Where to Dine on Heated Patios in Chicago

View as Map

The cold is here to stay in Chicago, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to head indoors. Midwesterners are always made of sterner stuff and have a tolerance for low temperatures. For the past two years, that fortitude was put to the test as health officials limited indoor dining due to COVID-19, and this winter, with the surprise visit from the omicron variant, it continues. And the fire pits and propane heaters that were en vogue in 2020 have returned. Check out this list of the city’s best heated patio options.

As of January 3, the city has mandated that those ages 5 and up be fully vaccinated and masked at public places indoors while not actively eating or drinking. For updated information on coronavirus cases, please visit the city of Chicago’s COVID-19 dashboard. Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

Read More

Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

Nestled beside the Metra tracks in Andersonville, the Fireside offers an ample selection of bar food, including pizzas, burgers, salads, and ribs, both smoked and fried, and a large heated patio in back, out of sight of the train.

Wrigleyville’s Tulum-inspired bar channels beach vibes even as temperatures dip. Its enormous outdoor beer garden seats 200 on bamboo rattan furniture amid a smattering of fire pits. Patrons can gather around them to keep fingers and toes toasty while dining on tacos and margaritas like the the Angry Mermaid (tequila, lime, habanero syrup). 

This Northalsted bar offers beer, wine, and cocktails, plus substantial stick-to-your-ribs fare, like pot au feu and roasted pork cooked over a wood fire, that may be best appreciated eaten outdoors on a heated patio.

Farm Bar serves up all the glories of the Midwest, including beer and pretzels, a Friday fish fry, and cheese in its many forms, from melted on top of burgers to fried curds. Some of the produce and honey come from the owners’ own farm in the Driftless region of western Wisconsin.

Enjoy a piping hot cup of co-chef Zeeshan Shah’s family chai while hanging out on this criminally underused patio in Logan Square. Shah and co-chef Yoshi Yamada deliver a fun smattering of Indian-inspired food, including the butter chicken calzone and some delicious cheesed flatbreads that might as well be pizzas. The pretty private patio is flanked by heaters.

This boistrous modern Greek hotspot from co-owners and spouses Hsing Chen (French Laundry) and Doug Psaltis (formerly of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises) is home to an expansive 80-seat outdoor patio with heaters and a glass canopy to keep the elements at bay. Patio seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Regional Italian street food is the theme at Testaccio in Logan Square, and the patio tries to emulate European street dining. Owner Aldo Zaninotto has turned a summer patio into a heated, enclosed affair so customers can enjoy chef Jacob Solomon’s wood-fired oven specialties inspired by Rome.

When master sommelier Dustin Wilson and veteran merchant Derrick Mize decided to open a Chicago outpost of their New York wine store, they also decided to serve food, courtesy of executive chef Ryan Epp. There’s also a patio where diners can enjoy their food and wine pairings outdoors.

This retro-style sports bar in Logan Square, known by many for the huge reservation-only patio space in front, aims to please fans and friends-of-fans with a broad selection of craft beers and upscale bar fare. Patrons can plant themselves at outdoor tables surrounding heaters and fire pits when the weather turns cold.

Known for its inventive daily pizza specials and its Jameson soft serve ice cream, the Boiler Room also has a cozy year-round covered patio, walled off in winter so customers can have the illusion of being outside without freezing.

The Bristol offers an eight-course tasting menu that changes with the seasons, as well as individual dishes a la carte, like roast chicken and Carolina Gold rice served with duck confit, and a choice of dining indoors or outside in heated greenhouses.

The arepa, a cornmeal flatbread stuffed with any manner of meat, cheese, and vegetables, is a staple of Venezuelan cuisine, and those served at Rica Arepa are especially good examples. Both the original location in Hermosa and the second location in Lakeview have heated enclosed patios for the colder months.

Formerly Las Palmas, Taquizo’s charming and colorful interior includes a greenhouse-style patio, ideal for sipping cocktails and inhaling  smoked-grilled octopus tacos with a tamarind-Morita glaze.

Rooftop dining doesn’t have to end when the weather gets cold. This Greek restaurant in Wicker Park keeps its rooftop open all year round — with heaters in winter — so that diners can enjoy Greek specialties and raki with a view of the Damen el stop.

It only makes sense that this Wicker Park taco joint, where the patio is bigger than the interior, keeps its outdoor service running when the weather gets cold. After all, it’s never a bad time for a taco and a beer.

Chef Brian Jupiter’s comfortably rustic whole animal restaurant and bar helps Chicagoans avoid the doldrums with a cozy covered patio — complete with a fireplace — plus a heated beer garden.

16” on Center opened a Sicilian pizzeria next to the Empty Bottle powered by recipes from Noah Sandoval, the chef of Michelin-starred Oriole, its name an echo of the Bottle’s famous slogan “Music Friendly Dancing.” In addition to pies, there’s salad, breadsticks, and more for takeout or consumption on the petite alley patio, now with heaters for the chilly months.

The West Town outpost of this beautiful boho-themed restaurant and cocktail bar addresses blustery weather with an unusual enclosed courtyard that’s open year-round.

Funkenhausen mixes up German and Southern cuisine off Chicago Avenue in West Town. The sidewalk patio features both umbrellas and heaters.

This New York import off Clark Street in River North excels at providing something for every diner — including a heated patio.

Surrounded by shipping containers in West Loop, Recess is expanding its patio this season and enclosed the roof overhang with a tent. Management is hoping customers will adopt it as a place to celebrate game days.

Above the Chicago Riverwalk, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises’ beautiful RPM Seafood offers individual heated greenhouses. It’s perfect for a special occasion, though bear in mind that visits are limited to two hours.

Chef John Manion’s Argentine steakhouse in the West Loop is full of beef, wine, and live-fire cooking. The restaurant features a heated sidewalk patio.

This tavern-style pizza specialist near Soldier Field has two outdoor dining areas. While the upper deck lacks heat, the lower is toasty, even during the winter.

This former Michelin-starred restaurant resides on the ground floor of Thalia Hall, the massive concert space with multiple bars. This is a New American gastropub with plenty of beer. The sidewalk patio is heated. 

With heated coils buried underneath the floor, Pilsen Yards was made to welcome guests even in frigid temps. The restaurant and bar features fun cocktails and a Mexican-inspired menu with tacos and more.

A popular music venue near the McCormick Place Convention Center, Reggies touts a covered rooftop deck that transitions smoothly to cold weather with a wood stove and propane heaters. The space, which fits about 99, also features a free pool table, flat screen TVs, and its own bar.

Osito’s, the essential Chicago cocktail bar that debuted in 2019 in Little Village, is prepared for the rain and cold with tent and heaters for outdoor service. Patrons can indulge in fancy liquors like mezcal and tequila, and a solid selection of beer. Osito’s also sells food, including tacos.

This Hyde Park favorite serves Italian fare and has a heated back patio. It’s also a strong choice for brunch.

This South Side brewery is a family-friendly spot with pizza and delicious beers from former Revolution Brewing head brewer Will Turner. The patio features four cabin-like spaces that keep customers warm.

Nestled beside the Metra tracks in Andersonville, the Fireside offers an ample selection of bar food, including pizzas, burgers, salads, and ribs, both smoked and fried, and a large heated patio in back, out of sight of the train.

Wrigleyville’s Tulum-inspired bar channels beach vibes even as temperatures dip. Its enormous outdoor beer garden seats 200 on bamboo rattan furniture amid a smattering of fire pits. Patrons can gather around them to keep fingers and toes toasty while dining on tacos and margaritas like the the Angry Mermaid (tequila, lime, habanero syrup). 

This Northalsted bar offers beer, wine, and cocktails, plus substantial stick-to-your-ribs fare, like pot au feu and roasted pork cooked over a wood fire, that may be best appreciated eaten outdoors on a heated patio.

Farm Bar serves up all the glories of the Midwest, including beer and pretzels, a Friday fish fry, and cheese in its many forms, from melted on top of burgers to fried curds. Some of the produce and honey come from the owners’ own farm in the Driftless region of western Wisconsin.

Enjoy a piping hot cup of co-chef Zeeshan Shah’s family chai while hanging out on this criminally underused patio in Logan Square. Shah and co-chef Yoshi Yamada deliver a fun smattering of Indian-inspired food, including the butter chicken calzone and some delicious cheesed flatbreads that might as well be pizzas. The pretty private patio is flanked by heaters.

This boistrous modern Greek hotspot from co-owners and spouses Hsing Chen (French Laundry) and Doug Psaltis (formerly of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises) is home to an expansive 80-seat outdoor patio with heaters and a glass canopy to keep the elements at bay. Patio seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Regional Italian street food is the theme at Testaccio in Logan Square, and the patio tries to emulate European street dining. Owner Aldo Zaninotto has turned a summer patio into a heated, enclosed affair so customers can enjoy chef Jacob Solomon’s wood-fired oven specialties inspired by Rome.

When master sommelier Dustin Wilson and veteran merchant Derrick Mize decided to open a Chicago outpost of their New York wine store, they also decided to serve food, courtesy of executive chef Ryan Epp. There’s also a patio where diners can enjoy their food and wine pairings outdoors.

This retro-style sports bar in Logan Square, known by many for the huge reservation-only patio space in front, aims to please fans and friends-of-fans with a broad selection of craft beers and upscale bar fare. Patrons can plant themselves at outdoor tables surrounding heaters and fire pits when the weather turns cold.

Known for its inventive daily pizza specials and its Jameson soft serve ice cream, the Boiler Room also has a cozy year-round covered patio, walled off in winter so customers can have the illusion of being outside without freezing.

The Bristol offers an eight-course tasting menu that changes with the seasons, as well as individual dishes a la carte, like roast chicken and Carolina Gold rice served with duck confit, and a choice of dining indoors or outside in heated greenhouses.

The arepa, a cornmeal flatbread stuffed with any manner of meat, cheese, and vegetables, is a staple of Venezuelan cuisine, and those served at Rica Arepa are especially good examples. Both the original location in Hermosa and the second location in Lakeview have heated enclosed patios for the colder months.

Formerly Las Palmas, Taquizo’s charming and colorful interior includes a greenhouse-style patio, ideal for sipping cocktails and inhaling  smoked-grilled octopus tacos with a tamarind-Morita glaze.

Rooftop dining doesn’t have to end when the weather gets cold. This Greek restaurant in Wicker Park keeps its rooftop open all year round — with heaters in winter — so that diners can enjoy Greek specialties and raki with a view of the Damen el stop.

It only makes sense that this Wicker Park taco joint, where the patio is bigger than the interior, keeps its outdoor service running when the weather gets cold. After all, it’s never a bad time for a taco and a beer.

Chef Brian Jupiter’s comfortably rustic whole animal restaurant and bar helps Chicagoans avoid the doldrums with a cozy covered patio — complete with a fireplace — plus a heated beer garden.

16” on Center opened a Sicilian pizzeria next to the Empty Bottle powered by recipes from Noah Sandoval, the chef of Michelin-starred Oriole, its name an echo of the Bottle’s famous slogan “Music Friendly Dancing.” In addition to pies, there’s salad, breadsticks, and more for takeout or consumption on the petite alley patio, now with heaters for the chilly months.

The West Town outpost of this beautiful boho-themed restaurant and cocktail bar addresses blustery weather with an unusual enclosed courtyard that’s open year-round.

Funkenhausen mixes up German and Southern cuisine off Chicago Avenue in West Town. The sidewalk patio features both umbrellas and heaters.

This New York import off Clark Street in River North excels at providing something for every diner — including a heated patio.

Surrounded by shipping containers in West Loop, Recess is expanding its patio this season and enclosed the roof overhang with a tent. Management is hoping customers will adopt it as a place to celebrate game days.

Above the Chicago Riverwalk, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises’ beautiful RPM Seafood offers individual heated greenhouses. It’s perfect for a special occasion, though bear in mind that visits are limited to two hours.

Chef John Manion’s Argentine steakhouse in the West Loop is full of beef, wine, and live-fire cooking. The restaurant features a heated sidewalk patio.

This tavern-style pizza specialist near Soldier Field has two outdoor dining areas. While the upper deck lacks heat, the lower is toasty, even during the winter.

This former Michelin-starred restaurant resides on the ground floor of Thalia Hall, the massive concert space with multiple bars. This is a New American gastropub with plenty of beer. The sidewalk patio is heated. 

With heated coils buried underneath the floor, Pilsen Yards was made to welcome guests even in frigid temps. The restaurant and bar features fun cocktails and a Mexican-inspired menu with tacos and more.

A popular music venue near the McCormick Place Convention Center, Reggies touts a covered rooftop deck that transitions smoothly to cold weather with a wood stove and propane heaters. The space, which fits about 99, also features a free pool table, flat screen TVs, and its own bar.

Osito’s, the essential Chicago cocktail bar that debuted in 2019 in Little Village, is prepared for the rain and cold with tent and heaters for outdoor service. Patrons can indulge in fancy liquors like mezcal and tequila, and a solid selection of beer. Osito’s also sells food, including tacos.

This Hyde Park favorite serves Italian fare and has a heated back patio. It’s also a strong choice for brunch.

This South Side brewery is a family-friendly spot with pizza and delicious beers from former Revolution Brewing head brewer Will Turner. The patio features four cabin-like spaces that keep customers warm.