Where to eat outside in Chicago this summer, according to OpenTable

OpenTable reveals Top 10 Best Outdoor Dining Spots in Chicago | ChicagoNOW

If you’re looking to dine al fresco this summer, OpenTable just released its list of the top 10 outdoor restaurants in Chicago—perfect for soaking up the sun with a great meal.

CHICAGO - OpenTable has named 10 Chicago restaurants as top destinations for outdoor dining this summer.

What we know:

As the summer season kicks off, OpenTable released its annual list of Top Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in the U.S., spotlighting 10 Chicago spots where al fresco dining shines.

The list is drawn from more than 10 million verified diner reviews and demand data collected between April 2024 and March 2025.

Chicago—where patio season is short but sweet—ranks among the top U.S. cities for outdoor dining demand, along with Austin, Boston, Los Angeles, New York, and others.

Chicago skyline seen from the outdoor dining area of the Shedd Aquarium. (Photo by: Robert Knopes/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Here are the 10 Chicago restaurants recognized by OpenTable:

• Café Ba-Ba-Reeba
• Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse
• Gibsons Italia
• Girl & the Goat
• Mon Ami Gabi
• North Pond
• Pizzeria Portofino
• RL Restaurant
• Rose Mary (Pet friendly)
• Shanghai Terrace

Methodology:

OpenTable crafted the list by taking into account diner ratings, five-star review percentage, advance reservations, search traffic, and more.

Check out OpenTable's full study, HERE.