This place is a hidden gem I think partly bc you can't tell if it exists. The cocktails range from…read moreclassic to inventive. The bartenders were super friendly and didn't hesitate in chatting us up. It's got a speakeasy vibe that also borders on spooky if you can imagine that!

What a cool place! We visited this former pharmacy turned bar for an after dinner drink. I wasn't…read moreexpecting all that much but the inside is so cool, service was great, and the drinks were fantastic! They even had a live jazz band playing this particular night which was a really nice surprise. We sat ourselves at one of the tables since the bar was all full. The bartender was nice enough to come round to us to take our orders instead of us having to go up to the bar. I ordered one of the seasonal specialty drinks called "Stache". It was cachaca, pistachio orgeat, lemon, meletti, and cherry bark vanilla bitters. I love pistachio and I love amaro so it seemed like a good direction for me to go in. The presentation wasn't much but I was really pleased with the flavor! It was one of those drinks I had to force myself not to chug because it was that drinkable. All my friends seemed to like their drinks too. We were only here for an hour or so but I'd definitely return the next time I'm in Chicago.

Had the chance to stop by again recently and B&B is every bit as good as I remembered! The staff is…read morealways kind and the vibe is a total pick-me-up. I doubt anyone leaves feeling less jolly than they did going in. On this visit, I started with the After Word to drink. It was light-bodied, not at all too sweet, and possibly went down *too* easily. We split the short rib poutine and I can't think of a better dish to get you through the winter. The meat absolutely melted in the mouth and the cheese was abundant and rich. Would order again in a heartbeat! We also tried the alligator bites as a seasonal special. I'd not had alligator before, but they were super crispy and spicy with an addictive gochujang sauce. It really does taste like chicken. If you've ever wanted to try alligator, this is the place to do it. For the main event, I opted for the red beans and rice hand pie. It came with a light, citrus salad and delicious hand cut fries with 3 dipping sauces, which were very fun to try. I loved the buttery pie crust but the filling tasty very tomato forward- I was missing the heat of a traditional red beans & rice and wished there was more seasoning. Still good. As usual, the portions were generous for the price and we left with leftovers. Absolutely recommend making the trek over here to give B&B a try, and will be back soon!

This is one of my "little treat" spots, as whenever I get paid or somehow find $20 in my wallet, I…read morelike to come here. Then I forget for a few months, find another $20, end up stumbling across this place again and going "why don't I come here more?" This has happened three times. The most important part though- it's real tasty. Always. I'd say all of it, but I'm still working my way through the menu, but the burgers and Mac never let me down. The servers are always really laid back, and nothing feels rushed. I think it's part of the charm; somewhere to go and relax and take your time to enjoy the vibe. And you know what would help the vibe even more? Including the bread pudding on the menu full time. Keeping that bad boy stocked for me at all times. (This time was my first time seeing it on the specials menu and listen, it WAS special. So special that you should upgrade it to mainstay is all.)

Still excellent and hubby and I asked why we don't come here more. We again had the yummy bang bang…read moreshrimp to start. I ordered a full slab of ribs (to have some to take home) with their fries and their sauce on the side. Delicious! Hubby had their Italian meatball appetizer served with bread and their flavorful marinara sauce. So good! I hate ordering pasta sauce in restaurants that have no flavor. This is so not that! Nothing bland about it! We had drinks so our bill was over $100 for the two of us. You know liquor makes your bill much higher. But it was a nice date night and so worth it. Michelle was our server and she was also the bar tender. (We sat in the bar and it was later evening.) She managed to remain attentive while waiting on everyone in the room. Fortunately it wasn't too crowded. We had a nice night and must come back more often.

This place holds a special place in my heart. It's got a Cheers vibe- where everyone knows your…read morename! The food is classic American. Most recently stopped in for a burger after working late night. I literally have never had a bad meal here. The kitchen is open late which is appreciated. You often see people coming in for pick ups. They have a bar area, a dining room and a super cute enclosed back patio. They also have a parking lot! A true Chicago rarity! Everyone is a vibe. The whole place is a vibe. 10 out of 10 highly recommend!

Everything was very good: Service, pacing of our meal and the staff…read more The atmosphere was good, not too loud, but you could tell that the people around us were enjoying themselves.

Was a perfect day to have lunch here. One of my favorite restaurants here in the neighborhood. The…read moreplace wasn't crowded and I sat at the bar. Blake, the bartender, was very friendly and asked me for a glass of water, since it was a hot day here. 5 minutes later I ordered a hard cider which hit the spot. They have spots and music videos playing on the TV. Then I ordered chicken quesadillas was so yummy. Had a great lunch here and I will be back

Pubs are all over the place and most are not that memorable. On an odd stretch of Broadway is a…read morecorner pub called Burke's. The interior is not that remarkable. What I was impressed with was the server who was welcoming, and efficient. The menu is accessible with a good cross section of draft and canned/bottled beers and cocktails. The food menu is what you would expect. We ordered the fish and chips and a hamburger. Both were nicely played and were tasty. Overall Burkes is a solid pub slightly above par. Next time you are on this lonely stretch, give it a try.

Ever since starting to watch The Bear, I have been craving an Italian Beef sandwich, so what better…read moreplace to try that out than in the city that inspired the show, right? Could have gone to the actual restaurant its based on but Burke's Public House did the trick just fine. Super hearty helping of beef on a pretty solid sandwich at a decent enough price. Wish there were more fries that came with, but beggars can't be choosers. Service was reliable, and the dive-y ambiance made this a solid neighborhood spot to check out for a quick catch up with an old friend.

Nice little neighborhood beer bar. Good selection of beer and liquors. I was in the hood and…read moreneeded a place to watch the Bulls game. This popped up and it hit the spot. Chill crowd, friendly bartender, clean bathroom. I wouldn't seek this place out, but if I'm in the area I'm happy to stop by. No food that I can. Maybe the biggest downside.

Very chilled little bar in a weird location on Peterson, about a block west of Clark Street…read more Barrelman is located on the short stretch of Peterson that is between Clark and Ridge. If you are like me, trying to make that light, you will never see this place, but it is there and it is super cute. There is a lot of dark wood that just gives the space a cozy feel. There are also two garage doors that I assume can be opened when the weather is good. For you folks with dogs, beer drinkers who drink beyond the basic beers, bubble drinkers (like me) and those that want to bring in their own food...this is your place. We went there to meet some friends and to watch some football. For such a small place, they do have plenty of TVs with multiple games going. It was great to be able to have pizza delivered, with the bartender providing paper plates, and napkins for us to use. The bartender was also very cool about bringing our drinks over or picking up empties as we were sitting a a table away from the bar. I didn't get his name, but he was cool. There is street parking but not on Peterson itself. I would say, depending on the day, it might be hard to find a spot as you have to park on Ridge or some of the side streets. There is a new Metra station down the street that is about 2 blocks from the bar. Not sure if there is public parking available, but worth checking out. I could see myself coming here just because I can bring my own food and still get bubbles. While they do not carry bubbles by the bottle, the stuff they had in the can was good. I would love to go there when the weather is nicer and they have the garage doors open. And it is a happy compromise to hanging out with friends who have dogs that they just can't live without who also like to drink. This is a place we can definitely hang out with them and have a good time.

Hopleaf Bar is hands down one of our favorite spots for dinner and drink in all of Chicago!…read more One key to a successful dinning experience at Hopleaf is knowing the three different spaces to engage. When you first walk in, you have to show your ID since this is an adults-only bar establishment. (1) You can then choose to sit in the front bar area, if you want a full menu, but use the bar for ordering service. (2) If you keep walking through the front bar area, you reach the host stand at the top of the ramp. This is where you can put your name in to sit in the main dining room, upstairs, or outside. (3) However, you can also walk through to the left of the host stand to another bar area that has full menus, but bar service for ordering. This is our preferred spot because we can often find a seat and order with the bar. Do note that, during busy times, part of this bar area is managed by the host stand and will be labeled as such. The extensive beer menu is our favorite. We have our favorite food items, so all our decision making revolves around which beer we will get. They always have a bit of everything style-wise, from all over the world, but with a local-brewery focus. Seasonal emphasis is also taken into consideration when they curate the beer list. It is always rotating and we love it! Beers are served in the recommended glasses from the breweries. It's a great drinking experience from start to finish! Our food orders are eternally set: I get the Nueske Ham sandwich with fries and aioli. My husband gets the Reuben sandwich with fries and aioli. This meal is so perfect we'll probably never get anything different, despite the menu being delicious across the board. The wildest we get is sometimes splitting the two sandwiches. No reason to mess with a good thing! Other notable great things about Hopleaf: (1) Kind, knowledgeable, and professional staff. (2) Reasonable prices for high quality and great variety products. (3) Clean Belgian Bar decor/vibe with lots of space for folks to enjoy their time. (4) They are open late and serve food late. Thank you for being an amazing local spot, Hopleaf! We'll see you soon!

Fantastic beers and cocktails. I am not a beer drinker but found one I loved. The food is higher…read moreend but wow! So tasty!! Our waitress gave us a lot of attention, made recommendations and really listened to our likes and dislikes.

Stopped in for lunch (they open at noon in the summer) and the R Pub Burger and fries. The food is…read moreas good as the first time is was here more 11 years ago. The beer list this week is great. I liked my Lagunitas Beast of Both Worlds enough for a 2nd. We miss the founders and hope they are enjoying a well earned retirement. The new owners have not lost a step and I look forward to visiting the restaurant for another decade

Dear Vegetarians, I…read morewas hungry for a veggie burger and fries. In my haste, I misread the web menu as having a mushroom/swiss cheese housemade veggie burger. Upon arrival, I realized any of their beef burgers could be substituted with a Beyond burger (which I accepted in this lost era of *Big Plant-based Burger*). Unfortunately, they UP-charged $6 for Beyond burgers, but I (again mistakenly) assumed this meant for 2 patties, like they emphasize for their meat burgers. In my hunger I accepted this high price. But then on the receipt I saw I was UP-charged $8 for 1 Beyond patty. [A quick search says Whole Foods sells Beyond burgers for $8 for 2 patties. Therefore, surely there is a business option that lowers this price.] Good luck out there and beware of Beyond pricing. ~~~~~ Beyond this Vegetarian price scandal, I enjoyed myself: chill and attentive staff, cute patio, yum fries and dijon aioli! Dear R Public House: Please consider vegetarians and offer a housemade veggie burger, or find a way to cut the cost of store patties. At the very least, make sure the menu price matches receipt price. Thanks in advance, I do want to return! But for now will be sticking to only drafts.