Cindy's Rooftop in Chicago

Cindy's Rooftop: Millennium Park and Lake Michigan at your feet

A glass roof atop a historic club

Set in a historic building on South Michigan Avenue, the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel faces Millennium Park. Its top level, the 13th floor, is home to Cindy's Rooftop, a Boka Restaurant Group spot. The main room, topped by a white-framed glass roof and lit with string lights, mixes brick, blond wood and blue-and-white striped banquettes. The windows open onto a terrace with fire pits that's used all year long: below stretch the park, the concert pavilion with its curving steel, Cloud Gate, and then Lake Michigan all the way to the horizon.

Seasonal food and well-crafted cocktails

The seasonal American menu is made for sharing: East Coast oysters, Bar Harbor mussels ($32), mushroom arancini, a smashburger ($28) and cheese curds to start. On weekends, brunch puts monkey bread and blueberry French toast in the spotlight. At the bar, house cocktails are $20, with a good selection of zero-proof drinks at $18, draft beers at $10 and a long list of spirits and wines.

Several spaces can be reserved for groups: semi-private couches facing the lake, a private library room, or the entire restaurant for a wedding or corporate event.

Practical information

Open Monday through Thursday from 11am to 11pm, Friday from 11am to midnight, Saturday from 10am to midnight and Sunday from 10am to 11pm; weekday lunch until 2pm, brunch Saturday and Sunday until 2pm, dinner from 5pm to 10pm. Reservations are recommended and open 14 days in advance; walk-ins are welcome as space allows. The Washington/Wabash “L” station (Brown, Green, Orange, Pink and Purple Lines) is about 150 meters away, and the Red Line's Monroe station is 250 meters away.