Best & Cool Bars in Westmont

"Beatrix is a neighborhood coffeehouse, restaurant, and meeting place in Chicago’s River North, Streeterville, Fulton Market, and Oak Brook neighborhoods. The restaurant is the brainchild of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises’ Founder Rich Melman, Executive Partner, and Divisional President Marc Jacobs and Chef Partners John Chiakulas, Rita Dever, and Susan Weaver. The menu features healthy meets delicious options and is known for its iconic coffee and bakery counter, including signature cookies and in-house pastry favorites."

"There’s lots to love about Lettuce Entertain You’s quick and casual concept that not only boasts a juice and coffee bar, but also a grab-and-go market. Favorites at both the new Streeterville and original River North locations include a crispy kale salad with persimmon and pumpkin seeds as well as a three-grain salad topped with roasted chicken."

"You deserve Hong Kong-style Chinese barbecue and Sun Wah BBQ has just what you need. Although this restaurant was originally a New York treasure, founder Eric Cheng decided Chicago was a better home. With the intricate array of options, Sun Wah continues to be an Uptown food staple."

"Sun Wah BBQ‘s creator, Eric Cheng always sharpened his skills as a Hong Kong-style barbecue chef. The restaurant is doing great, though for them it was a confined fish longing for bigger seas. Today, they are happily serving the people in Chicago with their signature dishes."

"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."

"The 21st century pandemic has caused too many restaurants to put up the padlocks, however, some have managed to successfully shift to delivery and take-out exclusively. One of note is the trailblazing Mediterranean restaurant, avec, offering take-out for the first time from classic small dishes such as bacon-wrapped Medjool dates and potato and salted cod brandade with garlic bread and chives to their bestselling "around the world" wine dinners..."

"Like your mom and Wrigley Field, just because they've been around for a while, it doesn't mean they've lost a bit of luster. The Mediterranean-meets-the-Midwest avec has been a Chicago favorite for 16 years despite the hundreds of upstarts that come and go in the West Loop. And with good reason."

"Whilst up at Althea you’ll find a ritzy vegan dining experience, down at Handlebar in Wicker Park you’ll find a laid-back vegan retreat offering “food, booze, and good times.” Made-from-scratch vegetarian and vegan dishes have been surpassing customer expectations since 2003 and the small, casual neighborhood restaurant has become an authentic favorite with a beloved beer garden to boot. To raise the bar even higher, Handlebar has teamed up with the popular vegan bakery Pie Pie My Darling to offer the bakery’s delectable vegan cake slices. Sourcing produce from local farms, brewing fair-trade coffee, and serving all organic eggs, you can’t fault anything about Wicker Park’s Handlebar, especially not the vibe."

"All your favorite bar/comfort foods and snacks with a twist that Mike Ditka didn’t see coming: it’s all vegetarian!. The Fried Pickles and the Handlesmash Burger and Fries (two house-made black bean patties with cheddar or vegan cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, pickles, and special sauce on a brioche bun) are legendary, but don’t sleep on the Wilted Kale Salad with avocado and quinoa, or the “Sloppy Joe” made with carne de soya and tangy BBQ sauce on a pretzel bun. Open Monday – Friday, 10 am – 10 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 9 am – 10 pm."

"The mantra at Handlebar is “food, booze, and good times” — and it delivers on all three. The menu at this bustling Wicker Park spot reads like a typical tavern menu (think nachos, buffalo chicken wrap, grilled cheese, and sloppy joes), but everything is made-from-scratch vegan or vegetarian. The food is made with farm-fresh, locally sourced ingredients, there’s a full-service bar and beer garden, and the regular crowd of locals keeps the good times going."

"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."

"Topo Gigio embodies everything that comes with excellent Italian food, comfort, hominess, and of course, romance. But during the warmer months in Old Town, Chicago, Topo Gigio becomes the best casual date spot in the neighborhood. With outdoor seating right on N Wells Street, you really get a sense of the neighborhood, the people laughing as they go to and from shows, the sweaty athletes heading to their favorite pub after a hard fought victory, and everyone else in between."

"Restaurants Italian Old Town. Upon entering this Old Town stalwart, you'll get the feeling that many people have enjoyed special moments at this time-worn restaurant. It's true: For more than 25 years, Topo Gigio has helped diners celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and Friday nights over heaping plates of rigatoni, seafood-studded risotto and a mean veal saltimbocca."

"If you are dining out in the Wicker Park district of Chicago, then the top option for Italian cuisine enthusiasts is Tortello. Dario Monni is the owner of this counter-serve restaurant, which is famous for its authentic Italian pasta. One of the best dishes on the menu is the Tortelli, which is pasta stuffed with burrata and then topped with sage brown butter and toasted hazelnuts."

"Restaurants Italian Wicker Park. There are few things in this world that taste better than authentic Italian pasta that's made by hand. Dario Monni, the owner of this sweet counter-service restaurant in Wicker Park, understands that, and his upbringing in Italy only adds to the legitimacy of this operation."

"The final restaurant on the list of the best places to get Seafood in Chicago is Truluck’s Chicago. Truluck’s Chicago specializes in seafood and prime steaks. The seafood is always fresh as well."

"Located in Lincoln Park, the Peggy Notebaert Museum is dedicated to expanding knowledge of nature and environmental science. While this might sound advanced for a young child, the museum is actually very toddler-friendly with numerous hands-on exhibits. From an up close visit with critters to an obligatory “burn some energy” play space, the Peggy Notebaert is a gem in the city."

"Chicago's Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum is operated by the Chicago Academy of Sciences. The museum highlights Chicago's natural history. It is best known for its live butterfly house, which is both an exhibit for visitors and a laboratory that studies how to best preserve the region's population of butterflies."