The Palmer House Hilton is probably one of the more stately hotels in Chicago, combining elegance and history. Lockwood ( 17 E. Monroe St.; LockwoodRestaurant.com ) has the advantage of being in this building, located just off the main lobby.
The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even afternoon tea, and the Bar at Lockwood was bustling with people, even as my friend and I visited in the late morning hours.
As for the restaurant, it's solid, overall. Our server ( Jill ) and the manager ( Oscar ) were especially friendly, attending to the needs of everyone around us as well as ourselves.
However, there were a couple speed bumps. There were aspects of the decor that bothered both of us. For my friend, it was the low ceilings, making things almost claustrophobic for him. For me, it was the mirrored pillars; I don't know of too many people who would want to watch themselves dining. ( On the plus side, if you need to check for food in your teeth, you needn't go far. )
The food initially left me wanting. Executive Chef Mathew Wiltzius has impeccable credentials ( Fred's Restaurant at Barneys New York; the Waldorf Astoria Chicago ) so my expectations were really highand, for the most part, they were met.
The bacon-and-onion tart was serviceable; the taste was there, but the dough was a bit tough. However, the breakfast tacos were much better, with a slight kick. My friend then got the turkey burger ( with smoked Gouda, pancetta and herb aioli on a brioche ); it was delicious, and pretty sizeable. My lobster roll also put a smile on my face; "zesty" is the best word I can use to describe it.
The desserts were probably the highlights of the meal. Bertha's brownie came with caramel sea-salt ice cream and almond streusel, and was especially memorable. Likewise, the vanilla-bean creme brulee was absolutely stellar, with berries, magnolia shrubbery and toasted oatmeal. ( I was a little worried when I saw "shrubbery" on the menu, but the greenery was far less than I feared. )
Another highlight during the meal was meeting Ken Price, Palmer House historian and the host of the hotel's "History is Hott" tour. ( Yes, it's "Hott." ) Price oozes old-school Hollywood and has more personality than a gaggle of Kardashians. I definitely plan on going on a tour sometime after Pride Month.
So is Lockwood as stately as the rest of the Palmer? I would say it's not quite there. However, there are definitely delights to be had.