Not too long ago in our guide to fall, we recommended a handful of places to grab dinner, drinks, and a seat by the fire as the temps get chillier. Now that winter’s upon us, we wanted to expand our list and explain just why these places (and their fiery hearths) are so freakin’ awesome. The best bars with fireplaces await.
Whether you’re feeling like grabbing a book and channeling a poet from years ago, sipping speakeasy-style cocktails with vintage glamour, or just having good conversation at the local tavern, these places will keep you warm and cozy throughout the season.
Here are our picks for the best warm and cozy restaurants and bars with fireplaces in Chicago.
The Dawson
730 West Grand Ave
This warm and cozy restaurant in West Town features turn-of-the-last-century influences. It has a unique vibe and an attractive space. Have dinner with friends next to their chic fireplace and try one of their vintage-inspired cocktails.
Cocktail Recommendation: Banish All the World (Knob Creek Rye, Averna, Appleton Rum, sassafras, birch bark bitters; woodsy – fireside ready)
Hubbard Inn
110 West Hubbard St
This Chicago bar and restaurant in River North features a fireplace, private dining rooms and intimate library lounges. Snuggle up by the flames here for an old world-style experience. Hubbard Inn reopens to the public with a new private space, Blue Violet, next weekend!
Cocktail Recommendation: Yearling (Legent Bourbon, pear cider reduction, ginger, black walnut)
North Pond
2610 North Cannon Dr
Overlooking a gorgeous Lincoln Park pond, this warm and cozy restaurant and bar easily has one of the most serene views in the city, and their corner fireplace is the cherry on top.
Cocktail Recommendation: Rum, Apple (Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, Spiced Pear, Ginger Shrub, Apple Cider, Lemon)
Owen & Engine
2700 North Western Ave
Inspired by the quintessential British gastropub, this cozy restaurant near you in Logan Square is a great place to gather by the fire for hearty meals and satisfying drinks.
Cocktail Recommendation: O&E (Pimm’s No.1 Cup, St. George Raspberry Liqueur, Lemon, Cucumber, Ginger Beer, Built, Served Long)
The Violet Hour
1520 North Damen Ave
A speakeasy-inspired lounge in Wicker Park is the perfect place to cozy up by a fire, and you’ll have some of the best cocktails in town. Make sure you abide by their House Rules to make it inside this ultra-swanky place.
Cocktail Recommendation: By the Sea (Arette Resposado Tequila, Union Mezcal, Giffard Banane, Lime, Cinnamon, Nutmeg)
The Blackstone
636 South Michigan Ave
Wind down at Timothy’s Hutch, the new sleek and stylish lounge at The Blackstone Hotel, with a craft cocktail in hand seated in front of a grand fireplace.
Cocktail Recommendations: #125 (champagne cocktail, sugar in the raw, bitters, orange peel); Pecan Pie Old Fashioned (sugar in the raw, luxardo cherries, Angostura bitters, toasted pecan whiskey, candied pecans)
Tortoise Supper Club
350 North State St
This warm, wooded, dimly-lit restaurant with a fireplace near you in Chicago is known for its comfortable atmosphere and traditional American fare. One of the best bars with fireplaces in the city, Tortoise Supper Club invites you in for a nightcap.
Cocktail Recommendation: Hot Toddy (Spiced Pear liqueur, whiskey, honey syrup, lemon juice, bitters)
Uncommon Ground
3800 North Clark St
This Lakeview establishment is dedicated to serving fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients in their comfortable, contemporary setting. Grab a spot by their fire and you might catch some live music.
Cocktail Recommendation: Punch Drunk Love (tequila, Campari, lime, agave, Greenstar spaceship IPA)
Scofflaw
3201 West Armitage Ave
Specializing in gin-infused cocktails, you won’t be disappointed with a drink from this Logan Square bar with a fireplace. Baroque-style furniture juxtaposed with a hip and friendly staff make this place one of a kind.
Cocktail Recommendation: Red Room (Scofflaw Old Tom Gin, Mezcal, Dry Vermouth, Becherovka, Fino Sherry, Campari, Absinthe)
RL
115 East Chicago Ave
Next door to the Polo store in the Gold Coast is Ralph Lauren’s fashionable restaurant serving modern classics. Wall-to-wall portraits, towering bookshelves, and of course, their warm fireplace give it a metropolitan yet homey feel.
Wine Recommendation: Cosimo M. Masini Annick, Tuscany 2018
Wilde Bar & Restaurant
3130 North Broadway
This Lakeview warm and cozy restaurant is named after the whimsical and witty writer, Oscar Wilde. It is the perfect place to go if you’re feeling like a bookworm. Pop a squat in one of their plush leather seats by the fire as you read The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Cocktail Recommendation: Sazerac (Bulleit Rye, Peychaud’s bitters, absinthe, lemon twist, up)
The Broken Shaker
19 East Ohio St
Want to veer away from the typical sleek, modern hotel or restaurant and get to one of the best bars with fireplaces in the city? Escape to the earthy, free-spirited vibes of the Freehand Chicago’s restaurant that offers exotic and innovative ingredients and a fireplace draped with an Aztec rug.
Cocktail Recommendation: Honk If You’re Lonely (Smooth Ambler Contradiction Whiskey, Rhine Hall Cherry Brandy, Aperol, Sesame, Basil, Lemon)
