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The Country's First Virgin Hotel, and its First Restaurant, Opens Today in Loop

The all-day restaurant The Commons Club is the first of five eating and drinking options in the Virgin Hotel.

The Commons Club

Today's the day that the public can finally step inside Sir Richard Branson's first Virgin Hotel in the United States. And with it comes the opening of the first of its restaurants, The Commons Club, helmed by former David Burke's Primehouse executive chef Rick Gresh.

The all-day dining spot spans two floors in the streetside portion of the former Dearborn Bank Building on Wabash. Inside the space is open and modern, with gray pillowy booths set in front of a oval centerpiece bar under vaulted ceilings.

Gresh's menus are a different breed than what he executed at Primehouse, encompassing British, American, and global dishes, many fused with Asian ingredients. Full English breakfast and American breakfast are some of the available items in the morning, while the dinner menu, sectioned by "bites," "share plates" and "large plates," includes "Asian Paella" (brown rice, quinoa, lentils, mushrooms, grilled tofu, carrots, peanuts, spiced coconut, cilantro, $18) and "Fatty Noodles" (lobster, udon, sriracha, furi spice, rapini, $19/29). Read through the full breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner menus below.

The Commons Club is open to the general public and hotel guests alike. The remaining restaurants and bars (23-hour diner Miss Ricky's, espresso/wine bar 203, rooftop bar and lounge) are all slated to open between February and April.

Virgin Hotel

203 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 940-4440