BYOB surprises

BYOB deals

It's not hard to find a BYOB restaurant in Chicago. There's probably a hole-in-the-wall Thai joint or a strip-mall sushi bar that's down with the DIY drinks right in your neighborhood. (And if you can't name one off the top of your head, you need only to check our BYOB guide.) But BYOBs that offer the full package--top-notch food, polished service and an atmosphere that feels like a real night out--are harder to come by. That is, unless you know about the back-door option.

The following places with robust wines lists of their own quietly have added nights where outside bottles are welcome too--sans the sky-high corkage fees many fully licensed places will charge if you try to bring your own.