The shtick: Eastern Euro fare gone cozy-chic in River North.

The vibe: Boho’s dining room manages to be inviting in a way so many places in River North are not. This is in spite of (or because of?) a dizzying number of decorative motifs going on, from curlicued wallpaper to wood-beamed ceilings to floral pendant lamps to blue leather. Even at brunch, when only about half the tables were occupied (mostly with people who seemed to be taking their parents out for a meal, or parents taking their adult children out), there was a warmth and buzz about the place. 9 out of 10

The drinks: The main cocktail menu doesn’t list it, but there is a particularly excellent Bloody Mary ($11) on offer, with a gentle undercurrent of heat rather than a full-tilt attack. Another great option? The Boho Sour ($11), with a perfect lid of egg-white froth and a balanced back-end on every sip. 9 out of 10

The food: A light meal this ain’t. You’re coming here for hefty, sit-in-your-stomach-for-a-reasonably-long-period-of-time plates, so grab a couple of meat eaters (there are a few veg options, but not many outside of baked goods and pancakes of both Bavarian and potato varieties) and settle in for some Eastern European comfort food.

Honestly, on a day as dreary as the one we visited, there was no meal we would rather have been eating—it’ll likely be a regular in our rotation once winter comes back around. Because something as rich as the smoked beef tongue hash ($14), draped in mustard hollandaise sauce with tender hunks of meat and roasted beets, is exactly what you want in the grayer months, a kind of warming breakfast hug with a poached egg on top. Ditto the butcher’s goulash ($16) crowned with a hunk of knackwurst (the sausages here are uniformly excellent). The Boho Bacon ($6) feels less like bacon than it does a tender slab of pork (in this case, neck meat) lacquered in currant and beer syrup, sticky-sweet and smoky and totally addicting. 8 out of 10

The service: Our amiable server gave us just enough guidance on the menu without drowning us in explanations, and his recommendation to order the bacon was greatly appreciated once we tasted it. 9 out of 10

Overall:A hearty meal and one of our new favorites. 9 out of 10