Restaurants In Chicago

It’s patio season in Chicago! And there’s no better time to get a taste of the city’s award-winning dining scene. Dine in a hidden garden, sip cocktails on a rooftop, enjoy dinner with waterfront views, and explore outdoor dining options in every neighborhood. Here’s an ongoing list of Chicago restaurants with outdoor patios, rooftops, and more for warm-weather dining this spring and summer.

Chicago restaurants with outdoor dining

Barcocina West Town: This Lakeview go-to has just opened a new location on bustling Chicago Avenue, featuring plenty of alfresco seating and two outdoor bars.

Lonesome Rose Andersonville: A long-time Logan Square favorite for tacos and margaritas has opened a sister restaurant in Andersonville, with a patio coming this summer.

Bar Mar: Award-winning chef José Andrés serves fresh oysters, ceviches, lobster rolls, and more at this seafood-focused oasis in the Loop.

Bar Mar

Small Cheval Hyde Park: Enjoy one of the city’s most beloved burgers on this laid back patio with plenty of picnic tables.

Fora: Located on the ground floor of hip The Emily Hotel, Fora is a New American and globally-inspired restaurant and patio in the West Loop.

BLVD Steakhouse: This West Loop steakhouse extends the glamorous vibes onto its massive new patio, complete with an outdoor bar.

Cabana Club: Atop The Robey hotel in the heart of Wicker Park, Cabana Club offers a panoramic view of the city skyline, a rooftop pool, and frozen cocktails.

Siena Tavern: This long-time River North staple serves its crowd-pleasing Italian fare on a spacious, buzzy sidewalk patio.

Osito’s Tap: This Latinx-owned bar in Little Village brings the speakeasy vibes and a patio ready for warm days.

Porter Kitchen & Deck: This riverside spot has two outdoor seating areas, including a waterfront patio and an elevated deck with city views.

Bambola: This recently opened spot in the West Loop is debuting an intimate, sun-drenched patio, the perfect place to enjoy the new happy hour menu.

Medici on 57th: Grab some ‘za on the charming patio of this restaurant that’s been a fixture in Hyde Park for nearly 60 years.

Oda Mediterranean Cuisine: In Andersonville, Oda Mediterranean features a flower-lined sidewalk patio with a covered seating area for spring showers.

Bloom Plant Based Kitchen: Enjoy lunch in the sun or evening happy hour on this Wicker Park patio, featuring an all-plant-based menu that even carnivores will love.

Cabana Club at The Robey

Central Park Bar: This casual backyard bar in Avondale has plenty of space to hang out, with firepits, porch swings, picnic tables, and a pool table.

Rose Mary: With striped umbrellas and string lights overhead, the Rose Mary patio channels the same Mediterranean vibes as its Italian-Croatian menu.

Lirica: Enjoy sweeping views of Lake Michigan and the city skyline on Lirica’s waterfront patio, located on iconic Navy Pier.

Gioia Ristorante e Pastificio: This sidewalk patio feels like an extension of the Gioia dining room, perfect for enjoying Italian cuisines, plus wine and cocktails.

La Vaca Margarita Bar: This spacious patio is a classic summer spot in Pilsen. Enjoy Mexican classics and flavored margaritas in the sunshine or late into the night.

Wood: In lively Lakeview, this award-winning restaurant is a local favorite for boozy brunch or a relaxed dinner on their expansive patio.

Tabu: This pan-Latin restaurant is debuting its new rooftop space this summer, with a seasonal cocktail menu and even some special menu items specifically for the rooftop. 

Canal Street Eatery and Market: An Italian-inspired restaurant, gourmet market, and wine bar, Canal Street Eatery offers complimentary blankets so diners can have a picnic in the grass.

Yardbird Southern Table: For their first summer in Chicago, Yardbird Southern Table will have an outdoor patio and an open facade to connect to the indoor dining area.

El Che Steakhouse and Bar: Tucked away on a quiet street in the West Loop, El Che Steakhouse serves up flame-grilled meat and seafood on the patio.

Norman’s Bistro: Near Bronzeville, Norman’s Bistro has a low-key patio where guests enjoy elevated takes on American Creole food.

Il Culaccino: In the South Loop, Il Culaccino serves both modern and traditional Italian dishes on the covered, all-weather patio.

Looking for more? Explore restaurants with outdoor dining in Chicago.

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It’s springtime in Chicago and the city is in bloom! From yellow daffodils to bright red tulips to pastel cherry blossoms, flowers are popping up everywhere around our “city in a garden” — Chicago’s official motto. From a hidden garden to a soaring conservatory bursting with blooms, there are so many opportunities to stop and smell the roses in Chicago. Experience the beauty of the season at Chicago’s best gardens, parks, and conservatories this spring. 

Jackson Park

Osaka Garden in Jackson Park

In Jackson Park, you’ll find more than 100 cherry blossoms trees that typically bloom each spring. Located along the lakefront in the Hyde Park neighborhood, Jackson Park was the epicenter of the 1893 World’s Fair. The fair left behind scenic lagoons and gardens, and an authentic Japanese garden filled with cherry trees. In the spirit of the Japanese “hanami”, which is the tradition of enjoying the transient nature of flowers, take a stroll through the park while the cherry blossoms are in peak bloom.

Garfield Park Conservatory

Spring arrives early at the Garfield Park Conservatory, thanks to the Spring Flower Show. This annual showcase of springtime flora includes tulips, hydrangeas, daffodils, and hyacinths. The conservatory itself is a botanical treasure and one of the largest greenhouse conservatories in the United States. Located in the midst of historic Garfield Park, the building is a soaring all-glass structure that makes a stunning backdrop for spring blooms.

Michigan Avenue

Every spring, Michigan Avenue bursts into blooms thanks to thousands of tulip bulbs imported from the Netherlands. The stunning display stretches from Roosevelt Road at the south end of Grant Park to the north end of The Magnificent Mile at Oak Street. Enjoy a tulip-filled stroll from the Art Institute to The Magnificent Mile to see the spectacular color spectrum of spring’s favorite flower. 

Lincoln Park Conservatory

Lincoln Park Conservatory

A visit to Lincoln Park Conservatory offers a glimpse back in time: the Victorian-era glass house was built in the late nineteenth century, with four rooms displaying exotic plants from around the world. Take a moment to stroll the garden situated in front of the conservatory: it’s one of the oldest public gardens in Chicago, designed and planted in the late 1870s. The conservatory’s Spring Flower Show showcases colorful tulips, dragon lilies, peonies, roses, and more.

Ping Tom Memorial Park

Ping Tom Park Chinatown

In Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood, an old railyard was transformed into the beautiful rolling green space that locals know and love as Ping Tom Memorial Park. If you can’t get enough cherry blossoms, it’s the perfect spot to admire the springtime blooms while soaking in the stunning skyline and river views.

Columbus Park

A true masterpiece of landscape architecture, Columbus Park was designed by the legendary Jens Jensen. Located in the Austin neighborhood, the park is home to quiet lagoons, natural-looking waterfalls, historic buildings, and tons of green space. In the spring, park-goers can spot water lilies, blooming trees, and wildflowers throughout the park.

Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool

Tucked in a corner of Lincoln Park, the wild yet intimate Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool is easy to miss. This hidden oasis promises a moment of peace in the middle of a city on the move. The pool’s landscape is dotted with wildflowers and the water is often covered with water lilies in the spring. This is one of the best spots in the city to relax and reflect. 

Washington Park

The namesake park of the Washington Park neighborhood is home to the DuSable Black History Museum, the nation’s longest-standing independent center dedicated to African American culture. The historic park comes alive in the spring with colorful gardens designed by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.

Chicago Botanic Garden

Spring is perhaps the best season to explore the 385 acres of cultivated gardens and natural areas of the Chicago Botanic Garden, one of the world’s great living museums and conservation science centers and home to 27 unique gardens. Before you go, download the free walking map and free app that will help you locate plants when you visit.

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