After a long day on the job, hop into Cavanaugh's for a pint, good conversation and the welcome feeling that everybody knows your name. This Cheers-esque bar in the Loop offers patrons reasonably priced but tasty bar food, a chance to catch up on the game and a well-deserved beer, not to mention the company of mostly lawyers, lawyers-to-be (from the nearby John Marshall) and members of the Board of the Trade.

Rustic accents adorn the dimly lit bar: Old fans swing lazily from the ceiling, and dark, well-worn wood covers the place top to bottom. Light brown sponge paint and black and white images of collegiate sports like track and rowing coat the few walls that escape the all-wood theme. An old-fashioned popcorn machine that sits in the corner of the bar provides a salty snack to go along with your post-work dirty martini; otherwise head through the archway into the plastic green tablecloth and striped wallpaper-clad dining room for a full meal for $6-$12—a roast beef wrap, the mushroom-topped South Loop steak sandwich served on grilled rosemary focaccia, veggie barley soup or even a pepper-crusted tuna salad.

Beer is the drink of choice here—in both draft and bottled varieties—but a modest list of wines by the glass or bottle accommodates the not-too-picky winos. Drinks cost $4-$8.

Average cost: $10-$20

Centerstage Reviewer: Eve Ardell