Booth One

"Chicago’s largest restaurant group closing a business inside the former home of the city’s most famous restaurant is a very rare shutter double whammy. But that’s what happened when Lettuce Entertain You closed Booth One in June inside the former home of the legendary Pump Room. The decision to close the Gold Coast restaurant after less than two and a half years was mutual, according to a press release, but nonetheless surprising. The Ambassador Hotel, which houses the space, replaced it with a generic bar and dining." - Daniel Gerzina

"Booth One, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises’s Pump Room update in Gold Coast, sells a grasshopper with crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and cream." - Ashok Selvam

"Booth One manages to successfully reinvent a classic restaurant, writes Ariel Cheung. The dining room, highlighted by hanging orbs from the ceiling, is 'refined but simple—which, incidentally is an apt way to describe the food as well.' Scrambled eggs showered with black truffle and poached crab is a winner, as is Japanese snapper ceviche with uni and passion-fruit sauce that 'pleasantly calls to mind a chilly late-spring beach day.' Among entrees, the Crispy Duck a la Booth One is 'crispy indeed, with a crackly skin encasing the rich, fall-off-the-bone meat.' For dessert, the 1950s-era cheesecake is a 'lovely way to end the night.'" - Jeffy Mai

"Booth One retains the charm of the historic Pump Room space while simultaneously modernizing its menu. Phil Vettel thinks the “blending of the old and new” is evident on dishes like Japanese snapper ceviche adorned with sea urchin, a “pristine composition [that] tastes like innocence.” Lobster cappuccino is “immensely satisfying,” while entrees include “irresistible” tuna au poivre and crispy duck with “perfectly crispy exteriors and fork-tender insides.” Desserts “wow you with execution” and are highlighted by a lemon-meringue pie that’s “as beautiful as it tastes.”" - Jeffy Mai

"Booth One is trying recapture era of Frank Sinatra (apparently he sat in “Booth One” at the Ambassador Hotel’s original restaurant). There are well-prepared dishes like lobster cappuccino (basically a lobster bisque), beef wellington, and a dessert that’s a platter of fresh strawberries surrounded by creme fraiche, Grand Marnier, and chocolate called “strawberries Zsa Zsa”. It succeeds in creating an old-school atmosphere - servers wear tuxedo jackets, there are giant booths, and the whole place is like a Gold Coast version of RPM Steak (unsurprisingly, since it’s from the same team). It’s worth visiting even if you’re not in the neighborhood - and you can bring anyone who secretly wishes had been a part of the Rat Pack." - Adrian Kane