Girls Night Out in Chicago

110 E Pearson St, Chicago, IL 60611 (map)

You and the ladies needn't to fly to Paris when you have this Mag Mile bistro for a post- shopping spree dinner. Do it up in authentic style with a Dubonnet cocktail to start, followed by a salade nicoise with grilled tuna and French green beans or the classic steak frites.

610 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611 (map)

This classy martini lounge tucked inside the James Hotel is a tempting place to get a girls night started. Belly up to the bar on Thursdays from 6pm to 8pm for $6 Snow Queen vodka cocktails and free appetizers. On Wednesdays, challenge your posse to Wii tennis or bowling.

937 N Rush St, Chicago, IL 60611 (map)

Girls just want to have dinner at a classically elegant French-Vietnamese restaurant. Gather here and feast on creations like grilled shrimp wrapped around sugar cane with angel hair noodles and Vietnamese crisp-seared red snapper in spicy sour sauce. After dinner, retire to the second floor lounge for jazz and cocktails.

18 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60611 (map)

Meet the girls after work at this neighborhood bar with deliciously indulgent comfort food like buttermilk fried chicken, Gold Coast sliders made with pulled pork or filet mignon and an all-day breakfast. The sidewalk cafe is the neighborhood's Grand Central Station of people watching, so sit back and swap snark about the parade of glamour strolling by.

600 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60610 (map)

The beautiful people congregate at this hip spot, so grab your pals and head for the crowded downstairs lounge. Dig into the special sushi combinations like crispy shrimp and salmon, or spicy octopus roll topped with tuna tartare and sweet unagi sauce.

151 W Erie St, Chicago, IL 60610 (map)

This sprawling lounge, designed as a Las Vegas-style playground for 30-somethings, boasts a flamboyant, neon-lit bar, nightly entertainment and--refreshingly--not a velvet rope in sight. Upscale bar bites like smoked salmon poppers with creme fraiche and caviar are the ideal companion for fruity drinks like the strawberry basil martini. Plan an early-in-the-week night out: Tuesday nights bring swing dance lessons at 8pm and a $4-$8 dinner menu.

619 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661 (map)

Being with the girls is reason enough to celebrate with a fancy dinner at this seasonally focused, market-fresh restaurant that takes you to flavors-never-considered land. Dig into those divine dishes you've been hearing about, like duck tartare topped with dried strawberries and A1 sauce, and slow-cooked Tasmanian sea trout served with Chioggia beets and fresh chickpeas.

157 N Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60607 (map)

Old school meets upscale at this billiard lounge with 24 tables, a full menu and more than 30 martinis on offer. If your ladies are into classic cool, they'll love the Mag Mile Manhattan, a mix of Elijah Craig bourbon and a drop of Martini & Rossi sweet red vermouth, plus eats like a rib eye steak sandwich on French bread.

839 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607 (map)

Chic cocktails and a heavy dose of nightlife scene give your pack good reason to get gussied up. Take refuge on the modular furniture and sip cocktails like the Milan: Belvedere vodka, fresh raspberries and a splash of Cointreau and cranberry juice.

2051 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622 (map)

Every girl group needs a place to go to eat killer macaroni and cheese and sing along to Cyndi Lauper without a care in the world. Dance your heart out on Friday nights when DJ Scratch-n-Sniff spins old school or Saturdays when the musical vibe is retro. Sunday nights, get back to basics over a large thin crust pizza and bottle of wine for $28 and stick around for trashy reality TV at 10pm.

1635 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 (map)

Plenty of hip-hop and Top 40 hits, limoncello Cosmos and a menu of shareable small plates like artichoke fritters make this Wicker Park bar a guaranteed great night on the town with the chicas. For a deal worthy of being your plan A, go on Wednesday nights for half-priced appetizers and $2 well drinks.

1520 N Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 (map)

Mysterious and elegant, this lounge is the place to bare your secrets to your best buds while sipping Prohibition-era cocktails. Recall the daring ladies of the 1920s with a gin cocktail like Juliet and Romeo (Beefeater gin, mint, cucumber and rose water) while nibbling duck and goat cheese wontons with rhubarb sweet and sour sauce.

2616 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614 (map)

Every girl needs a stellar sushi place to call her second home, and this ages-old Lincoln Park restaurant is just the spot. A serene ambience is matched by a laundry-list menu of the goods, including 50 appetizers like sashimi and sliced octopus, in addition to teriyaki, udon, donburi, soba and a wide assortment of fresh maki rolls.

1973 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614 (map)

This laid-back neighborhood bar is a good place to meet up mid-week with your pals to check out the crowd of male eye candy and catch up over drinks. Pool tables and a jukebox stocked with Top 40 tunes keep the energy level high.

1816 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614 (map)

A culinary explosion of seasonal market flavor is the norm here, so high-tail it over with the foodie women in your life. You'll have a hard time choosing between the black truffle gnocchi and the Alaskan halibut. Either way, the gourmet and cutting edge fare hits the spot.

954 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60657 (map)

This venerable Boystown club is packed to the gills with a varied crowd of gay, bi, straight and curious folks who just want to dance to DJs spinning electronic, house and alternative. Whatever your preference, this is the place to dance to Madonna under disco lights galore until the wee hours of the morning.

3700 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60613 (map)

Girlfriends groove in their element at this drag club with more than 40 species of fluffy martini (chocolate raspberry truffle, for starters), kitsch-meets-gourmet cuisine (Mae West fried chicken and La Dolce Vita pork and veal meatballs in spicy tomato sauce) and nightly themed TV screenings.

3101 N Sheffield Ave, Chicago, IL 60657 (map)

Two levels of cozy bar and restaurant make for a casual yet kicking weeknight out with the girls. Plan to go on Thursday, tucked into a plush booth with $3 Point Pale Ales and $5 appetizers such as easy-to-share warm goat cheese with marinara and honey rosemary bread.