Best Outdoor Dining Restaurants in Chinatown & Bridgeport (60616)
5 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Dolo Restaurant and Bar
Contemporary dim sum with strong seafood focus and a full bar.
Notable Picks
8.6
Dolo runs a modern dim sum and seafood dining room where carts, table-side ordering, and banquet-style platters share space with a full bar. Diners use it for more polished dim sum outings, with a reputation for variety, fresh seafood, and later-evening meals compared with most peers.
Must-Try Dishes:
Soup dumplings (xiao long bao), Fried shrimp dumplings, Sesame spare ribs
What makes it special: Contemporary dim sum with strong seafood focus and a full bar.
8.5
A farm-to-table café and beer garden just off 18th Street, The Spoke & Bird anchors South Loop breakfast with a from-scratch menu, strong coffee program, and an unusually large courtyard patio. Regulars build mornings around hearty egg sandwiches, omelettes, and pastries before walking the nearby museum campus.
Must-Try Dishes:
Breakfast Sandwich, Chorizo Omelette, French Toast
What makes it special: A locally owned farm-to-table café with a rare, spacious breakfast patio.
#3
Cafe Bionda
8.4
Cafe Bionda is a South Loop Italian standby where a cozy dining room and tucked-away patio host pre-convention dinners and date nights near McCormick Place. The menu leans into hearty red-sauce classics and pastas, supported by a busy bar and long-running neighborhood following.
Must-Try Dishes:
Joe's Mama's Meatball Salad, Short Rib Ravioli, Tiramisu
What makes it special: South Loop martini-and-red-sauce spot blending classic Italian with bar energy.
#4
VU Rooftop
8.1
Perched above McCormick Place, VU Rooftop spans multiple indoor-outdoor spaces with skyline views, cocktails, and shareable plates. Convention-goers and South Loop residents use it for sunset drinks, small plates, and late-night hangs that feel more like a lounge than a traditional restaurant.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mushroom Tostadas, Voodoo Popcorn Shrimp, Guanciale & Arugula Flatbread
What makes it special: 22nd-floor rooftop next to McCormick Place with skyline views and shareable plates.
8.0
Since 2007, Reggies Music Joint has combined a wood-fired grill, craft beer, and live music in a multi-level South Loop venue with a rooftop deck. The Main Stage Burger and a roster of specialty burgers anchor a menu of bar food that fuels concertgoers and sports fans late into the night.
Must-Try Dishes:
Main Stage Burger with hand-cut fries, BBQ Bacon Burger, Mushroom Swiss Burger
What makes it special: A long-running bar-and-venue where char-grilled burgers, rock shows, and rooftop hangs share the spotlight.