Cindy's Chicago
Summertime may be coming to an end, but the weather is still nice & there is so much to enjoy about the city of Chicago! A spot you might want to add to your end of summer bucket list is the one and only Cindy's rooftop bar. In full transparency, I had mixed feelings about this Chicago favorite. Read on to decide for yourself...
Views
This was my first time checking out Cindy's and I immediately made my way our to the balcony section. The views are quite remarkable. What is not to love about a light breeze and a sunlit view of Millennium / Maggie Daley park? Out of food, drinks, and views; the sights from this rooftop were definitely the best part of my visit. Note that the space on the balcony is quite limited and can feel a bit cramped with the people out there trying to soak up Chicago from a few hundred feet up in the air. But it is well worth the patient wait!
Drinks
Now drinks are what everyone typically goes to a bar for, so let's dive in here. Cindy's has a pretty extensive list of wines, beers, spirits, and potions / elixirs. During my visit, the drink emphasis was on the ' Potions & Elixirs' list. Starting off with the Thai Iced Tea. This potion is made with ron zacapa 23 rum, almond milk, angostura, italicus rosolio di bergamotto, cream, and of course Thai iced tea. They describe it as complex, tropical, and creamy. Now, without pulling any punches I would have to describe it as strong, and diabetes inducing. I love a sweet cocktail as much as the next person, but the sugar content in this drink was off the charts. By the time I got a third of the way into this drink I had to tap out, passing it on to my friends.
For the rest of the night, I sampled a few other elixirs including the Scoby Snack (citadelle gin, frog juice kombucha, grapefruit, sparkling rose) and Femme Fatale (st. george botanivore gin, amaro montenegro, borbon orleans sherry, lemongrass, lapinette cider) the best drink of the night.
As one of the more hyped rooftop bars in Chicago, I was surprised by the quality of drink I tried. Though intriquing and beautiful, they seemed to be doing too much. unfortunately, my pallate was overwhelmed and not in a good way. Do let me know in the comments below is there is a drink I should go back to Cindy's and try.
Food
I had been told before visiting Cindy's that the food is nothing special, and definitely walked in with low expectations. However, compared to my experience with the drink list, dinner was definitely a step up. Peep the pictures below to see everything tried during my visit. Keep items I want to call out include the Blistered Peppers with salsa roja, chorizo, caciocavera cheese, and the Creole Spiced Scallops with crayfish maque chouz, corn pudding, pickled chili, and smoked shallots.
While I can't say I am in any rush to go back to Cindy's, I am always open to try out new things. So if you have been to Cinsy's rooftop and loved your dining experience, let me know what you had in the comments below! If you didn't, also share what happened during your visit.
Until next time! ♥