10 Awesome Places to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago

No one does St. Patrick’s Day quite like Chicago. Ranked as the No. 2 “most Irish” city in America by LawnStarter with the most St. Patrick’s Day events besides, Chicagoans don’t mess around when it comes to the holiday. In fact, the celebrations have already begun in the Windy City. The annual river dyeing saw reps from the Journeymen Plumbers’ Local Union 130 carrying out the more than 60-year-old tradition of dumping roughly 100 pounds of eco-friendly green dye into the Chicago River on March 11. On March 12, more than 75,000 turned out to see the South Side Irish Parade. And the fun’s not over yet! For St. Patrick’s Day, a slew of Chicago’s best bars and restaurants, both Irish-based and otherwise, will be offering specials, entertainment and more in honor of the big day—and we’ve rounded up the 10 most awesome of the bunch. Below, the best places to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Chicago.

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Most Famous

Chief O’Neill’s/Facebook

They don’t call Chief O’Neill’s the “top ten Irish pubs in the world” for nothing. For starters, there’s a 2,000-square-foot garden out back with a heated tent, so guests can enjoy the festivities en masse without freezing their butts off. Open since 1999, the restaurant also boasts an authentic shepard’s pie (it’s been called the best in the city), fish and chips and Irish music on a normal day, so St. Patrick’s Day is sure to be a cut above. Those who book a seat in Mrs. O’Neill’s Parlor for $40 in the second-floor dining room will be in for an extra-special treat, as they’ll be privy to its 9-foot tall windows overlooking the skyline and Grand Emerald Isle Buffet full of corned beef and cabbage, Irish chicken curry and more (first floor guests can also enjoy these food offerings, only à la carte), and the entertainment will be rocking from 10:30 a.m. to 12 a.m., with a lineup of no less than ten musical, dancing and bagpipe acts for a $10 cover charge.

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773-583-3066, 3471 N. Elston Ave., Chicago, IL, 60618, chiefoneilspub.com

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Most Festive

If you’ve been to Clark Street for Christmas in recent years, you know that it’s basically an all-out war of the bars for the most festive locale, and Deuce’s offers up some strong competition: Its Santa Baby pop-up looks like an elf threw up all over it (in the absolute best way possible). Charm’d is that, only with an Irish theme. Every square inch of the space is covered in green decor, from the giant pot of gold that greets guests on the patio to the green balloons and gold tinsel that hang overhead. As for leprechauns, they’re placed every which way you turn. Shamrock shakes abound, as does Irish-themed grub (think banger sliders and Irish nachos) and the desserts are nothing to sniff at, either: Charm’d sundae, anyone?

833-466-3758, 3505 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60657, charmdbar.com

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Most Historic

Gimmicks not your bag? Check out Shinnick’s in the Bridgeport ‘hood. With roots that date back to the 1880s, this isn’t just one of the oldest Irish pubs in Chicago, it’s one of the city’s oldest bars, period. Run by the Shinnick family since 1938, it’s full of the city’s history—its back bar was reportedly constructed for the 1893 World’s Fair. If basking in its culture isn’t enough of a draw, however, the family atmosphere will be: “I don’t think many people can say that they’re working in the same place that their grandparents did and their great-grandparents did before them,” Jenna Duddleston, a fourth generation Shinnick told Chicago Today in 2021.

773-376-3525, 3758 S. Union St., Chicago, IL, 60609, shinnicks.com

Best View

Amy Ulivieri

For the best view of the city’s famed green river, you can’t beat LondonHouse’s rooftop bar, LH Rooftop. Located on the hotel’s 22nd floor, it offers a perfect scope of the bright green water below in addition to all the Guinness you can handle, although there are also plenty of fancier cocktails on tap should you have a taste for them (and considering the 38-degree temps predicted, we’d highly suggest the hot mulled red and rose wine with oranges, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and anise). If the cold never bothered you anyway, there are leprechaun shakes to be had, and those that manage to grab a seat at the first-come, first-serve tables (go early!), can also grab a bite of octopus salad, chicken schnitzel or blackened scallops (to name a few).

312-357-1200, 85 E. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL, 60601, londonhousechicago.com

Most Authentic

Kitty O’Sheas

Another Irish bar that’s been around the block is Kitty O’Sheas. According to Forbes, the 35-plus-year-old pub was part of a $180 million dollar renovation of the Hilton in 1986, for which the hotel team visited more than 40 bars in Ireland to capture its authentic look and feel. Known as the unofficial after-party spot following the city’s annual parade, Kitty’s serves up the same Irish “farm-to-fork” fare on St. Patrick’s Day as it does every other day of the year. That includes loaded baked potato soup, short-rib shepherd’s pie and Kitty’s bread pudding, with more than 100 Irish whiskeys on tap. But the best part? When you’ve had your fill of green beer, you don’t have to drive home, since you can book one of the CHI’RISH packages the Hilton Chicago is offering through March 31 that includes rooms with “Green” (Grant) Park, Lake Michigan or city views, a four-pack of Herb N’Kitchen Irish beer, free parking, early check-in and late check-out ($231 average).

312-294-6860, 720 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60605, hiltonchicagomeetings.com

Best Food

The Gage

If you’re the type to celebrate with food, The Gage is where it’s at. (Take it from the President of Ireland, who once visited here on St. Patty’s). Starting at 11 a.m., the restaurant will be serving up all of the best Irish grub, from smoked haddock cake with dill crème fraîche tartar to whiskey-braised spring lamb shoulder, mashed potato, seared cabbage and black kale. And for dessert? A cake pop and a shot of Bailey’s, of course—all set to the tunes of the Fiddling Finnegans, who will be playing live music for guests along with a roaming bagpiper.

312-372-4243, 24 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60603, thegagechicago.com

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Most Lively

The Kerryman has lived several lives since its days as a gangster hangout known as the McGovern Saloon, where Dion O’Banion was a singing waiter. For a time in the ‘70s, it was a punk club, and it has since transformed into the lively Irish bar it’s known as today. Its owners, who come from Kerry, Ireland, will be hosting a live DJ starting at 4 p.m. on their country’s big day, and all of the restaurant’s regular menu items will be available until 10 p.m. should you need a hearty meal to pad your stomach from all that drinking (check out the Claddagh wings and the corned beef sandwich). We recommend going early—this place gets hoppin.’

312-335-8121, 661 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, 60654, thekerrymanchicago.com

Most Upscale

Considering that owners Amy and Clodagh Lawless hail straight from Galway, Ireland, you can’t go wrong by spending the holiday at The Dearborn. It’s got a more elevated feel than your typical Irish pub, with plenty of panache (it was rated one of the top 100 most-beloved restaurants in the U.S. by OpenTable reviewers, after all). Still, all the classic Irish specials you’d expect to see for St. Patty’s are up for grabs, from the all-day Irish breakfast and fish and chips to the shepherd’s pie and shamrock cookies. A special drink known as the “Maid in Chicago” will also be served up on March 17 that consists of Powers whiskey, St. Germain, CBD honey, cucumber and lemon on the rocks.

312-384-1242, 145 N. Dearborn St., Chicago, IL, 60602, thedearborntavern.com

Most Creative

Paddy’s Pub

Charm’d isn’t the only St. Patrick’s pop-up game in town. Paddy’s Pub, which is being hosted by Replay in Lincoln Park, is taking an entirely different approach to the holiday with a recreation of the renowned dive bar featured on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Originally debuting in the Windy City five years ago, this bar resurrection (which, in full disclosure, is not sanctioned by FX), promises references to the show’s iconic Green Man mascot and the ostrich from the ostrich scene in “Who Got Dee Pregnant?” The beverages are also on-theme: Order a Wildcard! and you’ll literally roll dice to decide your shot-taking fate. Hate waiting in line? You can skip it for $20, which will also get you two drinks. Beyond the show additions, the 60-plus vintage arcade games Replay is known for will also be available to play free of charge.

773-665-5660, 2833 Sheffield Ave., Chicago, IL, 60657, replaylincolnpark.com

Best Specials

It should come as a surprise to no one that bar hopping on St. Patty’s Day can get expensive, which is why we sincerely appreciate the copious specials at LG’s Bar & Restaurant. A sister bar to the classic Lady Gregory’s in Andersonville (another amazing St. Patrick’s Day hot spot that’s hosting specials galore), LG’s opened its doors in Old Town in 2017. Through Sunday, March 19, you can take advantage of the $10 Irish mules being served, $5 mystery Irish whiskey shots and $6 pints. The chef will also be whipping up tons of traditional Irish fare, from a classic Reuben to mulligatawny soup (perfect for warming up from the spring chill). There will even be an Irish brunch of corned beef and mash, biscuits and Irish sausage gravy and Irish bacon and scrambled egg sandwich on March 19.

312-888-9368, 1525 N. Wells St., Chicago, IL, 60610, lgsbar.com

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