June brings a lot of things, including warmer weather, Father’s Day (and there’ll be a separate list of restaurants’ specials celebrating that)—and PRIDE.
Many Chicagoland spots are unveiling specials to celebrate and honor the LGBTQ+ community. Here are some of them:
—The Pendry Chicago’s lobby-level Bar Pendry, 230 N. Michigan Ave., is offering a brand-new limited-time specialty cocktail for Pride.
On June 22-30, the bar will serve Pride & Joy ($26)—a cocktail with Empress Gin, Gifford Lychee Lee liqueur, Mathilde Creme de Cassis black currant liqueur, lemon juice and a touch of simple syrup. Served with a cupcake from the LGBTQ+-owned Jeenivee’s Bakery, it’s a cool way to mark Pride. Moreover, a portion of proceeds from every Pride & Joy sold will benefit Brave Space Alliance, a Chicago-based Black- and trans-led center.
—Right next door, the cafe team at Venteux, 224 N. Michigan Ave., has crafted a rainbow of colorful drinks ($10 each) available exclusively during June.
For example, there’s the Blueberry Matcha, crafted with blueberry syrup, blue matcha and milk of your choice; or a Pistachio Matcha, made with pistachio syrup and matcha powder.
—Sweetwater Tavern, 225 N. Michigan Ave., will offer the Rainbow Road ($14.49), which is crafted with vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry juice, orange juice and a rainbow candy belt.
—Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants and its venues have also joined in celebrating Pride Month.
All month long, Beatrix (all locations) will donate $1 from every Pineapple Habanero Margarita sold to Center on Halsted; plus, Nosotros Tequila will be matching the donation to help support. Throughout June, Ema, 74 W. Illinois St., will donate $1 from every Strawberry Rhubarb Negroni sold to Howard Brown Health. For every Drink Your Juice, Shelby cocktail sold, Summer House Santa Monica, 1954 N. Halsted St., will donate $1 to the Chicago Therapy Collective, a nonprofit promoting citywide action to alleviate LGBTQ+ mental-health disparities.
Also, Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!—2024 N. Halsted St. and 441 N. Clark St.—will donate a portion of proceeds from every glass, half pitcher and full pitcher of its Mango Sangria to the Center on Halsted in celebration of Pride Month. Available for $12 glass, $26 half pitcher, and $43 full pitcher (plus tax and gratuity), the tapas restaurant will donate $1, $2 and $4, respectively, to the LGBTQ+ community center. During Chicago’s Pride Parade, June 30, the Mango Sangria will feature a Pride flag-inspired fruit garnish. In addition, Aba, 302 N. Green St., is teaming with its Fulton Market neighbors for the third annual Pride Power Hour on Thursday, June 27, 5-7 p.m. Aba will donate 50 percent of sales from the Pride Power Hour Menu to Brave Space Alliance.
—Taylor’s Tacos, 135 N. Kedzie Ave.—which has lesbian couple Chef Taylor and Maya Mason as co-owners—will be involved in various events in June.
These events include a “Shades of Blue” launch party/fundraiser at Harold Washington Cultural Center, 4701 S. Martin Luther King Dr. (June 8, 6-9 p.m.); “Queers at Beards” at Nobody’s Darling, 1744 W. Balmoral Ave. (June 9, 3-5 p.m.); the Juneteenth festival at Fifth Third Arena (June 14, starting at 3 p.m.); “Let’s Chat Live” at Taylored (the associated event space), 2451 S. Oakley Ave. (June 20, 10 a.m.-noon); and Family Pride Night at Lisle’s Morton Arboretum (June 27, 5-8 p.m.), among others.
—In recognition of Pride Month this June, Sweet Mandy B’s—the old fashioned bakeshop with locations in Lincoln Park and Streeterville—will feature specialty items. Items will include confetti cookies with rainbow sprinkles, cupcakes with yellow cake and a rainbow sugar decoration, Rainbow Iced Rice Krispies and more.
—LondonHouse, 85 E. Wacker Dr., will celebrate Pride Month this year with the “Love is Love” dessert, made with white chocolate mousse, rainbow cake, sugar cookie, apricot, strawberry and raspberry. Fruity layers of apricot, strawberry and raspberry add bursts of color and freshness and, of course, symbolize the rainbow. Ten percent of proceeds will be donated to Center on Halsted.
—The Godfrey Hotel and I/O Godfrey, 127 W. Huron St., will offer its traditional Rainbow Sangria during Pride Month. The drink is crafted with frozen fruit granita, The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc, Touch of Grey Goose White Peach & Rosemary with a splash of Caposaldo Moscato. Fruits like strawberries, blackberries, honeydew, pineapple and cantaloupe are turned into purees that are frozen into cubes. The mix of vodka, Moscato and a dry, crisp sauvignon blanc is poured over the cubes at the table. As the cubes melt in the glass, the cocktail changes color and flavor.
The drink is $17 per glass and $64 for a pitcher.
—Throughout June, Four Entertainment Group (4EG) locations in Chicago will raise proceeds to benefit the Center on Halsted. Seven bars will participate in the initiative, including aliveOne, in Lincoln Park; Central Park Bar, in Avondale; Easy Bar and Estelle’s, in Wicker Park; Remedy, in Bucktown; The Owl, in Logan Square; and the newly opened The Getaway, in Lincoln Square.
For example, The Getaway will donate $1 from every Prairie Rainbow Sherbert beer to the Center. Also, The Owl will donate $1 from every Moonstruck cocktail ($14)—which features rye whiskey, Meletti Amaro, Aperol, pineapple and lime—sold to the same organization.
—During June, Cesar’s Killer Margaritas, 2924 N. Broadway, will offer a Pride-Rita, with 50% of the proceeds going directly to Howard Brown Health. The Pride-Rita is a literally intoxicating blend of strawberry, lime, mango and blue curacao. Also, Tatas Tacos will have Mariposa cocktails available throughout June; a portion of proceeds will be donated directly to the same organization. Mirella’s Tavern, 2056 W. Division St., will sell a cotton candy cocktail called Cloud Seven on June 21-June 30; $1 from each drink will go to the Human Rights Campaign.
—The new Talbott Hotel restaurant Laurel, 20 E. Delaware Pl., is offering an exclusive Pride Month cocktail, LB{G&T}Q+—consisting of a Butterfly Pea-infused CH Key Gin and Q Elderflower Tonic with a zesty lime garnish. The cocktail is $18, with $2 going to Center on Halsted,
—On June 22-23 and 29-30, Wake ‘n Bacon, 420 W. Belmont Ave., will donate a portion of proceeds from every Halo Halo Chia Chia sold on Chicago’s Pride Fest and Pride Parade weekends to the Broadway Youth Center. The rainbow-colored Halo Halo Chia Chia is $15 and features coconut chia pudding topped with seasonal fresh fruits and coconut jelly, and sprinkled with Fruity Pebbles.
—On June 29-30, the Northalsted/Boystown spot Lark, 3441 N. Halsted St., will celebrate Pride with two events.
On June 29, there will be a Pride Eve Bottomless Drag Brunch with Pixel and Vivian, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (And “bottomless” refers to the drinks, folks.) The following day, there will be a Pride Parade After-Party; however, the spot will be open the whole day.
Of course, there are many restaurants in that area and another gayborhood, Andersonville (some of them LGBTQ+-owned), that will be open on Pride Sunday. They include Replay Andersonville, 5358 N. Clark St.; Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club, 3700 N. Halsted St.; the vegan restaurant Chicago Diner, 3411 N. Halsted St.; and the Southern-themed spot Big Jones, 5347 N. Clark St.
—Chicago’s Hard Rock Cafe, 63 W. Ontario St., will offer its Pride Punch—a cocktail crafted with Milagros Tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and agave, and garnished with a strawberry, orange wedge and pineapple slice. The drink is $14; $2 donated to the LGBTQ+ group Lakeside Pride Music Ensemble.
Also, the cafe will host a free, all-ages event on Friday, June 14, 8-10 p.m., featuring a performance from Lakeside Pride Music Ensemble.
—And let’s not forget this year’s Dive Into Pride pool party!
The event—taking place on June 8 and starting at 9 p.m.—will be at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, 505 N. Michigan Ave. Legendary drag performer Mimi Marks and her Cabana Boys will host. The 21-and-older event will feature beverages from sponsors such as 3 Tres Tequila, Downtown Vodka, Benvolio Prosecco and others—and a cabana buyout (at $1,000) will provide entertainment for up to six people. What could possibly go wrong? You’ll be able to relive it on social media the next day anyway!