Somerset is a restaurant in the Gold Coast serving excellent American food that you should be eating immediately.

Mott Street, a restaurant on Ashland near Wicker Park, serves interesting, delicious Asian-influenced food.

Parson’s Fried Chicken & Fish serves good fried chicken on the best patio in town. This is an excellent hangout spot when it’s nice outside.

Homeslice is a pizza spot ideal for hanging out with your friends for food and drinks.

There’s no denying Big Star is an anchor tenant of the Wicker Park dining scene, but that doesn’t mean everyone feels the same way about it.

An Italian-American red sauce joint with an old soul.

Begyle, a dog-friendly taproom in Ravenswood, is a great place to drink beer and play skee-ball.

Archie’s is a dog-friendly corner bar that’s great for drinking cheap beer.

Hopewell is a bright, minimalist brewery in Logan Square that's BYOF and dog-friendly.

Half Acre’s Bowmanville tap room serves excellent beer and solid food, and has a beer garden with a bocce court.

Octavio Cantina & Kitchen is a lively all-day Mexican restaurant in Andersonville.

Siena Tavern is a sceney Italian restaurant in River North with delicious house made pasta.

The Promontory is a restaurant and music venue serving very good modern American food in Hyde Park.

The Moonlighter in Logan Square is a nice space for drinking, and has solid bar food like waffle fries, nachos, and burgers.

Kaiser Tiger is a restaurant in the west loop with a huge patio, and a menu that includes a lot of sausage and bacon.