We went out with Park Ridge friends last weekend and they took us to this charming bar. I read a…read morefew reviews that said that Pines Room has a small town vibe. I disagree--I am a Chicago boy and it has a big city hidden gem quality about it. In fact, they promote themselves as a speakeasy. Of course you can get any cocktail you want, but my husband and I both opted for a special strawberry cocktail made with Hendrick's gin. It was refreshing, not too sweet, and garnished with a dehydrated lemon slice. Perfect! Our friends both ordered old fashioned cocktails that looked equally as good. It was a Saturday night and this tiny bar was jam-packed. We had to stand, but it was okay because we had only stopped in for one drink before heading to another restaurant for dinner. The bartenders were friendly and efficient. Prices are not inexpensive, but average to what you'd find in a downtown Chicago restaurant. If you''re looking for a cool place to hang in Park Ridge with a craft cocktail and have a small bite (they have a limited food menu, too), Pines Room is the place.

Finally got to visit on a day they were actually open! Me and a couple friends had some delicious…read morecocktails, and the bartender was super helpful and friendly. Definitely you do over.

SUCH a cool little "hidden" spot!…read more Nightshade is a small little cocktail bar under Moonflower, and it's INCREDIBLE. The drinks were so fun- I had one rimmed with crushed tortilla chip. Absolutely worth the stop!

A bar within a bar inception…read more Nightshade is the basement bar of Moonflower. We came to the opening weekend to check out the vibe. There was a healthy amount of folks coming through, but not too crowded. It's dark, closed off with a smaller bar and also additional washrooms below. Vibe is sparse - at the moment, it's simple with the centerpiece of the red glowing bar, side bench seating, a few lamps off to the side, painted in a dark green/black floor to ceiling color. I think the reason to have this secondary space is the potential to do more fun, experimental drinks. Though space is cozier, it's nice to see seating was designed to accommodate groups too. I think it would have been easy to talk to other table groups if the music was just a tad softer. Son of a Gun - it's a tortilla chip in drink form. It's savory with a hint of cilantro. Sneaking Suspicion - nice apparent flavor of chamomile balanced out with a slight, creamy sweet flavor of yogurt. If you're into exploring unusual flavors and forms, Nightshade is a place to check out, and of course Moonflower offers another menu so you can do 2 in 1. Kitchen closes at 10pm.

If you haven't been there, you really need to get there. It's intimate, well decorated, some…read moreoutside seating. Bartenders really know how to make exceptionally well balanced drinks. There's always going to be a liquor on the menu that you don't recognize or one that you wouldn't normally use. Try that drink. Don't get up tight if it takes a long time to get your drink. All of the cocktails are pretty involved and there's usually only one or two people behind the bar. Relax. Enjoy the music. That's pretty good, too.

Found this little gem of a bar in Chicago's Albany Park neighborhood. It's a slender, retro-ish but…read morechic joint with wonderful and clever cocktails. Two small group lounge areas, ample two tops and beautiful bar stools with coat hooks under the bar counter. Thoughtful little touches make this bar a warm go-to for regulars. But still, the highlight are the delicious cocktails. Looking forward to our next visit.

Some of the food is very good,BBQ sandwiches especially…read more Service can be appalling at times , slow, disinterested and bordering on rude which really affects the experience.

As soon as I walked into this place many months ago I knew it was going to be great. You walk in…read moreand you can smell the bbq aroma . Some of my favorites were the dry rubbed ribs and smoked wings , brisket sandwich and now the smash burgers. Full bar , nice beer selection .

Hala Kahiki is a tiki bar staple in the Chicago Suburbs! The inside is much larger than I expected…read morewith a huge bar area, covered outdoor patio, and at least two other indoor seating areas. I love that as soon as you enter, you are transported to a tropical oasis that is dark and moody. I visited with a larger group so we made a reservation before. One pays $5 per person in your group and the amount is later applied to your bill. The food menu is minimal and most items weren't available sadly. We got two orders of their pineapple salsa with taro chips. It was yummy but wasn't enough substance to match the drink levels. For drinks, our group got a wide variety. They have all sorts of flavor pairings to accommodate every guest. I got the Captain's Revenge after hearing the Pearl Diver was unavailable. It was good but not amazing. For my second drink, I got the Chocolate Banana Old Fashioned which I thoroughly enjoyed. I didn't hear anyone in our group be disappointed with what they ordered. Our server, Jazmine, was very knowledgable about the menu and asking the right questions to make sure what we each ordered would be something we liked. Overall, this was a fun experience and I am happy I finally got to visit! My experience was slightly tainted with how much was not available the night we visited.

The best way I can some up this place: "Aloha, mf'ers!"…read more Drinks are strong strong and always garnished with something fun. Heed the warnings on the menu and ask for help if you get stuck. Decor is classic tiki and the wait staff is top notch.

A clean, well lighted space, they have live music play on weekend nights (and perhaps weekday?)…read more We stopped in one Friday night to listen to jazz and drink cocktails. The cocktails are good, especially the Oat Fashioned and the Toranto.

Take Flight Spirits is such a fun and unique spot with truly delicious drink options. I personally…read morelove the Dirty Hippie (a dirty chai with rum) or the Hibiscus Daiquiri. Both drinks are fantastic, depending on your mood. They offer some snacks for purchase, but one of the best parts is that you're welcome to bring your own food, making it a great place to hang out without feeling limited. It's the perfect place to meet up with friends, catch a live performance, enjoy trivia night, or check out one of their many other events. Their website has an updated list of what's coming up, which makes planning easy. Adding to the ambience, you'll find a few tables that are actually chalk board tables so you can draw or play games on the chalkboard tables if you want. It's so fun! The staff has always been kind, welcoming, and great at crafting drinks. Take Flight Spirits is definitely one of my favorite local spots!

I received a warm welcome when I entered the door. The front area of the restaurant was full so we…read morewere led to the back, enclosed patio. There was a funky smell at first (the wood, the alley?) but we eventually just got used to it. I would suggest something to battle the smell. The waitress mentioned the specials for the night and when she said Short Rib, I was sold. It was delicious. Only sad thing is that the average person will probably never take leftovers home. The portion, as pricey as it is, is just right for one person. The margarita I had was good and the Tres Leches dessert was a perfect ending.

I was in the area and wanted something close to me and this popped up. I walked in and was…read moreimmediately greeted. It's a smaller space so I opted for the bar so I didn't have to wait. The bartender was friendly during my encounter. I ordered a nonalcoholic margarita, crispy potatoes with crema, and the flautas. The margarita was tasty and came in a cute jar, definitely picture worthy. I had the potatoes as starters, they were good but the spice was there. I was able to save half. The portion sizes are decently big. I really enjoyed the chicken flautas. The chicken was seasoned well and juicy. The green sauce on top was also my favorite part of the flautas. It's a little pricey but was able to make two meals out of it.

It's been a few years since we've been to Gale Street and wow, such a great refresh…read more Let's start with the sleeper hit of our meal. The potato skins - crispy, full of flavor and so unique. We loved them and the dipping sauce. I went with the classic ribs. Still amazing and great. Fall off the bone and great taste. My wife had the cioppino which she loved. Service was friendly, fast and excellent. We definitely will not wait so long to come back.

Host staff behaved bizarrely. We were seated at a table with a ledge, where all the wait staff were…read moretalking and clanging dishes. We order salads, less than a minute after we ordered our entrees, but everything was served together, on a 2-top that wasn't big enough. A manager came by the table and asked how everything was. I expressed my displeasure at the table being exposed to the wait staff and he replied; "You should just be happy you got a table." The worst? The food. Thoroughly disappointing because it was served cold. I'm shocked by the reviews, since this was the single worst dining experience I've ever had.