The Pump Room, a Chicago icon and celebrity hot spot since 1938, is being sold off, piece by piece. The famous restaurant, founded by Ernest Byfield, hosted the likes of Frank Sinatra, Natalie Wood, Paul Newman, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. It has been in financial trouble for quite a while - a result of declining glitz and food quality. The Ambassador East, the restaurant's hotel parent, was purchased in 2010, and there was for some time talk of reviving the Pump Room to its former glory. But yesterday, the Tribune announced that the entire restaurant and hotel was being broken up and sold - from the tissue holders to the barstools. The only bright side? You can go buy a piece for yourself. more ›

We have a tradition of occasionally saluting an old favorite bar or restaurant under the heading "Chicago Classics." With the blustery winter air descending upon us like Uncle Buck moving in to baby-sit, and the holiday-shopping season officially at full tilt, today feels like the day to remind ourselves of Club Lucky. more ›

Yesterday, we discussed the smoking process used at Calumet Fisheries, Chicagoland's premier location for smoked fish and shrimp. Today, we'll talk about history, stories and fried fish. more ›

"We've been doing this so long, we move like ballroom dancers," declared Mundo Campos, smoker and chef of Calumet Fisheries. The co-owner, Mike Kotlick, agrees. "Not much has changed around here, and we like it that way," he said of his 60-year old business. Calumet Fisheries, opened in 1928 and owned by Kotlick's family since 1948, is a perfect example of a business that has found its place in the world. Producing some of the best smoked salmon, chub, shrimp and trout that we have ever had, using time-honored methods and selling directly to customers, Calumet fisheries is a true Chicago treasure. Located at the foot of the 95th street bridge, the location of the Blues Brother's famous jump, visiting Calumet Fisheries feels like stepping back in time to a moment when river traffic was the heart of Chicago's economy and smoked fish was a dinnertime staple. more ›

We should never have noticed the Half Shell. It's a basement bar, with a small sign but no other notable features, a few blocks away from the main business area of Clark Street. Since we aren't often looking for bars in that area, and certainly not basement dives, we may have walked past The Half Shell 50 times before we noticed it. But last week, we happened to be reading Sex, Death and Oysters, Robb Walsh's book about oyster bars around the world, while we walked. We looked up to check the traffic, and like a beacon out of the pages of the book, the sign reading Half Shell: A Great Pub and Oyster Bar blinked into focus. We had to go. more ›

When we walked into the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company for the first time, it was like stepping into another era where everything is wood-paneled, calorie counting is something to scoff at and credit cards don’t exist. Exactly what era isn’t entirely clear, but the atmosphere is one of classic warmth. Opened in 1972, the CPOGC has been packed with hungry patrons since day one, and the menu has barely changed in 27 years. Which is a good thing, because it’s just about perfect the way it is. more ›