Beer Gardens in Chicago

Benchmark

20s / 30s / ATM / After Work / Bar / Beer

Party Earth Review Boasting a double distinction as Chicago’s first rooftop beer garden and its first rooftop beer garden with a giant retractable roof, Benchmark draws a lively and amicable crowd of sports fans year round, whether to enjoy the sun and open air or to laugh at the snow on the other side of the glass. A polished and modern ... more

1510 North Wells Street
Chicago, IL 60610

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Vines on Clark

20s / 40s / ATM / Average Joes / Jeans

Party Earth Review With lots of glowing flat-screens beckoning to Cubs fans, daily specials luring the budget-minded, and a big seasonal beer garden perfect for open air drinking, Vines on Clark fits right into the Wrigleyville bar scene without being (entirely) about baseball. A long wooden bar with a mirrored back lines the right side ... more

3554 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60657

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Kirkwood Bar & Grill

20s / 30s / Bar / Baseball Caps / DJ

Reviewed by Justin G.

"It’s easy to assemble Kirkwood’s with other young-twenties-bars like Mad River and Big City Taps, but Kirkwood’s has much more to offer. The kitchen p ..." more

2934 North Sheffield Avenue
Chicago, IL 60689

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Crossing

20s / 30s / Ambient / Bar Food / Jeans

Party Earth Review Although a Jayhawks flag above the front door immediately announces Crossing’s allegiance to the University of Kansas, the cavernous rooms within have space for fans of all colors looking to snag a spot in front of one of the joint’s several dozen TVs. A polished wooden bar decked out in bobble heads and booze is usually ... more

2548 North Southport Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614

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Zella

20s / Bar / Bar Food / Bar Food / Beer

Party Earth Review Part upscale bar, part restaurant, part club, and part bountiful beer garden, Zella is either the greatest thing since sliced bread or is suffering from multiple-personality disorder – either way, patrons come in droves to drink, flirt, and drink some more. A deceivingly small entrance in the simple brick façade leads ... more

1983 North Clybourn Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614

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The Cedar Hotel

Bar / Bar Food / Baseball Caps / DJ

Party Earth Review Set between the swanky shops of Rush Street and the wild bar scene of Division Street, The Cedar Hotel – a crime-riddled boarding house in the 1920s – now provides a bit of both worlds with its unique combination of historical architecture and energetic sports vibe. Popular with a party crowd of post-grads and sports fans ... more

1112 North State Street
Chicago, IL 60610

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George Street Pub

30s / 40s / Affluent / After Work

Party Earth Review Despite its unassuming brick façade and location on a desolate stretch of North Halsted Street, George Street Pub has managed to garner a loyal following of area yuppies and affluent locals since opening in early 2011. Situated between the bustling neighborhoods of Lincoln Park and Lakeview, the upscale yet laid-back gastropub ... more

2858 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60657

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If there is one thing that all Chicago bar-goers can agree on, it’s that Chicago knows beer gardens. For a city with notoriously long and harsh winters, beer gardens in Chicago are a way of life in the summer months, the perfect catharsis after the thaw.

Chicago beer gardens appeal to the masses, with most bars in the city offering at least a small outdoor area. Hipsters flock to Division Street to share microbrews on one of the avenue’s many patios, while fraternity and sorority types hit up River North to enjoy a beverage at Benchmark’s gigantic rooftop bar.

For the more sports-inclined, Wrigleyville is a hotbed for beer gardens. Before or after any Cubs game, outdoor spaces at every nearby bar are packed with spirited Chicago fans downing pints and cheering for the home team. Forget tables and chairs, because Wrigleyville on game days is standing room only.

Now don’t get the wrong idea; not all beer gardens in Chicago are wild and crazy. For a more laid-back beer garden experience, check out some of the mellower pubs in Old Town or sip on rare and unique microbrews in Hopleaf’s cozy beer garden.

If it weren’t obvious enough, beer gardens in Chicago are more than simply outdoor drinking spaces. They are the perfect way to enjoy a brew in the summertime, and no one appreciates fine beer and warm weather more than Chicagoans do.