Hunter's on Halsted
Bar · Park West ·
Artist-friendly lounge with live music, DJs, coffee & spirit-free drinks
Artist-friendly lounge with live music, DJs, coffee & spirit-free drinks
"Housed in a 127-year-old building at 2447 N. Halsted Street, the rebranded tavern formerly known as the Tonic Room seeks a fresh start: after Tonic Room’s run as a late-night jam-band haven and a pandemic-driven closure, owner Donnie Biggins plans to unveil Golden Dagger with early morning hours, coffee and booze-free beverages and other new features, signaling he has no desire to revert to the pre-pandemic model." - Eater Staff
"BL.U.E.S. is as authentic as Chicago Blues music gets. You can catch a live show at this cozy, intimate venue every night of the week. They host both obscure acts and legends like Vance "Guitar" Kelly, but focus primarily on local talent. This dark, moody venue is dimly lit by strands of Christmas lights, revealing walls that are covered in the history of Blues and Chicago icons. Small tables bring you up close and personal with others patrons, one of whom might be a Blues artist having a drink on their day off. B.L.U.E.S is overflowing with old-school Chicago charm, and the friendly and attentive staff makes sure to keep your drinks full while you enjoy the show." - Stephen Merlo
"A divey Lincoln Park bar near DePaul, Golden Dagger is a small venue with plenty of N/A options. The space hosts jam bands and more." - Ashok Selvam
"People on the coasts tend to think of Chicago as a meat and potatoes town. And sure, we have plenty of great steakhouses and nobody will be mad if you suggest Pequod’s for dinner, but the truth is a little more complicated than that. Most of us do our best to limit our Italian beef intake to three servings per week, and vegetarian options aren’t exactly in short supply - we’ve had a in this city longer than we’ve had a Super Bowl ring. When it opened a few years ago, Bad Hunter carved out its own space on Restaurant Row as a destination for vegans and vegetarians. It was special not only because its menu was almost entirely plant-based, but because it was making food you couldn’t easily find elsewhere in the city. A fire kept this place closed for nearly a year, but now Bad Hunter is open again and feels refreshed - there are more meat dishes on the menu than before, but still includes plenty of the exciting vegetable-focused dishes that made it a destination in the first place. The menu is split into small, medium, and large plates with more must-order dishes than you can fit on your table. Tender and buttery with a little kick, the butter dumplings are the perfect bite to start with. The crispy togarashi carrots should come next - they’re what poor, deluded sweet potato fries see when they look in the mirror, dressed up with sorrel and coconut flakes that help differentiate these from the one-note fried appetizers you’ll find at other spots. The larger plates are where they’ve revamped the menu most. While there are still plenty of excellent vegetarian options, they’ve added a few dishes with meat that we really like too. The mezze maniche pasta takes what would already be a unique element of the dish - a spicy arrabiata sauce made with whole black cherries - and adds chewy bits of pancetta. The juicy adobo roasted half chicken is a great example of Bad Hunter’s versatility, too. But if you’re looking for a meal you can’t find just anywhere, you should go with the giant charred cauliflower head with a massive serrated knife stuck in it - maybe as a warning to any other cauliflower passing by on the street - served with a homemade sambal. The restaurant is bright and busy, with plants and stone tile tables that make it feel like an urban greenhouse. And just like at most greenhouses, the staff here is attentive and knowledgeable, and even if you have multiple food allergies or aversions, you’re probably not going to throw them for a loop. The biggest downside here is that for what you’re paying, you’ll wish some of the portions were larger. While you’re encouraged to share most things, there’s generally not much to go around if you’re in a group of more than two people. The delicious corn on the cob, for example, is served with salmon rillette and crushed pistachios that are much more exciting than butter and salt, but not so much more exciting that you want to pay $16 for three small half cobs of it. Price point aside, Bad Hunter isn’t just one of the best places to eat vegetarian food in the city - it’s worth coming here for delicious, interesting food, period. Your friend visiting from LA might even change their opinion of Chicago after seeing what Bad Hunter can do - just don’t tell them what everyone’s lining up for next door at Au Cheval. " - Josh Barnett
"I noted that Golden Dagger is listed as implementing a vaccine requirement for patrons." - Naomi Waxman