ROOF on theWit

The Loop, Chicago – Set atop the 27th floor of a trendy boutique hotel in the heart of downtown, ROOF on theWit boasts an expansive view of Chicago’s glittering skyscrapers – not to mention a good sampling of its see-and-be-seen crowd as well.

A dedicated elevator opens into a sprawling main room filled with clusters of low-slung chairs and couches, where gaggles of trendy girlfriends sip hibiscus liqueur garnished with edible orchids as socialites on brunch duty power through a few $15 Bloody Marys.

Aside from a pair of contemporary stainless steel fireplaces flickering in the corners and a large bar down one side, the furnishing are kept at a minimum, perhaps to put the focus on the massive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Chicago River and beyond.

Open-air patios flank both sides of the main room, including a coveted small dining area that hangs precariously over the side of the building, seemingly unsupported.

Midday shoppers and lunching business people take over the long granite table on the other patio – which features a line of actual flames burning down its center – while modern wooden booths and brightly-lit futuristic umbrellas highlight the rest of the spacious room.

A more casual vibe during the day transforms into a swankier scene in the evenings when a crowd of gussied-up ladies and gents shows up hoping to snag one of the prime patio tables reserved for thousand-dollar bottle service, or to groove to a DJ and live music.

Whether filled with trendy partiers at night or quieter upscale tourists and professionals during the day…the roof, the roof, the ROOF is on fire.    ← read less