Chicago
Pull open the huge wooden doors and enter this dimly lit Belgian beer cave. Old barrels, vintage taps and faux antiquarian books set the mood, accompanied…
Must-see nightlife in Illinois
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Forbidden Root is a 'botanical brewery' that uses roots, bark, spices, fruit and flowers to make eclectic beers such as Wildflower Pale Ale (with marigold…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Danny's comfortably dim, dog-eared ambience is perfect for conversations over an early pint, before DJs arrive to stoke the dance party later on. It winds…
Chicago
The Skylark is a bastion for artsy guzzlers, who slouch into big booths sipping on strong drinks and eyeing the long room. They play pinball, snap pics in…
Chicago
This classy joint in the Drake Hotel opened the day after Prohibition was repealed. It offers a taste of old Chicago: burgundy-colored leather booths, old…
Chicago
Do as the retro sign advises and 'Stop & Drink.' Midwestern microbrews are the main draw. Work up a thirst on the free pretzels, order a three-beer…
Chicago
Toni's provides a cute refuge for a glass of wine. The Parisian-style cafe has a small list of French red, white and sparkling wines to sip at close-set…
Chicago
The long room at Eva's charms, with a fireplace, brick floor and antique wood tables and chairs. Coffee and tea steam out of mismatched ceramic cups. The…
Chicago
Smart Bar is a long-standing, unpretentious favorite for dancing, located in the basement of the Metro rock club. The DJs are often more renowned than you…
Chicago
It's all about the view from the 13th-floor rooftop bar of the Hotel Lincoln. And it delivers, sweeping over the park, the lake and downtown skyline…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
Situated on the western edge of Bucktown, Remedy is a newer addition to Chicago’s slate of bars open until 4am (5am on Saturday). But despite the coveted…
Chicago
This edgy coffee bar is somewhat disguised, tucked in a graffitied building (sharing a space with Green Street Smoked Meats). Prolific Chicago…
Chicago
Owned by prolific Chicago restaurateur Brendan Sodikoff, CC Ferns is a cozy coffeehouse in Humboldt Park appended to the back of a 1930s-era cocktail bar,…
Chicago
Featuring adventurous pastries and artisanal coffee, this diminutive cafe just east of Roscoe Village doesn’t offer much in the way of space, but it makes…
Chicago
This small Old Town establishment features cold-pressed juices with punny names (Juicy Liu, Juicille Ball etc) and various smoothies made from nondairy…
Chicago
Chic, dimly lit and reminiscent of a downtown bar more than a neighborhood corner bar, the Sixth blows minds with its playful cocktails. You might sip…
Chicago
There’s plenty to love about Hopewell Brewing Company: bright, clean beer; an airy, Scandinavian-inspired taproom in a former department store; and a…
Chicago
Modeled after fern bars of the late 1970s and early '80s – plant-adorned drinking establishments replete with wood accents and faux Tiffany lamps – Heavy…
Chicago
Single-origin, house-roasted coffee, breakfast sandwiches and free wi-fi make up for spacey service at this long-running Bridgeport favorite. Lofty…
Chicago
Half Acre was one of the leaders of Chicago's craft brewing movement, concocting the deliciously hoppy Daisy Cutter Pale Ale and selling it in cans. The…
Chicago
An early arrival on the West Loop scene, Haymarket remains nicely low-key. It doesn't try to win you over with uberhipness like many of its neighbors…
Chicago
Chandeliers dangle from the high ceiling, fountains gurgle, and sleek couches offer respite under leafy trees in a light-bathed glass atrium. This elegant…
Chicago
Groups of friends and couples on dates descend to the Press Room's snug basement digs to chitchat at candlelit tables over glasses of red, white and…
Goose Island Fulton Street Brewery
Chicago
Goose Island – Chicago's first craft brewer, launched in 1988 – is now owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev, so technically it's no longer a craft brewer. But it…
Chicago
The Chicago outpost of this campy, gay-friendly San Francisco-based chain serves well-regarded burgers and weekend brunch in the downstairs restaurant,…
Illinois
This Rock Island hophead destination manages to strike the perfect balance between craft nanobrewery and neighborhood dive bar. Saddle up to the bar with…
Chicago
The cozy little room with found furniture and exposed brick walls is a great place to munch a sandwich, sip a rose cardamom latte with oat milk, and shop…
Illinois
This gorgeous, retro, Prohibition–styled taproom was Oak Park's first, originally started in 2016 as a lager-only adventure (hence the name). Today, there…
Chicago
Lucky Dorr, which stands about 20 paces from Wrigley Field, sends out its siren song to beer aficionados. The 20 taps pour brews by local makers such as…
Chicago
Dovetail brews Belgian- and German-style beers. Smoky rauchbier, yolky-orange wheat beer, fruity lambics and sweet tasting spelt beer flow from the…
Chicago
Looking for a packed, sweaty dance floor that's loads of fun? Berlin caters to a mostly gay crowd midweek, though partiers of all stripes jam the place on…
Illinois
Two Brothers hides in an industrial park surrounded by fields. Two brothers, Jim and Jason, do indeed brew the suds, which you can sample via the 14 or so…
Chicago
Hobnob with neighborhood folks in Empirical's no-frills taproom: play board games, hit the pinball machine, pet the locals' dogs. There's a science-geek…
Chicago
With metal ducts running overhead, exposed-brick walls and wood bench seats, Sip of Hope is more industrial than cozy. But it's super welcoming and brews…
Chicago
A father-daughter team operates this cute-as-a-button distillery that specializes in fruit brandies. They source the apples, cherries, plums and other…
Chicago
City Winery pours on the grape theme, with casks and tanks of wine everywhere you look. It's very Sonoma decor-wise, with a vine-strewn, open-air patio…
Illinois
The name of this laid-back brewery is a waggish reference to Evanston's legacy as a teetotaling stronghold: the town's dry spell outlasted US Prohibition…
Wicker Park, Bucktown & Ukrainian Village
A hop, skip and a shuffle away from the 606 trail is this Brooklyn import that combines hipster cocktails and beer with leisurely games of full-court…
Chicago
A motley assemblage of local artists and neighborhood regulars haunts this workaday Bridgeport tavern, where the eclectic calendar includes wild, wacky…
Illinois
This hip coffee lounge is awash in welcoming mid-century modern aesthetics and design-forward touches, beckoning the caffeine calvary for a range of…
