The Robey, the hotel inside Wicker Park’s Coyote Building, opened a renewed rooftop space this summer, by converting its tropical inspired Cabana Club into a Mediterranean coastal inspired space.
The Robey reflects the spirit of the city
Towering over the big intersection of Damen, Milwaukee and North Avenues in an Art Deco masterpiece previously named the Northwest Tower—stretching 203-feet tall and the only skyscraper for miles—The Robey captures the spirit of Chicago: a busy, great town always on the move.
Taking its name from Robey Street – the north-south artery that would become Damen Avenue – the objective from the start was to honor this skyscraper’s renowned past while bringing a fresh, new perspective to our 89 room hotel.
Originally designed as an office building in 1929 by the firm of Perkins, Chatten, & Hammond, each of the hotel’s rooms, lobby and roof spaces were transformed by Belgian design duo Nicolas Schuybroek Architects and Marc Merckx Interiors.
On the sixth floor of the hotel, Cabana Club, the bar and outdoor pool, became a local favorite for its unbeatable, 360-degree views of the city skyline and Wicker Park.
Mediterranean-inspired club, with new food and drinks
The tropical rooftop was reinvented, going from tropical to a Mediterranean-inspired, semi-private day club, complete with a new food and beverages menu, cocktails and events. Robey executive chef Michael Elliot created each dish on the new menu. Light bites include grilled shrimp skewers with rich garlic hummus, while heartier selections feature pork kofta served with cucumber onion salad. Summer flavors dominate the new all-day menu, through the many salads, greens, and traditional Greek dishes.
The light and coastal vibes are only amplified by the club’s drink menu. Essentials like Aperol Spritzes sit alongside more inventive cocktails, such as pomegranate Cosmos and Mediterranean Mules. To make summertime in Chicago even sweeter, indulge in the rose vodka-based “Made You Blush,” made with Aperol and elderflower.
Cabana Club will also introduce two new programs: night swims and Recovery Sundays. Collaborating with local DJs, the rooftop will transform the relaxing daytime vibes into a lively nocturnal experience, emulating the infamous nightlife of Mediterranean beach towns. Plus, morning-after recuperation just got easier: Recovery Sundays supply guests with liquid IVs to slowly nurse them back to health.
Open from May to September and ready to help you enjoy the sunny days
The Cabana Club, your exclusive Mediterranean oasis nestled atop the sixth floor of The Robey Hotel, awaits guests from May to September. Whether you’re mingling with locals or connecting with fellow travelers, Cabana Club invites you to savor every moment of leisure and bliss amidst our chic rooftop retreat.
Day Pass: Mon-Thu $10 / Fri-Sun $20 / Kids Daily $5
- (872) 315-3083
Guest Only Hours 8am – 11am
11am to 10pm (Sun-Thu)
11am to 11pm (Fri-Sat)
Each pass grants guests access to the pool deck, the indoor bar and Wi-Fi. Additionally, a complimentary cocktail, soft serve ice cream and crudité grazing station will welcome guests upon arrival.
From May to September, immerse yourself in the Mediterranean-inspired ambiance that evokes the sun-drenched beach clubs of Positano and the French Riviera.
A Cinco de Mayo party to kickstart the season
The rooftop day club kicked off the season with a Cinco de Mayo party on Sunday, May 5. From 12pm to 4pm, guests could purchase wristbands on the first floor of the Robey and head upstairs. The “Cinco de Aperol” grand opening featured a live DJ, branded photo ops and an Italian Aperol cart.
Cabana Club will be open to the public Sundays through Thursdays from 11am to 10pm, and from 11am to 11pm Fridays and Saturdays.
We shall see how the public, as well as journalists will receive the new vibes of the Cabana Club, well known and loved in the past years.
A place for the young and beautiful
According to the Conde Nast Traveler review Cabana Club—with its triangle-shaped dipping pool in the center of the action, and wide-angle views across the city and west toward O’Hare—is the more relaxed, party-focused sibling to cocktail-heavy Up Room on the Robey’s 13th floor. You can hang indoors at one of the comfy cushioned booths, but the fun during the warm months (when Cabana Club is actually open) is always outside, where you would want to come early, especially on the weekends, to be able to grab a couch or a lounger.
It is a place for the young and beautiful—and those wanting to hang with the young and beautiful—from late spring into September. In the past, according to the review, you were not supposed to come expecting top-of-the-line mixology, because the drinks were easy poolside sippers: palomas, margaritas, buckets of beers, and an array of canned wines. Let’s see how the new drinks menu will fare and whether the new foods are going to feel like more than bites to help soak up the drinks while you are out in the sun.
Staff was considered attentive, but since the parties can get pretty hectic, the servers by the pool might have difficulties keeping up. Inside, the bar staff is pretty fast if the line of patrons all wanting the same drink is not too long.
Where else to enjoy rooftop drinks in the city
Cabana Club was renowned for its party atmosphere with great music, fantastic views, and good-enough drinks, fine to go even when the weather isn’t great, but most fun when it’s sunny.
If you like rooftop views and drinks, but you do not swim or want to lounge by the pool all day, Chicago offers plenty of options to enjoy both. Whether you are a local or you’re here for business or pleasure, check out this local guide to Chicago hotels with rooftop bars, which include some of the best rooftop bars in the city.
