Lirica, Navy Pier’s new restaurant inside Sable Hotel, is open

Ashok Selvam is the editor of Eater Chicago and a native Chicagoan armed with more than two decades of award-winning journalism. Now covering the world of restaurants and food, his nut graphs are super nutty.

Navy Pier has been closed to the general public since September, as Labor Day was the tourist attraction’s last hurrah before going into hibernation. Access to the venue continues to be restricted as the space undergoes renovations — new restaurant from celebrity chef Art Smith’s should open this year, but as the pier waits for the project, Friday marks the debut of the restaurant inside the Sable Hotel, a 223-room property that opened earlier in March.

Lirica is a Latin-inspired restaurant with tapas and entrees like fish tacos, skirt steak, and a cheeseburger for picky tourists. It’s an all-day restaurant that will serve hotel guests and the breakfast menu includes chilaquiles and Spanish omelettes.

An industrial looking facade — Lirica is part of the Sable Hotel.

Navy Pier’s boardwalk regularly draws crowds of folks who want a drink and a view of Lake Michigan. Lirica sports a 150-seat patio outside the hotel with a drink list including three types of margaritas and three types of mojitos. In what should be a big moment for mixologists everywhere, mezcal has gone mainstream with Lirica’s very own version of a Oaxacan Old Fashioned. The wine lists skews Spanish with a little Portuguese, and there are four beers on tap, as well as several bottles and cans.

Maverick Restaurants, the same company that runs Navy Pier’s mammoth patio Offshore, operates Lirica. Walk inside to find floor to ceiling windows with lake views, and a 22-seat bar. There’s also a private event space. Come take a tour below.

Lirica, 900 E. Grand Avenue at Navy Pier, inside the Sable Hotel, open 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. daily for breakfast and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily for dinner. Reservations via OpenTable.