The Monarch, Chicago

In its 2013 list of favorite Wicker Park and Bucktown hangouts, Time Out Chicago praised the upscale cuisine and "almost comically ambitious cocktails" served at The Monarch. Add a patio the mag describes as "a precious little Wicker Park hideaway, complete with an herb garden," and a brunch menu praised by Refinery 29, and it's clear The Monarch has found a winning balance of atmosphere and cuisine. Think elevated gastro pub fare, featuring dishes such as beef tartare with salsa verde quail egg and aged gouda and braised bottom round with roasted fall vegetables, horseradish cream and bacon mashed potatoes. Even with the menu makeover, some of the restaurant's perennial favorites, such as the blue crab dip, remain in place. For now, so does the decor. The building's original ceiling panels still form a grand sky 25 feet above the floor, just enough space to fit an NBA team up to its shoulders. And soft candlelight reveals exposed brick walls subtly emblazoned with secret messages and symbols.