AliveOne turns 21

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AliveOne, 2683 N. Halsted kicks off a week of fun celebrating its 21st anniversary beginning December 4 with the launch of  special drinks for the week that includes the anniversary beer, "Finally Legal" an IPA from Saugatuck Brewing ($6.50). The beer is brewed with Warrior, Simcoe, Chinook, and Columbus hops. Additional throwback drink specials for the week include: $7 Irish Car Bombs, $6 Sunny D and Absolut Vodka, $8 Red Bull and CH Vodka, and $6 Jägermeister shots.

There will also be daily specials December 4-10 that includes free pool, DJs spinning retro music, throwback drinks priced $2-$3, live entertainment and happy hour specials. 

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Shakou Happy Hour deal

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Shakou Restaurants, participating locations,  launched a new happy hour program  featuring 50 per cent off all signature cocktails, martinis, house wines and select beers 3-6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

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Santa arrives in Schaumburg for brunch

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Shaw's, 1900 E. Higgins, Schaumburg is is hosting a Santa brunch 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. December 10. During the event Santa arrives from the North Pole to greet guests and take photos.

Special treats for the kids and the adult kids at heart, include a build-your-own hot chocolate bar with a variety of toppings to create a signature drink, a selection of homemade Christmas cookies and other sweets. The Santa brunch for kids is priced $10, ages 7-12; 6 and under eat free. Adults $45. Reservations are recommended. Families bringing a new unwrapped gift for Toys for Tots will receive a $10 give back for every toy donated.

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TrEat Me Fest

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TrEat Me Fest, hosted by Social Power Hour, returns December 3 at Concord Fifty+Five, 1355 W. Concord. There will be two sessions 11  a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1-3 p.m.

The event features a number of goods from local businesses under one roof that include food, drink and pampering services. Food and drink vendors include, Knife & Tine; Bai Drinks; Your Father's Toffee; barkThins; Service vendors include: Spirititual Center, Getaround and Essa Dora. Tickets ($25), includes samples and two cocktails.

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Wells St. Market announces initial eateries

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Wells St. Market, 205 W. Wacker, the new 10,500-square-foot food hall and market set to open in early 2018, has announced its initial lineup of stellar chefs bringing eateries to the venue that include Jimmy Bannos, Jr. co-owner of Purple Pig (pictured); Food Network chef Jeff Mauro and partner in Pork & Mindy will open a second location at the market; Shin Thompson chef/owner of Furious Spoon, brings the popular concept to the market and renown chef  Takashi Yagihashi of Slurping Turtles is rumored to be bringing a "new concept" to the market. The market's official opening date to be  announced later.

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Staytion Market and Bar's December cocktail series

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Staytion Market & Bar, 1 W. Wacker, kicks off its December "Celebrate the Neighborhood" series with "The Best of Nogs," 5-7 p.m. December 5. The bar's mixologist share recipes made with local Chicago spirits (pictured). Upcoming sessions include: Ginger, Ginger, 1-3 p.m. December 9. Guests can design gingerbread people with a variety of toppings and frosting while sampling ginger-based cocktails; A City Aglow, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. December 18, a tour about town of the best holiday light displays with the help of the hotel's guides followed by Rinehall brandy sips. The month caps off with Cheers to the New Year, 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. December 31 with guests ringing in the new year with local sips and bites. Live music and Dj beats.

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Advance sales for Cider Summit Chicago begin Nov. 27

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Advance ticket sales for the Sixth Annual Cider Summit, February 17, 2018, will be available beginning 10 a.m. November 27. The event, held in two sessions 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4-8 p.m., will take place in the Aon Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand. Proceeds from the event benefit the Heartland Alliance and Great Lakes Cider and Perry Association

Guests will be feted to sampling more than 150 ciders, meads and cider cocktails from around the world. General ($30) and VIP ($40)early sales will be available through January 15. Ticket price includes 15 tasting tickets, souvenir glass and $1 donation to Heartland Alliance. VIP purchases include express entry to the event, 18 tasting tickets, souvenir glass and $2 donation to the organization. Attendees must be 21 and over. Tickets.

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Chicago Dogs Dugout's Black Friday giveaway

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Chicago Dogs Dugout kicks off Black Friday with a Chicago-style hot dog giveaway to the first 100 guests to their retail shop beginning at the stroke of midnight Black Friday (November 24), at the Chicago Dogs' baseball team's merchandise pop-up shop at the Fashion Outlets of Chicago, 5220 Fashion Outlets Way, Rosemont. The store will be open for business beginning 10 p.m. November 23. The merchandise shop will be open 3-9 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through December 31, 2017. The team's season opener is May 18, 2018. The home opener is May 25. View minor league teams' schedule.

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Koi launches holiday menu

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Koi Fine Asian Cuisine, 624 Davis Street, Evanston, is offering a family style prix-fixe holiday menu December 1-31; $30, four person minimum per table.

Menu items include appetizers: traditional Chinese dumplings teamed or fried choice of beef or vegetable filled; chicken or beef satay with peanut sauce; spicy chicken wings with honey garlic sauce. Entrees: Kung pao chicken with charred dried chili peppers; Mongolian beef; garlic prawns seasoned with rice wine, fresh garlic and white onions; Shanghai green beans stir-fried with pork and soy and stir-fried vegetables. Dessert: tempura banana with lychee ice cream; chocolate lava cake.  

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Lincoln Park Zoo's Brewlights returns

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The Fourth Annual BrewLights presented by Louis Glunz Beer, Inc. returns 5:30-9:30 p.m. December 7, Lincoln Park Zoo. The event, hosted the Auxiliary Board of Lincoln Park Zoo, will take guests through an array of local craft, seasonal and import beers against the backdrop of the holiday lit zoo grounds.  All proceeds benefit the Auxiliary Board’s commitment to support Lincoln Park Zoo’s The Pride of Chicago campaign. Tickets, starting at $40, are for purchase at here.

Designated driver tickets are available. Food will also be available for purchase throughout the evening. Guests must be 21 and older.

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The Albert serves up Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve suppers

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Chef Brandon Brumback of The Albert, located in Hotel EMC2, 228 E. Ontario, is featuring three-course family-style dinner 2-9 p.m. Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve; $75 (beverage pairing available for an additional $50). Reservations.

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Cantina Laredo offers tamales to go for the holidays

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Cantina Laredo, 508 N. State, is offering their housemade tamales to go for the holiday season. Guests can choose from chicken (chicken simmered in a spiced verde sauce wrapped in corn masa with tomatillo sauce) or beef (spiced shredded beef wrapped in corn masa served with a mild chili sauce) trays; $16.95 per dozen. The offer is available now through Christmas Eve. 

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Fizz Eatery and Soda Fountain turns back time

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Chef Josh Brushnick of Fizz Eatery & Soda Fountain, 7958 W. Belmont, reaches back in time for his 1950s-'60s inspired food items. Bushnick best known from Food Network's "Cutthroat Kitchen (the burger he created on show won best entry)," brings back a bygone era in the form of a '50s style diner that serves hand-crafted burgers and real phosphate fountain drinks. 

The chef will feature a weekly throwback burger inspired by music icons from the era. Past items included the Chubby Checker burger (three patties, homemade root beer barbecue sauce topped with three slices of Wisconsin brick cheese served with hand-cut French fries; $12). 

All specialty burgers will feature at least two patties and come with fries. The '50s style family-friendly diner also features a juke box that plays 45 vinyls.

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Artango Bar's Black Wednesday specials

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Artango Bar and Steakhouse, 4746 N. Lincoln, is offering a selection of discounted Latin libations on 5-7 p.m. Black Wednesday (November 22). The bar will offer a round of $7 cocktails that include margaritas, mojitos and caipirinhas. As well as  $7 glasses of red and white wine and $4 domestic brews.

Food specials include $9 bar snacks: empanadas, chorizo and steak sandwiches and grilled pizza.

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Thanksgiving Day ramen for the hungry

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Furious Spoon, 1316 W. 18th Street, opens it doors to the hungry and needy 11-3:30 p.m. Thanksgiving day (November 23). Or, until they run out. Visitors will receive a complimentary bowl of Furious ramen, vegetable ramen or rice bowl. 

Paying customers are welcome with proceeds benefitting a local charity.

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Glazed and Infused's rosé Thursday

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Glazed and Infused, all area locations, launched its Thirsty Thursday promotion last week. To quench the thirst or, feed the beast, your choice, the donut chain is serving wine, rosé to be exact, donuts. The pastry, a yeast-raised confection shaped in the form of a bottle, think of a pink frosted long John donut with a bottleneck, is topped with a hibiscus-rosé flavored frosting, pink and white chocolate beads and the words "rosé all day." Each donut comes with a small pipette filled with a rosé reduction, which for you worried parents the cooking process eliminates the alcohol from the pastry, resulting in a syrup like liquid to drizzle over the donut.

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Bite Asian Kitchen's 4th anniversary deals

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Bites Asian Kitchen in Bar, 3313 N. Clark, celebrates its fourth anniversary with a host of $4 specials, beginning 11 a.m. November 16. A selection of drinks will be offered at a $4 discount (11 a.m. to 10 p.m.), while a menu of bites created by chef Derek Intapura will be offered for $4 (4-10 p.m.). Food items include: spicy crab rangoon; jumbo shrimp shumai; General's duck leg with wasabi slaw; avocado tempura bao buns and grilled raddicchio salad.

In addition beginning 4:44 p.m. and every hour their after at the :44 minute mark the restaurant will raffle off $20 gift certificates.

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Sox legend Frank Thomas' sports bar opens Nov. 17

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White Sox legend and Hall of Fame slugger Frank "the Big Hurt" Thomas', takes another swing at the restaurant business with 35 Sports Bar & Grill, 6801 Cermak Road, Berwyn, which opened late October. The bar, in the former spot of Thomas' Big Hurt Brewer, will have an official ribbon cutting November 17. Thomas, sole owner of the facility will get a helping hand on the management side from Buona Beef operations, the city's iconic Italian beef purveyor.

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Greenstar Brewing's mixmaster mocha porter

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Uncommon Ground's organic Greenstar Brewing's mixmaster mocha porter (First Gear porter with an addition of  house espresso blend coffee from Metropolis, aged with toasted French oak chips with TCHO organic cacao nibs) is now available.

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SafeHouses' new 007 brunch

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SafeHouse Chicago, 60 E. Ohio, launched the Bond brunch with bottomless mimosas, available 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. 

At last, the long awaited FUBAR Griddle (hand-pattied burger topped with bacon, ham, cheese, fried egg, between two glazed donut buns, served with top-secret breakfast potatoes, is now available. 

Other featured food items include: SafeHouse Skillet, made with fried eggs, pepper smoked bacon, honey baked ham, and Cheddar Jack cheese, served over top-secret breakfast potatoes, The B-1 Bomber, complete with homemade funnel cake, buttermilk fried chicken and breakfast potatoes, a Duquesne Burger, a scratch Black Angus and chorizo burger, topped with Pepper Jack cheese, a fried egg, avocado, cilantro lime vinaigrette and chipotle mayo, all on a brioche bun. Items are a la carte. 

During brunch the mimosa deal is $15. 

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Veterans Day deals

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Veterans Day is November 11 and local eateries salute our vets with a big round of thanks and special deals (all below specials available on November 11 unless otherwise noted and all participants must show valid proof of their service). Some venues might require reservations:

Applebee's, all veterans eat free at participating locations.
Catina Laredo, 508 N. State, offering a complimentary lunch or dinner entree (up to $20 value) for both veterans and active duty military 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Hofbrauhaus, 5500 Park Place, Rosemont, salutes veterans with a complimentary entree (up to $20 value).
Olive Garden, participating locations, offering a complimentary to veterans and active duty  military in uniform or with valid proof of service.
III Forks Steakhouse, 180 N. Field, features a complimentary meal (up to $40) for both veterans and active duty military 5-11 p.m.
SafeHouse Chicago, 60 E. Ontario, offering 50 per cent off bill. The restaurant also has an interactive "Wall of Honor," where guests can read real life military stories and heroic acts. 
Timothy O'Toole's, all three locations, will offer complimentary lunch or dinner (up to $12) 


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Roanoke Veterans Day special

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In honor of their service to our country Roanoke Restaurant, 135 W. Madison, for Veterans Day (November 11), is offering 20 per cent off all active, former and retired veterans bill with valid proof of service.

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Latin cocktail-making class

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Artango Bar and Steakhouse, 4767 N. Lincoln, hosts an interactive cocktail class, led by bartender George Chaves, 6:30 p.m. November 15. Guests  will learn how to prepare pisco sour and caipirinha cocktails. Light Latin bites, including empanadas will be available for sampling. Reserve a spot at 872-208-7441 or online. 

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Perry's Steakhouse Veterans salute

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Perry's Steakhouse & Grille, 5 Oak Brook Center, is offering military veterans (active and former) a complimentary three-course dinner when accompanied by one paying guest, 4-9 p.m. November 12. The dinner menu includes the restaurant's caramelized pork chop, choice of salad and the popular decadent dessert trio. Must have valid proof of military service. Reservations required: (630) 571-1808.

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