Whispers at Oak Street Beach

I love this unique restaurant bar on the beach! The service here is always great. Just today I had a frozen pina colada and a frozen margarita and the girl who was the bartender was just sleeping with happiness and joy. The music here is great the drinks are great. The pizza is great! Only been in Chicago for about two and a half years and I'm so glad that whispers exist. I don't have to spend the money on a flight to Cancun when I can just go to whispers!

The view was nice, but the service left much to be desired. We had a reserved table for a birthday party and waited about an hour for our food, which was served in takeout boxes without any silverware—despite having a bottle of vodka and champagne on the table. To make things worse, staff kept clearing the table and even took our glasses with drinks without asking if we were finished.

Update: We had been to this lovely place again for Bollywood party and it was too good! Tried the margarita pizza with veggie toppings and that was super delicious, very friendly staff amazing service. This pizza had good crust and flavor, definitely recommend this place 🤤😍 We had been there only for the music which was amazing! Too expensive for anything to munch on 🙈pls don’t judge me for this Since my only purpose was to enjoy the music I did enjoy the music n crowd Definitely coming again for the weekend party but not for the drinks or food 😂🙈

I didn’t order food just drinks - my frozen margarita hit the spot on a very humid / hot day. However the pizza does look good so I’ll come back to try it lol! ✨😊🍸 I went for an event and it was a lot of fun - which was in a separate area.

Located at oak Street views with amazing views of Lake Michigan and the city skyline, this place is welcoming for walkers, bikers and beach goers. We were warmly greeted and seated at a lakefront table. The tables are surrounded by beautiful vining flowers which were in full bloom during our visit. The service was very good. The prices are a little steep but the location and the city share demand it. We had the beach burgers , which arrived hot with melted cheese, plenty of toppings and a generous side of fries. They were delicious. Other sandwiches and entrees were also available. We didn’t drink since we were navigating the bike path, but there is a fully stocked bar and plenty of drink choices. Overall, a great place for drinks, meals and people watching.

The Parmesean wings are good . The food is pricey but goid. The atmosphere is great!! You can't beat being off the lakefront..

only rating 3 stars for the view. service at the bar was subpar, borderline rude. when I asked for a martini, which is a pretty standard drink for a bar, i was told “this is not a martini bar”. lol. bartender seemed overall annoyed with any request. probably wouldn’t return to the bar but the beach was beautiful.

We only had drinks here but looking at the photos of the food, I am definitely feeling like we had missed out on some good bites! It is to be expected on any warm holiday or gorgeous summer weekend day in Chicago that they will be busy. I had an expression martini and it was good, the rest of the table ordered a bucket of beers, so yeas I would say this is a good spot for smaller groups. The busier it is it will be harder for larger groups to get a table. Over all though, we managed no issues with getting a table on 4th of July when it was pretty busy. The views are the lake, just steps away and an upfront view of the skyline.

Perfect view of the beach. Good food, music, and drinks. The food portions are huge and the carne asada fries were amazing. Would definitely come back

TERRIBLE SERVICE! POORLY TRAINED. STAFF. DON'T DO IT! Waited an HOUR for food and just ended up leaving. The order still wasn't ready, after a hour. Waiter took our order and never came to check on us. I had to ask him, how long the food would take. Great View of the lake, not worth the hassle, at all.

Nice beach vibes, good dj playing music. No parking at all, so be prepared. Food was decent. Overall good vibes. Will be back next summer. Drinks were good but a tad pricey.

I came in today with my daughter. We had to wait like 6 mins and were seated. It was busy it took about 15-20mins for our waitress to come. It was really busy and they seem to be short on wait staff so it was understandable. I don't remember who our waitress was but she an older women who had a great attitude. They carry wines, champagne and beers. Food wise they have salads, burgers, hot wings, tacos etc! We ordered Buffalo wing with ranch and blue cheese, guacamole and chips, I had a regular pina colada and my daughter had a virgin one. Our food came out fast about 15 mins. Everything was very tasty! My only complaint was that they could have cooked my wings for a couple mins longer. They weren't raw they were just a little under what I personally prefer. So next time I will tell them to cook them "hard". The ranch and the blue cheese sauce both had good flavor. The guacamole was good. Not overly limey just perfect. My pina colada was blended to perfection. It was really good! Now it was kind pricey. My total was $81! The views were immaculate and the vibes were chill! An automatic 18% gratuity was added. I really enjoyed everything so I will be back.

So much to love about this place! Great location and nice to have good access to great food and drinks while at the beach. They also have good dj's keeping it entertaining. Prices for convenience and location not bad either! Can't wait for summer to go back!

Marius the manager is the reason for our review and probably for the fact that they don't have high reviews in general. We bought tickets to the Fourth of July party and he refused to give us the one drink The tickets promised although we offered tickets receive something they haven't run out of: if you buy a ticket to an event here prepare accordingly and know you won't get your moneys worth

I had a great time here! I'm surprised there are so many unfortunate reviews?! :( They obviously didn't go when our bartender Melissa was working; she's amazing!! So fun and hilarious! We came over for some drinks while hanging out at the beach and had so much fun hanging with her! Suggested so many cool things to do and festivals going on:) lovvveeeeeee her! Melissa you're gem!! Can't wait to go back and hang with her next time we're in the city! Make a special trip:)

This spot is so cute and such a nice way to enjoy a summer evening. We came here for a dinner on the beach before the fall season comes around, and I'm glad we finally got to try it! Service was very nice but slow because it was quite busy. Our drinks took a bit but were very refreshing- I liked my pineapple sunburn without the simple syrup. We also got the carne asada fries with the meat on the side - the meat was scrappy, but the fries were super tasty and filling. My ahi tuna poke salad was delicious and fresh, though there was no spicy mayo on it like described on the menu. Overall everything was great, but the food was definitely overpriced. I would still recommend this spot though for a nice warm evening on the beach!

Listen your at Oak St beach sipping Margaritas to see and be seen. It's summer in the city and everyone is dressed for it. There's eye candy in all shapes and sizes. The margaritas are $20 but that comes with a DJ blasting euro EDM? You've got the skyline behind you, the beach and the beautiful people infront of you. This is literally just across the street from Michigan ave. It doesn't get more convenient. Life is good!!

Came here for a Fourth of July event yesterday and the service was great but there was a major discrepancy. The ticket price included one drink and when you got to the bar, they told you it HAD to be a white claw. That was not listed or I wouldn't have bought the ticket considering I don't drink seltzers.

I wasn't expecting much from this place but the food exceeded my expectations! I highly recommend their portobello burger. Good food and great views. Service could definitely be better.

The service wasn't great. It took a very long time to have our orders in and then to even ask for napkins afterwards. I would understand if it was packed but it wasn't. The food was very mediocre and salty, wasn't worth the price. We asked for one adjustment to have sauce on the side and that wasn't followed through. The only thing about this place is convenience on the beach otherwise I wouldn't go again.

This place almost tries to be unsuccessful. First of all, the prices for drinks are insane. For two frozen margaritas - each in an average size plastic cup I paid $42. Never again. Not only are the drinks expensive but they charge an automatic 18% gratuity! When I walked up to the place with my dare, the "greeter" at the front was smoking a cigar. He was really gruff. Not friendly at all. This place needs to lower its prices and the guy at the front needs to be friendly. And put out the cigar.

Loved the vibe here! We started out with the ahi tuna nachos which were definitely a good amount to share, I recommend for anyone who needs their raw fish fix. The table also got the carne asada tacos and a side of fries, not pictured, and the tacos were OK, but not necessarily worth the amount of money. Fries were crispy and a good amount. The drinks here are actually the most fairly priced, and great to those who like sweeter drinks. Service was pretty OK. Overall, definitely a place you go to for the vibe (feels like a destination away from Chicago) and for the drinks. I recommend you just order your drinks and sit out on the picnic tables.

The vibes are immense here. We were walking by with our dog and stopped in for a drink. Nothing like a pina colada on the beach! It's expensive but it's worth it on a night with good weather. Good tunes too! Just a good time all around.

It feels like I escaped off to Greece for just a few hours! Whispers is a great little hangout if you're down by the beach and looking to soak in the phenomenal lake & skyline views! We came during the sunset and it was breathtaking! The staff is extremely friendly and the ambience is phenomenal. If I may suggest: order the frozen margarita! It's lethal (literally just frozen tequila slush) and packed full of flavor! The salmon ceviche was extremely fresh & tasty. I was impressed. And the french fries have that extra bready crunch that you may feel guilty about later, but it's perfect in the moment.

Service - 5/5 Food - ordered shrimp tacos, which look great, went to take a bite and realized they were cold. Not even an attempt at warming up tortilla. Asked to receive hot tacos (esp for $26 for 3), got brought back the cold tacos I sent back and asked if I still want them . Eventually got lukewarm tacos and just decided that's the best it is going to get. Fished out a bunch of unpeeled shrimp tails. I guess this place is worth the view ? Maybe ?

Great place to grab some lunch and a drink. It's right on the beach and very open. The fish tacos smelled a little fishy but also could have been the water we were right next to! The service was okay, we had 2 people try to take our orders which was a little awkward. Great drinks and food, would recommend!

Only thing worthy is the location. Waitstaff was dismissive. Four over cooked chicken tenders for $25.00 yes you saw this...$25.00 Ahi nachos were prepared as well on the cheap for $28.00. The French fries were a deal at $8.00. Bathrooms were disgusting.

Great location! Food was very overpriced and underwhelming. I was prepared to pay $24 for three tacos, but there were no sides, salad, or anything. Bees. They had bees. No coffee at all unless you want to go over to the "coffee" shop outside the restaurant. It was weird. Coffee was on the menu tho. It's on the menu, but you can't get it at the restaurant. Pftttt....Just a weird experience. So many beautiful places in Chicago. Probably don't go here. Service was good and the reason I'm giving it two stars. lol

Had a party of 10 to celebrate my birthday and it was enjoyable overall. The front desk and server were understanding and prompt taking care of our table when our party was running behind. We all enjoyed our frozen margaritas and also had a round of shots. I ordered the carne asada tacos and they were extremely delicious! We paid about $590 for our group including tax and gratuity. The prices are a little higher, but reasonable with the location and lake views you get.

Love Whispers. I come here every year for my birthday in the summer and it feels like I'm in Florida. Food is good, nothing out of the park, but definitely improved since I went last year. Service is always perfect and they do a great job celebrating for birthdays.

Why people rate this place low??? I have no freaking clue why!!! The food is amazing :) we ordered Ahi Tuna salad, burger, chicken wings and tacos- they were delicious considering this place is a beach restaurant:) Julie was our waiters wonderful manner and service!!! The ambiance was perfect!! I mean it's a freaking beautiful place:)) I'll attached some pictures for you. I had so much fun with my friends here. I highly recommend this place!!

This place is exactly as you'd expect--great exciting location right on Oak Street beach with food that it's a bit overpriced and justified through its location. Even though this is the case, this place is a great experience right off the beach and the views are immaculate. The food is also surprisingly good. I got to try their lamb burger and it was flavorful and tender. I'd highly recommend the chimichurri steak sandwich--it was nice crispy, garlicky steak sandwich that was a bit small but very flavorful and delicious. Good (but overpriced) food, great views, and the ability to smoke some hookah--what more could you ask for?

Do not go here. Amateur hour. Ordered food and server said it would be out in a few minutes. Over ONE HOUR later she tried to avoid our table. We ordered drinks and asked for fries while we waited since my kids were hungry and had waited well over an hour. We got up and left after 75 minutes of waiting for NOTHING. Yes it's convenient if you're at the beach but walk 5 min down Michigan ave to find anywhere else.

DOG FRIENDLY DATE SPOT. I'm clearly on a role for dog friendly places with the new puppy. We found another gem in our beautiful city with whispers. Great to sit right by the water and have a drink. It's amazing how we have a gorgeous view on all sides here and a great opportunity to walk after our drinks. We will be here throughout the summer I'm sure.

The food, ambience has. R one wonderful. I love Kate lunches here with their new menu. Crab/cucumber salad too good and decor beautiful. Great job!

This is a beautiful setting for a restaurant. It is on Lake Michigan. There is a large outdoor space. The food is good but the ambiance is exceptional. It is a pretty space. Reservations are recommended. You can reserve on Open Table. My friends also thought the food was fine except the Fries which were soggy

Cool bar right beside the beach. Perfect for a drink after a day at the beach. I didn't have food, so I can't speak to that but the drinks were decent but very pricey ($16 for a pina colada and $5 for water). It was pretty busy when I was there but the line at the bar moved fast.

$25 for the tiniest portion of chicken fingers I've ever seen. Didn't even include French fries. We also ordered the ahi nachos. They were soggy and again, portion didn't match the $28 price tag. Service was really slow and I saw one of the cooks eating French fries off of peoples plates as he was putting them up. This place is over priced. I wish it wasn't so. The location is great.

Ah, 40 bucks for 2 sugary margaritas (not much alcohol). Service is fast though, kept the long ass line short and the table cleaned so 4/5 for that! Ended up justifying overpriced, non alchy margs for "the experience" next to the beach and still had a great time. Definitely pricey though.

The service was bad. Staff rushed us out. Charged for water. Was told to wait 2 hrs while the table was empty. This place really needs to work on their service. The staff there was rude. I got stop with my child when walking inside the restaurant after my family already checked-in. It looks like this restaurant is more thrilled w the club than restaurant. There was no fork or spoon provided till asked and only one set was given and we had 4 people in the table.

What an amazing spot! Love the view, the food and the service was amazing One more reason I Chicago . Thank you Gabriel for getting us seated

Came here because leaving work early was on my agenda all day and thank you baby Jesus that my bartender was Laura! I mean she made my experience beyond memorable! Very friendly, quick, funny and beyond attentive. It was so hot out and she always made sure that we had a cool alcoholic drink in our hands! Customer service at this bar wasn't lacking at all!!! I need to try their food but BRAVO for having such an amazing bartender. We will return for more summer fun xoxo

The only reason this place even gets two stars is that it's on the lake with a decent view. When coming here have low expectations on the food and you might not be disappointed. We started with the chips and guac and decided after getting them to not order anymore food. Part of the restaurant was closed for a private event which was pretty much a mid day rave. We had a reservation so no issues being seated but all the tables around us were dirty and took forever to be cleared. The beer is reasonably priced for downtown and on the water with a view (The only reason this place is getting two stars) The "bathrooms" - portajohns and a trailer with stalls(better then the portajohn) need to be checked regularly and cleaned. Everyone that went to the bathroom from our group complained on how dirty the bathrooms were. Bring your own hand sanitizer and get cans of beer and enjoy the view.

Nice place on the Oak Street Beach to sit and enjoy the breeze on the waterfront. Hard to find the entrance - it is the white picket fence on the street side. Stopped for a drink while walking on the Lakefront Trail. Was going to get an frozen drink but changed our mind. Bartender had a good sense of humor, the beer was not cold & when I asked for an iced glass, he gave me a glass of ice :) Clean bathrooms. Only 3 stars because the only water they offer is bottled water for $5. #Recommended #VickieTravelz

Went here for drinks with some coworkers. I was very excited to hit up a beach bar. We got sat right away with a nice view of the lake. We ordered drinks , a lot of our table ordered either pina coladas or the bay breeze. As the servers carried our drinks to our table, they spilled and dropped the whole tray, so they had to remake everything. That took some time, but I understand mistakes happen. We were also confused as to why the staff was taping up a tarp /covering over the bar in the middle of dinner time, seems like they should have been on ladders and handling this before the restaurant opened, If they wanted the bar out of direct sunlight. Drinks were about $15-18 and could have definitely been stronger for the price, but I guess you're paying for the experience of being right on the beach too. The shrimp tacos were tasty and served with chips and salsa. The server was able to cash us out separately on the handheld electronic device which made it very convenient.

Came for my girlfriend's late birthday lunch last week. Made reservations but didn't seem needed - maybe it's because we came on a random weekday. We ordered the shrimp tacos, ahi tuna nachos, and the chicken, bacon avocado sandwich. Though we enjoyed the food, we saw a hair in the ahi tuna nachos (see pic). I didn't want to make a fuss so we ate on the other half of it. Seems like food inspection has been an issue before though? 3 stars mainly for the nice waitress, the tacos, fries, and the nachos that didn't have hair in it. The sandwich was just okay. Views were nice and calming. I can see how this place can get busier on summer weekends. Might give it another try one day for drinks and if we're at oak street beach again.

We were served raw chicken. Not just a little undercooked, they didn't even bother to cook it at all.

Super cute spot when visiting Chicago. My son really enjoyed his virgin pina colada as well as the smores we ordered. Beautiful views and great spot for people watching.

Worst neighbor imaginable. After repeated interventions from the local aldermen the folks who run this place continue to disturb an entire neighborhood with loud music, bass beat etc for hours on end. There are hundreds of apartments within earshot of their location who are assaulted again and again by their loudspeakers. The Chicago police keep trying to get them to turn down the volume, but nothing seems to work. Awful, awful, awful. PLEASE DO NOT GIVE THEM YOUR BUSINESS,. WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER GREAT CHOICES NEARBY RUN BY PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS!

Came to Whispers on a Tuesday afternoon and was surprised at how relaxing it was! It's a pretty large space, with separate sections based on whether or not you plan on dining in. There is also a sandy area closer to the lake with great views and plentiful chairs and loungers. When we visited, people were sipping drinks while reading books, which was pleasant. I think that the music here could've been a bit louder, as we were sitting right next to the speaker and could barely hear it. However, the food menu is great and the drinks (while expensive) were strong! Will definitely be bringing visitors here in the future for that beach vibe.

This has to be one of the worst beach bars in Chicago. I have been sitting for 45 minutes and have no drink. I asked the waiter for a drink list- he told me they do not have one, then he told me he could tell me what beer they had only to not know about it hat beers they had. If 0 stars was an option I would give them 0. After 45 minutes this is all I have at the table, no water no nothing. Th waiter also came up to me and asked how everything was seeing we have no drinks after ordering from Him 35 min prior. Terrible service and terrible experience

Great Atmosphere and view, but the customer service is not good--( I was disappointed with my recent experience at your restaurant. Firstly, I found it inappropriate for the waiter to comment on the cost of the grilled shrimp plate when I attempted to order it for my party. And he said it was expensive. Additionally, while I am fond of animals, I have a dog allergy. I didn't find it comfortable when two unleashed dogs wandering near our table significantly detracted from our dining experience to the extent that we could not complete our meal comfortably. I hope you'll address these concerns to ensure a professional dining environment for all patrons.

It's open and welcoming guests! We love riding our bikes I'm down here for a cocktail and snack. The best!

My friend and I were visiting Chicago for the first time this past weekend ( August 27, 2022). We rented bikes and rode from Navy Pier to North Ave beach. On the way back we saw Whispers and thought it looked so cute right on the beach. We parked our bikes and as we walked toward the entrance, two men that appeared to be bouncers, immediately said, "nope, nope." and made hand motions for us to leave. Am I missing something here or is this typical for touristy Chicago lakefront stops? We clearly weren't welcome whatsoever :( Sad. (fyi, we were there about 7 pm, on Saturday).

Good drinks, didn't have the strawberry or mango purée. Had the raspberry daiquiri and the wings. 6 wings for $25 (with taxes) was not really worth it. Their chips and salsa were $21 ‍ BUT the daiquiri was really good and very balanced. Would recommend coming here for the drinks and views. Definitely would be fun to bring the girls for a drink before the bars. But not the food. Wish there was more variety and better pricing

Been coming here for a couple years now. The food is generally good, staff are generally friendly, and the view can't be beat. Just be aware - this has become a very expensive place to eat for good but not exceptional food - and you might be especially surprised if you've been here in past years. A burger went from $18 in 2021 to $26 in 2022, and nachos went from $22 in 2021 to $32 in 2022. Part of the price increase is no doubt food prices going up, but a $26 burger and $32 nachos become a tough sell when Castaways (just up the Lakefront Trail and also on Lake Michigan) still sells their burger for $15.

Food is decent, views are cute. Do ask for an itemized receipt before checking out though. Random sides and sauces added to our bill, items don't check out to menu prices. I imagine they're expecting the boozy beach crowd not to care but.. that extra $5 per bill adds up. Quit playing friends -_-