Rating Halsted's Bar & Grill's outdoor eating space

3441 N Halsted St (773-348-9696)

Though it’s tucked away from the hustle and bustle of one of the flashiest streets in Boystown, there’s still plenty of man candy to help satiate your appetite at one of Lakeview’s biggest outdoor gems. Neighboring buildings provide cool shade, as do the cabana-esque ceiling fans. Its bar fare is pretty standard, though the rich mac and cheese is sure to guilt anyone into a trip to the gym. Drinks are cheap: $3 mimosas and screwdrivers during weekend brunch and a killer $7.50 Ditka’s Bloody Mary. But what Halsted’s boasts in appearance it sometimes lacks in service—servers run around like chickens with heads cut off when the patio is at capacity.

FOOD 5 Plain Jane, yet satisfactory
DRINKS 5 Nothing special, except that big Bloody selection at brunch
VIEW 7 The who’s who on the patio makes up for lack of scenery.
CROWD 7 Let’s hear it for the boys (and their gal pals, too).
SPACE 7 Much-needed escape from Halsted Street’s high energy
TOTAL 31