The basics: C-View is the best definition of “a room with a view.” Situated on the 29th floor of the Affinia Hotel, the bar’s panoramic view provides a beautiful backdrop for a date with your sweetie, whether it’s day or night, sunny or cloudy.
Expect to share the space with other couples, hotel guests and Streeterville locals in the know. Inside, leather couches with low-slung candlelit tables beckon, but heaters make the outside deck equally inviting, even in chilly weather. To get a better look at the lake (or a neighboring high-rise), peer through the telescope or binoculars provided for your voyeuristic viewing pleasure.
Noise level: The bar caters to couples and those looking for quiet conversation while taking in the city lights. You’ll notice an upbeat selection of acid jazz tracks, but the volume is unobtrusive enough to take a backseat to your pre-pillow talk.
What to order: If you’re not too intoxicated by the view, choose one of C-View’s rotating signature cocktails, such as the crisp and fruity pineapple mojito ($13), which contains 10 Cane Rum, lime juice and fresh mint, while North Shore vodka and lime-spiked ginger beer combine in The Luka ($13), a modern-day version of a Moscow Mule.
Prefer a margarita or vodka tonic? Ask for an infusion substitution. The C-View crew has concocted batches of Sauza tequila and Svedka vodka infused on-site with fresh citrus, and your bartender will swap ’em in if requested.
Hungry? The menu features mini-portions of dishes crafted by Chef Mark Samuelson for Affinia’s in-house restaurant C-House. Sized for tasting (or feeding your date), the yellowtail appetizer ($5) is a tasty blend of sushi-grade raw yellowtail, served with a house-made tortilla and avocado mousse. Or go the comfort food route with chorizo mac and cheese ($6).
Icebreaker: C-View was once the location of a swimming pool, before the building was renovated. Sorry, Michael Phelps — this spot is now a different kind of watering hole.
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C-View
166 E. Superior St.
312-523-0923
* Relationship date
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Gina B’s inside tips
* Planning to dine downstairs at C-House? You can bounce up to C-View for a quick cocktail and the restaurant will call up when your table is ready.
* Street parking within a two-block radius is virtually non-existent. Plan to valet or park in a neighboring lot.
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metromix@tribune.com
