Chicago's Best Restaurants Restaurants near Pick Me Up Cafe restaurant

Pick Me Up Cafe

Around-the-clock coffeehouse caters to Lakeview's lounge lizards.

Annoyance Theatre & Bar

Edgy theater and improv, including The Annoyance's signature, long-running musical, "Coed Prison Sluts."

Reza's Restaurant - Andersonville

Demera Ethiopian Restaurant

Demera Ethiopian Restaurant

Green Mill

People come from all over to hear some of the best jazz around from local and traveling acts.

Tank Noodle

One of the godfathers of pho in Chicago, Tank Noodle sits at the nexus of Uptown's Vietnamese dining district. The sprawling space is filled with large circular communal tables and servers delivering piping hot bowls of pho soup. The large menus also feature a wide range of other Vietnamese items, like rice dishes and banh mi.

Hopleaf Bar

The comfortable Andersonville beer lounge draws the suds enthusiast for its more than 200 selections. Also, all menu items complement the beer.

Ba Le Sandwich Shop & Bakery

In Uptown since 1989, Ba Le moved to a new location next door in spring 2010. The counter-service Vietnamese restaurant still serves its popular bahn mi sandwiches

Svea

Honoring Andersonville's Scandinavian roots, Svea is one of the sole remaining relics of Swedish dining in this north side enclave. This old-school diner, open for breakfast and lunch daily, features a sprawling menu of Swedish comfort food, from thin pancakes draped in lingonberries to plump Swedish sausages, meatballs, open-faced sandwiches on limpa bread, and more.

Koval Distillery

The city of Chicago's first boutique distillery produces vodka, whiskey and other specialty spirits. They offer public weekly tours, tastings and whiskey workshops.

Chicago Magic Lounge

Upon entering Chicago Magic Lounge, guests are greeted by a small room filled with “active” laundry machines which concealed a hidden door.

Rezas - Andersonville

Mediterranean/Persian menu (much of it vegetarian) & lunch buffet served in a bright, airy space.

Gadabout

“Elevated, non-traditional street food” is how the husband-wife team of Rolf (Girl and the Goat, Boka, Pacific Standard Time) and Meagan Pedersen (Hopleaf) describe the food they prepare at Gadabout.

Bongo Room (Andersonville)

The duo behind the popular breakfast nook opens a third location in Andersonville. Expect the same menu of offbeat pancakes, waffles and overstuffed sandwiches.

Fat Cat

This slick, retro lounge, from the teams behind Silver Cloud and Five Star Bar & Grill, is just what the neighborhood needed.

Carol's Pub

Honky-tonk bar featuring live country-western music, line dancing & karaoke since 1973.

Golden Nugget Pancake House - Ravenswood

Breakfast, American eats & soda-fountain favorites served around the clock in basic diner digs.

Lady Gregory's

Upscale farm-to-table bar eats & a large beer & whiskey menu served in a traditional Irish pub.

Cultivate by Forbidden Root

Cultivate by Forbidden Root is a restaurant with a brewery attached, taking up residence in the space vacated by Band of Bohemia in Ravenswood.

Byron's Hot Dog Haus - Ravenswood

Chicago-style hot dogs plus burgers, subs & salads served in a no-frills, counter-serve spot.

Ann Sather Restaurant - Andersonville

Growing up in the strongly Scandinavian town of Osnabrock, N.D., Ann Sather learned home cooking from her mother, who was known for her strawberry-rhubarb pies.

Neo-Futurarium

"Theater that doesn't suck." The Neo-Futurists produce originals shows at this 150-seat theater over a funeral home, including their signature "Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind," an ever-changing performance of 30 plays in 60 minutes, which has been running since 1988.

Andies Restaurant

Mediterranean dishes are some of the most flavorful, fresh and varied cuisines in the culinary canon and one of the most healthy styles of eating in existence.

Munno Pizzeria & Bistro

Pho Viet

Authentic Vietnamese cuisine can be found all over this stretch of Broadway, but Pho Viet is one of the area's shining stars. It specializes in traditional pho, but also banh mi, Thai coffee and steamed rice noodle soups.

Simon’s Tavern

Long-standing neighborhood bar with a big beer selection, a jukebox & signature glögg (mulled wine).

La Colombe - Andersonville

This Philadelphia-based coffee company is revered on the East Coast, and had been slowly easing its way across the country. In Chicago, numerous restaurants and cafes supply La Colombe coffee, but this Andersonville location is their largest location in the city. Uncluttered by CDs, magazines, and wi-fi, the philosophy at La Colombe is to keep the focus on what they do best: coffee.

Farragut's

There has been a bar at 5240 N. Clark St. ever since 1933, the year Prohibition was repealed. Farragut's, which opened in February 1997, is the fourth in a line that started with the Andersonville Inn.

Jin Ju

Hip spot with traditional Korean cuisine, creative cocktails & sake in an intimate, dimly lit venue.