Lists

A classic, old-school corner bar in Bucktown with maps and National Geographic magazines lining the walls. Coffees, basic lattes, and pastries from Bennisons in the morning. Huge beer list at night, heavy on Belgians and limited releases.

On warm days the big windows along the side swing open to the street, and the long tables built into the wall underneath them basically turn into the best seats in the place. You're sitting right in the open air without actually being outside.

A laid-back neighborhood bar right off the Kimball Brown Line stop that somehow works as a coffee shop too. Big booths, plenty of outlets, and a $2.50 Hamm's sitting next to a real cocktail menu.

Not really a morning spot with it open at 5pm on weekdays. Opens at noon Fri - Sun.

A long, dark, narrow bar on Irving Park with Art Deco details and a rotating craft tap list and coffee from Hexe and Metric.

Very similar vibes to the Map Room. Big difference is this place also has a walk up kitchen with a rotating mix of vendors serving seriously good food. In the mornings they'll have breakfast sandwiches, brunch plates, all the good stuff. Smashburgers, woodfried pizzas for lunch and dinner. 2X elevated bar food.

A wifi-free bookstore-bar-coffee-ice cream shop where you're genuinely expected to put the phone and laptops away and talk to people. Board games stacked everywhere, typewriters you can actually use, shelves of used books, 35+ craft beers, and a solid cocktail list.

One of the coziest spots in Chicago.

The back room hosts a packed events calendar: comedy shows, storytelling nights, University of Chicago lecture series, open mics.

A bright, friendly taproom sitting right on the Lakeview/Roscoe Village border that does coffee, beer, and food.

Coffee bar opens early with pastries from West Town Bakery, and breakfast smash burgers from their kitchen.

Half the space is a walk-in bottle shop you can browse while you drink.

A plant-filled, mismatched-furniture coffee shop by day that flips into a full bar and music venue at night — and has been doing it since 2010.

Good lattes and a solid breakfast menu in the morning, wifi until 6pm, then it cuts and the bar takes over. Live bands most nights, karaoke on Fridays and Saturdays that draws a real crowd, occasional DJ sets and themed nights. The Chicago Reader named it the city's best non-traditional music venue.

A coffee shop built inside a pair of 1890s Victorian row houses just off Fullerton, with antiques, tin ceilings, Oriental rugs, and a working gas fireplace upstairs that makes the whole place feel like someone's very literary great-aunt's living room.

Sandwiches are named after novels just to give you a sense of how far they lean into the literary theme.

Thursday through Saturday evenings, a hidden bookcase upstairs slides open into The Gatsby Speakeasy for cocktails, beer, and wine. You need a password to get in.

A Chinese takeout spot that also happens to serve some of the best al pastor tacos in the city. Walk in and there's a massive trompo of pork spinning over a live flame, sliced to order right into the tortilla with grilled pineapple on top.

The al pastor tacos are the main attraction — usually about $2.50 each, but on Mondays they drop to $1.50. We did the math: that's 8 tacos for $12.

If you go with a friend, add an order of al pastor fried rice for around $13. Two people at $12 each gets you 7 tacos and a big shared helping of fried rice.

A no-frills counter spot that's been a Chicago staple for decades and has a strong case for the best value-for-money burger in the city. The double cheeseburger with fresh-cut fries is under $8 — they slice the potato in front of you and the patties come from a local butcher. The Chicago dog is equally dialed in. Cash only, but there's an ATM inside. Everything on the menu is under $10.

A tiny counter tucked inside a Korean grocery store. A full bowl of spicy soondubu jjigae or galbitang comes with rice and banchan on the side — kimchi, dried turnip, stir-fried zucchini — for around $12.

Kimbap is about $5 for a dozen pieces. On your way out, there are handmade mandoo dumplings from the dumpling stand out front. It's $2 each.

A Pakistani-Indian cafeteria-style spot on Devon that gets cited constantly as one of the best pure-value meals in the city. Butter chicken bowl, chili chicken rice, and biryani are all around $11-12 and the portions are serious — people routinely split one order or take half home. Samosas at the counter are under $1. Chili chicken paratha is $7.49 and is the move if you want something hand-held.

A literal hole in the wall. You order through a small service window right off Milwaukee Ave near the Division Blue Line. T

wo NY-style slices and a soda for $5. Open evenings only. The slices come wrapped in foil. Look for the neon "SLICES" sign or you'll walk right past it.