America has been been called the "land of the free," but anyone who's gone out for a night on the town with an empty wallet can attest otherwise. Chicago bars and restaurants get into the spirit around Independence Day, offering deals that even the redcoats wouldn't be able to resist.
Just looking for Chicago-area fireworks displays?
La Madia
July 3-4
The United States turns 233 on Saturday, and La Madia is celebrating with $2.33 specials on Friday and Saturday, including glasses of red and white Wines of the Week and a classic margherita pizza (Sunday only).
Tapas Valencia
June 29-July 5
Toast America with $5 Independence martinis (Spanish cava, vodka, Midori and grenadine, garnished with a honeydew ball, red grape and cantaloupe ball). Pair it with a $5 slice of apple pie on the patio for a true patriotic experience. Add on some $2 happy hour tapas from 4-6 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Koi and Chen's
July 3-9
It pays to eat internationally on this States-centric holiday. These sister spots (in Evanston and Chicago, respectively) will give complimentary $20 gift certificates to all those who dine at the restaurants between July 3 and July 9.
Citizen Bar
July 1-5
Celebrate the new republic at the brand-new Citizen, which has changed up its menu, its staff and its management. Guests will get holiday specials including $22 pitchers of blue raspberry lemonade (part of the revamped summer cocktail selection) and $5 pulled pork sandwiches at the annual Fourth of July Extravaganza.
Eivissa
July 2-7
Here's to American ingenuity: the Old Town tapas spot offers a special Red, White and Blue Sangria, made with a white sangria base, acai berries and strawberries ($6/glass, $18/pitcher) before, during and after the holiday.
Bull & Bear
The popular River North spot will offer a special BBQ menu, including Prickly Pear BBQ pork tenderloin (with creamy summer slaw), chipotle BBQ chicken (with smoked paprika potato salad), B&BQ'd Ribs (with garlic lime scented grilled corn), stocks n' brats and a wild boar burger. You can pair any of the dishes with a "bearel" of beer, blackberry iced tea or dragonberry cooler cocktail.
Red White and Q Burger at Jake Melnick's
Jake Melnick's Corner Tap
Grab a Red, White & Q burger throughout July at this Streeterville fave. The patriotic burger is a BBQ spice rubbed pork burger topped with white cheddar and pulled pork, lathered with peach BBQ sauce and jalapeno coleslaw on a toasted brioche bun, paired with Great Lakes Independence Ale and fries for $9.95.
Marche and Opera
July 4
Buy an entree at either of these KDK restaurants on Saturday, and you'll be rewarded with a $50 gift certificate to partner spot Gioco. You've gotta use it before August 31, but if you can't get yourself together for some rabbit confit by then, well, you don't deserve the offer.
Stretch Run
July 4
Don't want to host a barbecue of your own? Head out to this River North sports bar and OTB, where you can enjoy an all-day picnic on the patio with $4 20-ounce drafts of Coors Light, $3 razz bombs, $3 hot dogs (w/chips), $7.95 BBQ turkey legs and more. Bags will be in full effect.
C-View
The Affinia Hotel Chicago bar will offer red and white wine specials (bottles and glass pours) from some of America's finest vineyards. In addition, $4 beer specials in honor of the Fourth will be featured from Arcadia Brewery.
Martini Park
July 4-5
Try explosive food specials like Our Lady of Liberty Salad (with Bordeaux baby spinach, diced grapefruit, avocados, chopped garlic strawberries; $9); Stars & Stripes Cucumber Cups (spice red pepper hummus, accented red pepper stripes and flat bread crisps garnished with star fruits; $7); Uncle Sam's Fire Cracker Shrimp (spicy shrimp tossed with pineapple chunks, pea pods tossed in a chili garlic buffalo sauce and served with sweet potato fries; $10) and Silver Salute Salmon (with smoked corn, black bean salad and complemented with a tequila lime sauce; 13).
Nacional 27
July 3-4
Start your holiday weekend off right with free tapas from 3:30-5 p.m. on Friday, then stick around for food from Nacional 27's Latin BBQ menu, including items like guacamole and gaucho BBQ grilled 30-inch skewers ($27/person). Add on one of mixologist Adam Seger's new "Beertails," including the Shanty Caliente (homemade ginger-habanero ale, Goose Island 312, lime). Don't get too full, as Friday is "Miami Night" with DJs and dancing 'til 2 a.m. The menu is also available on Saturday evening.
Meson Sabika (Naperville)
June 29-July 3, July 5
Toast America with $5 Independence martinis (Spanish cava, vodka, Midori and grenadine, garnished with a honeydew ball, red grape and cantaloupe ball). Pair it with a $5 slice of apple pie on the patio for a true patriotic experience. Add on some $2 happy hour tapas from 4-6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Meson Sabika is closed July 4.
Everest
July 3-4
Planning on going to see the fireworks on the 3rd or 4th downtown, but don't want to mingle with the riff-raff traffic? Make a reservation at Everest first, then either leave your car at home and take advantage of the restaurants Luxury Town Car service ($15; you must live within a 15-mile radius) or use the complimentary valet parking and leave your car with Everest until the show is over. Of course, you'll have to purchase one of the restaurant's lavish prix-fixe menus (three, four or seven courses).
Prairie Grass Cafe
July 3
Chef Sarah Stegner brings out her summertime specials a day early (Prairie Grass is closed on July 4th), featuring Niman Ranch baby-back ribs with homemade BBQ sauce, twice-baked potatoes and crunchy summer slaw ($26).
O'Donovan's
July 4
Start your celebration early with $4 red- and blue-based drink specials from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., including vodka lemonade, bombs, margaritas and select beers. From 4-10 p.m., you'll be able to get a classic American meal of a 10-ounce NY Strip steak with sauteed mushrooms and homemade horseradish sauce with choice of fries, mashed or baked potatoes for just $9.95.
Shoreline Sightseeing
July 3-4
The best seat for the fireworks isn't in the park - it's on the water. Shoreline is offering three cruises on both Friday and Saturday evenings. First, there's the traditional, one-hour Lake Michigan Fireworks Cruise. For some added excitement and information, try the 75-minute combination Architecture and Fireworks Cruise. Or to inject a bit more romance, the two-hour Sunset Cruise includes appetizers and a dessert bar (a cash bar is included on all cruises). Cruises run $30-$60.
La Tache
July 4
In honor of Independence Day, La Tache will serve a special red, white and blue martini flight for $15. Included in the flight is the La Tache martini (Red) with vodka, Chambord, cranberry, splash of champagne; classic martini (White) with vodka, and blue cheese stuffed olives; and the orange monkey martini (Blue) with Stoli Orange, banana liquer, Blue Curacao, orange juice. The Andersonville French-American bistro will also begin its weekly Saturday night "All You Can Eat New England Crab Boil," which includes a traditional summer feast of fresh Virginia blue crab, whole prawns, potatoes, corn and house-made sausage.
Dugan's
July 4
We're not sure this counts as an Independence Day celebration, but a deal's a deal. Dugan's is celebrating its 25th anniversary in July, and it's kicking things off by offering free hot dogs and Jameson drink specials today starting at 3 p.m.
Cafe des Architectes
July 4-14; 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Independence Day has new meaning as Chef Martial Noguier matches his American duo against the French duo for lunch beginning on July 4, America's Independence Day, through July 14, France's Bastille Day. American Duo ($17.76): Nichol's Farm chilled heirloom tomato soup, grilled Swan Creek BBQ chicken breast sandwich with homemade savoy cabbage coleslaw; French Duo ($17.89): Croque Madame, sunny-side up Swan Creek Farm egg, homemade brioche along with chilled Vichyssoise soup.
Smoke Daddy
Throughout Fourth of July weekend, you'll get tons of Independence-themed BBQ specials plus live music at this Wicker Park mainstay. Munch on the "Stars and Stripes Sampler" (spare ribs, baby back ribs and rib tips with two sides, $24.95), "Land of the (meat)Free" (BBQ vege sandwich with side, $8.50), "As American As Apple Pie" (Southern fried apple pie, $6) and more. The Homewreckers play Friday at 10 p.m., Nigel Mack and the Blues Attack play Saturday at 10 p.m. and Harold Crisman closes things out on Sunday at 9 p.m.
John Barleycorn
July 4; 3-10 p.m.; $10 for buffet
The Lincoln Park location celebrates Independence Day with a BBQ buffet on the bar's spacious outdoor patio. Expect grilled fare such as burgers, rib tips, bone-in chicken and Italian sausage with side dishes such as baked beans, potato salad and corn on the cob. Wash it down with $4 sweet tea vodka (lemonade, iced tea and vodka).
John Barleycorn (Schaumburg)
July 3-5
It's a weekend-long affair at Barleycorn in Schaumburg. Here's the rundown of specials: All weekend: $15 Miller buckets, $3 Sam Adams drafts and $4 Fat Tire drafts. Friday: food specials include $4 select appetizers (4-8 p.m.), $1 sliders all-day and an all-day baby back rib dinner ($12.95); live music by Sweetnighter ($10 cover). Saturday: All-you-can-eat $9.95 brunch buffet (10 a.m.-3 p.m.); all-day food specials include $1 sliders and a $12.95 rib dinner; DJ Speed mans the decks starting at 10:15 p.m. ($10 cover); Sunday: All-you-can-eat $9.95 brunch buffet (10 a.m.-3 p.m.); all-you-can-eat $12.95 dinner buffet (5-9 p.m.).
HUB 51
July 2-4
The weekend starts on Thursday at HUB 51 with a benefit for the Medical Research Junior Board Foundation of Children's Memorial Hospital ($10 door donation with drink specials including $4 Stoli and $2 Miller High Life). Thursday through Saturday, DJs Tina T, Jem and Benzi spin downstairs at SUB 51 for your listening pleasure.
Pappadeaux
July 3-5
Both the Arlington Heights and Westmont locations of this seafood restaurant will offer a special Independence Day-themed cocktail over the weekend. The Firecracker is a frozen hurricane layered with a frozen margarita, topped with blue curacao for $7.95. Just a hunch, but we're thinking you might not want to drink more than a couple of these if you're planning on walking in a straight line in the near future.
Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue (Elk Grove Village)
July 1-5
The restaurant behind the sauce will be dishing up its award-winning ribs throughout the long weekend, with choices including the St. Louis Spare Rib Platter ($16.99) and the Baby Back Platter ($18.99). Each comes with soup or salad, a choice of two sides and corn bread. Wash it down with some $5 sangria (a mixture of Cabernet, fresh fruit and juice, poured over ice and topped with Sprite) or $3 bottles of Shiner Bock.
Between Boutique Cafe and Lounge
There's something for all tastes at this Wicker Park eatery on the 4th, from the simple ($2 PBR) to the patriotic (blueberry coolers with blueberry and strawberry soup shaken with ice cold Shochu, $5) to the haute (the Summer Lu Lu - Veev Acai Liquor, Zen green tea liquor and Ketel One vodka, $4). Oh yeah, and then there's the food. You can get three sharing plates for $30 all weekend here, including choices like duck breast with Cabrales mousse, lingonberry, thyme and cocoa; sea scallops with corn pudding, sweet potato and tarragon; and pork belly with mustard demi glaze, bok choy and pickled red onion.
Subscribe in your favorite reader using the links below. To learn more about feeds and RSS, click here.
