Frasca's National Pizza Week Offerings

Executive Chef Todd Stein of Frasca Pizzeria & Wine Bar, 3358 N. Paulina, kicks off National Pizza Week, beginning Jan. 12, with a line up of specialty pizzas starting with its Sausage variety (fennel sausage, Havarti cheese, cured tomato and pickled fennel; Hawaii via Italy (speck ham, Calabrian chili's and roasted pineapple, Jan. 13); The Smoke Daddy (barbecue chicken, Smoke Daddy barbecue sauce, onions, Jan. 15); Brussels Sprout (shave Brussels sprout, caramelized onions, herbed fonduta, Jan. 16); Popeye (garlic spinach, pancetta, farm egg, white truffle oil, Jan. 17) and Mary's Lamb (lamb sausage, Fresno chiles. fresh mozzarella and salsa verde, Jan. 18). The restaurant features a BOGO deal for guests visiting Jan. 14. Wine and other beverages specials will be featured. frascapizzeria

Dawson's Winter Cocktails Have Arrived

Baby it's cold outside so drop in The Dawson, 730 W. Grand, and warm up with one of beverage director Clint Roger's hot winter cocktails varieties that include the Ski Bunny (Atlantico Reserve rum, Smith & Cross rum, Laird's bonded apple brandy, Bonal Gentiane Quina, Samurai chai tea, Yellow Chartreuse liqueur, Tonga vanilla bean cream and cinnamon; $12) the Matterhorn (house hot chocolate mix, Genepy des Alpes liqueur, Punt e Mes vermouth, Woodruff whipped cream; $12) and Field & Stream (Famous Grouse scotch, Benedictine liqueur, spiced ginger hazelnut and lemon; $11). dawson

Ski Bunny. Photo Credit:Jessica Lynn Capron

White Oak's NYE Dinner

White Oak Tavern & Inn, 1200 W. Webster, rings in the new year with two farm-to-fork dinner seatings 6-6:30 and 9-9:30 p.m. Dec. 31; $75. Chef John Asbaty's five-course dinner includes an entree choice of poached walleye with crispy sunchokes, brown butter and wilted spinach or grilled beef with potato puree, Brussels sprouts, pickled carrots, truffle and beef jus. Wine pairings are available for an additional cost. Reservations are required. whiteoak

E3VIP Offers Special $100 Packages for Two Bears Games

Luxury tailgating entertainment group E3VIP is offering exclusive packages (includes tailgating and game tickets) for the Bears vs Saints (Dec. 15) and gridiron rivals Bears vs Lions (Dec. 21) games. Tailgating begins at 4:30 p.m. for the Saints game and 9 a.m. for the Lions matchup. Tickets are $100 (per game). E3VIP's heated party tent is located in the Adler Planetarium parking lot at Linn White and Solidarity drives. E3VIP

Timothy O'Toole's Bad Santa Ugly/Sweater Party

Timothy O'Toole's, 622 N. Fairbanks, hosts its Bad Santa/Ugly Sweater event 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 19. The specialty drink for the occasion-- cookies and milk flavored Santa shots; $3.  Pints of winter brews, including Sam Adams Winter Lager; Revolution Eugene Porter and Deschutes Jubelale, will be priced $5. timothyotooles

Shaw's Santa Brunch

Santa and Mrs. Claus makes a stop at Shaw's Schaumburg location, 1900 E. Higgins, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 21. Brunch features seafood and traditional serving stations along with a build-your-own hot chocolate bar; $52 for adults. Kids age 12 and under eat free. Santa will be available for photos. shaws

BeerFX's "Barrel Aged" Event

Louis Glunz joins in BeerFX's movie premiere and beer tasting event 3:30 to 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 N. Kedzie. The movie short "Barrel Aged" is an inside look at the behind the scenes brewing process of  Turn Brown For What!'s imperial brown ale aged for more than 10 months in an Angel's Envy bourbon barrel. Tickets are $45, includes sampling. beerfx 

Macy's Walnut Room's Holiday Cocktail

Macy's flagship store's Walnut Room, located on the seventh floor, 111 N. State, has partnered with Round Barn Winery, Distillery and Brewery to create the black walnut holiday cocktail (DiVine Black Walnut Creme, chocolate espresso sauce, candied walnuts and nutmeg served in a holiday mug), available through January. The liqueur is available for purchase at Macy's stores. macys

Chef Homaro Cantu's Berrista Opening

Chef Homaro Cantu owner of Moto restaurant is set to open Berrista Dec. 12 The coffee house, located at 4219 W. Irving Park, will pair its home-brewed coffee with homemade "healthy" treats including selections made from the "miracle berry," the source of the recipes found in Chef Cantu's The Miracle Berry Diet Cookbook.  berrista

PHOTO CREDIT: Amy Stallard

Fairmont Cookie Connection

The chefs at The Fairmont Millennium Park present the inaugural "Chocolate and Cheer Cookie Exchange," 5:30–7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 in the Rouge Room at the Fairmont, 200 N. Columbus. In addition to sampling all the cookies you can eat guests will have the opportunity to mingle with the chefs while enjoying wine and non-alcoholic beverages; $50. www.themillenniumparkhotel.com

Amy's Candy Bar Pops-up in Hyde park

If you're a baby boomer you more than likely had a penny candy store in the neighborhood or a neighborhood store with an extensive candy counter. Amy's Candy Bar, featuring an array of gourmet chocolates, international confections and nostalgic favorites such as candy buttons, licorice and Turkish taffy, is the upscale version of those neighborhood gems of a by-gone era. Amy's Hyde Park pop-up location (the original store opened in 2011 in Lincoln Square) opens for a six-month period Nov. 21 in the Hyde Park Shopping Center, 1546 E. 55th Street. amys

American Junkie Makes Menu Changes

Chef Matt Wilde of American Junkie, 15 W. Illinois, has introduced new menu selections at the River North sports bar. Items include the comfort dish Matt's chicken pot pie (carrots, celery, peas, fresh herbs and creamy chicken filling in a hand made pie crust) and seasonal specialty dishes like baked brie and winter vegetable tater tots. americanjunkie

Kit Kat Lounge Celebrates Brit's B'day

The Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club, 3700 N. Halsted, salutes Britney Spears' birthday with a special brunch and the "Blackout Britney" martini (Effen black cherry vodka; tasrt cherry juice, splash of Champagne with sugar rim and cherry garnish) 11 a.m.to 4 p.m. Nov. 30. Diva Madam X performs Brit's songs. All drinks will be half-priced 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. kitkat

Takashi Closing Dec. 31, 2014

Takashi Yagihashi is closing the doors of  Takashi, his namesake restaurant located in Bucktown at 1952 N. Damen, Dec. 31--- but not without a fanfare goodbye for his patrons. Beginning Dec. 1 the James Beard Award-winning chef will offer the "Imperial 7" a seven-course menu, available Tuesday through Thursday, featuring the restaurant's most popular dishes over the last seven years. The restaurant closes out its run with a special New Year's Eve menu. Yagihashi's other enterprises: Slurping Turtle, Tabo Sushi by Takashi and Noodles by Takashi Yagihashi will continue operating. takashichicago

Buffalo Wild Wings' Big Deal in Hammond

The first 100 guests through the door during Buffalo Wild Wings' new Hammond, Ind. (2942 Carlson Drive) grand opening 11 a.m. Nov. 23 will receive free wings for a year. diversifiedrestaurant

Arami's November Noodle Night

The next Arami "Noodle Night" is 5 p.m. Nov. 24. Chef  Despres' menu selections, listed below, can be paired with Asahi Japanese beer ($4) or Arami's custom-brewed sake Ichi No Tori ($9 or $15 for hot carafe). Complimentary table-side sake offerings will be served. Arami, which recently received a third Michelin Bib Gourmand, is located at 829 W. Chicago. Dishes range in price from $13-$15. arami

Arami Ramenpork belly, braised beef, house tsukemono, naruto, grilled enoki, egg

Miso Ramencorn, wakame, naruto, pork belly, bamboo, negi, egg

Nabeyaki Kishimen
shiitake, pea shoots, ebi tempura, kamaboko, egg

Shio Ramenroasted chicken, bok choy, soft egg, narutomaki, negi

Tsukemen
onsen tamago, negi, furikake

Hot Soba

aburaage, wakame, negi, kamaboko

Hunger Games Trivia @ a Bar Near You

Geeks who Drink sponsor a one-night-only (Nov. 20) nationwide Hunger Games trivia event. The "This is a Tribute: A Hunger Games Quiz" takes place in Chicago 8:30 p.m. at Fizz Bar 3220 N. Lincoln. For locations across the country visit geekswhodrink

The Dawson, 730 W. Grand, scores again with its Reuben burger (half-pound patty made from brisket corned-beef style and chuck spiced like pastrami, smoked Swiss cheese, beer-braised sauerkraut, bread & butter pickle and Thousand Island dressing on marbled rye bun); $15; $17, with house made bacon. dawson

PHOTO: Nicole Ess

The Dawson's Bloody Mary a Winner

The Dawson's, 730 W. Grand, Smokehouse Bloody Mary (Dawson's house made Bloody Mary mix, liquid smoke made from meat drippings and vodka, garnished with house-smoked brisket, cheddar, pickled onion and jalapeno) winner of the Chicago Bloody Mary Competition held in September at Park West, is available for $11 during brunch. dawson

Photo: Nicole Ess

Nacional 27 Hosts Vodka Cocktail Class

Beverage manager Elyse Fuller leads a cocktail making event featuring Moscow Mules and specialty drinks made with Rum-Cha-Cha at 6:30 p.m. Nov 19; $15, includes recipe cards. Salsa lessons with Rickey Spivey follows at 7:30 p.m. Nacional 27 is located at 325 W. Huron. n27chicago

Mercadito's November Taco

Top Chef winner Kevin Sbraga serves up a Greek-style offering of crispy lamb taco with red pickled onions, tzatzki and dill in support of Mercadito's, 108 W. Kinzie, Share Our Strength effort. Tacos are $13.50, for three (lunch); $17.50, for four (dinner). mercadito

Medieval Times Goes Pink

There's only two more days to catch the men of Medieval Times jousting about in pink during a special show supporting the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness effort through Oct. 31. The serving wenches and merry maids don pink as well for the cause. The dinner and entertainment venue is located at 2001 N. Roselle, Schaumburg. medieval

National Food Day

National Food Day is October 24 and the city salutes the day with a celebration at Two North Riverside Plaza that includes cooking demos by chefs Paul Kahan and Jason Hammel, lunch offerings from Big Star and a poetry slam by Chicago Public School students. All proceeds from the day-long event benefits Pilot Light, a chef-driven movement promoting healthy eating and sustainable food. pilotlightchefs

Taco Nano Charity Event

Local author Amy Kite signs her book Cancer, Cancer Go Away! 4-7 p.m. Oct. 23 at Taco Nano, 1743 Orchard Lane, Northfield. Guests buying two copies of the book will receive a complimentary serving of chips and salsa. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Sam Sommer Fund. taconano

Michael Jordan's Table 23

Michael Jordan's Steak House, 505 N. Michigan, guests requesting the restaurant's Table 23, where Jordan eats when he's in the restaurant, will be feted to a menu of the former NBA star's favorite dishes. The menu is available for two ($300) or four ($600). Wine pairings included. mjschicago

Cafe des Architectes Wine Tasting

Wine expert Cedric Villars is the special guest during Cafe des Architectes wine tasting featuring Lafite vintages along with samples from other wineries 6-8 p.m. Oct. 23. The restaurant is located in the Hotel Sofitel, 20 E. Chestnut. cafedesarchitectes

Nacional 27 Halloween Cocktail Class

Beverage manager Elyse Fuller of Nacional 27, 325 W. Huron, scares up some spooky cocktails for Halloween including the Morgue-a-rita (blood orange, pomegranate, passion fruit margarita) and Witches Brew (coconut rum, pineapple, cranberry and Sprite) during a cocktail class 6:30 p.m. Oct. 30. n27chicago

Tortoise Club Has a New Cocktail Menu

Tortoise Club's, 350 N. State, new cocktail menu includes classic sips such as the Aviation (Hendricks gin, lemon juice, Luxardo Maraschino, simple syrup and creme de violet); Manhattan (Templeton rye, Carpano sweet vermouth, bitters) and Old Fashioned (Old Forester Signature 100 Proof, Demerara syrup, orange bitters). Enjoy half-price drinks all day Wednesday during Clubhouse Wednesdays. tortoiseclub

Giordano's 40th Anniversary

Follow Giordano's 40th Anniversary celebration on social media to win prizes, free pizza and more. The restaurant has also launched new menu items for the occasion including boneless wings, ham and provolone pretzel sandwich, eggplant Parmesan, eggplant Parmesan stuffed pizza and and antipasto salad. giordanos

2014 Chicago Hall of Fame Chef Inductees

Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel proclaimed Oct. 8, 2014 Lawrence F. Levy Day in honor of the restaurateur's induction into the Chicago Culinary Museum's Chefs Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in the food and hospitality industry. Fellow 2014 inductees are: Gale Gand, Pastry Chef of the Year; Stephanie Izard, Chef of the Year; Chef Michael Kornick, Legendary Chef and Phil Stefani, Industry Leader. The ceremony is 5-9:30 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Castle, 632 N. Dearborn. Tickets are $125; $149, at the door. www.brownpapertickets.com, keyword: Chefs Hall of Fame or http://www.brownpapertickets.org/event/616718 

Photo: DNAInfo.com

Shaw's Oyster Fest Rocks Into its 26th Year

The 26th Annual Shaw's Oyster Fest Block Party is 3-10 p.m. Sept. 26 at 560 W. Grand; $25. The popular event features plenty of good eats, beverages and live entertainment-- Brett Dennen performs this year. Among the popular attractions is the Grand Slurp-off where the winner takes home $1,000. The Friday night event is the culmination to the week-long celebration beginning Sept. 22 with both Shaw Crab House locations offering food specials. shawscrabhouse

CiNe Hosts Avion Tequila Dinner

CiNe Modern Taqueria, 29 E, First, Hinsdale, is hosting a four-course Avion Tequila dinner 7 p.m. Sept. 16; $50. Courses include pork tamale wrapped in plantain finished with a roasted Avion
Reposado tomatillo serrano sauce and pickled onion habaneros paired with an Avion Reposado cocktail. cinehinsdale

Kit Kat Lounge's "Evil Dead" Brunch

Diva Madam X serves up bloody good fun and entertainment during the "Evil Dead: The Musical" themed brunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 21 at Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club, 3700 N. Halsted. The drink specials for the occasion-- build-your-own Bloody Marys, of course. kitkatchicago

Gemini Bistro Celebrates Five Years

Gemini Bistro, 1967 N. Halsted, kicks off a week-long five-year anniversary celebration Sept. 9 with $5 (regularly priced $11) Squirtsky cocktails (Finlandia grapefruit vodka, fresh lime, fresh grapefruit and soda; $55 five-course chef's tasting menu (Sept. 10); $5 signature burger (with applewood smoked bacon served on a house-made bun with fries (Sept. 11); one lucky guest will receive a $5 check for their meal (Sept. 12); $5 glasses of wine offered all evening and a $50 Cote De Boeuf 28-oz ribeye steak, serves two (Sept. 13) and $5 Bloody Marys and mimosas, (Sept. 14). geminibistro

Frontier's Family-style Brunch

Frontier, 1072 N. Milwaukee, is now offering brunch 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Chef Brian Jupiter's family-style brunch ($20 per person) features delectable dishes such as Banana Fosters French toast, mini crab Benedict, lamb chorizo and egg tacos, powdered doughnuts, thick slab bacon and breakfast potatoes. frontier

Cactus Bar's Big Eddy Uber Oktoberfest Event

Natalie George of Leinenkugel hosts a beer tasting and glassware giveaway during Cactus Bar & Grills, 404 S. Wells, Oktoberfest celebration 5-7 p.m. Sept. 4. George will introduce the brand's Big Eddy Uber Oktoberfest brew (tawny-orange hue variety made with toasted malts and  spicy hops). Guest purchasing a $7 sample of the brew will receive a complimentary tulip glass (one per person). cactuschicago

City Winery's Bubbly-Q Event

Chandon presents the Third Annual Bubbly-Q: Bluegrass, Barbecue, Bubbly event beginning 2 p.m. Sept. 1 at City Winery Chicago, 1200 W. Randolph; $15. citywinery

The Pony Express to Garth Brooks Concerts

The Pony, 1638 W. Belmont, is offering round-trip bus service to Garth Brooks World Tour (Sept. 4-14) concerts at Allstate Arena. Register at The Pony before each concert; $25, does not include concert ticket. ponychicago

Venetian Night Firework Cruises

Chicago cruise lines (Odyssey, Mystic Blue, Spirit of Chicago and Seadog) sail to the lullaby of Broadway during the Venetian Night "Broadway on Parade" Firework cruises Sept. 6. The fireworks spectacular is presented by Broadway in Chicago. Check sites for cost and departure times.

Mercadito Counter Opens Aug. 25

Mercadito Counter, 738 N. Clark, opens Aug. 25. The menu, created by Executive Chef Patricio Sandoval, offers Mexican deli-style dishes such as mole-q dog (smoked and fried pork dog with mole barbecue sauce, jalapeno slaw, mustard and crispy onion springs); Mexican onion rings (chipotle-battered Vidalia onions) and the Mercadito Counter Burger (rib eye and short rib burger with jalapeno emulsion, manchego cheese and grilled scallions). mercadito

Bow & Stern Labor Day Crawfish Boil

Bow & Stern Oyster Bar, 1371 W.Chicago, says goodbye to summer with the Cajun Crawl, all-you-can-eat crawfish boil, 4-8 p.m. Aug. 31: $30. Special-priced Abita pours will be available. The Royal Hustlers Brass Band and Brother John Kettke perform live. The restaurant also hosts lobster roll night, featuring New England lobster roll and fries, Aug. 28; $18. bowandstern

SausageFest Chcago

SausageFest Chicago kicks off 5 p.m. Aug. 22 at St. Michael's in Old Town, 1633 N. Cleveland. Weekend festivities include the Medieval Times SausageFeast and Tournament (noon-4 p.m. Aug. 23-24; $12), the Sausage King of Chicago contests (proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project); and live music. Hours are 5-10 p.m. Aug. 22; noon to 10 p.m. Aug. 23; noon to 8 p.m. Aug. 24. A $5 donation is suggested for entry. Other activities might include an additional fee. sausagefestchi

Bacon, Sports & Beer Celebration

Bacon-inspired dishes, crafted beers and sports, what more can one ask, how about a fun-filled afternoon?
Enjoy all the above during Bacon, Sports & Beer Celebration 2014 3-6 p.m. Aug. 23 in the Great Hall at Union Station. Tickets are $55. baconsportsbeer

Green City Market Fulton Now Open

Green City Market's Fulton district location opened Aug. 9. The market is open 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through October at the corner of Halsted and Fulton. greencitymarket

GCM board co-chair Sarah Stegner
PHOTO CREDIT: Cindy Kurman, Kurman Communications, Inc.

Frontier's Charity Feast & Annual Oyster Shucking Contest

Frontier, 1072 N. Milwaukee, hosts Seven Seas Charity Feast benefitting the Chicago Blackhawks Charities, 1-4 p.m. Aug. 17; $55. Followed by the restaurant's Fourth Annual Oyster Shucking Contest 4-7 p.m. The contest features 20 chefs up to their elbows in a heat with guests judges deciding the winner. Participating chefs includes host chef Brian Jupiter, Cory Morris (Mercat a la Planxa), Bill Kim (Urban Belly),  Tom Van Lente (TWO), Mike Lacson (Union Sushi). frontierchicago

Two Sparrows Closing Briefly For Renovations

If you pass by 2 Sparrows, 553 W. Diversey, next week and see a "Closed Sign," don't despair. The restaurant is undergoing interior renovations and will be closed Aug. 11-15. Gearing up for its new dinner service, starting later in the summer, the restaurant will offer a more intimate setting with a toned-down decor. 2sparrow

Ani Wine Dinner

Ani, 3056 N. Lincoln, hosts a wine dinner featuring Tenzing Spirits, 6 p.m. Aug. 9. Proceeds from Chef Shin Matsuda's "Ichi-go, Ichi-e" event benefits Japan House at the University of Illinois. The cost is $225; $425, couples. ani

Langham's Tea for Tots

Tea time for tots has arrived at The Pavilion at the Langham Chicago, 330 N. Wabash. Services are available at 3; 3:30 and 4 p.m.Thursday through Sunday in August; $30, ages 12 and under; $40 adults. Kids under age 12 will receive a special commemorative gift. A portion of the proceeds benefit Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation. langham

Wine Spectator Award of Excellence

A number of Chicago and surrounding area restaurants were honored with Wine Spectator's 2014 Restaurant Award, including TRU, which received three glasses, Purple Pig, Nomi Kitchen and Les Nomades. Rosemont's  Rosewood Restaurant also made the list. The complete list is in the Aug. 31 issue, now on newsstands. www.winespectator

Taste of Latin America

Latin food, wine and art take center stage during Taste of Latin America, beginning 11 a.m. Aug. 2-3 on Armitage from Central to Avers. tasteoflatinamerica 

Vie Turns Ten
Paul Virant of Vie, 4471 Lawn, Western Springs, celebrates his restaurant's 10th anniversary with a "greatest hits" menu, featuring ten of the restaurant's most popular dishes through the years, available Aug. 11-16. opentable

TWO Celebrates Second Anniversary

In celebration of its second anniversary TWO Restaurant and Bar, 1132 W. Grand, is offering a pulled pork and beer special for $10. Chef Tom Van Lente's, Swan Creek Farms' smoked suckling pig, cooked using apple wood chips, is pulled and served on a bed of roasted parsnip puree, locally-grown corn and smoked pork au jus, topped with a pea shoot salad. The specialty dish, paired with a rye pale ale from Begyle Brewery will be available from 5 p.m. to closing Aug. 1-8. 113two

Kit Kat Goes Live With "The Sound of Music"

Diva Madame X performs the songs from "The Sound of Music" during a sing-a-long brunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 27 at Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club, 3700 N. Halsted; $14.95. kitkatchicago.com

Craft Beers Arrive at Blue Door Farm Stand

Beginning today (July 23) Blue Door Farm Stand, 843 W. Armitage, is now serving craft beers. Selections carried at the forme BYOB include Dark Horse Brewing Company Crooked Tree IPA; Vandermill Totally Roasted Cider; Smuttynose Brewing Company Robust Porter; Two Brothers Brewing Company Domaine Dupage; Penrose Brewing Company Pronto Gradus; Glutenberg Red and Anderson Valley Brewing Company Summer Solstice. bluedoorfarmstand 

Frontier's July Foodie Dinner

Those foodie dinners just keep coming. Up next: a lamb inspired "So You Think You're A Foodie" dinner, 8 p.m. July 30, 1072 N. Milwaukee; $65. frontier

El Tapeo Opens July 31

Chef Franco Diaz heads up kitchen duties at the soon-to-open El Tapeo restaurant located on the 9th floor of the Le Meridien-Oak Brook, 2100 Spring Road. The Spanish-influenced restaurant will feature authentic tapas dishes and crafted cocktails along with main dishes that include Paella de Langosta (bomba rice, Maine lobster, spicy chorizo, mushroom, mussels and lemon and garlic aioli. lemeridienoakbrook.com 

Old Irving Park Beer & BBQ Challenge

Chefs and Craft Brewers square off during the First Annual Old Irving Park Beer & BBQ Challenge 2-5 p.m. Aug 2 in the St. Viator School Parking Lot, 3644 N. Kedvale; $60. beerbbqchallenge

Frontier's Crawfish Boil

Frontier, 1072 N. Milwaukee, hosts an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil noon to 4 p.m. July 20; $35. frontier

Downtown Dogs Salutes National Hot Dog Day

Downtown Dogs, 804 N. Rush, will donate $1 from every hot dog sold on July 23 (National Hot Dog Day) to Paws Chicago. downtowndogs

Nacional 27 Mojito Class

Nacional 27, 326 W. Huron, beverage manager Elyse Fuller conducts a mojito class 6 p.m. July 30; $15. Fuller will demonstrate how to make three cocktails: N27 Mojito (Brugal rum, mint syrup, lime juice, soda); Hennessey Mojito (Hennessey, mint syrup, lime juice, mint, lime, ginger beer) and the Chadwick Mojito (10 Cane rum, pomegranate juice, habanero ginger syrup, mint, lime, soda). Passed tapas will be served. n27

Mariachi Hospitality Group 's Tour of Mariachis

Mariachi Hospitality Group hosts a Lakeview Restaurant Crawl starting 6:30 p.m. July 24 on the patio of El Mariachi Tequila Bar and Grill, 3420 N. Broadway. The next stop is Revolucion Mexican Steakhouse then on to Tutto Fresca Trattoria; $60. mariachihospitality

Bootleggers Tap Takeover

Revolution Brewing kicks off  Bootleggers', 13 W. Division, Tap Takeover Tuesdays July 22. The weekly takeover features six craft beers from the brewer of the week. Upcoming events, listed below, begin 7 p.m. every Tuesday; $18 for 24-oz flights. During the event Mahoney's Pub & Grille will provide chicken wings made with one of the beers from the brewer of the week. bootleggers

July 29: Firestone Walker Brewing – Paso Robles, CA

August 5: Dogfish Head Brewery – Milton, DE

August 12: Founders Brewing Company – Grand Rapids, MI

August 19: Goose Island Brewery – Chicago, IL

August 26:  New Holland Brewing – Holland, MI

September 2: Brooklyn Brewery – New York, NY

September 9: Speakeasy Ales & Lagers – San Francisco, CA

September 16: Brewery Ommegang – Cooperstown, NY

September 23: Pipeworks Brewing Company – Chicago, IL with

The Grill on the Alley Tasting Menu

Chef Jorge Alvarez of The Grill on the Alley, 909 N. Michigan, kicks off a four-part tasting series July 17. The menu (available on Thursdays only through Aug. 7) include an alcohol or beer pairing and range from $55-$115. Tickets must be purchased in advance. thegrill

Bread & Wine's Tuesday Tasting in July

Bread & Wine's, 3732 W. Irving, three-course "Tuesday Tasting" menu for July is first course: corn chowder, green onion crab salad; second course: pork chop, sweet corn ratatouille, ricotta cheese and third course: lemon corn rice pudding; $30; $50, includes wine or beer pairing.

The restaurant has also added a Rose to its wine list. As part of the launch the vintage will be included in B&W's "Wine Wednesday" (half-price bottle of wine with dinner purchase) special July 9 only. breadandwine

Eddie Merlot's Introduces Summer Menu

Eddie Merlot's Napa Valley Grill summer menu launched July 1. The seasonal menu includes the Napa salad (pictured), barbecue double-cut pork chop; 7 oz. natural filet mignon; citrus-glazed grouper and roasted half chicken. The menu will be available through Aug. 31. A dinner for two special, which includes a bottle of wine from the Trinchero Family Estates, is $89.95. eddiemerlots