Hidden Gems

Connoisseur wine bar

I’ll preface this by saying I was having a tough night, tired and frustrated from battling traffic and Christmas shoppers on the snowy December night I first visited Connoisseur. My blood pressure was racing, and my hand was sore from punching the steering wheel. And yet after five minutes amidst the intimate, contemporary ambiance of this new wine bar, I felt a world away from the urban mess I had just stepped out of. I was sitting on a suede couch that wrapped around the entire room, listening to an acoustic guitarist with a glass of wine from Australia in my hand. The stress was gone. I was comfortable. And things were good.

And things are likely to get even better for the folks at Connoisseur, as they have opened a true hidden gem at 1041 W. Grand, right at the Kennedy overpass in the River West neighborhood. This is the kind of place that ultimately may not be a destination for the night, with plenty of restaurants and theatre options nearby, but it easily could be, as we found it very difficult to leave. Like a lot of similar establishments in New York City, its exterior is rather nondescript, but the interior is warm and inviting with soft orange, brown and red tones, great low-level cylinder lighting and an exceptional selection of wine, champagne, appetizers and desserts.

The staff is extremely knowledgeable about their wine and the small food dishes that are best paired with it (try the crab dip!). The bartender will even wheel over the rolling bar to shake up a fresh-fruit martini right in front of you. And perhaps the best aspect of Connoisseur is how truly intimate the setting is, with seating for a max of 50 people, making it easy to enjoy conversation and feel like you’re “getting away,” as I was.

“I built what I like, and now I’m trying to find people who enjoy what I do,” says managing partner Gerald Lott, who has experience in the music and nightclub industries. “We want a place where people from all walks of life can come to relax, have a good glass of wine and some exceptional food with friends.”

Funny, that’s just what I did there. Guess they’re on the right track.

— Trent Modglin

Lincoln Karaoke
Some people like getting up in front of a drunken (and often antagonistic) crowd and belting out “My heart will go on.” Some don’t.

If you’re in the “don’t” crowd, Steve Han has just the place for you to overcome your stage fright.

Han, 50, is the owner of Lincoln Karaoke, a Lincoln Square karaoke bar where you can rent out your own room, allowing you to croon alone, or among forgiving friends. And it only costs about $30 an hour.

It’s like the kiddie pool of karaoke bars.

“When you go to a bar, you (usually) have to wait a long time for the one microphone,” said Han.

But at Lincoln Karaoke, you’ll have the opportunity to choose from their selection of Japanese, Korean and American songs several times a night.

Han, a Korean import who loves Frank Sinatra, opened the place in 2007. The musical hot spot was an office building in its past life. Each room resembles the windowless cavern of the average working stiff. The florescent-lit hallway recalls 9-5 hell, but instead of a water cooler, this place has a bar. It’s like one big office Christmas party.

The bar, tucked behind a small counter, does not boast any fancy drinks. Forget the mojitos — if the bartender can’t make it, you can’t drink it.

You can also choose from a selection of Korean foods — ribs, dumplings, etc. And, if you’ve got a birthday on the horizon, Lincoln Karaoke will give you a free bottle of champagne and a cake with your name and age iced onto it.

Now isn’t that better than being heckled by a fat sports fan at your average karaoke joint as your slur your way through “Party like a rock star?”

Lincoln Karaoke is located at 5526 N. Lincoln Ave., (773) 895-2299. Open Monday-Thursday and Sunday 7:00 p.m.-3:00 a.m. and Friday-Saturday 7:00 p.m.-5:00 a.m.

— Brenna Ehrlich

 

Hey You Millionaires at the Annoyance theatre
The new sketch comedy review from Hey You Millionaires has been developed, twisted and refined through six months of performances throughout Chicago’s alternative comedy venues. This material includes some of the creators’ most inventive, thoughtful and enthusiastically received pieces in their 10-plus years writing comedy. Silent scientists interactively test comedy tropes with the audience. A group of Nazis become fully self-aware. And we — as James, Jim and John — share our vulnerable sides with the audience… perhaps to the point of making you very uncomfortable. Hey You Millionaires gun for a gamut of reactions beyond laughs, crafting a sketch show you haven’t seen before. 

Directed by Sarah Haskins of Second City and the Late Night Late Show, Hey You Millionaires is a Chicago sketch trio made up of a published humor author, a nationally produced playwright and a high school English teacher. Among other things, they are 10-plus-year comedy vets out of iO, Second City, the Annoyance and many, many more. They create the kind of surprising, dark comedy that makes comedians laugh. 

Shows are at 7 p.m. on Sundays from Jan. 13-March 9 (no performance Feb. 3). For tickets or more info, call the Annoyance Theater (4830 N Broadway) at (773) 561-HONK or log on to www.theannoyance.com.

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