With the arrival of warmer weather, tents are out amidst open-air sky views, and outdoor dining is making an unofficial appearance on menus around the city, enabling the Chicagoans eager to dine al fresco. Some of Chicago's best restaurants with outdoor seating enhanced their capacity to serve guests outside year-round by implementing heaters and retractable roofs. You can count on this list if you're looking for Peruvian rooftop dining or a bocce match with your drink. Continue reading the blog for the best outdoor dining in Chicago to enjoy eating outside this summer.
The Convertible cover on Athena's spacious outdoor terrace, equipped with a fountain and columns, evoking ancient Greek city, makes it a perfect all-weather meal choice. Rain and shine, this famous Greek town is renowned for serving delicious dolmades, spanakopita, grilled kebabs, and baklava. You may enjoy all these delicacies with a seasonal drink like Greek lemonade!
Enjoy farm-to-table American cuisine from Michelin-starred chef Art Smith all summer long under the wooden deck of the Blue Door. Their famous buttermilk fried chicken is a must-have. Also, don't forget to try varied seasonal dishes, including shrimp and grits, stuffed eggs, breaded salmon, and lime pie topped with charred honey caramel, whipped cream, and macadamia praline.
There's nothing better than eating gourmet Chicago-style duck fat dogs on a leafy, secluded patio in Bridgeport. During summers, the Duck Inn's tree-lined gardens transform into a cozy spot for brunch or dinner. Join here for Backyard Pizza Night on Wednesdays, highlighting Neapolitan-style pies scorched in the resto's wood-fired oven.
Kaiser Tiger is a beer store. With 20 on tap and 80 bottles and cans, Far West Gastropub offers a varied menu of sausages, sandwiches, vegan entrees, and more to captivate every class. Bocce is back on the patio as the weather warms up. Here, food is served on a first-come, first-served basis.
Dawson's enormous terrace, equipped with a bar, tables, greenery, and high walls, is ideal for unwinding from everyday life. Order your dinner and enjoy a cocktail encompassing a variety of traditional and seasonal drinks featuring gin, tequila, and mezcal.
Recently featured on the famous Chicago hot dog restaurant list, boasting a sparkling light to evocate a cordial ambiance, leaves, and flowers for flair, providing coolness on a sunny day. The food here is served on varied dishes, from ceviche and empanadas to grilled calamari with chimichurri and Lomo saltado, topped with gourmet touches such as ponzu gel and avocado mousse.
El Barco Mariscos has been introducing Chicagoans to the richness of Mexican food for almost two decades, focusing on Mexican coastal cuisine. While the parillada seafood platters are impressive, the crowd favorite remains the whole red snapper, either fried or grilled. Barbecuing saves customers a few calories, but fried food tastes better.
This 85-seat terrace above Roots Handmade Pizza in West Town exemplifies farm-to-table dining. Its organic roofing garden provides a large portion of the vegetables and herbs needed, featuring skin-on hog belly, fried quesadilla de Hongo, and camaron Tostada on the menu.
