Chicago, IL Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard season
- May 1 – Oct 31 (§ 10-28-590(f))
- Year-round exception
- North Glenwood Ave curb lane, May–April
- Permit types
- Full-Closure or Curb Lane
- Administering office
- Commissioner of Transportation
- Daily hours
- 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
- Liability insurance
- $500,000/$1,000,000 minimum
Summary
Chicago's Outdoor Dining Street program normally runs May 1 through October 31 each year, but the Department of Transportation can approve specific curb-lane locations for permits lasting up to 12 months. One block on North Glenwood Avenue currently holds that year-round, May-to-April approval.
10-28-600 Specific locations approved. The following locations may receive permits, contingent upon application and approval by the Commissioner, for periods longer than set forth in Section 10-28-590(f). Location: North Glenwood Avenue, between West Morse Avenue and West Farwell Avenue — Type of Outdoor Dining Street: Curb Lane Permit — Period: May to April (12 months). ... [10-28-590(f)] Except as otherwise provided in Section 10-28-600, an Outdoor Dining Street Permit shall be valid from May 1st to and including October 31st of the year of its issuance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-74: Current through Council Journal of June 17, 2026).
Full Breakdown
), a business or group of businesses must hold an Outdoor Dining Street Permit before closing a curb lane or full street block for outdoor food and beverage consumption. Three or more licensees holding retail food establishment or tavern licenses may apply for a Full-Closure Permit to close a block between two intersections, provided at least 50 percent of applicants are retail food establishments located directly adjacent to the closure. A single adjacent licensee can instead apply for a Curb Lane Permit covering only the portion of curb lane in front of its premises.
By default, § 10-28-590(f) caps every permit at the same window: valid "from May 1st to and including October 31st of the year of its issuance," with the fee set by the Commissioner of Transportation by rule based on land values. , continuously, without the winter shutdown every other Outdoor Dining Street faces. , no live or recorded music audible outside headphones, a physical boundary separating seating from the public way, and six feet of unobstructed pedestrian passage for full-closure sites.
Violations & Fines
The Commissioner of Transportation reviews and can deny an application that fails the article's requirements, notifying the applicant in writing within 10 business days with reasons for denial. An applicant found liable of violating the enforcement provision at § 10-28-610(c) twice during the prior permit period is subject to automatic denial for the next permit period. A denied applicant has 10 days to request a hearing before a Business Affairs and Consumer Protection hearing officer, who must report findings within 14 days of the hearing's close; the Commissioner of BACP then has 60 days to issue a final written determination, appealable as provided by law. Failure to maintain the required $500,000/$1,000,000 liability insurance results in permit revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an outdoor dining street operate all year in Chicago?
Who can apply for a permanent curb-lane closure?
What hours can an approved al fresco street operate?
What insurance must a permanent Outdoor Dining Street holder carry?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chicago
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Sidewalk Dining & Cafés in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle sidewalk dining & cafés.