Where to Drink Outdoors in Bronzeville and Hyde Park

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North Side and South Side residents might not be able to agree on much, but they do share a love of enjoying the city’s all-too-elusive nice weather by spending time drinking outside. The neighborhoods of Bronzeville and Hyde Park don’t have the flashy rooftops of downtown, but they both have a wide variety of excellent patios where diners can BYOB or enjoy a glass of wine or a signature cocktail while dining on Southern, Cajun, or Jamaican fare. There’s even a deck bar right at the 31st Street Beach perfect for really making the most out of a hot day.

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 still 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.

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Note: Restaurants on this map are listed geographically.

Just steps away from the sand, the restaurant on 31st Street Beach features a deck looking out over Lake Michigan. Grab a cocktail and Chicago dog or cheeseburger and enjoy the entertainment, which includes salsa dancing on Tuesdays and a reggae band on Saturday afternoons.

The BYOB breakfast spot features a heated patio with curtains, umbrellas, and an awning to provide protection from the elements. Come for specialties like a jerk shrimp alfredo omelet served with cheesy hash browns or Cajun crawfish and grits and take home a container of ready-to-mix French toast batter made with strawberries, blueberries, or caramel. 

Flowers from East Garfield Park farm Herban Produce line the sidewalk patio in front of Bronzeville Winery. Outdoor reservations are available with a $10 deposit, allowing diners to secure a spot to try something on the new restaurant’s rotating list of wines from around the world or a summery sipper like the Haji Healer, a blend of grapefruit, apple juice, orange juice, ginger, and rosemary available spirit-free or with rum.

The patio at Ja’ Grill features both fully covered tables and an area flanked by planters that offers a mix of direct sun and shady seats beneath red umbrellas. Either space provides the opportunity to get a taste of Jamaica by sipping a rum punch or a classic daiquiri along with a plate of jerk shrimp or goat curry.

Freshly-minted James Beard award-winner Erick Williams’s Southern restaurant features a sidewalk patio with bright yellow chairs and a bit of shade beneath the awning. Try fare like blackened catfish with barbecue carrots and shrimp & crawfish with stone-ground grits with a cocktail such as the Peach Tree Fizz (vodka, elderflower, peach tea, and prosecco) or Pass the Peas (gin, English peas, and mint).

Dubbed the Sanctuary, the tree-lined outdoor space at Mesler features a fire pit, lounge seating, and lights strung from the ceiling. It’s a cozy space to enjoy a seasonal cocktail like a guava margarita or frozen rosé blended with passion fruit liqueur, and small plates such as chili-glazed chicken wings or shrimp cocktail.

Bright red umbrellas provide shade on Chant’s sidewalk patio, providing a comfortable space to enjoy fried green tomatoes and blackened shrimp tacos paired with a sidecar or old fashioned. Stop in on Saturday morning for brunch, where bottomless mimosas are available for $20 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., or later in the evening to catch jazz and blues bands perform from 6-9 p.m. 

Located right next to the University of Chicago, this New Orleans-inspired all-day breakfast spot with a menu from Lillie’s Q founder Charlie McKenna has opened a sidewalk patio for its first summer. Place an order at the register and then grab a seat to wait for a mimosa or bloody mary and a plate of beignets or brisket hash with hot sauce hollandaise.

A Hyde Park institution since 1985, Piccolo Mondo features a large tented patio that provides a view of the nearby Museum of Science and Industry. The white tablecloth-covered tables provide an elegant space for an Italian dinner accompanied by something from the large wine list or a cocktail from the bar. Diners can also visit in the morning for Argentinian pastry and a cafe con leche from the restaurant’s bakery.

Just steps away from the sand, the restaurant on 31st Street Beach features a deck looking out over Lake Michigan. Grab a cocktail and Chicago dog or cheeseburger and enjoy the entertainment, which includes salsa dancing on Tuesdays and a reggae band on Saturday afternoons.

The BYOB breakfast spot features a heated patio with curtains, umbrellas, and an awning to provide protection from the elements. Come for specialties like a jerk shrimp alfredo omelet served with cheesy hash browns or Cajun crawfish and grits and take home a container of ready-to-mix French toast batter made with strawberries, blueberries, or caramel. 

Flowers from East Garfield Park farm Herban Produce line the sidewalk patio in front of Bronzeville Winery. Outdoor reservations are available with a $10 deposit, allowing diners to secure a spot to try something on the new restaurant’s rotating list of wines from around the world or a summery sipper like the Haji Healer, a blend of grapefruit, apple juice, orange juice, ginger, and rosemary available spirit-free or with rum.

The patio at Ja’ Grill features both fully covered tables and an area flanked by planters that offers a mix of direct sun and shady seats beneath red umbrellas. Either space provides the opportunity to get a taste of Jamaica by sipping a rum punch or a classic daiquiri along with a plate of jerk shrimp or goat curry.

Freshly-minted James Beard award-winner Erick Williams’s Southern restaurant features a sidewalk patio with bright yellow chairs and a bit of shade beneath the awning. Try fare like blackened catfish with barbecue carrots and shrimp & crawfish with stone-ground grits with a cocktail such as the Peach Tree Fizz (vodka, elderflower, peach tea, and prosecco) or Pass the Peas (gin, English peas, and mint).

Dubbed the Sanctuary, the tree-lined outdoor space at Mesler features a fire pit, lounge seating, and lights strung from the ceiling. It’s a cozy space to enjoy a seasonal cocktail like a guava margarita or frozen rosé blended with passion fruit liqueur, and small plates such as chili-glazed chicken wings or shrimp cocktail.

Bright red umbrellas provide shade on Chant’s sidewalk patio, providing a comfortable space to enjoy fried green tomatoes and blackened shrimp tacos paired with a sidecar or old fashioned. Stop in on Saturday morning for brunch, where bottomless mimosas are available for $20 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., or later in the evening to catch jazz and blues bands perform from 6-9 p.m. 

Located right next to the University of Chicago, this New Orleans-inspired all-day breakfast spot with a menu from Lillie’s Q founder Charlie McKenna has opened a sidewalk patio for its first summer. Place an order at the register and then grab a seat to wait for a mimosa or bloody mary and a plate of beignets or brisket hash with hot sauce hollandaise.

A Hyde Park institution since 1985, Piccolo Mondo features a large tented patio that provides a view of the nearby Museum of Science and Industry. The white tablecloth-covered tables provide an elegant space for an Italian dinner accompanied by something from the large wine list or a cocktail from the bar. Diners can also visit in the morning for Argentinian pastry and a cafe con leche from the restaurant’s bakery.