Cuvee

When choosing a venue for a bachelorette party, there are a few key elements to look for. You’ll want to make an entrance, be seen all night and, most importantly, you’ll want to dance. No place in Chicago has you covered quite like Cuvee. With a nearly impossible-to-find-whilst-drunk secret alley entrance, you’ll definitely make an entrance. VIP tables are arranged right in the center of the club, so all eyes will be on you and your girls for whatever crazy antics your posse decides to pull. And, when you’re ready to mingle with all those single men, there’s plenty of room for you to get down.

308 West Erie
(312)202-9221
cuveechicago.com

Audience choice:

Drinks Over Dearborn
650 North Dearborn
(312)337-9463
drinksoverdearborn.com

Best of Chicago 2010

Cole’s (Best new bar)

This low-key watering hole, recently opened in Logan Square’s burgeoning Milwaukee Avenue bar district, is just what the strip needed: a scruffy, laid-back yin to the stylish, bustling yang of the Whistler and Revolution Brewing. It’s everything you’d want in a neighborhood tap. Homey, ramshackle surroundings—check. Interesting, reasonably priced draft-beer selection–check. Friendly bartenders and good-natured, chatty owner—check. Nice little stage and sound system for local musicians and stand-up performers–check. What’s not to like?

2338 North Milwaukee
(773)276-5802
coleschicago.blogspot.com

Vertigo Sky Lounge (Best new nightclub)

We’re still not over the Dana Hotel and Spa’s answer to the Signature Lounge: Vertigo. With a view that rivals our favorite Hancock space and a younger, hipper crowd, Vertigo is the perfect spot to sip a martini, to see and be seen. An ice bar keeps things interesting in even the most frigid of temperatures and cushy black chairs and couches keep guests cozy. Just like with the Signature Lounge, however, the bar’s biggest draw has got to be its bathrooms. Unisex sinks and a giant chalkboard offer singles the perfect opportunity to check one another out and leave their mark on this nightclub in the sky.

2 West Erie
(312)202-6060
danahotelandspa.com/rooftop-lounge

Audience choice:

Longman & Eagle
2657 North Kedzie
(773)276-7110
longmanandeagle.com

The Ice Bar at Vertigo Sky Lounge

Dana, a boutique hotel and spa, will be selling some chill thrill again this winter. Mitten-clad hands down, no outdoor bar is cooler than the hotel’s Ice Bar that they annually construct in their Vertigo Sky Lounge. The Ice Bar is set to make its seasonal return in late December or early January in the “Fire and Ice” winter patio, where it will be frozen to the floor of the picturesque open-air rooftop lounge. Heat lamps and a crystallized fire pit situated a snowball’s throw from the bar make outdoor wintertime tippling toastier. Still feeling a chill? Cuddle up with one of the signature robes or fluffy fur blankets conveniently available on the lounge’s couches.

2 West Erie
(312)202-6060
danahotelandspa.com/rooftop-lounge

Best of Chicago 2010

Aja

Put away the sorbet! Josh Linton, executive chef at Aja, the Asian restaurant on the ground level of River North’s Dana Hotel and Spa, brings an exciting alternative to the traditional palate refresher. Linton’s lime or lemongrass-flavored granitas can be eaten as a delightful dessert. The lime works especially well with ginger-snap cookies. But we think his icy concoctions are best enjoyed before dinner, as a flavorful prelude to signature dishes such as crispy chili rock shrimp, sesame chicken or short ribs with mashed potatoes. Linton makes a yuzu granita to accompany Aja’s daily oyster selection. To make the chilly treats, which Linton serves in chilled bowls, he blends shaved ice and his own handmade syrup.

660 North State
(312)202-6050

ajachicago.com

Best of Chicago 2009

Instituto Cervantes

The Prince and Princess of Spain stopped by Chicago last month to officially inaugurate the new Chicago quarters of Instituto Cervantes, a cultural organization owned by the Spanish government with the explicit mission of furthering the growth of Spanish speaking and the cultural activities of those who do so, not only from Spain, but from Latin America as well. The beautiful new quarters offer a library, classrooms, an art gallery with rotating exhibitions of Hispanic artists, and an auditorium that hosts a range of performances, panels and symposiums, not to mention royal appearances. With nearly fifty million Spanish speakers now in the United States—more than Spain and second only to Mexico—it might just be time for all of us to start soaking up some of that culture.

31 West Ohio
(312)335-1996
chicago.cervantes.es

Best of Chicago 2009

Ben Pao Chinese Restaurant

River North’s Ben Pao Chinese Restaurant honors each of China’s four culinary regions this year. “Check, Please!” host and Master Sommelier Alpana Singh will kick off the celebration Beijing, when she pairs hot pot dinners with wines on November 12. “Everybody literally cooks their own food, tabletop,” says managing partner Ed Culleeney. The tasting tour, scheduled to run through December 28, will feature such specialties as shredded star anise-braised pork. “We cook it down with star anise, cloves and cassia bark, a cinnamon-like ingredient,” Culleeney says. “Then we serve it with lotus buns, pineapple hoisin sauce and pickled vegetables. You can make a sandwich.” 

52 West Illinois
(312)222-1888
benpao.com

Best of Chicago 2009

Club Lago

In March, the boiler in the building next door to Club Lago Restaurant exploded, and their chimney collapsed onto the roof and into the kitchen of the beloved red-sauce joint. The Nardini brothers, Guido and GianCarlo, refused to go down like that, and after six months of renovations they came back as old school as ever. Though they made one nod to modernity and finally installed a beer tap to serve up sudsy pints of Old Style and Bell’s. Our favorite byproduct of the fiasco, however, was the sweet Santa-length beard that Guido grew during the closing.

331 West Superior
(312)951-2849
clublago.com

Best of Chicago 2009

A Mano Italian Trattoria

When A Mano Italian Trattoria reopened last winter after the River North eatery suffered water damage, pastry chef Tom Laurell wanted to mark the occasion with an unusual sweet. “I wanted to create a treat that would reflect the flavors of our Italian cuisine,” Laurell says. He steeped basil leaves in a sugar solution at 300 degrees. Then, he put small pieces of fresh basil and prosciutto in candy molds, and poured the hot sugar solution into the molds. He added sticks, let the candies cool and presto: a lollipop that could lick any cannoli, gelato or tiramisu in a dessert competition.

335 North Dearborn
(312)629-3500
amanochicago.com

Best of Chicago 2009

India House

There are more authentic spots on Devon, harder-core cabbie joints in the middle of the city, but none are more satisfying, balanced and proffering of such great service as this old stalwart.

59 West Grand
(312)645-9500
indiahousechicago.com

Audience choice:
Hema’s Kitchen
2439 West Devon
(773)338-1627
hemaskitchen.com

Best of Chicago 2009

The free tater tot buffet with toppings at Mahoney’s

Everyone loves tots, especially tots covered in cheese. Irish-themed sports bar Mahoney’s understands the comfort those crusty, bite-sized potatoes generate, so every Tuesday night they offer a free tot bar. A meal in itself, coat those tots with melted cheese, bacon bits, ranch dressing and chopped tomatoes and onions. There isn’t a drink minimum to get the buffet, but it’s only courteous to order a beverage or four to wash the goodness down with. There’s also not a limit on how many plates of tots you can order, but having more than seconds might make you a glutton for punishment.

551 North Ogden
(312)733-2121
mahoneyspubchicago.com

Best of Chicago 2009