This renovated Lincoln Square hangout has lost its old-school flair, but hey--at least the bar food's great.

The Scene
Formerly a well-worn eatery popular with Lincoln Square's mixed hipster crowd, the Daily has new owners, who have renovated, reconceived and reintroduced it as a Lincoln Park-style bar and grill. The bar itself is still retro-cool, and there's plenty of natural light from two walls of windows. But much of the seating has been removed--save for a few high tables and booths--and the place feels like any other neighborhood watering hole.

The Food
The menu, too, has been simplified to basic bar food fare: wings, nachos, burgers, pizza, and comfort food like meatloaf and fried chicken. Wings are respectable, and the cheese quesadilla is outstanding: crispy and oozing melted chihuahua cheese. Pepperoni pizza works too (sauce is a tad sweet), but it's the fried chicken that will knock your socks off. From the flaky breading to the tender, juicy meat to the skin-on spuds dripping with beef gravy, it's an awesome, man-sized platter--and a bargain at just $9.95.