Theory. An upscale sports bar from Joel Sorinsky, a former manager at Joe’s, and Brian Merel, a partner/exec chef of Stefani Restaurants, has opened in the old Kevin space. Highlights include oversized booths and more than 20 plasmas, some of which you—the barflies—will control. We smell the sports-bar competition getting fierce in River North.

2. Meanwhile, Bull & Bear (431 N. Wells St.), from the Stone Lotus team, is aiming for...

" /> Theory. An upscale sports bar from Joel Sorinsky, a former manager at Joe’s, and Brian Merel, a partner/exec chef of Stefani Restaurants, has opened in the old Kevin space. Highlights include oversized booths and more than 20 plasmas, some of which you—the barflies—will control. We smell the sports-bar competition getting fierce in River North.

2. Meanwhile, Bull & Bear (431 N. Wells St.), from the Stone Lotus team, is aiming for...

" /> Theory. An upscale sports bar from Joel Sorinsky, a former manager at Joe’s, and Brian Merel, a partner/exec chef of Stefani Restaurants, has opened in the old Kevin space. Highlights include oversized booths and more than 20 plasmas, some of which you—the barflies—will control. We smell the sports-bar competition getting fierce in River North.

2. Meanwhile, Bull & Bear (431 N. Wells St.), from the Stone Lotus team, is aiming for...

" />

The It List: Happy Holidaze

1. Bye-bye, Kevin; hello, Theory. An upscale sports bar from Joel Sorinsky, a former manager at Joe’s, and Brian Merel, a partner/exec chef of Stefani Restaurants, has opened in the old Kevin space. Highlights include oversized booths and more than 20 plasmas, some of which you—the barflies—will control. We smell the sports-bar competition getting fierce in River North.

2. Meanwhile, Bull & Bear (431 N. Wells St.), from the Stone Lotus team, is aiming for…

Branching Out

After teaming up with Pete Wentz and Co. to open Angels & Kings last year, Howard Natinsky is set to open Branch 27 in January.

Weekend Photos: Rebel Bar & Grill

It’s go-time for holiday sweaters. Tacky pullovers that almost never see the
light of day get not one but two airings this week: Once on Christmas Day in
honor of Grandma Gertie, who crocheted the darn thing in the first place;
and once this past Friday, when revelers donned their kitschiest knitwear
for Chicago Sport and Social’s holiday sweater party at Rebel Bar &
Grill

Check Back Tuesday

Nightspotting is juggling the holiday crazies. Check back on Monday for on-the-scene photos of seasonal tippling and again on Tuesday for the latest in nightlife news.

The Stein Report

Quick Bite

On a no-man’s-land stretch at the edge of Uptown, six-week-old Monticchio (4882 N. Clark St.; 773-275-7080) could someday qualify as a pioneer. We were intrigued by the Tuscan-contemporary spot after the owner, Jim Delelio, said about his Neapolitan pizza, “I didn’t want to put myself out there as the best pizza in Chicago. Even if we are. . . .” So Pollack checked the place out. Decent pizza, nice slice of moist banana cake, but the showstopper was…

Dish Flash

Failure to Communicate
Today’s big news: Roland Liccioni, who put Le Français back on the map in the nineties, is apparently leaving Old Town Brasserie (1209 N. Wells St.; 312-943-3000) just before Christmas. “I’m going to France to visit my mother, take some time off,” Liccioni says. After that, he has no plans, but would like to stay in Chicago. Bob Djahanguiri, OTB’s owner, sees it differently. “I told him…