Eating Al Fresco: Chicago's Tastiest Patios
Updated: August 17, 2009
You want good food and drink and solid people-watching on the patio this summer, and you won't settle for anything less. We hear you. With outdoor dining options aplenty, a savvy navigation guide is essential. Follow these picks for dining al fresco at new hot spots and old standbys, and you'll have the kind of summer that drifts--instead of rushes--by. (Photo courtesy of Rockit Wrigleyville)
On this page:Downtown/River North, North Side, West Loop, Wicker Park.
Downtown/River North
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A Mano
Read Reviews335 N Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60610 (map)
No need to wonder where to grab the best outdoor lunch downtown. This trattoria boasts a lushly planted, sub-street-level patio with seating for 50, plus a killer weekday lunch deal: $11.95 for a panini or wood oven pizza, along with unlimited trips to the antipasti bar and a scoop of house-made gelato.
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Carnivale
Read Reviews702 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607 (map)
With organic nuevo Latino cuisine (think empanadas, fish tacos and ceviche, and that's just the beginning) made with ingredients plucked from local farms, how can you go wrong? This River North gem offers seating for 30, seven days a week, with fresh flowers on the tables and live music on Wednesdays and Sundays.
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Citizen Bar
Read Reviews364 W Erie St, Chicago, IL 60610 (map)
Italian gems like thin crust pizza and fried calamari do it up European style, while a huge rooftop deck aptly serves up to 400 revelers. Go for the festive after-work vibe, and join the party.
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La Madia
Read Reviews59 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60610 (map)
Catch up with friends for lunch, dinner or an after-work drink at this 14-seat patio with the cool sophistication of an Italian sidewalk cafe. Feast on pizzas like tallegio cheese with grapes roasted in vin santo wine and white clams with sweet chili peppers, while drinking $5 glasses of wine Monday through Friday.
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LaSalle Power Co.
Write a review500 N LaSalle St, Chicago, IL 60654 (map)
This tri-level bar with a rocker theme offers live performances from local indie acts, but the 100-person sidewalk patio is the place to kick back on Fridays for $5 Skyy cocktails and retro-themed eats like deviled eggs and mini burgers.
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Zed 451
Read Reviews739 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60610 (map)
Escape the hustle by hitting this gorgeous rooftop, with its glass-enclosed fireplace and stunning skyline views, after work or weekends after 4pm. Enjoy appetizers like vegetable meat fondue and crab cake sliders, with yummy cocktails like ginger bourbon lemonade and kiwi strawberry martini to match.
North Side
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42n Latitude
Write a review4500 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625 (map)
Weekly specials like $5 martinis (Thursdays) and two entrees for the price of one (Wednesdays), plus a patio with a prime view for people watching, make this comfortable American kitchen a standby worth revisiting. Weekend brunch offers plates like etouffe skillet and crab cake Benedict.
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Anteprima
Read Reviews5316 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640 (map)
Escape to the lush, secluded back patio of this regional Italian trattoria for a rustic meal and affordable wines. With seasonal options like grilled polenta with spicy rapini, house-cured olives, veal meatballs in a saffron tomato sauce and Chianti risotto with roasted market beets, Italia is as close as a hop, skip and a jump to Andersonville.
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Bad Dog Tavern
Read Reviews4535 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625 (map)
Good for a beer-fueled gathering with pals or just for reading solo over lunch on a gorgeous day, the patio here suits all types of outdoor recreation. Sirloin steak au poivre and ahi tuna tacos, along with Delirium Tremens and Tripel Karmeliet make for fun in the sun.
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Bistro Campagne
Read Reviews4518 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625 (map)
French food crafted to perfection is the name of the game at this Lincoln Square bistro with a fab garden patio. Organic meats and veggies pepper the menu, which includes classic dishes like petit steak frites and oeufs brouilles, along with bloody marys and mimosas at brunch.
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Rockit Bar and Grill
Write a review3700 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613 (map)
On the tree-lined corner of Clark and Waveland, the patio of Wrigleyville's Rockit boasts an ample view of the ballpark and eclectic eats. Go for a duo of signature food and drink: the Kobe beef Rockit Burger with the Bomb Pop, a multi-colored cocktail that recalls the red, white and blue-layered rocket pops of your youth.
West Loop
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Market Bar
Write a review1113 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607 (map)
Sidewalk cafe, beer garden or rooftop patio with skyline views; take your pick of the outdoor settings at this spacious sports bar and then some. Dig into treats like macaroni and cheese muffins and short rib sliders while sipping cocktails like the French pear martini and sparkling margarita and watching the beautiful, stylish crowd.
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Red Kiva
Write a review1108 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607 (map)
Kick back on this sophisticated lounge's relaxing sidewalk cafe, enjoying margherita and Italian sausage pizzas, and sipping cocktails like the Go Dutch martini with Effen Black cherry vodka or pomegranate champagne flutes. Absolut flavored cocktails ($5) and draft beers ($4) on Wednesdays encourage the much needed mid-week chill-out.
Wicker Park
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Enoteca Roma Wine Bar
Read Reviews2144-2146 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622 (map)
Raise a glass of vino and dig into rustic Roman cuisine like bruschetta flights, polenta quattro formaggi and square slabs of pizza on the patio of this family friendly neighborhood favorite.
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The Fifty/50
Read Reviews2047 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622 (map)
Smoked and fried foods are abundant here, in a nod to American diner and Southern culinary traditions. Chug the 40 ounce of the week alongside jam-packed sandwiches like skirt steak on garlic bread and crowd-pleasing treats like fried chicken and smoked barbecue ribs.
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