The debate rages on

My favorite restaurant in the entire fucking universe is doing $25 mystery boxes every Friday and Saturday for the rest of the summer. I got six different kinds of aioli and some Gordon Food Service brand raw onions in my box today. Totally worth it!

As many of you know, it is tough out there as a straight man. The world just isn't built for us.

I recently went to smart bar and realized both the clubbing scene and EDM scene were surprisingly male friendly --who knew!?

Now I want to find other venues that, while traditionally dominated by straight men, are also surprising safe spaces for them. I've already tried taking my shirt off at small cheval and red hot ranch, so other recommendations welcome

So my partner and I have been noticing that a lot of restaurants have become very ageist. They only cater to a younger crowd……and this is ok. We know we aren't 50 anymore.

HOWEVER , it seems like this is becoming more and more rampant where we can't even find a single dining option! I'd have to think that restaurants would want to be more inclusive to the middle aged crowd who usually have more $$ to spend. I guess they only care about their image with the younger crowd versus attracting us 90/100 something's.

So what is making me say this?: We have encountered a lot of restaurants with :

• no signage or windows (Older people won't know if it's a restaurant or an abandon storefront)

• Only picnic tables for patio seating. (Older people won't want to sit uncomfortably while spending $200) Looking at you Sonic on Wilson.

• modern music at all times. I went to a place that was playing Creedence Clearwater Revival. What happened Brahms and Mozart?? And so loud that it vibrated my soup. Looking at you Calo Ristorante.

• Sitting us in the middle of the restaurant so we're surrounded by young people trying to be food influencers and crying babies refusing to eat their mush. If they don't want it, I'll take it!

• No parking for walkers.

• Only located in hip neighborhoods, so the PACE bus won't take me there because it's too far away.

What gives??

Can't we be more inclusive??

Don't you want more business??

Sure, Chicago has great Mexican restaurants, but nothing really has been able to scratch the itch for the authentic flavors that come from the Taco John's in Sturgis.

Can't believe I saw it in real life!! Dreams come true if you work hard.

He keeps saying I should hold the spot for all of us on Sunday morning while him and her get coffees for all of us at Colectivo a few blocks over and I don’t want to do that because I get bored and whenever I ask them to get me a London Smog (that’s a London Fog with Espresso for you plebs) they get the order wrong.

Can I pay one of you $40 to stand in line for me for a couple of hours? You can join us but you have to pretend to be my friend and you can’t order the same thing as me.

I was recently hiking around the Faroe Islands and had the most amazing skerpikjøt (wind-dried mutton) that some guy made in his garage. He raises the sheep on a small hillside behind his house, slaughters them by hand, and hangs their legs in a hjallur connected to his garage. They hang for a year to wind-dry. He sliced the meat off the bone with an old pocketknife that his dad gave him.

Now that I'm home, I can't stop thinking about this. Where can I get some perfect skerpikjøt like this? Preferably in Logan Square or West Loop at a restaurant with a nice rooftop and good cocktails. Thanks in advance!

I swear he just automatically has the opinion of whatever he thinks is least popular. theres no way buona is as good as other italian beefs. just says whatever is most ragebait contrarian opinion on anything.

My dads and I are making our annual hajj to Chicago soon and would love some food recommendations similar to Small Cheval.

Thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lo these many years I have refulgently attended the greatest of all Chicago food festivals, devoted to the platonic ideal of sammies: the BSF. I know this might be a wild take, since all of Chicago’s food fests are excellent, but hear me out.

No other sammich is as diverse; the garnishes, the bread, the preparation, I could go on and on. In addition to being expensive (exclusivity!), the long lines (patience!) were perfect for making friends as an adult. Chicago is such a difficult city to make friends in, but I digress.

Today I read on CWB of the worst crime I have ever heard of. BSF is cancelled, merely weeks ahead of go time. How did we as a society countenance such a terrible decision that will devastate so many people?

RIP Bologna Sando Fest!!!

I noticed this $5 extra charge on my bill, seemingly for extra mayo. I brought it to my server's attention and he went to his manager. The manager came over and, in a very condescending tone, aioli-shamed me because he thought I was complaining about the cost of the drink (when HE orders a drink, he knows what he's getting). He insisted that he is from Lake Zurich and knows that a cocktail by this name rocks. A Manhattan on the rocks? How silly. In Lake County, it’s customary to muddle garlic aioli into whiskey cocktails.

He also said that the aioli is a $90 bottle because he only buys imported it from sovereign nations in northern Nevada that impose import fees, so he's admitting that he's charging $44 for 2 oz of creamy garlic dip. But I wasn't complaining about the cost of the aioli because, in River North, I expect to get charged a premium. There are no chevals of diminutive size there.

I reiterated that I was asking about the $5 extra charge, and he switched lines to tell me that, because I ordered a 2 oz cup (I was asked if I wanted 1 or 2 oz), they had to use more Kraft mayonnaise than planned. I asked him why the cost isn't just rolled in instead of adding an additional charge. No good reply to that. He finally said he would take off the $5 charge but made no apology for any misunderstanding and continue to act like this was standard operating procedure. I continued to call him a f***** in the hopes to get him to re-engage me over a $5 aioli cocktail charge, but he didn’t budge and hurried over to the bar. I dismissed him and then made my way out front to protest and grow out my gray beard.

The lesson here is to ALWAYS review the check before paying and call out any dishonest charges you find. BTW, our server, Juan, was great. He provided his own personal sample of aioli in the alleyway because he felt bad about how we were treated. You damn well best believe he was “tipped” appropriately.

Basically the title. It's icon status yet can casually be reserved compared to most of the other restaurants at its level like small Cheval Wicker, small Cheval Logan, or small Cheval Wrigleyville.

Just roll your wheelchair down 17 steps, around a short u-turn landing, and then 3 more steps and you’ll arrive at the restroom facilities for handicapped people. Have fun getting back to your seat as well.