Showplace ICON Extras
The newish movie theater complex just off Roosevelt Road boasts some of the priciest movies in town, with a VIP seating section that offers big plush seats and upscale food and bar privileges during the screening. But it also offers one of the best deals in town in the form of an affinity card that offers, among other things, a weekly slate of first-run films for six dollars a ticket. Though opening and second weekend films are excluded, most of the movies you want to see are included after a short spell in the theater. As long as you use the card, you can bring in multiple guests for that six-dollar price and there are no blackout dates, so it’s good even at peak times. There are some other perks too, but none compare to a nearly half-price discount at prime time. But make sure you keep an eye on the email newsletter for there is no mention anywhere in the theater as to which films are “on sale.”

Showplace ICON at Roosevelt Collection, 150 West Roosevelt at 1011 South Delano Court, (312)386-7440, showplaceicon.com

Best of Chicago 2012

Acadia
It’s L20, Alinea or Tru quality at affordable a la carte prices. There’s pre-fixe too if you’re so inclined. Whichever way you go, chef Ryan McCaskey (formerly suburban Courtright’s) is a star and so is his faux risotto (where creamy bits of Yukon gold ape the usual Carnaroli or Arborio rice) and his foie gras custard.

Acadia, 1639 South Wabash, (312)360-9500, acadiachicago.com

Audience choice: Telegraph, 2601 North Milwaukee, (773)292-9463, telegraphchicago.com

Best of Chicago 2012

The Scout
If you haven’t scored tickets on the fifty-yard-line and are willing to forgo the comfort of your La-Z-Boy and your sixty-inch plasma on Sundays, then you want a level of excitement that compensates for the loss of comfort if you venture out to watch a game. The Scout which, to our chagrin frankly, replaced the dynamic designs of Jerry Kleiner’s Opera restaurant with, yawn, another sports bar, knows how to go big. It’s a colossal space with colossal TVs everywhere. On game day, show up without a Bears jersey on and you’ll be counted on a single hand in what seems like a roaring crowd of a thousand. This is not a place for gentle souls, but for F-A-N-S looking to shout along with a congregation of true believers like Tiffany, a friendly sort we encountered one Sunday whose custom made Bears bustier barely contained her own pair of, um, footballs. And if this doesn’t sound feverish enough, it’s just a few blocks from Soldier Field, affording easy passage to and from Tailgate Nation, as well as a surge of patrons making their way from the stands after the game ends.

The Scout, 1301 South Wabash, (312)705-0595, thescoutchicago.com

Best of Chicago 2012

Sandmeyer’s
Sandmeyer’s is the one small book spot in the city that you forget to go to but once you walk back in, you immediately ask yourself: Why did I stop coming here in the first place? From being one of the first stores to showcase Marcus Samuelsson’s “Yes, Chef” to having the comprehensive collection of Chicago photo-driven coffee table reads, Sandmeyer’s, celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year, has not lost any of its relevance.

Sandmeyer’s, 714 South Dearborn, (312)922-2104, sandmeyersbookstore.com

Best of Chicago 2012

Epic Burger
What to do when hazardous weather forces Lollapalooza to give you the boot into the Loop? Don’t head to Barnes & Noble, which went on lockdown and refused to let anybody new inside like they were zombies from “The Walking Dead” hungry for flesh. Skip the Harold Washington Library, too. There’s no worse time to be in a library than when drunk attendees hyped for some EDM decide to crash. Epic Burger, on the other hand, was proximate, open and hardly packed. Order a burger, snag a shake and hit up the bar seating to rub shoulders and commiserate with fellow festival-goers. Who knows, you might even make a friend.

Epic Burger, 517 South State and additional locations, (312)913-1373, epicburger.com

Best of Chicago 2012

The Field Museum

The Field Museum has relics from the catacombs of Egypt, one of the largest dinosaur re-creations ever and, apparently, the best bathrooms in the country. This according to Cintas Corp. who honored the museum with the accolade in this year’s tenth annual “America’s Best Restroom Contest,” as voted on by online readers. The eco-friendly, first-floor facilities were chosen for their art-filled break rooms, automated water faucets and hourly cleanings. We can only imagine the celebratory souvenirs coming to the Field’s gift shop.

The Field Museum
1400 South Lake Shore
(312)922-9410
fieldmuseum.org

Best of Chicago 2011

M Lounge

The sounds are cool but the scene is cozy at M Lounge on South Wabash. For the past six years, this chic and intimate space has served as a midweek oasis for music-loving South Loopers. The club hosts solid local talent in a variety of flavors, from straight-ahead jazz to bossa nova, every Tuesday and Wednesday from 7pm to 10pm, with no cover charge and a two-drink minimum. It’s a bargain, made even sweeter by the comfy seating, well-stocked bar and civilized, attitude-free atmosphere, where newcomers quickly feel at home. Owner Reginald Marsh named the club in honor of his wife MaryAnn, who encouraged Marsh to quit his press-secretary gig and pursue his martini-mixing dream. “When we settled in the South Loop, there wasn’t a lot of entertainment infrastructure,” says Marsh. “I wanted something that was the opposite of every bar I hate–a place that takes care of customers and feels like a living room.” And so it is. On a recent evening, with the fine Chris Davis Jazztet playing to a clued-in and respectful crowd, the vibe was laid-back, upbeat and just right.

M Lounge
1520 South Wabash
(312)447-0201
mloungechicago.com

Best of Chicago 2011

Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2)

Of Chicago’s two comic conventions, C2E2 is the newest but it’s already the strongest. In the last few years, it has increased its scope from corporate publishers to self-made artists. Held at McCormick Place, booths and tables full of comic books and memorabilia are available for sale during the weekend festival. Movie screenings, video-game stages and more supplement the expo. Standouts include discussions with celebrity guests, panels comprised of comic book writers and artists and attendee costume contests.

Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo
April 13-15, 2012
North Building at McCormick Place
2301 South Lake Shore
(800)354-4003
C2E2.com

Best of Chicago 2011

House Of Sole

If you are a woman who has an eclectic addiction to shoes like alcoholics who only drink twenty-five-year-old single-malt scotch, this is the place for you.

House of Sole
1237 South Michigan
(312)834-0909
houseofsole.net

Audience choice:
Akira
122 South State, (312)346-3034
835 North Michigan, (312)280-4820
668 West Diversey, (773)327-1040
1849 West North, (773)342-8684
shopakira.com

Best of Chicago 2011

Yolk

With restaurants featuring Raspberry Oreo Flapjacks (Bongo Room), Sunny Side Duck Egg Hash (Longman & Eagle) and, of course, Frushi (that’s fruit sushi for the uninitiated, at Orange), there are certainly no shortages of destinations in Chicago for the gastro-brunch crowd. When you’re nursing a hangover though, good ol’ fashioned bacon and eggs might sound a little more palatable than, say, Lemon Ricotta pancakes. If that’s the case, might we suggest Yolk—they do all the basics to perfection, with just enough twists (Pot Roast Benedict, Cinnamon Roll French Toast, Nutella Crepes) to keep things a little more interesting than a trip to Golden Nugget. Oh, and keep the Metropolis coffee coming, would you please? It’s been a rough morning.

Yolk
1120 South Michigan
(312)789-9655
747 North Wells
(312)787-2277
355 East Ohio
(312)822-9655
yolk-online.com

Best of Chicago 2011