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Nightlife Guides
» Gold Medal-Worthy Destinations
These Olympics-inspired deals will have you high-jumping for joy.
» It's an Age Thing
Like a fine wine, these barrel-aged beers have been fermented to an oaky perfection.
» Best Beats
Doo-wop 'til you drop this week.
» Let's Go Alfresco
This is prime outdoor-eating-and-drinking time, whether it's in a beer garden, at a sidewalk cafe or in the 'burbs.
» Sold on Sangria
The refreshing wine cocktail goes down easy at these spots.
» Brand-New Bars
We've got the latest on all the new watering holes.
» Beer Town, Summer in the City
What pairs better with a hot summer day than a cold brew?
» Mixing History
Take a sip to the past with one of these traditional tipples.
» Know Your Whites
Get the lowdown on Chicago's egg cocktails and enjoy a frothy tipple at one of these upscale bars.
» Sweet Sips of Liberty
Pledge your allegiance to these Americana cocktails while you celebrate another year of Independence.
» Vinegar Unveiled
You've had it in salads, soups and sauces, now try sipping the stuff in one of these vinegar-tinged libations.
» Master Shakers
A bar is only as good as the mixologist behind it, and these local spots are home to some of the best in the city.
» Brain Freeze
Evoke the summers of your youth with one of these blended beach-inspired drinks.
» Get Schooled in Shochu
Chicagoans looking for something new to pair with their sashimi will love these shochu cocktails.
» Where the Weiss Things Are
Put down the heavy brews and pick up a spring-friendly beer that’s citrusy and sweet.
» Ciders and Lambics and Meads (Oh My!)
These alternatives to beer pack sumptuous fruit flavor that will get you thinking about summer.
» Rooftop Revelry
We've rounded up the city's rooftop decks, where you can imbibe up high.
» Drinkable Desserts
Skip the cake and head straight for these sugar-shackled dessert drinks.
» The Art of Drinking Locally
Try these Midwest-made artisan spirits that won't wreak havoc on your carbon footprint.
» Absinthe in Body, Present in Spirit
Now that the Green Fairy is legal, local bartenders are using it to shake up some devilish little drinks.
» Bocks are Back!
It's time to put down the stouts and pick up an artisan brew fit for spring.
» Cheers to Good Health
These elixirs might not swear you off booze for good, but they'll replenish your body before the next bender.
» Hitting the Head
These well-appointed bathrooms are worth a look, even if you don't have to go.
» Slainte! Beyond the Beer and Whiskey
You can sample some real Irish cocktails at Chicago's best pubs.
» Color Me Cocktail Green
When you're tired of crappy green beer, try these green-tinted drinks for celebrating St. Pat's.
» Get Away from Guinness
Local bars carry alternative stouts for sampling during St. Patty's Day season.
» Stop the Presses. Raise the Glasses.
Great reporters throughout Chicago's history have raised hell then raised a pint.
» Pick-up Class
When you're sick of cheesy lines, check out these spots for getting picked up in style.
» Flights to Fancy
Tandem displays of fine libations let you sample a little of each.
» Tapping into Temperance
Former speakeasies that went legit provide a heck of a history lesson along with your drink.
» Are You Being Served?
These bars welcome in the service industry folks when it's their turn to unwind.
» Snack Bars
We salute some taps around town that offer free bites with your booze.
» Would you? Could you? In a bar?
If you're not ready to call it quits, head to these spots where you can skirt the smoking ban.
» Easy on the Ears
Silence! Forgo loud bars and clubs for these spots that boast aural ambiences perfect for chatting.
» All That Fizzes
Why toast with the standard bubbly when you can knock flutes filled with champagne cocktails?
» A Bar Full of Laughs
Improv nights at bars give up-and-coming talent a chance to shine—and you a cheap night out.
» Around-the-World Wines
Party-ready bottles from Chicago's best independent wine shops.
» Pup-friendly Pubs
Don't leave Fido out in the cold! A handful of taps allow our four-legged friends to hang out inside.
» A Whole New Bar Game
Put down the darts and pick up a more creative way to play.
» Some Like 'em Hot
These bubbling hot cocktails will thaw you from the inside.
» Caffeine and Cocktails
Take a shot, whether it’s of espresso or whiskey, at these coffeehouse-bar combos.
» Premier Pubs
These taps help you follow the soccer (err, football) action overseas.
» Haute Cocktail Culture
Find out where to score the city's finest luxury libations.
» Haunted Haunts
Throw back a few shots of liquid courage before getting spooked at these haunted taps.
» Imbibing Through Time
Everything old is new again at these keepers of the cocktail flame.
» Get in on the Buzz
Tired of waiting in line? Everyone's on the list at these exclusive-minded buzzer bars.
» On Tap in Autumn
Forget mass-produced swill. We tell you where to find seasonal suds that channel the flavors of fall.
» Toasting Oktoberfest
Raise a stein and shout "prosit!" at the city's authentic German taps.
» Barhopping with the Big Ten
Get ready for the season's first Big Ten matchups on the field with our pigskin-ready pub picks.
» So Long, Summer!
Bid the heat adieu by visiting these watering holes with warm weather attractions.
» Back-to-School Bacchanalia
Whether you cheer on the Wildcats or the Blue Demons, we'll tell you where to go for some school spirits.
» Slashies: Historical Hybrids
These liquor store-slash-bars promise pretense-free boozing, whether you pull up a stool or take your hooch to go.
» Boogie Bars
Skip the club and opt for these bars, where you can get down and get drunk without dealing with a dress code or cover charge.
» Beach Bum Bars
Got some sand in your joints? Wash it out with some drinks at these seaworthy spots.
» Hammered with the Hit Men
We'll get you good 'n' sauced while cheering on the Sox at these bars.
» Open 'til 4 or More
These late-night haunts will keep your crew chugging well into the morning.
» Dinner, er, Drink and a Movie
Thumbs up for five of our fave barroom movie nights.
» Hotter than Hooters
Scantily clad bar staff titillate your every sense.
» Let the Games Begin
Test your sporty skills with Chicago's best bar games.
» Chuggin' and Muggin'
Capture those boozy memories in old-fashioned photo booths.
» Enjoying the Cubs, Avoiding the Crowds
Take advantage of post- and pre-game neighborhood samplings without the prices and pretensions of Wrigleyville.
» Wi-fi Watering Holes
Five places to get online while enjoying your libations.
» Antiox Your Intox
Get a health boost with your buzz from five fancy drinks that go way beyond the pomegranate martini.
» Shake Your Groove Thang
Old favorites rock parties like never before thanks to funky local DJs.
» Giving Tequila a Fair Shot
Fom agave to anejo, Sauza to shooters, these locales will renew your faith in tequila.
» Juke Joints
These well-stocked jukeboxes will have you saving up quarters for more than laundry.
» A Night of Natural Buzzing
Keep your conscience clean with organic and biodynamic boozing.
» Sunday Sippin'
Colorful cocktails to kick-start your Easter brunch.
» Bossa Nova Nights
These local spots spread the Brazilian love, mixing mean capirinhas and bossa nova beats.
» Bingo at the Bar-o
Bingo makes a killer comeback with the pre-retirement crowd.
» Beer For Breakfast!
Because you can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning.
» It's Glogg Time
Practice saying it with us: Jag skulle vilja ha et glögg, tack!
» Cheap Bar Burgers that Don't Suck
Sure, you're only paying a dollar. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't have a million dollar meal.
» Forgo the Frat Bar
Being in college doesn't mean you have to frequent crass drinking establishments.
» Beyond the Hopleaf
We love it, too. But it's not the only good spot for a gourmet brew.
» Grungy Punk Bars
Break out the Ramone's tee and your best Johnny Rotten sneer and take a ride to the best drinking caves in town.
» A Steal on Suds
A quick primer on Chicago's bargain beer.
» Bring on the Bourbon
A few spots around Chicago that serve the best thing to come out of Kentucky.
» Fancier Than Fries
Gourmet meals abound at these hip lounges.
» Bars With Board Games
Scrabble victories (and defeats) are better done over cocktails.
» Brew-ha-ha
Take a tour of the area's microbreweries.
» Totally Karaoke, Part II
You've made the band! (For five minutes, at least…).
» Totally Karaoke, Part I
Electronic karaoke: The best music videos you'll ever see.
» Jukebox Heroes
The players that truly deserve your quarters.
» Hemingway Days
A book and a beer go perfectly here.
» Bloody Mary Bars
Make-your-own goodness, with oodles of ingredients.
» Baseball, Bigwigs and Breaded Steak
Stop by Bridgeport…or the 'Port, as they say.

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