Chicagoland Bars & Restaurants You Need to Visit on Labor Day

Friends, families and even dogs will gather this long weekend for some fun around the city as local bars and restaurants will host events and offer specials Thursday, August 29 through Monday, September 2. With parties, trivia games, cocktail specials, free ice cream for kids and doggie dining, there’s much to be enjoyed around Chicagoland this Labor Day weekend.

Families can enjoy Labor Day weekend at these restaurants, serving up some sweet treats for kids—and pets!

All weekend long, Kizuki Ramen and Izakaya in Lincoln Park’s NEWCITY will offer free Japanese Black Sesame Ice Cream (one per child) with any purchase to help kids beat the heat!

After that, head over to Onward in Rogers Park with your pooch to dine for a good cause on Saturday and Sunday. The restaurant will feature a “Bone Appetit” menu of Sweet Potato Strips ($4), Frozen Peanut Butter & Banana ($4) and Watermelon ($4) for dogs to enjoy on Onward’s new sidewalk patio. A portion of proceeds from the dog menu sales will benefit One Tail at a Time Dog Rescue.

Music lovers can celebrate the end of the summer at these jammin’ spots.

Celebrating the end-of-summer with a beach party, hotspot Castaways on North Avenue Beach will offer live entertainment by DJ’s from The DJ Firm from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday through Monday. Sets will be played by DJ Medic, DJ Kalia Troy, DJ Daily, DJ Jem, Sye Young, and more. Partiers can rejoice and re-juice on beach bar drinks like frozen pina and strawberry coladas, spiked iced tea, margaritas, sangria and more.

The Miller Lite Beer Garden, on Chicago’s lakefront at the east end of Navy Pier, will kick off Labor Day weekend with happy hour on Friday, August 30 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. with $4 16-ounce Miller Lite drafts, $5 16-ounce Peroni drafts, $5 Capeline Strawberry Lemonade and more. Patrons can jam out to the beer garden’s “Live on the Lake!” music series featuring the hottest local bands all weekend and enjoy the fireworks on Saturday, August 31 at 10:15 p.m.

For a fun, music-filled activity hosted by “Whaddayaknow”, head to aliveOne in Lincoln Park for a free music-themed trivia night on Monday, September 2 at 8 p.m. Arrive early at 5 p.m. for a half-price happy hour until 7 p.m. In addition to trivia, guests can pool for free all evening while sipping on $7 Hamm’s and Old Grand-Dad shot combo, $4 Fernet shots, and a specialty $8 cocktail for Labor Day called “The McGuire” mixed with Crown Royal, Yellow Chartreuse, lemon juice, and Regan’s orange bitters.

For those looking to treat themselves to a stellar meal, head to these restaurants where the focus is on the food.

With all the Labor Day weekend festivities, locals can recover and rejuvenate with brunch at Parlay at Joy District in River North. For $50 per person, guests will enjoy an extravagant brunch buffet and mimosa bar on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Highlights include a carving station, seafood table, and charcuterie, chilli and pizza bar, waffle station, egg station, numerous dessert selections like cake pops, tartlets, brownies and more.

For a special night out, Morton’s The Steakhouse, with locations in Chicago, Naperville, Northbrook, Rosemont and Schaumburg, will offer a three-course prix fixe menu from Thursday, August 29 through Monday, September 2. Dishes include lobster bisque, 8-ounce center-cut filet mignon, New Zealand Ora King Salmon, Morton’s legendary hot chocolate cake and more. Additionally, all Morton’s locations will celebrate the long weekend with an all day “Power Hour” at the bar featuring specially priced beer, wine, martinis and cocktails.

End the season with the ultimate summer activity--grilling! The new Weber Grill Academy in Lombard, just a short drive from Chicago, will offer two hands-on classes, the perfect way to prep for your Labor Day barbecue. Led by the Weber Grill Masters and Chefs, guests will hone their skills on either a Weber charcoal kettle grill or a Weber gas grill while learning about correct grill set up, grilling techniques and timing. Following the class, students will indulge in their own grilled masterpiece. Classes include Gourmet Burger Blends on Friday, August 30 at 6:30 p.m. and Reef & Beef on Saturday, August 31 at 6 p.m. For more information, visit https://webergrill.securetree.com/grilling-classes/lombard/.

For post-barbecue drinks, these Chicago bars are actually open on Labor Day.

On Labor Day, Easy Bar in Wicker Park will open from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. offering specials like $6 glasses of wine, $5 Espolon Tequila shots, $5 Stoli Lime drinks, and Tecate with a Jimador tequila shot for $6.

Estelle’s in Wicker Park will also open on the holiday at 10 p.m. The casual spot is a welcome reprieve after the hectic weekend and guests can wind down with Estelle’s signature F*ck Your Patio cocktail (Chicago Distilling Finn’s Gin, Apologue Aronia, demerara and lemon juice) for $7 each along with half-price burgers, and more.

Remedy in Bucktown will offer post-barbeque drink specials starting at 9 p.m. on Labor Day. Featuring $5 3 Floyds beers and a Miller High Life bottle with an Evans Williams shot for $8. Remedy will be open until 4 a.m. on Labor Day.

Further west in Logan Square, popular late-night spot, The Owl, will open from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. treating guests to $5 boozy popsicles, half-priced El Jimador margaritas, and $3 Bud, Miller Lite and High Life.