Adding to the summer list machine is Playboy's coast-to-coast roundup of "America's Greatest Bars." The August issue of the skin mag named three Chicago bars and eateries, which should help in case the other lists didn't do it for you. Here's where you should be eating and drinking, per Hef:
Naturally, The Map Room made the cut in the Best Bars category, seeing how the Bucktown bar offers 200 unique brands of beer, including 26 on tap and a rotating cask-conditioned ale on handpump.
If you want to go a bit downmarket, head to Cal's Liquors (400 S. Wells St.), which got props in the Best Dive Bars category. The South Loop mainstay has been around since 1947, and apparently has the right combination of cheap beer and dirty bathrooms. Even though there's no stage, live bands play every weekend, which means you can rock out inches away from the lead singer.
The secret has long been out on Kuma's Corner. After all, this is where Lady Gaga made a beeline last time she was in town, so it's not surprising that the North Side bar/eatery placed in the Best Late Night Eats category. The magazine gushes about its Led Zeppelin burger -- a massive meatfest topped with pulled pork, bacon, cheddar, BBQ sauce, and pickles.
The Playboy issue is currently on newsstands and the full list will soon be available online.