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Amalie Drury
BYOB While You Can: The Red Lion Lincoln Square
By Amalie Drury
The Red Lion, an English pub that poured pints in Lincoln Park for 27 years, has been open in its new Lincoln Square location since January, but due to a paperwork snafu, owners Joe and Susan Heinen have been waiting on their liquor license for what feels like a bloody long time... Read more
Five Things to Know About Smith, the New Wine Bar Coming Soon to Logan Square
By Amalie Drury
On the heels of the hotelier Ian Schrager’s announcement this week that the Ambassador East Hotel, once a celebrity playground, now will be called Public, we learned that the owners of Webster’s Wine Bar and The Bluebird have chosen a name for their soon-to-open Logan Square spot, further feeding this postrecession Everyman trend: Smith... Read more
Reality Revamp: The Abbey Pub on Spike TV’s ‘Bar Rescue’
By Amalie Drury
The Abbey Pub’s office manager, Leslie Galambos, spotted the casting call on Craigslist and thought, Why not? The next thing she knew, film crews and producers from the new Spike TV show Bar Rescue (brought to you by the makers of The Biggest Loser and hosted by the bar and restaurant consultant Jon Taffer) had descended on the ripe-for-revamping pub and live-music venue in Old Irving Park... Read more
Polynesian Party! The Terrace at Trump Opens for the Season Tonight
By Amalie Drury
What would I do right now if I worked downtown? I’d knock off a little early and head over to The Terrace at Trump, where I’d be among the first drinkers of the year—on an almost-gorgeous afternoon, no less—to take in the best views in the city. Today is the Terrace’s soft opening for the spring and summer season, and in a phone call this morning to the bar’s manager, Kamilah Mahon, I got the scoop on its new Polynesian-chic theme... Read more
Win, Place, or Show: Rating Kentucky Derby Parties at Chicago Bars
By Amalie Drury
While I’m delighted to know that people outside my hometown of Louisville find the Kentucky Derby exciting enough to celebrate, even hundreds of miles away, I’m skeptical as to what outsiders think a Derby party looks like—and today’s Cinco de Mayo bashes haven’t exactly eased my anxiety. Premixed Mint Juleps? No thank you... Read more
Locking Horns: Bar Bar Black Sheep versus The Black Sheep
By Amalie Drury
When I heard that a new spot called Bar Bar Black Sheep was opening last Saturday in Wicker Park, I knew there had to be some behind-the-scenes drama brewing. I’d been following the progress of another concept from one of our 50 Most Beautiful Chicagoans, Michael Simon, the former sommelier and general manager at Graham Elliot... Read more