These are The Best Chicago Rooftop Bars and Restaurants You Can Book for Your Next Event
A lot of my favorite Chicago memories come from soaking in a sensational view high above the fray of people and buzz of traffic.
From the rooftops in the Loop where you can smell Lake Michigan (at least I pretended to), to the roofs on the outskirts spotting the surrounding area that provide an even better view of the iconic skyline, hosting just about any event goes up another level when it’s hosted on a rooftop venue.
There’s the camaraderie of a rooftop birthday party or after-work event, an eclectic wedding full of elegance, and of course the time-honored tradition of a Cubbie watch party on a Wrigleyville rooftop.
Regardless of the reason, a Chicago rooftop celebration feels like no other, especially when the weather is awesome and the wind isn’t kicking too strong.
Downtown and around the neighboring area, there’s a ready-to-rock rooftop that can fit your next event needs.
Let’s explore some of the more intriguing rooftop venues in Chicago that we’ve verified on Tagvenue as high quality and high above the city streets.
Celeste
Neighborhood: River North
Talk about an all-season rooftop venue, Celeste boasts a retractable roof that’s equally suited for a sunny soiree or a cozy cocktail party in the snow.
There’s a true ambiance at Celeste with its tropical plants, ivy-covered walls and eclectic seating areas.
It comes with optionality as well, because you can choose from their great in-house catering and tasty drinks, or bring in your own alcohol along with an approved caterer for the venue.
They’ll even help hook you up with a high-quality DJ and it’s an officially licensed wedding venue, too.
Celeste offers several options on top of their rooftop, for when you want a more sizable shindig, from their Deco Supper Club to the Whiskey Bar to a full venue buyout.
SkyDeck at Lacuna Events
Neighborhood: Pilsen
Goodness, the gorgeous views at Lacuna are incredibly inviting.
It’s clearly suited for a sensational wedding, but it doubles as the perfect venue space for those that want to experience Chicago from a different point of view.
They also have two indoor spaces and can fit up to 250 folks standing, 150 seating. You can arrange your own professional caterer, or better yet, they’ll cater the event for you and make things a bit easier.
And for those that want to drink what they like, the venue allows for BYOB and provides bartenders to take care of the service as well.
As stunning as the roof is, their Reverie Gallery, Magick Street and La Galleria inside are equally as breathtaking.
Joy District
Neighborhood: River North
During the day or under the stars, the Roof at Joy District brings the vibes in full force.
And the inside is something special, too, if you want to go for adding on the Parlay room or the Club.
When Joy District says it offers the ultimate urban rooftop bar experience, every day of the year, they aren’t stretching the truth one ounce.
It’s hard to decide what will catch your eye more, their design and atmosphere, or the Chicago cityscape.
Hangout Lighting
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Natural lighting in abundance and unique light fixtures illuminating an warm and inviting space that has an outdoor deck to turn the venue into a multipurpose space.
Hangout Lighting is perfect for a bigger party with lots of facilities and convenience for fundraisers, corporate parties, weddings and baby showers alike.
The venue will help get you squared away for the big day, and caters to, well, caterers with the setup.
The Garage Bar & Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Edgebrook
A spot that will take care of every detail for you, The Garage Bar & Sandwiches offers up rustic charm and delightful fare.
For those that want to party further north, where there’s a bit more room to breath (and park), the venue also offers the option to rent one of their two inside spaces (or the whole shebang) so that you can transform it into a quaint and cozy, yet lively, party that you’re aiming for.
Rooftop Terrace at DeskLabs
Neighborhood: Lake View
In the center of my former Chicago home in Lake View (or Lakeview if you prefer, but I always liked the former better) , the Rooftop Terrace at DeskLabs comes with incredible 360-degree views of Chicago’s skyline, wet bars and full stereo system with wifi access.
It also has conference rooms in case you want to host a company outing that starts with business and turns toward pleasure and leisure.
Tatas Tacos Kitchen and Social
Neighborhood: Portage Park
Not many venues can go from lowkey to fancy in a flash. Tatas Tacos Kitchen and Social features the best of both worlds, ready for a fun night of festive tacos and cocktails one day, and a perfect, scenic wedding spot the next.
In my book, tasty tacos plus an outstanding Chicago rooftop terrace definitely equals a tremendous evening.
You could even rent out the entire venue to have some space inside to chillout and space outdoors to, well, chillout even better if you’ve got a bigger party or event coming up.
Foundry|FP
Neighborhood: Forest Park
Settle into a space that makes you feel like you own an expanse of Chicago on the rooftop at Foundry|FP.
An exquisite rooftop fit for a birthday or graduation party, and so much more, even during the chiller months with fireplaces and extra space inside as a backup plan just in case some inclement weather creeps into your big day.
While they don’t provide food or drinks for your event, it’s a chance to bring in your favorites for an outstanding outdoor party that feels unique in Forest Park.
Avenue J Photography Studio
Neighborhood: East Pilsen
A rooftop can be space for just about anything, and one splendid idea that I always loved was taking to a rooftop for photo and video shoots, where you can make the city part of your story.
Just in case you want a spectacular rooftop space for a photo session, Avenue J is the place!
It features lots of well-lit indoor space as well with north-facing windows.
The Dugout
Neighborhood: Wrigleyville
If the Cubbies are home, there’s not many better spots than this.
You can come before the game and get settled in with an array of great drinks and food,
The Rooftop at The Dugout puts you in the heart of the action, and is the only Wrigleyville rooftop that stays open after the game.
It’s a Breeze Finding a Venue in the Windy City
Now that you can find a rooftop that’s just right, you can also start to consider some other venue ideas for your next event in Chicago.
Check out our verified outdoor venues all around town, and if you’re in need of a gust of inspiration blowing right through Navy Pier and into your mind, here are some more Chicago resources for you to explore:
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