Located on the 29th floor of Chicago's newly renovated Affinia Hotel, this place offers something most hotel bars in the area don’t. That something is a killer view of the city's skyline. And just in case you forget where you are the bar shakes up a cocktail to remind you. This signature "29th floor" tipple is mixed just as elegantly as the lounge's posh crowd. But don't be thrown-off by those donning ties and button-ups; it's likely that they just haven't had time to change before heading over for a post-work libation. C-View invites everyone from low-key locals and Chicago socialites to awestruck out-of-towners.

In addition to its signature drink, C-View has a few other noteworthy cocktails on its list. Try the summer flower, pineapple mojito or the Saint Clair. Better yet, try them all. The margaritas are done well, with a delicately salted rim and are served in a non-traditional tumbler rather than the expected stemware. If beer or wine are more your thing, the bar has those too—the key here is simplicity, after all. And simple it is with its minimal decor, wood-finished bar and sparse seating.

The bar doesn't serve any foodstuffs alongside its view, but when hunger hits, you can head downstairs to Affinia's C-House restaurant. This place has a full menu of seafood (or "C-food") selections including a chic raw bar that makes for the perfect pre-cocktails-on-the-rooftop fare.

Average cost: $21-$30

Centerstage Reviewer: Stacy Warden