Gilt Bar

"Brendan Sodikoff's first River North restaurant set the sultry standard for his string of smash hits. The menu is full of rich takes on Italian classics." - Eater Staff, Ashok Selvam

"A gastropub offering a menu of classic and contemporary dishes." - MICHELIN Guide

"When: Daily 4-5:30pm The Deal: $7-$12 Snacks, $8 Old Fashioneds, $7 Highballs, $7 Teeny Martinis, $6 Wine and Beer Like most restaurants from the team behind Bavette’s, Armitage Alehouse, and Trivoli Tavern, this place’s dim lighting, jazz playlist, and vintage decor seems like you just walked into a 1920s speakeasy. But unlike those restaurants, grabbing a seat at this upscale River North spot is easy—which is essential because time is of the essence when Happy Hour is literal. From meatball sliders to beer and cocktails, you have plenty of $6 options. You can even make a light meal of a slider, mussels, and a drink for just $25—and then brainstorm all the ways to use the extra $4 you saved, because a full order of mussels is normally $29." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru

"For When You Wanted Bavette’s Gilt Bar debuted the same year as the iPad, and since your first iPad has been gathering dust for a long time, it’s understandable if you’ve similarly forgotten what a great restaurant this is. When Bavette’s is booked (which is always), Gilt Bar is a fantastic substitute. It’s right next door, has the same speakeasy feel, and is owned by the same people—so you’ll even find a lot of the same dishes on the menu (like the tenderloin tartare). The best part is that it’s much easier to get into, and there’s a good chance you can get a table even if you just walk in." - adrian kane, veda kilaru

"Bavette’s is one of our favorite restaurants for a special occasion, but unless you want to celebrate your birthday at 4:45pm on a Tuesday, good luck reserving a table for more than two people. Fortunately, Gilt Bar is right next door, has the same speakeasy feel (meaning dark with ’20s jazz playing), and is owned by the same people. It’s much easier to get into and the food is pretty similar too (including the same tenderloin tartare you can get at Bavette’s). There’s even a downstairs area called The Library that can be reserved if you realize you have more friends in your 30s than you realized." - adrian kane, veda kilaru, nick allen