The Cedar Hotel

Bar / Bar Food / Baseball Caps / Beer / Beer Garden / Bottle Service / Button-downs / Casual / DJ / Designer Jeans / Dinner / Early 20s / Early 30s / Frat Guys / Good Looking / Good for Groups / High Heels / Lively / Lunch / Outdoor Area / Party / Patio / Post Grads / Pub Crawlers / Restaurant / Rowdy / Sorority Girls / Specialty Cocktails / Sports Fans / TVs / Top 40 / Trendy Casual / Yupster
The Cedar Hotel 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... Chicago United States 41.902428 -87.628541
3.14 7
The Cedar Hotel - Bar | Beer Garden | Restaurant in Chicago.
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3 User Reviews
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Ratings:
Lucas
Adriana
Jonah
Emma

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... ... read full review

  • Hours:

    M–F, Su noon–2am, Sa noon–3am (occasionally closed in the winter)

  • Recommended as:

    • Day Spot
    • Night Spot

Party Earth The Cedar Hotel Review

The Scene

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...

Gold Coast, Chicago –

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, the bar and restaurant’s main claims to fame are its oversized cocktails served in plastic cups and its two-thousand-square-foot beer garden, both of which draw hordes of lively patrons in the warmer months.

Groups of well-dressed but rowdy girlfriends and prepsters fill the wicker seats in the garden, ready to dig into some hearty comfort food to help soak up the signature punch and powerful No Tell Hotel Lemonade, a killer concoction of passion fruit vodka and fresh-squeezed lemonade.

Those looking to catch the game can grab a seat inside, where the raucous cheers of Packers and Badgers fans filter out to street from the bay windows, and fraternity types crowd around the wooden bar to share a bucket of beers and hoot at the flat-screen TVs.

Much like any popular outdoor establishment in Chicago, The Cedar Hotel is more subdued during the winter, but makes up for it the rest of the year as a bumping hotspot for eating, drinking, and sports fanaticism.

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Tip from Lucas:

Hit up The Cedar Hotel as your first stop before a night of pub crawling on Division Street. It’s a good place to grab dinner and watch the game – and since the patio closes at midnight, you want to get there early anyway to enjoy the warm weather.

  • Crowd

    Fraternity and sorority types, athletes and sports fans, Wisconsin Badger fans, and the Gold Coast pre-clubbing crowd, early 20s to early 30s.

  • Entertainment / Music

    DJs spin Top 40 and dance hits Thursdays through Sundays. Five flat-screen TVs tuned to sports.

  • Food / Miscellaneous

    Typical bar fare including a number of healthier options like salads and wraps.

  • Prices

    Appetizers $5–$12, entrées $8–$14. Beer $4–$6, wine $6–$10, specialty cocktails $10/16 oz or $14/24 oz, punch bowl $100, bottle service $200–$300.

  • What to Wear / Dress Code

    Sporty or trendy: designer jeans and heels, stylish summer dresses, button-downs, baseball caps.

  • Hot Nights / When to Go

    Any warm evening for the beer garden, any big game night, and Thursdays through Saturdays for a party atmosphere.

  • Close By

    McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon (1206 North State Parkway) has a smaller outdoor area but more TVs and a larger beer selection.

Tags:
Bar FoodBaseball CapsBeerBottle ServiceButton-downsCasualDJDesigner JeansDinnerEarly 20sEarly 30sFrat GuysGood LookingGood for GroupsHigh HeelsLivelyLunchOutdoor AreaPartyPatioPost GradsPub CrawlersRowdySorority GirlsSpecialty CocktailsSports FansTVsTop 40Trendy CasualYupster

The Cedar Hotel User Reviews

Average rating:
Alright beer garden option
Maria S.
Maria S. Apr 28, 2013
I do love when Chicago weather permits beer garden enjoyment. The Cedar Hotel is located in a prime spot for group outings and game watching. While I didn't get anything to drink, I thought the quesadilla option was really good. Not my favorite place, but an option.
Not worth it
Christina W.
Christina W. Dec 10, 2012
This place is horrible, and I absolutely do not recommend it to anyone. They claim to be voted the #1 Beer Garden in Chicago, and I am baffled as to how. In fact, I’m pretty sure that can’t be true. I have been to a lot of beer gardens in Chicago, and ones that appeal to wide variety of personalities (Sheffield’s comes to mind), and this is nothing in comparison. On top of all that, it turns into a really messy, loud, irritating bar late at night. The cocktails are awful (they’re just pre-mixed sugary drinks), and the people are rude. I get that the sports-bar side of it is pretty decent, but really, it’s not fun. I won’t be going back.
Nice place to grab a drink outside
Molly T.
Molly T. Nov 19, 2012
The Cedar Hotel is right in the middle of a lot of the action that goes on in the Rush and Division area. The best part of The Cedar Hotel is all of the outdoor seating it has. This allows you to sit outside, enjoy the nice weather, and people watch all the hustle and bustle going on around you. Prices are fairly normal for any Chicago bar you would go to and the service was good. The outside is a more chill environment to have a few drinks, while the inside becomes more of a music and dance lovers' safe haven. Once the outside is shut down at midnight it's an easy transition to the inside part of Cedar Hotel or to move on to your next destination to continue the night. It's great for couples to sit outside in the warm weather for a more intimate setting and have a few drinks and talk, but then turns into a great place for dancing and more upbeat fun on the inside. Overall, The Cedar Hotel is a good time, however most of the time I would use this as an early place to get a drink and then later go to somewhere nearby for a more club feel. It's great for game-watching drinks, before the club drinks, or just a more chill not out (in the warm weather) with girlfriends or your significant other!
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