Dining out: Become a tailgate master at Lombard's Weber Grill Academy
Farm-to-table beer dinner
As the weather starts to turn cooler, warm up at Wildfire Lincolnshire's four-course October Farm-to-Table Beer Dinner featuring Didier Farms starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11. Wildfire's resident beer expert Matt Bena will discuss the craft beer and food combinations, which include saffron risotto with roasted butternut squash paired with Avery Brewing The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest Lager, carne asada with late-harvest vegetable succotash paired with Founders Harvest Ale and Didier Farms Apple Cider Donut paired with Naperville's 2 Fools Dry Hard Cider. The dinner costs $60; reservations are required.
Wildfire is at 235 Parkway Drive, Lincolnshire, (847) 279-7900, wildfirerestaurant.com/Lincolnshire/.
Master of your grill
Want to perfect your tailgate grilling skills? Weber Grill Academy in Lombard is offering a hands-on Tailgating Grill Class from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 12, when you can learn how to make Kobe beef sliders, sweet and spicy chicken wings, teriyaki skirt steak skewers and grilled pound cake with roasted strawberries on Weber gas and charcoal grills. The class is $65 plus tax and gratuity. Register at webergrill.securetree.com/grilling-classes/lombard/classes/Tailgating/.
Weber Grill Academy is at 2331 Fountain Square, Lombard, (630) 953-8880, webergrillrestaurant.com/.
City Works' 'First Draft'
Ahead of the official opening Monday, Oct. 14, of City Works Eatery & Pour House in Vernon Hills, the restaurant is giving diners a sneak peek from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, during a “First Draft” Soft Opening Charity Event. That night, guests can enjoy classic American fare from the full menu and the open bar while supporting Northern Illinois Food Bank. Tickets cost $45 and 100% of ticket sale proceeds will be donated to the food bank. Order tickets at cityworksrestaurant.com/vernonhills/event/first-draft-soft-open-charity-event/ or eventbrite.com/.
City Works Eatery & Pour House is at 929 N. Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills, cityworksrestaurant.com/vernonhills/.
Shaw's Oyster Fest
Shaw's Crab House in Schaumburg and Chicago are going all out in October for Oyster Fest. At both locations, take advantage of Oyster Happy Hour from 4 to 6 p.m. every day when East Coast and West Coast oysters are half-price. On Oct. 31, that happy hour special runs all day, from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Plus, chef Arnulfo Tellez has created special dishes for the fest, including Oyster Chawanmushi, fried oyster corn chowder, oyster au gratin and more. At the Chicago location only, Roaming Shucker Wednesdays feature rare, boutique oysters shucked tableside in the Oyster Bar. And come in hungry to the Chicago restaurant on Sundays for the Fried Chicken & Oyster Roast Dinners. Starting at 6 p.m. each Sunday in October, dine on roasted oysters, fried chicken, mac and cheese, hush puppies, honey butter rolls and two beverages for $49.95. Reservations requested.
Shaw's Crab House is at 1900 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, (847) 517-2722, and 21 E. Hubbard St., Chicago, (312) 527-2722, shawscrabhouse.com/schaumburg/menu/oyster-fest/.
Come hungry to Victory's Carnivore Dinner
Save your appetite for Tony The Butcher's Carnivore Dinner, coming to Elmhurst's Victory Meat and Seafood at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15. Try a variety of dishes, including dry-aged big mac mini burgers, You Will Think We Are Greek Salad, veal-stuffed ravioli, bone-in rib-eye, Chef Joe's Famous Brick Chicken and roasted bone marrow. For dessert, nosh on an assortment of ice cream sandwiches. The dinner costs $95, which includes wine pairings. Reservations requested.
Victory Meat and Seafood is at 116 N. York St., Elmhurst, (630) 359-5599, victorymeatandseafood.com/.
5 for fall
Perry's Steakhouse & Grille in Oak Brook gears up for fall with five off-the-menu dishes that are available for a limited time. Try Perry's Harvest Salad ($12); white bean pork chili made with poblano peppers, hatch green chilis, diced applewood-smoked bacon and pieces of Perry's Famous Pork Chop ($11); lobster truffle risotto ($45); butternut squash ($12); and pumpkin cheesecake ($10).
Perry's Steakhouse & Grille is at 5 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, (630) 571-1808, perryssteakhouse.com/locations/il/chicago/oak-brook/.
New brews
If you like trying new beer, Revolution Brewing's Deep Wood Series Preview Party starting at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, at Bub City Rosemont might be right up your alley. Try Revolution's new brews - Deth's Tar, Café Deth and Deth by Plums - and learn more about them from a Revolution rep. The event is free; pay for what you consume.
Bub City is at 5441 Park Place, Rosemont, (847) 261-0399, bub-city.com/rosemont/.
Email clinden@dailyherald.com with dining and night life events.