There's nothing more comforting than working the crossword while mining an enormous plate of hotcakes and swigging from a bottomless cup of coffee at one in the morning. How could one possibly improve upon the luster of a diner? Just add alcohol. See, the folks at Clarke's Diner in Lincoln Park are onto something. When a neighboring consignment shop went out of business, the establishment snatched up the retail space and opened up an annex—Clarke's Bar and Grille.

Diner purists should be assured that this newfangled sports bar is still supported by its parental kitchen, albeit with a slightly different menu. Instead of a burger, you get a half pound Angus burger on a pretzel roll. It might seem strange, but this creation will silence all naysayers after one meaty bite. Go ahead and wash your meal down with a pint of Miller Lite, just $2 on draft daily.

It's hard to imagine that the kindly folks at Clarke's would be willing to attach their name to a common sports bar—but then again, the Bar and Grille isn't just any sports bar. Sure, you can watch baseball on the tube here, but you'll see boxing and even wrestling bouts just as often as the Cubbies and the Sox.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: K. Tighe