BAR REVIEW: WestEnd Bar & Grill in the West Loop Gate area of Chicago, IL

As one of the newest drinking establishments in the up and coming West Loop and West Loop Gate areas, WestEnd Bar & Grill goes out of its way to make sure they get everything right. The inviting atmosphere, the neighborhood feel, non-smoking environment, the numerous wide screen plasma TVs and ample seating make this bar a great place to meet and mingle. What really matters to me though, is the beer selection.

WestEnd Bar and Grille has a strong draft beer selection (Hacker-Pschorr, Goose Island Matilda, and Peroni Nastro Azzurro, to name a few) and a fantastic bottle selection (La Fin du Monde, Delirium Tremens and Great Lakes Elliott Ness, to name a few). You are faced with a tough decision when it comes to selecting the next round of beers. It does help how the friendly staff makes you feel special no matter what beer you choose. The beer list is not as expansive or as impressive as say THE BEER BISTRO (which happens to be down the street), but the selected beers they have make it a terrific destination for drinks.

WestEnd Bar & Grill is located at 1326 West Madison Street in Chicago, IL. Phone: (312) 981-7100.

WestEnd Bar & Grill is Recommended by Gonzalo

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EVENT REVIEW: LOOPTOPIA in Chicago, IL

The dusk till dawn event known as Looptopia had its grand debut in the Loop district of Downtown Chicago, Illinois this past Friday. Starting at 5pm on May 11th and concluding at 7am on May 12th, the 14-hour event proved to be a welcome addition to the already impressive list of events held in Chicago through out the year.

Looptopia is the celebration of diversity and culture. It’s patterned off similar all night events held in some European cities such as Paris, Madrid and Rome. The “Chicago Loop Alliance” is the force responsible for bringing Looptopia to life. Over 9 city blocks long and 6 city blocks wide, Looptopia brings together the best businesses in Chicago to create a once a year celebration that is going to be one of the most anticipated events of the year.

It was quite a sight to witness as people of all ages and cultures traveled across the landmarks and businesses of Chicago embarking on to the next scheduled event. There were over 20 destinations that people could have visited and over 70 scheduled events to experience. Some of the notable destinations included the 7th floor dance party in the Macy’s Building (which will always be known as the “Marshall Field’s” building to Chicagoans), the many “themed” tours available through out the evening at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Sullivan Dock events by the old Carson Pirie Scotts building, and the Sunrise Celebration held at the Millennium Park Promenade. All events were free unless otherwise noted…I did not have to pay for anything through out the night, well, except for drinks and food. But that was the best part: $2 bottles of Goose Island’s 312 Urban Wheat Ale! $2 bottles. In the city of Chicago. Downtown. For the price of a CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) subway ticket you can have yourself one of the finest beers to come out of Chicago. Goose Island 312 was not the only available beer; Corona and Corona Light were also being served, all for $2 each.

The crowds that flocked around the Loop district were as diverse as you can get. In the early stages of the evening you had families and people of all ages checking out the many free theatre shows or cabarets available. As the night progressed and as the sun rose, the only people left were the dedicated individuals who knew how to have a fun time. There are very few events that can bring out the best of a city and it’s inhabitants, Looptopia is one such event. The happy crowds and the lively entertainment along with the great landmarks of a great city came together to celebrate diversity and culture in an event that is a first of its kind in the United States, and is bound not to be the last. If the goal of Looptopia was to spread the idea of a culture, then consider it accomplished. Not since my travels around Europe have I felt so proud to be in a city were the nightlife does not limit you to visiting a bar (which is not a bad thing, but it’s nice to have an alternative).

Review: Raise your glass, Looptopia gets 5 cheers!