Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, offering a long weekend to enjoy the weather while drinking plenty of rosé and beer and feasting on food best enjoyed outdoors, such as hamburgers and seafood boils.
It’s also a time to honor and mourn those who died serving in the U.S. military, and plenty of bars and restaurants combine the fun and somber aspects of the holiday with fundraisers for veterans groups.
The weekend kicks off festival season while offering picnic packages perfect for more chill celebrations in a park or your own backyard. However you’d like to mark the holiday, these 20 events have you covered.
Do you know of a Chicagoland restaurant or bar offering holiday specials? Email them to food editor Ariel Cheung at [email protected].
Downtown
The Dawson
Drink pink at a patio party running from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday, where you can try 50 rosé wines from around the world and learn more about them during hourly mini-classes led by wine director Torrence O’Haire. The bash also features a DJ and food specials. Tickets are $35. 730 W. Grand Ave., 312-243-8955, exploretock.com
The Northman Beer & Cider Garden
The Northman Summer Music Series kicks off with free performances on the covered pergola stage all weekend long from acts including Greg Jacks & Brother Help (6-8 p.m. Friday), Black Oil Brothers (6-8 p.m. Saturday) and the Noah Brooks Coalition (5-7 p.m. Sunday). 233 E. Riverwalk, thenorthman.com
RPM Seafood
Welcome summer with a riverside bash featuring a four-course crab boil paired with wines chosen by RPM’s sommeliers. You’ll also get a spritz to welcome you to the bash, which runs from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday. Tickets are $155. 317 N. Clark St., 312-900-9035, exploretock.com
Tanta
Stop in from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to pick up a grill kit featuring a mix of chicken, beef tenderloin, shrimp and salmon skewers accompanied by roasted fingerling potatoes and corn ($99) or a 28-ounce tomahawk with chimichurri and spring salad ($145). Add on a box of empanadas ($36) or enough prickly pear margaritas for a group of four ($52). Orders must be placed by noon Sunday. 118 W. Grand Ave., 312-222-9700, tantachicago.com
North Side and Near North Side
All Too Well
Celebrate outside with a Park Pack, offered daily starting Friday, that includes cheese, charcuterie, pickles, fruit, crackers and olives for $12-$18. 352 W. Armitage Ave., 773-799-8478, alltoowellchi.com
The Graystone Tavern
Party for a good cause in the Wrigleyville bar’s beer garden from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday for a fundraiser that includes all-you-can-eat hamburgers, cheeseburgers, beer brats, chips, coleslaw and refried beans for a $10 donation to the Wounded Warrior Project. Buy a 22-ounce stein of Empirical lager for $8, and half the price will also be donated to the nonprofit. 3441 N. Sheffield Ave., 773-666-5450, graystonetavernchicago.com
Kirkwood
The sports bar hosts a pre-Memorial Day party at 11 a.m. Sunday featuring $6 Bud Light and Miller Lite stadium cups with a DJ at 9 p.m. The same special will be offered Monday, when the bar opens at 3 p.m. 2934 N. Sheffield Ave., 773-770-0700, kirkwoodbar.com
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Lirica
Catch a live Flamenco and guitar performance on the patio from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday. 900 E. Grand Ave., 872-710-5750, liricarestaurant.com
Lottie’s Pub
White Claw doles out coolers, gift cards and other prizes for the best white outfit at a White Hot Summer Kickoff Party featuring $25 White Claw buckets, $8 draft margaritas and $14 white pizzas from noon to 4 p.m. Monday. Compete in Memorial Day-themed trivia at 7 p.m. 1925 W. Cortland St., 773-489-0738, lottiespub.com
Mayfestiversary
The seventh annual bash hosted by Begyle Brewing and Dovetail Brewery features special beer tappings, food trucks, pop-ups and live music from The Funk Crusaders and Yacht Rock-ettes. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. A $5 suggested donation benefits local food pantry The Friendship Center. Ravenswood and Belle Plaine avenues, mayfestiversary.com
Offshore Rooftop
Celebrate at Navy Pier on Sunday and Monday with giveaways from spirits brands and sampling of food and cocktails from Offshore’s new summer menu. 1000 E. Grand Ave., 312-535-6660, offshorerooftop.com
West Side, Northwest Side & Near West Side
Frontier
Kick off the weekend with an all-you-can-eat dinner featuring chuck tenderloin, brisket, pork spare ribs and chicken drumsticks from chef Brian Jupiter and Smoky Soul Barbeque chef/owner Daniel Hammond from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday. The $79 meal includes a Kurvball barbecue whiskey cocktail. From 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, the West Town restaurant hosts a Beer, Burger & Bubbles Bash, including Wagyu beef, elk and crab sliders, local brews and bubbly tastings for $39. 1072 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-772-4322, thefrontierchicago.com
Ina Mae Tavern
Feast on a pound and a half of boiled shrimp, corn, potatoes and punch for $39 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday. The bash also features live music, $12 hurricanes and $9 palomas. 1415 N. Wood St., 773-360-8320, inamaetavern.com
Mac’s Wood Grilled
The Wicker Park bar opens at 11 a.m. all weekend to offer holiday specials, including $4 watermelon vodka mules, Topo Chico hard seltzers and $12 Chicago-style Polish sausages served with fries. 1801 W. Division St., 773-782-4400, macswoodgrilled.com
Split-Rail
Compete for a $100 gift card during a wing-eating contest at 5:30 p.m. Monday. Entry is $10, though you can also just come to watch, enter a raffle and snack on oysters and lobster rolls as part of the summer kickoff party running from 4 to 7 p.m. 2500 W. Chicago Ave., 773-697-4413, splitrailchicago.com
South Side & Near South Side
Mole de Mayo Festival
Local chefs and restaurants compete to prepare the best mole at the annual Pilsen celebration, which also features an arts & crafts market, lucha libre wrestling, and performances by Mariachi Sirenas, Los Gallos and Simantikos Dance Chicago. The event runs from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. A suggested donation of $5 or $10 per family benefits the Eighteenth Street Development Corp. 1801 S. Ashland Ave., 312-733-2287, moledemayo.org
Suburban and multiple locations
Bartoli’s Pizzeria
Both the Roscoe Village and West Town restaurants will donate a portion of their proceeds from Memorial Day weekend to Homes for Our Troops, a nonprofit that donates specially adapted custom homes to severely injured veterans. 1955 W. Addison St., 773-348-9800; 658 N. Ashland Ave., 312-929-4133; bartolispizzeria.com
Burger and Sushi House (B.A.S.H.)
Active service members and veterans receive a 25% discount Sunday. 124 N. West State St., Geneva, 630-587-2274, burgerandsushihouse.com
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The Local Kitchen + Tap
Singer/songwriter Mike Hayes performs as part of a patio party running Friday through Monday that includes $4 shots, $15 Miller or Coors buckets, $9.99 pretzels and $11 double cheeseburgers. 1140 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg; 847-744-5300; thelocalkitchentap.com
Tap House Grill
Catch live music on the patio throughout the weekend while enjoying specials such as $11 double cheeseburgers, $15 seltzer buckets, $9.99 pretzels and $4 Fireball shots. 56 W. Wilson St., Palatine; 847-934-3000; 3341 W. Main St., St. Charles; 630-443-1664; thetaphousegrill.com