Weekday Planner: Jamaican Independence Day, Happy Hour at Flo, Sunda's Midday Hours, Whiskey Week at Tortoise Club
Jamaican Independence Day at Mr. Brown's Lounge
America had its Independence Day. France had its Independence Day. Even Peru celebrated its Independence Day recently. Now it's Jamaica's turn. The Caribbean country fetes its Independence Day on August 6, and in honor of the occasion, Mr. Brown's Lounge in both the Loop and West Town will feature discounted holiday specials along with live Jamaican music. Courtesy of Jamaica native chef Chris Douglas, plates of jerk chicken will be on hand for just $7, down from the regular $12. Additionally, Island Rum Punch will go for $7 and Red Stripes for $4 a pop.
Happy Hour at Flo
In case you haven't heard, the happy hour bill has been passed in Chicago, and restaurants and bars have been pouring out in droves with new happy hour specials and deals throughout the week. One of the most interesting of the bunch, and one that packs a punch of a bargain, is Flo. The Mexican-accented West Town staple has introduced a new weekday happy hour "3some" through August. Available Tuesday through Friday from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., the restaurant features $3 Pacificos, $3 house margaritas, and $3 tacos.
Sunda's Midday Hours
You know that void between lunch and dinner, when hunger sets in while many restaurants rest before evening service? Ugh. If you're in River North, fret no more, with the arrival of midday service at Sunda. The popular Asian destination is now serving a special food menu from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. The abbreviated menu contains snackable items ideal for whetting a dinner appetite, including oxtail potstickers, pork belly skewers, tiger shrimp tempura, baked snow crab handrolls, and more.
Whiskey Week at Tortoise Club
Whiskey is in the spotlight all week long at River North's Tortoise Club, as the restaurant hosts its second annual Whiskey Week from August 3 through August 7. The multi-day spree features a series of rare and unique whiskey tastings, along with specials like $3 Chicagoan cocktails (Koval Bourbon, St-Germain, housemade onion-brown sugar-allspice syrup, Letherbee's Besk, grapefruit bitters), and flights of top shelf whiskeys for $25. Designated tasting events throughout the week include the Whiskey Week Kickoff with Koval Distillery on August 3 from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., wherein the distillery will be doling out samples of their latest whiskey offerings, light bites will be served, and shooters of the Chicagoan cocktail will be poured. "Women & Whiskey" is a speed dating-style shindig taking place August 5 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. But instead of matching and dating different guys, attendees will be joined with female reps from five of the area's distilleries to sample their whiskeys and cocktails. Lastly, Tortoise Club caps off Whiskey Week with a Macallan Whiskey dinner on August 6 at 6:00 p.m. The five-course menu will be paired with limited edition cocktails and whiskey pours. The kickoff party is free to attend, Women & Whiskey is $15, and the dinner is $95 per person. Call the restaurant for more intel.
- Matt Kirouac