Yes, this lounge is just off the lobby of the James Hotel, but it's no conventioneer hangout. The low-slung leather couches, seating cubes, and flickering votive candles give it the look of an upscale urban club, and its laid-back vibe has made it a gathering place for stylish locals in their 20s and 30s. The drinks also have a sense of style (the house martini blends blue raspberry vodka and elderflower cordial and is served in a glass coated with a raspberry-candy shell). One drawback: You have to call and reserve a table if you want to be guaranteed a place to sit into the late-night hours.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Chicago 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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