Neighborhood corner bars are as iconic to Chicago as celery salt on a hot dog. No matter where you are in the city, you don't have to go far to find a friendly joint resting on a quiet residential intersection. Maeve is a corner bar that's as comfortable as any and classier than most of its kind would even attempt.

The mahogany bar lined with burgundy leather stools is the main focus of the long, narrow room. Behind the bar, Art Deco lights, retro cash registers and detailed glass doors add nice vintage touches to an already distinguished room. Other than six plasma TVs (it's really not a sports bar, but this is Lincoln Park after all) and mirrors, there's nothing on the walls. The bare bones approach highlights the dark wood accents, large windows and candle-lit tables.

With 22 bottles of wine and a decent champagne selection, people might define Maeve as a wine bar. But it's not the type of place with lengthy descriptions of Pinot Noir and cheese assortments. The friendly locals—young professionals and Lincoln Park lifers—more often have a Stella, Harp or one of the other eight beers on tap in hand. There's no food at Maeve, but the bartenders don't mind chatting up Rose Angelis' overflow while they wait for a table across the street.

Maeve means "she who intoxicates" in Gaelic, and with nightly drink specials it lives up to its name. The specials, including $5 martinis on Tuesdays and Thursdays and half-price bottles of wine on Wednesdays, draw a crowd throughout the week. But it's on Fridays and Saturdays when Maeve comes to life, playing loud music that begs for a sing-along. In one night, you'll hear Erykah Badu and Keith Urban, and, thanks to Maeve's canine-friendly policy, you'll probably meet a dog-owner or two, too.

Centerstage Reviewer: Dana Kavan