Cigars & Stripes BBQ Lounge

Cigars and Stripes in Berwyn is pretty amazing. Smoked and grilled. I’d say underrated

One lake brewery, kettlestrings tavern and avenue ale house are all fairly affordable for their quality. Mickeys on Harlem is great greasy drunk/hangover food, there's also taco mucho in south OP which is (in my opinion) the best taco in OP & FP. There's also Fritzi's in OP which is some of the best Jewish deli meat I've had (including Manny's) but they don't sauce their sandwiches and that's frustrating. Nearby: There's a fried chicken spot in Forest park called Chubbys, Lavergnes in Berwyn is absolutely outstanding, as is the BBQ at Babygold which is on most top Chicagoland BBQ lists and Cigars & Stripes was on CNN for their BBQ, obviously Johnnies is right there in Elmwood Park, and River Forest has Bertollis which is the epitome of thin crust tavern style pizza.

Cigars and Stripes in Berwyn

Maybe Cigars and Stripes in Berwyn. They have some retro horror decor and often have nights where they show old horror films on the TV. They also have really good wings. Around Halloween they throw a massive party. It's also supposedly "haunted"

I love Freddy's! Never get to that Oak Park//Forest Park/Cicero/Berwyn area often enough, unfortunately. I'd also say Big Guys Sausage Stand is a hidden gem, as well. On Roosevelt, not too far east of Harlem on the Berwyn side of the Oak Park/Berwyn border. Also do know if you go to Freddy's they are CASH ONLY, and don't take cards. Also, they do have pretty good gelato. This area also has some other hidden gems too, like Vesecky's Bakery(like a leftover business, from when Cicero/Berwyn used to have a very sizeable Bohemian/Czech population), Cigars and Stripes BBQ, Exit Strategy Brewing(in nearby Forest Park), to name examples.

Galloping Ghost Arcade in Brookfield - world's largest retro arcade - $20 play all day. [https://www.gallopingghostarcade.com](https://www.gallopingghostarcade.com) For food and drinks in the area, swing by Cigars & Stripes: [https://www.facebook.com/CigarsAndStripesBBQ/](https://www.facebook.com/CigarsAndStripesBBQ/) In between the two is Top Cut Comics in Berwyn: [https://topcutcomicsberwyn.com](https://topcutcomicsberwyn.com) All of this is on Ogden Avenue, so it's most convenient to reach it by car. However, if you don't have a car you can take the Metra BNSF to Galloping Ghost. Get off at Congress Park in Brookfield and it's about a four block walk.

Surprised no mention of Cigars and Stripes bar in Berwyn. Old school horror movies and professional wrestling theme bar. On Saturdays they project son of svengoli shows on the screen behind the bar. Nothing about this is reason to go out of your way except their bar food is damn good. I mean excellent. The owner is a nut bag, grows all his peppers rooftop to make his sauces, refuses to install a deep fryer and all wings are grilled. The BBQ is always top notch. Crowd is always friendly. They do open mic nights that attract some good city talent as you get 10 mins at a time which is unheard of anywhere else. So it's a practice spot for a lot of comics. Cigar room in the back and the body guard is about 100 years old and always asleep. My wife is black I'm Italian and we always enjoy the we

If you're in Cicero, check out Freddy's for sure. It's on 16th St just west of Austin, and is an old school Italian grocery store, and they also serve food and gelato. Last time I went there years ago they were cash only, but I don't know if that has changed and they now take cards? Also if you want to find a rare place that makes their own pizza puff(and not the Iltaco Foods version you find at most places), check out Albano's Pizza on Roosevelt. RIP to Klas, which was an old school Bohemian restaurant with a cool interior. Though when I last ate there a few years before it closed, I got the sense Klas was starting to feel a tad neglected in upkeep, particularly their patio. Oak Park, Forest Park, and Berwyn(which all neighbor or are near Cicero) all have some good places to eat, as well

How is it not Naperville? ;p If you don't have to worry about schools, Berwyn is good option. Close to the city, has nightlife of its own (e.g., Fitzgeralds, Cigars & Strips, Harlem Avenue Lounge), and relatively easy access to the expressways. LaGrange and Hinsdale might also work. Nice walkable downtowns, good access to expressways, good schools. Finally, if you are willing to deal with the Eisenhower, Oak Park or Forest Park. Oak Park in particular has the most city-vibe of all the western suburbs (Sorry Naperville), but traffic will be more of a hassle (though nowhere near as bad as being in Chicago if you need to get out to the burbs regularly).

Another alternative to consider is the BNSF Metra line. Riverside (a village that is essentially one giant park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted), Brookfield, LaGrange, Hinsdale, etc. You won't have as easy an access to Lake Michigan, but that's made up for by all the great Forest Preserves nearby. The Palos Preserves (just across the Stevenson/I-55) has some of the best hiking and mountain biking trails in the Chicago area. You've also got the Salt Creek Trail System, the Centennial Trail, Miller Meadow Dog Park (7 acres off-leash enclosure), Swallow Cliff (for when you feel like stair climbing) and more. Each of these towns has a downtown area, plus Berwyn offers a lot in terms of entertainment (e.g., Fitzgeralds, Harlem Avenue Lounge, Cigars & Stripes). Schools are good and the BNS

Cigars & Stripes (Berwyn) - You can hang out at the bar watching cult classics or listening to what's on stage. Good bbq/street food menu, craft beer, and friendly folk. If inside gets too crowded, they have a patio in back. Might look like a look bar on first glance, but it's really just an intimate and friendly bar with solid food. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75iMxxt8Gh4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75iMxxt8Gh4) Lavergnes (Berwyn) - Upscale comfortable sports bar with plenty of space inside and a nice outdoor patio. Be sure to order the Italian Beef egg rolls. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=440yB5LeWEI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=440yB5LeWEI) Buckledown Brewing (Lyons) - Very comfortable and chill bar run by a prominent local craft brewer. [https://www.youtube.co

If you like Oak Park but want slightly cheaper rent(and IMO both these 2 are also pretty safe), along with still being right by OP, check out neighboring Forest Park and Berwyn. Berwyn is also right on the BNSF Metra line, if you want access to communities along that route(i.e. LaGrange, Western Springs, Downers Grove, Naperville, Aurora, etc). Also if you live not too far south of Roosevelt, you wouldn't be too far of a bike ride or semilong walk away from the Forest Park Blue Line L stops. Berwyn was always to me a hidden gem of a nice community, with the businesses there(Cigars and Stripes, Olive or Twist, James Joyce, Big Guys Sausage Stand, and more I'm probably forgetting...). Forest Park was also nice too, along the Madison Street strip of shops. I also like Exit Strategy Brewing,

Pre-pandemic Berwyn was a pretty lively place. Fitzgeralds, Cigars & Stripes, Harlem Lounge, etc. all good spots to hang out. Safety wise I'd say stick closer to Riverside and the BNSF and you'll be ok. That being said, it's suburban crime, not city crime. For schools though, you'd be better off in Riverside or Brookfield if you can swing it.

River Forest and Oak Park have a lot to offer, but also be sure to check out LaGrange, Brookfield, and Berwyn. LaGrange has a nice downtown with an old-school second run movie theater, Brookfield has the Galloping Ghost Arcade, Brookfield Zoo, and several nice bars and restaurants, Berwyn has Fitzgeralds, Harlem Avenue Lounge, and Cigars & Stripes when it comes to live entertainment. Obviously, a lot of this will depend on the covid restrictions being over, but I suspect by early next year things will be getting back to normal.

Cigars & Stripes in Berwyn have the best wings I've ever had. They're smoked, come with a variety of sauces, and the beer selection is excellent.

Cigars and Stripes in Berwyn best hands down.

Big fan of Cigars and Stripes in Berwyn. Monday is their best day- 3 bucks for mini pints as their special on tap and 11 buck mussels. Their smoked wings are delicious. Haven’t had a bad meal there in 11+ years.

Wings at Crosstown in Naperville. Italian beef eggrolls at Lavergne's in Berwyn or Warren's Ale House in Wheaton (same ownership). Smoked wings at Cigars & Stripes in Berwyn. Sushi at Tanka in Lisle is pretty solid too. Pho at Saigon Pho in Oak Park.

Danny’s is a solid place to grab pie and a beer. Red Barrel is getting better. Archer Liquors is growing their craft offering (sign up for their rewards, btw) . Karolinka Club on central for really solid hot Polish food. Racine bakery for solid baked goods, Weber’s for baked goods to bring into work. Berwyn is a stone’s throw away for my favorite chicken wings (Cigars and Stripes). I love our little pocket of the city. Just a shame that there’s so much trash thrown about. When I jog with my dog, I bring a bag to pick up trash. Just doing my part.

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