Will be solo & in Chicago soon, and I'm looking for decent places that have a bar where you can sit down and get dinner or lunch served. I love Frontera/Topolobampo, but I've forgotten if they have such a bar -- anyone know?

Any other suggestions?



[This message has been edited by wideman (edited 08-03-2001).]

Frontera does have bar seating where you can order anything you's like from the menu.

A few come to mind.

Ben Pao has a satay bar w/tasty grilled items. I'm a meat guy, but the grilled marinated portobello's are terrific. The duck w/warm sweet rolls is great.

Shaw's Crab House, which I would not have recommended a few years ago, has come up some notches as is now worthwhile. I used to eat here once a week.

Cyrano's bisto and wine bar.

I know that McCormick and Schmick's has a pretty good bar. I'm not sure they'd serve food at the bar but I can't imagine they wouldn't. While this is a chain restaurant with locations in the nation's largest cities, I've always thought its seafood is top of the line. It's in the Rush Street corridor.

Last time I was at McCormick & Schmick's I was offered the option of eating in the bar area (they have tables as well as seating right at the bar). I, too, think highly of their food - emphasis is on fresh fish. The restaurant sits between Rush and Wabash on Chestnut, one (long) block west of Water Tower Place. Another option for you: in Water Tower Place, on the mezzanine level, you will find the Mity Nice Grill, a "Lettuce Entertain You" restaurant that features large portions of comfort foods...chicken, chops, steak, burgers, fish, flatbreads, soups, salads. I have eaten at the bar many times there and it's a comfortable place.