Dining out: Happy Hour all day at Yard House; City Works in Wheeling opens Monday

Happy Hour all day

Start the school year off right: It's Happy Hour pricing all day on all pizzas and select apps, such as poke nachos and fried mac and cheese, at Yard House now through Thursday, Aug. 15, and Monday through Thursday, Aug. 19-22.

Yard House's suburban locations are at 2301 Fountain Square Drive, Lombard, (630) 495-1912, and 1880 Tower Drive, Glenview, (847) 729-9273, or yardhouse.com/home.

Fresh start

If you haven't been to Allgauer's on the Riverfront in awhile, now is the time as the nearly 40-year-old Northbrook restaurant recently refreshed its lunch and dinner menu.

"With this menu, we have created a selection of flavor-filled, well-executed dishes that offer something for everyone to enjoy," executive chef David Brantner said.

Start off with the new fresh mozzarella caprese crostinis or stuffed jumbo shrimp with crab before digging into a new salad such as the insalata mista, steak knife wedge salad or Asian chicken salad. If you're craving fresh-made pasta, consider the portobello and porcini ravioli; the beef tenderloin and wild mushroom da Vinci; or the shrimp farfalle Alfredo. Oh, but there's more. Refreshed entrees include chicken Madeira; roasted half chicken with roasted root vegetables; aged center cut filet with pecorino mashed potatoes; dry-aged New York strip loin with polenta; harvest sea scallops with bacon Parmesan risotto; sesame-crusted ahi tuna; and cilantro-crusted Mahi-mahi. Heading there for lunch? Try the new shrimp and bacon club; Allgauer's Salad; maple pepper bacon flatbread; or the skirt steak chimichurri with steak fries.

Make note of the weekly specials, too, including the All-You-Can-Eat Fish Fry on Fridays for $13.95-$15.95; the $9 Burger and Beer Special all day on Saturdays; and the Sunday Champagne Brunch featuring bottomless champagne and mimosas, seafood, prime rib and more for $42 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Allgauer's on the Riverfront is at 2855 Milwaukee Ave., Northbrook, (847) 664-7999 or allgauers-on-the-riverfront.business.site/.

Summer Mixer

You don't have to be a cocktail connoisseur to enjoy Zorba Cocktail Bar's Summer Mixer at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16. For $50, you'll get to taste and learn how to make five summer cocktails, which will each be paired with an appetizer. Reservations are encouraged, but not required.

Zorba Cocktail Bar is at 2155 CityGate Lane, Naperville, (630) 579-3210 or zorbabar.com/.

National Rum Day

Does this week already seem really long? Bahama Breeze is here to help. The Caribbean-inspired restaurant is celebrating National Rum Day, which is Friday, Aug. 16, now through Saturday with rum cocktail specials, including $4 Painkillers, $3 Bahama Mamas and $2 Captain & Cokes.

Bahama Breeze is at 406 E. Golf Road, Schaumburg, (847) 884-7060 or bahamabreeze.com/.

'First Draft'

If you've been anticipating the opening of the new City Works in Wheeling, you're in luck. While the pour house - featuring more than 90 beers on draft to complement the classic American fare - officially opens its doors on Monday, Aug. 19, diners can get an early taste of the restaurant at its "First Draft" Soft Opening Charity Event from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17. For $45, the event will feature the full food menu and an open bar. Even better is it benefits Scholarship Assistance Fund Dollars for Scholars, an organization that supports current high school seniors, college undergraduates and vocational students. Sounds like a win-win. Buy tickets at eventbrite.com/.

During the opening week, City Works' hours will be from 4 to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Aug. 19-22, and 4 p.m. to midnight, Friday, Aug. 23. Starting Saturday, Aug. 24, regular hours will be 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to midnight Friday; 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

City Works is at 365 W. Dundee Road, Wheeling, (847) 941-0990 or cityworksrestaurant.com/wheeling/.

A spirited dinner

CityGate Grille in Naperville is collaborating with Minnesota's Far North Spirits for a special farm-to-table dinner starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17. Sourced from the restaurant's Chef's Garden and local producers, executive chef Adam Tanner has devised a meal that starts off with smoked salmon farm fresh eggs on garden cucumber and drunken bruschetta paired with Summer Spice (Syva vodka and grapefruit juice with a dash of banana pepper simple syrup). The salad course features Michigan blueberries and fresh Great Lakes Walleye paired with Northern Blues (Gustaf gin with muddled blueberries, Thai basil, lemon juice and simple syrup). Next is skirt steak with garden grilled vegetable hash and smoked green tomato jalapeño salsa paired with Surtr (a Smoked Old Fashioned with Roknar Minnesota blend whiskey). End with dessert of toasted local peach cheesecake with grilled peaches and fresh whipped cream paired with Peach for the Skies (Alander spiced rum, peach puree, lime juice and fresh mint). Dinner is $65 plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are required.

CityGate Grille is at 2020 Calamos Court, Naperville, (630) 718-1010 or citygategrille.com/events/far-north-spirits-dinner.

Sizzle, sizzle

Imagine sizzling fajita chicken and grilled veggies wrapped in a warm tortilla. Now imagine that it's only $10. It's true, Houlihan's Original Sizzling Chicken Fajitas are only $10 on Sunday, Aug. 18, for National Fajita Day. Served with housemade guacamole and pico de gallo, sour cream, shredded cheddar, lettuce and lime, the deal is good for dine-in only. If you prefer beef, the combo and steak fajitas are just a few dollars more. As an extra bonus, Houlihan's is offering all-day happy hour Sunday, meaning the margaritas are only $5.

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; 16153 La Grange Road, Orland Park, (708) 364-7650; and 321 Rice Lake Square, Wheaton, (630) 690-5550, or houlihans.com/.

Kids' Kinderfest

Where did the summer go? Hofbrauhaus Chicago is celebrating the start of school with a Back to School Kinderfest bash from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 18. Enjoy live music, face painting, magic shows, and arts and crafts stations. Plus, kids' meals are only $5 and the first 100 families will receive a gift bag.

Hofbrauhaus Chicago is at 5500 Park Place, Rosemont, (847) 671-2739 or hofbrauhauschicago.com/blog/back-to-school-kinderfest1/.

East Meets West dinner

Chef Ce Bian of Roka Akor and Chef Claudio Ulivieri of Stefani Prime are collaborating on a Japanese and Italian five-course tasting menu paired with wines and sake from both regions in an East Meets West dinner at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, at Stefani Prime. For $90 per person, dine on farro soup and little neck clams paired with Colterenzio Sauvignon Blanc; a tataki trio of escolar, bigeye tuna and prime beef paired with Wakatake Onikoroshi "Demon Slayer" Junmai Daiginjo Sake; shrimp risotto paired with Colterenzio Pinot Nero St. Daniel Riserva; sliced prime New York steak paired with Marchesi Antinori Guado al Tasso il Bruciato Bolgheri; and end with vanilla gelato with espresso. Reservations are required. Proceeds from the dinner benefit the Stefani's Children's Foundation.

Stefani Prime is at 5755 N. Cicero Ave., Lincolnwood, (847) 696-6755 or stefaniprime.com/collab.

• Email clinden@dailyherald.com with dining and night life events.