Vertigo Sky Lounge – River North Rooftop
By Ryan Haber
Vertigo Sky Lounge, a popular River North bar, hosted a Social Power Event last week. Vertigo sits atop the Dana Hotel on the Corner of State and Erie. This location is perfect for attracting travelers who want to be in the midst of all that is going on in Chicago or locals who want to live it up on the weekends. Perched high in the sky, the bar’s outdoor portion faces south looking down State into The Loop. The views here are truly breathtaking. Being surrounded by skyscrapers, while sitting on a couch and enjoying a fireplace, is truly a unique experience.
In the spirit of celebrating this event, Social Enjoyments was offering a variety of canned, gluten-free, 88 calorie Sparkling Sake Wine. The flavors served were Toasted Coconut Almond, Hibiscus Cucumber, and Pink Grapefruit Ginger. I had both the Grapefruit and Coconut flavors, and although I am not normally a sake drinker, I really liked these!
Vertigo is broken up into two sections: the inside makes up about 70% of the establishment and has a number of lounge couches and tables for rent on big nights. The rest of the interior includes a couple high-top tables. The remaining 30% of the bar is the deck. Vertigo is a great club atmosphere for Friday and Saturday nights. A bar with televisions sits on the side, and there is more lounge seating that surrounds a beautiful gas fireplace. This is a great spot to relax, have a drink, and take in the views. In addition to the lounge and high-tops on the deck there are two swinging benches – a great spot to get some quality time with a friend.
I was a bit hungry when I arrived, so I ordered the Rock Shrimp, a tempura battered fried shrimp dish with pineapple, garlic, ginger and a chili mayonnaise. It was hot, perfectly fried, slightly crunchy, sweet and overall delicious. I also had a couple of Old Fashions, a classic, but were well made. The bartenders and servers were very pleasant and attentive and made my experience very enjoyable.
Vertigo Sky Lounge is a great place to meet up for a drink with some great views. It is also a cool spot to go out with some friends on a weekend night. Vertigo is open Monday through Friday from 4pm to 2am, Saturday 2pm to 3am, and Sunday 2pm to 2am. Hours change seasonally so be sure to check before you go. Be sure to drop in for the happy hour from 4pm to 7pm Monday through Friday where you get 50% off beers, well cocktails and house red & white wines.