Right on the Mark: Warm weather suits new Schaumburg spot well

Summer is the perfect time to check out Mad Mark's Mystic Pizza, which has taken over Alumni Club's former digs. With affordable food and drinks and plenty to do outside, it's an excellent way to spend a nice night.

Motif: The best part of Mad Mark's is its sprawling beer garden. With a view of a pond, the space features umbrella-topped tables, an outdoor bar and a small waterfall lined with flowers. Illumination is provided by lights coiled around trees, while speakers keep the air filled with tunes. After-dinner crowds often hang around outside to play bags on the grass or in the sand volleyball court. The bar hosts volleyball leagues Tuesday through Saturday nights, bringing out some seriously good players. With open play after 10 p.m. Thursday, bags tournaments can draw up to 64 people competing for a $100 cash prize.

Inside, nearly every available space is decorated with eclectic kitsch. Cutouts of superheroes cover the ceiling, UFOs dangle from above, walls are lined with posters and the shelves nearly touching the roof sport lava lamps, a bowling pin and other oddities. A flat screen in the dining room is set into a stone frame and shows a burning fireplace.

A room upstairs is dedicated to private gatherings and has been especially popular with bachelor parties. Mad Mark's left another of Alumni Club's second floor spaces basically untouched and the lodge-style room with a fireplace can be used for private parties or spillover seating.

Service: Food came out quickly and our server was very attentive, always checking in right after we'd gotten something to make sure it was OK. We also appreciated his honesty as he steered us away from the fish and tater tots to better fare.

Liquid consumption: The best deal is Tuesday night when you can get $2 drafts, with the list including Leinenkugel, Guinness, Blue Moon and other brews that can easily sell for more than twice as much. The bar also offers flavored Long Island iced teas for $3.50 on Wednesday and Friday and $4 select glasses of wine on Monday. A bright blue Patron cocktail was one of the highlights of our meal. It's a light and refreshing drink perfect for warm weather sipping.

Food: If you want a proven pick, a symbol next to a dish on the menu indicates that it's a staff favorite. The firecracker shrimp was a tasty starter, with a generous portion of lightly crispy shrimp coated in a zingy sauce. The shrimp is served over a salad with thin strips of carrot, red pepper and squash that combine well with the mild spice. Another top pick, The Jessica, is a large grilled chicken breast smothered in provolone cheese and served on a hamburger bun with pesto and slices of avocado. The Burn Baby Burn, a burger topped with hot sauce, pepper jack cheese and slices of jalapeno, wasn't actually that spicy unless you were biting into a pepper. Sandwiches are served with a choice of sides and the large portion of hot, hand-cut fries was excellent. The bar plans to open for lunch service is July.

Crowd: The crowd is mostly mid-20s and 30s, dressed ultra casually in shorts and T-shirts. Many former Alumni Club patrons have been coming back to see how the bar has changed. The atmosphere is highly social, with groups of guys often challenging female counterparts to some volleyball while other groups play quarters at their table. The discount drafts make Tuesday one of the busiest nights, though there's also a solid dinner rush.

Sounds: DJs spin country Wednesday and the bar offers line dancing lessons so you can step along on the large dance floor. Tuesday is hip hop night and on Thursdays, a steel drum player performs on the patio. DJs also spin Friday and Saturday and the bar is hoping to begin hosting live bands soon.

Parking: There are plenty of spots in the huge, free lot.

Overall: Whether you're going to eat, drink, compete or all of the above, Mad Mark's is a great place to chill with friends on a summer evening.