Chicago's Best Outdoor Bar

A trendy crowd coos over daring Japanese-Brazilian fusion cuisine at this flashy dining destination.

Reviews:

• “Best of the Best”
• “Great new years party!”
• “very pricey bad food”
• “Sushi Mumbo Jumbo”
• “Gets the spirit on!”

Tips: Sit at a perimeter table for prime people-watching. Communal tables are cramped, with back-less stools that make for a sore back. At night, head to the rooftop lounge for a cocktail.

Sushi Samba Rio or email Sushi Samba Rio

A popular spot for sidewalk sipping on warm days.

Reviews:

• “ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?!”
• “Terrible service – do you want to wait 2 hours for your lunch?”
• “So much potential…”
• “Deceiving”
• “Pontiac – Drinking Excitement”

Tips: The few metered spots below the Damen El stop are usually snapped up quickly, but there’s also a parking lot directly across the restaurant for strip mall customers.

Pontiac Cafe

Select brews and a popular patio define this Lakeview Garden of Eden.

Reviews:

• “Good stuff! Chill place with nice staff and tasty food…”
• “Kick A$$ Beer Selection”
• ""
• “fun place, expensive beer”
• “Great Beer Great Staff”

Tips: On weekday afternoons when the weather is nice, expect the patio to fill by 6pm or 7pm. But there’s a constant ebb and flow, so you may not have to wait long to score an outside seat.

Sheffield’s Beer and Wine Garden

This River North spot draws a Merchandise Mart crowd for salads, sandwiches, steaks and after-work cocktails.

Reviews:

• “ATTENTION ALL CARNIVORES… STEAK ALERT …..STEAK ALERT…..”
• “This is a Steak House????”
• “Just Another Steak House”
• “Our New Favorite Place!”
• “Totally Average!!!”

Tips: Party rooms and customized menus are available for large groups, as well as office catering. Call the event coordinator (312) 543-4405 to set something up.

Kinzie Chophouse or email Kinzie Chophouse

Pub grub and biker-bar atmosphere draw tattooed punks and yuppies alike to this irreverent River West hangout.

Reviews:

• “rude management, poor service”
• “Horrible at best…….”
• “Hairy Situation”
• “average”
• ""

Tips: Though the Spoke gets rowdy in the evenings, it hosts a family-friendly crowd at weekend brunch and lunch.

Twisted Spoke

A casual brew pub with great beer, a collegiate atmosphere, and an alluring rooftop deck.

Reviews:

• “Cool atmosphere, love the roof-top deck”
• “Over Priced!!!”
• “Just the right place”
• “Great roof top deck”
• “Excellent”

Tips: When weather permits, the view of River North and city skyscrapers from the roof is better than that of the chic young professionals within, glowing from the setting sun and a few after-work beers.

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

Attached to Letizia’s Natural Bakery, this Wicker Park wine bar focuses on light Italian fare and wines from all over the world.

Reviews:

• “Hard to locate but Great Italian Restaurant”
• “Best pasta in Wicker Park!”
• “strawberry bruschetta is heaven! "
• “Overpriced, unimaginative”
• ""

Tips: While wine is the main draw, this enoteca also offers more than 25 kinds of beer as well as a full bar stocked with more than 20 kinds of vodka.

Enoteca Roma Wine Bar or email Enoteca Roma Wine Bar

Experience Oktoberfest every day of the year at this German beer hall.

Reviews:

• “Great Place!”
• “This is a Real German Beer Garden”
• “Never Go Back!”
• “Good Food GREAT Beer Garden”
• “Authentic German brews and fare”

Tips: For the hungry, the bar serves a wide and delicious selection of German sausages and schnitzel. Dinner is served until 5pm

Resi’s Bierstube German Tavern

Great burgers and a spacious patio draw a mixed Edgewater crowd to this dark old hangout.

Reviews:

• “Service Problem”
• “Turn on the heat, it’s too cold in here…brrrrrrr =\”
• “terrible service”
• “great restaurant off the beaten path”
• “Best Burgers in town, Great steaks. Awsome salads.”

Tips: Moody’s doesn’t accept credit cards, but there are two ATMs at the nearby Broadway Bank.

Moody’s Pub

Popular Old Town watering hole shoots for contemporary style over funky neighborhood hang.

Reviews:

• “Best Party Room Ever!!”
• “Great Party Room”
• “Bad staff!!!”
• “Fun, Trendy atmosphere: Friendly staff & stiff drinks!! "
• “Had a blast!!!”

Tips: For a neighborhood nightspot, the club is on the dressier side; too casual gear is frowned upon, and tennis shoes and sports attire are outright banned. Jeans with something black is the uniform.

Spoon or email Spoon

Comfortable, convenient Wicker Park hangout scores with easy atmosphere and a creative, casual global menu.

Reviews:

• “I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE TO MY WORST ENEMY”
• “good value, great food "
• “Overall, disappointing”
• “Great food, lousy service”
• “Poor customer service on 5/27 for Sunday brunch”

Tips: On Monday or Tuesday, buy an entree and get half off any bottle of wine—or if you’d prefer, BYOB. And Sat-Sun during brunch, valet parking is free.

Feast