Memorial Day offers a chance to commemorate veterans who have died in the line of service, as well as a three-day weekend during which to do so. RedEye rounded up several food and drink deals from Chicago restaurants to celebrate the occasion.
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Francesca’s
All Chicagoland locations
1359 W. Taylor St., 312-226-5550
If you normally avoid the markup of wines by the glass, the “Red, White and Rose” deal at all Francesca’s locations is for you. Select glasses of wine will be $4 throughout the Memorial Day weekend. The deal is also available at partner restaurant Davanti Enoteca (1359 W. Taylor St., 312-226-5550). miafrancesca.com
Dark Horse Tap & Grille
3443 N. Sheffield Ave., 773-248-4400
This year, Memorial Day weekend overlaps with a Cubs homestand, so rather than choosing between deals, Dark Horse Tap & Grill is combining its gameday deals with Memorial Day specials. While the bar will be closed on Monday to honor the holiday, it will offer deals from open to close Friday through Sunday, including $4 Old Style tallboys, $6 Bud and Bud Light tallboys, $6 Fireball shots and $20 buckets of Corona and Corona Light buckets, as well as $5 Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy drafts and $5 Red, White and Berry Bombs – Smirnoff Red, White & Berry vodka with Red Bull – for Memorial Day. The bar will have extended hours as well, opening at 11 a.m. throughout the weekend. And, of course, the Cubs will be on. darkhorsechicago.com
The Promontory
5311 S. Lake Park Ave. W., 312-801-2100
One of RedEye’s favorite dance parties will host a function on Monday evening, as Party Noire presents Deep and Buck II. The festivities begin at 3 p.m. and run til 10 p.m., with a soundtrack stacked with plenty of bops and grooves to keep you moving. The DJ lineup includes Noire co-founders DJ Hey Rae Chardonnay and resident DJ Lisa Decibel, as well as special guest DJs Gemini Jones, CutCuz and ProfessorWrecks. Tickets: $10 pre-sale and $15 door. eventbrite.com
Chelsea Room
221 N. Clark St. (enter through Early Society)
The “art and music driven” Chelsea Room bar and lounge opened recently in the Loop, and it will celebrate the introduction of its patio as well with a party at noon Saturday. The 75-seat patio features four custom-built cabanas, and there’s no cost to attend the opening celebration. The drink special for the occasion is a $10 watermelon frosé made with rosé, vodka, mint-flavored simple syrup and watermelon. chelsearoomchicago.com
Easy Bar
1944 W. Division St., 773-227-4644
Head to Easy Bar at 5 p.m. Monday for a Memorial Day happy hour that includes everything for half-off until 7 p.m. There will be other drink specials for the duration of the evening: $6 glasses of wine, $2 PBRs and Tecate with a Jimador tequila shot for $6. easybarchicago.com
Joy District
112 W. Hubbard St., 312-955-0339
A three-day weekend offers an extra day of rest to recover from a Sunday funday, so Joy District will host an official Sunday Funday party beginning at 1 p.m. on its rooftop patio. A $14 red, white and blue “Frozen Firecracker” piña colada is the drink deal of the day, and the food special is a $5 hot dog. Deals are available only on the rooftop. joychicago.com
Miller Lite Beer Garden
700 E. Grand Ave., 312-595-7437
Down at Navy Pier’s Miller Lite Beer Garden, the Memorial Day celebration begins Friday afternoon and doesn’t stop until Monday. While there are no specific food or drink specials for the holiday, admission is free throughout the weekend, with non-stop live music on the beach. navypier.org
Friday, May 25
5:30 to 8 p.m. – SunFallen
9 to 11:30 p.m. – Hillbilly Rockstarz
Saturday, May 26
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2 to 4:30 p.m. – Neil Turk & The Intentions
5:30 to 8 p.m – 3am
9 to 11:30 p.m. – Marvin Weathersby
Sunday, May 27
2 to 4:30 p.m. – Sonex
4:30 to 5 p.m. – DJ Papa G
5:30 to 6:30 p.m. – Gizzae
6:30 to 7 p.m. – DJ Papa G
7 to 8 p.m. – Gizzae
Monday, May 28
2 to 4:30 p.m. – Adrian + Meredith
5:30 to 8 p.m. – The Last Revel
MAK
1924 W. Division St., 773-772-6251
On Friday, Saturday and Monday, Modern Asian Kitchen, aka MAK, will host special happy hours for the Memorial Day weekend. From 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, MAK will offer $3 beers, excluding Sapporo and Hitachino, and will offer the same deal Monday. From 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, the deals switch to half-priced wine and sake among these selections: Gekkeikan Cap Ace Dry Sake, Zipang Sparkling Sake, Bandit Pinot Grigio and Bandit Cabernet Sauvignon. makrestaurant.com
The Patio at Cafe Brauer
2021 N. Stockton Dr., 312-788-0256
Lincoln Park Zoo’s The Patio at Cafe Brauer — got it straight? — will offer one of everyone’s favorite food and drink combo-deals Friday through Monday, serving up a burger with a domestic brew for $16.95. You can take in some skyline views while you’re there, too. lpzoo.org
Fifolet
1942 W. Division St., 773-384-6886
Cajun spot Fifolet will do what Cajun does during Memorial Day weekend: host an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday. The Four Star Brass Band will be on-hand to craft the ambiance, and a variety of brews from the Louisiana-based Abita Beer will be on draft. Even better: the patio will be open. Tickets: $25. eventbrite.com
Saint Lou’s Assembly
664 W. Lake St., 312-600-0600
There’s a little bit of everything at Saint Lou’s Assembly for Memorial Day. Starting at 10 a.m., the restaurant will serve its weekend brunch menu, as well as offer deals on Goose Island brews. Then, at 2 p.m., Lou’s will begin a bocce ball tournament and offer $1 hot dogs for the rest of the evening. The restaurant has an online sign-up page for the bocce ball tournament, so make sure you RSVP if you want to compete. saintlouschicago.com