—Brass Heart, 4662 N. Broadway, is holding its inaugural beer dinner on Wed., July 31, 6-10:30 p.m. At the upscale spot, Chef Matt Kerney will craft a seven-course tasting menu, paired with small-production, hard-to-find beers from across the country. Tickets are $125/guest (all-inclusive); visit Brass Heart on Opentable.com .
—Bird's Eye Bar & Grill has opened at Lincoln Park Zoo. The 6,000-square-foot eatery, previously known as Cafe at Wild Things!, showcases an outdoor pavilion setup, giving a bird's eye view of the zoo grounds. Items range from specialties such as burgers and BBQ sandwiches, to vibrant salads and satisfying flatbreads; beer, wine and a variety of non-alcoholic beverages are also available. In addition to food, the new pavilion offers activities and games.
—In recognition of Discovery Channel's "Shark Week" this July, aliveOne, 2683 N. Halsted St., will offer drink specials including Dogfish Head American Beauty for $5 each and a "Jaws" cocktail for $8 with CH Key Gin, demerara syrup, fresh lime juice and grapefruit La Croix. Also, Castaways, 1603 N. Lake Shore Dr., will offer a special "The Hammerhead" cocktail (Captain Morgan coconut rum, pineapple juice and blue curacao) for $9 each during July 28-Aug. 4.
—At Shore Club, 1603 N. Lake Shore Dr., Shark Week (July 28-Aug. 3) will be celebrated with Deep Blue Freeze ($14)—a blue take on the restaurant's Frozignon Blanc frozen cocktail topped with shark fin gummies. Shore Club will donate $1 from every Deep Blue Freeze cocktail sold to the Shedd Aquarium. Also, Shark Week programming will be playing on the TVs throughout the week.
—In celebration of Lollapalooza 2019, Easy Bar, 1944 W. Division St., will offer The Humdinger cocktail for $8 each Aug. 1-4. The cocktail—named after the history behind the word "lollapalooza," according to the Merriam Webster Dictionary—features Rittenhouse Rye, creme de cassis, orange, Angostura bitters and a prosecco float.
—Baptiste & Bottle, 101 E. Erie St., is offering a $20 Bottomless Bloody Mary and Mimosa Bar with the purchase of an entree. It is a Lolla special (Aug. 3-4, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.).
—Lollapalooza festgoers can enjoy a late-night food menu from Executive Chef Melva Jarvis at Play Kitchen & Cocktails, 7 W. Division St. Available from 10 p.m. to close, the menu features shareable items like brisket sliders, margherita flatbread, Southwest roll-ups and Play's signature 24-karat gold wings—house-smoked jumbo wings tossed in 24K gold bourbon BBQ sauce with 24K gold flakes, and served with ranch or blue cheese sauce. Play is open until 4 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Sunday and until 5 a.m. on Saturday.
—On Monday, Aug. 5, 4-6 p.m, Ocean Prime Chicago, 87 E. Wacker Dr., will be celebrating National Oyster Day with half off its featured oysters and frozen granita. Glasses of Schramsberg Black de Blancs and Rose will also be available for half off.
—Also for National Oyster Day, Forest Park's The Heritage, 7403 Madison St., will offer an oyster trio ($20) consisting of oysters roasted with chili lime aioli, smoked trout roe, cilantro, pearl onions; raw with caviar; and raw with frozen cucumber and green strawberry mignonette with pickled strawberries. Chicago's etta, 1840 W. North Ave., will offer rack roasted oysters ($12) with smoked tomato butter, lovage and lemon.; and Cafe Robey, 1616 N. Milwaukee Ave., will have fresh oysters with mignonette and hot sauce ($19/$36 for half dozen/ full dozen, respectively).
—GT Fish & Oyster, 531 N. Wells St., has joined forces with East Coast-based Island Creek Oysters for National Oyster Day (Aug. 5). Beginning at 5 p.m., diners can indulge in an "all oyster everything" menu curated by Executive Chef Giuseppe Tentori. All items will utilize Island Creek product in both familiar and uniquely GT dishes.
—Honey Butter Fried Chicken is continuing its Clucker Collab Chef Series, partnering with Jason Hammel, chef/owner of Logan Square spot Lula Cafe. Hammel's 20 Years Young Sandwich pays homage to Lula Cafe's 20 years of service, and features Honey Butter's signature fried chicken strips topped with hot honey, sweet corn aioli, escarole, basil, red onion and white cheddar. The sandwich is $13, and will be available Aug. 6-11; $1 from each sandwich to benefit Hammel's nonprofit food-education organization, Pilot Light. The sandwich can be ordered online through Caviar.
—Punch Bowl Social, 310 N. Green St., now has cauliflower nachos. The dish features corn tortilla chips, creamy Jack queso, jalapeños, cauliflower, pickled onions and jalapeno lime crema.
—In honor of National CBD Day, I/O Godfrey is hosting a CBD-filled celebration all day on Thursday, Aug. 8. Guests are invited to mellow out with I/O Godfrey's regular menu of CBD mocktails and cocktails, as well as a new CBD-infused Kitchen cocktail called Stay off the Grass ($22)—a smoked vegan drink with a tableside presentation, made with green juice, Hendricks Gin, chartreuse, lemon grass CBD simple syrup, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, lime, and aquafaba. For those looking to enjoy cannabidiol without imbibing, I/O will have two, limited-time CBD-infused dishes: the Mushroom Trip Trio ($15)—three mushroom varieties (Maitake, Shiitake, & White Peach) topped with pepper, garlic shallots, red curry, romesco sauce, and greens; and Pineapple Express Tarts ($13)—three petite tarts filled with housemade pineapple jam, cinnamon and whipped cream.
—In celebration of Chicago's Market Days, Tied House, 3157 N. Southport Ave., will host a drag brunch Saturday, Aug. 10. People can reserve 12-1:30 p.m. Regular brunch service will feature a $6 rose special, every 15 minutes, with back-to-back performances from two local drag entertainers. See TiedHouseChicago.com .
—Executive Chef Brian Fisher of Michelin-starred Entente will welcome Chef Erik Anderson for a one-night-only collaborative dinner on Saturday, Aug. 10 at the restaurant, now at 700 N. Sedgwick St. Seatings will be at 5, 6, 8 and 9 p.m. Limited spots are available and more information can be found at www.ententechicago.com or 312-285-2247.
—The First Annual Trotter Project Beer Fest, presented by Helios Construction, will debut at The Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N Knox Ave., from 1:30-5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 11. The ticketed feast and imbibe event is the official kick-off for Charlie Trotter Days, which returns Aug. 11-18. Tickets are $35 for the Aug. 11 event; visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/trotter-project-beer-fest-tickets-63883105087.
—Craft-cocktail bar King of Cups has announced its grand opening at 2238 N. Lincoln Ave. Guests can enjoy tarot-card readers, surprise weekly entertainment and the cocktail program. Examples of drinks include Maximillian the Imposter (banana-infused mezcal, bourbon, PX Sherry, chocolate bitters, angostura bitters, smoked wood chip) and the King of Make Believe (mezcal, Cointreau, lime, bell pepper). Visit chicagokingofcups.com .
—The Signature Room, 875 N. Michigan Ave., will host its annual Air & Water Show VIP Viewing Party on Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 17-18, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Buffet offerings feature a gourmet spread of brunch items from Executive Chef Cardel Reid including chilled shrimp, fresh seasonal salads, artisan cheeses, and various Chicago-inspired dishes, followed by a variety of desserts and fresh fruit. Tickets are $175 per person (inclusive of tax and gratuity) per day and include an all-you-can-eat buffet, a premium bar package and reserved seating. Guests must be 21 or older. To RSVP, call 312-280-0465.
—There is a new Picnic in the Park menu from Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park, 200 N. Columbus Dr. Created by chefs from its in-house gastropub, Columbus Tap, the Deluxe Park Totes for Two offers the menu for $67 through Sept. 2. Fairmont's Deluxe Park Tote for Two features a variety of dishes, including charcuterie featuring two meats;, two cheeses; a small baguette and assorted olives; Columbus Tap's rotisserie chicken salad with kale; and a choice of dessert such as a slice of flourless chocolate cake, slice of Chicago style cheesecake or the chef's choice. Diners may also choose between a bottle of Robert Mondavi Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon, and enjoy two bottles of Fairmont spring water. They can be reserved 24 hours in advance; visit fairmontchicago.wufoo.com/forms/2019-picnic-in-the-park/ .
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