Weekly Planner: "After Hours" at The Barn, Mezcal Dinner, Chicago Athletic Association's Latest Pop-up and More

“After Hours” at The Barn

Considering its location tucked down an Evanston alley in a former actual barn, The Barn makes for a fitting setting for a speakeasy-style experience. And now the restaurant is embracing that mentality with its new “After Hours” on Saturday nights from 10:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m., wherein The Barn slings late-night snacks and cocktails along with games like cards, backgammon and dice. Apothecary-style drinks created exclusively for After Hours include The Barn Raiser, a blend of bourbon, lime and mint, served in a vintage jar. The restaurant also features its lauded wine list, which makes for snazzy late-night sipping. 

The Backroom Pop-up Bar at the Chicago Athletic Association

After amassing acclaim and fanfare for their Cherry Circle Yacht Club pop-up bar last year, the Chicago Athletic Association is at it again, this time bringing on The Field Museum and Johalla Projects art gallery to collaborate with Land and Sea Dept. for a boozy new venture in the hotel’s Tank event space on the ground floor. Called The Backroom, the bar is open Friday and Saturday nights from 5:00 p.m. until midnight through March 25. The theme for the pop-up is “Specimens: Unlocking the Secrets of Life,” hinged on The Field Museum’s upcoming special exhibit. In addition to drinks, the pop-up will feature items from the museum’s collection, for the first time displayed in a location outside museum grounds. Other aspects to look forward to: late-night incentives like DJs, trivia and karaoke, plus on-site museum professionals available to chat about zoology, geology, history and more. 

 

Mezcal Dinner at Dove’s Luncheonette

Mezcal takes the stage at Dove’s Luncheonette for an upcoming dinner/drinks event on March 14. The smoky agave spirit will be featured in drinks throughout a five-course meal prepared by chefs Dennis Bernard and Eric Weiss, with Eden Laurin manning the cocktails. It’s all in partnership with El Jolgorio, which will also be doling out tastes of its unique mezcals made from different species of wild and semi-wild harvested agave in Oaxaca. The dinner runs from 7:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. and costs $65 per person. For reservations, email kimmy@doveschicago.com.  

Brunch at Tesori

There’s a new brunch menu in town, and it’s courtesy of the Loop’s venerable Tesori. Already a beloved spot for pre-theater dining downtown, now the Italian restaurant provides customers with more to love, and more reasons to visit. The handiwork of executive chef Carlos Ysaguirre, the menu fuses Italian classics with contemporary innovations. Dishes to savor include chicken milanese with fontina fonduta and arugula; lemon ricotta crespelle with apples, walnuts and zabaglione; and pane al telefoni with cheesy baked bread, garlic, stracchino and marinara. Brunch is now served Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.