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Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 02, 2013 02:37PM
[b]Has anybody here evr visit the Tip Top Tap on top of the Allerton Hotel on Michigan avenue? I worked in that area and always wanted to chech it out in the 60's but never did.[/b]
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
Mornac
(---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: March 02, 2013 07:30PM
I was in there once but under particular circumstances. About ten years ago the place was reopening after having been closed for some time and Don Wade and Roma from WLS were doing their morning program from there to mark the occasion. I was one of the listeners who was invited.
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
nordsider
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 02, 2013 07:57PM
Yes, sometime in the mid 60s. I presume that I was trying to impress my girl friend at the time. At the very top of the Tip Tap Top we saw a theatrical play -- I can't remember the details -- and after the play, while waiting for the elevator to return us to ground level, we were surrounded by what appeared to be, women dressed in play-boy costumes. It's all true. ;-)
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
ambrosemario
(---.hsd1.in.comcast.net)
Date: March 03, 2013 12:57AM
Hello Mornac,
I am curious as to the condition of the Tip Top Tap when you were there 10 years ago. Was it an empty space of did equipment from its hey-day remain in place tables, booths, bar, etc.? I had an opportunity to visit the old observation deck in the Chicago Board of Trade a few years ago. It was very popular and the highest such viewing gallery in the city until the Prudential building was built in 1958. Very little of the vacant gallery remained. The viewing windows were covered with aluminum sheeting and the floor was strewn with cables from all the electronics added over the years. However, one floor below was the former studio for channel 26 and that space was very recognizable.
I am curious as to the condition of the Tip Top Tap when you were there 10 years ago. Was it an empty space of did equipment from its hey-day remain in place tables, booths, bar, etc.? I had an opportunity to visit the old observation deck in the Chicago Board of Trade a few years ago. It was very popular and the highest such viewing gallery in the city until the Prudential building was built in 1958. Very little of the vacant gallery remained. The viewing windows were covered with aluminum sheeting and the floor was strewn with cables from all the electronics added over the years. However, one floor below was the former studio for channel 26 and that space was very recognizable.
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 03, 2013 11:36AM
[b]Thanks: Very interesting observations.[/b]
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
Mornac
(---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: March 03, 2013 01:58PM
ambrosemario Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hello Mornac,
>
> I am curious as to the condition of the Tip Top
> Tap when you were there 10 years ago. Was it an
> empty space of did equipment from its hey-day
> remain in place tables, booths, bar, etc.?
Well ambrosemario, I'd say it had undergone a re-hab but by no means would I call it a restoration. I'd never been there when it was the historical Tip Top Tap so I wouldn't know what to look for, but the place had the feel of a banquet hall more than a night club and I'm pretty sure that's what the ownership was going for - a prestigious eyrie that could be rented out at top dollar without the hassle of having to play host.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hello Mornac,
>
> I am curious as to the condition of the Tip Top
> Tap when you were there 10 years ago. Was it an
> empty space of did equipment from its hey-day
> remain in place tables, booths, bar, etc.?
Well ambrosemario, I'd say it had undergone a re-hab but by no means would I call it a restoration. I'd never been there when it was the historical Tip Top Tap so I wouldn't know what to look for, but the place had the feel of a banquet hall more than a night club and I'm pretty sure that's what the ownership was going for - a prestigious eyrie that could be rented out at top dollar without the hassle of having to play host.
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
jd
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 03, 2013 03:40PM
Is the Tip Top Tap the same place as "The Clouds Room high atop the Allerton Hotel"? The Clouds Room was where Dom MacNeill broadcast the national radio show "The Breakfast Club" for 2 hours each morning Monday through Friday for decades. He had an orchestra and famous guests drop by to chit chat with him and a co-host.
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
nordsider
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: March 03, 2013 06:13PM
jd Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is the Tip Top Tap the same place as "The Clouds
> Room high atop the Allerton Hotel"? The Clouds
> Room was where Dom MacNeill broadcast the national
> radio show "The Breakfast Club" for 2 hours each
> morning Monday through Friday for decades. He had
> an orchestra and famous guests drop by to chit
> chat with him and a co-host.
"By 1963, the room was home to a new restaurant, the Cloud Room, when Don McNeill moved his broadcast of "Don McNeill's Breakfast Club" to the location. While the show was broadcast from the Allerton, McNeill's guests included regular Fran Allison."
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allerton_Hotel
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is the Tip Top Tap the same place as "The Clouds
> Room high atop the Allerton Hotel"? The Clouds
> Room was where Dom MacNeill broadcast the national
> radio show "The Breakfast Club" for 2 hours each
> morning Monday through Friday for decades. He had
> an orchestra and famous guests drop by to chit
> chat with him and a co-host.
"By 1963, the room was home to a new restaurant, the Cloud Room, when Don McNeill moved his broadcast of "Don McNeill's Breakfast Club" to the location. While the show was broadcast from the Allerton, McNeill's guests included regular Fran Allison."
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allerton_Hotel
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
murphman
(---.evdo.leapwireless.net)
Date: March 25, 2013 06:57AM
Just in the last year or so, saw a piece on, I think, abc local news about the Tip-Top-Tap. Showed the inside as it is today. Probably can find it on youtube. Tip-Top-Tap seems rather ridiculous today as there couldn't be much of a view unless you are a voyeur. But at one time it was the tallest building on north Michigan.
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
SouthSide41
(75.115.202.---)
Date: October 14, 2013 03:31PM
Happy Anniversary: We spent our wedding night there--50 years ago (12 October 1963), then re-visited the newly remodeled in October 2005. My bride was only 20 years old--and could not drink!
Carousel in the Sky at the Morrison Hotel
Posted by:
RonJ
(---.ags.bellsouth.net)
Date: October 19, 2013 07:01PM
Anyone remember the Carousel in the Sky restaurant atop the old Morrison Hotel? It was a classy place that revolved; hence the "carousel" name. Also had strolling violinists. I took a date here when I was eighteen years old, just before I left for a three year hitch in the US Army. She was so impressed she waited two whole years before she sent me a Dear John letter.
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
rjmachon
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: October 21, 2013 05:45AM
The only revolving bar/restaurant I knew of was the Hyatt Ohare on River Road around 1975. I doubt that is still revolves today.
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
davey7
(---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: October 21, 2013 06:41PM
I think the W on LSD had a revolving restaurant when it was Holiday Inn.
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
Rustymuscle
(---.lightspeed.elgnil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: November 03, 2013 09:33PM
The Pinnacle was the revolving restaurant atop the Holiday Inn on LSD.
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: November 03, 2013 10:49PM
[b]I took a few dates at theHoliday Inn revolving resturant. That was in the early 70's. A nice place for dinner.[/b]
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
nordsider
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: November 04, 2013 09:19AM
On my first visit to the Pinnacle, sometime in the mid 60s, it was revolving so fast that I thought the waiters had trouble finding their customers' table location. ;-)
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
lakelandgal
(---.socal.res.rr.com)
Date: July 03, 2014 04:10AM
I was at the Tip Top Tap back in 1958 with my mom and her friend. I was 15 at the time.
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
EricV
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 03, 2014 10:42AM
Here's info from their site-scroll down to Tip Top Tap[url=http://warwickhotels-px.trvlclick.com/allerton-hotel-chicago/meetings/capacity-chart/]Warwick Allerton page[/url]
for pics-not sure which are the most up to date, at one point it was called the Renaissance Ballroom:
[url=https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=renaissance+ballroom%22+allerton&FORM=HDRSC2]Renaissance Ballroom[/url]
and this:[url=http://www.hotelplanner.com/Hotels/133197/Reservations-The-Allerton-Hotel-Chicago-Chicago-701-North-Michigan-Ave-60611#Meeting-Space]rental details[/url]
for pics-not sure which are the most up to date, at one point it was called the Renaissance Ballroom:
[url=https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=renaissance+ballroom%22+allerton&FORM=HDRSC2]Renaissance Ballroom[/url]
and this:[url=http://www.hotelplanner.com/Hotels/133197/Reservations-The-Allerton-Hotel-Chicago-Chicago-701-North-Michigan-Ave-60611#Meeting-Space]rental details[/url]
Re: Tip Top Tap Allerton Hotel
Posted by:
davey7
(---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: July 03, 2014 04:49PM
That's a nice space, too bad it's not still a bar regularly open to the public.
EricV Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here's info from their site-scroll down to Tip Top
> TapWarwick Allerton page
> for pics-not sure which are the most up to date,
> at one point it was called the Renaissance
> Ballroom:
> Renaissance Ballroom
> and this:rental details
EricV Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here's info from their site-scroll down to Tip Top
> TapWarwick Allerton page
> for pics-not sure which are the most up to date,
> at one point it was called the Renaissance
> Ballroom:
> Renaissance Ballroom
> and this:rental details
