We had so much fun here. The vibe is great for people in their mid 20s through early 30s. They play all the early 2000's hits! Since this place is up high the outdoor seating area is on a roof with lovely views of the city. The rooftop is nicely decorated with plants and strung up lights. We had drinks and appetizers that were pretty tasty. The waiter was super friendly and attentive. They have a variety of games you can play; we played Uno, but they also have Jenga and Beer Pong. This was a good place for big groups. We only had 6 people, but they had a VIP area inside that could be reserved for larger groups. The inside area was a bit less spacious with big booth seating, but they also have a very long bar with plenty of seating. We went on a Thursday around 4 and initially it wasn't too busy, but as the night progressed a lot more people showed up. The bathrooms were clean and well maintained. Please note to get in you need to present your ID and have your bag checked. read more

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Really fun atmosphere, especially on the rooftop. There's beer pong & cornhole to play. Great for happy hours. Our server wasn't the friendliest & shots are super expensive. But the drinks were delicious. Overall great time read more

I came here for the Bears Packers season opener. It's an awesome outdoor space with lots of seating options. The stools aren't very comfortable unfortunately - not optimal for sitting for a while. They have lots of TVs but they also have lots of hanging decor partially blocking some of those TVs. Great beer menu, appealing bar food and gorgeous skyline views. Good people watching too! read more

If you are a college student, I would not recommend utopian tailgate. Trust me, I am a college student! I came by with some friends after a second city show. This place is meant to have a nostalgic vibe of college, with drinks served in red solo cups, beer pong tables, giant jenga etc. It is an interesting concept but didn't really work for me and my friends. The layout of it is weird, and as it got crowded, it was very hard to maneuver around. We ended up sitting at one of the huge picnic tables. We ordered a couple of drinks, around $10-12 each for a cocktail, which honestly wasn't quite worth it. We went on quite a cold winter day so I wonder if the vibe of the place will be different in the summer, when the rooftop opens up? But for now, probably won't return for a while. read more

This place located in old town has been on the list for a long time, sadly I was a little disappointed. We had two different servers (cool), the waitress asked if we needed anything at least 10 times but forgot my friend ordered nachos. When they finally came out they were cold, it wasn't a busy day. We went today on a Tuesday, and to avoid weekend crowds. The drinks were high ($12), my friend didn't like his (tiki), but to each his own. I enjoyed my drink, so did my other friend. We waited a while for things, I ordered chicken tenders which on the menu says thighs (super misleading). They were like $12 for two little ass pieces of chicken. You couldn't play any games which is slightly understandable, the music was meek and somber. It's summer time, we wanted to hear something upbeat. Great views, metered parking across the street. It's got a sports I guess feel to it. Some sections had great comfy seats. If you want to go get your IG post on, without being hungry, this is the place to be. read more

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Crowded with little room to move. Fun things to do, but without rooftop it is a bit smooshed. It had alright cocktails, and a mix drink cost us around $12 a pop for maybe 10 oz. a bit steep for a suburb girl, trying to live in the city world I suppose. read more

Utopian Tailgate - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Pros: Great rooftop area, fun decorations, fun food, reservations accepted. Cons: Rude service, too crowded, they stop serving food too early on the weeknights, on weekends it's a hot mess of drunk people, prices are on the higher side, hard to find for some people. From reading the rest of the reviews I agree with the service complaints. I only had one server that was actually nice & attentive. On a Monday night at 10pm we were told they stopped serving food. We asked if we could bring McDs up to eat & still order drinks & some other server we didn't ask interrupted in a rude tone "No, we would be violating health laws." I mean, cool that's fine, but she didn't need to snap. Another experience is when we had a reservation. You can actually skip the line if you have a reservation. Just tell the bouncer about it then they have someone else direct you to the restaurant. What I didn't care for was walking up the stairs to the 4th floor. I didn't understand why we couldn't take the elevator. They took our party & another party & we were all exhausted from the stairs. I highly suggest a reservation if visiting on a weekend. If you can, try to specify if you want the outside or inside. I was told by the hostess that you can add a note about that. Unfortunately, you might have to actually wait longer for the outside. Would I visit again? Probably. But not for a while. I'm hoping they can improve on customer service & crowd control. When it gets crowded it gets real loud & real uncomfortable. If you can visit on weeknights I suggest that more because it's more enjoyable. read more

Be warned. The bartenders, at least two of them, will pocket at least a dollar of your drinks. I received $13 back from a $6 beer out of $20, and my buddy got $12 back from a $7 beer out of $20. Pocketing change/self-tipping is pretty serious. Get your act together folks. read more

This is a fun spot for weekend drinks, especially when the weathers nice. Food is alright--we liked the cauliflower but thought everything else was just okay. Think late night eats/bar food--a bit greasy but does the job. Would probably come just for drinks next time since the food is pricey read more

Drinks were great but the food looked way better than it tasted. The traveling tacos were a huge disappointment, especially if you're a south sider where eating chips, beef, and cheese is a summer staple! There was 1 crumble of meat per bag. This is one of those places thats worth going once for the experience, but not worth returning. read more

Utopian Tailgate - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We were lucky enough to get seated as walk ins, def recommend making a reservation! The bar area had plastic dividers between every two seats, which was great for safety and some privacy! The tiki drink was great with fresh fruit, two of them were more than enough. Highly recommend at least trying the tiki drink. The tijuana mule was crisp and refreshing! The sweet potato tater tots are a must! My friend had the nashville donut sandwich, which is perfect is you love sweet and spicy! He said it was probably inspired by some Simpson's sandwich. It was really tasty, but you'll be needing a fork and knife for this one. The views were great! Request a table for more photo ops, if not you can just walk over to the railing for a better landscape! read more

Great experience! They followed all covid protocols and waitress was super attentive. Great food and drinks. Will be back! Bring your mask! read more

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Went with friends for NYE, we got a table for our group as well. It was around $60 min per guest at the table, we originally booked for 10 but our group grew and they were accommodating to our new size (maybe 3-5 more people). It was pretty empty when we got there which I found strange for a Friday night/NYE, not very many people were on the dance floor, but it started to get more crowded as the night went on. Music was mostly recent pop hits which was good. I also forgot my inner jacket while I was there and I couldn't get into contact with anyone about it - nobody responded to my email and none of my calls go through and there isn't even a voicemail, which was quite stressful. I ended up having to make the trek over to ask in person if they had it, which they did in a lost and found, so at least that was super lucky and organized of them! read more

Went on a date with my girlfriend to check out the place. The Instagram page did an excellent job of catching my eye. Good job social team! When we arrived we were greeted by the wait staff and were promptly offered a choice between standing room or picnic tables. Unfortunately it was raining when we arrived so we couldn't go out to the rooftop. So we decided on the picnic tables. Our waitress took care of our order and drinks and made sure we were taken care of. She did a fine job. I had the Utopian Special Special and it was good. Unfortunately my last meal was probably 2 hours or less before I arrived so I couldn't fully enjoy the meal and wasn't able to finish it. The portion was great and was more than enough to fill me up if I had an empty stomach. The drinks menu looks very appealing and has many options to pick from. Ultimately I decided to have the Water Melon Crusher and it was more than what I expected it to be. Id definitely have it again. The bartender did not skimp out on the tequila so it had some kick to it. I can't wait to try the other drinks. (Cocktails) Fun Fact: The umbrellas that came with the drink are functional and can close and open like a regular umbrella. I thought it was a cute touch. After our meal we decided to indulge in the "tailgate" experience and began to walk around and explore. I thought it was neat that they had a giant Jenga, huge connect four, and corn hole. They have other games too but I really didn't check them but I will next time! We also got to hang by the tire swing and the bird cage seat they have outside. It's a cozy touch and perfect to just lounge around. Having the option between playing games or just hanging out is always a great perk. And I'm not surprised this place offers that. Overall we had a great experience and plan to come back again with friends this time! read more

This place has potential - the rooftop space is huge, and has an awesome view of the skyline. There's a wide variety of seating options (high tops, communal tables, hanging chairs, etc.) and a lot of fun fullsize or mini games (ex. mini beer pong). I like bars with activities, so that aspect was awesome. Unfortunately (and hopefully this is just because it's still very new), the food and service were really disappointing. I made a reservation ahead of time, and recommend doing so since it was pretty crowded. The indoor bar space is very loud, and most of the outdoor tables seemed to be by reservation only (or likely a long wait). While the servers were all extremely nice and helpful, the restaurant had about 1/5 of staff they needed. I ordered a canned drink, and it took over 30 minutes for the server to have time to tell me that they were out, and another 20 to get a back up option. I think management intended this to be the kind of place where you can "go as you please" and explore, but it was so hard to find someone to place orders, close tabs, etc. that we spent most of our visit trying to track someone down. In fact, by the end of the night, a line of people had formed that was following the waitress around. She was patient and doing the best she could, but it's not feasible for one person to staff a full patio space. The concept would be much better executed as an "order at the counter/bar" concept rather than having sit down waitstaff. The food was decent, but overpriced for what it is. The nachos were good and a good size, but the skewers are basically 2 bites. The pork belly was pretty fatty (to be expected to some extent) and potentially under cooked - my boyfriend ended up getting sick from it, so I'd be hesitant to recommend it. In general, if I came back, I'd skip the food, and just order drinks at the bar and enjoy the space. read more

I came here for a friend's birthday last weekend and really enjoyed the concept, music, and vibe of the place! The scene was trendy, life-size connect 4 was so entertaining, and beer pong is never a bad choice (especially on a rooftop in Chicago)! The view of the city is fabulous and the wait staff was super kind and accommodating to our party. The drinks were really tasty as well. read more

Utopian Tailgate - The bags and beer pong area. Beautiful lights hanging :) - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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So much fun! Can be difficult to get a table so plan in advance but love the patio in the summertime.

Roman FTW!!! Best bartender The green tea shot is great! Fun atmosphere with great outdoor seating and good ~vibes~ read more

Utopian Tailgate - Lounges Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Quite honestly the worst bar I've ever been to. The server, to start, was atrocious. Treated us like absolute dirt but then livened up when she found out one of our friends knew her through mutual people. Interesting how that works. Either way, the drinks were overly sugary, gross, and had no alcohol. The place itself is so insanely overpriced it is criminal. We all sadly bought 2 drinks each and felt nothing after - for a grand total of about $40. Nachos are $30 so it's really telling that they prey off people for money. The front desk lost my ID and then I later got on my hands and knees and found it right below their feet. Also, it speaks volumes that they check you for weapons before going upstairs, really attracting quality clientele huh. read more

Really fun spot to watch college football games. They've really tried to set it up to feel like a college tailgate, with solo cups, beer pong, bags, and even mini table games for those who don't feel like waiting in line for the real games. The scene at night isn't as fun unless you're in your early 20s. There's usually a line after a certain hour on the weekends and it's not worth the wait in my opinion. Definitely prefer it for day drinking on the weekends than going out at night. read more

beautiful place! Weird & confusing getting thur when leaving parking Garage. I called to make reservations a week in advance, the lady said I didn't need any, but when my party & I got there they couldn't find my reservation..couldn't sit us upstairs & eat bcuz we were told the kitchen was closed. & when we went downstairs to Roots, the menu was completely different & food was terrible. The server took our order all out of order..he didn't even approach a few ppl & two ppl from my party never even received their food...So after we ate we went back upstairs & to our surprise..they were still (walking) serving food. Like I said beautiful place but the service sucks! read more

I've actually visited this establishment twice in the last week. The first time we had a table with Alex, she was awesome and the appetizers were great. On my second visit I had the pleasure to have Roman as our bartender. Shots and drinks were perfect. I felt comfortable with the restaurant's Covid precautions. Awesome views, great food and drink and a fun friendly staff! I will definitely be back! read more

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Dope atmosphere was here for a friends bday party. Ordered an 18pk of white claw was surprised the tab was $170 for that alone. Overall I had fun though read more

What CAN'T I say about Utopian Tailgate!? We had an amazing time and left extremely happy. We made a reservation for 11:30 on a Friday morning, and by the time we left it was completely packed! Our server was an angel, and gave us great recommendations. There were 4 of us, and between us we worked our way through the drink menu, and each ordered something different from the menu. The drinks were so much fun, the ambiance was great, the portions were large, and the staff was so polite! This is not the place to bring grandma, that's for sure, and it's a strict 21 and up policy, which we all appreciated. There were all types of groups there, taking in the views, table-shared drinks, and tons of Instagram photos. There are yard games galore, multiple seating options inside and out, and security to keep everyone in check. The music was fun, and yes, it was loud. But our friends left making plans to go back (and we're all over 35, and fun so we didn't feel "old", like some other reviews mention). In looking at other's photos, the menu specialties definitely change, and they stick to what's on the menu, but there's quite a wide range of drinks so you should be able to find something for everyone! It's the perfect place for a fun group outing, and they make it very clear on the menu what their gratuity policy is, so there should be no surprise there! We would absolutely return!! read more

I didn't necessarily hate, but I didn't love Utopian Tailgate. I do believe that a certain facade attracts a certain audience and in knowing this I was still open to try this new "hot spot" just blocks away from my residence. I appreciate art and an eclectic look and that's where UT delivers. My bf and I decided to grab food one late weekend day afternoon in Chicago's off season (so we knew it was not going to be crazy) yet the service and direction of the space was subpar. Upon walking in it's hard to tell if you're to wait to be seated or just pick a spot, there's a hostess/ merchandise counter to the right as you walk in however the staff was inattentive to all guests arriving off of the elevator and there were no signs directing so, in good fashion we just walked around trying to find a place to chill. After walking around and checking out the neat space geared toward Chicago's twenty-somethings we found two seats at the bar. It wasn't super busy for what it could have been and the bartender and bar-back just seems lax and yet uninterested. We had to flag them down as we sat for menus, water came about 15 min later after asking for it, food was served pretty quickly but was a bit overpriced for what "it was" which wasn't much to rave about. Definitely a perfect spot for ambience, large typical bar games, roof top option and subpar food ... which tastes better as you drink i suppose. Not a fave. read more

Let me preface my review with - this place is new, every new place is going to have some kinks to iron out, however, my expectations were higher than a brand new business because it's a part of an established restaurant group. I look forward to coming back once those kinks are ironed out because there's a lot of potential here. The food: I had the meatball grinder and the table shared the pickles. Both were really good and came out in a reasonable amount of time. The food was the best part of our experience, aside from the outside decor. The drinks: I had a watermelon tequila drink and it was delish! The group I was with also split a briefcase of white claws. The service time on the drinks was extremely slow and we ended up actually paying our tab before we got the briefcase - tracking a manager down who literally rolled up his sleeves to get them himself. The staff: all of the staff was very nice but clearly needed more support or training. It seemed like there was plenty of staff, but no clear direction of expectations (all assumptions obviously) The facilities: if you've made it to this page it's probably because you saw a photo on IG - it's a influencers paradise....outside. Inside are standard tables and picnic style tables and is the only place you can have a reservation for (they say this online too) and is a different vibe than outside. read more

Came on opening weekend and the place was packed . We were informed by the hostess that in order to get a table we'd need to put our names on the list - and the outdoor seating was first come first serve (which based on my experience wasn't accurate as we got asked to move from many spots while we were outside). We got a few drinks at the bar (drinks are you typical price - probably a bit more since the view). The outdoor seating is massive and fun - a ton of games to play and areas to hang out with . After about 45 minutes we got a text that the table was ready - we sat at the table for about 30 minutes and not a single waiter came up to us to take an order or ask about our drinks , so we had to get drinks from the bar . I don't know if it's because it was opening night but I'm glad I didn't come with the expectation of eating , because I don't think we would have ever gotten food . I'm definitely open to giving this place another shot keeping in mind it was the first weekend. read more

3 stars for the food and drinks - they were bomb! Cant give it a full 5 star cause there was a security guard that was super rude, and our waitress was pretty stoic as well. read more

Came to Chicago from LA. Our Uber driver suggested this place. I tried calling both Saturday and Sunday to ask about their reservations. No one answered. We decided to just stop by and see if they would let us in. Upon arriving the guy just told us they weren't taking any walk ins. So annoying read more

I am writing this review as I am standing at the bar to get a drink. Have been waiting for 5 minutes at least. It is busy on the floor but it is absolutely not busy at the bar. The bartenders are moving at a pace of a snail. Three of them are having a conversation at the service well. There is absolutely no sense of urgency. They are walking as if they are on vacation. My friend and I are bartenders and we seriously just wanted to jump behind the bar and serve the people waiting for drinks. Would have taken me under a minute. Oh, and now our shots are coming not chilled but we did ask twice to get them chilled. All in all. Please train your staff to be faster, because they are losing on sales for sure. read more

Tried out the Utopian Tailgate for the first time on a Thursday night before catching a show at Second City. We were able to get right upstairs and join in on the fun. The atmosphere is so fun with tons of lawn games, delicious cocktails, and really good food. Our group ordered a bunch of plates to share and all of it was perfectly seasoned and cooked.. I especially liked the swordfish and shrimp skewers! I will definitely be going back before/after a Second City show or any other time I'm looking to hang at a great Chicago rooftop bar. read more

This place is super over rated. Not clean at all they hype is not worth it. Never have i walked into a packed bar and felt uncomfortable being the only person of color. They literally did not clean our table and the the waiter was very inattentive. Don't waste your time or money. read more

I can't wait to try this place again the next time I come to Chicago! It was sick! Utopian Tellgate is located on a rooftop in old town Chicago. When you enter upstairs you realize you are an adult playground. There are mini golf life-size Jango life-size connect for beer pong tables and plenty of outdoor seating. For Saturday afternoon in 40° weather this place was packed indoor and outdoor. I really enjoyed all the Decour and all the drink possibilities.However I highly recommend that you get here early because we could not even find a place to sit down. Utopian tailgate is the perfect place for millennials to come take their perfect Instagram shots and drink delicious drinks can't wait to come back here next time I'm in town.Very hip very trendy and very on the cutting edge of what the bar scene in Chicago is all about. read more

Fun place for drinks! The bar food wasn't bad either! Definitely make a reservation and definitely try all the drinks on the menu because all are so good. Love that even the cups they have are reusable. Fun, happy vibes read more

* We came here 3 weeks before COVID restrictions were lifted.* The website did not mention anything about little to no patio games available, like we were promised. Friendly, welcoming staff but don't expect great cocktails or go there if you're hungry. We got "Be a lot cooler if you did & Lip service": disappointing all around with flavor & alcohol portions. The Guankey Kong we ordered was a heavy portion for 2, however it was flavorless. The Fried Chicken Thigh Tenders were also quite dull. The lime juice from the key lime pie shots were bitter, so double check with staff before you risk your palate. read more

I made reservations a couple weeks ago for Saturday night. When I arrived there was a line wrapped around the corner. I wasn't sure what the line was for so I walked to the front and asked the host. They told me the line was for reservations. How do you have a reservation line out the door and around the corner!! I left and took my business elsewhere. read more

I was skeptical that this place was too much, but I had the BEST time! It's beautiful and perfect for Instagram, I could sit out there all day! read more

Very unprofessional, tried to claim that i was throwing up and i was trying to put my mask on ...i would not recommend coming to this place .... The security is awful read more

Service needs work. Our waitress told us to get our own water from the jugs at the bar. Then an 18% gratuity was added to our bill for four people. Food was good tho. read more

Not a fan, and here's why: Arrived on a Friday night just before 11:30 pm to check out the view. I live next door and had been anticipating this for a while. We knew the rooftop closes off at midnight so we figured 30+ minutes beforehand would give us ample time to enjoy one drink outside on the roof. Well, when we got there, the rude security man running the elevator made us wait in line 20 minutes. And I'm still left wondering why, because when we finally got upstairs, the bar was mostly empty. And I'm sad to say, the doors to the rooftop were shut right in front of us (the whole reason we came). The inside is cheaply decorated and nothing to write home about. The red solo cups make this place look extremely "cheap." Especially when you're paying 40 plus dollars for 3 drinks. Tables were all dirty and sticky and bartenders seemed to be annoyed with their job. Never saw a server in sight, but very long wait times for service at the bar. Oh and the icing on the cake? Watching some drunk guy puke all over the bar on our way out. I won't be back, was hoping to have a much more classy place open up next door to me. read more