Best Dog-Friendly Patios Near Starved Rock State Park
- Moose's Golden Tails
- Jun 12
- 7 min read
Starved Rock is a popular state park located in LaSalle County, Illinois. This park has 13 miles of scenic hiking trails and is known for it's steep sandstone canyons and seasonal waterfalls. With this park being only 90 minutes from Chicago, it is a very popular spot for a day trip or a weekend getaway. One of my favorite parts about this park is how dog-friendly it is! Dogs are allowed on all trails, and I take advantage of this almost every time I visit. I especially love the summer months because all the outdoor patios open up giving the opportunity to dine and enjoy the fresh outdoor air. I've lived around Starved Rock for over 20 years, so I am very familiar on the local favorite restaurants. Grab the leash and let's go visit some of the best outdoor patios the Illinois Valley has to offer!
Starved Rock Veranda
One of my favorite places to visit after finishing a hike with my dog at Starved Rock is the Veranda. It's located behind the Starved Rock Lodge and offers panoramic views of the park. It's in close proximity to the Visitor's Center and a lot of the hiking trails. Dogs are allowed to join you at the table and must remain on a leash. The best part about coming here to eat is that you don't have to leave the park! When I'm tired and hungry coming off the trails, this is definitely the most convenient place to wind down and enjoy a meal and drinks. Plus they have a dog menu so your pup can enjoy a meal too!
The Veranda serves lunch and dinner and is open seasonally and weather permitting so make sure you check the hours before visiting. They have plenty of umbrella shaded tables and the surrounding trees also offer shade for those hot, sunny summer days. They usually offer water for my dog, but if not you can always ask. The Veranda hosts live music select weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Skoog's Pub & Grill
Every summer, the town of Utica blocks off traffic to the main thoroughfare known as Mill Street. This allows for more foot traffic and visitors (and their dogs) can enjoy the town's restaurants outside on their patios weather permitting. There are a number of restaurants that set up their outdoor patio on the street, including Skoog's. It is just minutes outside the entrance to Starved Rock making this a convenient stop after a scenic hike.
Skoog's is a place that is always recommended by the locals, and for a good reason! This is one of my favorite places to go eat in Utica, the food is fantastic. Try the wings! It's a great spot to sit outside for dinner and drinks. It's a casual pub serving up wings, tavern fried chicken, sandwiches, pasta, happy hour food, a kid's menu, and more. Order off the dog menu so your pup can enjoy a meal with you! Fair warning, parking can be a bit tricky to find on a busy summer weekend. That goes for the entire Mill Street Patio, not just Skoog's. There are nearby parking lots and it will be a short walk to Mill Street.
Canal Port
Canal Port is also located on Mill Street just across the street from Skoog's. Referred to as a premier bar and grill, the menu offers burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads, seafood, steaks and chops, chicken and pastas, a kid's menu, and more. This is another great spot to enjoy a meal and drinks outside. No dog menu, but they will offer your dog complimentary water.
Tables are umbrella shaded for those hot and sunny days. Same warning as before, parking can be harder to find on a busy summer weekend.
The Lone Buffalo by Tangled Roots Brewery Company
The Lone Buffalo is located in downtown Ottawa, about 15 minutes from Starved Rock. They serve lunch/dinner and craft beer. Their farm to table menu features chef-crafted dishes made from fresh ingredients sourced from local growers and farmers. Saturday and Sunday includes an additional brunch menu until 3pm. Check out their Burger & Brews special menu going on now until August 1st including four handcrafted burgers paired with a refreshing seasonal beer!
The food and drinks here are amazing! In this blog, I do say that often, but I mean it! There's a reason each place deserves a spot on the 'Best Dog-Friendly Patios Near Starved Rock State Park' list, and the food and drinks are definitely the reason it makes the list. Austin and I have enjoyed the pretzels, various burgers, fish tacos, and the pulled pork grilled cheese off the menu.
During the warmer months, they set up tables out front on the sidewalk so there is minimal seating available. The sidewalk is narrow is some areas, so some tables will be very close to foot traffic walking through. There are some tables that have more space than others. The nice part is that you can make a reservation for the patio! If I know I'm dining with my dog, especially on a beautiful weekend evening, I love knowing ahead of time I'll be able to get a table when I arrive. If you love traveling with your dog, you know it takes a bit of extra planning. But here is my important tip, call the restaurant to make your reservation. I made a reservation online for the patio hours in advance, but when I arrived, the host told me it doesn't notify them when you make a reservation online. The host also added that they don't check it. Luckily it was not an issue, and we still got seated right away.
There is no dog menu, but they do give out little treat pouches for the dogs. We've sat out on the patio twice, and each time they gave our dog water and made sure it stayed full! The staff truly is welcoming and loving to the dogs.
Blue Margaritas
If Mexican food is what you're looking for, Blue Margaritas is the place to go! It is by far my favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. It is located in Oglesby, just 10 minutes from the park entrance. I eat here at least once a month because the food is delicious! I also think they have the best margaritas around.
Enjoy lunch or dinner out on the spacious patio weather permitting. There are six umbrella shaded tables available, but I never notice the outdoor section crowded when I visit. The tables are well spaced out so I felt we had plenty of space for ourselves and Moose.
No dog menu here, just a large human food menu. I went inside to the host stand to ask for a table outside while Austin waited out on the patio with Moose. You can enter the patio directly from the parking lot. If you are traveling by yourself with a dog, you can always call the restaurant to let them know and ask for a server to meet you on the patio.
CortiLeno's Pub
CortiLeno's Pub is located in downtown Oglesby, about 10 minutes from the park. It's a casual sports bar & grill serving up pizza, burgers, wings, tacos, chicken & fish, sandwiches, wraps, a kid's menu, and more. The bar is open daily from 11am-2am. Check out their website for kitchen hours. Parties of 6 or larger please make a reservation in advance.
Dogs are allowed outside on their spacious patio. There are four tables and a bar area that is under their covered patio. They also have some picnic tables with umbrellas that are just outside the covered area. My mom and I really enjoyed our food here! There is street parking right out front, or there's a parking lot right next to it that's a very short walk away.
Jakes Pour House
Jakes Pour House is a casual bar and grill located in LaSalle, about 15 minutes from the park. This bar is often visited by locals and has great food and drinks. The menu features burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, tavern fried chicken, pasta, fish, and more.
They have outdoor tables in front of the restaurant and in back, but they usually just service the tables in the back. There's a few umbrella shaded tables you are welcome to sit at with your dog. I called the bar just before arriving, asking if I needed to come inside first before sitting outside at a table. They told me I didn't have to since they knew I was coming!
Our kind server brought out complimentary water for Ivy and was very dog-friendly! They even have a potty station for dogs stocked with waste bags located in the parking lot.
There's a lot of fantastic dining options for you while visiting Starved Rock. These spots are on my personal favorite list. Each place offers a little something different. The Veranda offers convenience, scenic views, occasional live music, and a large patio. The Lone Buffalo doesn't have the most spacious patio, but they make up for in amazing food, drinks and friendly staff. You can get what I'm saying here. These are not the only dog-friendly dining options in the area. Make sure to check out The Dog-Friendly Guide to Starved Rock on my website to see the full list. You can also find dog-friendly lodging, nature trails, activities, play areas, and more food places (no serviced patios). Comment down below or send me a message if you'd like to see a part two! I'd love to do another detailed list of some of the other patios on the list. There's plenty more great ones that can also be considered on this list!
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