Best Airport Bars In Chicago
By Natalie Kuchik
Traveling is not always an easy or enjoyable task to do, but sometimes it is unavoidable. One fun way to pass the time before your flight is by sipping on your favorite beer or cocktail at a low-key and friendly local establishment. Thankfully, the Chicago airports are full of such places which means you can be near your boarding gate while relaxing with a cold beverage. Whether you miss your flight or have a long scheduled layover, head to one of the best airport bars in Chicago to kill some time with a beer, glass of wine or a cocktail.
Billy Goat Tavern & Grill
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Gate/Area: Terminal 1 near C18
(773) 462-9368
www.billygoattavern.com
If looking to visit a local establishment but you don't have time to leave the airport between flights, Billy Goat Tavern & Grill is one of the best places to have a taste of that Chicago experience. The first location was opened in 1934 and it has expanded to eight locations, including one at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. The menu contains both domestic and import beers including Bud Light, Budweiser, Coors Light, Heineken, Sam Adams and Corona. For those who are not beer drinkers, Billy Goat serves one type of white and one type of red wine. This Chicago airport bar also serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Harry Caray's Seventh Inning Stretch
Chicago Midway Airport
Gate/Area: Midway Triangle/Central Food Court
(773) 948-6300
www.harrycarays.com
If you have a lot time to kill between flights at Midway, then Harry Caray's Seventh Inning Stretch is the best Chicago airport bar for you. Located in the food court, Harry Caray's has a friendly staff, bar and table seating and it is the largest restaurant/bar at Midway Airport. This sports bar is a branch of Harry Caray's Restaurant Group, which is exclusive to the Chicago area. The full-service bar offers import beer, domestic beer, wine and cocktails in a setting that makes you forget you are at an airport. This Chicago airport establishment has a full bar plus a lengthy menu featuring breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert items.
Related: Guide To: O'Hare Airport
Reilly's Daughter
Chicago Midway Airport
Gate/Area: Midway Triangle/Central Food Court
(773) 838-1496
The best Chicago Midway airport bar to have a drink at if you do not want food is Reilly's Daughter because its menu is strictly alcohol. Reilly's Daughter is an intimate, warm and welcoming Irish bar located in the Midway Triangle food court area. There is a TV so you can watch a sports game you might have missed due to traveling. This Chicago airport bar may not serve food, but it can serve your drink in a plastic to-go cup, which comes in handy for those who do not have a lot of time between flights. The drink menu includes import beer, domestic beer, shots, mixed drinks and there are around five beers on tap.
Prairie Tap
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Gate/Area: Terminal 3 near K4
Located in Terminal 3 at O'Hare Airport, this is one of the best Chicago airport bars to relax at while waiting for a flight if you are alone or with a traveling companion. It is an intimate bar that serves wine, mixed drinks, bottled beer and beer on tap. While drinking to kill time, you can either sit at the bar area, which is equipped with stools, or you can sit at one of the intimate round tables which fits two people comfortably. Not only does this Chicago airport bar serve alcohol, but also food. While waiting for your plane to board, you can have a beer with a mushroom burger, coconut shrimp, rib-eye steak sandwich, wings or French fries.
Beaudevin
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Gate/Area: Terminal 1 near C17
One of the best new airport bars in Chicago is Beaudevin. It is a piano wine bar that opened in February of 2012 at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Flying can be stressful, but thanks to Beaudevin, you can relax by sipping on a glass of wine while listening to a pianist play the baby grand piano. It offers over 20 varieties of wine that you can order either in a three-ounce wine taster glass, by the glass or by the bottle. There is sleek and modern style to this Chicago airport bar, but it can get crowded fast because the seating area consists of only plush, white stools positioned at the bar.
Natalie Kuchik is a longtime freelance writer living in Chicago. She enjoys interviewing bands, reviewing concerts, and writing about all things entertainment related. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
