From sauerkraut and schnitzel to bratwursts and hasenpfeffer, Chicago has some truly amazing German restaurants. Traditional Deutschland food is usually rich, heavy, and meat-focused. So if you’re looking for a hearty hangover cure or some protein-packed eats, check out this roundup of amazing restaurants serving up the best German food in Chicago.

1709 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

Not only do they have a fun name but this modern beer hall also serves a mashup of Southern and German flavors in Chicago’s West Town. Influenced by his German heritage and South Carolina upbringing, Chef Mark Steuer created a menu that’s out of this world. Popular items include the pork chop choucroute, potato crusted eggplant schnitzel, and käsespätzle. 

2566 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

Here’s a fun fact: Prost is the German word for cheers! So next time you’re raising a glass, surprise your friends with that little tidbit, courtesy of UrbanMatter. Located in Lincoln Park, this lively bar/restaurant is known for their currywurst, pork belly reuben, and giant pretzels. Pro-tip: order a boot full of Hofbräu for the full experience.

17 W Adams St, Chicago, IL 60603

Over a century ago, owner Herman Berghoff set up a stand at the entrance of the Chicago Fair and sold beers. He was wildly successful which prompted him to consider a more permanent place to sling alcohol and food. From there, The Berghoff officially opened their doors in 1898. Back then, beers were only a nickel (!!!) and they came with a FREE sandwich. 

2251 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60625

Can’t decide on pizza or schnitzel? Get both at Himmel’s! This sister-owned, north-side location considers themselves an, “Italian restaurant with German flair.” Favorites include Bavarian pork shank, sauerbraten, and spaetzles. We’ll have all three!

2034 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60618

Looking for awesome food, a killer beer selection, and wonderful staff? Then head over to Resi’s for all that and more. Highly recommended dishes include the Sheboygan bratwurst dinner, wiener schnitzel, and leberkäse. Be sure to check out their beer garden, perfect for upcoming summer days!

1202 N Wells, Chicago, IL 60610

Whether you’re stopping in for a meal or beverage, the Glunz Tavern offers a thoughtful selection of traditional tavern favorites, reminiscent of the early 20th century. A few must-try items: Bavarian veal bratwurst, french onion soup (just trust us on this one), and schnitzel sandwich. Wash it all down with one of their several German beers on tap. Köstlich!

Best German Food Chicago Featured Image Credit: Resis Bierstube Chicago on Facebook

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A man was grazed in a shooting Monday in the South Loop.

The man, 20, got into an argument with someone about 3:45 p.m. as they left a building in the 800 block of South Wabash Avenue, Chicago police said.

The other person then pulled out a gun and opened fire, grazing the man on the foot, police said. The man was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in good condition.

Columbia College, which operates just a few blocks away, sent out an alert saying that the shots were fired outside 829 S. Wabash Ave., which is home to East-West University student housing.

East-West University officials declined to comment on the shooting.

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An 18-year-old man was killed in a shooting Monday in Bronzeville on the South Side, police said.

He was near an alley about 4:20 p.m. in the 200 block of East 38th Street when someone opened fire, striking him in the head and chest, Chicago police said.

The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said. His identity has not been released.

Area One detectives are investigating.

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Steve and Tommy from the Sons of Hahnarchy podcast join Nick for Episode 95!

We talk all things Sox especially Kopech, TLR, Madrigal, Vaughn, and of course Mercedes!

The post GGTB Chicago White Sox Podcast Ep. 95: I’m Only Sweeping with Special Guests Steve and Tommy from the Sons of Hahnarchy Podcast first appeared on CHI CITY SPORTS l Chicago Sports Blog – News – Forum – Fans – Rumors.Read More

Benjamin Barber was shot Saturday morning on West Monroe Street.

A 62-year-old man has died a day after he was wounded in a shooting over the weekend in the East Garfield Park neighborhood.

Benjamin Barber was shot at 6:10 a.m. Saturday in the 3900 block of West Monroe Street, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

He was on a sidewalk outside his home when someone came up, took out a handgun and opened fire, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Spicuzza said.

Barber was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died at 9:48 a.m. Sunday, the medical examiner’s office said. Autopsy results showed he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

No one was in custody as of Monday, Spicuzza said.

Barber was one of 25 people shot in Chicago over the weekend.

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Turner Sports reportedly will be the league’s secondary broadcast partner. ESPN will be the primary broadcaster.

A broadcast partner for the last 16 years, NBC won’t air NHL games beyond the 2021 season, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

The NHL Board of Governors is expected to hold a call sometime this week regarding the future broadcast rights, most of which will belong to ESPN after this season.

Sports Business Journal first reported the news Monday.

This refers to the league’s national broadcast rights, and does not affect the Blackhawks’ agreement with NBC Sports Chicago.

NBC has been the lone network rights-holder for more than a decade. But last month, ESPN became the primary network partner for the league in a deal that saw the NHL essentially split its broadcast rights.

That would have left NBC playing second fiddle, and it has now pulled out of talks.

According to multiple reports Monday, Turner will become the league’s secondary broadcast partner. Three of the next seven Stanley Cups will fall under the Turner umbrella, while ESPN will command four. Both agreements are for seven years.

NBC will still carry the league through this summer’s Stanley Cup, which is scheduled to end by mid-July in advance of NBC’s Olympic coverage.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman watched other major sports leagues such as the NFL and NBA reap financial windfalls primarily thanks to portioning out its broadcast rights deals. After a decade-plus at one shop, Bettman and the league were determined to find more than one exclusive broadcast partner.

The NHL was also keen on ESPN’s direct-to-consumer platform ESPN+ that also runs through Hulu (NBC does have its own subscription service, Peacock). ESPN aired NHL games before the 2004-05 lockout but has not since then.

Turner, thanks to its ownership of other brands, such as Bleacher Report, is also well-positioned digitally.

Nonetheless, NBC carried the NHL through its post-lockout years and into this decade. NBC also helped lead coverage of the Winter Classic and other events, culminating with two outdoor games at Lake Tahoe this past winter.

Until last season, legendary broadcaster Mike “Doc” Emrick was the network’s No. 1 play-by-play announcer. Between lead analyst Eddie Olcyzk and “between-the-glass’ reporter Pierre McGuire, the trio became synonymous with the biggest hockey moments over the last decade.

And come 2028, perhaps the network could re-enter the picture.

Read more at usatoday.com

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“Listening to doctors for once in my life, we finally made a decision it would be best for me to step away from the game,” Shaw said Monday. “For my long-term health, it’s best that I do so.”

Andrew Shaw isn’t sure about his final career concussion total. But he knows it was “a lot.” And this year, for the first time in his life, Shaw listened to the doctors telling him he couldn’t risk increasing it.

The 29-year-old Blackhawks forward officially announced his retirement Monday.

“Going through [the recovery process] over and over again, like I have the past few years, just doesn’t seem like a good quality of life,” Shaw said. “The doctors didn’t think I should keep putting myself through that.”

Shaw finishes his career with two Stanley Cup rings from 2013 and 2015. He scored 247 points in 544 regular-season games for the Hawks and Canadiens, plus 35 more in 72 postseason games.

But Shaw’s playing career will always be more defined by his scrappy, lionhearted playing style and goofy, instantly room-warming personality than by his solid yet unremarkable production. Those traits earned him the nickname “Mutt” around Chicago, a city he loves truly just as much as it loves him.

“I thank everyone who took a 20-year-old mutt and gave him a home,” he said. “I’m going to miss the blue-collar mentality this city has.”

Former coach Joel Quenneville, a unique man himself, embraced Shaw’s own uniqueness and gave him a large role during the later years of the Hawks’ championship era.

The move paid dividends, allowing Shaw’s resilience and optimism to become signature aspects of the entire team approach.

“His energy and his excitement and his personality was fun to be around,” general manager Stan Bowman said. “It was the perfect marriage when he got to our team… We had some different players here, maybe on the more serious side, and he lightened things up.”

“There wasn’t a game that went by where I felt 100 percent, because the game before I took some blows or threw some blows,” Shaw added. “But just to battle through it rubbed off on some people. I’d like to think it helped us win Cups.”

Those Cups won’t be his absolute favorite memories from his career, though. That honor goes to one of the most simple pleasures: “Sitting in the room with the guys.”

“The brotherhood and how we razz each other every day — me being one of the ones razzing most people — I’m going to miss that,” he said.

Elise Amendola/AP file photo

Shaw’s 2019 return to Chicago, coming off a career-high 47-point season in Montreal, could have led to another lengthy, memorable stint with the Hawks. He scored in the first period of the 2019-20 home opener against the Stars and had the crowd “buzzing,” as Alex DeBrincat remembered Monday.

But his head ultimately couldn’t endure the beating. Shaw suffered a concussion Nov. 30 of last season, just 26 games in, and the lengthy, grueling recovery process ended his season.

He returned for training camp this January in high spirits but lasted only 14 games before suffering another concussion Feb. 9, when an unwieldy elbow from Stars defenseman Joel Hanley caught him up high.

Shaw worked during recent offseasons on techniques to better protect his head, but ultimately realized following his natural instincts on the ice would continue to put him in “vulnerable situations.”

True to himself from his first day in the NHL to his last, that meant this had to be the end.

Hawks team physician Dr. Michael Terry said in a statement Monday that the Hawks “advised him to discontinue his career” and are “very supportive of his decision to prioritize his long-term health.”

Fortunately, the recovery from this season’s concussion hasn’t been as long and demoralizing as from last season’s. Shaw said he’s mentally “in a good place” now, although there are still some “minor things” to work through.

He’s hoping to spend more time with his wife and two young children and help his dad build a new house — “that’ll be fun, it’ll keep me busy for now,” he said — before eventually looking for employment in the off-ice hockey world. His contract will remain on long-term injured reserve until it expires in July 2022.

“It’s not a goodbye,” he added. “I’m going to be around. You’re going to see this awesome face. You’re going to hear this awesome voice a lot more.”

Notes: Hawks forward Ryan Carpenter was placed in concussion protocol Monday after a high hit by Predators defenseman Erik Gudbranson on Friday. Colliton said Carpenter is “likely to miss some time.” … Defenseman Calvin de Haan also remained out from practice with his hip injury; Colliton said he’s “not likely to play in the near future,” either.

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You could argue that the J. Parker rooftop is the Van Gogh of the Chicago rooftop dining scene. And now, with your ticket to the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit you can hit up the J. Parker rooftop for a complimentary appetizer on the same day. Here’s what you need to know.

The J. Parker is a stunning rooftop restaurant and lounge located atop the Hotel Lincoln and is offering a special dining offer for those attending the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit. You may recognize the Hotel Lincoln as the home to another gem on the Chicago culinary scene, Sushi Suite 202. The J. Parker, sitting atop the hotel, offers patrons spectacular and unobstructed 180 degree views of the skyline, Lincoln Park, and Lake Michigan.

Guests that show same-day admission tickets for their experience at Germania Club will receive a complimentary appetizer ($9-$14 value) with the purchase of an appetizer and a cocktail, beer or wine.

Small plate selections include: buffalo cauliflower; truffle fries ($1 donated to BOKA GIVES); sweet potato waffle fries, soy ginger chicken wings, crispy brussels sprouts; and caesar salad. Emily Neff, beverage director at The J. Parker, features seven signature cocktails, along with midwestern craft brews and an array of global wine. The food and beverage menus can be found here. The retractable roof makes for an all climate, dining and drink destination. The J. Parker is currently open Monday-Thursday, 5pm-11pm; Friday and Saturday 3pm-midnight; and Sunday 3pm to 11pm. You can also indulge in breakfast in the skies from 7am to 11am.

Anybody can tell you that the J. Parker is a must-visit destination for both Chicagoans and tourists alike. The views and drink selections are unmatched and the overall atmosphere makes it one of the most enjoyable rooftop experiences in the city. The J. Parker is located at 1816 N. Clark Street Chicago, IL 60614.

Featured Image Credit: J. Parker on Facebook

The post The J. Parker Welcomes Immersive Van Gogh Ticket Holders for a Complimentary Appetizer appeared first on UrbanMatter.

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The Chicago Cubs have been inconsistent on offense since the start of the 2021 Major League Baseball regular season and it is tied to the boom or bust structure of their current lineup. If the Cubs’ lineup is not hitting home runs, then there is a strong chance that they are striking out. That has […]

Chicago Cubs: Nico Hoerner should remain with team – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & More

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The switcheroo in the order, announcing best actor last instead of best picture, was a gamble that did not pay off.

The 93rd annual Academy Awards were always going to be a bit surreal this year.

The pandemic changed many of the usual rhythms and traditions of the Oscars on Sunday night. There was a glamour-filled red carpet but no onlookers or teams of publicists. There were in-person, mask-less winners but not in the usual order, and the speeches were never drowned out with play-off music.

Compounding the differences this year was a telecast, steered by producers Steven Soderbergh, Jesse Collins and Stacy Sher, that wanted a new look and feel to an often stodgy, persistently unchanging ceremony.

But what was with that ending? How staged was Glenn Close’s dance? And where, oh where, was the play-off music? Here’s my best try to answer some of the nights befuddlements.

The ending — why?

The Oscars have known more dramatic and more shambolic endings (“Envelopegate” was a mere four years ago) but this may have set a new bar for anti-climactic. You would swear someone even played a sad trombone.

Going into Sunday, the show’s producers had said they wanted to take “some big swings” in the telecast. One turned out to be switching the normal awards order. Best director, usually one of the final awards, was handed out mid-show. Best picture was third-to-last and the night’s final two awards were best actress and best actor. Presumably, the thinking was that best actor would go to Chadwick Boseman (he won virtually every best-actor trophy leading up to the Oscars), and thus end the ceremony on a meaningful note of tribute.

Todd Wawrychuk/A.M.P.A.S.

But there had been hints of an upset. Two weeks earlier, Anthony Hopkins won at the BAFTAs, an award he was also absent for — though the show managed to track him down in his native Wales to talk to the BAFTA press. The Oscars had pressed nominees to attend, if possible, or join from a remote location. But the 83-year-old Hopkins (who became the oldest actor to win an Oscar, his second) elected not to travel to Los Angeles or the hub in London. Knighted living legends who adore the Welsh countryside get to do that. Only the next morning did Sir Anthony, with a bucolic vista behind him, post an Instagram video of thanks, and a few words on the late Boseman. “At 83 years of age, I did not expect to get his award, I really didn’t,” he said.

Posthumous Oscars are also hard to come by. There’s a reason it’s only happened twice before among actors (Peter Finch and Heath Ledger). For some voters, it can seem like a wasted vote, since the honoree isn’t there to accept it. And one of the longest Oscar seasons ever (the ceremony was postponed two months) may have sapped some of the momentum for Boseman, who died last August; some may have felt he had been already honored by previous awards like at the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Perhaps the Independent Spirit Awards on Thursday

supplied foreshadowing when Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”) was chosen over Boseman.

The Oscars haven’t always ended with best picture, but it’s been more than 40 years since another category was last. Even the best-picture winners — who usually conclude the telecast with trophies raised — weren’t expecting it.

“It surely was a surprise,” said “Nomadland” producer Dan Janvey backstage to reporters. “I think a lot of us grew up watching the Oscars and I’ve gotten used to it being last.”

But on Sunday, the category switcheroo culminated in an absent winner and a strange empty-stage finale — a fitting end to a thoroughly strange movie year.

Where was the play-off music?

No snark was part of the mandate of this year’s Oscars, Sher said. From top to bottom, the show was a sincere celebration of cinema and the night’s nominees. Introductions were lengthy and detailed. And when winners clutched their Oscars, they were given wide latitude to speak. Not once did music director Questlove turn up the music. This was partly because the show had more time. Performances of the best song nominees were pre-taped and aired during the red-carpet preshow, meaning the broadcast — which also had few comedy bits — wasn’t in a race. That went with the overall tone of the show: to earnestly celebrate the artistry and craft of moviemaking. On-camera talent, Soderbergh noted before the show, only accounts for a fraction of a film set.

Why did Frances McDormand howl?

“We give this one to our wolf,” McDormand said while accepting the best picture award for “Nomadland.” It was a way to honor Michael Wolf Snyder, the film’s production sound mixer, who died in March at the age of 35. “That howling to the moon is for Wolf,” Zhao explained to members of the press. McDormand earlier said of Snyder in a statement to Variety: “Wolf recorded our heartbeats. Our every breath. For me, he is ‘Nomadland.’”

Was Glenn Close’s dance rehearsed?

Well of course it was. Close did her best to suggest her knowledge of Experience Unlimited’s “Da Butt” (featured in Spike Lee’s “School Daze”) was completely off the cuff, but Lil Rel Howery acknowledged during the post-show that their music trivia bit had been discussed beforehand. Still, credit the 74-year-old Close for being willing to boogie shortly after losing out on an Oscar for the eighth time — a record among living performers.

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