The Wellsley

This cash-only dive bar blends retro charm with a cozy vibe, offering tasty pub grub, crafty brews, and live tunes, perfect for a laid-back hangout.

Relaxed cocktail bar with a welcoming vibe, LGBTQIA+ focus, and regular entertainment.

This indie café serves up fantastic coffee and pastries in a vibrant, art-filled space perfect for both quick visits and cozy hangouts.

An omakase menu with sake pairings is the highlight at this upscale Japanese eatery & sushi bar

Family-owned local chain for Italian classics & Chicago-style, deep-dish pizzas with buttery crusts.

Neighborhood hangout with craft beers on tap & board games in a laid-back, brick-walled setting.

Dive into this chic modern Japanese spot for fresh sushi and robata, where the vibrant izakaya vibe promises a feast for the senses.

Polished quarters with river views in a sleek hotel offering a rooftop lounge, a tavern & a spa. Next to an El station on a street lined with upscale shops and restaurants, this sleek hotel in the Theater District is 2 blocks from the Chicago River and 11 minutes' walk from the sculptures at Millennium Park. Polished rooms with river views feature flat-screen TVs, iPod docks and Wi-Fi (fee), as well as minibars and coffeemakers. Suites add living rooms with kitchenettes, dining areas, and spa-style bathrooms with soaking tubs. Room service is available. A chic rooftop lounge with a glass-enclosed deck offers river and park views. There's also an upscale tavern and a high-end spa. Valet parking is available for a surcharge.

Roister, the laid-back gem of the Alinea Group, serves up inventive New American comfort food amidst a bustling, open-kitchen vibe.

Rotating house-brewed beers are tapped in a tasting room & seasonal garden & paired with pub fare.