A patio in summer is a beautiful thing. Chicagoans are so desperate to be outside on the few days a year when the weather is perfect that we’ll wedge ourselves into the chairs that certain restaurants cram between the sidewalk and the street—and consider ourselves lucky to have the privilege. Then there are the real patios, set back from the street, with enough room to move around. Logan Square already has its fair share of good ones, but at 6,000 square feet, the patio at Park & Field—a “vintage sports club” that opened last winter on Fullerton between Kimball and Central Park—is one of the biggest in the city. It boasts 200 seats, two bocce courts, a large fire pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs, a camper that serves as a bar on the weekends, and it plays host to occasional movie screenings.
Surprisingly for a menu that’s mostly upscale bar food, the baby beet salad turned out to be the dish I’m most likely to order again. Pistachios, house-made ricotta, and orange segments provided welcome contrasts of flavor and texture, and there was just enough lemon-poppy-seed dressing to add a citrusy note without overpowering the other ingredients. Braised chicken thighs were pretty good too, with crisp skin and moist meat—but like so much else on the menu, they were underseasoned.
3509 W. Fullerton 773-360-7373parkandfieldchicago.com
