Fun and entertainment Grands lacs américains

A pretty little café near the Mississippi River, where you can enjoy a salad or a sandwich made with fresh bread, ham, cheese and crudités, while playing one of the board games on offer. You can also enjoy a cappuccino on one of the sofas in front of the large picture windows. The atmosphere is pleasant and colorful, with yellow and red oilcloth tablecloths and warm floor lamps. Good cocktails and a wide selection of whiskies. Happy hour Tuesday-Thursday, 4-6pm. Live music some evenings.

An institution that is much talked about because of its fabulous "fish fry" on Friday night. You sit around a large table with many people and eat to the sound of German music, sung and accompanied by an accordion. Several guided tours of the beer production line in the basement are organized every day. It's impossible to stay sober during this tour, you spend more time operating the beer pumps than trying to understand the process of malt fermentation.

This small coffeeshop serves excellent coffee and welcomes the young and trendy population of Duluth. The real bonus, which sets them apart from many American channels, is that the cookies and cupcakes are homemade. The reception is also much more friendly. The croissants and pains au chocolat, while not the best in the world, are actually quite good. Since the summer of 2019, Duluth Coffee Company has had a second address, which opened in the Canal Park area, even closer to Lake Superior.

A long table welcomes the colourful crowd of Wicker Park, in a debonair atmosphere. "Bangers" means sausage and "Lace" is the layer of foam that must be obtained on a pint. You have understood the motto: beer and hot dogs. The atmosphere is good-natured. A purely chicagoan evening in perspective under the golden ceiling and between the brick walls of this superb hangar, tastefully and eclectically renovated (just look at the deer heads hanging on the wall).

At Whistler, the people are handsome, the waiters are pleasant, the DJs are talented and the cocktails are evil! Certainly one of the best bars in Chicago, located in a rather quiet area and frequented mainly by locals. Free and good quality live music concerts are organised on a regular basis, and we enjoy attending them in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, with a cheap but tasty beer in our hands. There is an inner courtyard, which can be enjoyed during the summer months. Whistler is definitely our little favorite.

Really a place like no other! To get there you have to go to a laundry and nothing, absolutely nothing else, indicates that you are at the right address. You really have to go into the laundry and push the back door and here you are at the entrance of a magic show room... And it's indeed magical from the moment you enter: dimmed lights, cosy room and stage with a big red curtain do the rest. Various magicians will parade by while you dine comfortably seated. Between two shows, artists play live. A superb address!

Located in the chic Peninsula Hotel, this bar is one of Chicago's trendiest. It overlooks the famous Michigan Avenue, and its superb rooftop is perfect for sunny days. Inside, the lights are subdued, the decor is uncluttered, and you can enjoy excellent cocktails prepared by real pros, along with stylish tapas and delicious sushi. The clientele is made up of young forty-somethings from Chicago, as well as posh people who stay at the Peninsula, where rooms are priced to the eye... A great place for a drink and a snack!

Federales, also present in Dallas and Denver, showcases Mexican cocktails and cuisine. Don't be fooled by its subdued street art ambience, this place will turn up the heat as soon as the DJ takes over the decks. There are plenty of tables to sit around, and a central bar, making for an open, unpretentious space - as evidenced by the humorous phrases about our relationship with alcohol. Self-service fresh water, draught beers... And excellent mango margaritas. The terrace closes around midnight.

Resolutely alternative and off the beaten track, this local bar/art gallery/small concert venue attracts a crowd of young and old to relax in a European atmosphere. The atmosphere is very cool, 1970s style, with regular open mic sessions, where anyone can get on the small wooden stage and get the room dancing. On the menu, it's rather vegetarian, with great salads. One of our favorite spots in Madison.

The Rock Bottom Brewery chain has set up shop in Milwaukee just like in Chicago. People come here mainly for the huge outdoor patio overlooking the river and the variety of beers. The location is unbeatable, as it's within walking distance of many of the city's hotels and landmarks. It's a favorite spot for Milwaukeeans to spend some quality time on a sunny patio. The house also serves as a restaurant, and the menu offers fairly decent American specialties.

A slightly chic but pleasant atmosphere for dining to the sound of jazz music, in subdued blue light. If you want to chat, opt for the bar or the mezzanine, where you can see the stage without being too close to the music. In fact, the musicians are so close that a warm, friendly exchange takes place even from the stage. It's all in good spirit, and there's plenty to savor the moment with a glass of wine in hand. On the other hand, the food and cocktails are nothing extraordinary, and somewhat disappointing for the price.

Just a stone's throw from the Walker Art Center, this café is part of a local chain with more than 70 locations in Minnesota. The Dunn brothers opened their first café in 1987 in St. Paul, and it was an immediate success thanks to the warm atmosphere and excellent coffee. Set up on two floors, this address has a multitude of tables, some armchairs and a terrace for the nice days. The coffee is roasted on the spot, not to spoil anything. A good little address, where you can stop before or after visiting the museum.

The best bowling alley in town! In fact, it's much more than just a bowling alley, it's an institution in its own right: thirty-six lanes, a high-tech system of baffles, smoking machines... Groups come here to throw the balls along the gutters and hit the strike, and to enjoy the overexcited atmosphere of the crowd. On Friday and Saturday nights, the place is full, but you can reserve your place by phone (but you'll be charged extra). Don't forget that Diversey River Bowl's other name is "Rock'n Bowl"!

The Gene Siskel Film Center is part of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and as such has been presenting a nonprofit program of independent and international films since 1972. Recognized as the best independent cinema in Chicago, it often screens French films. Note that to the right of the Gene Siskel Film Center are the ABC Chicago studios. You can see, through the glass windows, the set of the newspaper. Stop by during news time if you want to catch a glimpse of the Windy City's star anchors.

A large dark room and a large stage for the musicians, a beautiful bar, a space to dance, a calm and relaxed crowd, there is everything you need to spend a good evening at Martyr's. Bands can play rockabilly, blues, swing, funk or rock... Opening onto the street, bay windows create a neighbourhood bar atmosphere. Martyr's is also a restaurant, where sandwiches, pizzas, salads, etc. are served on tables decorated in memory of great musicians like Jim Morrison. A very good address to discover.

Still relatively unknown to tourists, Rosa's Lounge is reputed to be one of the most pleasant places to listen to good music, played by local artists. This small venue was opened by Tony Mangiullo, an Italian who dreamed of opening his own blues club, until his mother, Mama Rosa, who runs the bar, moved to Chicago. You have to come as soon as it opens if you want to get seats opposite the musicians. In our opinion, this is one of the best places to hear real blues.

Pops for Champagne is one of Chicago's newest and most elegant jazz clubs. It is located in the heart of the city, which does not spoil anything. The first floor with its bar in the centre and its large windows become the place of meeting "after work" where you start with a champagne cup or a glass of wine. A little later (five times a week), we go to the basement from 21 h to attend a jazz concert. The room is rather intimate and is in the spirit of the old clubs of Saint-Germain-des-Près.

This independent cinema, which opened its doors in 1929, presents foreign and independent films, silent films as well as great films from the 1980s. The place: an old theatre that has undergone few changes since its creation. It is framed by red velvet curtains in accordance with tradition. Its dark blue ceiling and its eight hundred seat hall are worth the detour... It is also famous for its organ that resounds on weekends. It is said that this cinema is haunted by Whitey, the first owner of the place...