Show support for a favorite brewery and post up on its patio. | Off Color Brewing [Official Photo]
These brewery taprooms and brewpubs offer a variety of patio options
Brewery taprooms are special places where families and friends can gather in harmony. Small children can entertain themselves while grownups attempt to have adult conversations. This is the ideal Chicago that natives dream about. The pandemic put a real hurt on draft beer sales, but now that breweries can welcome guests to their patios, they won’t have throw away all that spoiled beer.
The following map lists a few of Eater Chicago’s favorite breweries with outdoor options. There are sidewalks, converted parking lots, beer gardens, and more. Some require reservations, some are first come, first serve. Note: some breweries feel reservations give them more control of the safety in the space. They are better equipped to staff properly and to adjust to the flow of customers. Some may take deposits on reservations. No shows always hurt, but they hurt even more during the pandemic. Don’t complain. Everyone’s trying the best they can.
As of March 2, Chicago restaurants are permitted to serve customers indoors with a 50 percent maximum capacity per room, or 50 people — whichever is fewer. At the same time, despite winter weather, a number of Chicago restaurants continue to offer outdoor seating. Regardless, the state requires reservations for indoor and outdoor dining. The level of service offered is indicated on each map point. However, this should not be taken as an endorsement for dining in, as there are still safety concerns. For updated information on coronavirus cases in your area, please visit the city of Chicago’s COVID-19 dashboard. Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines.