Al fresco dining and drinking are hugely popular in Chicago, mostly because of three urban wonders: Lake Michigan, the skyline, and summer nights. Big and beautiful as these wonders are, there are plenty of different ways to enjoy them — from the neighborhood bar to the banks of the Chicago River.
THE MARINA CAFE
6401 S. Coast Guard Drive
312-742-7529
Don’t let the humble name fool you. This is a true restaurant, with tables near the water and a fine view of the city from the South Side.
NORTH POND CAFE
2610 N. Cannon Drive
773-477-5845
Imagine a summer house on a pond in Lincoln Park, a place so well situated that you might see downtown through the trees.
AVENUE ALE HOUSE
825 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park
708-848-2801
This popular Oak Park restaurant has a rooftop deck with a clear view of the Chicago skyline.
MOONLIGHT PADDLES WITH CHICAGO RIVER CANOE & KAYAK
Clark Park
3400 N. Rockwell
7 to 10 p.m.
773-325-2925
Reservations required.
The Chicago River renaissance continues with these twilight dinner “cruises.” Pick a boat, paddle a while, and then feast on a riverside dinner from Brett’s on Roscoe.
SLOW DOWN, LIFE’S TOO SHORT
1177 N. Elston Ave.
773-384-1040
Few restaurants or bars can match the ambience of Life’s Too Short, situated on the banks of the Chicago River at Elston Avenue and Division Street. Part roadhouse, part urban yacht club, the bar has docks for river boaters and several decks with a clear view of the city. There’s even an outdoor shower.
LUNA CABANA
Galileo’s Cafe at the Adler Planetarium
Thursdays, June 5-Aug. 28
5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
312-922-7827
The Adler Planetarium has a city view that’s been immortalized in postcards and snapshots for decades. Now you can party there too. Luna Cabana features live salsa music, tropical Latin food and cocktails.
SMITH & WOLLENSKY
318 N. State St.
312-670-9900
On the banks of the Chicago River and a stone’s throw from the State Street bridge, this sophisticated steakhouse boasts one of the finest Loop views in Chicago.
ROCK BOTTOM RESTAURANT AND BREWERY
1 W. Grand Ave.
312-755-9339
Think of this as your very own rooftop sundeck in the heart of downtown. After a long day of working or sightseeing in the city, check out Rock Bottom’s newly remodeled beer garden.
CRU CAFE AND WINE BAR
888 N. Wabash Ave.
312-337-4078
An outdoor cafe with a Parisian feel, Cru is a short walk from Rush Street and The Magnificent Mile. That means the people-watching can be just as entertaining as the scenery.
OAK STREET BEACHSTRO 1001 E. LAKE SHORE DRIVE
312-915-4100
A recent addition to the lakefront, Oak Street Beachstro has quickly become one of the city’s treasures. Few spots are more picturesque. Perched on the southern edge of Oak Street Beach, the restaurant’s dining area is made from wood decks and surrounded by flowers, like the patio of some summer home.
LA PALMA
Humboldt Park Boathouse
1359 N. Sacramento
773-227-8222 (the phone number as published has been corrected in this text)
The restaurant offers Puerto Rican cuisine from the pastoral setting of the newly renovated Humboldt Park Boathouse. Opening Thursday, the restaurant is connected with the original La Palma restaurant at 1340 N. Homan Ave. Diners will also find clear views of the park’s vast rose garden and pond, making this West Side hangout the ideal spot for romancing or relaxing (this paragraph as published has been corrected in this text).
CASTAWAY’S BAR & GRILL 1501 N. LAKE SHORE DRIVE 773-281-1200
One of the finest additions to Chicago’s summer nightlife, Castaways is an outdoor restaurant and bar on the roof of the North Avenue Beach Boathouse. Nearly every table has an unobstructed view of the beach, park and skyline.
GREEN DOLPHIN STREET
2200 N. Ashland Ave.
773-395-0066
When the lakefront or downtown won’t do, try the lush garden at the Green Dolphin Street jazz club and restaurant. It’s a half-acre of landscaped grounds filled with dogwoods, birch and oak trees. Dine in the enclosed atrium or have a cocktail on one of several decks–all illuminated by tiki torches–that wind toward the Chicago River.
MON AMI GABI
2300 N. Lincoln Park West
773-348-8886
The outdoor seating is across the street from some of Lincoln Park’s most colorful gardens, the zoo and a century-old statue of William Shakespeare.
RIVERS
30 S. Wacker Drive
312-559-1515
The upscale restaurant’s outdoor deck, just a few stories above the Chicago River, is one of the best places to see Chicago’s bridges and skyscrapers.
RIVA
700 E. Grand Ave.
312-644-7482
Few places showcase Chicago like Navy Pier. Riva, a seafood restaurant, has a Pier view nearly as impressive as the one from the top of the giant Ferris wheel.
PEGASUS RESTAURANT AND TAVERNA
130 S. Halsted St.
312-226-3377
This Greektown staple is several miles from downtown, just enough distance to afford its rooftop cafe a stunning view of the skyline.
LAKEFRONT HIDEAWAYS
Tucked among the trees and beaches of city parks are several other well-appointed cafes that stay open past 7 p.m.
CLOCK TOWER CAFE
Waveland Clock Tower
3600 N. Recreation Drive
Long-known as an oasis for golfers, Clock Tower Cafe is surrounded by Waveland Golf Course and Lincoln Park.
HEARTLAND CAFE
Loyola Beach
1230 W. Greenleaf
A miniature–and more scenic–version of the eclectic restaurant in Rogers Park.
THE SECRET GARDEN CAFE
Berger Park
6219 N. Sheridan Road
A restaurant in an old mansion, overlooking Lake Michigan and the city’s northern shoreline.
CHICAGO BEACH CAFE AT THEATER ON THE LAKE
2401 N. Lake Shore Drive
At the curved shoreline of Fullerton Avenue and right behind the Theater on the Lake is a cafe with plenty of seats and an outstanding view of North Avenue Beach, Lake Shore Drive and downtown.
NORTHSTAR EATERY
Lincoln Park South Fieldhouse,
1765 N. Stockton Drive
West of the pedestrian bridge at North Avenue, this is a fine spot to cool down after spending the day at the beach, or playing on the nearby softball fields.
BUCKINGHAM CAFE
Grant Park
500 S. Congress Pkwy.
This cafe is hard to miss, as it’s a stone’s throw from the legendary Buckingham Fountain.
ROBINSON’S #1 RIBS
31st Street Beachhouse and Skate Park
Ribs and other barbecued delights at the ready for beachgoers and skateboarders.
