—KINGS Dining & Entertainment, with locations in Lincoln Park and Rosemont, is introducing its new summer menu. Some of the new items include crab rangoon dip, teri-dactyl impossible ( plant-based ) meatballs, Baja grilled chicken wrap, brats & bites, spicy jambalaya pasta and strawberry shortcake sundae. Visit kings-de.com .
—Downtown Long Grove will host its Craft Beer Festival on Saturday, April 28, 12-6 p.m. In addition to several local brewers headlined by Long Grove's own Buffalo Creek Brewery, there will be local food and musicians. A few of the other participating breweries will include Blue Crane Imports, North Urban Brewing Society, Crystal Lake Brewing and Hofbrauhaus. Admission is $15-$40; visit longgrove.org/festivals/craft-beer-days/ .
—Fisk & Co. has opened at 225 N. Wabash Ave., the former home of South Water Kitchen. Helmed by Executive Chef Austin Fausett and Lead Bartender Melissa Carroll, the restaurant brings a U.S. adaptation of a traditional mussel-and-beer bar to the neighborhood, and is located within the Kimpton Hotel Monaco. Fausett's menu is centered around mussels, serving five steamed versions: classic, with white wine, parsley, garlic and butter; tomato-saffron, with concasse and pernod; Beer, with chile, caramelized onion and celery; Thai curry, with lemongrass, coriander and kaffir lime leaf; and chorizo. See FiskAndCoChicago.com .
—Ticket holders for the spring performances of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Lyric Opera House have the option of dining right at the opera house before experiencing the show. On-site restaurants include The Sarah and Peer Pedersen Room on street level, The Florian Opera Bistro on the third floor, and The William B. and Catherine Graham Room on the second floor. Reservations are required at the Pederson and Graham rooms. See LyricOpera.org .
—Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse, 58 E. Oak St., is now having happy hour 5-6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays through Fridays. ( Also, Del Frisco's is opening its elevated patio. ) Guests can enjoy $8 Cocktails, including the best-selling VIP Cocktail; and half-priced bites from Executive Chef Javier Fuentes that include vegetable tempura, wagyu shaved sliders and Shanghai-style fried calamari. See delfriscos.com/steakhouse/chicago/ .
—Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, 60 E. Grand Ave., will offer the Triple Crown Burger May 1-31. The burger comes with an eight-ounce ground-beef patty topped with pimento cheese, bourbon maple bacon, red onion, fried green tomato and lettuce, served on a biscuit bun with a side of fried okra and French fries. It's been created in honor of the greatest accomplishment in thoroughbred horse racing: winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes in one year.
—Booth One will host a Kentucky Derby-related "Bourbon & Brims" Derby Watch Party in the Library Bar at Ambassador Chicago, 1301 N. State St., on Saturday, May 5, 2-6 p.m. There will be $8 mint juleps, Derby snacks, horse-racing games, prizes for best-dressed guests and live music by DJ Con-Text. Admission is free.
—Chicago WingFest will take place Sunday, May 6, at the UIC Pavilion, 525 S. Racine Ave., at 1 p.m. Dozens of restaurants will have their wings for guests to sample ( with categories including mild, hot, BBQ and exotic ), and there will also be a wing-eating competition. Note: Kids younger than 10 are not allowed. Tickets are $50-$100 each; see wingfest.net/ .
—Blackbird, 615 W. Randolph St., is marking 20 years with a special dinner Tuesday, May 8, with a four-course dinner presented by iconic Los Angeles chef Suzanne Goin ( Lucques, a.o.c., Tavern ) in collaboration with Executive Chef/Partner Paul Kahan and Chef de Cuisine Ryan Pfeiffer. ( The dinner will start the Blackbird at 20 dinner series. ) May 8 items will include avocado-and- Meyer lemon ricotta, halibut and clams, braised beef cheeks and cherry vacherin. Tickets start at $165 ( including dinner, drinks, tax and gratuity ); visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/blackbird-at-20-collaborative-dinner-with-chefs-paul-kahan-and-suzanne-goin-tickets-45066507136.
—Shore Club, 1603 N. Lake Shore Dr., will return to the Chicago dining scene on Saturday, May 11. Described as an "upscale dining option and event space," it is set to feature a newly developed set of programming and activities this year ( including morning workout classes on the beach to a cold towel service in the cabanas ). The Patio at Shore Club, which features lunch and dinner service on a first-come-first-serve basis, will add an additional bar and a new set of lighting for evening dining. There will also be The Oasis at Shore Club and The Restaurant at Shore Club. See ShoreClubChi.com .
—Mother's Day is Sunday, May 13—and practically every restaurant will have some sort of special. For example, Cochon Volant Brasserie, 100 W. Monroe St., will a special roasted crab Benedict ( $24.95; asparagus, espelette hollandaise ) alongside brunch favorites like the super green Benedict ( $15.95; avocado, spinach, crispy artichoke ) and the blueberry quinoa pancakes ( $13.95; warm berries, agave syrup ). Call 312-754-6560 to RSVP for brunch, which is 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
—Commonwealth Tavern, 2000 W. Roscoe St., will host a family-friendly Mother's Day brunch on Sunday, May 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Adults will enjoy a $3 Build-Your-Own Mimosa Bar and $6 Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar. Brunch highlights will include brunch schnitzel, Belgian waffles and more; the kid's menu ranges in price from $5 to $6, with options like bacon and eggs, grilled cheese, mini cheese burgers and chicken fingers. See CommonwealthChicago.com .
—For Mother's Day, Bernie's Lunch & Supper, 660 N. Orleans St., will offer brunch at 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Noteworthy items include Lox & Pita ( $16; caper schmear, red onion, cucumber, parsley-sumac salad ), Croque Madame ( $14; Coppa ham, Gruyere, sunny-side egg on sourdough ), brioche French toast ( $10; caramelized brioche, seasonal jam, maple Syrup ) and doughnuts ( $5 ). Call 312-624-9892.
—Tarralyn Jones, cancer survivor and the mother of Chicago Bear Christian Jones, and NBC-5's Zoraida Sambolin, also a cancer survivor, are hosting Mother's Day High Tea Brunch on Sunday, May 13, 1-3 p.m., at The Drake, 140 E. Walton Pl. Admission is $100-$150; visit mothersdayteachicago.eventbrite.com . The dress code is upscale, and hats are encouraged.
—Signature '18 at the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show—a modern take on the traditional keynote—welcomes 66th Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice for a discussion with National Restaurant Association President/CEO Dawn Sweeney. The National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show runs May 19-22 at McCormick Place. For more information about this year's Show, visit https://show.restaurant.org/Home.
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