Best & Cool Bars in Darien

"Restaurants American River North. A healthy-fare-meets-comfort-food concept informs the menus at this cheerful River North restaurant and, to be sure, many of the dessert offerings—like the chia pudding with coconut milk and pomegranate—cleave to this ethos. And then there’s the Oh My!"

"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."

"I know this was on my list of Favorite Healthy Spots too – but it’s just so good!. All of their coffee drinks are awesome, but I especially love their matcha (both hot and cold) because it’s not too sweet!. They also have fresh juices, spicy Bloody Marys, and other fun brunch cocktails!"

"Originally located in New York’s Chinatown, family-owned Sun Wah Bar-B-Que settled into its current location on Broadway in 2009, much to the delight of Chicagoans. The restaurant specializes in Hong Kong-style BBQ, with incredible roasted meats such as salt baked chicken, roasted pork, and barbecued spareribs. The space is most famous for its Beijing duck feast, featuring crisp and succulent roasted duck served three ways."

"The expertly prepared Beijing roast duck dinner from Sun Wah includes a whole duck with perfectly crispy skin, sliced and served with steamed bao buns, pickled daikon, and hoisin sauce. The rest of the bird is used to make duck fried rice or duck noodles. Finally, the bones are rendered into a duck broth soup with winter melon, cilantro, and eggs as the finishing course."

"settled into its current location on Broadway in 2009, much to the delight of Chicagoans. The restaurant specializes in Hong Kong-style BBQ, with incredible roasted meats such as salt baked chicken, roasted pork, and barbecued spareribs. The space is most famous for its Beijing duck feast, featuring crisp and succulent roasted duck served three ways."

"West LoopWhen this West Loop pioneer opened back in 2003, the elegant yet approachable eatery quickly made a name for itself thanks to sleek communal tables, a forward-thinking wine list, and, most importantly, the juiciest medjool date dish the Midwest had ever encountered. Plump dates undergo the full hog treatment here, plied with spiced chorizo sausage before being wrapped in a thick slab of bacon, fired until crisp and crackling, and doused in a warm piquillo pepper tomato sauce that practically demands a hunk of good, freshly baked bread. Don’t think, just order.How to book: Reserve via Tock or order take-out and delivery via DoorDash, GrubHub, and Caviar."

"End your evening with dinner at Avec, an adorable, modern and warm spot where you can dine tapas-style. You absolutely must order the chorizo-stuffed dates. Holy moly, they are incredible!!!. You can thank me later."

"Rick Bayless and company have kept their River North Mexican restaurants afloat during the pandemic: They’ve taken over the a back alley for patio dining for Bar Sotano and cordoned off the private dining room for a socially distant dining experience at Frontera Grill. In the absence of on-premise dining, Frontera, Sotano, and Topolobampo are offering to-go menus. Topolo is serving a five-course tasting menu."

"But this is America, and if a Chinese restaurant wants to have sushi and kalbi, and it’s good, who are you to stop them?. Besides that mix, follow’s owner Dee Kang’s journey from a Chinese-Korean family to Japan and then Chicago. Dee’s is no secret to Lincoln Park locals, who have kept the place open since 1983."

"When it comes to the best restaurants in Chicago, fancier isn’t always better. This low-key space offers industrial décor to augment its extensive menu of Thai favorites, all available for dine-in or delivery. With group packages available, you can feed the whole crew a delicious spread at prices everyone will love."

"Thai is that kind of food that you and your family go after a long week and just need some bonding time. The food is incredible and the center of the restaurant has cushions on the ground to sit in so you really feel comfortable and quaint. What to order: Pad Thai"

"Gourmet Mexican street food with intriguing options, such as coconut-crusted fried avocado and goat cheese quesadillas, are presented in an eclectic setting strewn with funky décor and laid-back vibes. There’s a lot of happy energy packed into this tidy space, and the exterior mural tribute to los Muertos is a must-see in one of the best restaurants in Chicago. Estrella Negra | 2346 W."

"Restaurants Bakeries Bridgeport. This iconic Polish bakery closed in October 2019 after decades of serving pączki, doughnuts, cookies and other candy-colored sweets to its fans. Thankfully, new ownership swept in and restored the spot to its former glory."

"If you’re wondering what happened to Bridgeport Bakery 1.0, it closed. But thankfully version 2.0 has the same delicious treats as the original. And while they have a lot of baked goods besides donuts, we like coming here for their long johns and bismarks."

"As one would expect from chefs Jeff Mahin and Francis Brennan, Do-Rite caters to every diet (except, well, the fat-free kind) with three gluten-free (Birthday Cake, Valrhona Chocolate Glazed, and Cinnamon & Sugar) and three vegan options (the Spiced Maple Chai is everything you crave in a donut) every day, along with their spot-on takes on the classics, like the simple, pillowy happiness of the Vanilla Bean Glazed. But my money’s on the Pistachio-Meyer Lemon, a cake donut with bright and herbal notes, and just the right amount of sweetness."

"When the doughnut craze hit the city, there was one ring to rule them all: Do-Rite Donut’s Buttermilk Old Fashioned Donut. This treat is the one thing folks always leave our Gateway to the West Loop Food Tour raving about. Crunchy on the outside, pillowy on the inside, and coated in a vanilla-bean glaze, this doughnut reaches perfection when dunked in coffee."

"Do the Right Thing at Do-Rite: Sweet Heat Chicken Sandwich Served on a Vanilla Bean Donut ($6.99). It’s difficult to make a bad decision a Do-Rite. The donuts start at $1.95 and they should be charging more because they are liquid gold."

"Restaurants Coffee shops Loop. Hero Coffee Bar is tiny, with just five two-top tables and eight seats at their coffee bar, so consider this a spot for meeting a friend, not pounding on your laptop. Hero offers pour-over coffee, which is roasted once or twice a week so it's always fresh, along with hearty snacks like sandwiches and bagels, including the cutely named Fig, Nut of Your Imagination Bagel, topped with a tasty combo ofalmond butter and fig jam."

"Naturally, the cafe serves a variety of beverages, the most popular drink is the Maple Brulee. It is a latte with maple syrup and a blow-torched sugar top. The owner of the cafe, Melanie Martinez, wanted to create a menu that everyone could enjoy."

"Hero Coffee Bar actually has 4 Chicago locations but the most iconic one is located on East Jackson Street. The coffee shop first opened its doors in 2014 at 439 S."

"Lincoln Park Zoo is a renowned 35-acre zoo in Lincoln Park and a hotspot for tourists. It’s the zoo’s pavilion, designed to provide shelter for open-air on-site classes, that offers such a fantastically picturesque snap. With the design drawing inspiration from the appearance of a tortoise’s shell, the stunning curved wooden pavilion elegantly frames the Chicago skyline."

"Located in the heart of Chicago's Lincoln Park, this zoo offers free, family-friendly entertainment year-round including the festive Zoolights around the holidays (reservations are required for all visits though). The sprawling grounds are seamlessly woven into the park’s landscape, balancing open, natural spaces and numerous animal exhibits. If you skip the pricey concessions (but maybe spring for a paddle boat ride), Lincoln Park Zoo is a great option to keep all ages occupied while staying on a budget."

"Lincoln Park, Chicago—15 minutes from The Loop Lincoln Park Zoo is one of just a handful of free zoos left in America. Founded in 1868, it is home to more than 1,100 animals of about 200 species. One of the most popular exhibits (and my personal favorite) is the Regenstein Center for African Apes, which allows visitors to see gorillas and chimpanzees up close and personal—sometimes they're sitting just inches away on the other side of the glass."

"The Regenstein Center for African Apes is also part or rather an extension of the Lincoln Park Zoo, where the visitors can come close to the apes, chimpanzees and the gorillas that have found their home there. It is home to some of the endangered species of western lowland gorillas as well as chimpanzees and exists to provide with the most realistic looking environment for them to live in comfortably. Location: 2058-2156 N Cannon Dr, Chicago, IL 60614, USATimings: 10 AM to 5 PMEntry Fees : –"