Bird's Nest 2500 N. Southport Ave. | 773-472-1502 Imagine some fraternity brothers dreaming up a bar from the basement of their frat house--what they'd probably come up with is something like Bird's Nest, furnished wi... READ MORE
Yak-Zies Bar and Grill 3710 N. Clark St. | 773-525-9200 This Wrigleyville spot hops when the Cubs are in town, both before and after the games. With an enormous outdoor patio and windows opening in front, Yak-Zies is a gre... READ MORE
Holiday Club 4000 N. Sheridan Rd. | 773-348-9600 Holiday Club, Uptown's self-proclaimed "Swinger's Mecca" is nostalgic for the days of fedoras, martinis and lounge acts. Vintage movie posters and a larger-than-life c... READ MORE
Innjoy 2051 W. Division St. | 773-394-2066 Bargoers on Division Street come to Innjoy for beer and upscale bar food, plus cool beats by nightly DJs--don't be surprised to see a bit of dancing on Saturday nights... READ MORE
Merkle's Bar & Grill 3516 N.Clark St. | 773-244-1025 This Wrigleyville bar and grill opened Dec. 2004 (in a former Billy Goat tavern) to serve classic American fare, including homemade burgers and fries, three different ... READ MORE
Harold's Chicken Shack #36 1361 N. Milwaukee Ave. | 773-252-2424 This venerable South Side chain has grown steadily over the years to occupy dozens of locations throughout the city, including this one in Wicker Park. A banal numberi... READ MORE
The Boundary 1932 W. Division St. | 773-278-1919 This splashy tavern and grill in Wicker Park, from the crew behind Lakeview's Trace, is housed in a massive brick building that used to house an auto body shop; check ... READ MORE
Crisp 2940 N. Broadway | 877-693-8653 Hoping to do for Korean-fusion what Chipotle did for Mexican, partners behind this hip Lakeview quick-serve in the former Bento Box address, Doug Funke and Jae Lee, ha... READ MORE
Chicago q 1160 N. Dearborn St. | 312-642-1160 It's not often you'll find upscale dining with falling-off-the-bone barbecue meat, but there's both in equal measure at this glam Gold Coast spot. Let co-owner and pit... READ MORE
Frontier 1072 N. Milwaukee Ave. | 773-772-4322 This West Town bar by the owners of The Pony and Lotties includes casual seating downstairs, a private party space upstairs and a soon-to-open beer garden. Look for a ... READ MORE