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A copper pot holds chilling bottles of wine and Champagne on a rooftop.
A rooftop bar might be a perfect escape from urban clamor.
Chateau Carbide

Where to Drink and Dine on Rooftops in Chicago

Chicagoans know how to embrace the city’s all-too-brief summer

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A rooftop bar might be a perfect escape from urban clamor.
| Chateau Carbide

Chicago has, of late, undergone a rooftop renaissance. Already surging in popularity in the years before the pandemic, open-air venues with gorgeous views only grew in prominence (and frankly, necessity) as the city’s hospitality industry worked toward recovery. That’s fostered a proliferation of sky-high spaces that range from glitzy and glam to casual and low-key. Some are open year-round but others are seasonal, so keep a calendar on hand when making plans.

Choose a destination from Eater Chicago’s list of the best rooftop venues — or try them all.

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Hotel Zachary at Gallagher Way

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Chicagoans have long been able to drink and watch Cubs games on rooftops across from Wrigley Field, but these days they can at actual public bars and restaurants. Spots at the Hotel Zachary and the Gallagher Way park adjacent to the Cubs’ stadium are flush with elevated outdoor areas with food, drink, and views of Wrigley from spots like the second-floor terrace above Matthias Merges’ restaurant Mordecai.

BiXi Beer

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Asian-inspired brewpub Bixi Beer, a neighborhood favorite from chef Bo Fowler (Owen & Engine) offers creative original beer and a sunny rooftop terrace in Logan Square. Top it off with sumptuous dishes such as cumin noodles with lamb, fried rice, and spicy fried chicken sandos.

Lonesome Rose

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This Tex-Mex bar and restaurant from Land & Sea Dept. (Parsons, Longman & Eagle) offers an array of tacos, queso fundido, and cocktails — as well as a second-floor rooftop patio decorated with lush greenery. The team opened a second outpost in spring 2023 in Andersonville, but there’s no rooftop space.

The Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club

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Bucktown’s shuffleboard club not only houses multiple bars, courts, and food trucks — it also has a rooftop bar. Named the Lido Deck, the sun-drenched second-floor space offers another bar, another court, and multiple seating options to soak in the summer for those getting into the game or otherwise. It’s open seasonally from May through September and is subject to bad-weather closings.

Utopian Tailgate

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Head to the rooftop above the Second City complex for a sprawling adult playground full of colorful furniture, picnic tables, plants, lawn games, tire swings, and more. The views only add to the fun while the menu features tailgate-themed foods like sliders, pizzas, and nachos, plus large-format cocktails and house shots. Sports fans will appreciate that there are numerous TVs showing the games throughout the space.

Kennedy Rooftop

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Perched atop the Hyatt Place Wicker Park, patrons will find the Kennedy Rooftop, a spacious lounge with fantastic skyline views, casual seating, cozy fire pits, and oversize Jenga sets. Cocktails and casual dishes like double-stack burgers and pulled pork sliders are also available.

Head to the hotel’s seventh floor.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Modern Greek restaurant Taxim is known for offering a variety of small plates, as well as a charming rooftop space overlooking Milwaukee Avenue. It’s intimate, even during a busy service, and pours plenty of Greek wine for toasting al fresco.

The Signature Room at the 95th®

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Few restaurants in town offer views that can match those at the Signature Room, the fine dining restaurant on the 95th floor of 875 North Michigan Avenue (formerly the John Hancock Center) — unless it’s those from the Signature Lounge on the 96th floor, for those who just want a drink.

Homestead On The Roof

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A verdant oasis overlooking the hustle and bustle of West Town from its home above Roots Pizza, Homestead on the Roof is a mellow retreat with seasonal dishes, top-notch desserts, and plenty of drinks. Some of the restaurant’s produce comes directly from its rooftop garden.

bar avec

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One Off Hospitality’s second outpost of Mediterranean-inspired Avec in River North one-ups its predecessor with a key feature — an eighth-floor rooftop patio, Bar Avec. The urban scenery is hard to beat and is accompanied by cocktails, frozen drinks, and Iberian-influenced dishes.

OffShore Chicago

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Navy Pier is home to the nation’s largest rooftop bar, as certified in 2019 by the Guinness Book of World Records. Offshore gives the tourist attraction a 36,000-square-foot all-weather lounge equipped with a 60-seat bar under a retractable roof, a large outdoor terrace, pool tables, along with food and drink.

Lettuce Entertain You’s debut foray into rooftops has continued to earn fans since its founding in 2019. The Mediterranean restaurant has established a loyal fanbase with multiple bars, interesting cocktails, and chef C.J. Jacobson’s Mediterranean-meets-Californian culinary style. Its rooftop terrace space includes fire pits that tend to draw crowds.

Gibsons Italia

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Chicago’s famed steakhouse group leaped into the rooftop game with the beautifully designed Gibsons Italia just over the Chicago River to the west of the Loop. The multi-floor Italian steakhouse offers some of the best views in town from inside the restaurant as well as its energetic fourth-floor rooftop.

Château Carbide

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At 5 p.m., this swanky art deco drinking spot atop the historic Carbide & Carbon Building transitions from a mellow daytime atmosphere to a festive club vibe with DJ sets of surprising tunes like French house music.

Cabra, celebrity chef Stephanie Izard’s rooftop Peruvian restaurant at the Hoxton hotel in Fulton Market, remains a go-to for rooftop dining fans in search of warm breezes during summer months. There’s also an enclosed space available year-round.

Cindy's Rooftop

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Ever-stylish spot Cindy’s in the Chicago Athletic Association hotel reigns supreme as one of the hottest rooftops in town, featuring gorgeous views of Millennium Park and beyond to Lake Michigan. The food and drink menus aim for broad appeal with selections such as burrata, sweet potato rigatoni, and crab cake sandwiches.

Reggies Chicago

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Bar and music venue Reggie’s, equipped with a rooftop deck and bar, is a staple in the neighborhood for acts that range from national tours to local cover bands. Supplement the sunlight with the bar’s solid beer lineup and sought-after chicken wings.

VU Rooftop Bar

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The South Side got its first rooftop bar when this year-round spot opened in 2018 near McCormick Place. VU Rooftop Bar has terrific views from the 22nd floor, three bars, fire pits, and retractable windows for the colder months.

The Woodlawn

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A multi-prong community hub with a restaurant, cafe, and event space in Chatham also bestows the neighborhood with a rooftop patio. As of April 2023, a new food menu is in the works.

Open Outcry Brewing Company

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The far South Side got into the rooftop action when popular brewery Open Outcry opened its second-floor spot in 2019. Bask in the glow on comfortable couches with a beer in hand.

Hotel Zachary at Gallagher Way

Chicagoans have long been able to drink and watch Cubs games on rooftops across from Wrigley Field, but these days they can at actual public bars and restaurants. Spots at the Hotel Zachary and the Gallagher Way park adjacent to the Cubs’ stadium are flush with elevated outdoor areas with food, drink, and views of Wrigley from spots like the second-floor terrace above Matthias Merges’ restaurant Mordecai.

BiXi Beer

Asian-inspired brewpub Bixi Beer, a neighborhood favorite from chef Bo Fowler (Owen & Engine) offers creative original beer and a sunny rooftop terrace in Logan Square. Top it off with sumptuous dishes such as cumin noodles with lamb, fried rice, and spicy fried chicken sandos.

Lonesome Rose

This Tex-Mex bar and restaurant from Land & Sea Dept. (Parsons, Longman & Eagle) offers an array of tacos, queso fundido, and cocktails — as well as a second-floor rooftop patio decorated with lush greenery. The team opened a second outpost in spring 2023 in Andersonville, but there’s no rooftop space.

The Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club

Bucktown’s shuffleboard club not only houses multiple bars, courts, and food trucks — it also has a rooftop bar. Named the Lido Deck, the sun-drenched second-floor space offers another bar, another court, and multiple seating options to soak in the summer for those getting into the game or otherwise. It’s open seasonally from May through September and is subject to bad-weather closings.

Utopian Tailgate

Head to the rooftop above the Second City complex for a sprawling adult playground full of colorful furniture, picnic tables, plants, lawn games, tire swings, and more. The views only add to the fun while the menu features tailgate-themed foods like sliders, pizzas, and nachos, plus large-format cocktails and house shots. Sports fans will appreciate that there are numerous TVs showing the games throughout the space.

Kennedy Rooftop

Perched atop the Hyatt Place Wicker Park, patrons will find the Kennedy Rooftop, a spacious lounge with fantastic skyline views, casual seating, cozy fire pits, and oversize Jenga sets. Cocktails and casual dishes like double-stack burgers and pulled pork sliders are also available.

Head to the hotel’s seventh floor.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago

Taxim

Modern Greek restaurant Taxim is known for offering a variety of small plates, as well as a charming rooftop space overlooking Milwaukee Avenue. It’s intimate, even during a busy service, and pours plenty of Greek wine for toasting al fresco.

The Signature Room at the 95th®

Few restaurants in town offer views that can match those at the Signature Room, the fine dining restaurant on the 95th floor of 875 North Michigan Avenue (formerly the John Hancock Center) — unless it’s those from the Signature Lounge on the 96th floor, for those who just want a drink.

Homestead On The Roof

A verdant oasis overlooking the hustle and bustle of West Town from its home above Roots Pizza, Homestead on the Roof is a mellow retreat with seasonal dishes, top-notch desserts, and plenty of drinks. Some of the restaurant’s produce comes directly from its rooftop garden.

bar avec

One Off Hospitality’s second outpost of Mediterranean-inspired Avec in River North one-ups its predecessor with a key feature — an eighth-floor rooftop patio, Bar Avec. The urban scenery is hard to beat and is accompanied by cocktails, frozen drinks, and Iberian-influenced dishes.

OffShore Chicago

Navy Pier is home to the nation’s largest rooftop bar, as certified in 2019 by the Guinness Book of World Records. Offshore gives the tourist attraction a 36,000-square-foot all-weather lounge equipped with a 60-seat bar under a retractable roof, a large outdoor terrace, pool tables, along with food and drink.

Aba

Lettuce Entertain You’s debut foray into rooftops has continued to earn fans since its founding in 2019. The Mediterranean restaurant has established a loyal fanbase with multiple bars, interesting cocktails, and chef C.J. Jacobson’s Mediterranean-meets-Californian culinary style. Its rooftop terrace space includes fire pits that tend to draw crowds.

Gibsons Italia

Chicago’s famed steakhouse group leaped into the rooftop game with the beautifully designed Gibsons Italia just over the Chicago River to the west of the Loop. The multi-floor Italian steakhouse offers some of the best views in town from inside the restaurant as well as its energetic fourth-floor rooftop.

Château Carbide

At 5 p.m., this swanky art deco drinking spot atop the historic Carbide & Carbon Building transitions from a mellow daytime atmosphere to a festive club vibe with DJ sets of surprising tunes like French house music.

Cabra

Cabra, celebrity chef Stephanie Izard’s rooftop Peruvian restaurant at the Hoxton hotel in Fulton Market, remains a go-to for rooftop dining fans in search of warm breezes during summer months. There’s also an enclosed space available year-round.

Related Maps

Cindy's Rooftop

Ever-stylish spot Cindy’s in the Chicago Athletic Association hotel reigns supreme as one of the hottest rooftops in town, featuring gorgeous views of Millennium Park and beyond to Lake Michigan. The food and drink menus aim for broad appeal with selections such as burrata, sweet potato rigatoni, and crab cake sandwiches.

Reggies Chicago

Bar and music venue Reggie’s, equipped with a rooftop deck and bar, is a staple in the neighborhood for acts that range from national tours to local cover bands. Supplement the sunlight with the bar’s solid beer lineup and sought-after chicken wings.

VU Rooftop Bar

The South Side got its first rooftop bar when this year-round spot opened in 2018 near McCormick Place. VU Rooftop Bar has terrific views from the 22nd floor, three bars, fire pits, and retractable windows for the colder months.

The Woodlawn

A multi-prong community hub with a restaurant, cafe, and event space in Chatham also bestows the neighborhood with a rooftop patio. As of April 2023, a new food menu is in the works.

Open Outcry Brewing Company

The far South Side got into the rooftop action when popular brewery Open Outcry opened its second-floor spot in 2019. Bask in the glow on comfortable couches with a beer in hand.

Related Maps