Windy City Events

Booze+free turkey=Something to be thankful for

Free Thanksgiving Dinner at River Shannon and The Lodge tavern

Thursday, November 25th
5pm-The Lodge Tavern
7pm-River Shannon

What’s better than the holidays? Avoiding it with your family (let’s be honest). Add free food, some drinks, and the absence of Uncle Morty’s toupee and you’ve got this tasty, coma-inducing event from The Lodge Tavern and River Shannon. The purchase of one beverage gets you a complimentary turkey dinner with all the trimmings. No thawing, gutting, stuffing, or sawing required. Whether you can’t or just don’t want to spend Turkey day at Aunt Mildred’s, take the pressure off yourself and put the fire department at ease by joining the Rush and Division gang for some free Thanksgiving fare. (Or bring the fam along! Let’s face it, your mom could use the drinks.)

River Shannon will open on Thanksgiving at 7pm and close at 2am, and The Lodge Tavern will open at 5pm and close at 4am.

For more information www.rushanddivision.com

Fasta Pasta Opens at Chicago French Market

Chicago French Market (131 N. Clinton St., 312-575-0306), located in the West Loop/Fulton River District, opened its newest vendor July 6, Fasta Pasta, adding to nearly 30 individual vendors found at the market. › Continue reading

Third Annual Chicago Restaurant Week going on now until Sunday

Chicago Restaurant Week is an amazing time when over 170 Chicagoland restaurants offer special discounted menus. Restaurants of all different cuisines, locations, and prices are featured. Check out the website for a full list of restaurants and their special menus.

Join Rockit Wrigleyville for 50% off wine, free wine tasting & food pairings (Every Mon.)

This weekly event, every Monday, began back in January and has been a big hit so far.  The social networking world is abuzz with the half off wine specials and free wine tasting (brought right to your table!).  If you’re looking for a way to unwind after work, head over to Rockit Wrigleyville for some great wine, food and service.

Rockit Wrigleyville
3700 N. Clark St. [google map]

Time Out Chicago’s Dining and Libation Society presents Butcher Block & Brew (2/25 6:30pm)

Time Out Chicago’s Dining and Libation Society presents Butcher Block and
Brew at The Bristol (2152 N Damen Avenue) on Thursday, February 25th at
6:30pm. Complete with a nine course meal and beer pairings by Goose
Island, guests will also experience a tutorial on the butchering process
led by Chef Chris Pandel. Tickets are $95. More information:
http://www.dlschicago.com/

ESPN Zone can prepare your Super Bowl meal

Don’t waste your time tonight worrying about what you’re going to serve at your Super Bowl party tomorrow. Let ESPN Zone do the cooking and choose from the new Super Bowl take-out menu. It includes fan favorites like buffalo wings, spinach artichoke dip, Caesar salad, BBQ baby back ribs, and even dessert. You can order each individually or a little of everything with the “Big Game Package” which includes one appetizer, one salad, one entrée, and one dessert. Each dish will feed six of your guests.

Check out the full menu and pricing by visiting the website at: http://espnzone.com/biggame/ESZ-1325+SuperBowl+Menu_web_Final.pdf

National Pizza Week: Osterio Via Stato in River North (Mon. 1/11-Fri. 1/15)

Did you hear?? It’s National Pizza Week! According to Osterio Via Stato anyways, where they’ll be serving up a variety of thin crust pies by chef David DiGregorio for half off the regular price, Monday through Friday this week only from 2:30pm to 4:30pm!  Even for the hard core, Chicagoan-Deep-Disher, these thinner, crispier versions are a delicious must try!

Osteria Via Stato www.osteriaviastato.com 620 North State Street Chicago, IL 60654-3853 (312) 642-8450 Get directions

SUSHISAMBA hosts 1st nationwide meet&TWEET on Wed. 1/20

SUSHISAMBA is hosting the first ever nationwide meet and tweet.  So far there are 75 people attending and there’s still over a week to RSVP!  Enjoy great specials and meet many of the people that you tweet with day in and day out.  This is sure to be the event that is talked about for months! For more information and to RSVP, visit http://tweetvite.com/event/ssrio

Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Location: SUSHISAMBA Rio 504 N. Wells St. Chicago
Time: Chicago (6:30-8:30pm)

Join the conversation on Twitter: #sstwtup

Menu:
Salt and Pepper Squid $4
Spicy Crunchy Tuna Roll $4
Salmon Avocado Roll $4
Chilled Mediterranean Mussels on the half shell  $4
Japanese Chicken Wings $5
Mini Yellowtail Seviche $5
Crispy Yellowtail Taquitos $5 each
Rock Shrimp Tempura $6
California Roll $6
Lobster Taquitos $6
Roasted Peruvian Scallops on the half shell $6

TWITTERoll : Tuna, Avocado, Jalapeno and Fresh Tomato Salsita in Rice Paper  $8

Caipirinhas and Mojitos $5

All guests registered guests will receive a special gift at the door!

Soup and Bread Nights: Hideout (Wednesdays, 5:30-8pm until 3/ 31)

It’s hard finding the motivation to bundle up and get to the bar during these brutal winter months.  But what if the promise of delicious soup waited for you at the bar?  You can’t avoid socialization for another four months, so here’s a pleasant alternative. The Hideout brings a variety of delicious soups to bar-goers ever Wednesday, prepared by staff, regulars, and local chefs, allowing patrons to pair the relaxing comfort of a cup of soup on the couch, with the excitement of actually LEAVING your house.  So lace up your snow boots and layer your mittens, and enjoy a drink and some soup with friends! Donations at soup and bread nights are accepted to benefit a different charity each week.

Hideout www.hideoutchicago.com 1354 West Wabansia Avenue Chicago, IL 60642-1519 (773) 227-4433 Get directions

Brillante Italian New Year at Tocco (Thurs. 12/31)

It’s time to start fretting over which new years party to chose, or in my case, find one to go to at all. Not to worry, Tocco is holding a Brillante Italian New Years celebration with live entertainment as well as the option of three different meal/drink packages– #1: $65 per person for a 5 course meal package (two seatings at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.), #2: $60 per person for the open bar package (from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.), and #3: $115 per person for the package combination.

Tocco will provide an elegant evening that will allow attendees to feel as if they have been transported to a fine European affair. The decadent five-course meal will include lobster, truffles and seafood salad with two antipasti, one primi, one secondi, one dolci and one glass of champagne. That’s so insanely swanky I’m not even quite sure what it means.

If you’re interested in ringing in 2010 in true Italian style at one of the more sophisticated spots, RSVP to the restaurant at 773-687-8895.

Tocco Chicago, 1266 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60642