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Lakeview’s Holiday-Themed Pop-Ups

With the holiday season comes vibrant lighting, extravagant decorations and joyful crowds. And in these gleeful times, Lakeview is one of the best neighborhoods to partake in festive celebrations. The annual Wrigleyville Wonderland, Chicago’s largest pop-up event, draws visitors from near and far, but Optima Lakeview residents and those living in the area have prime access. 

The beloved tradition returns this year to celebrate the holidays with 20 show-stopping Lakeview locations. Each bar brings its own unique twist on a festive theme. Visitors are promised fully decorated spaces filled with costumed performers, cheery music and holiday-inspired food and drinks throughout the season.

The participating bars will be sure to fulfill your craving to celebrate the holidays over the next few weeks and some long after the start of the new year. Check out the list of Wrigleyville Wonderland’s participants below:

  • The Country Club, 3462 N. Clark St., its original holiday pop-up runs through Feb. 1.
  • Deuces, 3505 N. Clark St., Santa Baby Christmas Bar runs through January.
  • Diver at the Park, 3475 N. Clark St., promises a Tulum holiday inspired experience.
  • Gallagher Way, 3635 N. Clark St., featuring Wrigleyville’s Christkindlmarket.
  • The Graystone Tavern, 3441 N. Sheffield Ave., a Hanukkah themed pop-up, running through Jan. 2.
  • Houndstooth Saloon, 3369 N. Clark St., inspired by the famous Griswold family, running through Jan. 10.
  • HVAC Pub, 3530 N. Clark St., the holiday pop-up runs through Jan. 15.
  • The Irish Oak, 3511 N. Clark St., a mash-up of St. Patrick’s Day and Hanukkah, Leprechanunaka,.
  • Wrigleyville Kilwins, 3519 N. Clark St., serving its 25 Days of Chocolate pop-up through Dec. 31.
  • Lucky Dorr, 1101 W. Waveland Ave., the festive Lucky Lodge pop-up is open through Dec. 31.
  • Moe’s Cantina, 3518 N. Clark St., inspired by the beloved holiday classic The Grinch and Whoville. 
  • Casey Moran’s, 3660 N. Clark St., has transformed into Rudolph’s Christmas Bar, open through Dec. 30.
  • Mordecai, 3632 N. Clark St., the annual holiday pop-up bar, Mistletoe, runs until Dec. 30.
  • NOLA Bar & Kitchen, 3481 N. Clark St., its Very Cajun Christmas pop-up runs through Jan. 20.
  • Old Crow Smokehouse, 3506 N. Clark St., featuring a festive Santa’s Workshop pop-up.
  • Rizzo’s Bar and Inn, 3658 N. Clark St., the holiday-themed pop-up features local singer John Vincent at 7 p.m. Thursdays and 5 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 30.
  • Roadhouse 66 Gas N’ Grill, 3478 N. Clark St., the Jingle Junkie pop-up is open through Jan. 8. 
  • Stretch Bar & Grill, 3845 N. Clark St., its Elf’d Up pop-up runs through Jan. 8.
  • Underground Lounge, 952 W. Newport Ave., inspired by the Island of Misfit Toys, the pop-up is open through Jan. 31.
  • Vines on Clark, 3554 N. Clark St., the holiday pop-up transports customers to an Apres Ski vacation.
The Graystone Tavern’s Hanukkah themed pop-up features traditional food and drinks options with a twist
The Graystone Tavern’s Hanukkah themed pop-up features traditional food and drinks options with a twist

With Wrigleyville Wonderland officially open for the season, don’t miss out on savoring the delicious festive food and drinks served at each immersive location. While some of the pop-ups run through February, others will end with the beginning of the new year. And, due to the popularity of the favorite tradition, many of the participating businesses are reservation only, so make sure to check their availability before making plans for a fun evening out. 

Giving Back: Lakeview Pantry

This holiday season, Optima is giving back to our community through a food drive for Lakeview Pantry. We’re excited to engage with a neighborhood institution near and dear to the Lakeview community and to play our role in their mission to end hunger in Chicago.

Lakeview Pantry celebrated their 50th anniversary this year, having been in operation since 1970. A small and dedicated group of neighbors began the initiative as The People’s Pantry of Lakeview, serving nearly 100 people in their first year. Since then, the pantry has grown to a team of 30 staff and 5,000 volunteers, providing nearly 4 million meals to 100,000 individuals in 2020. Lakeview Pantry has also adapted their services to meet the needs of the community, incorporating Online Market orders and community pop-ups alongside critical social services such as mental health counseling, job search support and crisis intervention.

From Thanksgiving to Christmas, our office is doing its part to collect food donations in-office which will be dropped off at the pantry. It’s important to us to contribute to local causes, especially around the holiday season, when everybody deserves a full belly and a full heart. Last year, we collected food for Deerfield Pantry alongside pet food for Meals on Wheels in Northeastern Illinois. 

As we continue progress on Optima Lakeview, we look forward to discovering more ways to give back to our new community in the future. 

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Maintenance Supervisor

Glencoe, IL





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