Hunter's on Halsted

"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

"Fans of Golden Dagger, a Lincoln Park bar and music venue that sustained serious fire damage the day after Thanksgiving, have raised more than $23,000 via GoFundMe to support displaced workers and fix interior damage inside the 127-year-old building at 2447 N. Halsted Street, near DePaul University’s main campus. Owner Donnie Biggins, who announced news of the fire Friday on social media, did not detail the cause of the fire but confirmed that no employees or patrons were injured in the blaze. The space, however, will need significant repairs and its staff will be out of work “for the foreseeable future.” Touched by the flood of financial support, Biggins on Sunday thanked donors for stepping up in his hour of need. “In the past 48 hours we have seen the most heartfelt support from our friends and community,” he wrote on Facebook. “We will never be able to express how much this will mean to us, but we will try.” The previous iteration of the venue, Tonic Room, a bar and late-night hotspot for jam bands, closed permanently in March 2020 when the city shut down indoor dining. Biggins rebranded the business in April as Golden Dagger, an artist-friendly space with early morning hours and an emphasis on coffee and alcohol-free cocktails. It’s named for a spooky-looking dagger found by previous owners that’s rumored to be a relic of the building’s history as a brothel, a speakeasy, and occultist temple. Despite the fire, the dagger remains affixed to the wall." - Naomi Waxman

"DePaul-area bar and music venue Tonic Room in recent years had become a late-night haven for jam bands— a hideaway from the typical sports bar mayhem in the area. But now ownership seeks a fresh start, seeking to redefine the space with early morning hours, coffee, booze-free beverages, and other fun features inside the 127-year-old building at 2447 N. Halsted Street. Owner Donnie Biggins plans on Wednesday to unveil his rebranded tavern, now dubbed Golden Dagger, to Chicago. Tonic Room closed its doors last March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Biggins has no desire to revert back to Before Times. 'Excuse my French, but fuck that,' he says. 'I don’t want to go back to normal. I want to come out of this rejuvenated and with a new outlook on how we treat each other, how we respect our artist community... We want to create a new beginning.' Patrons can expect cold brew, espresso drinks, and drip coffee in the morning. They’ll use beans from Skylight Coffee, a newish roastery from Tonic Room’s production manager Billy Giannopolous and sound engineer Matt DeWine, Operators are currently hammering out a deal with French bakery mini-chain Maison Parisienne to feature breakfast pastries, and customers will be also allowed to bring their own food. At noon, offerings will open up to include a robust menu of spirit-free drinks and non-alcoholic kombucha, plus Chicago-made beers, wine, and cocktails. Biggins says he’s explored sobriety from alcohol over the past four years and has recently marked 15 months without drinking. He likes to be open about his experiences to counteract the shame and guilt many feel about alcohol abuse. He wants his venue to create an environment where customers don’t feel pressure to consume alcohol. He aims to show that no one needs booze to enjoy a concert or a night out with friends. 'I think it’s important to be an advocate for non-drinkers,' he says, citing many nights out where he’s gotten stuck with bad coffee or bitters and soda. 'The more that we talk about it, the stronger our community grows.' Nearly every corner of Golden Dagger has seen alterations, from a reconfigured stage and relocated front door to bi-fold windows that help keep fresh air circulating in the space. Visitors will also get a chance to peek at a dagger found by previous owners inside the building. Ghost hunters and staff alike have mused that it’s likely a relic of the building’s past history as a brothel, a speakeasy, and an occultist temple for the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Truly modern additions will include a new 'rapbrary' (see: rap library) with books selected by Chicago-based rapper and librarian Roy Kinsey. He and Biggins hope that customers will settle in with a book and cup of coffee on the new 30-seat outdoor patio in the corridor adjacent to nearby Thai restaurant Noodles in the Pot. Kinsey and Biggins aim to launch a book club with ticketed events. Biggins won’t try and estimate when live shows will resume, noting the pandemic has taught him to be skeptical of future plans. In the meantime, he’s focusing on COVID-safe solutions like a livestream series called 'Local Support' and retail space for tapes and vinyl with all proceeds going to the artists. COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the music industry and artists who had relied on in-person event; Biggins sees supporting them as a key part of his mission at Golden Dagger. 'I believe that coming out of this pandemic, I want a fresh viewpoint on what I’m offering to my community — and to the artist community specifically,' he says. 'That means creating opportunities for everyone to participate in ways that are safe for each other.' Golden Dagger, 2447 N. Halsted Street, Slated to open Wednesday, April 21." - Naomi Waxman