Chicago excels when it comes to spooky season, whether it be with frighteningly good Halloween yard decor, haunted houses or events that are mostly a treat — perhaps with a few tricks in store.
Restaurants and bars in the Chicago area are just as ready for weekend revelry. Here are 21 spots celebrating Halloween with specials and events.
Bandit
Head back in time at this West Loop bar’s new second floor, where a ’90s MTV Music Awards-themed party will take place Friday and Saturday. The Halloween festivities don’t end Saturday — bottomless brunch will take place from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday. Choose between mimosas, bloody marys, bloody marias and spiked ciders for drinks, and enjoy pumpkin decorating, a costume contest, tarot card readings and Halloween movie classics. Tickets are $60 per person. 841 W. Randolph St., 312-666-6061, banditliquors.com
Bar Roma
On Saturday, guests are invited to revel in the Halloween festivities with a costume contest, themed happy hour, and complimentary dessert for costumed guests. Halloween dinner specials from chef Fred Ramos are served from 5-11 p.m. in the tavern area or on the patio. 5101 N. Clark St., 773-942-7572, barromachicago.com
Beatrix Oak Brook
Celebrate Halloween by decorating holiday-themed sugar cookies, led by chef Yasmin Gutierrez. Kids can decorate their cookies at 4:30 p.m. ($25 per child) while the adult session ($40 per person) begins at 6:30 p.m. and includes classic sips from Beatrix. 272 Oakbrook Center, Oakbrook; 630-491-1415; beatrixrestaurants.com
Café Ba-Ba-Reeba!
The takeout window becomes the trick-or-treat window during Halloween weekend. Guests who wear their costumes on Halloween receive a free dessert tapa to share with the table. 2024 N. Halsted St., 773-935-5000, cafebabareeba.com
Cebu
Candy not cutting it when curing your sweet tooth this Halloween? This Filipino restaurant is serving a spooky take on its signature dessert. The Halo-Halloween features cold, layers of shaved ice, condensed milk, ube jam, kaong, nata de cocoa, rice crispies, and house made ice cream. 2211 W. North Ave., 773-799-8650, cebuchicago.com
Emporium Arcade Bar
Join in costume contests Saturday night at all three locations of Emporium from 9-11 p.m. DJs will perform live until 2:30 a.m., leaving plenty of time to dive into the bar’s assortment of pool tables, pinball, foosball and other arcade games. 1366 N. Milwaukee Ave. (Wicker Park); 2363 N. Milwaukee Ave. (Logan Square); 839 W. Fulton Market (West Loop); emporiumarcadebar.com
Graystone Tavern
On Halloween night, guests are invited to a Vikings-themed party while watching the Minnesota Vikings vs. Dallas Cowboys football game. Guests who wear their best Vikings-inspired costume receive a free Skol bomb and the best-dressed winner gets a $200 gift card. Drink specials include $5 Skol bombs, $5 Surly Furious drafts, $20 Coors Light and Miller Lite buckets, and $25 Truly hard seltzer buckets. 3441 N. Sheffield Ave., 773-666-5450, graystonetavernchicago.com
Ina Mae Tavern
This Wicker Park favorite has a full slate of weekend fun planned in celebration of Halloween. Live blues music takes a haunting turn Thursday night, followed by specialty cocktails and New Orleans cuisine from James Beard award semifinalist Brian Jupiter. Traditional absinthe drip is available through the weekend, while a burlesque show Saturday and drag brunch Sunday make for a sensational end to the festivities. 1415 N. Wood St., 773-360-8320, inamaetavern.com
Little Goat Diner
Spend Friday painting pumpkins, singing, dancing, and enjoying spooky treats and finger foods. This family-friendly Halloween party is designed with something for everyone. 820 W. Randolph St., 312-888-3455, littlegoatchicago.com
Lottie’s Pub
Head to Bucktown for Lottie’s Camp of Horrors Halloween pop-up. Reserve one of seven tents of terror for a spooky night of food and drink specials. 1925 W. Cortland St., 773-489-0738, lottiespub.com
Marvin’s Food & Fuel
Get your Halloweekend off to a great start Thursday with “RuPaul Drag Race” star Denali Foxx for a rooftop Haunt & Flaunt party. Starting at 8 p.m., the Fulton Market bar invites guests to its retractable glass rooftop for a costume contest with prizes, live DJ acts, Halloween movies projected on a big screen and a free glass of blood-red punch to kick things off. Tickets are $40 per person. 954 W. Fulton Market, 312-291-9255, marvinsfoodandfuel.com
Mon Ami Gabi
Dress up in your best spooky or silly costume and enjoy classic French favorites. Plus, guests have the chance to win one of three Lettuce Entertain You gift cards ranging from $50 to $200, which can be used at restaurants ranging from Aba to Bub City to Ramen-San. 260 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook; 630-472-1900; monamigabi.com
Quality Crab and Oyster Bah
Make the most of Halloween with Brews and Boos all weekend. Draft beers are $5, and kids in costumes can trick-or-treat from an overflowing pot of candy. 1962 N. Halsted St., 773-248-3000, qualitycrabandoysterbah.com
Rambler Kitchen and Tap
Saturday football viewing parties just got a bit spookier with the Big 10 Football Spooktacular at this North Center haunt. Specials during the games include $5 stadium food, $5 shots of Paddy’s and Screwball whiskey, and $20 domestic buckets. Beginning at 8 p.m., a Monster Bash offers guests $40 drink packages and a costume contest featuring cash prizes for both solo and group costumes. 4128 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-799-8881, theramblerchicago.com
Rewired Pizza Café and Bar
Forget costumes for staffers — the entire restaurant will be dressed up this Halloween. Transforming into “Dominoes” with a signature red-and-blue color palette paying tribute to the cafe owner’s favorite national pizza chain, the restaurant will also offer a themed menu with its own takes on Domino’s signature pizzas, from the Hawaii Honolulu to Phil’s Cheesesteak. 1100 W. Thorndale Ave., 773-360-1621, rewiredcafe.com
Star Farm Chicago
A goth-themed buffet on a local urban farm awaits in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. The nonprofit farm will offer farm-to-table cocktails and canapes, tarot readings and goodie bags. Tickets are $25, and proceeds support the farm’s free community programming and produce donations on the South Side. 944 W. 50th Place, 312-768-9949, starfarmchicago.com
Strings Ramen
A colorful treat available at all Strings Ramen locations through Nov. 14, the specialty Monster Tan Tan Noodles dish features house-made noodles in a spicy, garlicky blend of chicken broth and black sesame paste. Spicy ground pork, clams, chili threads and spicy pickles top the toothsome dish. 919 W. Belmont Ave. (Lakeview); 2141 S. Archer Ave. (Chinatown); 1453 E. 53rd St. (Hyde Park); ramenchicago.com
Tzuco
Following Halloween weekend, celebrated chef Carlos Gaytan will host a special dinner Tuesday in celebration of Día de los Muertos. Fellow Mexican chefs Martha Ortiz Chapa and Dudley Nieto will join Gaytan in preparing a four-course dinner featuring scallop ceviche, beek cheek and, for dessert, a spiced sponge cake formed into a visually appealing pumpkin. Dinner is $95 per person, with optional $45 wine pairings available. 720 N. State St., (312) 374-8995, tzuco.com
Utopian Tailgate
A dystopian tailgate party awaits for this year’s 2021 Halloween funhouse Friday and Saturday at this Old Town rooftop club. Beginning at 6 p.m. both nights, the Halloween funhouse will have spooky circus acts featuring acrobats, fire twirlers and tarot card readers, as well as costume contests. Premium booths are available starting at $250 for six guests, with the reservation deposit applied toward the table’s final bill. 1608 N. Wells St., 312-210-7799, utopiantailgate.com
Uvae Kitchen and Wine Bar
The recently expanded Andersonville wine bar is teaming up with The Dinner Detective for a five-course murder mystery wine dinner Sunday evening for $138 per person. Dinner options range from braised short rib to roasted duck breast as guests attempt to solve the whodunit. Costumes are encouraged. On Saturday, a Halloween wine tasting at 3 p.m. will feature black and orange wines, followed by happy hour specials at 5 p.m. 5553 N. Clark St., 773-654-1432, uvaechicago.com
Venteux
Halloween brunch just got more exciting. Guests who dine while wearing their costumes will be treated to bottomless mimosas from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Halloween Day. 224 Michigan Ave., 312-777-9003, venteuxchicago.com
Holly Baumbach is a freelance writer.
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