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Nightlife

Each of the central districts lays claim to good bars and restaurants, as do areas further out, with many of the USA's most renowned chefs working in the city. The range of prices covers all pockets, tastes and dress, all at very good quality. The Loop has traditionally been more geared towards the needs of office workers but is now increasingly catering for the late evenings too. The main districts to explore are Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, Old Town and Streeterville - north of the Loop. Greek Town is just west of the Loop, Little Italy to the southwest and China Town to the south. For more in-depth guidance, there are some good websites (www.chicagoreader.com or www.cityofchicago.org or www.metromix.com); all have comprehensive reviews and details.

Most bars close around 0200, although many stay open until 0400 and even 0500 on the weekends. The minimum drinking age is 21 years. With the continental climate's hot summers a large numbers of places have outdoor gardens or terraces but such areas often close around 2300. Also not all bars are necessarily open seven days a week, so it is worth checking up if you are intending a special outing. Nightclubs warm up and stay open later. They often have cover charges of US$5-25 and many will have a dress code (mercifully, some even ban baseball hats).

Bars:
On the western edge of Streeterville, the Brehon Pub, 731 North Wells Street, gives a flavour of how the old city saloons used to be. Similarly in the Old Town district, where most of the original wooden houses have now been replaced, take a look in at The Olde Towne Ale House, 219 North Wells Street. If you are a dedicated traveller, you'll probably enjoy the Map Room, 1949 North Hoyne Avenue, which also has a free buffet on Tuesday evenings with a different international cuisine each week. If wine is more your thing, then see what is on the list at Webster's Wine Bar, 1480 West Webster Street. For a cocktail and a laid-back game of pool in a former 1930s speakeasy, there is Ten56, 1056 North Damen Avenue.

Clubs:
The Dragon Room, 809 West Evergreen Street, has three floors of dancing, bars and a sushi bar, with music ranging from house to drum'n'bass. For progressive house and underground, take your earplugs down to Karma, 318 West Grand Avenue, and, for a break, sneak a look at the giant aquarium in the VIP lounge room. You may want to catch some of the music that came out of the 1970s and 80s at Polly Esther's, 213 Institute Place. To go upmarket with a mix of dance and some funk on the South Side, sample The Cotton Club, 1710 South Michigan.

Comedy:
Second City, 1616 North Wells Street, Old Town (tel: (312) 337 3992) will be of special interest as the place where John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Rick Moranis came to prominence.

Live music:
Chicago has a healthy musical tradition covering it all: blues, jazz, rock, country, blues and piano lounges. B.L.U.E.S., 2519 North Halsted Street (tel: (773) 528 1012), is small and often packed but captures the best of the city's live performers. A little out of the way and not a place where the trendies go but with a jazz tradition going back as far as 1907, is Green Mill, 4802 North Broadway. It also hosts the Uptown Poetry Slam on Sundays. The Lounge Ax, 2438 North Lincoln Avenue, has a mix of local bands and styles from rock and Indie rock to folk and country. Useful booking numbers are Jazz Hotline (tel: (312) 427 3300) and the Concert Line (tel: (312) 666 6667).



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