Outside job

There’s something about Resi’s—the gloriously dingy dining room, the tchotchkes behind the bar (and the shingled roof above it), the game on the TV—that makes us feel like we’re at our favorite uncle’s house. That familial feeling only increases when we get to the beer garden out back. We always head for the weathered wooden picnic benches toward the rear, then settle in with a half-liter stein of Spaten ($5.50) under the two towering elm trees, surrounded by old-school German beer lanterns and flower-filled planters on the fences. The arrival of delicious smoked Thüringer sausages and a mouthwatering side of potato salad ($9) satisfies all of our wishes, save one: We wish our uncle could cook like this. 2034 W Irving Park Rd, 773-472-1749—Joel Reese

A bucket of PBR bottles for ten bucks, a glowing snail in a tiny puddle/pond—throw in a naked baby playing a harp and Happy Village is pure heaven for dive-lovers. The no-bullshit bartenders and herd of regulars will stare you down for such bar crimes as being skanky or tapping your credit card on the bar to get a server’s attention (it’s cash only, fool), but fear not: It’s a friendly crowd. The major draw is the lush back patio outfitted with a handful of picnic tables and enough young drunks to make you feel like you’re back in high school, summer has kicked in and someone’s parents are out of town. Get there early, though: The backyard is a no-go zone come 11pm. At that point you’ll just have to squeeze back into the bar, load up the jukebox and make friends with the gaggle of genial old dudes who’ll gleefully kick your ass in Ping Pong. 1059 N Wolcott Ave, 773-486-1512—Margaret Lyons

Fulton’s on the River

What with Red Line delays, Blue Line delays and snowstorms in April, it can be pretty easy to forget we live in one of the most beautiful cities on Earth. But not when you’re kicking it at Fulton’s. On this riverside deck, you’re treated to classic examples of groundbreaking architecture in every direction (the LaSalle-Wacker building across the river, the Reid Murdoch Building behind you), and the water below. Sure, it looks a little murky during the day, but you can’t tell at night, when it reflects all those sparkling city lights. Fulton’s menu—steaks ($25–$30), oysters ($10–$15), a dead-on martini ($9)—is just the kind of food a view like this demands. It’s classic, to the point, with no trace of fuss—the kind of food that is easily overlooked but always good, always solid, always there when you need it…kind of like the city you’re admiring while eating it. 315 N LaSalle St, 312-822-0100—David Tamarkin