The Time Out Chicago blog team

Chicago’s deep-dish fans, prepare for a crispy-cornered shake-up: Milly’s Pizza in the Pan, one of the city’s most buzzed-about pan pizza spots, is saying goodbye to Uptown and heading west to Noble Square this summer. Owner Robert Maleski, who launched Milly’s out of a Logan Square ghost kitchen in 2020 slinging just 10 pies a day, confirmed that the pizzeria will relocate to 925 N. Ashland Avenue, in a space formerly occupied by Pizza Metro. If all goes to plan, the new shop will open by the end of July, with the Uptown location (1005 W. Argyle St.) staying in service until then. While Milly’s remains mostly a takeout-and-delivery operation, the new space will be even cozier, with just 12 seats upfront. What the new project will lack in dining room square footage, it will make up for in pizza-making power: the spot comes with a Middleby Marshall conveyor oven (aka the “Cadillac of pizza ovens”), a massive upgrade from the convection oven Maleski used in Uptown. With it, Milly’s will double production from 60 to 120 pies daily. Known for its caramelized crust edges and chef-driven layering of high-quality ingredients, Milly’s has drawn comparisons to cult favorites like Pequod’s and Burt’s Place, while repping deep dish as something more than a tourist trap. “We feel that this space will take our pizza to another level,” Maleski shared on Instagram. Despite the excitement, Maleski says he’s sad to leave Uptown, where neighbors embraced his small business from day one....

The Brits are here.  Photograph: Courtesy of Electric Shuffle The London-based, high-tech shuffleboard bar Electric Shuffle just opened in River North at 488 N La Salle Drive, serving cocktails and food alongside exciting gaming opportunities.  The 7,000-square-foot space delivers a vibrant, retro-inspired setting for gaming and gathering with friends. Evoking the vibe of a house party, you’ll find vinyl records, vintage art and Chicago-centric décor all throughout the destination, accented by neon signs and a glowing main bar that serves as a centerpiece. Photograph: Courtesy of Electric Shuffle The custom shuffleboard tables—boasting a camera vision technology created by a rocket scientist!—can accommodate groups of two to 20 folks each for 90-minute sessions, so grab as many friends as you want on your way in. The destination can also host up to 250 guests at once, linking tables together for a tournament, complete with live leaderboards throughout the venue. Seems like the city's top bowling alleys have some competition now.  In addition to it all, Chicagoans can hang out on the on-site patio, which features a pergola and seating for 25, ideal for people watching and sipping cocktails. Speaking of drinks: expect classics and more modern creations to share space on the imbibing menu. There's the Spicy Lucy margarita made with house-infused jalapeño tequila, for example, and the salted caramel espresso martini, which adds a salty spin to a fan favorite. Weekday...

Raise your glass, Chicago: four local bars just landed on the 2025 North America 50 Best Bars list—and a fifth is already being hailed as the next big thing. The newly announced ranking celebrates cocktail excellence across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, with Chicago’s Kumiko leading the city’s showing at number 10 and earning the title of Best Bar in the Midwest USA, sponsored by Tia Maria. But Kumiko isn’t just a bar—it’s a meditative escape in the West Loop. Created by Julia Momosé and the team behind Oriole, it’s a place where welcome tea replaces party shots. The bar’s serene, wood-accented omakase counter boasts just eight seats, where diners taste a progression of Japanese-influenced bites like seaweed-slicked uni, wagyu glazed in black garlic molasses and milk toast crowned with fermented honey ice cream, paired with imaginative sake and shochu cocktails. If mindfulness could be distilled and served in a glass, it might taste like Kumiko. Photograph: Clayton Hauck Joining Kumiko are three more Chicago favorites: Best Intentions (number 25), a “five-star dive” in Logan Square where the drinks are every bit as good as the vibe is laid-back; Meadowlark (number 38), a cozy, cerebral Humboldt Park bar where drinks are named after birds; and Bisous (number 39), a newer arrival that’s all elegance and ease, with a French-inspired flair. And then there’s Lemon, which hasn’t even cracked the top 50—yet. The cocktail spot was named the Campari One To Watch, an...