Chicago After Dark - Chicago - page 169

makes Webster's a good alternative to the usual beer blast. The wait-
staff can help you choose from a list of dozens of wines by the bot-
tle or glass, or you can hone your taste buds with a flight of several
wines. There's also a tapas-style menu for noshing. Step back into
the library area to light up a cigar and recline on the couch. 1480 W.
Webster Ave. (between Clybourn and Ashland aves.). & 773/868 - 0608. Subway/
El: Red or Brown line to Fullerton, and then a short cab ride.

WRIGLEYVILLE, LAKEVIEW & THE NORTH SIDE
Real estate in Wrigleyville and Lakeview is a tad less expensive than
in Lincoln Park, so the nightlife scene here skews a little younger.
You'll find a mostly postcollegiate crowd partying on Clark Street
across from Wrigley Field (especially after games in the summer).
But head away from the ball field, and you'll discover some more
eclectic choices.
404 Wine Bar One of the most inviting bars in the city, 404 Wine
Bar makes you feel as if you've been invited to a party in a private
home (it adjoins Jack's, a standard sports-and-beer spot; make sure
you go in the entrance on the left side of the building). Tables and
soft leather couches fill a series of cozy, low-lit rooms; the laid-back
vibe attracts groups of friends and couples rather than on-the-prowl
singles. In the summer, tables are set up in an outdoor courtyard; in
the winter, fireplaces fill the rooms with a warm glow. 2852 N. South-
port Ave. (at George St.). & 773/404 - 5886. Subway/El: Brown Line to Wellington.
Ginger Man Tavern Ginger Man definitely plays against type in
a row of predictable sports bars across the street from Wrigley Field.
On game days the earthy bar has been known to crank classical
music in an attempt to calm drunken fans—or at least shoo them
away. Pool tables (free on Sun) are always busy with slightly
bohemian neighborhood 20-somethings, who have more than 80
beers to choose from. 3740 N. Clark St. (at Racine Ave.). & 773/549 - 2050.
Subway/El: Red Line to Addison.
Irish Oak Owned and staffed by folks from the Old Sod, this
is one of the city's nicest Irish bars. The handsome woodwork and
collection of antiques give the tavern a mellow, laid-back feel. Irish
bands perform once in a while on weekends. There are plenty of
whiskeys, stouts, and ales to sip, and the kitchen offers shepherd's pie
and other Irish fare. 3511 N. Clark St. (between Cornelia Ave. and Addison St.).
& 773/935 - 6669. Subway/El: Red Line to Addison.

Finds