First Look: J. Parker Atop Hotel Lincoln

By Melissa Wiley in Food on Jul 19, 2012 6:00PM

John Parker merits little acclaim from American history books. On duty as a guard the night Lincoln was shot at Ford’s Theatre, Parker fatefully abandoned his post to malinger at a local watering hole. Yes, tragic indeed. But que sera, sera. Such is your immediate surrender, for all your ardent esteem for our 16th president, to the view from the 13th floor of the Hotel Lincoln upon entering the J. Parker, the rooftop seraglio orchestrated by the Perennial Virant team and paying a nominal (and naughty) nod to this infamous bodyguard.

At last night’s soft opening, we previewed the expansive arcadian space, which won’t open to the public until July 30. Beverage director Erin Hayes served up palomas, sangria, and other aromatic libations inspired by the celebratory Latin likes of Mexico, Spain, and Cuba. Small bites, from summer giardiniera and squashes to semolina crostini and chicken sausage pierogies and rainbow trout, will be on hand from the Paul Virant kitchen. Iconic Chicago tableaus coyly depicting J. Parker’s signature 19th-century fedora in discreet places adorn the back wall of the inside bar, where you can give your eyes a rest from the jaw-dropping views if you need to take a moment and blink.

Hotel Lincoln is located at 1816 North Clark Street.