Landmarks Illinois is hosting a historic pub crawl of Bridgeport taverns this evening. Walking tours are great ways to discover new neighborhoods and walking around Bridgeport did wonders for me when I first moved to the neighborhood eleven years ago. So did visiting some of the taverns like Shinnick's, Bernice's Tavern (pictured), Schaller's Pump, Catcher's, Maria's and Mitchell's Tap (the bar formerly known as Puffer's). If Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, then a pub crawl through one of the oldest is a fine way to spend a Friday evening. more ›

Ever since news broke in winter that Cork & Kerry owner Billy Guide was eyeing the former Jimbo's space near U.S. Cellular Field to open a Bridgeport outpost, we've been keeping tabs on the space, waiting for some sign of progress toward opening. With the Sox sucking like a mortal chest wound, this has taken on some added urgency. more ›

Beer could be flowing in the space formerly occupied by Jimbo's Lounge sometime in the near future. The Southtown Star reports that an incidental liquor license application for the space has been sent to Billy Guide, owner of Cork & Kerry in Beverly. Before Guide can move forward with removing all vestiges of the "beloved" (Southtown Star's word, not ours) Jimbo's from the face of Bridgeport, he'll need to file a site plan, submit documentation about ownership, and fulfill other requirements before he can file the liquor license application, as well as notify register voters living within 250 feet of the establishment and give them a chance to voice objections. more ›

After two years of legal battling, the Illinois Appellate Court upheld a ruling by Cook County Court Judge Sheldon Garber ordering the owners of Jimbo's Lounge (3258 S. Princeton) to vacate the premises. The battle began when building owners Ray and Donna DeGrazia opted not to renew the lease with bar owners Jimbo and Joyce Levato. The Levatos claimed they had a verbal agreement on a new lease on which the DeGrazias reneged. more ›

All About Beer magazine (via) listed their "top 125 places to have a beer before you die" (a nice arbitrary number, by the way). Five local taverns made the cut: Hopleaf (#24), Clark Street Ale House (#43), Map Room (#47), Goose Island (#84) and John Barleycorn, which makes the cut ten spots from the bottom at #115. more ›

The crowd at Bernice's Tavern was separated into smaller groups. They were huddled together, studying a board containing ten photographs of church steeples and facades. more ›