Dining out: National Burger Month, Ballpark Brew Fest and more
Burger bonanza at Tokio Pub
May is National Burger Month, and Tokio Pub is honoring it with three new burgers. The Aloha Burger is a grilled salmon burger with teriyaki glaze, red chili mayo and pineapple jam. The Nacho Burger combines Angus beef, Asian barbecue pork, Chihuahua cheese, guacamole and fresno peppers on a brioche bun. And the Eruption Burger includes Angus beef, mizuna, tobanjan, chili oil and fried fresnos on a brioche bun. Tokio Pub is at 1900 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, (847) 278-5181 or tokiopub.com/.
Tent party
Draft Picks in Mount Prospect is turning 3. To celebrate, they're hosting a tent party Friday and Saturday, May 4-5. Food and drink specials and live music are the order of the day, with My Metal Heart playing from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and 7th Heaven playing from 9 to 11 p.m. Friday. On Saturday, Boneyard Band starts things off from 4 to 6 p.m., Petty Kings takes over from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Infinity closes out the night from 9 to 11 p.m. The cover is $10. Draft Picks is at 912 Busse Road, Mount Prospect, (847) 290-9000 or draftpicksmtprospect.com/.
Houlihan's happier hour
Houlihan's recently revamped its Happy Hour offerings with the new $5 Spot, a Happy Hour-only menu where all items are $5. It includes any cocktail on the menu including the Long Island Iced Tea pitchers, 10 appetizers including 'shrooms, spinach dip, chicken wings and char-crusted ahi tuna, and The Big Cheese: A full-size, Happy Hour-only burger with melted Velveeta, diced pickles and onions and Houlihan's secret sauce. Houlihan's is at 1508 S. Randall Road, Algonquin, (847) 658-4560; 1322 Commons Drive, Geneva, (630) 345-8000; 2860 Showplace Drive, Naperville, (630) 536-0022; and 321 Rice Lake Square, Wheaton, (630) 690-5550. houlihans.com/.
Suds on!
Don't miss the party when Bigbys Pour House hosts the sixth annual Ballpark Brew Fest from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 5. At least 50 local and national breweries such as Church Street, Crystal Lake Brewing, Goose Island, Lucky Monk, Noon Whistle, Penrose, Pig Minds, Pollyanna, Scorched Earth, Two Brothers and more, will be pouring more than 100 craft beers. VIP tickets, which include early entry at 1 p.m., two food vouchers and 25 passes for 3-ounce samples, cost $75. General sampling tickets, which include 25 passes for 3-ounce samples, cost $45. A designated driver ticket is $10. Free parking. Buy tickets at (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com/. Schaumburg Baseball Stadium is at 1999 S. Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg.
Morton's burger of the month
Yes, Morton's The Steakhouse's burger to celebrate National Burger Month will set you back $25. But wait until you hear more: The Snake River Farms wagyu burger is smothered in cambozola cheese and pickled shallots and topped with a fried egg on a brioche bun with bacon onion jam. It's served with matchstick fries and available during May. Morton's The Steakhouse's suburban locations are at 1751 Freedom Drive, Naperville, (630) 577-1372; 9525 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Rosemont, (847) 678-5155; and 1470 McConnor Parkway, Schaumburg, (847) 413-8771. mortons.com/.
Dine with your Dog
Dogs deserve some love, too, and Broken Oar is happy to oblige. Starting May 7, dine with your dog after 5 p.m. Mondays on the lawn, weather-permitting. Enjoy riverside dining with your pooch while taking advantage of specials such as $2 burgers and $2 domestics. Broken Oar is at 614 Rawson Bridge Road, Port Barrington, (847) 639-9468 or brokenoar.com/.
Wildfire's Sangria dinner
If you have a taste for sangria, check out Wildfire's four-course sangria dinner from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday, May 7. Start off with lump crab and avocado crostini paired with cucumber sangria. Then move on to blackened jumbo sea scallops paired with citrus sangria, followed by a main course of Chef Rodrigo's carne asada tacos paired with mixed berry sangria. Dessert consists of yogurt cheesecake with strawberry-rhubarb sangria. The dinner is $65 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Wildfire is at 232 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, (630) 586-9000 or wildfirerestaurant.com/oak-brook/.
PDQ gives back
On Tuesday, May 8, PDQ (People Dedicated to Quality) is honoring Teachers + Nurses Appreciation Day by giving teachers and nurses 50 percent off their total check with a valid ID. PDQ is at 1320 Meacham Road, Schaumburg, (847) 947-3148, and 167 Danada Square, Wheaton, (630) 315-7135. eatpdq.com/.
Moms love cake
There's only a short time left to order Portillo's heart-shaped chocolate cake for Mother's Day. The cakes, which are $15.99 each, will be available for in-store pickup from May 10 to 13. Portillo's has locations throughout the suburbs. (866) YUM-BEEF or portillos.com/.