This is a really great spot. First of all, it's right on the water where all the boats come and go. Second, there is an awesome little stage here for live music. Third, they serve both okay snack foods like burgers and hotdogs, as well as a pretty descent selection of craft beers (be sure to visit both the west and east side bars). The servers are really friendly as well. And if you take care of them, they will do all they can to take care of you. So why am I not giving this 5 stars? A few reasons. First, there is no full bar here. Yes, you can wander 100 yards down the pier to get to a full bar. But it just seem like a lost opportunity here. Second, the food is just meh. Not that I'm expecting Michelin starred food, but it's quite basic. The price for food is sorta reasonable though. Lastly is the cost. A beer is like $14. Crazy! Do yourself a favor and bring your own booze. read more

I had not been to the Navy Pier until last night for the Sixteen Candles Band and Saturday night fireworks. Ordered a Strawberry Daiquiri and it was ONLY $10 at Billy Goat kiosk. I wish they'd stop asking people do we want to tip. Walked over early to go see the band. The Beer Garden is by the Sable Hotel, so closer to the end of the Pier. It's outdoors, dress appropriately for weather. Lots of casual seating with tables & Adirondack-type chairs. Bathrooms clean, food choices were so INEXPENSIVE, grounds clean, friendly employees. The band was awesome and although their sound system could improve, it was doable. I'm looking forward to returning. Love the outdoor space! read more

Navy Pier Beer Garden - The moon was beautiful from the Navy Pier Beer Garden - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Although the service was fast, it was very disappointing to have paid so much for two hotdogs with no fries, nachos, and a couple of beers and a mix drink of $88.00 dollars. The area was deserted, and the huge television was playing sports. After finishing the drinks we decided to walk the pier it was a beautiful day on this Juneteenth day. We stopped at an exhibition of murals around Chicago, and afterward, an exhibition of house music then off to the ice cream shop for some yummy deserts read more

See all

Can't say much about the food-- the wings were not bad, large and expensive but typical of a touristy place. but the ambiance is quite nice and they serve beer and cocktails on the water. Good music -- okay drinks and a fabulous view! read more

Navy Pier Beer Garden - a view of the beach - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Was in town for business and made it a little vacation, coming into town a few days early. The weather was perfect so we headed to Navy Pier. We didn't know the beer garden was there but stopped for a few to enjoy the band and the views. A great addition to the pier! read more

Navy Pier Beer Garden - Incredible band we had the privilege to hear. - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

TALL COLD ONE Navy Pier's beer garden has decent food at prices that are surprisingly fair. Following a splendid architecture cruise down the Chicago River on 8/3/19, the family of Nichole C and I sauntered down the south edge of the pier to find a spot to eat. I cautioned them against stopping at any of those ridiculously touristy places (Bubba Gump, Haray Caray's, Giordano's). Tucked away towards the far east end, some people might not even know this place exists. They've got two bars at each end, separated by a stage for live music (a DJ was lazily spinning tunes when we paused for lunch). Counter service was speedy and employees were helpful. A 16oz cup of domestic light beer (Coors, Miller, High Life) was only $5.25, far less than what I expected. They had a wide variety of cocktails ranging from $10-12, plus wine and frozen alcoholic drinks. Large sodas were $3.25 for 32oz, not bad at all! My fiancée got an order of the loaded nachos for $8.25. They were the cheap kind of corn chips, topped with the cheap kind of cheese sauce, shredded lettuce, sour cream, and pico de gallo. Nichole C's parents got a Chicago style dog ($5) and popcorn shrimp basket ($10 w/fries). I enjoyed my beer brat ($7.25) more than I thought I would. The footlong Johnsonville brat came with sautéed onions but no sauerkraut; I added two kinds of mustard and ketchup which is perfectly acceptable cuz it's not a hot dog. Big difference, folks. Bread = 3.5 Circuses = 3.5 Seating is picnic benches. They're plentiful but nothing fancy. The views of Lake Michigan and the city skyline are fantastic on clear days. Though the beer garden was chill on our visit, I can imagine this area gets really rockin' once live music takes over. Maybe next time! * TL;DR * Unlike the myriad of other places at Navy Pier that will nickel & dime you at any opportunity (talking to you, Margaritaville), the Beer Garden is much more reasonable. Even if you don't feel like eating a full meal, at least grab a few cold brewskis for the walk back. Riva's is great if you want a nicer sit-down meal at the pier and don't mind "shelling out" a bit more for seafood (hah! food puns for the win), but if you're in the mood for something more easygoing, I'd definitely recommend checking these guys out. read more

See all

Walking along the pier on a sunny day is hot work. This is one of many places you can get a drink at outside. I liked that the area to sit was large and they have TVs so you can watch the game. A concession at each end makes it less crowded when ordering. They didn't have a beer he liked so we moved on. But it was a nice outdoor space. read more

See all

I have visited the Navy Pier Beer Garden many times. I love an outdoor concert when the venue is easy to get to, it's not too large and it's free. The acts booked here and fun and fitting for the venue. I live right next to the pier so it was super easy to catch some music on a Sunday afternoon or a week night. I must say I haven't been in a while because of COVID and now because of the crimes reported as of late. I know Navy Pier is addressing everything directly and hope there is a sense of normalcy and safety soon. I look forward to catching another show, perhaps when I have friends of family in town, looking to check out the pier. It's a beautiful destination for Chicago visitors and maybe locals too. read more

See all

My cousin and I meet here for a quick overnight and it was very nice. I love the outdoor feel. It was a beautiful day outside and topping it off with a drink made it even better. They had basic drinks but that did the trick. read more

Fun craft beer selection (Tangled Roots Brewing Company) with live music and an awesome view of the city! We tried a flight of 3 beers for $11 (hazy IPA, wheat beer, peach sour). read more

Navy Pier Beer Garden - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Overpriced place. Beers were not good, taste like watered down. View is nice: Lake Michigan.

It's a garden, so it's outside. Lots of seating in what appears to be three different spots along the pier. Small food options and of course, drinks are super expensive. Two frozen vodka lemonades for $11 each. The beer was cheaper but not much, and at least it was a larger pour than the lemonades. There is a stage for live music but none this evening. I don't know if it's seasonal but the pier is open and under some serious construction. Just keep walking, you can't miss the beer garden. read more

Navy Pier Beer Garden - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place two concession stands and a solid area of seating with a stage for local performers to entertain the tourists and locals. Food options are small, mainly mimicking fair style food, hotdogs, hamburgers, fries, pizza. During our visit there we just so happened to be on the pier during a night they offered fireworks which was a pleasant surprise! Food and drinks are a bit pricey but all-around good. Makes for a nice place to hang out and relax for the evening. read more

Navy Pier Beer Garden - Navy Pier time, fireworks, and music. - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Navy Pier Beer Garden (a.k.a. Landshark Beer Garden) is like a radio station, catch it at the right time it is entertaining, but catch it at other times it is just there. Twice we caught the Navy Pier Beer Garden (from this point forward referred to as the Beer Garden) when it was entertaining. On Sunday, the sounds of Fortunate Sun, a CCR tribute band led us to the Beer Garden. The Beer Garden is an enjoyable venue to view live acts free of charge. It is outdoors and has sufficient seating and some shade. There are a few concession stands that serve Land Shark, beer, and other beverages. By the way cups of draft beer start at $4.75. Not cheap, but far less than the $8 beer in a Las Vegas bar. The Beer Garden is as entertaining as the act playing on the stage. Fortunately for me, Fortunate Sun was entertaining. They looked and sounded like CCR. And so, the Beer Garden was entertaining. The Beer Garden has a variety of acts that perform on the stage. One day it might be a tribute band, and another it could be Dueling Pianos. During intermission, the Beer Garden is a nice place to drink a beverage and view the humanity on the Navy Pier and the boats in Lake Michigan. When we were here, we were entertained by the pirate boat. On Wednesday nights, the Beer Garden is a prime spot to watch the fireworks. On any night, the Beer Garden is an entertaining place to take in a mesmerizing illuminated Chicago skyline over Lake Michigan. Unfortunately, security puts a stop to this entertainment, when they shut down the Navy Pier around 10 P.M. on weeknights. The Beer Garden is an okay outside hangout spot near the east end of the Navy Pier. If you catch it when there is a great act playing on their stage or at night (especially during fireworks) it transforms into a great outside hangout spot. read more

Came here for a free Saturday night concert with the "Wedding Banned" and had such a good time! The band was excellent and there was plenty of room to spread out and dance. It would be nice if there was seating available but it might have been removed due to COVID. The beer prices are kind of expensive at $8 for a 16 Oz domestic but it's to be expected at Navy Pier. There are cheaper beer options further down the pier that you can bring over to the beer garden if you're watching live music. Will definitely return for more shows! read more

Ugh, WHY do I keep falling for this place? A friend tells me "free salsa lesson, and the Chicago Mambo Kings!" and I think "caliente!". I grab a hot man to salsa it up with me, and we meet my other darling friend. All good, right? Wrong. Packed-ass dance floor, overpriced weak drinks and too many overfed suburbanites. I like the concept of Navy Pier in general 'cos it keeps the tourists off Michigan Avenue, but I've got to let go of my occasional thought that I might have a good time there. Navy Pier would be great if it had about 20% less *stuff* packed into it. And my friend hilariously commented that the crew from "What Not To Wear" would go into seizures at the Pier. Not to be confused with the uncivilized couple we saw on the bus, apparently creating their pilot show "Why Not Everyone Needs To Breed" read more

Try the hickory smoked wings. I'm not going to lie, I was staring at all the food that passed me. The presentation was excellent, including the sushi... and I don't even like sushi. read more

As an out-of-towner but also someone who hates crowded touristy places, I both loved and hated this place. Great scenic views. Great place for people watching. If it were not for my buddy/tour guide I would not have had so much fun. But he made the trip great. We walked everywhere several times until our shoes fell apart and by the end of the day I was exhausted. I would say even though it gets crazy busy and crowded for people to still come here just to enjoy the great weather and get some fresh air while you can! read more

I haven't had a chance to try the food here but we came for the 4th of July and had a good time. From the looks of the food everyone was getting it was amazing - it sure smelled amazing. They had various bands playing so it was a great atmosphere. Staff are over all friendly. Great view of fireworks. read more

Location of beer garden puts it apart from other places playing live music.The view of the lake is awesome and one can enjoy fireworks on wednesdays and saturdays. The live music is sometimes nice but it depends what kind of music one likes. This place has lots of tourists. The food and bar close to elevated stage are good enough to grab a drink and quick bite. Overall a nice place to enjoy with family with lake view. read more

Good little walk-up stand to get a decent bite and a refreshing beverage. I got the Chicago dog, cheese fries, and a large soda and sat at one of the assortment of tables to choose from. Navy Pier is another must do while in Chicago. That being said, I got disappointed at the lack of good eateries on the Pier. I was really going for something authentic and local. Beer Garden doesn't have the best selection or taste but the convenience and speed make up for that and I would definitely recommend this as a place to grab a quality quick bite in a must see part of the city. read more

The bartender is rude & thief! I ordered 3 titos with club soda... she hands me 3, I sip one to make sure it's club soda (and not tonic).... after I sip it, I realize it's tonic. I let her know, and she rolls her eyes, and grabs them, empties the cups, remakes them & yells at me & says "you are not getting served again after this!" Even though she was rude, I still gave her a $3 tip.... but she had her own plan, and changed my receipt & gave herself a $13 tip! Fortunately my credit card flagged it, & I disputed it! She is a thief, unethical & an awful human!! read more

Good dancing music and a sizable crowd for an overcast Saturday afternoon. We were still able to find a table to listen and watch the festivities. A walk-up counter offers a bunch of different kinds of beer (as well as a kiosk right before the tables and crowd start), not cheap but not ridiculous (I've paid more...). Ordered two Coors and listened to a mash-up, a sub-par Lady Gaga, and some classics (they should have stuck to the classics). Definitely a fun atmosphere. read more

Navy Pier Beer Garden - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Great place to visit with Lake Michigan right next to you. They have live bands. I had an awesome wheat beer perfect on this hot summer day. Not very location. Will definitely come back if the weather is good. read more

Navy Pier Beer Garden - Get different types of beverages here - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here with my buddy this past weekend, the live music gets 5 stars but the beer gets 1. We ordered 2 Peroni's and they tasted absolutely horrible. They were not Peroni, not even close.. didn't finish them. If you are a beer garden in one of the most popular destinations in North America... make it good!!! read more

Navy pier beer garden is your payoff for walking to the end of the pier. Excellent band and lake/city views make for a memorable experience. After walking around all evening it's a nice spot to relax and enjoy a couple domestic brews (hadn't had a Miller Lite for a while). Lots of activity in the marina and quality people watching abound. Heard to a pretty neat wedding toast on one of the cruise ships docked near our seat. Speaking of perches, steer clear of kids feeding the birds - plenty of seagulls looking for dinner. The beer garden is a casual spot to enjoy part of an evening before your long walk back to shore. read more

Serve yourself is faster than any wait staff could be. It's a great setup. Nice beers, decent music, always great skyline.

welllll.. the perfect pairing.. on the water, chicago breeze, sun shining .. ugochi musical aficanisland vibe.. giraying with healing lyrics !! ummm 10 ft social distancing tables.. face covers mandatory upon entry.. two bars.. one in each end !! i did not eat or drink anything .. anyone had to touch!! brought all my own .. legal?? hmmm. so good!! read more

We set & listened to live music. Nice breeze coming off the lake Michigan in June. Warm day & it was a nice spot.

I'm not going to sit here and say Navy Pier is the place to see and be seen in Chicago. It's mostly tourists, kids, families and suburbanites getting "a taste of Chicago" in the most un-Chicago environment I can possibly think of in Chicago. Ugh. However there's an oasis at the very end of Navy Pier in the form of the Beer Garden. You'll get wallet-raped paying $5 for a can of Miller Lite, but $5.50 for a Blue Moon? Not bad, my friends. The extra 50 cents is well spent to upgrade to a nice beer over beer flavored water. There's bags, there's cute tables, there's live, free music and possibly my favorite activity ever, extreme people watching. All types here, for sure. The best part? The view, of course. I swear, there are times when I'm on or near the water and I see the amazing Chicago skyline and I can't believe I live here. I think, "This is MY city." And I fall even more in love with Chicago. So maybe it's okay sometimes to fall into the tourist traps. They kinda sorta have a way of making me love my city more than ever. read more

Navy Pier Beer Garden - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

No love for the Pier's beer? Really? Well I for one enjoy this part of summer! Ultimately at least 2-3 times a year we end up here either for a movie, someone visiting who wants to go or just taking the ferry ride from the Field Museum. And yes, there are tourists. Lots of them. Therefore, beer is needed. The tourists will take up all the seating at the restaurants so that's why the beer garden is needed. I can always walk up and grab a cold one there for $4. Then sit alongside the lake and watch nature and boats go by. Ignore the children and parents behind you. On even better days there's live music to tone out the dull sound of lost people with their Build-A-Bear and American Girl packages. Maybe it's because I still feel like a tourist at times in my own city so this doesn't bother me - I loathe the idea of going to Navy Pier but the Beer Garden makes it soooo much better! read more

We were here in the off-season, so it's hard to judge what it would be like in prime time. The view is lovely - the water was bright and greenish blue the day we were there (not the steely gray Lake Michigan can sometimes be) and we could watch birds, look at lighthouses, and observe the boat tours coming and going. Since it was sunny but cold and windy we had plenty of personal space and didn't have to fight for a seat. Beer prices: high and what you'd expect to pay at a concert or a ball game. Beverage prices overall: fountain soda is probably your best deal; it's literally cheaper to buy a big soda than a bottle of water. There was a cocktail shack in front of us but I didn't get a peek at prices because we were on the side behind the bar. Food: pretty reasonably priced in terms of concession food. Fries were $3, cheese fries were $4, a soft pretzel with cheese was in that same neighborhood as well. I got cheese fries and they were undercooked and cold within a couple of minutes of sitting down. My boyfriend got pepperoni pizza and it was fine - the flavor and crust texture is similar to a Stouffer's French bread pizza (a childhood staple - my brother and I thought they were so cool for some reason). My BF's mom got a Chicago-style hot dog; it was your average concession dog with a pickle spear and onions. It was reportedly fine but nothing to write home about. The beer garden isn't a destination I'd put on my list if you're visiting, but it serves a purpose at the end of the pier. read more

Wow you guys really hate this place dont you? Well I DONT! yeaaa it's like $4.00s a beer, and it's crowed but SHIT! -The music is FUN -Your RIGHT ON the LAKE!! -WED & SAT THERES FIREWORKS maybe its cause i used to work on navy pier soo it holds a special place in my heart but i love love LOVE having summer nights that involve me and my friends drunk dancing to good music, and watching the fireworks explode! ps if you dont like the prices-why dont you just get the party started b4 you head out that night lol Pre-gaming! read more

Nice place at the very end of the pier for you to sit back and enjoy a nice cold alcoholic drink. They have lots of beer on tap. I got the Van Gogh Palm Arnold drink and it was really yummy and refreshing. The place has 2 bars on both ends and lots of patio seatings for you to rest and soak in the nice view of the Chicago skyline and Michigan Lake. Lots of good music accompanying the view. read more

So, as a native Chicagoan, it's rare that I will venture to our "tourist attractions" (but for our amazing museums, which I should really go to more often...and White Sox games of course). So onthe occasion of my best friend from the UK moving to Chicago to go to Kellogg, I got to play tourist for the weekend. We went to Navy Pier and mozied down to the end of the pier to the Beer Garden. Heaven!!! Not too crowded despite the amazing Sunday weather (no lines for drinks!). Funky live raggae music wafting on the breeze off gorgeous lake Michigan. We sat looking out over the amazing lake as boats sailed by, filled with waving passengers, sipping Delicious daquiris and Miami Vices (Strawberry Daquiri + Pina Colada...as if you didn't know!) Friendly staff! Outdoor drinking at it's finest!!! Though truly the opposite of a hidden gem, to me it was an as-of-yet unknown treat! I felt like I was on vacation in my own city! Hurry and check it out before it closes for the season!!! read more

Chicago dog, warm Chicago day, on Lake Michigan. One of the best places to be in the country during summertime, in my opinion. A wonderful spot in Chitown and hope it's not too long until I make it back! read more

This was a real busy. Here is the thing- I am from Denver so if you want a REAL beer garden don't go here. This was just merely out of convenience so we went. Beer was over priced (but this is a tourist place so that was a give in) food was not good (again tourist place). I did like how you could walk around with your beer...because we left and walked around. read more

We had a great time drinking and eating and watching the fireworks on a busy July 4th. Chicken quesadilla was good. Shrimp basket was very good. Cocktails were weak. Order beer or wine instead. Handles the crowds well. Might go back someday. read more

Lots of tourist! and AARP convention in the middle of the beer garden while Funkadesi is playing WTF? I have never been to the beer garden before but it was pretty entertaining. Drunk guy falls with a bag of McDonald's food in his hand...(he wasn't hurt which made it funny) A guy proposes to his girl on stage with Funkadesi, and of course the main reason why I stomached a TON of tourist wearing I love Chicago t-shirts was to enjoy the sounds of Funkadesi. Great view of the Lake as well. read more

My boyfriend and I went to the Miller Lite Beer Garden twice in 3 days last week, first for live salsa on a Thursday night then again on Saturday for the Latinxt festival. Both bands were awesome and there was plenty of room to sit or to dance. There are also plenty of trees to provide shade from the sun. However, on Thursday night they were vastly understaffed and the lines to get a drink were so long we just ended up going to the vending machine to get a bottle of water. On Saturday they had many more registers and stands open and only then did they live up to their name as a beer garden. Perhaps they underestimated the salsa crowd (never underestimate the salsa crowd), but hopefully they will increase staffing and efficiency on Thursday nights. Also, keep in mind that it takes forever to walk down there. It's a really long pier and the beer garden is on the end of the pier. So if you want to see a certain band allow enough time to get there. read more