Most of my early years were spent on the North Side of Chicago. I would take the Clark Street bus south to Wrigley, and I saw many a movie at the Riviera and Uptown theaters. But there was a place across the street from those theaters that I always longed to be as a kid under 21, and that was The Green Mill.
The Green Mill is famous for being a mobster speakeasy during Prohibition, but it’s also famous for being one of the premier Jazz clubs in the world. I did visit The Mill when I was age appropriate, and it did not disappoint. That was many years ago now, but I have been longing for a similar experience ever since.
Recently, I had the pleasure of dining with dear friends at a local Naperville restaurant called City Gate Grill. It has a charming atmosphere along with great food and service, but it wasn’t until 7:30 that memories of The Mill rushed in. You see, every Friday and Saturday night from 7:30PM-10:30PM, CityGate Grill has live music. On this particular evening we enjoyed the jazz stylings of Nite Hawks, who would be a great fit for The Mill.
You can’t expect the iconic lore or old time tavern feel of The Green Mill here, but you can expect to hear some talented musicians while you dine in elegant surroundings. Make sure to bring a heavy wallet too, for the tip jar of course.
CityGate Grill is located in CityGate Centre, 2020 Calamos Court,Naperville, Illinois 60563, (630) 718-1010. INFO: www.citygategrille.com.
