Nestled among a quiet strip of the Loop, this three-story building with iron balconies and an ornate, wooden cornice looks like it might be more at home in the twisting, cobblestone paths of the French Quarter in Paris.

The residual elegance is a reminder that this diner from the White Palace Grill and Hollywood Diner folks was once Binyon's restaurant, a stately dinner spot where lawyers and John Marshall law school students slurped down bowls of the famed turtle soup. Today the place still sees Columbia and Marshall students hanging out, but they're more likely to chomp on Mexican chilaquiles, omeletes, reubens and pork chops, ranging in price from $15-$24.

The walls are lined with black and white photos of vintage Chicago, and the lower-level bar serving up Goose Island, Fuller's Pride and Erdinger Oktoberfest is warm and clubby. During the warm weather months, grab a pint and head up to the rooftop for a view of the copper gargoyles on the Harold Washington library and the weathered brick of the Old Colony building. This will undoubtedly become one of the better drinking spots in Chicago.

Centerstage Reviewer: Michael Nagrant