Under the radar
Ditch your played-out weekend plans for these lesser-known spots
March 21, 2008Ranked
15014 S. Des Plaines St., PlainfieldA bar dedicated solely to...video gaming? That's right. This hidden-away spot in downtown Plainfield is bringing gaming out of the basement and into the bar, Ranked features seven game stations decked out with high-def TVs, comfy leather chairs and any game you could want to play on the Nintendo Wii or Xbox 360. This still fairly unknown bar and grill is slowly bringing in locals with cheap drink specials ($2.50-$3.50 for bottled beers; $3.50 well drinks) and a menu of apps and sandwiches under $7. As for the gaming, here's the deal. There's no cover to hang out, but to play in twice-nightly tournaments, you have to buy a year-long membership card for $20. Whether you're a serious Halo 3 warrior or a casual Wii bowler or Guitar Hero jammer, you don't have to worry about sharing screen-time with hyped-up kids. A nightly 5 p.m. tournament is 18 and older, while the place goes 21 and up after 8 p.m.
Lunar Brewing Co.
54 E. St. Charles Rd., Villa ParkThis bordering-on-dive brewpub in unlikely Villa Park is a palace for craft beer fanatics. Lunar Brewing Co. creates 40 different beers a year, with at least one new brew each week. On tap all the time are Moondance IPA, Raspberry Cream Ale and Total Eclipse Oatmeal Stout. If you're craving something more substantial that the snacks on hand (pizza, popcorn, pretzels and nuts), choose from the delivery menus behind the bar and have a meal brought in from a local restaurant.
Jolane's Cafe and Wine Bar
1100 Milwaukee Ave., GlenviewApparently, even though Abt Electronics CEO Bob Abt has a wildly successful and ridiculously large showroom in Glenview, he always wanted to open a restaurant. So in February 2008, they added a full-service restaurant to their already expansive campus. A 100-seat spot with an 80-seat patio for the warmer months, Jolane's is actually not located in the store's main building, but rather inside a newer design center just south. For years, Abt has proffered free chocolate-chip cookies and Julius Meinl coffee to shoppers, so an on-site coffee shop wasn't too far of a departure. "But we like to do everything," says Mike Abt, Bob's son and president of the company. So the cafe concept snowballed into a menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with fairly hefty selection of wine. Now, the cozy cafe mostly feeds hungry shoppers mulling over a big purchase and provides a quieter spots for kitchen and bathroom design consultants to chat with their customers away from the flurry of the salesfloor. But as word gets out, the Abts hope regulars will return for unique offerings like Nutella-filled crepes, champagne-spiked juice cocktails, pear and brie sandwiches and prosciutto paninis.
Irae 60
700 N. Milwaukee Ave. #128, Vernon HillsThis unassuming strip mall eatery offers a total departure from its surroundings. A glass-topped bar glowing with icy blue light resides near the front of the space, while a sushi bar brings up the rear. Everywhere else, you'll find plush, private booths upholstered in rich brocade fabrics, with each nook adorned with its own framed artwork and chandelier. The menu is mostly sushi and seafood, with some puzzling departures into French, American and fusion fare (Sushi pizza? Burger and fries? Steak au Poivre? If you say so!). Though it was nearly dead on a recent Saturday night, we soaked in the city-chic ambiance over a few cocktails with friends. Though our server was barely understandable through her thick accent, the cucumber martini ($9) was so fresh that we'll definitely be back for another in warmer weather.
Antipasto
517 W Lake St., AddisonThe curvy bar, sleek fixtures and leopard-print chairs in this funky lounge are almost enough to make you forget that it's located steps away from a shady dollar store and defunct Dominick's in a Lake Street strip mall. The appetizers here aren't anything near gourmet, but you'll feel more forgiving when they're half-off during weeknight happy hour. Come after work on a weeknight and you'll have much of the sizable patio to yourself to sip on a technicolor martini or two.
Sam's Wines & Spirits
1919 Skokie Valley Highway, Highland ParkThis Chicagoland classic offers more than 2,700 different wines, 1,000 spirits, 300 beers and Marcey Street Market's selection of foods. Unlike your neighborhood liquor store, here there's actually a wine bar-style lounge area where you can sit and sample select wines by the glass, munch gourmet goodies and watch big screen TVs. With a wine education center and demonstration kitchen this space has endless possibilities for hosting corporate events and private parties. Plus, there's catering and free glassware rental for your backyard shindig.
