Chicago Athletic Association - The Unbound Collection by Hyatt
Resort hotel · Loop
12 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603
.jpg "Chicago Athletic Association - The Unbound Collection by Hyatt by Courtesy Chicago Athletic Association Hotel")
Highlights
Historic Michigan Ave hotel with rooftop bar & game room
Historic Michigan Ave hotel with rooftop bar & game room
"A forthcoming eight-seat omakase at the Chicago Athletic Association, occupying the bar formerly used by the previous tenant, focused on hand rolls and limited to up to eight guests per seating with two seatings nightly. Named after the gingko-lined street in Osaka, the design includes Japanese influences such as a hand-carved naguri-edge walnut bar and the “Ō” symbol, which references the work of Osaka-born artist Jiro Yoshihara. Operated by Boka as its third sushi concept after Momotaro (West Loop) and Itoko (Lakeview), the program emphasizes seasonality and chef curation under chef Brian Lockwood—who trained at The French Laundry, El Celler De Can Roca, and Eleven Madison Park—and will apply classical French techniques to Japanese ingredients to produce dishes such as sansho pepper duck and crab salad with daikon and miso egg yolk; the hand-roll selection will rotate. Beverage offerings will include wines, sakes, signature cocktails like a tomato water martini, and Japanese spirits infused with lemongrass, sesame, and more. Opening expected late summer or early fall." - Jeffy Mai
"A Michigan Avenue hotel that houses multiple dining concepts and public spaces; Boka took over operations from Land & Sea Dept. earlier this year and is introducing new concepts inside the building, including the forthcoming eight-seat hand-roll-focused omakase on the second floor. On-site venues include a rooftop restaurant and bar on the 13th floor offering views of Millennium Park and the lake, a Game Room with pool tables, the Drawing Room lobby space, and outposts of Shake Shack and Fairgrounds. A classic wood-paneled American restaurant on-site closed after the operator change and a successor has not yet been announced." - Jeffy Mai
"A recently rehabbed 1890’s landmark building, the CAA has too many incredible food, drink and design details to possibly cover in full detail here. You can (and we have) spend an entire day going from room to room and enjoying the unique experience that each offers. From the old-school game bar complete with shuffle board, pools tables, a bocce ball court made of oyster shells and a cocktail menu from Paul McGee, to the Masonic Order themed upscale dining of The Cherry Circle Room, to the rooftop bar and restaurant with one of the best views in the city, this place is next-level." - IA Collaborative
"Boka Restaurant Group has officially taken over management of the food-and-beverage venues inside the hotel after more than a month since the initial news; the announcement was delayed over the future of the rooftop operation. Land & Sea Dept., which had managed key venues inside the property since the hotel’s makeover in 2015 and also runs Parson’s Fish & Chicken and is a partner in Longman & Eagle (which just celebrated its 15th anniversary in Logan Square), will officially depart the property at the end of February. Boka will assume operations, with new branding expected to be in place by March, and will oversee a transition that includes taking over the rooftop and introducing new concepts in several of the hotel’s dining spaces." - Ashok Selvam
"The hotel inside the 141-year-old building across from Millennium Park is seeing its second-floor restaurants and bars change management in 2025: Land & Sea Dept. is vacating the building’s second floor, and an internal email guessed the company would stick around until Thursday, January 30. The email includes comments from Land & Sea owner Pete Toalson and mentions that Boka Restaurant Group would be taking over; when reached, Boka’s Kevin Boehm declined to comment on his company’s plans. It’s unclear what’s driving the changes or if the four venues will retain their names or if the concepts will change under new management, and it’s also unclear if any deal with Boka would include the rooftop operation. The email states Boka craves a “seamless transition.” Land & Sea has partnered with the property since the second-floor space was unveiled in 2015 and navigated landmark restrictions in designing the space; the group also owns Parson’s Chicken & Fish, Longman & Eagle, and Dicey’s Pizza & Tavern. Boka is one of the biggest players in the Chicago restaurant world — it partnered with Stephanie Izard on Girl & the Goat and won a James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur — and has had a busy November with the announcement of a new pizzeria in River North and the closure of GT Prime, ending an 18-year collaboration with chef Giuseppe Tentori." - Ashok Selvam
