The iconic Chicago skyline can be appreciated from many aspects, but nothing is better than viewing it from the water, itself. If you’re looking for the perfect date activity or evening adventure with friends, I can’t recommend a dinner cruise enough.
I’ve gone ahead and carefully curated a list of the 5 top Chicago dinner cruises that are well worth your time and money.
Elegance, relaxation, and unparalleled views come together to make a memorable night out on an enchanting voyage from the heart of the city. Let’s jump right in!
Be sure to see our reviews of Chicago Architecture Cruise Tours.
Best Dinner Cruises in Chicago
| Chicago Gourmet Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner River Cruise | Chicago Fireworks Dinner Cruise with Buffet | Chicago Premier Dinner Cruise on Lake Michigan | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
 |  |  | |
| Location: | Chicago River Esplanade | 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago | 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago |
| Start: | 6:30 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| Duration: | 2 to 2.5 hours | 3 hours | 2.5 hours |
| Includes: | 2-hour cruise, 3-course meal, Unlimited coffee, hot tea, and iced tea, Onboard DJ (for dinner cruises), Architectural narration (for lunch and brunch cruises), Navy Pier fireworks | Fireworks Display if weather permitting, Dinner, Live entertainment, Coffee and/or Tea | Dinner cruise on Lake Michigan, 3-course plated dinner w/ tableside service, coffee, hot tea, iced tea, guaranteed table for your party, DJ entertainment & dance floor |
Quick Answer: The 5 Best Rated Chicago Dinner Cruises For 2024
- Chicago Gourmet Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner River Cruise
- Chicago Fireworks Dinner Cruise with Buffet
- Chicago Premier Dinner Cruise on Lake Michigan
- Chicago: Lake Michigan Buffet Brunch, Lunch or Dinner Cruise
- Premier Chicago River Dinner Cruise
Chicago Dinner Cruise Tour Reviews
1. Chicago Gourmet Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner River Cruise
- Duration: 2 to 2.5 hours
- Departure: Chicago River Esplanade
- Departure Time: 6:30 PM
- Includes: 2-hour cruise, 3-course meal, Unlimited coffee, hot tea, and iced tea, Onboard DJ (for dinner cruises), Architectural narration (for lunch and brunch cruises), Navy Pier fireworks (on Wednesdays and Saturdays)
The great thing about this cruise, is that you get to choose between a lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch option.
I tried the weekend brunch as I love a good mimosa and had tried plenty of other evening cruises, already. The Chicago: Gourmet Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner River Cruise is a fantastic outing for a large group, with attentive staff, delicious food, and of course, amazing views!
We arrived at the Chicago River Esplanade, which is actually one of my favorite places to stroll around whenever I’m in the city.
The Chicago Riverwalk offers amazing views of the surrounding buildings, and as every single one has such history behind the unique styles, it’s that much more interesting.
I was lucky, because the weather that day was warm and sunny, with the glittering water reflecting the buildings on the banks. This is a fine dining experience, which means if you’re looking for an opportunity to wear a nice dress or suit, this is the perfect chance!
Upon arrival, we were escorted onboard the ship and led to our table in the dining area which was nice to know we had a table reserved.
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The glass enclosure was perfect as I know Chicago weather can get pretty intense without much notice, plus it allowed for fantastic views without obstructing anything.
We sipped on some cocktails as the onboard DJ played some lovely music before we were served our brunch of salmon toast, French toast, chicken, yogurt parfaits, cheesecake, mud pie, and much more!
Keep in mind this is a 3-course meal, which I felt was nicely timed and had a cohesive menu that worked well together. While I didn’t take the dinner cruise, I have also heard great reviews, as some nights even include fireworks!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Other Experiences You May Enjoy:
2. Chicago Fireworks Dinner Cruise with Buffet
- Duration: 3 hours
- Departure: 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago
- Departure Time: 7:00 PM
- Includes: Fireworks Display if weather permitting, Dinner, Live entertainment, Coffee and/or Tea
Speaking of fireworks, this next tour is perfect for enjoying the exciting light show right over Lake Michigan! I find this tour to be perfect for celebrating important dates like anniversaries, birthdays, and much more!
The Chicago Fireworks Dinner Cruise with Buffet Tour will not only treat you to stunning panoramic vistas of the city skyline, but a fully enchanting experience that’ll light up the night sky with dazzling colors.
Meeting on Grand Ave, it’s super easy to get to – especially if you’re already staying in the Loop or Miracle Mile! We were escorted onto the vessel, the Spirit of Chicago, by very polite, friendly, organized staff who genuinely paid attention and made sure we were all having a great time.
We got seated and enjoyed some unlimited coffee and tea (believe I definitely took advantage of that!) and took some photos before we set off!
We were given essentially front-row seats to a spectacular fireworks display with choreographed sequences that sprinkled just a bit more magic to an already unforgettable night out.
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Of course, if it’s really windy or rainy, this may not be possible, but in our case it was! The onboard DJ was a nice touch, adding even more fun and excitement, complete with dance areas for us to hang out and get our groove on!
The unlimited buffet was surprisingly delicious – I’m typically a bit wary of buffets as I feel like most of the food is unforgettable, but this wasn’t the case.
I highly recommend the oven-baked Atlantic flounder filet and the red velvet and chocolate chip brownie! This was such a fun way to see Chicago’s famous architecture while celebrating out with loved ones!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
3. Chicago Premier Dinner Cruise on Lake Michigan
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Departure: 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago
- Departure Time: 7:00 PM
- Includes: Dinner cruise on Lake Michigan, 3-course plated dinner with attentive tableside service, unlimited coffee, hot tea, iced tea, and water, guaranteed table for your party size, onboard DJ entertainment and dance floor, service charges, local taxes and fees
If you’re looking for a luxurious way to spend an evening in Chicago or the perfect date night activity, check out this next tour!
Seamlessly combining delicious food with unparalleled views of the city’s skyline, the Chicago Premier Dinner Cruise on Lake Michigan is spectacular.
It’s almost like hanging out in a swanky lounge in an exclusive vessel gliding along the tranquil waters of Lake Michigan as you indulge in an exquisite dining experience!
This cruise is easy to access, with the crew immediately escorting us onboard and answering any questions we had along the way. Offering an unparalleled vantage point, we had plenty of time before setting sail to take photos and enjoy the glow of the setting sun.
I do recommend dressing up for the evening as everyone else was dressed quite nicely, which made sense considering our vessel for the evening was a luxury yacht!
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I loved the “smaller” details, like the fact that we received a personal welcome from the captain and crew, and even had our photo taken by the yacht’s photographer to add to the experience.
I also appreciated that we had our own private table as opposed to sitting in crowded areas like many other tours involve. Our servers also introduced themselves and frankly offered much better service than the vast majority of upscale restaurants I’ve been to.
The 3-course, plated dinner was absolutely amazing, complete with plenty of drinks from the full-service bar and an impressive wine list I definitely took advantage of!
The onboard DJ was mixing a fantastic selection of jazz and more contemporary songs as we explored the observation deck and the Captain’s bridge! This was such a beautiful tour that I plan on taking again, when I’m looking for a special night out.
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
4. Chicago: Lake Michigan Buffet Brunch, Lunch or Dinner Cruise
- Duration: 2 hours
- Departure: Varies (depending on option booked)
- Departure Time: 12:30 PM
- Includes: Cruise on the Spirit of Chicago, Buffet brunch, lunch, or dinner (based on option selected), Onboard DJ, Dance floor, Onboard games, Unlimited coffee, hot tea, and iced tea, Service fee
This next tour is really similar to our first one, offering the option to select between brunch, lunch, or dinner. It’s also a bit shorter than the others at just 2 hours, making it super easy to fit into a busy schedule.
The Chicago: Lake Michigan Buffet Brunch, Lunch or Dinner Cruise is not quite as “fancy” as some of the others I’ve detailed, but it’s a load of fun and a great way to make some friends!
I’d been to Chicago many times but hadn’t gone to Navy Pier until recently, and wondered why it took me so long! It’s super easy to access, and has such a fun vibe, with all kinds of sites to take in and beautiful waterside views.
Once we arrived, we were escorted onto our vessel, receiving a personal greeting and having our photos taken by the ship’s photographer to keep a little memento before they led us to our private table.
This was another buffet-type setting, which I quite enjoyed as there were many plates I liked enough that I went back for seconds and thirds!
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The unlimited coffee was a nice addition, and it was surprisingly fresh, which made a big difference to me as a coffee fiend.
Viewing the Willis Tower, Trump Tower, and many other iconic pieces of architecture was simply phenomenal while sipping on my cup of Joe and taking in the views.
This adventure also had a DJ on board, who did a fantastic job at selecting a variety of different songs that seemed to get everyone up and moving!
The 3 climate-controlled decks ensured there was enough room for everyone while offering viewing spaces no matter what the weather. I recommend this tour if you’re looking for a casual, more “party” experience with some yummy food and amazing views!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
5. Premier Chicago River Dinner Cruise
- Duration: 3 hours
- Departure: 455 N Cityfront Plaza Dr, Chicago
- Departure Time: 6:30 PM
- Includes: Dinner cruise on Chicago River, 3-course plated dinner, unlimited coffee/hot tea/iced tea, guaranteed table, service fees, local taxes
I’m not one to turn down a fabulous evening of dining and sightseeing, and the Premier Chicago River Dinner Cruise Tour is one of the best options for just that!
This 3-hour excursion takes you on a beautiful voyage through the heart of Chicago’s architectural wonders by means of the stunning Chicago River. The river itself is packed full of history, not to mention the unique structures on either side – all of which you’ll learn about as you cruise on.
The Cityfront Plaza address is very easy to get to if you’re staying downtown, and you can get there by foot, car, metro, and so on as it’s right on the Esplanade by the NBC Tower.
Once we were there, we were welcomed onboard by the amazing staff. The vessel is one of the smaller ones I’d been on in Chicago, but it was very well-maintained, pretty, and comfortable, with an open-air deck and climate-controlled interior deck.
Once we got started, we were regaled with interesting stories about the history of Chicago, as well as important information as certain landmarks and pieces of architecture as we cruised.
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Soon enough, we were served the first dish of our 3-course plated dinner, along with plenty of complimentary coffee, hot tea, and iced tea.
They did have an open bar with alcoholic beverages available at an extra cost, but I found the cocktails to be high-quality and tasty.
I found everything to be very well-organized, with the captain and crew directing us to our deck depending on the table option we booked.
With an onboard DJ, we got to soak in the breathtaking views of the river and great Chicago landmarks while listening to a wonderful soundtrack. If you’re looking for a relatively short yet impactful tour, I can’t recommend this one enough!
More Information & Tour Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Dinner
Boat Comfort
Value
The Chicago Gourmet Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner River Cruise is our Editors Choice for the best Chicago dinner cruise.
