The Best Chicago Rooftops With Heated Outdoor Seating

Going to a rooftop in Chicago during the winter isn’t something we’d usually consider. But after months of being confined to an apartment that overlooks an alley, a skyline view might do us some good. Here are six rooftops with heated tents, domes, and little cabins that also have great drinks, food, and a view of the city.

For more outdoor dining options, check out our running list of restaurants with heated tents, domes, and greenhouses.

You might know Joy District as the loud bar on top of Parlay in River North, because it is. But this rooftop bar has been transformed into what they’re calling a “Winter Wonderland.” Now the space has heaters, enclosed spaces for private outdoor dining, and lots of wintery decorations.

Yes, even during the pandemic Aba can be kind of a scene. Thankfully, now it’s a socially distanced one with great food and a partially enclosed rooftop patio with heat lamps, fire pits, and plastic domes you can reserve for private dining. And like its sister restaurant Ema, a lot of things (like the hummuses and mezze) on the Mediterranean menu are meant to be shared.

Cabra is filled with plants, natural light, and has a great view of the West Loop. They also serve some very good Peruvian food. The best things here are the ceviches - the bass with leche de tigre and the duck are great)- and the shrimp tacu tacu which comes on a delicious crispy rice cake.

Tanta is always a great restaurant, but it’s even better when you can hang out on their heated and covered rooftop bar. Not only can you eat tasty Peruvian food like ceviches and skewers, but they also have Happy Hour from 4pm-6pm.

The Kennedy in Wicker Park has heated, private, twinkly domes that you can rent out. Depending on the package, you get booze, mixers, appetizers, and fruit, plus they also have curling. Have drinks, stay warm, enjoy a great view of the skyline, and finally figure out the rules of curling.

This is another rooftop in Wicker Park, and it’s a very big 3,000 square feet. Whiskey Business also has other things to do besides eating and drinking in their little heated cabins. They also have movie night, and curling, too.

The Woodlawn (located in...wait for it...Woodlawn) has rooftop domes you can reserve for $125 per person, and they seat two to six people. The reservation includes a three-course meal and you can still BYOB.