Three Chicago Bars to See and Be Seen At

Finding a great local cutting edge bar in Chicago that is the latest and greatest is not an easy thing to do. There are so many bars throughout the city for Chicago that it seems almost impossible to decide which one to go to. To make matters even more impossible, they all seem to be great once you get there, which makes you not want to take the time to search for another happening local bar. Chicago is a great city full of hot bars that are packed with a mix of locals and tourists alike. It is hard sometimes to tell who is who. These are my top three picks for trendy hot bars that seem to be the latest and greatest place to get a cold one in Chicago.

The Continental is one of those great late night bars in Chicago that draws a big crowd after midnight. It is open until 5AM on Saturday and 4AM on Sunday. This means if you like to go home for a nap before you go out on Friday and Saturday night you have somewhere to go that will stay up late with you! The Continental used to be a regular old Chicago dive bar, but it has been turned into something a little more contemporary and hip lately. This was a smart move apparently based on the crowds. I took my old neighbors here right after I moved to Chicago. We had a great time and they were super impressed. The atmosphere was very Chicago. It has a hip funky air and lots of young people pack in. The music is a very interesting mix of a lot of different sounds, so you aren't stuck listening to hip-hop all night. The Continental is located at 2801 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 60622. There is a side patio to hang out in if you can get a table. The Continental can be reached at (773) 292-1200.

Stone Lotus was recommended to me by the doorman. He said it was a definitley must see in the night bar scene in Chicago. I felt a little under dressed when I went. Everyone looks great here, so if you go make sure you put a little effort into looking edgy and stylish at the same time. This is a great place to go with friends you already know because it is not one of those friendly corner bars where people you don't know end up talking to you. If you like to see and be seen I recommend Stone Lotus. Stone Lotus is located at 873 North Orleans Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60610. I saw a lot of tables ordering an entire bottle of liquor for their group, which seemed like a fun idea for a group of friends out for a night of fun barhopping in Chicago. Stone Lotus can be reached at (312) 440-9680.

Citizen Bar is located at 364 West Erie Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60610. They are located in the River North neighborhood of Chicago. This is a super trendy neighborhood and Citizen Bar fits right in. The look in River North is the Chicago loft and Citizen Bar has it as well. Lots of exposed brick walls, young hip patrons, and plenty of drinks. They have a great roof top deck that lets you take in the neighborhood. It can really get crowded, so you will have to wait for a table on the roof, but it is worth it! I liked the wine list here as well. The food is more than regular bar fare, so wine is great with it. My friends and I ordered the bruschetta and some wine and the evening was a success. They can be reached at (312) 640-1156.