Metallica pinball alongside Tecmo Bowl and Donkey Kong arcades with American Gladiator’s playing on the TV? Yes, please! Find all of these things at one of Chicago’s two locations of Headquarters Beercade. Located in River North and Lakeview, this hot spot is an ideal alternative to your average night out mixing nostalgic arcade games with craft cocktailing. Best part of all? Game play is free.
A LITTLE SUMPIN’ DIFFERENT
Lagunitas Chicago TapRoom
Lagunitas’ Chicago-based brewery and tap room brings all the goods, and then some. Sitting above the largest brewery in Illinois, the Lagunitas Chicago TapRoom and beer sanctuary serve up fun, music, munchies, and beers you’d be hard pressed to find on shelves. Inside, you can pull up to the bar or snag a spot at one of the picnic tables to imbibe an expanded Lagunitas lineup featuring standby’s and super seasonal suds. While the TapRoom is open Wednesday through Sunday, free tours—which include tastings— are offered daily.
LOOP OASIS
Looking to treat yourself to an imaginative cocktail while taking in some Instagram-worthy views of Chicago? Cindy’s, the rooftop lounge at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, offers just that and more. Designed to give off that Michigan beach-house vibe, this indoor-outdoor stunner boasts a green-house style glass ceiling and sweeping views of Millennium Park, the lakefront, Grant Park, and the Museum Campus. Seasonal winter drink items include Hunter’s Moon and Hesitant Elephant, curated by spirit guide Nandini Khaund to warm guests during Chicago’s colder months.
SPEAKEASY STYLE
The Drifter
Delve into an era passed and venture to the basement of the historic Green Door Tavern (a former speakeasy) into the subterranean cocktail lair that is The Drifter. This new cocktail lounge is brimming with turn-of-the-20th-century memorabilia, including a phone booth and circus décor. Their cocktail program offers a fun, unique twist as each drink selection is printed on a deck of Tarot cards, with a new set being offered every night. What cocktail will be you enjoying tonight? Let the cards tell you. The space also plays host to a number of eclectic and eccentric live performances that run sporadically every evening.
BEST OF THE ‘BURBS
Looking to venue hop without having to take an Uber from one place to the next? MB Financial Park at Rosemont is a sprawling entertainment and dining complex offering everything from upscale cuisine and live music and so much more. Whether you’re looking to step into a friendly Irish pub at Five Roses or enjoy a true Oktoberfest experience year-round at Hofbräuhaus Chicago before laughing with Chicago’s hottest comics at Zanies Comedy Club, there’s no shortage of options. You can enjoy a great selection of craft cocktails on tap at the Park Tavern, show off your bowling talents while catching the big game at King’s Bowl, or even try indoor skydiving at iFly. MB Park offers year-round fun, from summer concert and sporting events to its charming ice skating rink in the winter.
Written By Amber Holst
Amber Holst is Vice President & Editorial Director at Concierge Preferred. A native Chicagoan, she’ll happily bend your ear about why Top Notch burgers are a must (as is an Original Rainbow Cone) and can often be found procuring milk candy in Chinatown after dim sum with her partner in crime or rooting on her beloved Green Bay Packers (yes, that’s right) at Will’s Northwoods Inn. Lover of cured meats, prosecco, and good old fashioned “slashies” she considers herself fortunate to be able to promote her hometown for a living. Fun fact? She can play the accordion.