The 17 best beer gardens in Chicago

Instead of putting a few tables on the sidewalk in front of this popular Ravenswood bar, the owners of Fountainhead looked to the sky. Head up the stairs inside and you'll emerge on the rooftop beer garden, which boasts its own bar, lots of sunny seating, a few TVs to watch the game on and access to a long list of hard-to-find beers. Naturally, the rooftop fills up quickly on a warm summer day, so book your reservation early!

Occupying a small courtyard behind this Andersonville institution, Hopleaf's tree-lined beer garden allows you to sample its lengthy menu of Belgian beers in the sun. Surrounded by brick walls with a goblet of St. Feuillien, a pile of mussels and a cone of frites in front of you, it's easy to imagine that you've momentarily escaped the city and found yourself in a quaint pub in a small European village. Tables are first come, first served.

The parking lot behind Marz Community Brewing has been transformed into a socially-distanced beer garden, with smaller tables for those who want to soak up the sun and larger canopied table for guests who prefer the shade—all spaced more than six feet apart from one another. Beer and food (provided by Japanese comfort food connoisseurs Mom's, formerly of the Politan Row food hall) is ordered via your phone and picked up at a central counter when your name is called. Tables can accommodate up to four people are first come, first served Thursday through Sunday.

There are few more picturesque places to drink outdoors in the West Loop than in Kaiser Tiger's beer garden, which is festooned with lights and features its own bocce court. Drafts from some of the city's best breweries are the main attraction, but you'll no doubt be tempted by the meaty food menu, which features an abundance of bacon-wrapped delicacies, including "the Bomb," a five-pound hunk of beef and pork sausage surrounded by a crispy bacon weave.

Live music still hasn't resumed at this Avondale venue, but Sleeping Village has reopened its patio on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. You can reserve a table for up to two hours for a small fee and show up with a group of up to six people to enjoy beer, wine and batched cocktails. If you want to take the party home, you can also order a growler to go.

It would take a lush garden verdant with grass and lined with blooming trees to overshadow the gray landscape of Elston Avenue, and that’s exactly what the owners of this old Irish pub have built. Sequestering relaxed regulars from the harsh world beyond the privacy fences, the prime garden serves as a stellar summer spot for sipping cider, Scotch and beer while enjoying hearty dishes like fish and chips or shepherd's pie.

Teaming up with its neighbor Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro, Martyrs' has turned a parking lot at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Byron Street into a sprawling beer garden. Food and drinks from both restaurants are available outdoors Wednesday through Sunday—plus, local musicians sometimes show up to serenade guests in the afternoon.

Founded as an incubator where multiple breweries share equipment and produce small batches of beer, Pilot Project is a great place to sample wildly different types of beers in one sitting. An adjacent patio lined with picnic tables provides plenty of room for outdoor drinking—you can even order a sandwich if you're hungry. An early-morning menu of coffee and pastries caters to freelancers, who post up with their laptops throughout the afternoon. Outdoor seating is first come, first served.

Back before Lakeview (or much of Chicago, for that matter) gave a rat’s ass about craft beer, Sheffield’s began providing locals with a solid brew education. Today the mission is the same, to turn basic beer drinkers into better beer drinkers and keep the aficionados happy. Under the canopy of massive cottonwood limbs, the side patio feels lush and secluded, all the better for sampling through just about every style of beer known to man (and maybe a plate of barbecue).  

We’re almost hesitant to remind you about this tucked-away gem on Logan Square’s Avondale edge, but you don’t win friends by being selfish. The tiny kitchen churns out delicious wings and fried cheese curds, which can be enjoyed on a bare-bones patio in back. The relatively small arrangement lends a communal feel to the space, so don't be afraid to ask your neighbors for a beer recommendation. Tables are first come, first served.

Situated between Aqua Tower and the Blue Cross Blue Shield building, Lakeshore East Food & Beer Garden brings socially distanced outdoor dining options to a plot of land near Lake Shore Eat Park. Guests can order food from nearby restaurants Eggy’s Chicago Diner and Gordo’s Tiny Taco Bar or grab a beer from an onsite bar. There are 70 tables to choose from and evening programming like live music, trivia and movie screenings.

Authentic German biergartens are tough to come by in Chicago, yet this institution has stood the test of time. It could be the spaetzle or the schnitzel, but we think it’s the romance of making your own Munich with a stein of weiss in the open air. While wrought-iron patio tables, wooden privacy fences and pops of bright flowers make for a common but comfortable setting, it’s the beer list that stands out, especially the weiss, or German wheat, options.

Half Acre's Balmoral Avenue brewery reopened its beer garden earlier this summer, offering 90-minute reservations Thursday through Sunday. The brewery's ever-changing selection of beer is the main attraction here (though there are a few snacks on the menu), so arrive ready to sample the latest hazy IPAs and some authentic German lagers fit for a cool fall evening.

Roscoe Villagers have supported this stalwart for nearly 30 years, flocking to the picnic tables in the ivy-draped patio during all four seasons. The heat lamps and plastic enclosures are tucked away for now, making it prime time for patio drinking. 

The indoor portion of Moody's Pub may look like a dark ski lodge, but the adjacent tree-lined space has the feel of a European-style beer garden—though you'll mostly find domestics on tap. Order a pint and save some room for a Moodyburger, which decks out a half-pound patty with your choice of toppings. If you're not a beer drinker, there's also a cocktail menu filled with oversweet concoctions that will take you back to your college days. Seating is first come, first served.

A sunken courtyard next to this Bucktown New American restaurant makes for a relaxing beer garden, providing a view of Damen Avenue as you peruse a menu that's heavy on local craft options from the likes of Off Color, On Tour and Aleman. This is Royal Grocer & Co., so don't be shy about ordering something to eat, from fried cauliflower to a Nashville hot chicken sandwich.

Hang with the Beverly crowd at this Far South Side institution, where Irish brogues are the norm and the staff is among the friendliest in town. The fenced-in, wooden deck has a homey feel, complete with antique decor and two bars that are great places to root for the Sox.

Chicagoans don't discriminate when it comes to booze: We love guzzling craft beer, fancy cocktails, margaritas by the pitcher and interesting wines. Our city is a drinker's paradise with options that run the gamut—from age-old dives and secret speakeasies to ritzy rooftops and watering holes open till 4am. Consider this your exhaustive guide to Chicago's always-evolving bar scene.