I|O Godfrey in Chicago’s popular River North neighborhood has released its new Happy Hour menu, bringing a new taste to outdoor dining as summer winds down. The luxurious skyline lounge is located on the fourth floor of The Godfrey boutique hotel and bills itself as “Chicago’s largest and only year-round rooftop lounge.”
I|O Godfrey’s Happy Hour runs Tuesday-Thursday between 2-5pm and Fridays between noon and 3pm, offering a great selection of half-price appetizers and a wide range of cocktail options.
Dine with skyline views all year round at I|O Godfrey. | Photography by @angel_ashlea
Hearty favorites on the new Happy Hour menu include the Wagyu beef steak, which comes with three for $11 and consists of bacon jam, blue cheese and fries. Other specialties include shishito peppers with black garlic aioli, charred lemon and white soy for $8 and the signature black truffle fries with garlic aioli for $7.
Happy Hour patrons who want a light snack can opt for $7 homemade hummus or fried edamame. The menu includes a $9 avocado toast with sliced brioche, smoked salmon, cucumber, tomato relish and herbed cream cheese for a more filling meal. The $9 caprese flatbread is another great option with buffalo mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes and pesto.
The taco maki rolls with octopus are a must-try dish from the sushi menu at I|O Godfrey. | Photography by @angel_ashlea
Nothing completes an outdoor dining experience without a full bar, and that’s exactly what diners will find when they step into the I|O Godfrey rooftop lounge. The new Happy Hour menu features a full list of thirst-quenching drinks, like half-price glasses of wine, Ketel One cocktails and Maker’s Mark cocktails, all $8 or less.
Specialty drinks on the menu include a $10 Frosé All Day drink with Ketel One Botanical Grapefruit & Rose, dry rose and strawberry lemonade. The $10 Fire And Ice is another refreshing cocktail that contains a frozen blend of Bacardi Mango Chili, Charu Aloe Liqueur, coconut water, and fresh lime.
Order El Matador for some extra energy after your dining experience. | Photography by @angel_ashlea
Finally, the thirstiest happy hour goers won’t want to miss the $65 cocktail flights on the menu, which consist of five tasting-sized portions of the kitchen’s cocktails and an assortment of macarons. The flight includes the famous Purple Gold Plated Amethyst Destiny, which comes with Gray Goose vodka, St. Germain, butterfly pea flower, gold powder, fresh lemon juice and “magic.” Four other drinks that come with the flight include Scarlet Haze, I|O Cosmo, Bourbonberry Lemonade, and Chef’s Margarita.
Chicago Star Favorites by I|O Godfrey
While the new Happy Hour menu is certainly perfect for those on a budget, I|O Godfrey’s main menu features a delicious selection of other special meals that our team at Chicago Star Media has been invited to try.
A meat and cheese platter is a shareable item to eat with several friends. | Photography by @angel_ashlea
At $25, the meat and cheese platter on the Shareables menu is the perfect snack for brunch with a couple of friends. The complete plate includes salami, capicola, Mediterranean speck, pecorino, grana padano, French brie, accompanying blue cheese, and grilled pita.
Meat lovers will fall in love with the delicious lamb lollipops which are also on the shareable menu. For $36, this dish comes with four lamb chops topped with bourbon smoked paprika and orange caramelized potatoes underneath. These delicious tacos are a delicious meal for only $20. This dish comes with three tacos filled to the brim with ribs, fried onions, avocado, jalapeno, tomatoes and salsa.
Don’t miss the delicious Lamb Lollichops from the shareable menu. | Photography by @angel_ashlea
I|O Godfrey also features an extensive sushi menu. At $17, the Godfrey Mackie Roll is a fan favorite, which includes crispy shrimp, habanero, cucumber and avocado and is topped with lightly torched tuna. One of our personal favorites was the taco maki wrap with octopus, tuna, pickled serrano peppers, wasabi mayo, and unagi sauce for $20.
With so many options for dessert, our team chose to try the $10 Trés Leches Cake, a light and delicious layer of moist sponge cake and peach filling, topped with a dollop of whipped cream, a mint leaf, and a peach slice.
Choose from four desserts, including their signature Tres Leches cake, apple tart with vanilla ice cream, mango cheesecake, or Domm Life CBD gummies for those ages 21 and up. | Photography by @angel_ashlea
We highly recommend ordering the Raspberry Sorbetto from the Kitchen Cocktails menu for those who want to drink dessert instead. This pretty pink cocktail comes with Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru, Starlino Rosé, Coastal Watermelon Rosé Spritz, raspberry sorbet and the rim is lined with pink pop rocks. Guests in need of a refresher after a filling meal can opt for a refreshing El Matador cocktail made with Herradura Anejo, Cointreau and fresh lime and comes with a Red Bull Red Edition.
Visit I|O Godfrey at 127 West Huron and Lasalle for an outdoor dining experience not to be missed.
