The Ace Hotel (311 N. Morgan St., West Loop), with its perfectly designed environs and culinary credentials (see its restaurant, City Mouse, helmed by the crew from Giant), was always destined to be a magnet for a certain kind of cool kid. And indeed, it is—every cushy bench and aesthetically appealing chair is filled with stylish West Loop regulars, sipping sherry cocktails from bartender Caitlin Laman.

But there's also that view. In these waning days of summer, take advantage of this east-facing vista. It lets you take in the panorama of downtown and the Fulton Market area as you sip, the ideal setting for contemplating the unceasingly speedy pace of neighborhood development as well as snapping a few selfies.

Here's what we saw when we stopped by.