When it’s cold outside, snuggle up to the fireplaces at these Chicago hot spots
When the temperature plummets in Chicago, the term “hot spot” takes on a whole new meaning. Forget joints with trendy cocktails, fancy food or panoramic skyline views, we just want a seat by a toasty fireplace.
Here’s a roundup of some favorite places to warm up on a cold winter’s day or night.
• When it comes to fireplaces, the city’s Irish bars are king. A do-it-yourself pub crawl could include stops at Chief O’Neill’s, 3471 N. Elston Ave.; The Grafton, 4530 N. Lincoln Ave.; and the Fifth Province at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave.
• Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro, 3905 N. Lincoln Ave., and Galvin’s Public House, 5901 W. Lawrence Ave., earn bonus points for added authenticity. The Irish Bistro fuels its fires with traditional peat logs, and Galvin’s fireplace is set with small stones that come straight from co-owner Kathy Galvin’s family home in County Donegal. Sláinte.
- Lake View’s Wilde Bar & Restaurant, 3130 N. Broadway, and Lady Gregory’s in Andersonville, 5260 N. Clark St., have placed their hearths at the center of comfy library-style rooms. The folks at Wilde even encourage patrons to pull a book off the surrounding shelves and settle in for a pint.
- The Moonlighter in Logan Square, which opened in fall 2017, is one of the newest additions to the ranks of Chicago’s hot spots. The bar, at 3204 W. Armitage Ave., is the latest venture from the Scofflaw Group, whose nearby namesake gin joint boasts one of the sweetest fireplaces in town.
