After three years of canceled parties, the Chicago area is ready to mark Independence Day with big celebrations including fireworks, parades and festivals.
These 29 bars and restaurants offer their own ways to enjoy the holiday weekend, whether it’s supplying meats, sides and desserts for your backyard barbecue, hosting parties with live music and plenty of refreshing drinks, or putting the red, white & blue into everything from cocktails to cake.
All events happen Tuesday, unless otherwise stated.
The Loop and Near North Side
Boleo
The rooftop restaurant at the Kimpton Gray Hotel serves up red, white & blue pina coladas ($17). 122 W. Monroe St., 312-750-9007, boleochicago.com
Chicago Burger Company
The restaurant at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk hosts a party on their dog-friendly patio from 1-3 p.m. Saturday with games, food and drink specials, and giveaways. 301 E. North Water St., 312-464-1000, marriott.com
Jaleo by José Andrés
Throughout July you can take advantage of the restaurant’s Summer of Sangria featuring three versions of the refreshing drink offered by the glass ($11-$13) or pitcher ($52-$60) and a glass of red sangria paired with a trio of tapas for $22. 500 N. Clark St., 312-820-7771, jaleo.com/location/chicago
Lirica
Drop by Saturday to Tuesday to try a $26 grilled Spanish sausage platter including housemade pickles, cheese and assorted sauces. 900 E. Grand Ave., 872-710-5750, liricarestaurant.com
LIVA at Chicago Winery
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Pick up a Red, White and Bubbles Party Pack featuring one bottle each of cuvee noir, unoaked chardonnay and blanc de blancs plus a chef’s whim charcuterie board for $125 from noon to 5 p.m. Friday through Tuesday. 739 N. Clark St., 312-763-3674, chiwinery.com
Offshore Rooftop
Take in the views of Lake Michigan with a cookout offered Saturday to Tuesday featuring Jell-O shots and a build-your-own hot dog bar with sauerkraut, caramelized onions and spicy mustard. 1000 E. Grand Ave., 312-535-6660, offshorerooftop.com
Yardbird
Celebrate with the All-American Burger made with American cheese, pork belly and fried pickles, and heirloom tomato salad with charred corn and Humboldt Fog cheese. 530 N. Wabash Ave., 312-999-9760, runchickenrun.com/chicago
North Side & Northwest Side
80 Proof
Feast on a special all-you-can-eat brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and add on a $20 mimosa kit. 1500 N. Wells St., 773-966-0404, 80proofchi.com
Bamboo Club
A DJ spins party tunes and pop at a bash running from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday. Tickets are $16-$28 and include two vodka cocktails before 11 p.m. 3505 N. Clark St., 833-466-3758, eventbrite.com
Kirkwood
DJs play all day Friday through Sunday and specials running through Tuesday include $6 Bud Light and Miller Lite stadium cups and $8 green tea shots. 2934 N. Sheffield Ave., 773-770-0700, kirkwoodbar.com
Old Crow Smokehouse
Come for a cookout buffet from 1-3 p.m. Monday and stick around for live country music from 3-6 p.m. Admission is $16-$28 and includes three drink tickets good for select beers, seltzers and vodka lemonades. 3506 N. Clark St., 773-537-4452, oldcrowsmokehouse.com
Tony’s Fresh Market
Visit the Portage Park location of this family-owned grocery for demos on all the July Fourth food you’ll be grilling up. Sunday’s events from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. feature giveaways and tips on everything from hot dogs and house-made Italian sausage, to margaritas. 4608 W. Belmont Ave., 773-828-5777, tonysfreshmarket.com
West Side & Near West Side
Cabana Club
Chill out poolside and get a great view of the fireworks while enjoying barbecue cheeseburgers with garlic mayo, cheddar and crispy fried onions, and boozy lemonade garnished with a Bomb Pop. 2018 W. North Ave., 872-315-3050, therobey.com
Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar
The Humboldt Park restaurant teams up with Lowcountry Chicago on Monday to offer a $45 special featuring snow crab, shrimp and crayfish boiled with housemade andouille sausage, sweet corn and potatoes and served with garlic butter rolls and Pilsner Urquell. Add on a caviar bao ($45) or crispy duck wings in black garlic and maple hot sauce ($16). 2700 W. Chicago Ave., 773-661-9577, heritage-chicago.com
Ina Mae Tavern
A Red, White, Blues & Booze bash running from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. features $10 frozen cocktails, $39 plates of boiled shrimp with corn and potatoes, and live music from 1-4 p.m. The Wicker Park spot will also be grilling oysters on their dog-friendly patio. 1415 N. Wood St., 773-360-8320, inamaetavern.com
Lottie’s Pub
Bring your best friend to a Patio Pooch Party from noon to 4 p.m. featuring $3 Chicago hot dogs, $Tito’s drinks and $25 Truly vodka soda buckets. Sample some Sam Adams brews and you’ll have the chance to win a cooler. 1925 W. Cortland St., 773-489-0738, lottiespub.com
Mac’s Wood Grilled
Deals offered from Friday to Tuesday include $5 cans of Revolution Brewing Freedom Lemonade, $13 buffalo chicken sliders, $5 Smirnoff Red, White & Berry lemonades, and $7 Smirnoff Red, White & Berry bombs. 1801 W. Division St., 773-782-4400, macswoodgrilled.com
South Side & Near South Side
Beefy’s
Get your cookout order in before the holiday, as the Garfield Ridge restaurant will be closed Monday and Independence Day. Call in advance to order from a choice of four heat-and-serve takeout packages offering Italian beef or sausage, loaves of bread, meatballs in red sauce, mostaccioli pasta, trays of salad, pints of giardiniera and sweet peppers. Prices and packages vary. 5749 S. Harlem Ave., 773-229-8430, beefyschicago.com
Chicago Firehouse Restaurant
Holiday specials at this South Loop steakhouse celebrate both July Fourth and the NASCAR race taking place in the Loop over the weekend. From Thursday through Saturday, Chicago Firehouse will be whipping up Szechuan hot wings with a side of togarashi ranch ($16), a half-rack of barbecue baby back ribs ($27), and special cocktails such as the Checkered Flag ($16), made with habanero- and lemongrass-spiked vodka, ginger beer and a squeeze of lime. 1401 S. Michigan Ave., 312-786-1401, chicagofirehouse.com
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African/Caribbean International Festival of Life
This summer, the 30th annual African/Caribbean International Festival of Life has joined forces with the Jerk, Seafood and Vegan Festival for a combined fest Saturday through Tuesday. The self-described “Carnival of the Nations” will complement its food component with live performances spanning a wealth of genres that act as fixtures in Black and African culture, including hip-hop, R&B, reggae and Afro beats. $20 general admission ticket. Washington Park, 55th Street and South Cottage Grove Avenue, 312-427-0266, internationalfestivaloflife.com
The Park Supper Club
An Independence Day-themed party kicks off at 3 p.m. Sunday at this Washington Park restaurant and event space. Enjoy breezy patio vibes, music by DJ Mark Flava, and a kitchen that’ll stay open late. Tickets are required, but free for those who arrive before 5 p.m. Otherwise, early bird prices include $30 tables for two people, and $50 tables for four. 65 E. Garfield Blvd., 773-420-3661, theparksupperclub.com
Suburban and multiple locations
The Goddess and Grocer
Find everything you need for a backyard feast by picking up an $85 summer barbecue grill box for two including crispy potato skins, grilled peach salad, flank steak with shishito salsa, mac & cheese and peach cobbler. Add on beer, wine or American-flag themed cake, cookies and cupcakes. Multiple locations, goddessandgrocer.com
The Hampton Social
Cool off with a glass of blue frosé made with Tito’s vodka, peach puree and rosé wine ($17). Multiple locations, thehamptonsocial.com
Hewn
Get supplies for your barbecue Saturday and Sunday when the bakery offers a pack of four burger buns ($7.50), lemon pound cake with raspberry jam ($29) and blueberry kuchen ($30). 1733 Central St., Evanston; 847-869-4396; hewnbread.com
One Allegiance Brewing
Head to this Chicago Ridge brewery for a full weekend of Independence Day fun. Events kick off Thursday with the release of Watermelon Daze Wheat ale and free bingo, followed by a visit from the popular Happy Lobster food truck Friday evening. Live music and pasta are on the docket for Saturday, with $5 off growler fills Sunday perfect for July Fourth prep. The brewery will be closed Monday and Tuesday. 10215 S. Harlem Ave., Chicago Ridge; 708-529-7067; oneallegiance.com
Ranalli’s
Drink specials offered Friday to Tuesday include $22 select pitchers, $6 hard seltzers and $9 vodka soda stadium cups. 1925 N. Lincoln Ave., 312-642-4700; 1326 W. Madison St., 312-981-7100; ranallislincolnpark.com
Soul & Smoke
Let someone else take care of the barbecue and place a takeout or delivery order for a prime brisket slider kit, smoked rib tips, buttermilk brined chicken wings, smoked chicken gumbo, collard greens and sweet potato pie. Multiple locations, soulandsmoke.com
Stan’s Donuts & Coffee
All 16 Stan’s locations offer a patriotic version of their classic rainbow sprinkled doughnut from June 28 to July 2. Multiple locations, stansdonuts.com
Sweet Mandy B’s
Festive treats available Friday to Tuesday include a 6-inch red, white and blue vanilla cake, iced sugar cookies, and confetti cookies. 1208 W. Webster Ave., 773-244-1174; 254 E. Ontario St., 312-255-1632; sweetmandybs.com
Samantha Nelson is a freelance writer.