The Resy Guide to the Best Outdoor Tables in Chicago

Toast the unofficial start of orange-wine season on this chill, spacious L-shaped patio with picnic tables and Adirondack chairs on squishy Astroturf; a heated, well-spaced tent guards against winter’s last gasps. Grab one of an oft-changing series of very cool, low-intervention wines — most of which are low-octane enough to share a bottle on a lazy afternoon. Burgers and drinking snacks from neighboring Moonlighter (which also boasts an excellent outdoor setup) round things out.

One of our favorites for Cantonese-style dim sum, MingHin’s roomy Chinatown outpost already boasted one of the neighborhood’s best patios — seemingly miles long and outfitted with every size and shape of table for filling with shrimp siu mai, fried taro cakes and BBQ pork buns. Since COVID, MingHin partially covered its outdoor space and added multiple heaters to ward off the chill. Ending the meal with a volcanically hot, sweet egg-yolk bun helps, too. More info here.

This modern Korean barbecue’s roomy back deck, set beneath a custom mural of First Lady Michelle Obama, was already a favorite for al fresco dining. They fully winterized in 2020 with a tent and plenty of heaters, so you can enjoy crackly-skinned, Korean hot chicken, grilled LA galbi and beguiling white sesame Negronis year-round.

This inviting Italian-American stalwart partially tented its serene sidewalk patio and added heat lamps to ward off the evening chill — which would disappear anyway the moment your hefty plate of fusilli with spicy tomato cream and sausage arrives. For those after a midweek occasion, on Tuesdays select wines are half-off with dinner orders — including boss cold-weather choices like Barolo from Marchesi Di Barolo, normally $95.

Rick Bayless’s buzzy West Loop cantina was among the early beneficiaries of city-mandated street closures following COVID 19, which allowed restaurants in certain neighborhoods — like the West Loop — to spill sidewalk seating into the street. Leña Brava went a step further, partially covering its sidewalk patio with tents with adjustable flaps, based on which way the wind is blowing. Escape to warmer locales via a wood-fired Baja dinner, like woodfired steak with peanut-árbol salsa and blue shrimp with anchovy-chipotle butter, plus a quenching mezcal cocktail.

This cheery corner eatery serves sustaining Mexican-inflected fare, including breakfast seven days a week (we love the eggy French toast and spicy omelet with pork belly). And last fall, Azul 18 erected a clear, sturdy plastic barrier around its long sidewalk patio to keep out the elements while still allowing airflow. Frankly, we hope this fixture never leaves.More info here, or call 312-285-2964 for reservations.

Last winter, this charming French bistro opened five heated dining domes on its roomy sidewalk patio. The private pods seat up to six, and feature an electric-stove heating unit, decorative lights and farmhouse decor that nods to Le Sud’s pastorally themed interior. As temps thaw, we’re looking forward to the reopening of the stunning top-floor patio with a retractable roof, where we’ll luxuriate over Basque-style roast chicken amid flowers, herbs and wine-barrel fire pits.

The roomy, recently finished patio at this excellent pizzeria is both heated and covered — and complete with a fire pit. It’s a casual, cheery pick for a bucket o’ fried cauliflower with fennel-pollen aioli (trust us), a perfectly blistered pie with toppings like smoked provolone and ‘nduja, and a few cold beers, no matter what weather Chicago decides to heave at us.

Since spilling into the former home of its next-door artisan Mexican bakery, Panango, Carlos Carlos Gaytan’s innovative French-Mexican restaurant now boasts a wraparound, four-seasons patio with heaters and a ventilated ceiling for air circulation. While we can’t wait to dine indoors again at one of the city’s most beautiful interiors, we hope this elegant al fresco setup remains permanent.

Chef Chris Pandel’s luxe, modern steakhouse features a sizable patio attached to the Google building (which it shares with sibling oyster spot Cold Storage) that extends into the building’s courtyard and around the sidewalk. And over the winter, Swift teamed with Resy and American Express to construct a yurt village featuring extravagantly decorated private tents for up to six, with a prix-fixe menu. Pro tip: They’re still available.