Chicago's Best Rooftop Bars

The skyline is what Chicago shows off best, and the best way to look at it is from another roof with a drink in your hand. The city has far more rooftop bars than it did when this post first ran. Block Club Chicago's 2026 rooftop guide maps more than 60 of them. A lot of the new ones are glassed in or have retractable roofs, which matters here, since an open-air terrace in Chicago is a May-to-October proposition.

Only two bars from the original list are still pouring. ZED451, the Brazilian steakhouse in River North, is closed. So is Pegasus in Greektown, and the Rock Bottom brewpub at State and Grand closed for good in January 2023. Here's where to go now.

Downtown and the river

Cindy's, 12 S. Michigan Ave. On the 13th floor of the Chicago Athletic Association hotel, looking straight over Millennium Park to Lake Michigan. If you only get one rooftop drink in Chicago, have it here. The terrace works all year, and the restaurant sits under a glass atrium, so a cold night doesn't rule it out. Reservations open 14 days ahead and walk-ins are welcome, but sunset on a summer weekend fills fast.

LH Rooftop, 85 E. Wacker Dr. Three levels at the top of the LondonHouse hotel, 22 stories up, right where Michigan Avenue crosses the river. There's indoor and outdoor seating, and it's open 11am to midnight every day. This is the one for looking down the river and at the Wrigley Building across the bridge.

Château Carbide, 230 N. Michigan Ave. The rooftop of the Pendry hotel, 24 stories up in the green-and-gold Carbide & Carbon Building. It's the dressiest bar here, with small plates, live music and a "Bubble Bar" on Friday and Saturday nights. It isn't open every night, so check the hours before you go.

Raised, 1 W. Upper Wacker Dr. Only three floors up, at the corner of State and Wacker, but the river and the buildings along it do the work. The food is a step up from bar snacks, with truffle frites, lobster rolls and shrimp gyros.

ROOF on theWit, 201 N. State St. One of the two survivors from the original list, and back then it was the new kid. It's 27 stories above State Street, a block from the Lake/State L stops, and Travel + Leisure once named it one of the top three rooftop bars in the world. It's still more party than lounge. DJs run late on Friday and Saturday nights, when it stays open until 2am.

Magnificent Mile and Streeterville

NoMI Garden, 800 N. Michigan Ave. The other survivor. The Park Hyatt's terrace is seven floors above Michigan Avenue, looking over the old Water Tower. It's low compared to the rest of this list, and that's part of the appeal. You're close enough to the street to feel it, and it's still the most romantic rooftop in the city. The menu runs to flatbreads, sushi and cocktails.

Z Bar, 108 E. Superior St. The Peninsula hotel's rooftop lounge. Expect live music, a serious cocktail list and a menu that roams the world. Of all the downtown hotel bars, this is the most polished.

Offshore, 1000 E. Grand Ave. Offshore sits at Navy Pier and bills itself as the world's largest rooftop, with 36,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space. The reason to go is the view back at the skyline from out over the lake, which you can't get from any hotel roof.

Neighborhood rooftops

The J. Parker, 1816 N. Clark St., Lincoln Park. On top of Hotel Lincoln, 13 floors up, looking over the Lincoln Park Zoo, the lake and the skyline to the south. About 140 of its seats are outside, and a retractable glass roof keeps it open year-round. It's a good pick after an afternoon in Lincoln Park.

Cabra, 200 N. Green St., West Loop. A Peruvian restaurant and bar on top of the Hoxton hotel, looking out over the West Loop. The shareable plates are served family style, and there's indoor and outdoor space, so it works in any season. Go for dinner. A drink alone undersells it.

The Up Room, 2018 W. North Ave., Wicker Park. The Robey hotel's cocktail bar is 13 floors above the six-way intersection of North, Milwaukee and Damen, next to the Damen Blue Line stop. You get the downtown skyline from the northwest, which almost no other bar on this list can offer.

VU Rooftop, 133 E. Cermak Rd., South Loop. It's 22 stories up, near McCormick Place, with three bars, fire pits and retractable windows for the cold months. There's live jazz late in the week, and this is the obvious move if you're in town for a convention.

If you'd rather watch a ballgame than a sunset, the rooftops across from Wrigley Field sell game-day seats with food and drink included. See our Cubs page and our list of places to eat and drink near Wrigley. For drinking at street level, try our outdoor dining spots, unique bars and the nightlife guide.

Photo by ~Pil~