A Guide to Outdoor Eating in Chicago

With al fresco dining, beer gardens, or rooftop patios, Chicago is a splendid place to enjoy a meal or drink outdoors. When the weather cooperates, diners need to be ready to pounce or be filled with regret. During the pandemic, several new outdoor options emerged thanks to looser zoning and with more investment on patio spaces after health experts warned the general public about the increased risk of spread for COVID indoors.

Theoretically, increased options are a good thing, but it’s sometimes hard to parse a quality patio versus a makeshift pandemic patio pivot. Never fear, Eater Chicago has locals and tourists covered with all of the site’s outdoor maps in one place. Keep this guide close for the best picks in town and be sure it will be updated when new maps are created.

For updated information on coronavirus cases, please visit the city of Chicago’s COVID-19 dashboard. Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may still pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.