Best Nightlife in Cook County

"West Loop, Streeterville, River NorthHealthy-ish eats when you want to be (kind of) goodThis health-forward mini-chain packs a menu full of flavor and vegetarian-friendly entrees. Favorites include the kung pao cauliflower and vegan tomato basil Soup, plus entrees like the rigatoni with vegetable bolognese. Stop by for brunch to try quinoa cakes with poached eggs or green chili enchiladas and be sure to save room for a trip to the pastry bar where you’ll find plenty of indulgent cakes, cookies, and muffins."

"The coffeehouse-meets-restaurant concept is known for healthy meets delicious menu specials, fresh-squeezed juices and an appealing coffee and pastry counter. Launch tropically with mango, orange and pineapple nectar; seriously healthy with Power Greens; or happily via an orange or blue Mimosa or a spicy Bloody. Coffee, including "bulletproof," is exceptional."

"Lettuce Entertain You Enterprise’s all-day eatery is now up to three locations, and that’s because it pleases on many fronts. Whether folks are looking for quick and casual, healthy, or vegetarian-friendly, there are plenty of choices. On the lunch menu, the mushroom and quinoa burger with Swiss cheese and baby kale is a standout."

"Sun Wah doesn’t hide what it does best with an enticing (unless you’re a vegetarian) line of ducks hanging in the window just waiting to be roasted. Sun Wah is Chinese barbecue, and the duck is the star; order it ahead of time when you make your reservation and be treated to a multicourse dinner of soup, carved bird, and fried rice, with plenty to go around for a group, and at smile-inducing prices. Once you’ve gotten the duck out of the way, carry yourself back to the sparsely decorated but charmingly simple dining room and order the juicy roast pork or any number of the Chinese favorites; repeat as necessary."

"The duck feast at this James Beard Award-winning spot in Uptown includes a whole roasted duck to feed a family, carved tableside, and served with steamed bao, hoisin sauce, and crispy garnishes. You’ll also get a delicate duck soup, and duck fried rice. As with most Chinese cuisine, not a morsel goes to waste."

"The 21st century pandemic has caused too many restaurants to put up the padlocks, however, some have managed to successfully shift to delivery and take-out exclusively. One of note is the trailblazing Mediterranean restaurant, avec, offering take-out for the first time from classic small dishes such as bacon-wrapped Medjool dates and potato and salted cod brandade with garlic bread and chives to their bestselling "around the world" wine dinners..."

"Sure, you could hang downstairs at Kerryman, where you'll find pretty typical Irish bar in River North setup. Or you can head to the upstairs bar where it seems like there’s always an impromptu dance party breaking out. Kerryman isn’t a dance club by any means, but that’s never stopped anyone here."

"Check out this French nightclub featuring a state-of-the-art 25,000 watt KV2 Audio system and over 99 separate pieces of intelligent lighting. The space is gorgeous with comfortable seating and a cozy outdoor patio. View this post on Instagram"

"This 11-story structure, with its eclectically ornamented facade, got its name from the pigeons and politicians who roosted at the temporary…"

"The final restaurant on the list of the best places to get Seafood in Chicago is Truluck’s Chicago. Truluck’s Chicago specializes in seafood and prime steaks. The seafood is always fresh as well."

"A post shared by @cafe_selmarie on Dec 20, 2018 at 4:37pm PST. Nostalgia is in the air this time of year, and the cookies at Café Selmarie will take you right back to your childhood of sprinkling/dumping colored sugar on your Christmas cookies. The Lincoln Square bakery also has cookie exchange-worthy varieties like chocolate crackles, raspberry kolachkys and cinnamon walnut butter cookies."

"Restaurants American Lincoln Square. You might have stopped by this Lincoln Square bakery for a croissant to go and missed the dining room hidden in back. The first-come, first-served policy means you’ll have a half-hour wait for brunch, but a cup of coffee and slice of coffee cake will tide you over."

"Next seems to be unique in the same way all molecular-gastronomy restaurants are unique: the restaurant creates dishes with obscure ingredients, strange presentation, innovative cooking methods, and crazy flavor combinations. But Next pushes boundaries of experimental cuisine by rotating themes. For example, they’ve run a service they called “The Hunt,” which served game-centered dishes on logs."

"The most forward-thinking restaurant in the country, in my opinion, Next is another ticketed experience from the team behind bucket-list worthy Alinea. Every quarter they completely reconceptualize the space and food from Paris 1906 to Thailand 2020 and even had a whimsical Childhood menu with edible finger paints. The buzz definitely justifies the hype."

"Next restaurant offers family-style meals that change weekly. You can also choose to add a cocktail kit from The Aviary."

"James Beard Award-winning chefJonathon Sawyer’s globally inspired restaurant in the newly renovated Four Seasons Hotel provides all the reasons to get up on a weekend morning. Kickstart your Saturday or Sunday with a glorious bowl of Steel-Cut Oats with Brûléed Banana and cinnamon-peanut brittle or go decadent with the Breakfast Bolognese with a poached egg and crispy breadcrumbs. I’m intrigued by the Teeny Tiny Croissant Cereal served with house-made horchata, but who am I kidding?"

"Lincoln ParkThe views don’t get much better than Theatre on the Lake, where your outdoor table is parked just steps from the softly crashing waves of Lake Michigan. With seating for 80 and a focused selection of entrées from chicken tinga tacos to brisket dip, Theatre on the Lake continues to serve as something of a mental health break come to life. Stop by for weekend brunch served from 10 am to 3 pm.How to book: Reserve via OpenTable."