What’s new on Chicago’s Riverwalk

The summer of 2023 is well underway, so your friendly Chicago Star Media contributing columnist decided to do a better-late-than-never look at what changes and what is new this year on our beautiful Chicago Riverwalk.

Upon entering the Riverwalk on the east end, the biggest change in the entire strip is a brand new restaurant. TacoRio is now open and serving happy customers with a dazzling variety of tacos, churros, elotes and drinks galore. This fun new spot is owned and operated by the good folks at Urban Kayaks—more on them in a few paragraphs.

Two items that caught my eye on the TacoRio menu were the Roasted Jalapeno Cornbread and the Chef's Special. The Special is a huge carnitas platter slow-cooked and cured for 48 hours, including hog, belly, shoulder, and ribs, all combined with pickled red onions and salsa on a tortilla. My cholesterol level went up about three points just by writing that description.

Right next to Taco Rio is Urban Kayaks. Anyone who has been to the Riverwalk in previous years knows that kayaks on the river are about as plentiful as candidates for the presidency from the Republican Party. They are everywhere on the water's edge and Urban Kayaks is the number one provider.

What's new this year for the green-clad kayak company? A bigger and expanded dock for one, roughly three times bigger than the previous one, and a new Sunday morning tour that will be their longest yet. This two to three hour excursion will send kayakers to the North/South branch of the Chicago River and go both ways, visiting Goose Island to the North and Chinatown to the South.

Next up on my tour was Island Party Hut. This place has become one of the most popular on the strip and has a vast space featuring tables, games, etc. New this year are beautiful bright umbrellas on all the tables, new hours extending till 11:00 p.m. each night, a fun drink called the Maui Wowie, fresh food items such as chili dogs and shrimp tacos, and a host named "Stardust" who wanted to mention the hiring of some beautiful brand new bartenders.

We continue to the Northman Beer and Cider Garden, which features various beers, ciders, and the finest German food on the Riverwalk. They also have a huge space, with seating and standing room for the largest parties or gatherings. The bright orange tables are now part of the same veneer of Chicago's Riverwalk.

Kicking off the list of new items at the Northman this year is music. They will feature live music every evening this summer, and in addition, they have put in a new sound system and lighting to help accentuate the large variety of artists who play there.

New food items include the vegan kielbasa (keep this a secret from the carnitas chef at TacoRio), soft serve ice cream, margaritas, and the popular banana daiquiri in addition to their endless array of unique and flavorful German beers and ciders.

Also along the route are the architecture and boat tours, with many stations and booths to stop at and get tickets. 

Chicago's First Lady boat tours have seven boats this year and have added new pricing for tours (ranging from $57 to $62 after 5:00 p.m.), as well as a new "Priority Boarding" concept which allows people to pay a little extra for early boarding and best seating.

Moving along next is the popular and always upbeat Beat Kitchen. This iconic bar on Chicago's Northside opened here on the Riverwalk a few years ago and has become one of the most popular stops for a drink and a bite to eat. A D.J. is always on hand to spin music and entertain fans dining there- and the passerby.

New at the Beat Kitchen location this year is updated landscaping, a sparkling new patio area, table umbrellas, and benches. The color red is still the theme, but the look from last year has been updated and refreshed. Also, they have added chicken wings to their already extensive menu options.

Next, we head to the Chicago Brewhouse, another busy and popular spot along the Riverwalk. The Brewhouse has remained the same (why mess with success), but they have added espresso martinis to the menu, perfect for a warm summer evening.

Now might be a good time to mention additional non-restaurant/ bar changes along the Riverwalk.

About halfway along the route, they have put in an elevator, getting people to the upper level of Chicago streets, which according to this writer, should only be used in dire circumstances or handicapped situations because climbing the stairs at the Riverwalk is part of the fun. Not only is it good exercise but it gives you an expansive, beautiful view.

Also new and to mention is a free one-hour walking tour every Friday and Sunday starting at 11:30 a.m. These are first come, first serve and are part of the Choose Chicago, Chicago Greeter program.

Finally, beefed-up security is in the "extras" category of what's new on the Riverwalk. You will still see the gold-plated outerwear of the Monterrey Security forces patrolling the walkways, but the crew has been beefed up in numbers this year, especially for the summer season.

Returning to the trail, one should stop by O'Brien's outdoor restaurant. O'Brien's has jazz music every Thursday and has added some new food items to their popular menu, including barbecue sliders and beignets with chocolate sauce (assuming a clean cholesterol report from my doctor next week, I will be back to try). They also have added gelato as a dessert item.

City Winery is a popular party spot featuring boats that dock up and party with the patrons. There is no charge for people-watching if you sit at one of City Wineries' many long viewing benches.

Following City Winery is Tiny Tapp—another spot where boats pull up, and patrons can sit on the water's edge. Packed more often than not, Tiny Tapp is adding live music on Thursday nights this year and a huge crew of about 60 or 70 new staff members here for the summer. Menu-wise, they have added a Chicken Caesar Flatbread to the menu, and according to manager Eleanor, a must-try jalapeno margarita.

Sweet Home Gelato is the last of the stops along the way, and after ingesting everything from the Chef’s Special at Taco Rios and maybe a vegan kielbasa from Northman's, what better than a refreshing cool cup or waffle cone of gelato?

And so there you have it. All that's new for the Riverwalk 2023- or at least all that I was able to uncover on my tour. I have missed at least a few new items, and the only way to find out is to check it yourself.