The J Parker

Go for the view. Drinks are pricey and just fine. Not sure the fuss in other reviews about the staff – our waitress was attentive and perfectly nice. Wouldn’t touch the food if I were you. But that view though…

I can’t say anything more than what others have said — great view, great drinks, but fairly expensive.

Can’t beat the view from the J Parker in the summer! It definitely gets crowded on nice days, but as long as you can get up there, you’ll be able to grab a drink and take in some of the views! Cocktails are good and wines by the glass are reasonable!

So over pretentious «hot spots». Come for the view (if you need to) then dash away. The service here is awful!!! Carson, our server only cracked a smile when she presented the check. Find a new line of work, girl. We came on a Saturday before the rush but instead got the brush-​off. Note to servers: when a guest asks about the food, don’t wait 35 MINUTES to ask if you want to order something. Have you never heard of hanger? Too many other great options to return here.

I have mixed feelings about J Parker and I dont know that 3 stars is fair but I feel that 2 stars would be too harsh. I have visited the place a handful of times and my experience here has been all over the place. Sometimes is awesome, and sometimes is meh. Things to point out about JP. The view is great, the vibe is cool, the drinks are awesome, the patrons wear sperries and the menu is tiny and way too overpriced.
I have tried the food but there are only 5 choices on the menu so it’s hard to judge. The food is not bad but it’s way too overpriced for what you get. A slider shouldn’t cost nearly 10 bucks because it’s a slider for gods sake. It costs less then a dollar to make. What a rip off??? So in my opinion, the menu doesn’t have to be humongous but there should be more choices and they shouldn’t hurt your pocket.
I will visit the place again but I am in no rush to get there any time soon.

Tried The J. Parker after work on a Wednesday. I’ve heard, in spite of amble patio space, that seating can be hard to come by. However, we arrived around 5;30 to find plenty of selection, though space in the sunlight was scarce. I started with the «Life On Mars?» (nod to the late David Bowie) which was an excellent take on an Old Fashioned. We placed a food order for their Asparagus Salad and a side of fries (I’m a red-​blooded American after all), which arrived promptly. Both were delicious. I switched to «Space Oddity» which I found to be overwhelmingly sweet, but the waitress was kind enough to replace it for me, on the house.
Overall, excellent experience — would highly recommend a weekday visit to avoid the crowds

I came here Saturday night and really enjoyed my time there. The patio is beautiful and even though it gets a little crowded, the views and ambiance are fantastic. I’ve been here a few times before and definitely plan on coming back again and again!

I was in awe of this bar. The views are absolutely beautiful regardless of at night or when the sun is up. You can see the lake and the city. It’s wonderful. The drinks are really great as well. I ordered a couple off of their cocktail list and was very happy with both. The bathrooms were clean disputed how many people were there and we were able to find a seat after just a few minutes on a crowded Saturday night. Can’t wait to go back. It’s great for these gorgeous summer nights.

The view is spectacular. But unfortunately that is the only good thing about this place.
We went tonight and I was very disappointed. The waitress was less than enthused to serve us. Fine. It could have been a bad day for her. I didn’t take away any stars because of her, necessarily. She took our order, brought us our drinks, and did her job. The cocktails were so so and in plastic cups. Not very tasty or innovative. For $ 13 I would at least hope the bartenders would try to make a rich cocktail. But I get it. I’m paying for the view, really. And the plastic cups were more for wind factor, I suppose.
What really irked me about this place was. After we paid for our drinks, we walked over towards the view to enjoy it and I wanted to get a picture of my husband and I (as we were celebrating our anniversary) and I didn’t want to interrupt any of the guests that were enjoying their conversations. So I spotted a busboy, literally steps away from us, he was chatting with a table, so I waited as to not interrupt. And then asked him if he would take a photo of me and my husband. He very reluctantly said yes, took a photo, and then handed the phone back to us. And then immediately started griping about me to the table next to him. So unprofessional. I thought that was SO RUDE. I’m sorry, you cannot work at a location like the J Parker, with a nice view and not expect people to ask you to snap a picture.
I wish I had a better time at this place. It so lovely and could be a nice spot. But all they rely on is their view.

The three stars are solely for the view. Definitely one of the best… if not THE best in Chicago… hence the overcrowding factor on sunny rooftop days and super pricey, mediocre drinks. It’s really tough to get a seat on those beautiful days because people, understandably so, camp out. I wish it wasn’t open seating, but it is what it is. The staff seemed super overwhelmed too. So, just an ok experience for me, but that view is so gorgeous, I will be back.

The entrance to The J. Parker was a little hard to find after my Über dropped me off at the address but once you locate the elevator in the back the experience definitely gets better. I went after the sun set so I didn’t get to take in the full extent of the view but the night time view was pretty impressive as well.
It was a bit odd that they served fancy wine in plastic glasses, but I was willing to look past that because I had great company and the ambience of the place was wonderful.

I’ve visited the J Parker on a few occasions and each time I leave wishing I was more impressed. The drinks are just alright, and don’t particularly stand out among other Chicago establishments. There is a check in process in the lobby area of the Lincoln Hotel which gives you an idea of how long you need to wait before you can take the elevator to the rooftop. Once at the top, some tables are first come first serve, and some are designated as reserved. I am not very keen on returning unless it would be to show someone a different view of the city. With the stretch of green againstt the blue lake, it really is quite pretty from up there.

My scale:
5 Stars: I recommend this without any exceptions. I will come back (more than once) and bring friends!
4 Stars: I recommend this under certain circumstances. Worth going, but ONE thing was off.
3 Stars: I was ok, but in a city like Chicago you can find better places. I wouldn’t come back.
2 Stars: Disappointed. I wouldn’t come back, even if it was the last place in Chicago.
1 Star: Don’t go here! Rip-​off, Tourist-​trap, dangerous, or something like this. Please close this place.
Beautiful rooftop bar, but the drinks are not that good. You pay for the view and the atmosphere, nothing else. I will come back, but we will see what I drink… maybe water :-(

What a great rooftop! Had brunch downstairs and perrenial verant and had to check out the j Parker rooftop after seeing an article on the best rooftops of Chicago and the j Parker was featured! Gorgeous views! I wish there was a tad more seating options but for such a small space it makes sense there wasn’t.

Even though we were here for very short time on a Monday evening, I had a great time. The drinks are a little pricey but it’s to be expected with a roof top bar. Great views of the city and the service was good too. I liked the retractable roof.

I’m very conflicted writing this review. Wavering between 2 and 3 stars. I say this because the view was beautiful! First nice day of the year where I didn’t need a coat, so this was the clear choice to enjoy the weather. However, the crowd was kind of douche-​y and the drinks were overpriced and meh.
It was crowded, but I was okay with that as it was to be expected on such a nice day! We waited about 15 mins to go up, and maybe 5 – 10 just looking for a place to sit. All of this just contributed to my questioning if it was really worth it.
They have these pre-​mixed cocktails served in plastic glasses, kind of like a club or something. That would be ok, except they charge upwards of $ 13 for them.
This is where the real disappointment happened. The specific drink I ordered was called «Water of Life» and it’s description read «ketel one, benedictine, st george spiced pear, thyme, lime». I went to the bar to order, and watched him pour two unlabeled bottles into the glass and then hand it to me. One was clear and the other was greenish. Then my friend ordered «The Rapture», which was described as «pelegroso blanco, Rosemary, PV Apple shrub, ginger, lime, red wine». This time he poured the same clear liquid into a glass and added a splash of red wine. Not sure what the different bottles were filled with, but it was surprising after reading the elaborate descriptions of the cocktails. Needless to say, I felt a little cheated.
The drinks tasted fine. The beer list was decent but slightly more expensive than other places. Same for the wine. We didn’t have any food. Overall I would go back for the view but maybe not expect much of the drinks.

Come here for the panoramic view of Lake Michigan and downtown. Of course, the J Parker is best in the summer, when the roof is wide open and the sun is setting. But, I also love this place in the winter. Being able to sit on a roof, but not freeze to death mid-​winter is wonderful. The drinks are good and creative. Yes, they are pricey, but you are paying for location and the atmosphere. I have always had great service for the staff, and when you get here early, you can scope out a seat for the rest of the night.

This place is awesome! They play great music with a live DJ. It’s an enclosed roof top in the winter with a great view of the city. In the summer it is all open. I recommend the ace and rights drink.

Upside: the fantastic almost panoramic views of the northside. A decent cocktail too, especially the pisco based one.
Downside: most times I’ve been here they’re drastically understaffed. I stopped by yesterday afternoon with a friend, sat at a table and a server never came to greet us or even mind taking our order, needless to say we left.
Best views in Old Town, but by all means hire more staff.

Only went for drinks, but had a solid section. Pretty typical bar, however the view is incredible. Overlooks Lincoln park and Lake Michigan. More of a date spot than a casual place to go with friends. Very cool spot though

This place is great for a rooftop in the area, no question. Views of the lake and park cannot be beat there. However the drinks/​beers are served in plastic cups and I just don’t feel that when I’m spending $ 14 per «craft» cocktail or expensive draft beer. Am I rite? Sweet roof deck though and worth visiting.

Even though this place is always crowded and you can hardly move, the views make it worth it.

Obviously, having the current Duchess title of this bar, I loved this place until a server tried to make a fool out of me!
I was a server too. You get more when you’re honest and naturally friendly with people.
Pros:
The view, the lovely staff

Obviously, having the current Duchess title of this bar, I loved this place until a server tried to make a fool out of me!
I was a server too. You get more when you’re honest and naturally friendly with people.
Pros:
The view, the lovely staff
Cons:
That waitress we got.

I took my friend here for her 25^th birthday. It was quite chilly outside but still okay for drinks on the patio. Views were flawless as always. We went on a Wednesday night around 6pm and were seated immediately.
The cocktails were subpar… Not worth the $ 13. We ordered an appetizer and each got the Jparker Burger… Which came with no fries and was quite small for $ 8. Overall, great vibe here but don’t come just for food. Stick with wine and snacks!

When you buy a house, they say you pay for the land/​location, not so much the house. At least that’s what one of my professors said once.
If that’s the case, then it justifies the 15 $+ drinks.
And it certainly did. I don’t know why this place didn’t have a line around the building. The view was unreal on the surprisingly beautiful day that we were so lucky to have.
Go take some pictures with your girlfriend or something. Or with your bros. There’s tons of bros for you to bro out with.

I came here on a Saturday afternoon for a mid-​afternoon drink with two girlfriends. Boy, the rooftop was already packed full of day drinkers.
They had a DJ in the open air part, which was cool but a bit loud. It was also obviously the area where the most people had been drinking all day, as the chairs were all arranged — in a semi-​disorderly fashion — to accommodate big groups. Just not my cup of tea.
We did hover around the five high tops by the elevator and eventually scored one of them. It was less loud yet still very close to the bar.
Pretty decent wine and beer selection overall. There were some pretty great-​sounding — and great-​tasting — cocktails, too. (My favorite was the Fine and Mellow: Jim Beam Black, Blood Orange Liqeur, Ramazotti Amaro, Angostura; $ 13.) Once we had a table, our waiter was very present — even though I doubt that the average patron was there for great table service.
Definitely a great spot for people watching over a nice cocktail in the sun.

This place is a 4 when it is not crowded and a 2 when it is. Given the views and the rooftop element, it’s pretty much guaranteed to have a crowd from happy hour on.
The drinks are pricey — around $ 12 and up per — and it is really crowded around the bar and takes a while to get the attention of the bartender. I would recommend getting a reservation or getting there early enough to have your selection of seats. There isn’t really a place to stand around the tables; you’re stuck standing at the crowded bar or in between tables.
The drinks weren’t anything special and the service wasn’t great when it was crowded, so I’d say check it out earlier if you want to get a quick drink and see the views.

I’m giving it 4 stars for the view, the drinks, our waitress. It was such a great place that hubby and I made plans to stay at the hotel for our anniversary and come back again to the J Parker.
We just got drinks… no food. But the friendly women that were nice enough to share their table had great looking apps.
Here’s my beef… We came on a Thursday night at 5:10. The hostess said we can sit where ever we want except the reserved spots. Well, there were so many empty reserved spots (about a third of the outdoor seats were reserved) that it was frustrating. Two nice women let us take two seats from their table. About 20 min later, I saw the hostess let some people sit at one of the reserved spots until the reserved party shows up. So they need a better system. For example, the hostess could have asked us if we were just having drinks, and then explain we would have to vacate the table at whatever time. We were out of there by 5:50 and the reserved spots were still all empty… except for the table she let other people sit at.
I asked about reservations… you need a big group and you need to commit to spending a certain amount. Certainly not something for 2 – 4 people.
In any case… it’s a unique spot with great drinks and a great view. The next time we come it will be a Sunday. I’ll let you know how crowded it is then…

I will start by saying that I visited the J. Parker on a Saturday evening, in Chicago, in the middle of summer, during the Air and Water show so high volume business was anticipated. You cannot argue with the beautiful view of Lincoln Park from this location IF you can inch your way over to see if. You’re also paying top dollar for the experience and not necessarily the quality. When it’s all said and done I wouldn’t say this is a ‘must-​stop spot’ but I would definitely only recommend it on a much quieter evening.

I’ve been to this rooftop a couple of times now. It’s located inside Hotel Lincoln. Must say it has some of the best views in Chicago. It’s situated on the 13^th floor I believe and you have 360 degree views of the city. With those views come long waits and high prices. I get it though.
My last visit was last weekend and the bouncers were so sweet to us. There was a ridiculously long wait to go upstairs around midnight and when we explained we already had friends up there he went over and beyond to help us get pass the line. When they said they were packed it was no joke… we could barely move when we got upstairs. Have to say though the music was on point. I tend to frequent other roof tops more, but this one will definitely remain on the list the next time I’m up North.

I came here with a group on Sunday, just as the elusive sun decided to show its stinkin’ face around here finally. We were warned that the group was meeting at 11:30 to try to snag a rooftop table, as it can fill quickly, but was still about half-​full when we arrived at 12:30. The couches are comfortable, the space is open and bright, and the view is great! We had a wonderful time splitting a few bottles of champagne and snacking on hand-​cut fries, shrimp ceviche, and even $ 1 cookies for dessert. The staff were all very friendly and accommodating as our group sorted out cash and credit cards and opened and closed different checks, clearing dishes and bringing new glasses, etc.
By 2 p.m. though we could see why we had arrived so early; the crowds were predatorily hovering uncomfortably close to our couch, ready to «just sit for one minute» every time someone from our group got up to go to the bathroom. I know you’d like a seat with a great view, but please, let people breathe and enjoy their time as well. Here is a helpful hint; if only one person has left the table, the group is probably not done. When everyone leaves the table, the group is done and you can feel free to swoop in, but otherwise please stop sitting practically on my lap and inviting your friend to move closer while you wait. The space is great, as usual it’s other patrons who are less than stellar. However, perhaps if you look less friendly or more intimidating than I, you won’t have a problem with the more obnoxious among them.

During my visit in Chicago, it was a must that I hang out on a rooftop. My girlfriend’s friend recommended The J Parker, so we decided to check it out since it was close to where we were staying.
Located in Hotel Lincoln, J Parker is the perfect place to hangout with friends. There’s a brief wait in the hotel lobby for the elevator, but there is no cover or obnoxious door guy.
There’s a good bit of seating, but if the house is full it may take a while to find a spot. Luckily, my girlfriend kept a good eye out and snagged a table shortly after walking in.
The cocktails are a little pricey, but the beers are reasonably priced. We order 2 rounds of crown/​sprite and 1 round of Tecate. In total, we spent about about $ 70 – 80. Had the drinks been slightly cheaper I would’ve given them 5 stars easily.
In addition to the ambiance, I absolutely loved the music selection. They played a mixture of Kanye, Common, Lupe and Justin Timberlake… but A LOT of Kanye. What better way to experience Chicago nightlife than on a rooftop blasting Kanye? It seriously felt magical (it was a full moon might I add).
We planned on bar hopping, but ended up spending the entire night there. Last call is at 1am, so if you’re a night owl, you may want to go to after hours to keep the party rolling.

Nice view from the rooftop! They have a good variety of drink choice. There are not that many choices from the food menu, but the asparagus and the fries are pretty tasty. I like the pineapple flavor in the lush life cocktail. The servers are nice and friendly too.
The only downside is that it’s kinda crowded space-​wise.

I toe the line of ‘to write or not to write’ this review.
I don’t want to publish it — because this place is so amazing.
If the views, open-​air, sun and fantastic service don’t sway you, please move on and let the rest of us clamor over an open space and seat.
We went last night (the patio is OPEN YEAR ROUND because of its new retractable roof!!!) and the sun set behind us, we watched cars pass on Lake Shore Drive and the blue waters of Lake Michigan lapped the blue sky.
Our server was so very sweet and attentive. I don’t recall her name but she was of UK/​Irish descent, maybe? Shout out to her!
I will be here a lot this summer — happy hours have never looked better.

The day was hot and humid with lots of overcast — which is normal for Chicago I hear. Can’t even get a good view on a summer day! Not fault of J. Parker of course.
Went in on a Saturday afternoon for drinks and light bites. The décor is vintage, trendy, and hip. Good music was blasting, loud enough to enjoy but soft enough to maintain a fluid conversation sans «huhs» and «wahs.»
For non-​locals like myself, the bus drops you right in front of the Lincoln Hotel (where J. Parker is located).
We didn’t have any problems with seating as the weather was not behaving as it should. The fog was a sleezy tease, intermittently clearing up but never letting us go beyond first base. It gave us a taste of the view but never beyond the red barn and only to fog up again within a minute.
The service was impeccable. We were tended to constantly. Side note, avoid the Crispin apple cider… gross.
The food was good, not amazing, good. Collectively we ordered hummus (good), cheese platter (good), crab beignet (good), pike walleye slider (dry).
Come here for the fun vibes on a sunny Saturday/​Sunday afternoon! Enjoy.

We visited here on a late Sunday night. We were supposed to join some friends and they never called so we opted to try it out ourselves.
J. Parker is located on the rooftop of the Hotel Lincoln which has a beautiful view of Lincoln Park.
We arrived around 11:00 PM and couldn’t help but notice that the patio was closed so we sat at the bar and ordered some champagne. It made perfect sense to me later why the rooftop was closed; it was a late Sunday night and Monday was a work day for the non tourists. :)
We chatted with the bartender Nikko who told us that Saturday night was the best time to visit.
I asked her how this place got the name of J. Parker and she told us how J. Parker was a guard at Ford’s Theater who went outside when watching President Lincoln. I’m glad I asked; pretty interesting history tip.
We still wanted to party the night away so we asked manager for some suggestions on where to go next. He gave us some great spots to try.
Everyone who worked there was super cool!
So I shall return on a Saturday night!