Amaru

"When: Mon-Thurs 5-6pm, Sun 4-5pm The Deal: $7 Cocktails, $7-$8 Wine, $5-$10 Small Bites Amaru is a small, casual Latin American spot in Wicker Park with upbeat energy that will keep you awake even though you had to get up at 6am this morning. And their Happy Hour deals will also motivate you to not just immediately head home after work to become one with your couch. They have dishes like ceviche, piononos with sweet plantains and chorizo wrapped in bacon, which cost $10 or less, plus some cocktails and wines for $7 or less. And, as our ex-roommate who never paid rent on time used to say: "There’s no shame in crafting a full meal out of Happy Hour bites." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru

"This small Latin American restaurant in Wicker Park has a fun atmosphere and great food with complex flavors. For example, you’ll find chicken skewers served in a spicy huancaina or charred octopus with a tangy poblano sauce. Almost everything on the menu is between $7-$20, and perfect for sharing. Come here to catch up with your friends about their recent vacations—which might have something to do with the fact that they’re choosing to split a $7 order of fried plantains for dinner." - adrian kane, john ringor

"We like to go to this fun Latin American spot on a weeknight when it can help to break up the monotony of a boring week. All the dishes usually have some element that ends up surprising us—like the chicken skewers that come in a spicy huancaina sauce and have the unexpected addition of choclo (large chewy pieces of Peruvian corn), and ceviche that’s hiding sweet potato puree under the leche de tigre. As a bonus, almost everything on the menu is between $7-$16, making it a great option for a reasonably priced date night, too." - sam faye, adrian kane, john ringor

"Amaru is hosting a special multicourse dinner in July to spotlight a new wave of gastronomy in Colombia, featuring eight courses from some of the best Latin American culinary and mixology talents." - Lisa Shames

"Consider Amaru as a secret weapon restaurant. It looks like your typical neighborhood spot in Wicker Park when you walk in—meaning small and narrow, minimally decorated, with a bar dominating the space. In other words, whoever you take here probably won’t be expecting the food to be as fantastic as it is. Everything on the Latin American menu is delicious and is very affordable. In fact, the giant $13 bowl of ceviche is some of the best we’ve had. And thanks to extra touches like flaming cocktails and the fact that they play old-school hip hop, a dinner here always ends up feeling like a good time." - adrian kane