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Come rain or come shine We’re not sure if Jay Vohra was envisioning sun-scorched, margarita-stung, stoner boaters when he built 400 feet of Chicago River docking space alongside his new resto-lounge Flatwater, but chef Todd Ryan Downing must have been. His menu is a gut-buster of gluttony that includes a hot dog–and–beer flight, chicken potpie, mac and cheese, fried ice cream and grilled banana splits. Those eats will surely go fast during the day, but the scene-seekers who hit the indoor-outdoor bar after sundown are more likely to make a meal out of light bites such as shellfish-topped flatbreads and frozen cocktails in flavors like Dreamsicle and “Sex on the Beach in Alaska.” The latter is like a baked Alaska in a glass, but with late-night hours and plenty of riverfront party space, we’re guessing it’s only a matter of time before it’s renamed “Sex on the River in Chicago.” 321 N Clark St at the Chicago River (312-644-0283).—Heather Shouse

Lodge lizard Mike Mastellone’s bachelor party was just getting started. He was sitting in the bleachers of Wrigley Field with 30 of his closest friends when he realized Chicago needed a Mad River Bar and Grille. “The North Side is very similar to the Upper East Side of Manhattan,” the owner of the New York chain reasons. “Very young, professional, preppy, good-looking crowd.” Named after a ski run in Vermont of the same name, the bar aims for an old-school ski-lodge feel with fireplaces, vintage wooden snowshoes and moose-antler lighting fixtures. And the 24 plasma screens blasting sports mean that just like on ski trips, those handsome prepsters don’t even have to leave the lodge. 2909 N Sheffield Ave between George St and Oakdale Ave (773-935-7500).—David Tamarkin

Flatwater - Mad River Bar and Grille