One of six Hackney's locations in the Chicagoland area, this Printer's Row bar and restaurant offers typical Irish/American pub food with enough care and pride to make it a neighborhood favorite. In the summer, patrons wait to sit in the garden area on the street and people-watch—especially during festivals like the Printer's Row Book Fair—while sipping on cool, homemade sangria or imbibing one of Hackney's impressive beer selections. There is also a kids' menu, a fairly extensive vegetarian section and eight desserts, including a delectable red velvet cake.

Hackney's serves a famous, juicy burger called the "Hackneyburger" ($7.99), which has been the same since the restaurant first started serving it on dark rye bread in 1939. You can also enjoy the spinach and strawberry salad ($9.45) in the summer for a healthy bite, or one of the other six salad choices. Hackney's draw is really the relaxed atmosphere, though. Patrons come in and out, from families to groups of students from nearby Columbia College. You'll notice many regulars being greeted by the servers, but it's not an exclusive kind of place, so settle in, order up some hearty food and become part of the crowd. You might just make a few friends, as long as you haven't eaten too much of the famous fried onion loaf.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Beth Dugan