Enjoy outdoor dining before summer is gone at these suburban eateries
We’ve hit the sweet spot of outdoor dining season.
The worst of the summer heat should be behind us, fingers crossed, and we’re generally safe from the wild temperature swings we get when we’re closer to spring and fall.
We’ve assembled a small sample of places to take advantage of this precious al fresco window in the suburbs. Get out there and enjoy it while you can.
Adelle’s Modern Kitchen and Bar
Adelle’s pergola-covered outdoor dining area feels like a secluded getaway despite being located just feet off a well-traveled road. The glass-art flower installation by owner Debbie Williams anchors the middle of the space, where you can enjoy modern fare with global influences and innovative cocktails at 535 W. Liberty Drive in Wheaton.
Broken Oar
If you’re looking for a place with parking for both cars and boats, Broken Oar, at 614 Rawson Bridge Road in Port Barrington, has a marina as well as a bar and restaurant. Enjoy waterfront dining with an outdoor menu loaded with salads, burgers, sandwiches and nightly specials, including the Friday night fish fry.
Bub City
Bub City, 5441 Park Place in Rosemont, has two levels of open-air patio seating serving an all-day menu of pitmaster favorites, sandwiches and signature cocktails. Located in the Parkway Bank Park Entertainment District, the patio has the benefit of overlooking the park for concerts on Thursday nights. Patio dining is first come, first served.
Cortland’s Garage Tavern & Grill
Past winner of the Daily Herald Readers’ Choice Best of the Best for outdoor dining, Cortland’s Garage at 1 N. Vail Ave. in Arlington Heights is a neighborhood joint with elevated bar food and a robust draft beer selection. Most importantly for our purposes, it has a really big outdoor space to enjoy.
Docks Bar & Grill
Docks Bar & Grill in Wauconda offers panoramic views of Bangs Lake from the large wood “Docks on the Rocks” deck. Keep it simple with nachos and burgers or dine on entrées like prime rib, rack of lamb or mahi mahi while listening to live music on Fridays and Saturdays at the venue at 313 E. Liberty St.
El Patio
When you name your restaurant El Patio, you’d better make sure you can live up to it. Located at 64 S. Grove Ave. along the Fox River in Elgin, the outdoor dining space of the Mexican eatery features furnishings and accessories selected from Mexico by the owners. The place is made to enjoy a margarita and a summer night.
Empire Burgers + Brew
Empire Burgers + Brew, at 48 W. Chicago Ave. in Naperville, has a year-round retractable roof deck making it a spot you’ll want to keep in the rotation no matter the season. The space offers great views of the DuPage River and Naperville riverwalk while you dine on a craft burger and sip a cocktail or a beer.
The James
There is no better people-watching spot in downtown Geneva than on the expansive patio of The James at the corner of Third and Fulton streets. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, the patio frequently features live music on the weekends. 317 S. 3rd St.
Lazy Dog
Outdoor dining isn’t just for people. Take your canine family members to Lazy Dog restaurants in Buffalo Grove, Naperville, Northbrook, Oak Brook and Vernon Hills where they can enjoy a bowl featuring grilled chicken or hamburger with rice and veggies while you dine on made-from-scratch American food and drinks with seasonal ingredients on their lodge-inspired patio.
Lucky Monk
South Barrington’s Lucky Monk at 105 Hollywood Blvd. serves up handcrafted burgers and elevated pub fare with a rotating lineup of house-made beers that you can enjoy on their patio with pond and garden views.
Meson Sabika
At Meson Sabika, 1025 Aurora Ave. in Naperville, you can enjoy a taste of Spain in the form of tapas on the charming patio of a mansion built in 1847. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week and has been named among the top 100 most popular restaurants for outdoor dining in America by OpenTable.
Old Republic Kitchen + Bar
Born of the indoor dining restrictions from the pandemic, Old Republic’s patio in Elgin features plenty of seating, multiple levels, an outdoor bar, fire pits, big-screen TVs and a stage for live music. Plenty of burgers and handhelds are on the menu, as well as pizza and classic entrées. 155 S. Randall Rd.
The Graceful Ordinary
Anyone who has ever dined outside along the Fox River in St. Charles knows the bugs can be a nightmare. The Graceful Ordinary’s screened-in riverside terrace gives you all the views with none of the nuisance. It’s kind of inside, kind of outside, so while it might not be ‘real’ outdoor dining, it’s one of the suburbs’ most acclaimed restaurants so we’re not hung up on the semantics. 3 E. Main St.
Villa Verone
Located in a more than 150-year-old stone house at 416 Hamilton St. in Geneva, Villa Verone serves up authentic southern Italian dishes on a charming patio that makes you feel like you might be dining at an Italian villa as opposed to downtown Geneva.
*And one extra shoutout to the towns of Wheaton and Arlington Heights, who promote summer outdoor dining through their Hale Street Tents and Arlington Alfresco initiatives each year. Lots of restaurants to choose from in convenient downtown locations.
rwest@dailyherald.com