Guide - Neighborhood Spotlight
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A portal to childhood; a hallowed ground for musicians, artists, and writers; and the only tolerable place to have a beer on the stretch of Division between Damen and Western
Guide Location Categories
Guide Neighborhoods
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Central
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Drinking in the clouds, expensive Japanese whiskey, and the saddest of piano bars.
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A swanky rooftop, a grungy dive, and a surprising number of must-visits in between
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A tourist mecca under Michigan Avenue, a classic dive manned by a no-nonsense dame, and a boozy tribute to the Great Lakes region
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Yuppies, degenerates, and blues aficionados—sometimes all in the same room
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North
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Forbidding dives, a Korean karaoke joint, and stripper tunes
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Belgian beers galore, craft microbrews, and gløgg
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Preternaturally friendly, sublimely unpretentious . . . and the charms of Miss Ollie
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Go-go boys, tacos and tequila, and a beloved dive with a beloved jukebox
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Coziness, grit, authenticity, and a warning that “shit beer will kill you.” Wait, is this Lincoln Park?
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An alpine lodge-inspired brauhaus and an art installation with booze
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Beer gardens, Nintendo, and one-dollar PBRs—oh my!
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Eat some cured meats, stop by a neighborhood bar, check out where Second City players go to drink, and then fall down three flights of stairs
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A beer dean’s dream
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Sourcing a bar that's practically preserved in amber—and maybe, just maybe, the neighborhood's best manhattan
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Craft beers and cutting-edge jazz, a bar for hillbillies and locals alike, and a civilized 4 AM bar (5 AM on Saturdays)
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The land of 4 AM bars—sports bar, lounge, or decades-old jazz clubs: take your pick
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Spots to escape the game-day craziness—or to embrace it
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Northwest
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Karaoke, birthday specials, and the old-school original Small Bar
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Sing karaoke, play the lottery, and throw horseshoes—all within walking distance
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From hipster dive bars to a citywide destination for craft cocktails
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West
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“Mistakes,” drink-and-a-shot with complimentary cheese balls, and a landmark cheap date that doesn’t feel cheap
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Plenty of sports bars, sure—but also plenty of decent bar grub and beer selections
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The south of the border of the south side
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Where to go for bars called The Matchbox that are the size of a matchbox and a Rat Pack bar that serves hard-boiled eggs in shot glasses
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A portal to childhood; a hallowed ground for musicians, artists, and writers; and the only tolerable place to have a beer on the stretch of Division between Damen and Western
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Happy respites from the neighborhood’s crowds, from sub-par cocktails, and from dance clubs that do it wrong
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Summer-camp-styled karaoke, an Elvis bust, and barrel-aged whiskey on the bar
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South
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The south side’s hipper side
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Croatian grog, the alleged birthplace of Second City, and the U. of C.’s semiprivate in-house pub
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Suburbs North
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The longtime dry suburb now has a bar in a movie theater, a jazz bar in a steakhouse, and an Irish pub with a superb patio
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