Whether you’re looking to nurse a snifter of fine Belgian beer or let loose on the dance floor to thumping DJ beats, this wave of brand-new nightspots has got you covered.
OPENING THIS WEEK
Rootstock Wine & Beer Bar
954 N. California Ave. 773-292-1616
This cozy, 50-seat Humboldt Park bar filled with secondhand furniture and local artwork opens for trials this week. We’re psyched for a menu of bar bites courtesy of Hot Chocolate’s Mark Steuer, plus a cheese and charcuterie program run by Remy Ayesh, formerly of Spiaggia, and a wine and beer roster designed by the owners — three former staffers of Webster’s Wine Bar — and their industry pals.
Theatro
858 W. Lake St. 312-455-8345
Ready your highest heels and slickest suit jackets for this black and gold-hued West Loop lounge, which debuts Friday in the former Reserve space (and was formerly known as Veil in the months before opening). The idea is to keep guests guessing with surprise entertainment every evening, from video projections to fog-engulfed dancers.
Tilted Kilt
17 N. Wabash St. 312-269-5580
If you just go to Hooters for the wings, you’ll just come here for the Guinness. At this Loop pub, aiming to open Thursday, waitresses serve pub grub with a side of abs in “Hit Me Baby One More Time” get-ups, drinks go by names such as Irish Itch and Dirty Leprechaun, and the menu is punctuated by dirty limericks. All this is perhaps best justified by the fact that the franchise’s first location was conceived for the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas.
The Shrine
2109 S. Wabash Ave. 312-753-5700
This South Loop club-lounge combo boasting “Africa meets James Bond” decor opens Friday in the former Chicago Legends space. On one side, find a DJ-driven dance club with a stage ready to host local and national music acts; on the other side, expect a lounge for cocktail-sipping on weeknights and VIP treatment throughout the weekend.
VLive
2047 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-489-5483
Located above Fuego in Logan Square, this nightclub and live music venue opens to the public at 11 p.m. Friday with DJ Kevin Scott spinning, followed by three-man remix crew Discotech on Saturday.
RECENTLY OPENED
The Rockhouse
2624 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-871-0205
The latest on the rock-bar bandwagon, the former Deja Vu space now sports tattoo-style artwork and a stage to host rock acts on weekends. A morbid cocktail menu featuring drinks named after dead rock stars, from Jimi Hendrix to Kurt Cobain, will debut next month.
Swagger Lounge
5048 S. Prairie Ave.
A neon-green palm tree marks the entrance of this Bronzeville bar, where bright purple and turquoise hues, glowing cube-shaped tables and funky lighting project plenty of personality. Different promoters give each night a slightly different flavor, from jazz Sundays to house Fridays to lesbian night on Saturdays.
Cattle Call
1547 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. 773-334-2525
Ready to mooove it? That’s only the
beginning of the cow-related pun possibilities for this GLBT-focused dance party bar in Andersonville, where you can hit the floor to a wide range of music, from pop to country to throwback tunes from the ’70s and ’80s.
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lmarnett@tribune.com
