Since opening in midsummer 2014, family-owned Crio Bar & Restaurant has cultivated a loyal following among Lincoln Park locals. That's thanks in large part to the restaurant's head chef, who sharpened his skills at Hugo's Frog Bar for more than a decade before stepping into his current post. Together with his sous chef, he draws upon family recipes to curate a menu that combines Latin flavors with upscale gastropub influences in dishes such as chimichurri skirt steak frites and tacos stuffed with savory duck or succulent tilapia. Guests can also sip draft beers and cocktails while lounging in the dining room, which sports an enormous mural of a woman's bespectacled face. And though Crio's hip decor and jovial ambiance have made it a popular nightlife destination, weekend brunchers also stop by for omelets, Nutella stuffed pancakes, french toast, and bottomless mimosas that defy physics.