This is arguably one of the best medium-sized performance spaces in the city. The décor is collegiate and the drink prices are fair. There are pool tables and pinball machines in the front room, alongside thrift store couches. The main area is large and there is a dance floor. There are acts every night and any of the local celebrity bands can be seen there, alongside international acts on their way through town. Cover prices vary and weekends are always sure to see a crowd.

There's no better way to unwind than with a bunch of friends drinking and having fun at The Bedford. A uniquely interior, The Bedford looks like the inside of a bank vault! Enjoy some of the best available cocktails or lap up every bit of a delicious meal. Call for more on specials and happy hours.

Enjoy a meal at The Boundary while sitting on the gorgeous outdoor area. Whether you choose to simply dine here with friends or watch the game, this place is great for both! Loads of seating, get a table is never really a problem here. Their list of beers is pretty extensive, and features names well over 100. Food available varies from burgers to pasta, so take your pick and have a good time.

Welcome to your friendly-neighborhood bar, 6 degrees. Ever-smiling staff, offer polite and friendly service. Everything here is reasonably priced and the food portions are excellent. The hot favorite around here is the horse shoe burger. Must-try! The jukebox music is great and not too loud. Great to visit with a group of friends. Ask for the specials before ordering.

This theater company hosts award-winning literary shows, and hosts poetry readings every Tuesday and Wednesday night. While open microphone nights are generally held, the guild does sponsor some special events. The readings are known for their fusion performances such as poetry with music, or music with visual arts. Poetry books from the theater's publishing wing, Tia Chucha Press, are always available at its weekly events.

This longtime neighborhood tavern and retreat for local working class folk has become a focal point of the Chicago bar/pub scene, and was recently listed in Rolling Stone magazine as Best Of Chicago, and for good reason. This is one of the few bars in town that does not stick to one genre of music. Rather, it presents the best of jazz, rock, folk... basically anything as long as it's good. There's a certain rustic charm about the place, with a mounted deer head over the register, and a stuffed marlin in the adjacent Chinook Lounge. There are live acts every day of the week.

Formerly Earwax Records, this café is one of Wicker Park's standard places to meet and greet for the moody hipster with a book to read or music to discuss. The closest you get to eclectic is present here, right down to the lack of air conditioning in the summer, which makes the place so hot the wax will run out your ears. Decent, cheap food, strong coffee and alternative atmosphere (complete with murals of circus freaks) complement the not-so-comically rude service. The coffee shop also features a video rental store with some decent selections.

Salud comes across as a no-fuss bar and lounge, where you can catch Latino tunes whilst downing shots of tequila. Groups of twenty-somethings and couples get cozy on the couches, while the backroom is accessible for private occasions. The food-pork chops, tequila cheeseburgers, scallops, ceviche, empanadas-is fresh and wholesome, served by a friendly staff. Patio seating is available too.

This friendly neighborhood bar is clean, stylish and comfortable-just right for an evening with an old pal. Relax as you take in the unpretentious crowd and the helpful staff, or watch the MLS soccer games on the flat screen TVs. Take your pick of beer, or snack on tasty appetizers like wings, sandwiches, fried mushrooms and chips, moving onto a satisfying Caesar, chicken or house salad. Those looking for a hearty brunch will be presented with pancakes, burritos, French toast and delicious sides like ham and sausages. Wind up with a glorious, diet-breaking Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich-it promises to tip the bathroom scale a little more! The venue also plays host to several sport and music events. Check the website for details.

Just like the name suggests, this is a place for a hearty breakfast and other wholesome meals. The pleasant, warm-toned interior is always filled with the divine aroma of freshly baked muffins and cakes. Plenty of light, petite white-leathered chairs, and a handwritten menu on the wall rule the ambience. Choose from Thyme-crusted Roast Beef, spicy Tortilla with Chorizo, Couscous with Roasted Vegetables, cookies, sweets, pastries, bread pudding, and lots of coffee. This is a good place to take your kids, and also to meet single parents.