5 places to eat poutine on Canada Day

The Bad Apple, a corner pub and grill in Lincoln Square, advertises that it proudly serves burgers made from Pat La Frieda beef. If you just thought, “Who the hell is that?” you’re not alone. During my two visits, I overheard a half-dozen people ask the same question. New York foodies are likely the only ones to know the answer—Pat La Frieda is a wholesale butcher that’s been operating out of Manhattan for nearly a century, only recently coming into vogue thanks to customers like Shake Shack and Little Owl.

The Canadian export opened in Wrigleyville to provide the drunk masses with exactly what they want: huge portions of fries topped with everything from eggs and sausage to pierogies.

The hopping new brewery is just what East Lakeview needed. The rotating selection of house beers includes IPAs, wheats and pale ales, and a flight of each draft offering is an easy way to find a favorite. The food menu encourages sharing dishes like the bacon poutine with sausage gravy, Scotch eggs and frites with a tangy "dragon sauce."

The people of the Loop have been waiting. They’ve been waiting for an alternative to Bennigan’s or for a liquor list that goes beyond Old Crow and Miller draft. Now, thanks to Billy Lawless, the wait is over. The beer list goes beyond the basics and wines are accompanied by clever, straightforward descriptions. Assuming that even happy hour–goers need something quality to munch on, chef Dirk Flanigan has created a “snack” menu that includes shrimp cocktail (fresh but with a blah aioli) and poutine.

The menu at Red Door appears at a glance to be pretty heavy—steaks, sloppy joes, poutine—and in addition to enjoying the nice weather, I thought being outdoors would provide an airiness I might not find on the plate. But that poutine, layered with chicken confit and spiked with curry, was not nearly as heavy as poutine can get.