is done right. But nothing truly amazing. This
being the 2nd time there, I’ll give you the quick laundry list.

Evening #1:
Stacy ordered the chicken pot pie, a soupy affair with a flaky
crust. I picked the steak salad. It was huge and tasty but rather plain.

Evening #2:
Stacy ordered the lobster bisque. After a “lobster bisque” at Charlie’s
Ale House (BIG Mistake) I was reticent to try it. It was a bit salty
and very lobstery. I ordered the special, Louisiana pepper shrimp with
whipped potatos and zucchini. It wasn’t peppery so much as it was
vinegary. Very Louisiana hot saucy. The veggie side was somewhat out of
place and contributed to the catering-impression. Stacy ordered the
Papaya, Avocado chicken salad. She enjoyed it but I thought it was
really ordinary. Desert was a split of “the world’s smallest banana-split.”

Bottom line: great price, nice environment, great service, and above-average food but not that far above average.