New rooftop bar coming to Renaissance Hotel View Full Caption

DOWNTOWN — A Wacker Drive hotel is the latest Downtown building planning a rooftop bar, this one overlooking the Chicago River.

The Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel, 1 W. Wacker Drive, said the still-unnamed terrace restaurant will open in March. Complete with fire pits, a VIP lounge and 14 beer taps, the third-floor bar is part of $8 million in renovations at the hotel, which spent $24 million last year revamping its lobby and guestrooms. The restaurant will seat about 160.

The hotel said the bar's "Chicago-influenced" menu will be curated by chef Daniel Perez, who's behind the hotel's previously opened lobby restaurant, Staytion. Perez did not return a message seeking comment.

The bar will be the newest in a slew of rooftop restaurants that opened this year, including Cerise at the Virgin Hotel, GreenRiver at Northwestern Medicine, and AIRE at 100 W. Monroe St. The Roof on theWit, 201 N. State St., nearby opened in 2009.

A new ballroom is also part of the renovations. The hotel's plans were first reported by Crain's. Scroll down for renderings before the bar opens:



The bar's private event space, called "Urban Blue." [Provided]



A rendering of the hotel's new ballroom. [Provided]



A rendering of the renovated hotel, 1 W. Wacker Drive. [Provided]

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