For rekindling your romance
Table 205 in Tre Dita’s elegant Loop dining room is snuggled in a corner between one floor-to-ceiling window facing the lake and another overlooking the river. You and your date sit at a 90-degree angle to each other, taking it all in. The conversation will be intimate, and the silences even more so because your shared view is breathtaking. — John Kessler
For hearing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in its full glory
Next time you’re at Orchestra Hall, look up. If you can’t see the ceiling, you’re missing half the sound. “Balconies block sound reflections and cut off half the volume,” explains Molly Smallcomb, an associate at Threshold, a Chicago acoustic design firm. She suggests the first few rows in the two main balconies, where there’s no overhang. And if those aren’t available, go higher up rather than farther back. Sound rises, and since the ceiling is designed to reflect it, even the inexpensive seats way up on the sixth floor in the Flynn Gallery enjoy remarkably good acoustics. — Chandra Ram
For watching Klaus Mäkelä head-on
Everyone wants to see the 30-year-old Finnish conducting phenom, who’s set to take over as music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra next year. There’s no better place to do so than Orchestra Hall’s Gray Terrace, a semicircular section that wraps around the back of the stage. From these seats, you’ll have a face-to-face view of the gesture-happy maestro as he waves his arms, whips his hair, and draws the best out of the musicians. — Emily McClanthan
For taking in the Chicago Air and Water Show
Drop onto an inner tube on the lake just off the concrete steps near the Montrose Harbor east breakwater light. Go on the Friday before the show: Everyone else will be at work while you’re watching the Thunderbirds take their practice run. Bring a waterproof speaker so you can float to the Top Gun soundtrack. — Sarah Steimer
For watching a chef in action
At El Che Steakhouse & Bar in the West Loop, snagging the two-seat chef’s counter ($200 a person) feels less like making dinner plans and more like scoring a front-row seat to a theater production. Situated directly in front of the roaring live-fire grill, you can watch the chefs blister empanadas, char massive cuts of beef, and plate smoke-kissed seafood from inches away. — Judy Sutton Taylor
For having a good cry
In the 1930s and ’40s, some movie theaters had insulated “cry rooms” installed to sequester bawling babies. Alas, no such dedicated place exists for adults. But if you’re in public and need to turn on the waterworks, head to the eighth floor of the Harold Washington Library Center and reserve one of the half dozen semi-soundproof music practice rooms. Close the door behind you, take a seat on the piano bench, and let the tears flow. — Jake Malooley
Insider Guide to the Best Seats at Steppenwolf
The insiders: Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, Steppenwolf artistic directors
By Web Behrens
Davis and Francis agree on much about the company they run — but not on the best vantage points for two of its main venues. When it comes to the Ensemble Theater, whose six rows wrap fully around the arena’s stage, Davis likes the front row: “It’s like floor seats at a Bulls game.” To which Francis retorts, “You’re gonna get sweat on you. So fun!” She prefers the back row corners, noting that it allows you to take in all the movement onstage. As for the Downstairs Theater? Says Francis: “I will always be a sucker for first-row center balcony. It’s like you’re in a VIP box.”
For downtown people-watching
Grab a window seat at Miller’s Pub in the Loop any weekday afternoon between 1:30 and 3:30. You’ll avoid the lunch and happy hour crowds inside, but outside, all sorts of folks — conventioneers between panel sessions, tourists and suburbanites fresh from the Art Institute, students on their way to or from class, panhandlers on the move — will pass by under the thunder of the L as you sit beneath the sanctifying gaze of Bill Veeck. — Bill Savage
For eavesdropping on a concert from water level
REI’s Goose Island location has a kayak launch that’s an easy 10-minute paddle to the Salt Shed. Head northwest along the North Branch Canal, hang a left under the Cherry Avenue Bridge at the north end of the island, and follow the river south. Soon you’ll see the Shed on your right. Just after Blackhawk Street, you’ll reach the ideal spot to anchor and bob along to the music. — Kim Nelson
For VIP treatment at a college football game
When the new version of Northwestern’s Ryan Field opens this fall, it will be the most expensive stadium in college football history. And while its reduced capacity of 35,000 means even inexpensive seats will be closer to the action, there are some standouts that are anything but cheap — not least the living room boxes. Behind the Wildcats’ bench, 10 rows up, between the 25 and 45 yard lines on both ends of that sideline, each features four oversize, plush lounge chairs that are heated (yes, you read that right). The best part? You never have to get up, because these boxes come with wait service. — Stanley Kay
For pretending you’re in the Hundred-Acre Wood
Inside the West Ridge Nature Park, near Rosehill Cemetery, there is a single perfect public bench. When you enter from Western Avenue, the only way in, continue straight ahead, taking the skinny trail past the southern tip of the lake. Turn left when you hit the main path, following it north along the lake’s eastern edge. Then take a left at the next junction. You’ll find it there, overlooking the water and shaded by just the right amount of foliage. Sometimes a deer will even peer at you from a distance. — Peter Gianopulos
For ascending to honky-tonk heaven
At the North Center music venue Martyrs’, the alcove between the end of the main bar and the sound booth is a compact space insulated from the crowd, with a rail for drinks, easy access to bartenders, and great acoustics. When local favorites the Hoyle Brothers play on Sunday afternoons, there’s no better spot for hollerin’ and swallerin’. — Barry Pearce
A Famous Butt Sat Here
Plant your posterior where prominent people once plopped theirs.
By Paula Kamen
Pope Leo’s seat at Rate Field
On October 22, 2005, a man known as Father Bob watched his White Sox play their first World Series game in 46 years from section 140, row 19, seat 2. The rest is history: The Sox won the game and the series, and Father Bob became Pope Leo.
… And his table at Aurelio’s Pizza
Pre-conclave, Pope Leo would enjoy what is now being billed as Poperoni pizza at the original Aurelio’s in south suburban Homewood. His table, in the back, is now a red-and-white checkerboard shrine, complete with a wooden throne and life-size cardboard cutout.
Al Capone’s booth at the Green Mill
Upholstered in green velvet, Scarface’s reputed banquette sits just past the bar in the center of the Uptown jazz club, with the best view of both entrances — a critical perch for patrons in the Prohibition era.
Frank Sinatra’s booth at Gene & Georgetti
Roll like you’re a ruling member of the Rat Pack by reserving (for a $15 to $35 fee) the burgundy leather banquette in the back-left corner of this storied River North steakhouse. Sinatra was a regular here, preferring to dine after hours with his cronies. His booth was tricked out with the ultimate status symbol of the time: a dedicated phone line.
The Obamas’ kissing curb
A plaque on a boulder across from a Subway sandwich shop in Hyde Park (1400 E. 53rd St.) may not be the stateliest presidential monument, but it’s certainly the most adorable. It commemorates the spot on an unremarkable curb nearby where, in 1989, the future first couple first locked lips.
For schmoozing with a star chef
Scoring one of the six first-come, first-served bar seats at Le Bouchon in Bucktown is the culinary equivalent of sitting courtside at an NBA game. Not only are you so close to the action that you’re guaranteed a contact high from all that butter and Burgundy, but the odds of sitting next to a world-class Chicago chef are surprisingly high. Otto Phan of Kyoten, Jake Potashnick of Feld, and John Manion of El Che — to name just a few — are all regulars, often drifting in late or on their days off. — Peter Gianopulos
For retail therapy
Next time you shop at the Roosevelt Collection in the South Loop, follow the path north past the AMC escalators, cross a small pedestrian bridge, and you will find an unlikely urban oasis: a park on the roof of the two-story British International School of Chicago. The umbrella-shaded lounge seats are ideal for kicking back when you’ve hit your shopping limit. — Carisa Chappell
For seeing Chicago, past and present
Board the 56 Milwaukee bus at the Jefferson Park Transit Center and grab a window seat on the right for ideal sightseeing on a stretch of street where the Bungalow Belt is wide. You’ll ride through Portage Park with all its quintessential early 20th-century homes, followed by Avondale’s vintage shops and bars, then Logan Square and Bucktown in all their present-day glossiness. After you glide alongside the towering new and the beloved old buildings of Wicker Park and West Town, you’ll do a figure eight in the historic heart of the Loop. You’ll get a century’s worth of Chicago in one 90-minute bus ride. — Erica Gunderson
For high-fiving a Bull
For courtside perks without courtside prices, try section 103 at the United Center. Plant yourself in the first five rows, as close as you can to the tunnel (the lower the seat number, the closer you are), where you can slap hands with (or perhaps even get an autograph from) Bulls players as they head from and to the locker room. Why this section rather than 104, which also abuts the tunnel? Here you’ll be nearer the Bulls’ bench. — Stanley Kay
For seeing Shakespeare like a royal
In the Elizabethan era, English nobles would occupy the mezzanine tier of London’s Globe Theatre. The modern equivalent at Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Globe-inspired Courtyard Theater is the dress circle. Snag a front-row seat — A25 to A29 and A35 to A39 put you just off center of the three-sided thrust stage — for a regal view, and not just because of the history. As artistic director Edward Hall notes, those seats provide “the best place to fully appreciate the scale of the production design and the acoustics.” — Web Behrens
For sparking new romance
“Come hither, come hither, come hither,” reads one of many immortal lines inscribed in the Elizabethan-style stone bench at Northwestern University’s enchanting Shakespeare Garden, designed by Jens Jensen and hidden from view by a double row of hawthorn hedges. And when you’re parked here with the object of your affection, that’s exactly what you’ll want to implore them to do. — Paula Kamen
For seeing and being seen
There are plenty of sceney bars in Chicago. The problem is, most of them actually aren’t very good or aesthetically interesting. The BLVD Steakhouse patio is both. This covered, plant-filled space in the West Loop is as close to a tropical getaway as you’ll find in Chicago. The particular seats you want are right up against the low wall separating the bar from the dining room (snag the cozy gray couch if you can). The setup here is shaded, super comfy, and ideal for eyeballing everyone coming and going. — Anthony Todd
Insider Guide to the Best Seats at Wrigley Field
The insider: Cale Vennum, the Cubs’ senior vice president of ticketing
By Stanley Kay
1. For peering into the Cubs’ dugout
In seat 12 of the first four rows in section 8, the dugout’s top step is directly to your right, separated only by a camera well. “You can see how the guys are interacting,” says Vennum.
2. For keeping warm
Blocked from the wind by the press box, seats 10 to 11 in rows 2 to 3 of section 415 are ideal for those frigid night games in April.
3. For catching a home run
The first three rows of the left field bleachers — specifically, sections 504 and 505 — are your best bet for snagging a dinger, according to spray charts. Just remember the first law of the bleachers: If an opposing player hits it, you have to throw it back. In other words: Bring a decoy ball.
4. For making sure your kids can actually see the game
In the first three rows of the 200 level, you won’t have to hoist your little ones in the air to see the action. Why? The height difference between the rows is greater here than in the 100 level. Plus, this stretch is elevated over the walkway that separates the 100 and 200 sections, so your view won’t be blocked by fans going back and forth. Says Vennum: “Kids have so much more fun because there’s not a six-foot-tall dude standing in front of them.”
5. For getting a ball from a player
The benefit of all the netting around ballparks these days is you’re less likely to get clocked by a line drive. The downside? It’s harder to end up with a ball. Unless, that is, you sit in rows 5 to 10 of sections 109 to 111. “Every time the guys are running off the field into the dugout, they’re always looking for a kid and throwing the ball up over the net,” Vennum says. If you’re too close to the field, though, it’s a tougher angle for the toss. “This is the sweet spot.”
6. For shade
For a summer afternoon game, without having to sit too far back under the overhang, your best bet is rows 12 to 15 of sections 108 to 109.
7. For sitting close to the action without paying top dollar
At field level in right field, as the stands start to curve, the seats in section 31 are angled to face down the first base line. And in the front row, you’re right up against the brick wall. Says Vennum: “It’s the best value in Wrigley Field.”
8. For enjoying the view
The way Wrigley Field is oriented, you don’t get a skyline backdrop. But in sections 305 to 310, you do get a panorama of the ballpark — and a nice look at the lake.
9. For tending to your bad back
Want the bleacher experience but can’t handle the strain on your spine? Make your way to the last row, where you can lean against a metal fence.
10. For seeing a concert
When artists like Pearl Jam and Pink perform at Wrigley, they set up their stage in center field. That makes section 329 — ideally the first few rows — prime for stage views and sound. “When our associates request tickets for a concert, they’re requesting here every time,” Vennum says.
Where to Sit to Never Miss a Pitch
By Bill Savage
If you’re a real fan who enjoys a few overpriced beers, sit in the last (10th) row in section 313L of Wrigley’s Upper Box. (This happens to be where my season tickets are located.) At the last out of an inning, you can hop the railing and hit the men’s room and the beer stand and be back in the seat in two and a half minutes flat. I haven’t missed a pitch since 2003, except for the year my pending hip replacement made rail hopping a bad idea.
The Worst Seat Money Can’t Buy
By David McMillin
My ticket for the Wednesday matchup against the Athletics reads section 205, row 9, seat 15, but I have come to Wrigley Field to check out its next-door neighbor: seat 16, which is so notoriously bad that the Cubs don’t sell it. In a world where one can purchase a jar of authenticated field dirt from Major League Baseball for $25, how bad does a seat have to be for a team not to accept money for it?
Pretty terrible, it turns out. This isn’t just an “obstructed view” — it’s a no view, as I discover when I settle in and find myself staring directly at the thick support column right in front of me. (And I do mean right in front of me.) That’s not even the biggest downside. It’s the legroom. At 5-foot-10, I’m no giant, but the awkward positioning of my thighs cradling the column makes the middle seat by the bathroom on a Frontier flight feel like a throne. If anyone wants to get by, they will need to climb over me.
I rely on the energy of the crowd to get a sense of the game. I groan along after the A’s go up 2–0 in the second inning, and I leap to my feet to share in the excitement after Seiya Suzuki hits a home run (or so I’m reliably told).
“Do you mind taking a picture of me?” I ask the guy over my left shoulder in the bottom of the third inning.
His name is Joe. He’s here with his son, Joey, who is back home for the summer after his first year at Iowa State. I tell them I’ve been sent by a magazine to experience the worst possible seat to watch a baseball game.
“You paid $56 for this?” Joe exclaims, his eyes bulging. He tells me that he and his son managed to get their seats, which have an actual view of the field, for just $16 apiece on SeatGeek.
The seats may be robbing me of my vision, but my other senses are heightened. After Michael Busch cranks a triple to right field, Tag Team’s “Whoomp (There It Is)” thumps with more bass than ever. I want to dance along, but I can’t wiggle out of my seat fast enough.
One upside: The fear factor for a guy who regularly stresses that too many Bud Lights will impede his ability to dodge a foul ball coming at his noggin is gone. But at the end of the game, after the Cubs squander a lead and lose in extra innings, I realize the real value of this seat: Defeat stings a bit less. I stare at the column, shielded from the sadness on the field.
For waiting for a flight in peace
No lounge access? No problem. At O’Hare, the free, largely overlooked mezzanine level of the Rotunda Building — the circular vestibule that connects to Terminal 3’s G gates — is one of the quietest and most secluded places in one of the world’s busiest airports. You’ll be surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the airfield, and there are outlets for charging your phone. You can pick from mod benches and table seating, but we suggest the soft couch for maximum comfort. Pull up a cushy ottoman and kick back. — Nina Kokotas Hahn
For feeling like you’re on the team
Put me in, Coach! At Soldier Field during a Fire game, you might be tempted to make that plea if you are in the northwest field-side seats. This field-level single row, which goes for an eye-popping $750 a seat, is located right along the pitch, next to the visitors’ bench. — Stanley Kay
For getting the purest sound
Let others jostle for a spot near the stage at the Salt Shed’s indoor venue. Grandstand row A, seat 8 — in the middle of the first row after the general admission area — is right behind the sound booth, where the audio experts are calibrating everything to perfection. — David McMillin
For making the beautiful game even more beautiful
At Northwestern’s Martin Stadium in Evanston, where the Chicago Stars are playing home games this season and possibly in 2027, section N-5, on the north end, offers sweeping vistas of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline, especially near the top. — Stanley Kay
For crashing a wedding
Post up on the concrete steps along the lakefront just outside Theater on the Lake, a Lincoln Park venue that frequently hosts outdoor nuptials, and you’ll be close enough to hear the couples say “I do.” Just don’t try to make a toast. — Julia Reedy
For hearing (and seeing) a one-man symphony
Some Friday when you show up at the Green Mill to hear Chris Foreman, instead of scrambling for a table, grab the primo stools at the far end of the semicircular bar. From here, at stage left of the mini stage set up behind the taps, you’ll have a full view of the organ virtuoso working his magic on his Hammond B-3. You can watch his feet pump the pedals — all 25 of the bass ones, plus a “swell” pedal for volume — while on the two keyboards his left hand pounds out chords and his right races through melodies, along the way adjusting vibrato tabs, percussion controls, and 38 drawbars that control harmonics. It’s hard not to move your body in response. And when your neighbors join in, you’ll feel all the ecstasy of an old-time revival. — Barry Pearce
For pulling up a (very comfortable) stool
The Levee is a dive in Hermosa with an expansive serpentine bar and the comfiest stools in the city — high backs, solid arms, plenty of padding. Come for the butt cushioning, stay for the $4.25 domestic bottles. — Barry Pearce
For engrossing yourself in a film
The first row of a movie theater is the worst seat in the house, right? Not at the Music Box. In its main theater, that row was set farther back from the screen to accommodate an orchestra pit for silent movies. (The pit was never used — it was covered over before the Music Box opened in 1929, as talkies were coming in — but is still under the floor.) Thanks to this quirk, you can take in the entire picture without needing to crane your neck. Plus, it’s the perfect spot for watching organist Dennis Scott do his thing. — Robert Loerzel
For canoodling on a movie date
The Emagine theaters in Batavia and Frankfort have “cuddle chairs,” front-row leather seats that fit two and are ideal for snuggling. — Adrienne Gibbs
How to Score Seats at Top Restaurants
Chicago dining critic John Kessler shares his secrets for landing hard-to-get tables.
By John Kessler
1. Camp out online If you poke around the calendars at platforms like OpenTable or Resy, it’s not hard to figure out when a restaurant releases new reservations (30 days in advance is common). Be ready (and logged in) at, say, midnight on the last day of the month or 9 a.m. two weeks out to get the slot you want. If you’ve ever seen those videos of macaques swarming a box of bananas, well, that’s what you’re in for.
2. Get on the waitlist Assholes — er, I mean avid diners — often make multiple reservations so they can choose at the last minute. As they cancel, tables open up. I’ve gotten into both pre-Tock Alinea and Denmark’s celebrated Noma off waitlists.
3. Leverage your credit card perks American Express owns Resy and Tock, and some upscale restaurants set aside tables for its cardholders that are not available to the general public. Chase has forged a similar deal with OpenTable. The high-end Amex Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve cards also come with concierge services for booking hard-to-get tables.
4. Email the restaurant Play up that it’s your anniversary, or that you have a friend in from out of town who’s dying to try the food, or whatever the case may be. And don’t be pushy. You may not get your preferred primetime slot, but you would be surprised how often a restaurant can conjure up a table when you get personal.
5. Eat late (or early) Chicago is a relatively early dining town, so as a walk-in, you have a much better chance of getting squeezed in at 9 p.m. or after. Or if there’s first-come seating at the bar, arrive before the restaurant opens to be among the first in line.
6. Bribe your way in Decades ago, I wrote a story about how to palm a bill to a maître d’. I hated the elitist move — but it worked. Back then, $20 was the magic denomination. These days, I daresay, it might take $50. Fold the bill into quarters and discreetly hand it to the restaurant manager or owner with some kind of story about how you’re celebrating a special night.
For sitting (yes, sitting) in the water
Swim out to what’s left of the 1914 shipwreck of the Silver Spray at Morgan Shoal, just north of Promontory Point. If the water level is low, you can perch atop the ship’s iron boiler like a Chicago siren. Warning: This is for strong swimmers only, as it’s located about 600 feet from shore. — Sarah Steimer
For feeling like you’re in an Irish band
At the Galway Arms in Lincoln Park, four stools along a half wall overlook the musicians who play impromptu around the hearth. The mini barrier forms a kind of corner suite, buffering you from the boisterous crowd — and putting you practically onstage. — Barry Pearce
The Definitive Guide to the Ravinia Lawn
There’s nothing like setting up on the festival grounds in highland park, but not all spots are created equal.
By Britt Julious
For keeping the little ones entertained
Brandi Carlile is two songs into her set when your kids start asking when the show will be over. Not a problem, because you were smart enough to sit on the KidsLawn, a space on the park’s northwest side with large-scale percussion instruments they can play.
For a spontaneous dance party
Ravinia isn’t exactly an EDM fest, but when a Grace Jones or a Janelle Monáe brings out the who’s who of the city’s club scene, you are going to want to get down. On the hard-surface plaza in front of the Carousel Stage, you can get your groove on without worrying about slipping on the sometimes slick grass.
For velvet rope treatment
Optimal shade. Closeness to the pavilion. A video screen for watching the performance. Comfortable social distancing. You can get it all on the cordoned-off Reserved Lawn. But you will pay a premium for your assigned patch of grass.
For shade without paying extra
On the South Lawn, to the west of the reserved section, are large trees that offer ample cover.
For making your getaway
To avoid the exit crush, set up on the island of grass just northeast of the Martin Theatre, putting you next to the gate to the train. This location has good sightlines, too. “At certain spots, you can actually see down to the stage and see the performers,” says Erik Soderstrom, Ravinia’s senior director of programming.
For avoiding crowds
From the Tree Top Lounge, a restaurant with a live feed of the pavilion, you’ll get an aerial view of the park without having to navigate around picnic blankets and North Shore moms who’ve had too many sips of wine.
For taking a mid-concert nap
The grounds are peppered with donated sculptures, but on the south end, on the cobblestone in front of Bennett Gordon Hall, you’ll find one perfect for a couple’s siesta: Cut From the Same Cloth by artist Charlie Kaplan. This steel bench allows two people to lie down next to each other on connected slabs.
For quicker potty breaks
Sit near the restrooms by the pavilion. Most visitors picnic on the north lawn and so are less likely to use these.
For relaxing by the river
Let others fight the crowds at City Winery and Tiny Tapp. The best seats along downtown’s waterway are the Adirondack chairs overlooking Wolf Point, near the Riverwalk’s western end. Here you can enjoy the sights free of distraction — and free of charge. — Stanley Kay
For getting the best rolling view of the city for $2.50
On any L train, snag the first seat on the left beside the operator’s cabin in the front car. It will provide you the best view out the front window. But this is especially true on the Brown Line, which snakes through downtown and the North Side. On weekends, inevitably a parent will board with a clearly obsessed-by-trains kid who wants nothing more than to stand on that seat and look out as the train speeds down the tracks. So do your good deed for the day and cede your seat to someone to whom it means even more. — Bill Savage
For stepping back in time while you go potty
Wonder what using a public toilet in 1956 was like? Satisfy 90 percent of that curiosity in the sturdy, unfussy terrazzo-and-tile women’s bathroom in the Kilbourn Park fieldhouse. The timeworn “Please Flush” sign hand-painted in each stall serves as a comforting reminder that people have always been kind of gross. — Erica Gunderson
For watching couples argue
Pull up a chair — and there are plenty of them on display here — around the dining room sets on the first floor of the Crate & Barrel at North and Clybourn. We suggest sitting within earshot of the tableware until you spot one half of an excruciatingly well-groomed couple hissing “This isn’t what we agreed on” at the other through clenched teeth. — Erica Gunderson
For meeting the band
At Lincoln Park’s Lincoln Hall, headliners often pop out of the second-floor greenroom to watch opening acts. So if you snag a seat on the far right side of the balcony, you might find yourself rubbing shoulders with the next Mumford & Sons, Dawes, or Father John Misty. — David McMillin
A Seat for Inspiration
Tell an out-of-towner that the best seat in Chicago is in a hotel lobby, and they’ll either imagine we live in a sad city or assume you’re talking about a place so posh that you’d never dare pull out your sticker-covered laptop. But then the Chicago Athletic Association is like no other hotel, and the Drawing Room — the wood-paneled, be-fireplaced, library-evoking second-floor parlor that also happens to contain the check-in desk — is like no other bar/coffee shop/restaurant/workspace in the city.
If you want a beer and a shuffleboard match, grab a barstool in the game room next door. If you want to people-watch, hit the rooftop at Cindy’s. But if you’re here to get some creative work done in an inspiring atmosphere, you want the Drawing Room.
People tend to sort themselves out here by seating: On the sofas sit romantic pairs, weary travelers, a tranquil guy with a novel. At the long table with outlets and desk lamps, everyone seems to be a grad student or a remote worker on a tight deadline. Abandoned fuel containers — cups of coffee — dot the table.
Your optimal perch for a more blissed-out workspace, one where you won’t feel weird ordering food or even a cocktail, is at a two-top right by the windows that line the eastern wall. Sit on the south side of the room, facing north, so you can see the whole place — travelers, second dates, that adorably awkward work party by the fireplace — but also look out your window onto Michigan Avenue, Millennium Park, the lake. If you aren’t inspired here, you might want to check your pulse.
For over a century, when the CAA was a private club, you had to be a professional athlete or a captain of industry to enjoy this privileged view. Today it’s yours for the price of a coffee. — Rebecca Makkai
For watching people get fit while you sip
Wolf & Company in Logan Square is the only restaurant with direct access to the 606, making the bar seat closest to the patio’s northeast corner a prime spot for watching sprinters dodging strollers and roller skaters weaving through slow walkers on the elevated trail. — Jenny Hellwig
For seeing multiple sculptural masterpieces at once
Many Chicago parks have benches that face a public sculpture, but at the Art Institute’s intimate North Garden, you can take in masterpieces by the likes of Alexander Calder, Henry Moore, and David Smith, all with just a turn of the head. For the least impeded view, plop down on the bench midway along the sidewalk on the garden’s north end. — Kyle MacMillan
For enjoying some golden idle time
The outdoor terrace of the 24th-floor restaurant Château Carbide, atop the Carbide & Carbon Building on Michigan Avenue, has a wooden swing for two that offers a delightful look at the skyline. But the coolest view is of the building itself — in particular, its lavish art deco gold crown — reflected in the glass wall of a neighboring tower. — Barry Pearce
For listening in on gossipy conversations
You know that old adage about it being 5 o’clock somewhere? Keep that in mind when visiting the bar at Gibsons, because the actual cocktail hour is a total zoo. But if you don’t mind having a very large, very icy martini earlier, then you can quietly eavesdrop your way into the trashy-glamorous Gold Coast spirit of this drinking spot, set inside a ventricle of the heart of downtown. Fiftysomethings, skilled at flirting, are your obvious marks, but there’s poignancy in all the old-time regulars arriving at this hour and chatting it up with the barkeeps and piano player. — John Kessler
For hiding from the world
Pubs in Britain and Ireland traditionally had a snug — a small walled-off seating area used by women, clergy, and others who didn’t want to be seen drinking. At Piccadilly Pub in Lincoln Square, the snugs cater to anyone seeking peace or privacy — and to remote workers who dare take a Zoom call at a bar. — Barry Pearce
For admiring the lake
There’s no shortage of perches for peeping Lake Michigan, but the best is the loooong concrete bench in Loyola Park with colorful murals that are repainted every summer as part of the Artists of the Wall Festival. You are sitting on a literal work of art with a wide view of the water, one framed by a long pier and waving beach grass. — Ted McClelland
For taking yourself on a date
Armitage Alehouse in Lincoln Park is one of Chicago’s cozier restaurants — its decor is an over-the-top version of an old English club — and in the middle of it all, in front of a roaring fireplace, you’ll find the best seats for dining alone: two giant leather club chairs around a small table. You might think this spot should be saved for a couple, but be selfish and ask for it. Order a plate of decadent Délice de Bourgogne cheese with truffle honey and enjoy looking at the empty chair next to you. — Anthony Todd
For writing your novel
The library room in the back of Andersonville gastropub Lady Gregory’s exudes literary charm. Picture book-lined walls, leather chairs, dark wood, and, above the fireplace, a portrait of Lady Gregory herself, an inspiration for the Irish Literary Revival — and for that book you’ve been meaning to write. — Barry Pearce
For giving yourself a luxurious free massage
They await you, silent but not still, a holy trinity of hedonistic seating at appliance store Abt in Glenview. The three Cozzia massage chairs are set out as floor models in the home theater showroom to tempt you. But never once have I seen a salesperson come over as you recline in buzzing bliss, watching one of the many TVs, and bother you with a “So, what do you think?” The Mercury ($1,499) entices with its homey familiarity, a recliner in black faux leather that could pass for any dad’s living room throne if not for the padded sheaths awaiting your lower legs and its promise of “S-Curve Technology” and a “2D Humanistic Massage Mechanism.” The Qi SE Duo ($9,999), larger, with slots and grooves to hit the whole body, lords over its lowly friend with “4D + 3D Human-Like Vario Motion Massage” — that’s twice the D! — not to mention a joystick for controlling it all. Finally, the ultimate achievement in mechanical massage, the Quantum ($11,999), lures you to its cocoon-like enclosure with a “4-Speaker 3D Surround Sound System,” “Chromotherapy LED Mood Lighting,” and “Negative Ion Aromatherapy.” All that is well and good, you may say, but how many D’s in its motion and massage mechanism? Five, my friends. Those glorious bastards took it all the way to 5D. — Peter Sagal
Insider Guide to the Best Seats at Rate Field
The insider: Brooke Fletcher, on-field reporter for Chicago Sports Network
By Stanley Kay
Sections 123 to 125
“These are excellent seats for watching the game, and during day games, the biggest advantage is the shade.”
Leinenkugel’s Craft Lodge in right field
“What I love most is that you’re right at field level, so you get a unique view of the game and a front-row seat to the visiting bullpen. You can talk trash.”
Sections 160 to 164
“The crowd tends to be a little more lively in these left-center bleachers. And you’re not far from the White Sox bullpen.”
Section 148
“Easy access to one of my favorite food stops: the Cuban sandwich stand.”
Sections 131 to 133
“Anything close to behind home is great because you can see the pitches. I appreciate that as a baseball fan.”
For making like a mob boss
From a cushioned perch at the west end of the bar at West Town’s Maxwells Trading, you can scan the entire room like you’re Tony Soprano. Overhear the “So, what do you like to do on weekends?” conversation from a first date at a nearby table. Watch cooks in the open kitchen tweezer nasturtium leaves onto suzuki tartare. Sip a white Negroni as you chat up the bartenders shaking cocktails. And most important: Keep an eye on who’s coming through the front door. Just in case. — Chandra Ram
For doing your business
On the sixth floor of Chicago Shakespeare Theater, near the Upstairs Studio, the men’s room boasts a giant floor-to-ceiling window that extends into the larger of two stalls. While you answer nature’s call, look left for a sweeping vista of the lake and Museum Campus, a view that sure beats looking at your phone. It’s a singular experience that will make you want to sit down to pee. — Web Behrens
For smoking a stogie
Plop down in a leather armchair at Biggs, a ritzy cigar lounge in an 1874 mansion on the Near North Side. Billing itself as “a haven where personal liberty is neither taken for granted or compromised,” it boasts seven Italian marble fireplaces, mahogany woodwork, a spiral staircase, and tiered chandeliers. No other cigar shop seats you so squarely in the lap of luxury. — Barry Pearce
The Best of Reddit’s Seating Tips
r/chicago: What are your favorite parts of the Field Museum?
PKDickman: At the end of the west wing in the Rice Gallery, by the Lions of Tsavo, there is an enormous panoramic mural of the Serengeti plains. On Members Night, you can grab a beer, sit down on a bench in front of the mock trading post across from it and stare out over the Great Rift Valley. It’s like taking a vacation.
r/chicago: HELP!! What are the best seats $ can buy at Wrigley Field & why?
PParker46: IMO, based on occasional attendance since c. 1954, the best are behind 3rd base at least a few rows up under the upper deck. This gives:
1. Full view of all the plays without your head being turned constantly in one direction to hurt your neck
2. Protection from brutal afternoon and early evening sun
3. Shelter from brutal SW and W wind on coldish days/nights
4. Rain protection from all but the rare E and North East direction and all but the freakiest foul balls
5. Ready access to the trough
6. Frequent visits by vendors
7. Distance from the suburban bro and frat boy bleacher A-Holes who are there for the “Wrigley Experience.”
r/AskChicago: What is the nicest movie theater in Chicago?
cowboybret: For new releases, the AMCs that have the plush recliners are definitely the comfiest moviegoing experience you’ll have in the city. River East has been the most consistent for me, though the new Roosevelt location probably beats it now. Audience behavior is atrocious though, and there will almost certainly be someone on their phone.
For sitting in traffic in bliss
Yes, we all know the frustrations of Chicago gridlock, but when you’re driving south on the Magnificent Mile at dusk, as the towers along the river are catching their last bits of sun — we could sit in that traffic forever. — Mark Bazer
For taking in Frank Lloyd Wright with your coffee
At the Hyde Park café Plein Air, grab a seat on one of the benches that hug the northwest corner of the patio and admire the intricately designed stained glass windows and Prairie-style lines of its iconic neighbor, the Robie House, a cornerstone Wright work. It’s like taking a master class in architecture, served with espresso. — Kelley Engelbrecht
For breaking up
A two-top outside Tiny Café, along the Riverwalk downtown, strikes a perfect balance of public and private. There’s always plenty of people around, minimizing the chances of your now-ex making a scene, but you’re far enough from the hubbub of the adjacent bar and restaurant, Tiny Tapp, to avoid eavesdroppers when you inevitably lie, “It’s not you, it’s me.” — Stanley Kay
For channeling main character energy
No table draws more stares, glares, and whispered jealousies — who’s sitting at that table? — than the booth nestled into the corner of Trino, Stephen Sandoval’s Latin steakhouse in the West Loop. All the sightlines lead to that plush U-shaped banquette. So go ahead, make a scene. Grab a cookbook from the mini library of Sandoval’s favorites overhead. Order half the menu. (The table’s spacious enough to handle it.) Flirt. Hold court. Be the star of your own show. Sixty years ago, Sinatra would have owned this corner. But tonight, Mr. and Mrs. VIP, this dining room belongs to you. — Peter Gianopulos
