Moretti's fifth location replaces Sam Houston's in Bartlett

Moretti's is the newest bar to hit Bartlett. Well, new in that it's a new franchise in town, occupying the space of a previous bar.

Motif: Moretti's, with locations in Fox Lake, Schaumburg and Chicago, recently opened in the former location of Cadillac Ranch. For those who visited Sam Houston's in the past and are curious about what Moretti's looks like, here's a brief summary: Remember the large space inside? The brick fireplaces, tan walls and cabin-esque feel? Yeah? Good. OK, now picture the walls covered in a ton of sports memorabilia, beer paraphernalia, 40 HD televisions and a large, four-sided bar to the left of the entrance. Welcome to Moretti's!

Sure, there's more to this pizzeria/bar than that, but to past visitors, it might feel like a shake-up. The interior wasn't so much reinvented as it was covered up with tennis racquets, old beer advertisements and photos of athletes of yore. But the biggest change surely is the large four-sided bar, and Saturday night partyers can't complain about that. Plus, if the place gets a little crowded, Moretti's offers another, albeit smaller, bar in the back. There's also plenty of other seating, both inside and out. And what sports bar would be complete without Golden Tee?

I should mention that the bar itself might be one of the most sports-centric bars I've seen. Upon closer inspection of the top of the bar, you'll find that even below the glass are sports cards and sports photos. Some would say that's going a bit overboard with the sports theme, but I just think it's a friendly reminder that you're in a sports bar and that sports is a good metaphor for life. Sports, sports, sports!

Crowd: Nice mix. Accompanying Moretti's obvious sports-bar theme, the young, after-work and weekend crowds fill the bill. Then again, this is partly a pizzeria and restaurant, so don't be shocked to see families trudging in here for dinner. Expect the age range to hover around 20-something post-dinner, especially since this place is open until 4 a.m.

Service: Nice, friendly service. While sitting at the bar, I was asked my name for my drink tab. Not a big deal, I thought. But this bartender was good. She took down my name and remembered it. There's nothing quite like being at a bar for the first time and having your bartender know your name, whether or not you want another beer. It's like Cheers, except you're in Bartlett - drinking on a Monday night - and you know absolutely no one at the bar.

Food: Not surprisingly, Moretti's food is of the Italian sort. Besides pizza (their specialty), they offer different kinds of pasta, chicken, steak, sandwiches and burgers. Also look out for half-price appetizers (with a beverage purchase), such as Buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks and bruschetta, from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Liquid consumption: Moretti's has a decent selection of brews on tap and a full bar to boot. Guinness, Heineken, Leinenkugel Summer Shandy and Blue Moon lead the charge. Moretti's also offers plenty of drink specials during the week, including $2 Coors Light on Mondays and $12 domestic Table Tappers on Wednesdays. Select martinis cost $5 on Thursdays, and select glasses of Napa Valley wine go for $3 every day.

Sounds: During my visit, the music selection leaned toward good ol' rock music that spanned the likes of the Raconteurs, REM and Peter Gabriel. True story: As the guy sitting next to me at the bar chomped down on Buffalo wings, he sang along to Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" between violently licking his fingers. John Cusack would be proud.

Parking: For a bar off Lake Street, there are plenty of spots to be had in Moretti's large parking lot, even if you end up farther from the entrance than you'd like.

Overall: Sure, not much has changed at the former site of Sam Houston's since the transformation into a sports-themed pizzeria. Moretti's wasn't trying to reinvent the building, let alone the sports bar perception. What you will get here is good food, a decent beer selection and specials, a ton of televisions and a suburban bar that is open until 4 a.m. Four a.m. in the 'burbs! Wow.

Moretti's

1175 W. Lake St., Bartlett

(630) 830-3900, morettischicago.com/bartlett.php

Hours: 4 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 4 to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, bar open until 4 a.m. seven days a week