Chicago's Best Kept Open Secret Is on the 8th Floor
Bar Avec is Avec's rooftop sibling in River North, and the chorizo stuffed dates alone are worth the elevator ride.
You check in at the building foyer and they escort you up the elevator. Eight floors up, you step out into a rooftop bar with views of some of Chicago's best architecture stretched out in front of you. It feels like a secret. Everyone knows it's there. That tension is exactly what makes Bar Avec work.
The food is solid, fresh, seasonal Mediterranean. The menu rotates with what's available, but the chorizo stuffed dates are a constant and they should be. They've been a standout at the original Avec in the West Loop for years and Bar Avec doesn't mess with what works. The charcuterie plate pulls meat and bread from the Publican, which tells you it's going to be good before it arrives. The burger is worth ordering if you want something more traditional. Nothing here misses badly. Most of it lands cleanly.
This is a reliable spot for out of town guests, a good date, or anyone who wants a drink with a view that doesn't feel like a tourist trap. Come for the atmosphere. Stay for the dates.
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