First things first: Duck Inn (2701 S. Eleanor St., Bridgeport, 312-724-8811) seems like it shouldn't be where it is. It's surrounded by manufacturing facilities and sits near the south branch of the Chicago River, not in the middle of a hopping nightlife district à la your typical Rockit Ranch spot. It's a throwback to the spot owned by chef Kevin Hickey's (Bottlefork) great-grandmother. In short, it's got a lot going against it.

But it's also excellent, the type of spot that's great for neighborhooders and destination drinkers alike. When we stopped in Saturday evening, a mixed crowd lingered over craft cocktails (such as the Sloe(r) Gin(ier) Fizz, with both Plymouth Sloe and Beefeater gins) and the extra-spendy Moody Tongue Black Truffle Pilsner. Some even sipped glasses of a gin punch out of a bathtub with a giant ice cube surrounding a rubber duckie, a treat that's available to order for parties.

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