Some Like It Black: Creative Arts Bar (810 E. 43rd St) puts the spotlight on local artists in a cozy, café-like setting. The Bronzeville bar welcomes creatives of all stripes to share their craft, be it live music, poetry readings, or storytelling. If patrons want to chat and sip during a performance, they can migrate to the outdoor seating area, which offers a quieter place to catch up during the warmer months. 

Came hungry? Some Like It Black offers stepped-up bar food options, like their signature jerk chicken tacos, a Jamaican-Mexican fusion served on a warm blue corn tortilla and topped with purple cabbage, onions, cilantro, and cheese. Wash it down with a number of cocktails inspired by black musical icons, like the James Brown–inspired Say It Loud (a charcoal-infused tequila cocktail mixed with pineapple, mint syrup, and lime). Odes to blackness extend beyond the drink names: The walls are adorned by a mural of protesters toting signs with messages like “Power to the People,” “Freedom Fighter,” and “Say Her Name.”