The Best Patios and Outdoor Drinking Spots by Neighborhood

TL;DR Chicago patio season is short and sacred. In Lakeview, Sheffield's beer garden is the classic. In the West Loop, Kaiser Tiger has bocce and string lights. In Logan Square, Parson's serves Negroni slushies under the umbrellas. Here are the best patios, beer gardens, and rooftops by neighborhood.

Chicagoans take patio season seriously, because we earn it. The minute the weather turns, the whole city moves outside. Here are the best places to drink in the sun, neighborhood by neighborhood.

River North

Three Dots and a Dash is the underground tiki bar with a heated outdoor patio for rum cocktails. For a rooftop, Bar Avec is a breezy open-air patio eight floors up with Spanish and Portuguese seaside bites.

West Loop and Fulton Market

Kaiser Tiger has one of the biggest patios on Randolph, with string lights, a bocce court, and a retractable roof. Cruz Blanca brings a lively beer garden to Rick Bayless's Fulton Market brewpub, Aba's heated rooftop terrace on Green Street does polished Mediterranean, and Recess is one of the largest outdoor bars in the city.

Wicker Park and Bucktown

Big Star is the icon, a sunny taco-and-margarita patio with bright yellow chairs that defines summer in Wicker Park. Nick's Beer Garden has the classic tavern back patio, Small Cheval is the dog-friendly burger spot, and Lottie's Pub is the Bucktown institution with TVs and beer specials.

Logan Square

Parson's Chicken & Fish is the move, picnic tables under red-and-white umbrellas with famous Negroni slushies. Half Acre's Balmoral location is a spacious industrial brewery garden, Park & Field does a vintage sports-bar patio with boozy brunch, and Pilot Project pairs picnic tables with a rotating lineup of guest brewers.

Lincoln Park

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba's sidewalk and courtyard patio with sangria is a Lincoln Park staple, and Parson's has a location here too. For the view, the J. Parker rooftop atop Hotel Lincoln looks out over the park, the zoo, and the lake from 13 floors up.

Lakeview and Wrigleyville

Sheffield's Wine & Beer Garden is the classic, a multi-level tree-lined garden with in-house smoked BBQ, string lights, and a fireplace for the shoulder seasons. Beermiscuous is the laid-back beer cafe with a sidewalk perch, and Barcocina brings heaters, couches, and fire pits.

Gold Coast, Streeterville, and South Loop

LuxBar has the prime Gold Coast sidewalk patio, and Streeterville Social at Loews is one of the largest terraces in the city. In the South Loop, Flo & Santos has a dog-friendly beer garden and Reggies has its rooftop deck with games.

The patio map at a glance

Neighborhood	The classic
River North	Three Dots and a Dash
West Loop	Kaiser Tiger
Wicker Park	Big Star
Logan Square	Parson's Chicken & Fish
Lincoln Park	Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba
Lakeview	Sheffield's beer garden

How to make the most of patio season

The season runs roughly May through September, and the good patios fill the second the sun comes out, so go early or off-peak on weekends. Plenty of these spots have heaters, retractable roofs, or fireplaces, which stretches the season into spring and fall.

The real win is living somewhere with a great patio on your block. For the rooftop version of this list, see our best rooftop bars within walking distance, and for after-work drinks, our best happy hours near the Loop and Fulton Market. Then browse current openings near your favorite patio and book a tour.

Hero image: Photo by Owen Mao on Pexels