bar avec
Mediterranean restaurant · River North ·
Rooftop wine bar with Mediterranean small plates & city views
Rooftop wine bar with Mediterranean small plates & city views
"The best way to deal with Avec’s limited reservation policy and always-crowded dining room is to hit it up solo during the week. Sit at the bar with some bacon-wrapped-chorizo-stuffed dates, another small plate or two, and a glass of wine. This place is begging to become your new forwarding address. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen
"When all else fails, go to Avec. The food at this West Loop Mediterranean small-plates place always makes us happy—particularly staple dishes like the bacon-stuffed, chorizo-wrapped dates, and the taleggio flatbread. The communal dining room feels like a wooden shoebox, so you’ll probably be sitting elbow-to-elbow with strangers. But these strangers are having a wonderful meal, which means this crowded place is always enjoyable whether you’re here celebrating a birthday, or on a 76th date with the person you share streaming passwords with with. It’s imperative to eat at Avec at least once a year to remind yourself how reliably outstanding it is." - team infatuation
"You can never go wrong at Avec, and if you have the opportunity to eat here, we suggest taking it. The lunch menu is a little shorter than the dinner menu, but don’t let that discourage you. Lunchtime is when they serve sandwiches you can’t get in the evening, like one with roasted pork or a fantastic lamb burger. And most importantly, the chorizo-stuffed bacon-wrapped dates are always available. Get access to exclusive reservations at this spot with Chase Sapphire Reserve. New cardmembers get $300 in annual dining statement credits." - adrian kane
"One Off Hospitality fans who understand the cult following behind Avec, the West Loop’s quaint, small plates staple, understand why its second location—a River North rooftop, no less—is a big deal. Nearly two decades since that opening, the 12-time James Beard Award-winning restaurant group debuts this 8th floor haven, where the team showcases the same dedication to service and to the seaside flavors of Spain and Portugal. Replete with communal picnic tables, ample flora, and striking skyline views, consider it Avec l’original’s big-kid sister." - Nicole Schnitzler
"Bar Avec is the rooftop bar on the eighth floor above Avec River North. And it’s a perfect, low-key rooftop option that serves great food and won’t be overrun with tourists. The rooftop is shaded and filled with plants and trees, offering a great view of downtown. It also has a separate Spanish-inspired menu. Food options here include shareable plates like tuna tostada, shawarma fried chicken, and a lamb burger. And in case you were wondering: yes, they have the bacon-wrapped dates on the menu." - adrian kane, veda kilaru
