Full disclosure: These pictures weren't supposed to be taken inside. We had every intention of shooting this West Loop spot's patio, in all its fire pit and bocce court glory, on Friday night. But then the weather got all Chicago-y on us, the heavens opened up, and a downpour pushed potential outdoor drinkers indoors. Sorry about that.

But even on a rainy night, Kaiser Tiger (1415 W. Randolph St.) makes a strong case as a drinking establishment, because it's basically a weather-independent party. If you can't reserve some time on the soon-to-be-a-summer-destination bocce courts (in the winter, they're turned into curling rinks instead), there's ping-pong and foosball to play, a downtown view to take in from the second-floor Skyline Room (often reserved for private events), and oh-so-much beer and meat (like in the weekly beer and bacon pairing). And the space used to be an elevator factory, so it's also home to two of the city's oldest working elevators. Since the space is sizable, it's also great for bigger groups. 

Here's what all we saw when we stopped in.