A sign hanging by Ann Sather's door bears the following inscription: "Once one of many neighborhood Swedish restaurants, Ann Sather's is the only one that remains." It's a real Chicago institution, where you can enjoy Swedish meatballs with buttered noodles and brown gravy, or the Swedish sampler of duck breast with lingonberry glaze, meatball, potato-sausage dumpling, sauerkraut, and brown beans. All meals are full dinners, including appetizer, main course, vegetable, potato, and dessert. Sticky cinnamon rolls are a highlight of Sather's popular (and very affordable) weekend brunch menu (it can get frenzied, but you'll be fine if you get here before 11am). The people-watching is priceless here: a cross section of gay and straight, young and old, from club kids to elderly couples.

There are several other branches that serve only breakfast and lunch: a restaurant in Andersonville, at 5207 N. Clark St. (tel. 773/271-6677), and smaller cafes in Lakeview, at 3411 N. Broadway (tel. 773/305-0024) and 3416 N. Southport Ave. (tel. 773/404-4475).