Fireworks are always the main attraction on July 4, but barbecue, corn on the cob and any food or drinks you can make red, white and blue are also key parts of an Independence Day celebration. With the holiday falling on Thursday this year, many bars and restaurants are extending the holiday all weekend long with summery and patriotic specials and other fun like music, beer sampling and dog-friendly parties. Whether you’re spending the occasion at a festival or in your own backyard, these 30 spots will provide you with everything you need to enjoy America’s birthday.
The Loop and Near North Side
Chicago Burger Company
The restaurant at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk offers a $24 combo Thursday through Sunday featuring a burger or Maxwell Street Polish with corn on the cob and potato salad. Drink specials include $14 frozen piña coladas, $15 John Dalys and $8 select Goose Island beers. 301 E. North Water St., 312-464-1000, marriott.com
Grill on 21 at The LaSalle Chicago, Autograph Collection
A special $90 menu for two includes a cowgirl bone-in ribeye steak with a baked whipped potato, corn and coleslaw plus a brownie a la mode. Add on a smoked tequila old-fashioned for $14. 208 S. LaSalle St., 312-634-0000, ext. 3, grillon21.com
Hard Rock Cafe
Cool off with a $14 Independence Margarita made with strawberry puree, Milagros, Couintreau and lime juice, and garnished with a strawberry and a red, white and blue sugar rim available all week. 63 W. Ontario St., 312-943-2252, cafe.hardrock.com/chicago
I|O Godfrey
The rooftop bar offers sangria made with sauvignon blanc, Grey Goose white peach and rosemary, moscato and cubes of red, white and blue granita all week for $18 per glass or $68 per pitcher, donating $1 from each order to K9s for Veterans. 127 W. Huron St., 312-374-1830, iogodfrey.com
Jaleo by José Andrés
Throughout July, you can take advantage of the restaurant’s Summer of Sangria featuring versions of the drink made with rosé and watermelon and cava and peach served by the glass ($12) or pitcher ($56). Pair the drinks with tapas including blue crab fritters ($15) and watermelon salad ($14). 500 N. Clark St., 312-820-7771, jaleo.com/location/chicago
LG’s Bar & Kitchen
The Old Town bar offers specials including $10 Bomb Pop slushies, $3 Jell-O shots, $20 Busch Light pitchers and $4 select tallboys Thursday through Sunday. 1525 N. Wells St., 312-888-9368, lgsbar.com
River Roast
Feast on a $65 All-American platter featuring 3 pounds of smoked St. Louis-style ribs and enough mac and cheese, potato salad and pickles to share, offered Wednesday through Sunday. 315 N. LaSalle St., 312-822-0100, riverroastchicago.com
Venteux
Drink in the flavors of summer Wednesday through Sunday with a S’mores Latte made with espresso and condensed milk and garnished with a marshmallow and graham cracker for $12 or $16 spiked with Baileys. 224 N. Michigan Ave., 312-777-9003, venteuxchicago.com
North Side & Northwest Side
Cesar’s Killer Margaritas
Celebrate all month long with a red, white and blue margarita made with strawberry, lime and blue curacao. 2924 N. Broadway, 773-296-9097, killermargaritas.com
Cody’s Public House
Watch the Cubs vs. Phillies game while sampling Surfside drinks and enter a raffle to win a cooler from the brand. Drink specials include $6 Bomb Pop shots, $5 Sam Adams drafts and $7 Stateside vodka cocktails. 1658 W. Barry Ave., 773-799-8217, codyschicago.com
The Graystone Tavern
The Wrigleyville bar offers an $18 Freedom Flight featuring a red, white and blue line of Three Olives raspberry vodka, White Claw black cherry and White Claw mango vodka bombs Thursday through Sunday. 3441 N. Sheffield Ave., 773-666-5450, graystonetavernchicago.com
Kirkwood
DJs play Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and specials running through Sunday include $7 Bud Light and Miller Lite stadium cups and $8 green tea shots. 2934 N. Sheffield Ave., 773-770-0700, kirkwoodbar.com
Lark
Pixel performs pop hits during a Miss Independence Drag Brunch featuring $5 Bud Light and bottomless drink packages. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 3441 N. Halsted St., 773-799-8968, larkchicago.com
Le Sud
Two to three people can share a $90 seafood tower featuring tiger shrimp, lobster, scallops, oysters, mussels and crab clusters offered Thursday through Sunday in addition to the regular menu. 2301 W. Roscoe St., 773-857-1985, lesudchicago.com
The Patio at Cafe Brauer
Spend the day at the Lincoln Park Zoo and fuel up with food specials offered Thursday through Sunday including watermelon salad ($16), barbecue ribs with cornbread and coleslaw ($20), grilled corn on the cob brushed with herb butter ($10) and red, white and blue parfaits made with Greek yogurt, strawberries and blueberries ($11). 2021 N. Stockton Drive, 312- 507-9053, lpzoopatio.org
Ranalli’s
Celebrate through Thursday with drink specials including $6 hard seltzers, $22 select pitchers and $9 vodka soda stadium cups. 1925 N. Lincoln Ave., 312-642-4700, ranallislincolnpark.com
West Side & Near West Side
Bandit
The bar opens at 11:30 a.m. Thursday to offer specials including grilled hot dogs and Jell-O shots. 841 W. Randolph St., 312-878-3111, banditliquors.com
Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar
The restaurant teams up with Lowcountry Chicago to offer a $50 special featuring snow crab, shrimp and crayfish boiled with house-made dry-aged kimchi Polish sausage, sweet corn and potatoes served with garlic butter rolls and Pilsner Urquell from noon to 8 p.m. Friday. Add on fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese or crispy spare ribs for $16. 2700 W. Chicago Ave., 773-661-9577, heritage-chicago.com
Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods
A Red, White and Bayou brunch running from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday features $10 frozen cocktails, $25 plates of boiled shrimp with corn and potatoes, and live music from 1-4 p.m. 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, $6 Tito’s drinks, $5 Twisted Tea and $10 Twisted Tea with a shot of Tito’s. 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 Wednesday through Sunday include $5 cans of Revolution Brewing Freedom Lemonade, $14 buffalo chicken sliders, $5 Smirnoff Red, White and Berry lemonades, and $7 Smirnoff Red, White and Berry bombs. 1801 W. Division St., 773-782-4400, macswoodgrilled.com
Nettare
Feed your party with specials offered for takeout from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday including a sandwich for six to eight featuring house-made capicola, arugula, tapenade, dijonaise and Hook’s 1-year cheddar on focaccia ($65 or $35 for a half portion), $20-$25 bottled house cocktails for two, and a $16 salad with candied black walnuts and focaccia croutons. 1953 W. Chicago Ave., 312-219-5101, barnettare.com
Tuman’s Tap & Grill
Get your barbecue fix with a $26 full slab of Slagel Family Farm St. Louis ribs served with grilled corn on the cob and Cajun potatoes plus $4 16-ounce drafts of Pipeworks Brewing original lager from 4-11 p.m. 2159 W. Chicago Ave., 773-782-1400, tumanstapandgrill.com
South Side & Near South Side
Weber’s Bakery
The bakery will be closed on Thursday, but you can stop in Wednesday to pick up a flag cake, baked apple pie, buttercrust buns and other supplies for your celebration. 7055 W. Archer Ave., 773-586-1234, webersbakery.com
Suburban and multiple locations
Bodega Taqueria y Tequila
Both locations offer discounts on drinks, buckets and bottles and host DJ sets Thursday and Friday. 407 N. Clark St., 312-940-3670 and 912 W. Randolph St., 773-923-2509, bodegataqueria.com
The Hampton Social
Cool off with a glass of blue frosé made with Tito’s vodka, peach puree and rosé wine ($17) available through Thursday. Multiple locations, thehamptonsocial.com
Sweet Mandy B’s
Pick up festive treats Tuesday through Thursday including cookies, rice krispie treats, brownies and cupcakes made with red, white and blue sprinkles and a three-layer red, white and blue vanilla cake that feeds eight to 12. 1208 W. Webster Ave., 773-244-1174 and 254 E. Ontario St., 312-255-1632, sweetmandybs.com
Taste of Oak Brook
The annual festival features food vendors, a beer garden, a fireworks show, live music from Sixteen Candles and Modern Day Romeos and kids activities. Free. 4-10 p.m. July 3. Village Sports Core Fields, 700 Oak Brook Road, Oak Brook, oak-brook.org
Tinley Park Ribfest
Local spots and barbecue restaurants from around the country serve a variety of ribs at the annual bash that also features live music, kids entertainment and a July 4 fireworks show. $15. 2-10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2-8 p.m. Sunday. 18001 S. 80th Ave., Tinley Park, 708-444-5000, tinleypark.org
Water’s Edge & Lakeside Patio
The restaurant within the Hyatt Lodge Oak Brook Chicago offers a special menu on July 3 featuring jalapeno cheese cornbread, barbecue smoked brisket and peach cobbler and provides a view of the Taste of Oak Brook fireworks show with a $50 per person food and beverage minimum. 2815 Jorie Blvd., Oak Brook, 630-568-1234, hyatt.com
Samantha Nelson is a freelance writer.
