15 Great Bars For Drinking Outdoors

Great drinks, great settings, great weather — once spring is in the air, the appeal of a bar with great outdoor seating is easy to understand. But as simple as the basic formula is, there are, of course, variables that set some apart from the rest.

For places like C-View in Chicago, perched atop the 29th floor of the Affinia Hotel, or Wellfleet, Mass.'s Beachcomber, which sits right on the Atlantic, that variable is a stunning view. Others bars make the most of the can't-beat combination of cold brews and a warm, clear day — beer gardens like New York City's iconic Bohemian Beer Hall and San Francisco's dive-y favorite, Zeitgeist, are among those that do it best.

Then, there are those spots with an outdoor space that have something completely different to offer. In the case of St. Louis' Milo's Bocce Garden, that would be (yup, you guessed it) old-school bocce courts to go with cheap pitchers. At Brooklyn's Habana Outpost, fans pile into the patio space for live salsa music and frozen, tasty cocktails mixed on bike-powered blenders.

Excited about the start of the outdoor drinking season? Check out these 15 favorite spots across the country.