Chi-Town Tap is still trying to figure out what it wants to be. Depending on when you go, you'll either find a good spot for happy hour, a sports bar or a mid-priced Mexican restaurant.

The Chi-Town's $1 beer specials secure its happy hour prowess, paired with plasma screens above the bar tuned into all ESPN, all the time. In addition to the bargain brews, Chi-Town serves the usual suspects in bottles, along with Modelo and Dos Equis; expect to see assorted domestics like Bells, Sierra Nevada and 312 on tap, with Guinness as the lone import.

Located in the space formerly occupied by Lindo Mexico, Chi-Town has retained the same kitchen, which means you'll see burritos and veggie fajitas on the menu along with more standard bar fare like burgers and cheese sticks (the chicken burrito tasted surprisingly fresh). The kitchen is open until close, which makes it a good late-night destination spot.

The personality disorder extends to the decor: Chi-Town Tap is the only bar in Chicago where you're likely to find a Golden Tee machine next to a fish tank next to something resembling a Spanish castle. Old pictures of the mud-filled streets of downtown Chicago hang on the walls next to the sleek-looking bar, which you can expect to fill up with good-looking Lincoln Parkers looking to establish a foundation for a Saturday night of heavy drinking. Several tables in the back provide a respite from the noise so long as you don't mind the clamor from the pool table.

Centerstage Reviewer: Scott Smith