Jake Melnick's Corner Tap, 41 E. Superior St., is offering a "Hangover Brunch" on New Year's Day. Items will include Chorizo and Egg Nachos ( $9.95 ), Brisket Hash Skillet ( $10.95 ) and Jake's Crispy French Toast ( $9.95 ), with cornflake-crusted brioche. The Hangover Brunch is available 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and RSVPs are recommended for both New Year's Eve and Day. Call 312-266-0400.
Kit Kat Lounge, 3700 N. Halsted St., will hold three events ( 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. seatings as well as the 11:30 p.m.-2 a.m. party package ) for New Year's Eve. The earlier seatings are $65 ( 7 p.m. ) and $85 ( 9:30 p.m. ) each, and include a four-course prix fixe, a bottle of champagne and party favors. See www.kitkatchicago.com .
The Boundary Tavern and Grille, 1932 W. Division St., and Old Town Pour House, 1419 N. Wells St. ( both under Bottleneck Management ), are holding New Year's Eve parties at 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Tickets are $85 to Boundary and $40 at Old Town. For more info, see www.bottleneckmgmt.com .
Showplace ICON Theatre, 150 W. Roosevelt Rd., will offer New Year's Eve and holiday cocktail specials for $12 in the Lobby Lounge. Items include Eggnog ( vanilla vodka, amaretto, eggnog and cinnamon dusting ), Goodbye 2013 ( OR~G, Veev, Sprite ) and Hello 2014 ( Patron XO Cafe, RumChata and half & half ). New Year's Eve falls on Lobby Lounge's Treat Tuesdays, when guests can enjoy desserts for half-price and select dessert martinis for $6. See www.ShowplaceIcon.com .
Blackfinn Ameripub, 65 W. Kinzie St., is offering reservations for New Year's Eve. Tickets are $75 online and $85 at the door. VIP table packages will also be available starting at $400, and will include a bottle of Champagne and Blackfinn's signature appetizers. See www.eventbrite.com or email psanchez@BlackfinnRiverNorth.com .
The Drawing Room, 937 N. Rush St., has appointed Tommy Sheean as executive chef. ( Sheean used to be sous chef at the venue. ) One of the first big events on Sheean's docket is a five-course New Year's Eve dinner. For $85 per person, with an optional $35 add-on for a cocktail or wine pairing, guests can expect beef tartare, duck confit, beluga lentils and bread pudding, among other choices. Call 312-266-2694.
Bountiful Eatery, 3313 N. Broadway, will have 7 p.m., 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. New Year's Eve seatings of its gluten-free menu. The four-course menu ( $30 ) includes several entrees, such as Dijon-marinated salmon, grilled chicken breast, tofu and chicken kabobs, and ground bison plate, among others. Call 773-687-9811.
At RPM Italian, 52 W. Illinois St., chef/partner Doug Psaltis will prepare a variety of specials such as Maine lobster risotto with Piedmont black truffles for New Year's Eve. Call 312-222-1888 for more info or to make a reservation.
Slurping Turtle, 116 W. Hubbard St., will hold a Godzilla Movie Night extravaganza on New Year's Eve. There will be three tasting menus, action movies and Japanese drums. Tickets are $45-$40 each; see http://slurpingturtle.com/home.php.
Francesca's Forno, 1576 N. Milwaukee Ave., is hosting a pajama brunch on New Year's Day, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Menu items will include tomato braised pork hash, amaretto-soaked French toast, and the Glazed and Infused doughnut trio. Call 773-770-0184 or visit www.miafrancesca.com .
Billy Goat Tavern quietly opened at 60 E. Lake St. on Dec. 18, according to DNAInfo.com . This is the seventh Chicago location of the brand, and this restaurant seats 85. The site was slated to open in October; howeer, construction problems pushed the launch back. A grand opening will take place in 2014.
"Chicago's Best WingFest" will take place Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014, at the Bailey Auditorium, 1340 W. Washington St., 1-5 p.m. The second block of tickets will go on sale Jan. 2 and the last block on Jan. 22. Tickets ( $30-$65 ) may be purchased directly at www.WingFest.net, and attendees must be at least 21.
The Gallow's Polea sandwich at Leadbelly, 5739 W. Irving Park Rd.made Thrillist's list of the best burgers of 2013. It's a ground beef and pork belly burger with caramelized mushrooms and onions, smashed taters, Swiss cheese,and bearnaise sauce, all on a house-baked sesame seed bun. The Sword ( at Kuma's Corner, 2900 W. Belmont Ave. ) also made the list: It's a patty with jalapeno aioli, cactus salsa, queso fresco and a beer-battered tamale. The Unholy Mole ( at Fischman's Wagyu Wagon; www.thewagyuwagon.com ) and The Dryhop Burger ( at Dryhop Brewers, 3155 N. Broadway ) are other local concoctions that rounded out the list.
Municipal Bar + Dining Company, 216 W. Ohio St., has announced Donald Penza as executive chef. New menu highlights include Philly cheese steak egg rolls, lobster rolls, grilled skirt steak, salmon and pork loin. See www.municipalbar.com .
Guillermo Tellez is returning to Chicago to work with Mercadito Hospitality, according to Chicago Magazine. Tellez worked his way up through Charlie Trotter's kitchen, becoming his chef de cuisine and opening Trotter's former Cabo San Lucas eatery C Restaurant. Tellez has left his job heading two hotel restaurants in Philadelphia to oversee the Mercadito stable, which includes two in-development Chicago projects, Mercadito Counter and Tippling Hall.
The casual Italian eatery Cibo Racconto, located in Rosemont ( near O'Hare and the Allstate Arena ), offers classic and unique dishes, all for $9.99 or less. Items include the porchetta sandwich ( $7.99 ); lumache arrosto ( $8.99 ), snail-shaped pasta topped with tomato sauce, ricotta cheese, roasted red peppers and grilled Italian sausage; and the panizza ( $5.99-$6.99 ), a panini-pizza hybrid. Call 847-699-2020 or visit www.ciboracconto.com .
Send items to Andrew@WindyCityMediaGroup.com or follow on Twitter @Azygous60610 .