Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2025 guide: Time, route and where to watch

Owner Billy Lawless nailed the gastropub with this Mag Mile hit. The whiskey list is lengthy, beer options reach beyond the basics, and wines are accompanied by clever, straightforward descriptions. The food is rich and aggressively flavorful, from the perfect-for-snacking Scotch egg to the Gage venison burger, served a juicy medium-rare and dripping with grilled red onions and smoked gouda.

The rooftop restaurant and bar at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel offers some of the best views of the city, with an expansive look at Millennium Park and the Lake. The drinks are refreshing and very pretty, while the food is also well-executed and comes in massive portions designed for sharing.

Explore Catalan fare in this gorgeous Michigan Avenue space, which is popular for date nights, happy hours, and big group celebrations. Start with classic small plates like pan con tomate before moving onto heartier options like Iberico pork skirt steak and paella. Or leave the decision making to the experts and let the chefs select an array of tapas for the table ($70 per person). Add on a pitcher of sangria or a gin and tonic made with hibiscus syrup to complete your meal.

Whether you're looking for a pre-theater snack at the bar or a weekend brunch option after the parade, The Dearborn has you covered with its versatile menus and sprawling dining room. Go casual with a burger and fries or fish and chips, or turn things up with a juicy steak or black truffle cacio e pepe. Just be sure to save room for dessert—the chocolate Basque cake is divine.

Straight from the ’burbs and into the corporate confines of Prudential Plaza comes this cheery pancake house, where Millennium Park tourists mingle with Edelman execs having breakfast meetings. Aside from the assiduously refilled coffee, these folks are starting their day with unnaturally large omelettes, giant breakfast sandwiches overwrought with cheese, and dense, custard-filled pancake stacks drizzled in berry puree. How do places like this manage to make pancakes that fill you up in only two bites? Ask the servers here—if our experience was any indication, they’ll answer with speed and a smile.

If you're looking for a quick and delicious meal after the parade, Cafecito is a great choice. Sure, the black bean soup, maduros and croquettes de jamon are flavorful, but there’s no confusion over the star of the show: The Cubano’s crusty bread is toasted just right, its roast pork juicy, its pickles thick, and its mustard and gooey cheese plentiful. And once it’s devoured, only a potent café con leche will keep you from calling the café’s comfy couch home for the day.

Dumpling fiends know that Qing Xiang Yuan in Chinatown serves some of the tastiest dumplings in town. The family-owned restaurant, which traces its humble roots to a basement food court, has a second, quick-service location in the Loop. At JIAO, guests can expect shorter wait times and a grab-and-go experience that's built for lunchtime noshing. Choose from pillow pockets filled with everything from truffle and beef to pork and cabbage.

The popular chain will keep you fueled up with burgers in pillowy-soft buns, crispy crinkle-cut fries and some of the richest frozen custard we've ever had. 

An enduring watering hole from a bygone era, Miller’s Pub has been pouring cold pints for local workers since 1935. In its heyday, the bar was frequented by celebrities and notable sports figures like Harry Caray. Today, you can expect to see longtime regulars as well as tourists gathering for stiff martinis and tasty slabs of baby back ribs. And in stark contrast to the rest of the neighborhood, the doors stay open until 2am every night.

True to form, Brando’s Speakeasy is anything but what it seems. It’s a lounge, but conversation flows more like a neighborhood haunt. The decor and vintage posters throw it back eras, but the karaoke and late-night dance music add modern flair. While it’s not Don Vito Corleone meets Al Capone as the name might imply, Brando’s is definitely a mash-up.

Cozy up next to the fireplace at this classy bar inside the Pendry Chicago hotel. You’ll feel like old money as the space drips with sophistication—floor-to-ceiling curtains, leather sofas, vintage rugs and a curated art collection. The menu focuses on classic cocktails alongside contemporary creations, like the This is Bananas! made with Zacapa 23 Rum, amaretto, crème de banana and lime.

The legendary, century-old German haunt brews its own beer and root beer, and the kitchen slings Wiener schnitzel, sauerbraten and the like. It's a slice of Chicago history, and a great spot to unwind after the parade.

Follow up an afternoon of bagpipes and drums with some blues music at this popular South Loop club, named for one of the city's most legendary performers. And if you like Louisiana cuisine, the kitchen has just what you need.