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55th Annual Chicago Air And Water Show
Chicago is in for a weekend of Air and Water Show fanfare.
Getty

Where to Escape Chicago’s Air and Water Show

Not everyone is a fan of the noise from the Blue Angels

by Naomi Waxman and Eater Staff Updated
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Chicago is in for a weekend of Air and Water Show fanfare.
| Getty
by Naomi Waxman and Eater Staff Updated

Technically, Chicago’s annual Air and Water Show on Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20 will be held between Fullerton Avenue and Oak Street, but the strafing planes have been known to fly as far north as Rogers Park. There are, however, options for escape. One possibility is leaving town altogether. Another is hiding in a basement with snacks for sustenance. A third, and arguably best solution, is finding a peaceful patio far from the lake, with nice food, drink, and a quiet summer sky as a pleasant backdrop.

Those who aren’t excited about the Blue Angels’ return can take back the weekend with Eater Chicago’s list of top bars and restaurants where patrons can avoid the roar of aircraft through the two-day event.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Annapurna Simply Vegetarian

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Known for South Indian vegetarian food, this South Asian snack shop has been a fixture for years with dosas, samosas, puri (puffed flatbread), and more. The corner space means they have room to set up a rare patio on that stretch of Devon.

2600 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 764-1858
(773) 764-1858

Also featured in:

Angelo's Wine Bar

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Founded in 1962, Angelo’s underwent a makeover in 2015 that transformed it from a neighborhood pizzeria to a wine bar. It still features thin crust pizzas, but now also pasta, salads, charcuterie, bruschetta, sandwiches, and more alongside bottles and flights. The patio is one of the few outdoor spots in Albany Park.

3026 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 539-0111
(773) 539-0111

Also featured in:

BiXi Beer

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Chef Bo Fowler’s Asian-influenced brewpub has established itself as a Logan Square favorite, serving a smart and playful menu that includes springy noodles, Italian beef-inspired bao, spicy fried chicken sandwiches, and bacon cheeseburgers, plus an extensive selection of beers. All this, and a partially covered roofdeck, too.

2515 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 904-7368
(773) 904-7368

Also featured in:

Testaccio Chicago

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Logan Square’s restaurant Testaccio, inspired by the eponymous Roman neighborhood, serves a blend of cuisines from Greek, Malta, Turkey, and Morocco, and makes good use of the wood-burning oven left behind by former tenant Quiote. The restaurant is from Aldo Zaninotto of Osteria Langhe, and the menu features street food. There are also more than 60 outdoor spots on the patio and sidewalk.

2456 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 661-6028
(773) 661-6028

Also featured in:

Pizza Lobo

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New York-style pizzeria Pizza Lobo in Logan Square houses a 4,000 square foot patio where patrons can find a tight selection of pies, starters, and salads. It also operates a carryout window on Sacramento Avenue. This was an outgrowth of a pizza operation that started inside Lone Wolf, Heisler’s West Loop bar, and has since expanded to a second outpost in Andersonville.

3000 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(312) 265-1745
(312) 265-1745

Also featured in:

The Leavitt Street Inn & Tavern

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This Bucktown tavern, run by two longtime neighborhood residents, is virtually a showroom for Chicago-area breweries and distilleries: there’s always something local on tap. The food is solid pub fare, and for patrons who don’t feel like going home, there are three guest rooms upstairs.

2345 N Leavitt St, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 661-9639
(773) 661-9639

Also featured in:

Cebu

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This family-run Filipino restaurant not only has superb lumpia, halo-halo, and Cebuano-style pancit, it’s also got a tranquil back patio on which to enjoy them.

2211 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 799-8650
(773) 799-8650

Also featured in:

Pizza Friendly Pizza

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Powered by recipes from Noah Sandoval, the chef of Michelin-starred Oriole, 16” on Center opened a Sicilian pizzeria next to the Empty Bottle, its name an echo of the Bottle’s famous slogan “Music Friendly Dancing.” In addition to pies, there’s salad, breadsticks, and a petite alley patio where diners can gobble down slices.

1039 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 395-2483
(773) 395-2483

Also featured in:

Recess

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The management of Recess in the West Loop boasts that it has the city’s largest patio. While this remains unverified, it is true that Recess has enough space for ample social distancing at several different levels, with artificial turf and without. There are also frozen cocktails and nice sunset views.

838 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 801-1181
(312) 801-1181

Also featured in:

Aba

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Lettuce Entertain You’s Aba in the West Loop restaurant, has one of the loveliest rooftop patios in the city where diners can lounge and eat their way through CJ Jacobson’s Mediterranean-meets-Middle Eastern menu, particularly the stracciatella with marinated tomatoes.

302 N Green St 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60607
(773) 645-1400
(773) 645-1400

Also featured in:

Cabra

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Perched atop the Hoxton Hotel, Stephanie Izard’s rooftop spot that draws on the ingredient and techniques of Peru. It’s a breezy, photogenic spot for both brunch and dinner with hits like ceviche, tiradito, and more.

200 N Green St, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 761-1717
(312) 761-1717

Also featured in:

Osito's Tap

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Bartender extraordinaire Denisse Soto has been given the full range of spirits available at Moreno’s Liquors, where Osito’s is housed, speakeasy-style, to create cocktails that conjure the flavors and feel of Mexico City, right in the heart of Little Village. There’s also an extensive craft beer selection, and Moreno’s boasts the Midwest’s largest collection of tequila.

2553 S Ridgeway Ave, Chicago, IL 60623
(773) 277-8117
(773) 277-8117

Also featured in:

The Duck Inn

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Located on a quiet corner in Bridgeport near the Chicago River, the Duck Inn feels much farther away from downtown than it actually is, especially out on the back patio. Chef Kevin Hickey’s menu ranges from the simple — a classic Chicago-style duck-fat hot dog — to the spectacular — a full rotisserie duck.

2701 S Eleanor St, Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 724-8811
(312) 724-8811

Also featured in:

The Woodlawn

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This restaurant, cafe, and event space in Chatham also has a rooftop patio. The menu features salads, sandwiches, and chicken and fish, both jerk and fried.

1200 E 79th St, Chicago, IL 60619
(773) 902-2470
(773) 902-2470

Also featured in:

Open Outcry Brewing Company

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Beverly brewpub Open Outcry is adored for its rooftop beer garden, as well as wood-fired Neapolitan pizza and, of course, beer.

10934 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 629-6055
(773) 629-6055

Also featured in:

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Annapurna Simply Vegetarian

2600 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659

Known for South Indian vegetarian food, this South Asian snack shop has been a fixture for years with dosas, samosas, puri (puffed flatbread), and more. The corner space means they have room to set up a rare patio on that stretch of Devon.

2600 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 764-1858
(773) 764-1858

Angelo's Wine Bar

3026 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Founded in 1962, Angelo’s underwent a makeover in 2015 that transformed it from a neighborhood pizzeria to a wine bar. It still features thin crust pizzas, but now also pasta, salads, charcuterie, bruschetta, sandwiches, and more alongside bottles and flights. The patio is one of the few outdoor spots in Albany Park.

3026 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 539-0111
(773) 539-0111

BiXi Beer

2515 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Chef Bo Fowler’s Asian-influenced brewpub has established itself as a Logan Square favorite, serving a smart and playful menu that includes springy noodles, Italian beef-inspired bao, spicy fried chicken sandwiches, and bacon cheeseburgers, plus an extensive selection of beers. All this, and a partially covered roofdeck, too.

2515 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 904-7368
(773) 904-7368

Testaccio Chicago

2456 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

Logan Square’s restaurant Testaccio, inspired by the eponymous Roman neighborhood, serves a blend of cuisines from Greek, Malta, Turkey, and Morocco, and makes good use of the wood-burning oven left behind by former tenant Quiote. The restaurant is from Aldo Zaninotto of Osteria Langhe, and the menu features street food. There are also more than 60 outdoor spots on the patio and sidewalk.

2456 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 661-6028
(773) 661-6028

Pizza Lobo

3000 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

New York-style pizzeria Pizza Lobo in Logan Square houses a 4,000 square foot patio where patrons can find a tight selection of pies, starters, and salads. It also operates a carryout window on Sacramento Avenue. This was an outgrowth of a pizza operation that started inside Lone Wolf, Heisler’s West Loop bar, and has since expanded to a second outpost in Andersonville.

3000 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(312) 265-1745
(312) 265-1745

The Leavitt Street Inn & Tavern

2345 N Leavitt St, Chicago, IL 60647

This Bucktown tavern, run by two longtime neighborhood residents, is virtually a showroom for Chicago-area breweries and distilleries: there’s always something local on tap. The food is solid pub fare, and for patrons who don’t feel like going home, there are three guest rooms upstairs.

2345 N Leavitt St, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 661-9639
(773) 661-9639

Cebu

2211 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

This family-run Filipino restaurant not only has superb lumpia, halo-halo, and Cebuano-style pancit, it’s also got a tranquil back patio on which to enjoy them.

2211 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 799-8650
(773) 799-8650

Pizza Friendly Pizza

1039 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Powered by recipes from Noah Sandoval, the chef of Michelin-starred Oriole, 16” on Center opened a Sicilian pizzeria next to the Empty Bottle, its name an echo of the Bottle’s famous slogan “Music Friendly Dancing.” In addition to pies, there’s salad, breadsticks, and a petite alley patio where diners can gobble down slices.

1039 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 395-2483
(773) 395-2483

Recess

838 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60642

The management of Recess in the West Loop boasts that it has the city’s largest patio. While this remains unverified, it is true that Recess has enough space for ample social distancing at several different levels, with artificial turf and without. There are also frozen cocktails and nice sunset views.

838 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 801-1181
(312) 801-1181

Aba

302 N Green St 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60607

Lettuce Entertain You’s Aba in the West Loop restaurant, has one of the loveliest rooftop patios in the city where diners can lounge and eat their way through CJ Jacobson’s Mediterranean-meets-Middle Eastern menu, particularly the stracciatella with marinated tomatoes.

302 N Green St 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60607
(773) 645-1400
(773) 645-1400

Cabra

200 N Green St, Chicago, IL 60607

Perched atop the Hoxton Hotel, Stephanie Izard’s rooftop spot that draws on the ingredient and techniques of Peru. It’s a breezy, photogenic spot for both brunch and dinner with hits like ceviche, tiradito, and more.

200 N Green St, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 761-1717
(312) 761-1717

Osito's Tap

2553 S Ridgeway Ave, Chicago, IL 60623

Bartender extraordinaire Denisse Soto has been given the full range of spirits available at Moreno’s Liquors, where Osito’s is housed, speakeasy-style, to create cocktails that conjure the flavors and feel of Mexico City, right in the heart of Little Village. There’s also an extensive craft beer selection, and Moreno’s boasts the Midwest’s largest collection of tequila.

2553 S Ridgeway Ave, Chicago, IL 60623
(773) 277-8117
(773) 277-8117

The Duck Inn

2701 S Eleanor St, Chicago, IL 60608

Located on a quiet corner in Bridgeport near the Chicago River, the Duck Inn feels much farther away from downtown than it actually is, especially out on the back patio. Chef Kevin Hickey’s menu ranges from the simple — a classic Chicago-style duck-fat hot dog — to the spectacular — a full rotisserie duck.

2701 S Eleanor St, Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 724-8811
(312) 724-8811

The Woodlawn

1200 E 79th St, Chicago, IL 60619

This restaurant, cafe, and event space in Chatham also has a rooftop patio. The menu features salads, sandwiches, and chicken and fish, both jerk and fried.

1200 E 79th St, Chicago, IL 60619
(773) 902-2470
(773) 902-2470

Open Outcry Brewing Company

10934 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60643

Beverly brewpub Open Outcry is adored for its rooftop beer garden, as well as wood-fired Neapolitan pizza and, of course, beer.

10934 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60643
(773) 629-6055
(773) 629-6055

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