Chicago After Dark - Chicago 2005 - page 275

Clark Street Ale House A handsome, convivial tavern opened in 1995,
and a popular after-work spot for white- and blue-collar types alike, Clark Street
Ale House features a large open space filled with high tables and a long cherry-
wood bar along one wall. Better than the atmosphere are the 95 beers served
here, a large majority of them from American microbreweries. The bar also
offers a wide selection of scotches and cognacs. 742 N. Clark St. & 312/642-9253. Sub-
way/El: Red or Brown line to Chicago.
Fado The crowds have abated somewhat since Fado opened a couple years
back, but this sprawling, multilevel theme-park facsimile of an Irish pub still
lures the masses most nights. Bursting with woodwork, stone, and double-bar-
reled Guinness taps (all of it imported from the Emerald Isle), Fado has several
themed rooms, each designed to evoke a particular Irish pub style—country cot-
tage and Victorian Dublin, for instance. The victuals are above par for pub fare.
100 W. Grand Ave. & 312/836-0066. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand.
Iggy's The unofficial dress code is anything black at this dark, velvet-
draped late-night haven for terminally hip insomniacs. Perfectly situated on a
desolate strip on the edge of downtown that gives it an extra edge of mystery,
Iggy's serves food and drink long after most of the city's other bars have called it
a night (4am most nights). On Sunday nights in the summer, movies are
screened on the backyard patio. 700 N. Milwaukee Ave. (at Huron St.). & 312/829-4449.
Subway/El: Blue Line to Chicago.
Martini Ranch Staying in a Magnificent Mile hotel and looking for a late-
night libation? The Martini Ranch serves up 40 different versions of its name-
sake cocktail until 4am during the week, attracting bar and nightlife insiders
(and a fair share of insomniacs). The Western theme is subtle (paintings of Roy
Rogers and other cowpoke art) and the seating is minimal (come early to snag
one of the four red booths). But fans swear by the chocolate martini, and the
pop-rock soundtrack keeps the energy level high. If the crowded bar scene is too
much, you can always chill out at the pool table in the back room or settle down
at one of the tables in the heated beer garden. 311 W. Chicago Ave. (at Orleans St.).
& 312/335-9500. Subway/El: Red or Brown line to Chicago.
Narcisse The cigar-and-martini virus has wrought this next-generation retro
concept: a “champagne salon and caviar bar.” Ivana Trump would feel right at
home here among all the 1900-era imperial glamour: chandeliers, gilded walls,
and yards of plush fabric. The glass tabletops are etched with labels of renowned
champagne houses. The thick menu has pages and pages of champagnes (more
than 50, with a few bottles topping $300), wine, martinis, and other mixed
drinks. Besides about a dozen types of caviar, the kitchen serves French-Italian
tapas and some tasty desserts. 710 N. Clark St. (between Superior and Huron sts.). & 312/
787-2675. Subway/El: Red or Brown line to Chicago.
Sugar This see-and-be-seen spot bills itself as a “dessert bar,” but it's the decor
as much as the sweet treats that draws crowds. Lit in tones of orange and yellow,
the overall mood is sophisticated yet fun; whimsical touches include beehive
chandeliers hanging above the bar, and bar stools that look like hard candies.
The desserts are delicious (although pricey), with clever literary-inspired names
(MacDeath by Chocolate, Banana Karenina, and so forth). But many of the
beautiful people here wouldn't be caught dead eating anything fattening; most
simply sip martinis. There can be some attitude from the door staff on week-
ends; make a reservation so you can slip inside the velvet rope. 108 W. Kinzie St. (at
Clark St.). & 312/822-9999. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand or Brown Line to Merchandise Mart.

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